Chapter 214: Misaligned Timing
“Excuse me.”
Gathering my resolve, I slightly opened the door and called out.
“Welcome, bearer of strong will!”
Ah, no. I’m more of a tofu mentality kind of guy.
Inside the grand hall, there was a large, middle-aged man. With dark skin and a bright smile, he sat on what looked like a stone throne, draped in a mantle. His legs were spread wide, a great sword resting in front of him, hands gripping the hilt. Just a glance gave off a fierce impression. Also, he had that annoying way of sitting that people dislike on the train.
“…I would like you to come in.”
The Spirit who guided me called out from the gap in the door.
What should I do? Up until now, the Spirits I encountered in the Fire Temple and the underwater forest were quite easygoing, but these two seem like a hassle.
“Hey, are you sure about this guy?”
“With just a staff, he has the strength to deal with Demon Beasts and cross the desert. His demeanor attracts Spirits—he appeared during this time when the Hero was summoned, so it’s worth testing.”
I can hear you, you know!
“Ah, wait! Why are you closing the door? Listen to me!”
“Just listening, huh? Also, is that man a Demon Beast?”
I pulled the door back slightly as I spoke.
“You figured it out well. I see, so you’re keeping your distance. I won’t eat you, so come in! We can’t have a conversation like this.”
So he really is a Demon Beast. The reason for the distance is different, though.
The one who turned black and regained his color must have been powerful and high-ranking. Perhaps a remnant of that, he had a black star-shaped mark under his eyes.
For now, he doesn’t seem to be attacking, so I opened the door and stepped into the hall.
“Considering he’s a Demon Beast, he seems to harbor little malice?”
“I am the king of this land. While I deeply despise humans, I cannot accept the state of the land I must govern.”
The man tightened his grip on the sword and spoke with a growl.
“The king is possessed by a fallen Spirit, yet he suppresses it with the power of his will.”
The guiding Spirit explained.
“That’s impressive, isn’t it?”
Even Uma, my friend from the Sacred Beast Yukihyo, seemed to struggle with that. Wait, saying it like that feels a bit harsh?
Is it this man who hates humans, or is it the Spirit that possesses him? I haven’t lived enough to figure that out.
“Below here lies the ‘King’s Branch’ and treasure. You must destroy the ‘King’s Branch,’ and then I shall grant you the treasure.”
“Why destroy it?”
Isn’t the branch that attracts Spirits important?
“The fallen Spirit that possesses me is the Spirit of the ‘King’s Branch.’ The mad ‘King’s Branch’ has turned this place into a land uninhabitable by humans, which I cannot forgive as a king. I have long since destroyed the nation that used schemes to drive the Spirit mad. However, I cannot destroy the ‘King’s Branch’ myself, and thus my land is in this state.”
Spirits that have a physical form often disappear or lose their power when that form is destroyed, but sometimes they can completely free themselves by abandoning their physical form.
I know that the ‘King’s Branch’ disappears entirely, both physically and spiritually, when the person who obtained it or their successor breaks their oath, but does the Spirit also vanish if the physical form is damaged?
Now that I think about it, they usually say that treasures in the royal palace are kept in specially secured rooms.
“Huh? Why hasn’t the ‘King’s Branch’ disappeared even though the nation has long been destroyed?”
“Because I cannot resign as king. The first king swore to the Spirit Tree that the king must love this land.”
“That’s quite a simple oath.”
“It’s because it would be troublesome if the ‘King’s Branch’ were to disappear, so he likely swore the minimum conditions of a king.”
If one swears specific oaths, the necessary Spirits will gather and assist accordingly, but if the oath is broken, the ‘King’s Branch’ will vanish. Considering the descendants, it’s quite difficult to balance the conditions.
“Only Spirits, kings, or those with royal qualifications can enter the Underground Royal Palace where the branch is kept. You must obtain the ‘King’s Branch’ and come here. You may also bring someone who has obtained another ‘King’s Branch.’ Then, I shall grant you the immense wealth of my nation, which was the center of prosperity during the Era of the Fire God.”
With that, the man stood up.
When I think of the Era of the Fire God, I remember the king of the Library. Ah, but the Era of the Fire God was long, and it seems the range of influence was quite vast. It’s easy to imagine that the cultural center could shift to another nation.
Though there were volcanic eruptions, they were the type where lava flows slowly like in Hawaii, rich in nutrients, and records say it brought fertility after eruptions. Also, slash-and-burn agriculture was thriving.
Moreover, there seemed to be many types of plants that sprouted after wildfires, much more than now. But if the Era of the Wind God mixed in, desertification would be inevitable.
It doesn’t all change at once, so the retainers left by the previous god mix with those of the new god, causing various events to unfold. If the Light Spirits increase further in this state, it’s likely to become even harsher.
“I can also guarantee the immense wealth; it’s enough to support a great nation for a hundred years. Please, remove the distortions of this land.”
“My name is Karn Tildonai. The Underground Royal Palace is a Demon Beast Nest, but I promise to drive them away. Whether it takes ten years or twenty years, it’s fine if your descendants return. Now, go!”
With that, he swirled his mantle and turned his back, disappearing down the corridor behind the chair with the guiding Spirit.
Of course, I followed.
“Wait a minute.”
“How can you enter? You’re not a Spirit, are you?”
The two of them stopped in their tracks and looked at me.
“Because I have the ‘King’s Branch’ with me.”
“Oh! I am the Konkon Staff EX! Also known as the Ex-Staff!”
As I raised the Ex-Staff, it sprang to life and introduced itself.
“Ordinary!? Is it really that kind of era outside now!?”
“Wait, don’t tell me that’s the staff you used to poke Demon Beasts?”
“Yep.”
“Yep isn’t good enough! What are you doing? And why is it a staff and not a branch!?”
“Why do you not have an unpleasant effect on me, a Demon Beast?”
That’s because I didn’t wish for Demon Beast Repellent.
According to the Butler, it’s a “rather unusual” branch.