The Mad Dog of the Duke's Estate
Chapter 202. The Return (2)

Chapter 202. The Return (2)

The next morning, after finishing the breakfast Kerra had prepared, Caron headed straight to the Grand Temple of the World Tree. It was because the regent had summoned him early in the morning.

"Sir Caron Leston has arrived," an elf in a white robe announced in a soft voice as Caron stepped into the temple.

The interior was exactly as Caron remembered. Nothing had changed. Through the large window at the back, the massive trunk of the World Tree was visible, towering over everything.

"Welcome, Caron. I have been expecting you," the regent said.

"You are as beautiful as ever," Caron replied.

"You have gotten better at flattery," the regent said.

"Yes, that was flattery," Caron admitted with a smirk.

Beside the regent in a green robe stood a familiar elf. It was the High Elder of the Eastern Great Forest.

"How did things go with your people?" Caron asked.

The regent gave a gentle smile and nodded, then said, "Our brothers and sisters who had been away have merely returned home. Nothing more happened."

"Huh. My family is constantly at each other's throats," Caron remarked.

"...Ahem." The regent couldn't bring herself to agree. Nodding at that statement would be equivalent to admitting that the Ducal Family of Leston was a fractured mess.

Clearing her throat a few times, she spoke again in a calm voice. "Lord Mos is currently with Mother."

"He hasn't been... absorbed, has he?" Caron asked.

"Of course not. He is beside Mother's side. I had planned to visit her with you. By the way, have you retrieved the spring water from the Oasis?" the regent asked.

In response, Caron pulled a small glass vial from his pouch of dimensional space. Inside, the Oasis spring water shimmered with rainbow hues.

"Of course," he replied.

"Let us go, then. Mother is waiting. High Elder, would you like to join us?" the regent asked.

The High Elder of the Eastern Great Forest, Baltho, responded in a voice thick with emotion, "Would a sinner like me be allowed?"

"What do you mean, a sinner? Mother does not see you that way," the regent reassured him.

It seemed Baltho still hadn't faced the World Tree. Given that he had spent all night discussing the refugees from the Eastern Great Forest, it was understandable.

With that, the three of them made their way toward the garden in front of the temple.

The path from the temple to the World Tree was as vibrant as ever, brimming with life. As they walked, the regent cast a sidelong glance at Caron, then said, "I hear a great deal has happened in the Eastern Great Forest."

"I put in quite an effort," Caron replied. "Oh, that reminds me, Regent, I have a serious question for you."

"I'm listening," the regent said.

Caron turned to her, then asked, "How much did you tell my grandfather?"

With Baltho present, he couldn't ask directly, but the regent would probably understand.

The regent offered an enigmatic smile and nodded, then said, "There was nothing for you to worry about."

"I need to be careful," Caron muttered. "I think he's starting to suspect something."

He recalled what Halo had said while standing atop Erekis. It was something along the lines of Halo saying that he would wait until Caron was ready to tell him the truth.

Halo was definitely beginning to suspect Caron's true identity. But of course, it would have been stranger if he wasn't.

He must have realized that the Ocean Conquest Arts include the Loyalty Arts, which only the Imperial Guards learn, Caron thought.

Halo likely hadn't figured out that his grandson had reincarnated. Unless someone outright told him the truth, he would likely only assume that his grandson had some unknown connection to the Imperial Guards.

For now, I can just play dumb, Caron thought. Telling Halo the truth was a matter for the distant future.

The look on Halo's face when he finally realized his grandson was actually his old friend's reincarnation—Caron would save that moment for after his revenge.

"Anyway, thank you," Caron said.

"This is ultimately a matter between you and Grand Duke Halo. It would not be my place to interfere. I assume Sir Kerra has also remained silent on the matter," the regent replied.

"I actually asked him about it last night over drinks. He said it'd be more fun to mess with my grandfather," Caron said with a chuckle.

"Sir Kerra is quite an amusing man. Recently, he has been teaching swordsmanship to Galad's kin," the regent said.

"Well, he has to earn his keep somehow," Caron remarked.

As he and the regent continued their conversation, Baltho, who had been following beside them, gazed around the garden with an expression of deep emotion.

"Aah..." He suddenly let out a tremulous breath and fell to his knees. He whispered, "...Mother."

They had arrived before the World Tree. It was the sacred tree of the elves, a transcendent being—the very source of the forest.

"It definitely looks worse than last time," Guillotine remarked.

Yes, it does, Caron agreed.

Just as Guillotine said, the World Tree's condition had deteriorated further. Its bark was deeply cracked in several places, and its leaves had lost even more of their vibrance, looking dull and lifeless.

"Big Brother! You're here!" Mos exclaimed.

He sat perched on one of the protruding roots of the World Tree, waving cheerfully at Caron.

"You've been here the whole time?" Caron asked.

"Yes, there was a lot I needed to talk about with Mother," Mos replied.

When he first left the Southern Great Forest, he had still been an unsprouted seed. For Mos, this had to be his first time meeting his mother.

"I've been pouring my energy into her since yesterday, so you can now take out the Oasis spring water," Mos said.

Without hesitation, Caron complied. He retrieved the fist-sized crystal of spring water from its container and carefully handed it to Mos.

Mos cupped the spring water in both hands, and a deep green light emanated from his palms.

Then...

Whoosh.

The spring water seeped into the World Tree's roots.

Caron took a step back and watched in silence as the green glow spread outward from the roots, quickly enveloping the massive trunk.

A brilliant radiance burst forth, yet it wasn't blinding. Rather, it was soothing—so warm and comforting that it made Caron want to drift off to sleep.

"Oh, Mother," the regent murmured.

"Mother..." Baltho echoed.

Standing beside Caron, the regent and the High Elder clasped their hands together in prayer.

Moments later...

Whoosh!

The gentle light settled before Caron's eyes, and within it, a soft voice resonated.

"Child of the sea. First, I wish to express my gratitude. Thank you for caring for my children.

The dying World Tree spoke to him.

***

A green light enveloped the surroundings. The regent and the High Elder had vanished without a trace, leaving only a single woman standing before Caron. Her face was concealed by a brilliant radiance.

Caron quickly realized that this was a space created by the World Tree.

"You seem unsurprised," came a voice from within the light.

It was the voice of the World Tree—a voice so serene and soothing that simply hearing it eased the mind. The pure mana flowing from her presence seeped gently into Caron.

"Would it be appropriate to call you World Tree?" Caron asked.

"You can call me whatever you find comfortable. You are my benefactor, after all," the World Tree answered.

"Really? I can call you anything?" Caron asked.

"...I would prefer it if you addressed me as the World Tree," the tree admitted after a brief pause.

"What a shame," Caron sighed.

There went his chance to call the World Tree "ma'am" just to see her reaction. Clicking his tongue in feigned disappointment, he let the matter drop.

"Thank you for bringing my children safely home," the World Tree said. "If it wasn't for you, many of them would have become mere playthings for the Demon King."

"I had a feeling that was the case," Caron replied.

Mos had claimed he couldn't see the future, but the World Tree had to have foreseen the Eastern Great Forest falling to the Demon King. Perhaps she had even known that Halo would arrive with reinforcements.

Caron had countless questions, but he carefully chose the one he wanted to ask most. Fixing his gaze on the figure before him, he asked, "Did you have a hand in my reincarnation?"

It was the question that had weighed on him the most: The purpose of this new life that was given to him. He wondered why a knight of the Malevolent Emperor had been given another chance at existence.

At Caron's question, the World Tree responded quietly, "If I were to tell you too much, your fate would begin to unravel. That is not the future I wish for."

"So, you won't answer? That's a little disappointing," Caron said.

"The only thing I can tell you for now... is that I did indeed play a role in your reincarnation. One day, you will reach the truth on your own, so there is no need to rush," the World Tree added.

"Well, it's not like I was in a hurry. I was just curious," Caron replied lightly.

The World Tree let out a soft sigh, then explained, "All I can tell you is this. You were meant to be reincarnated. I simply made sure your soul could find its rightful place."

"Could you explain that in more detail? That's a bit too vague for me to make sense of," Caron asked.

"You will understand in time," the World Tree said.

Caron couldn't understand what she meant by ensuring his soul would find its rightful place. He pondered the words carefully, but couldn't arrive at a clear answer. It seemed this was something he would come to understand gradually, just as the World Tree had said.

"In the North Sea, you will come face to face with your fate. I hope you will approach it with patience," the World Tree told him.

"Is standing by while the Demon Kings make their move also part of the future you desire?" Caron asked sharply.

His words carried an edge that perhaps the World Tree would find impertinent.

However, she merely explained in a somber tone, "As the moon wanes only to wax once more, so too is the rise of the Demon Kings inevitable. Ever since the existence of the Demon Realm, this cycle has repeated without end."

Caron let out a small sigh at that. In the end, there was only one way to resolve all of this.

"Then I'll just have to destroy the Demon Realm," he said.

"It will be a difficult path," the World Tree said. "Even if you manage to defeat the Demon Kings of Havoc, Sloth, and Slaughter, in the end, the one who remains will be Void."

No one on the continent truly understood the Demon King of Void. They only knew that he existed.

Caron was no different.

"The creator of the Demon Realm, the one who stands at both its beginning and its end. If the Demon King of Void is not brought down, history will simply repeat itself," the World Tree continued.

What Caron wanted was the complete annihilation of all the Demon Kings, demons, and demonic monsters that roamed this world. To accomplish that, he would eventually have to face the Demon King of Void as well.

Slowly, he nodded, then asked, "Will you help me?"

"There is no reason not to," the World Tree replied.

"I've heard you're the Guardian of Balance," Caron said.

"The demonic monsters of the Demon Realm exist outside of balance," the World Tree explained. "For countless ages, they have sought to disrupt it. They are the true enemies of balance."

"Well, that's reassuring," Caron said.

If he could gain the support of the World Tree, his chances of success could improve, even if it was just slightly.

The Demon Realm was a place even Caron had never set foot in. If he was to reach it, he would need every bit of help he could get.

"Caron Leston," the World Tree said, her voice gentle yet solemn. "Upon your shoulders rests a tremendous burden. I am aware that it is heavy, but I hope you will endure—"

"Speaking of which, World Tree, do you have anything for me?" Caron interrupted.

"Hmm?" the World Tree murmured, caught off guard.

"I've been working like a dog, so surely you have something for me. I'm heading to the North Sea soon, and my grandfather says it's a frigid, barren land. If I go empty-handed, won't I freeze to death?" Caron said, grinning brightly, then held out his palm.

"You should give me something," he added.

The scene was almost comical. Caron looked less like a hero seeking aid and more like a street thug shaking someone down for money.

Momentarily flustered by his sudden demand for tribute, the World Tree hesitated before speaking in a noticeably smaller voice, "I... have yet to fully recover..."

"You looked pretty lively just a moment ago," Caron pointed out.

"...If you bring me the Glacier Crystal from the North Sea, I will grant you my blessing personally. With it, you will gain immense mana—" the World Tree began, but was cut off.

"That sounds like a reward for completing the task. Now, now, you should know better. I even helped your children," Caron interrupted once again.

"That was Duke Halo's doing, was it not?" the World Tree replied.

"Ah, but without me, they wouldn't have lasted until my grandfather arrived," Caron said, placing his hands on his hips and flashing a sly grin. "Now then, let's talk business."

He already knew the best possible reward he could get from the World Tree.

"I'll be taking a generous amount of your dew," Caron declared. "I just got my hands on dragon bone, and from what I've heard, using the World Tree's dew when forging equipment yields incredible results. Since you're already awake, how about producing a few drops for me?"

"That dew is not something I can simply—" the World Tree said.

"Oh! And I'll be taking a few branches too. That much should be fine, right?" Caron interrupted again.

"No, that—" The World Tree was cut off.

"Ah, come on!" Caron protested.

A man who could shamelessly extract rewards even from the World Tree.

That was Caron Leston.