"Well then, Mr. Kurose Akira~ I'll be heading back to the church."
Ivsha smiled warmly as she offered a casual farewell, then turned lightly on her heels and stepped into the teleportation circle. Wrapped in layers of soft radiance, her figure gradually faded from sight.
Akira watched her disappear, then drew in a deep breath and shifted his gaze to the now-empty, eerily quiet guild hall.
Alice and Viola had already gone to sleep. Loserine was in her room, immersed in silent meditation.As for Marley Laine…
No idea.
"Time to get some rest," Akira muttered to himself. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned toward his bedroom.
But just as he was about to step inside—
Bang!
The bedroom door flew open violently. Marley Laine burst out, suspicion written all over her face, her eyes darting sharply around the hall as if she were desperately searching for something.
"What's gotten into you?" Akira asked, startled by her strange behavior.
"I smelled her scent," Marley said in a low voice.
Her gaze locked firmly onto Alice's room, her expression twisting into something hard to describe.
"…Her scent?" Akira raised an eyebrow, an inexplicable sense of foreboding rising in his chest.
Before he could say anything else, Marley shot forward like a gust of wind, sprinting toward Alice's room at a speed so fast Akira didn't even have time to react.
"…?"
Utterly confused, Akira hurried after her.
Since the door hadn't been closed, they entered the room without resistance.
Inside, Alice was already fast asleep—lying quietly on the bed in her cloth-doll form.
Even though she now possessed blood, Alice still seemed to prefer sleeping as a doll.
Viola was curled up tightly beside her. The two little ones were sleeping soundly.
"What exactly is going on?" Akira whispered, lowering his voice as he questioned Marley.
But Marley seemed not to hear him at all.
She walked straight up to Viola, her crimson dragon pupils fixed on the dragon scale fragment clutched in Viola's arms, falling into deep contemplation.
"..."
Watching her reaction, Akira felt a wave of helplessness.
So that was all it was. Marley had sensed the fragment of the Life Dragon's scale. He'd thought something serious had happened…
Just as he was about to explain that he'd already given the scale fragment to Viola, Marley suddenly raised a finger to her lips, signaling him to stay silent.
Huh?
Akira immediately followed her gaze.
The dragon scale in Viola's embrace was glowing—streams of azure-green light flickering across its surface like starlight, dazzling and profound, exuding an aura of deep mystery.
"…What is this?"Akira's face filled with surprise.
He clearly remembered that the dragon scale fragment had shown no reaction at all when he handed it to Viola.
Yet now, it was radiating dense life energy—and seemed to be undergoing some kind of transformation.
"This is interesting," Marley muttered under her breath, excitement flickering in her eyes."I didn't expect this dragon scale to still be hiding secrets."
"What kind of secrets?"Akira stepped closer, his gaze fixed on the scale in her hand.
Only then did he notice faint markings carved into its surface—strange symbols he didn't recognize at all.
"These are dragon runes," Marley explained. "As for what they say…"
She paused briefly, then continued.
"The dragon scale hasn't fully repaired itself yet. I can only decipher part of the information."
A grin crept onto her lips, brimming with exhilaration.
"But—!"
"Mira never became a god either!" Marley burst out laughing. "She's trapped inside a seal! Hahaha! That bastard finally got what she deserved—this feels great!"
Her mocking laughter echoed through the room.
Akira fell silent.
He had assumed that at least one of the two demigod-level dragons fighting over godhood would succeed.
Yet in the end—
One had fallen, reduced to a ten-thousand-meter dragon corpse.
The other had been sealed away, deprived of freedom.
The outcome was completely beyond his expectations.
As Akira pondered this, a system notification suddenly flashed before his eyes:
[Detected: Your favorability with Adventurer Marley Laine has reached 80!][Required item for Character Quest obtained!][Would you like to activate Marley Laine's Character Quest — Dragon of Life and Destruction?]
Character quest?
"Yes."
[Character Quest acquired — Dragon of Life and Destruction!][Recommended Level: 70][Quest Description: Two dragons—rivals and companions—have battled for countless centuries. Now, Marley Laine wishes for your assistance in locating the dragon that represents Life—Mira.][Quest Objective: Locate the Dragon of Life][Quest Reward: Marley Laine's Advancement Materials]
"…Why is the recommended level for this quest as high as 70?"
Akira stared at the quest details, his brows knitting tightly.
Their guild was strong—but facing enemies above level 70 was still undeniably dangerous.
The last time they fought a level-70 undead bone dragon, they'd only won after heavily weakening its attributes.
Even now, with Marley Laine and Viola added to their lineup, achieving a flawless victory against enemies above level 70 would still be extremely difficult.
That said, there was no need to rush this quest.
After all, finding a dragon that embodied Life was no simple task.
Akira turned to Marley and asked in a low voice,"Can we determine her location from this information?"
"Not yet. This little one needs more time to repair itself," Marley replied, gently shaking her head.
She placed the dragon scale back into Viola's arms.
"Mira… since you haven't entered the divine realm," she murmured coldly,"then I still have the chance to end your life with my own hands."
"No—" Her voice grew even colder."I won't let you die so easily. I'll tear that disgusting body of yours apart piece by piece… and smash those two lumps of yours into pulp."
"..."
Akira rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"Let's head out. Let them rest properly."
As Marley walked toward the door, she glanced back at him.
"Human. You'll stand on my side and teach that Mira bastard a brutal lesson, right?"
"Mm-hmm. Of course."Akira answered absentmindedly.
He turned to leave Alice's room, reaching out to switch off the light they'd forgotten to turn off.
But just as his fingertip touched the switch—
He froze.
In the dim light, Viola's body was emitting brilliant, rainbow-colored radiance—vivid and dazzling like neon lights.
"…Is this also an effect of [Seven-Colored Rainbow Light]?"
Akira whispered softly, then closed the door.
Back in his own bedroom, accompanied by Marley Laine's faint, mischievous laughter, he drifted into sleep.
In his dreams, he finally saw the Elf Queen again.
But—
This was not the white-elf queen he longed for.
This was the true Elf Queen.
The moment Akira stepped into the dream, the Elf Queen turned her gaze toward him.
Her eyes were noble and gentle—yet hidden beneath that warmth was a trace of cold detachment.
"Your Majesty… it's been a while," Akira said, forcing a smile.
Before his words even faded, the Elf Queen strode up to him, her turquoise eyes locking onto his as if trying to peer straight into his soul.
"What's wrong?" Akira unconsciously stepped back.
Her voice remained calm, yet carried undeniable gravity.
"You… have you recently stepped into the territory of the Elven Kingdom?"
Akira's heart sank.
He hesitated, unsure how to respond.
Had she discovered his rescue of the dark elves?
"Enough. You don't need to answer. Your reaction already tells me the truth."
The Elf Queen glanced at him lightly, then turned away.
"So… Elina didn't tell me the whole truth after all."
"Elina…?"Akira's expression darkened.
Did that mean her help in his escape had also been exposed?
Oh no.This is bad.
He was definitely about to face the Elf Queen's wrath—
"Your Majesty, those dark elves—"
"They escaped," the Elf Queen interrupted calmly."I don't know how they did it, but since they're gone… we'll let it be."
"…?"
Akira froze.
So she wasn't angry about the dark elves?
Then what—
"She performed the Mother Tree's baptism on you?" the Elf Queen asked suddenly.
"…Yes." Akira nodded.
"Then let's continue."
With a gentle wave of her hand, the staircase leading into the Mother Tree reappeared.
"Follow me."
"Alright."
Akira followed her.
In the blink of an eye, he was once again inside the Mother Tree.
This time, however, his attention was drawn to three figures within the pool.
Bearella stood there with her two adorable children, immersed in the waters blessed by the Mother Tree.
Streams of colorful elemental magic flowed gently through the pool, seeping into the bodies of the sisters—Furi and Flora.
The magic glided over their small, jade-like bodies like feathers brushing angels' wings, performing a sacred baptism.
Akira walked quietly to the edge of the pool, his gaze settling on Bearella.
Her skin was snow-white, flawless, and still radiated an irresistible allure.
Cough…
Only then did Akira realize that he and the Elf Queen seemed to exist on a different "layer" from Bearella and her daughters.
Of course.
He had entered this place through a dream created by the Mother Tree, while Bearella and the others had entered through the real world.
But—wait.
A thought suddenly struck him.
Even if they couldn't see him…
Could they sense his presence?
…Probably?
"Is their baptism going smoothly?" Akira asked.
After all, he'd learned from the White Elf Queen that the Mother Tree's baptism carried risks—otherwise Bearella wouldn't have been assigned to assist.
The Elf Queen nodded gently.
"Rest assured. Among the three elven princesses, Bearella may not be the strongest overall—but her control over elemental magic is the finest. A baptism overseen by her is far more reliable."
Akira finally relaxed.
Bearella was one of the three elven princesses. How could she possibly be weak?
He'd simply assumed she was fragile because she was a gentle mother—but in truth, she was far stronger than he'd imagined.
"Don't hesitate. Undress and enter the pool," the Elf Queen urged.
The night was precious.
"Together with them?" Akira asked, confused. He'd expected to undergo the baptism alone with the Elf Queen.
"With Lela here, my assistance isn't necessary," she said softly."Don't worry. I'll guard you from the side."
"…Alright."
Akira nodded, removed his clothes, and stepped into the pool.
Thanks to his prior experience, he adapted quickly.
And because Bearella and her children shared the baptism's effects, the power he felt was gentler—far more comfortable than before.
…Hm?
Just as he waded in, he saw the Elf Queen gently shake the green tree beside the pool.
Several drops of multicolored sap fell into the water.
Instantly, the baptism's intensity surged.
Pain crashed over him like a tide.
It felt as if his blood had been replaced by a foreign liquid—his entire body swelling with an indescribable pressure.
"Mm~"
He heard Bearella and her daughters let out soft cries of pain.
Yet their eyes remained closed as they silently endured it.
Akira clenched his teeth.
After a long struggle, he gradually adapted.
He closed his eyes as well, allowing the Mother Tree's elemental magic to seep into every cell of his body.
[You have received the Mother Tree's baptism. Elemental magic potency increased by 1%…][You have received the Mother Tree's baptism. All-element affinity increased by 0.1%…]
At that moment—
A mysterious girl with long green hair appeared silently beside the Elf Queen.
She studied Akira and the elf mother and daughters for a moment, then turned to the Queen.
Without moving her lips, her voice echoed calmly:
"These two children have good talent."
"Mmm~"The Elf Queen smiled gently in agreement.
"And him…"The green-haired girl turned her gaze to Akira.
After a pause, she spoke again.
"His elemental talent isn't outstanding—but he seems protected by a special law. I can't fully see through him."
"They come from a distant world," the Elf Queen replied softly."They are protected by their world's laws."
After awakening, the Elf Queen had thoroughly learned the rules governing the guild.
"Another world…?"The green-haired girl stared at Akira, strange light flickering in her eyes.
She fell into deep thought.
Minutes later, she lifted a finger.
A drop of emerald liquid formed at her fingertip and fell into the pool.
The moment it touched the water, the entire pool turned a vibrant green, overflowing with life.
At the same time, a clear system chime rang out in Akira's mind:
[Received a gift from the Mother Tree. All-element resistance increased by 0.1%…][Obtained the 'Blood' of the Mother Tree. Your body has undergone subtle changes…]