Chapter 631: Chapter 621

“….”

This is 100% muscle pain.

It hurts. My whole body hurts!

If anyone dares to ask whether I’m exaggerating, I will recite the numbers flashing before my eyes:

● 100KM Run (In Progress)

● 5,000 Push-Ups (Success)

● 3,500 Pull-Ups (In Progress)

● 3,000 Burpees (Success)

After all this suffering, I’m still only halfway through!

“Ugh….”

I groaned but quickly shut my mouth.

After all, our dear Grandfell would never show such weakness.

Even if no one is watching, I should always be cautious, Hoyeol.

“Black ink would be preferable.”

The only silver lining was that [First World Tree’s Blessing] was still active. If it weren’t, I wouldn’t even have the strength to sit upright at my desk and lift a quill pen.

Scratch, scratch.

Yusra Kingdom, Golden Palace Office.

Fighting against the fatigue that even the First World Tree’s Blessing couldn’t fully dispel, I pushed through the pile of documents. Just reading through them already gave me a headache.

Today’s Arcana – Special Broadcast Programming Notice

“Ugh.”

I wanted to go back and scold my past self.

Hoyeol, why did you do this to yourself?

Grandfell was going to leave you heartlessly anyway.

And yet, you thought— “To hold him back, I must pile on as many responsibilities as possible!”

I had blindly accepted every external request that came my way. And now, thanks to that, I was scheduled to appear on Today’s Arcana, a globally watched program. With only a few days left until the broadcast, I was already suffering.

“What kind of nonsense will I have to spew this time?”

Perfectly mimicking Grandfell’s way of speaking?

That wasn’t the problem.

In fact, I might as well consider it another stroke of luck.

“At least convincing lines keep popping into my head, thanks to a certain someone.”

So many incidents had occurred that even the lengthy Special Conference’s closing remarks had come naturally. I hadn’t struggled to find words at all.

The real problem was something else.

“Will my face endure it this time?”

Without Grandfell’s iron-faced composure,

To be honest, Lee Hoyeol wasn’t confident he could hold up.

At the Crystal Hall, I had barely managed in front of the Holy War Alliance.

But now, I would have to pretend to be Grandfell in front of numerous studio guests, and worse—the enemies watching the live broadcast at home, recording every second for future ridicule.

“My heart… it’s already pounding…!”

I exhaled deeply and muttered under my breath.

“…This is deeply concerning.”

But what choice did I have?

Who was our Grandfell?

A man who always kept his word.

A strict, principled perfectionist.

“For the sake of maintaining his dignity, I must persevere.”

I forced my tired eyes open and read through the script Today’s Arcana had sent me.

At least I wouldn’t be the only one being dragged onto the show.

“Nam Taemin, it’s you.”

I deliberately stiffened my tone, forcing myself into Grandfell’s manner of speech.

But still, knowing that Taemin would be there was reassuring.

After all, our bond wasn’t ordinary.

“From Count Ascura to now.”

Nam Taemin was one of the few players I could confidently call a comrade.

And, to be honest, there was another reason I was relieved.

“Given Taemin’s fiery temper…”

If the hosts started asking uncomfortable questions,

He might just explode on my behalf.

Grandfell would never have such scheming thoughts, but me?

I was shamelessly counting on it.

“Has this all been settled, then?”

Looking at the neatly organized stack of documents,

At least I felt like I was doing better than a mere beast.

Back when I had first awakened as a player, I barely even knew the basics of Arcana Chronicle’s lore—

…

Not anymore.

“I suffered too much to remain ignorant.”

All thanks to Grandfell’s Spartan training.

He had made sure I was more than just competent.

No, scratch that.

Thanks to him, I could handle at least three people’s worth of work.

“Thanks, Grandfell.”

Click.

I steeped a bag of green tea, even though I still didn’t enjoy the taste.

Then, I glanced out the window at The Garden of Dignity.

Everywhere in my surroundings—my entire living space—

Grandfell’s traces remained.

Everywhere I looked, whether I wanted to or not,

I was reminded of him.

“Anyone would think you were dead.”

…

Click.

I downed the freshly brewed tea in one shot.

I didn’t want to wallow any further.

If I were to honor his wish,

If I were to fulfill our oath,

I didn’t have the luxury to be sentimental.

I gazed at The Garden of Dignity and spoke.

“Elsidore.”

“You have summoned me, Commander-in-Chief.”

“It has been a while since we’ve met face to face.”

“Are you well?”

That’s odd.

Since when did Elsidore start asking after my well-being?

Facing him without Grandfell’s filter?

To be honest, it wasn’t the most comfortable experience.

After all, I knew exactly what kind of temper he had.

But I had my reasons for calling him.

I wasn’t just making small talk.

From now on, every action I took would serve as a stepping stone toward rescuing Grandfell from the Demon World.

If push came to shove, I could always pull rank on Elsidore.

This, too, was all part of achieving my greater goal.

I straightened my posture and spoke with unwavering confidence.

“What you see is what you get.”

“……!”

Wait, was that answer a little too confident?

“Well, what’s done is done.”

I ignored Elsidore’s startled reaction and got straight to the point.

“It is time to descend into hell once more.”

Know thy enemy, know thyself—victory will be certain.

To rescue Grandfell, I needed to uncover the 30% he had hidden from me.

That meant mastering [Understanding of Darkness], and of course, re-entering Hell.

The voices from before still rang vividly in my ears.

“You must not go…! Beyond that gate lies even greater torment and truths that will shatter you, Young Master!”

The lingering souls of the Claudi family had pleaded with me and Grandfell to turn back.

And that wasn’t all.

At the third gate, the Akshan seniors had personally welcomed me.

“Until you confront the truth, you will never understand us.”

I had no idea what original sin awaited in the third gate.

But at this point, I was past the point of being surprised.

I had already learned that Grandfell was the perfect vessel for Pride, one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and that the Claudi family was essentially a cult of demon worshippers.

“Nothing can shock me anymore.”

Of course, Elsidore had no way of knowing that.

“Are you certain about this?” he asked.

Wait, did he just express concern?

Has he softened up?

Maybe tending to plants really does improve one’s temperament.

I suppressed my amusement and responded.

“There is no reason for concern.”

“You have worked hard today, Elsidore.”

tl/n: The Garden of Elegance – > The Garden of Dignity

Elsidore Stood Still.

He replayed the final words he had just heard.

“You have worked hard today, Elsidore.”

He had been told he had worked hard?

“…. That should be my line.”

Elsidore looked down at his body.

At some point, it had returned—

The World Tree’s Blessing.

He had thought it impossible, yet he couldn’t help but let himself believe.

Perhaps the new World Tree sprouting across the Arcana Continent had granted him and his kin another chance.

Otherwise, there was no way to explain the return of the blessing.

Clench.

Elsidore’s fists tightened.

“…… You were always strict.”

But after facing him, Elsidore was now certain.

That he had lost most of the World Tree’s Blessing.

That the blessing he retained now was barely equivalent to what a mere human might hold.

“I have watched over you all this time.”

So why would he…?

To Elsidore, Lee Hoyeol remained an incomprehensible being.

Yet, he forced himself to focus.

If he was giving him the chance to re-enter Hell, then—

Elsidore’s pupils flickered with burning determination.

“This time must be different.”

For that to happen, he needed to whip Kinver into shape and bolster their forces.

Just as Elsidore was devising a brutal training regimen—

Twitch.

Something pulsed in his mind.

A long-forgotten sensation.

The unfamiliar feeling gradually came to life.

–Hear me.

This was…?

“Mother…!”

It was the voice of the World Tree.

A voice that could nullify even the status effects of the Ten Thrones and great evils.

With an elf’s unyielding willpower,

Elsidore knew this was no illusion.

“So it truly is you, Mother.”

Still, he did not allow himself to rejoice too soon.

The Elven homeland, Sisley, had once been the roots of the World Tree.

But that World Tree was long gone.

“This must be the voice of the newly born World Tree.”

Argentress.

And if he was hearing this voice, so too were his kin.

As Elsidore was processing the situation—

–I am speaking only to you, Elsidore.

“..!”

A shiver ran down his spine.

How could this be?

In the past, he had never heeded the voice of the World Tree.

Moreover, he had diverged from the path of his kin.

His hands were stained with countless battles and bloodshed.

For that, he had become a Blood Elf.

Elsidore responded earnestly.

“I cannot fathom why you seek me now.”

But she was Mother.

Had she foreseen even his harsh response?

The World Tree’s voice remained steady.

–I know your fear.

“Fear? Me…?”

–But your fear is misplaced, Elsidore.

Misplaced?

Even if the speaker was Argentress, the leader of the elves,

Even if it was the voice of the World Tree,

If he did not agree, Elsidore would not obey.

His words remained sharp.

“What do you presume to know, young Mother? Mark my words—you are not the same as the Mother of Sisley. The guilt I bear is for her, not you.”

Yet even this defiance was met with patience.

The World Tree’s voice remained gentle.

And with that calm voice, she corrected him.

–Tell me, Elsidore. What do you think I am?

“A pointless word game.”

–I am Arcana Continent itself.

Elsidore narrowed his eyes.

–More precisely, I am nothing more than a plant, grown from the will to protect the Arcana Continent.

“…What?”

Then came the words that widened his eyes.

–Thus, I have no illusions, nor emotions.

–I speak to you now only because my will to protect Arcana Continent compels me.

–Listen carefully to my words.

He had no choice but to listen.

–Lee Hoyeol.

“……?”

–The one you serve will drag the Arcana Continent into an inescapable abyss of destruction.

–Into an oblivion from which no one can escape.

“…!”

The World Tree’s voice trembled dangerously.

–Do you still think my words are false, Elsidore…?

–Do you dare dismiss me as mere fear?

The weight of terror bore down on him.

–