Chapter 750

Chapter 750
Ghislain spoke up with a casual air, inquiring,
“Is it possible that thing is actually something on the level of a Spirit King?”
He wasn’t asking because he truly suspected it; he didn’t actually think it was true.
Yet, if—by some miracle—it really was a Spirit King… wouldn’t that be a monumental discovery?
Iralniel gave Ghislain a look of sheer bewilderment.
“Of course it isn’t.”
“…I figured as much.”
“Where did you even find this… spirit-like entity?”
Ghislain gave a nonchalant shrug.
“I stumbled upon it by luck. It doesn’t reside in the Spirit Realm; rather, it exists within my own mind. Its method of utilizing energy is reminiscent of a spirit. Furthermore, it has no memory and has no idea what its true nature is.”
Iralniel fixed her gaze intently on Dark.
Dark met her stare for a brief, tense moment before shifting his eyes away.
“You’ve lost your past? Truly intriguing. Permit me to examine you.”
Iralniel reached out, picking Dark up and holding him in her palm.
Dark kept his face turned away, looking thoroughly annoyed.
“How incredibly rude… Presuming to handle me like some trivial trinket.”
He muttered his complaints just loud enough to be heard, though everyone simply ignored him.
Iralniel rested her fingers upon Dark’s head and began a soft incantation.
“Spirits governing slumber and visions, answer my summons. Unlock the portals to the veiled realm and wander between the eternal and the fleeting moment.”
Fwaaah…
A radiant glow spun around Iralniel’s hand for a second before vanishing into Dark’s form.
Dark fought back against the energy probing his mind with incredible stubbornness.
Because he was a creature composed entirely of willpower, his defenses against psychological intrusion were remarkably high.
He was capable of shattering the illusions of even a 7th-Circle mage.
“How dare you attempt to snoop inside me!”
Even though Dark lived within Ghislain’s mind, they remained two distinct individuals.
Just as Ghislain was able to shut Dark out of his thoughts, Dark could do the same.
Neither could peer into the other’s mind without explicit consent.
Even with permission, they could only see fragments.
Because their fundamental natures were different, they could never truly merge.
If they were to fuse, they would cease to be the individuals they were.
“Hooh…”
Iralniel looked genuinely interested.
The mental fortification was surprisingly robust.
Had she tried to breach it by force, both of them might have sustained significant trauma.
She spoke in a soothing tone.
“You mentioned you aren’t aware of your own origin. If you permit it, I would like to take a quick look into your subconscious.”
“Hmph…”
Dark tossed his head back with an air of superiority.
It was a silent agreement.
In truth, he was also burning with curiosity regarding his own identity.
Fwaaa…
With that, the dream spirit plunged into the depths of Dark’s consciousness.
It was the identical technique Iralniel had employed to inspect Ghislain’s mind following Ereneth’s collapse.
The distinction this time was her descent into the deepest layers of Dark’s subconscious.
Usually, the subconscious of a living thing contains a “world” of its own.
Ghislain had previously shared his own world with Dark.
Even though it was a grim, blood-soaked wasteland, it was a mental landscape unique to Ghislain.
However—
“This is… simply not possible…”
Iralniel’s brow furrowed in confusion.
Inside Dark, there was nothing at all.
A total vacuum where even the concept of silence didn’t exist.
No radiance, no hues, no recollections, no feelings—just absolute emptiness.
She searched the mental space repeatedly.
Even a simple beast would possess more internal substance than this.
Regardless of memory loss, a world should still be present in the unconscious mind.
But this realm was barricaded.
Completely locked away.
Even its possessor was barred from entering.
Suddenly, Iralniel understood—
“His past is under a seal. And… it has been done with incredible skill and power.”
A shadow of caution flickered in her gaze.
Who could have performed such a feat?
And for what purpose would someone go to such lengths to hide his nature?
Crack!
The spirits summoned by Iralniel slammed against the wall of murkiness.
But the barrier was far more resilient than she anticipated.
It was like a flawless vault door, so tightly shut that not a single glimmer of light could leak through.
Iralniel squinted and concentrated her power into her fingertips.
Boom!
Suddenly, the shadows warped, and a microscopic fracture appeared.
From that tiny split, a dim light began to seep out.
“Keeeeaaak!”
Dark’s eyes flew open and he let out a piercing cry.
“Tch…”
Iralniel immediately withdrew her hand.
Any more pressure and she might have shattered his mind.
“…It goes that deep.”
She exhaled softly and lowered her eyelids.
Nonetheless, she had gained some insight.
Brief as it was, she had caught a faint scent—
The undeniable fragrance of a spirit.
And within that scent…
A level of grief and agony so profound it was beyond description.
She looked up and addressed the group.
“This creature… Though it is hard to fathom, it truly is a spirit.”
Ghislain was visibly taken aback.
“Seriously? He’s an actual spirit?”
He had only used that label because he lacked a better word.
He hadn’t actually expected it to be the truth.
He assumed it was just some odd, spirit-like anomaly.
But now, Iralniel had formally validated Dark’s identity as a spirit.
“Yes. I cannot identify its specific type, but I caught the faint aroma that only spirits emit. However, it wasn’t just one… It was the scent of a multitude of spirits.”
“A multitude? What does that imply?”
“It felt as if the core of every elemental spirit was blended inside him. Fire, water, wind, earth, light, and shadow—all layered together.”
“But Dark is a single entity.”
“Which is why this is so perplexing. It appears this spirit has been either corrupted or fundamentally changed. The barrier protecting his mind is simply too thick to learn anything more.”
Iralniel shook her head slightly and went on.
“I can’t say for sure what he is right now. His memories are firmly under lock and key.”
“Hmm…”
“For just a second, I felt an immense sorrow and suffering.
Something terrible must have happened to him.”
Ghislain turned to Dark and questioned him,
“Do you have any tragic memories?”
“Nope.”
“Are you in any pain?”
“Not even a little.”
“……”
Ghislain gave a weary sigh.
Predictably, emotions like grief didn’t really fit Dark’s personality.
Still, if his subconscious was barricaded, who knew what secrets might be revealed later on?
Iralniel offered a small smile as she looked at Dark.
“If he ever manages to unlock those memories, he might become something truly remarkable. The presence of so many different spirit essences cannot be a mere accident.”
Dark spread his wings with pride and barked,
“Hear that? This is proof I’m the Spirit King! Once my power returns, you’re all in big trouble!”
Iralniel added in a level voice,
“Of course… it is also entirely possible that once you remember everything, you’ll find you are nothing special. Perhaps just… the discarded scraps of a powerful spirit.”
“……”
Dark went silent at that alternative theory.
Being the Spirit King sounded grand.
But being someone’s cast-off garbage was a humiliating thought.
Dark refused to entertain that possibility.
“I must have been someone legendary! I was definitely the ruler of all spirits, the master of every element!”
Ghislain asked Iralniel with a hint of doubt,
“Does such a spirit even exist? One that commands all the elements?”
“Not to my knowledge. But who is to say? There are likely many mysterious beings that remain undiscovered. Even I don’t claim to have full knowledge of the Spirit Realm.”
“I understand. But you’re certain he is a spirit, right?”
“Yes. At the very least… his source is undeniably spiritual.”
Ghislain gave a nod.
When it came to spirits, Iralniel was the foremost authority on the continent.
If she was that certain, there was no reason to question her.
Would she have known more if she had sensed Dark’s true aura?
Unlike the Ereneth of the future, Iralniel didn’t have a visceral reaction to Dark’s energy.
That was because Dark’s current form was maintained by Astion’s mana, not his own original power.
While it shared similarities with the energy of the Salvation Order, it wasn’t the same—leaving Iralniel unable to pinpoint it.
As Ghislain stood lost in thought, the spirits hovering around Julien began to drift toward Dark.
They circled him with cautious interest.
However, it wasn’t the typical curiosity they showed to others.
It was as if they desired to merge with him—pressing closer, trying to intertwine their essences with his.
For some reason, this deeply irritated Dark, and he yelled,
“Get lost! How dare these common spirits try to get friendly with the Spirit King!”
The spirits recoiled in fright and scurried back to Julien.
Even so, they couldn’t help themselves and kept stealing glances at Dark.
Ghislain noticed that Dark was acting far more short-tempered than usual.
“What’s wrong with you? Why are you so hostile today?”
“Ugh, I don’t know. I just feel uneasy. I’m going back inside.”
Even Dark couldn’t explain his mood.
This forest, these elves, and the spirits—it all made him feel… gloomy.
Specifically, when the spirits approached, his mood darkened further.
So he retreated back into Ghislain’s consciousness, almost as if he were fleeing.
Iralniel, observing this, remarked,
“He is remarkably temperamental for a spirit. Usually, spirits tend to mirror the character of their summoner.”
“…He has been that way since the moment I met him.”
“The seal on his past cannot be forced open, but… if the right circumstances occur, it might eventually break. We can only wait for that day. Is there anything else you wish to know?”
“This is plenty. Thanks to your assistance, I secured the Blessing Stone, and my companion found a spirit. You’ve answered many of my questions. I am truly grateful.”
Ghislain bowed his head in a show of deep respect.
Having achieved their goals, Ghislain’s group settled in for the night.
The elves provided exotic fruits and botanicals from the woods.
While it didn’t quite satisfy the meat-eating habits of the mercenaries, everyone had a good time regardless.
The following morning, as Ghislain’s party gathered their gear to leave, the entire elven community came out to bid them farewell.
Iralniel smiled at Ghislain.
“May your path lead you to success.”
“Thanks. I’ll be sure to drop by again sometime.”
Seeing Ghislain treat the visit like leaving a friend’s house made Iralniel smile with genuine warmth.
Of all the humans she had encountered, none were as sincere as Ghislain.
Unlike others, he lacked any hint of manipulation or falsehood.
It was impossible not to be fond of him.
She then turned her attention to Deneb.
“You possess significant potential. I trust you will use that strength with wisdom. I gave the Blessing Stone to you because I have faith in your character.”
“Yes! I will do my absolute best not to let you down, High Chief!”
Deneb replied with enthusiasm.
Though her holy power had returned to its usual level, this trial had left her with a new sense of self-assurance.
Just as they were preparing to depart, Ghislain spotted Ereneth, who was standing off to the side looking quite miserable.
Hmm. When exactly did she join us in the past?
He was certain they had fought side-by-side during the Great War.
He had seen those events clearly in a vision.
But he didn’t know the exact moment she had joined the hero’s group.
So, trusting his intuition, he asked,
“Ereneth, do you want to come along with us?”
“What, me? You mean it?”
“Yeah.
Didn’t you say you wanted to see the world?
Since the High Chief gave us the Blessing Stone, you have more than enough justification to join the journey. Don’t you think?”
Ereneth quickly looked toward Iralniel.
She couldn’t leave the forest without permission.
Iralniel gave Ghislain a knowing look.
He had understood Ereneth’s desire and made the offer intentionally.
With a faint smile, she nodded and said,
“Ereneth, you should go with them.”
“Oh, no… I…”
“It is alright. I am well aware of what is in your heart. We can no longer keep you restricted to this small forest.”
“Iralniel…”
“Go and experience the world. Gain knowledge. These companions will be good guides for you.”
In truth, Iralniel had already suspected this would happen.
Eventually, Ereneth would have departed from the woods—if not with permission, then by sneaking away.
It was better to send her out with a group as reliable as the Julien Mercenary Corps.
Tears pooled in Ereneth’s eyes as she gave a deep bow.
“I will become more powerful… strong enough to contribute to the struggle against the Demonic Realm. I swear I will return.”
Hearing those words, Iralniel’s smile carried a touch of melancholy.
“Yes. If it is you, I have no doubt.”
With the Demonic Realm becoming active again, the elves needed warriors.
And there was no one more suited for that than Ereneth, who possessed unmatched combat talent.
Ghislain grinned as Iralniel gave her approval.
“Welcome to the squad, rookie.”
“Hmph. I am aware of what that word means to humans. As a high-born elf, I won’t be participating in any of your tedious chores.”
She had such a proud and spirited personality—very different from the Ereneth of the future.
Ghislain found the contrast quite entertaining.
He gave a shrug and answered,
“Sure, sure. Fine. It’s time to head out and track down the next Blessing Stone.”
With Ereneth now part of the group, the Julien Mercenary Corps began their journey toward their next goal.
Iralniel watched them until they were out of sight.
Even after they vanished, she stared down at her own hands.
They were far more wrinkled than they had been just a short while ago.
She whispered to herself,
“It appears… the time has arrived to hand over the World Tree to the next generation.”
And the elf destined to carry that burden—
Would be that same girl, who would one day return after surviving the world’s most violent tempests, stronger than anyone else.