Chapter: 03
At the same time.
The head butler entered the office of Aitana, the original story’s heroine and Edrion’s older sister.
“Your Majesty the Empress, a message has arrived from Duke Akshad.”
“Go on.”
“He departed from the South with Lady Noella and is expected to arrive on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital in four days.”
Aitana nodded, and the butler bowed once more before quietly withdrawing.
Setting down the document she had been reading, she sank into brief contemplation.
‘A caretaker for the World Tree…’
The World Tree, Yggdrasil.
The very first creation of the Primordial God, a transcendent existence that connected the eastern, western, southern, and northern regions of the continent.
Although it took the form of a tree, its true nature was an ancient magical construct formed from condensed mana.
Because of that, all matters concerning its maintenance had always been handled exclusively by the Imperial Magic Department, and investigating the cause of the World Tree’s decline was considered the responsibility of mages.
Ordinarily, there would have been no reason to summon a horticulturist…
But thenâ
Big Sis, do you think Liris is doing well? There isn’t some trashy bastard hanging around her, right? Though honestly, Liris is so charming that anyone who can’t appreciate her is the one with trash for eyes.’
‘Then why don’t you go win her over yourself?’
‘But what if Liris hates me? What if she misunderstands me as a fiancĂŠ who ignored her all this time? Or what if I’m not her type? Maybe she prefers someone small and precious like herself. Then what am I supposed to do? What do you think, Sis?’
‘…Isn’t this idiot completely hopeless?’
No matter how she looked at it, her younger brother was an idiot blessed with nothing but good looks.
Whenever he attended council meetings or state conferences, or mercilessly disciplined his subordinates, he seemed perfectly competent…
But the instant the conversation turned to his fiancĂŠe, he became a complete fool.
‘I miss Liris.’
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.”
‘Think I could sneak over and see her? Though her maid seems surprisingly perceptive.’
“Oh, for goodness’ sake.”
‘Or maybe there’s a way to bring Liris to the Imperial Capital? I can’t just leave her struggling alone in that remote backwater forever… Ah! I’ve got it!’
Edrion, who had been muttering to himself in front of his sister, suddenly raised his head.
Then he proposed to Aitana, who had been giving him absent-minded responses with the expressionless eyes of a dead fish, that he knew someone perfect to recommend as the World Tree’s caretaker.
Naturally, becoming the caretaker required an extremely rigorous vetting process, but Liris’s background was beyond question, and Aitana also owed her a personal debt.
More importantly, if it meant getting her damned little brother out of her sight, she’d gladly do just about anything.
Aitana immediately rushed to her husband, and the Emperorâher ever-faithful lapdogâreadily approved the idea.
“Four days… She’ll be here soon.”
Liris wasn’t a mage, and Aitana had no expectation that she could save the World Tree.
After all, horticulture dealt only with plants that belonged to the natural cycle.
The World Tree, despite its appearance, was a transcendent existence completely outside the laws of nature.
‘The ridiculous things I do because of that idiot brother of mine.’
Clicking her tongue softly, Aitana picked up her documents once more.
Completely unaware that only a few days later, she too would become just as much of an idiot.
The moving carriage came to a halt.
Liris blinked drowsily as she woke from a light nap, and noticing her movement, Edrion guided his horse alongside the carriage.
“My apologies. Did I wake you? We’ve stopped briefly for an inspection.”
“Yeees…”
It had been exactly five days since they left the South.
They rested at inns every evening after sunset, but because her stamina was naturally poor, her arms and legs felt as limp as waterlogged cotton.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Liris muttered,
“Where are we being inspected now? I thought we’d already passed through the Imperial Capital.”
With the terrorist organization known as the Shadow Faction causing chaos across the continent lately, every regional border required inspections.
Of course, since her traveling companion happened to be Duke Akshad, the Empire’s hero, they usually amounted to little more than exchanging a few greetings.
Curious about the delay, Liris looked out the window.
Her eyes widened.
‘Wow…’
Was there a place like this in the Imperial Capital?
Before her stretched a vast expanse of lush green hills, almost untouched by human hands.
“May I take a short walk while the inspection finishes?”
“Of course.”
Leaping lightly from his high saddle, Edrion opened the carriage door.
He offered his hand so Liris could step down safely, then slowed his pace to match her tiny, quick footsteps.
“Liris, did you know that the World Tree isn’t actually a tree?”
It was a sudden question.
Still, since Edrion was the commander of the knights who guarded the World Tree, she assumed he was simply making small talk to ease the awkward silence.
Without much thought, she answered based on what she knew.
“I know that although it looks like a tree, its true nature is magical.”
“That’s correct.”
That was why Liris had never studied the World Tree during her academy days.
Treating the magical, transcendent World Tree as a subject of horticulture would have been considered blasphemy.
Only the Magic Department and the Theology Department studied it.
‘Look on the bright side. I was hired as a gardener, not as the caretaker of the World Tree.’
In the original story, the World Tree didn’t begin to wither until the middle of Part Twoâtwo years from now.
So she only had to survive a few months before resigning on the grounds of poor health.
After that, whether chaos erupted in the Imperial Palace or war broke out, she’d simply return to the South and live quietly in seclusion.
‘Seriously, what kind of lunatic would put a gardener in charge of the World Tree? Right?’
As though sensing her thoughts, Edrion smiled brightly.
“The truth is, what we wish to entrust to you isn’t merely a garden.”
“…Excuse me?”
“The Imperial Family hopes you’ll take charge of the World Tree.”
“…?”
Edrion briefly explained how matters had come to this.
For the past several years, the World Tree had been steadily withering for reasons no one could determine.
There was a suspected culprit, but only circumstantial evidenceâno proof whatsoever.
They hadn’t even discovered the method by which the World Tree was being harmed.
The palace mages and the priests dispatched from the Grand Cathedral had tried every conceivable method, but none had succeeded in saving it.
Then someone had proposed an unusual idea.
‘What if we showed the World Tree to someone completely different? Someone who isn’t a mage or a priest… perhaps a gardener?’
The fact that the World Tree was dying was among the Empire’s most closely guarded secrets.
For that reason, any new caretaker had to possess an unquestionable background, proven ability and experience, absolute discretion, and as few personal connections as possible.
“Ah… so that’s why you chose me?”
“Exactly.”
“…”
What kind of deranged idiot came up with that damned idea?
Grinding her teeth, Liris barely managed to stammer out a response.
“B-But wouldn’t it be blasphemous for a horticulture doctor like me to manage the World Tree? I’d basically be treating it like an ordinary tree.”
“Everything will be conducted under the strictest secrecy.”
“And how long do you think that secret will last? They say the Imperial Palace has eyes in its walls and ears in its floors.”
“Oh, there’s no need to worry about that. You’ll be entering the Imperial Palace as my fiancĂŠe.”
“…?”
“As I’m responsible for protecting the World Tree, no one will suspect you if they believe you’re simply visiting me.”
…What?!
Doing her best to keep her spinning mind together, Liris thought,
‘Isn’t there any way out of this? They’re seriously going to put a horticulturist in charge of the World Tree? Are they out of their minds?’
Then again, perhaps it was better to know in advance.
There were plenty of ways to get herself thrown out of the palace.
All she had to do was commit obvious blasphemy.
She could inspect its drainage and nutrient levels as though it were an ordinary tree, check for pests on the leaves, spray fertilizer and pesticides, give it some water…
And to top it all off, she could even prune its branches to improve its shape.
‘Heh. That’s it.’
If an ordinary gardener did that, they’d lose their head on the spot.
But she was the eldest daughter of House Noella, one of the Empire’s Four Great Ducal Houses.
Surely the worst that would happen was being expelled from the Imperial Capital.
And after that, they’d never ask for her again.
‘Perfect…’
Nodding to herself in satisfaction, Liris suddenly stopped walking.
Standing alone in the middle of a gentle hill was something whose overwhelming presence made it impossible to ignore.
A tree.
Its height pierced the heavens, as though it had stood there since the dawn of time.
Its trunk was so enormous that even five or six grown men joining arms couldn’t encircle it.
Its branches stretched proudly outward, and every leaf shimmered with radiant golden light.
Even the massive roots protruding above the earth looked majestic.
An indescribably ominous premonition washed over her.
Liris slowly turned toward Edrion, silently demanding an explanation.
“Welcome to the Sacred Grounds, Liris.”
“…”
Ah.
