WOSE Chapter 6

At the time, she'd almost completely lost her vision, so she couldn't see or meet the man directly. But according to the lower priests' stories, on the day the Darkness occurred, the man had headed alone to the village that wasn't chosen.

He'd rebelled against his own leader, saying that others deciding a minor sacrifice was presumptuous arrogance even gods wouldn't dare commit, and went directly to the disaster site.

He'd tried to reduce the damage until the end, but as a result, his right hand was consumed by Darkness and he could no longer wield a sword.

Above all... they'd definitely said this man was the one who recovered Tamia's body.

So Iyu had actually looked forward to meeting this man again.

Of course, it wasn't for the sentimental reason of expressing gratitude for something that no longer existed. The reason she'd hoped to meet him was...

"It's been a while since you returned. This disaster site must have been especially brutal... Are you injured anywhere?"

Freya showed rare agitation as she examined him. It was an attitude more like treating a child than a beloved lover, but even that much was sufficient.

The divine races—altruistic celestials and hedonistic demons—were all beings directly conceived by the World Tree. In other words, they were all god's servants and children, without the concept of parents or family.

If there was one being that Freya, more celestial than anyone, thought of specially despite this, it was this man before her eyes.

The man born from the hundredth branch, designated as the next leader from the moment of birth. Therefore, the existence who would someday grant her rest after her long life.

Iyu, calculating his value, readily extended her hand first.

"I'm Iyu."

"...Iyu."

Instead of introducing himself, the Hundredth White Branch quietly recited her name. The voice was low enough to raise goosebumps along her spine, yet strangely felt clean.

After a rudely long wait, the man removed one gauntlet. Then he carefully clasped her hand. Despite his prominent veins and rough palm, no strength entered it at all.

Iyu gripped tightly the hand trying to slip away like wind.

As long as he was the only one who could fulfill Freya's wish, she had no intention of releasing this hand willingly.

Even if he'd once been a benefactor. Even if he was so blatantly uncomfortable.

Among the nine worlds, Asgard was special land where, along with Midgard, the four seasons could be experienced. Of course, it was merely a celestial who'd liked Midgard's scenery imitating it...

In any case, since spring was currently maintained, life sprouted wildly across the Land of Light and warm sunlight continued endlessly.

Green leaves in full bloom beyond the window, rays of light seeping through gaps, even the cool breeze brushing her forehead and disappearing—her eyelids grew heavy naturally.

In short, perfect weather for a nap, but...

"Are you listening, Savior?"

"Of course."

Iyu had been dragged to sit before a desk instead of lying on the bed.

How did this happen? It was all because of Freya's instructions. She'd semi-forcibly attached one of her subordinates, saying knowledge would be necessary to live in this world going forward.

The temporary teacher, "Leaf of the Four Hundred Fifth Branch," had a compassionate nature befitting a celestial. Just a persistent side.

In her previous life, she'd heard this mythology until she was sick of it, yet the teacher had searched every room she'd hidden in to explain it.

Iyu straightened her slouched body in resignation. She planned to graciously listen once more to the mythology she'd once found utterly fascinating.

The instructor, keenly sensing the student's will, began the story as if waiting for this moment.

"Long, long ago, when there was no world or living things, the goddess spent a very long time alone in a space of nothingness."

One day—whether from boredom or a moment's whim—the goddess tore off half her soul and created a single tree.

But the life form with a divine soul couldn't easily take root in the space of nothingness and began to wither. So the goddess readily tore off her limbs to make land for the tree to stand and live on, her blood to make vast seas, her remaining soul to make the sky.

Having finally consumed her body and soul, the goddess became small fragments composing the world and universe, joyfully watching the changing world.

Meanwhile, the tree—the World Tree—finally rooted deep into the earth, drank water deeply, exhaled, and grew vigorously toward the sky.

When its size matched the primordial goddess, other life forms were born from the tree's branches and roots. These would later be called celestials and demons—collectively the divine races.

Not stopping there, elves were born where the World Tree's flowers fell, dwarves under the World Tree's shadow. The birth of the monumental fairy races.

The World Tree cherished its creations. Enough to personally create the nine worlds for them to inhabit.

Thus long time passed again. The World Tree still cherished its creations, but the world stagnated like still water rather than flowing water. "Change" was lacking.

When the center of the world felt this need, merfolk were born beneath the seas, beastfolk and humans on land.

Thus the world where seven races lived together certainly had chaotic moments, but was peaceful for a very long time.

But just as all life forms have fixed lifespans, stars have lifespans too. Thus this world began dying slowly from thousands of years ago.

The proof was the black holes, the "Darkness," that began appearing randomly in the world.

The creations sought help from the World Tree, their mother figure, but no answer came. Instead, the celestials, who loved everything in this world as much as the World Tree did, put their heads together.

After long discussion, research, and theorizing, they finally found an answer.

Darkness was the world's death. So they should summon someone with fragments of the goddess scattered across the universe. If they sealed death within the power of life and creation, they could extend the world's end.

After persistent attempts, they succeeded in summoning a "savior" from another world. They all had distinct spirits of sacrifice, like the primordial goddess had given her all to the tree.

A very fortunate part for the people of this world.

"And the fifteenth savior to save this world is you, Iyu."

Such a clever explanation.

Since the forcibly summoned outsider's feelings or final fate weren't mentioned at all, didn't the position of "savior" sound like a sacred hero rather than a sacrificial victim?

But she'd lived her whole life like a sucker unable to cure her good-child syndrome, ultimately dying miserably. She had no intention whatsoever of playing the sucker again.

Rather, she'd smash it with her own hands a hundred times over.

'No matter how I think about it, the easiest revenge is making the savior disappear.'

"I have one question."

"Ask anything."

"What's the method for summoning beings from other worlds?"

She'd tried to confirm whether summoning another being was merely "difficult" or entirely impossible.

Leaf of the Four Hundred Fifth Branch shook their head weakly.

"That's only passed down to race representatives. I only know it's a very difficult ritual conducted once every 100 years with help from all seven races... I apologize for not giving a clear answer."

"...I see."

The content wasn't different from what she'd known.

'Right, I definitely heard it could barely be attempted once every 100-year cycle.'

'Damn it, summoning another savior would be a struggle!'

But Tigrevald's words had sounded like that wasn't quite the case...

That wasn't the only strange thing. In both past and present, she'd faced only "six" leaders right after being summoned.

What on earth was the truth? Iyu, pondering this, finally narrowed her brow.

Anyway, if she definitely couldn't die or run away with peace of mind.

'I need to find another method.'

Ironically, hadn't they personally taught her even that method?

That people become most miserable when betrayed by those they trusted.

Like before, teachings poured over the savior who'd ended her reclusive life and appeared on her own. Not only world history, but how to wear this world's clothing, how to distinguish edible from inedible food, currency units of each world, even simple academics.

If she'd truly been someone who'd suddenly dropped into an unknown world one day, these lessons might have been quite useful. However, she'd already lived in this world for over three years, and above all, she'd taken these lessons before.

In short, it was a waste of time.

But she couldn't pretend to know things she hadn't learned yet at this point, so Iyu trudged outside today as well after wasting precious time as usual.

'At this rate, they should just send me on pilgrimage quickly.'

Under the name of "pilgrimage," they had the savior tour the Darkness appearing throughout the nine worlds. They seemed to think she needed at least general common sense before they could send her to the other eight worlds.

It had been that way in the past too.

'Probably the first place I'll head is...'

She was climbing a hill weakly, lost in thought, when someone stopped her.

"Savior!"

She flinched and raised her head at the hearty voice heard quite nearby.