The ancient sage of the Deep Forest hadn’t moved a single inch since the Knight King’s final visit several decades ago… So who could this unexpected visitor be?
Finally, I can rest in peace without any trouble… but here comes another bothersome task. Ugh…
Should I just pretend I’m not here? It’s been ages—several decades since the Knight King came by during his travels around the land. This is the first visitor since then… hmm.
Ah, now that I think about it, before he left, the Knight King did mention something to the next king about the Sage of the Deep Forest… saying if they ever needed wisdom, they could seek help from me… or so I recall.
Ugh. The premonition of an annoying chore!!
“What brings you here?”
“Oh, nothing much.”
“Your words say ‘nothing much,’ but your expression looks serious.”
“This face? It’s my ‘something’s-up’ face…!”
As Hades spoke, Asherat’s expression shifted slightly into one of seriousness.
Hmm. Even when she tries to look serious, it’s still unmistakably my own face. Despite being cute and adorable, her earnestness doesn’t quite come across due to her naturally charming features.
It may sound like self-praise, but objectively speaking, my appearance really is pretty and adorable—even with different hair color and no horns.
“So you’re saying you’ll just ignore the current situation? I don’t remember raising the Goddess of Life to be such an irresponsible deity!”
“You didn’t raise me either! Besides, it’s probably some unimportant matter anyway.”
At that, Asherat leaned in close until her face was right in front of mine before speaking.
“Ever since you handed over all responsibilities as the Goddess of Life to me and everything related to the Underworld to Hades, the only thing left for you to do as the Creator Dragon God is that occasional once-or-twice-a-year ritual—which is simple enough! And what happens if we let things spiral out of control and become completely chaotic?! Deal with even trivial matters seriously, please!”
Hmph… Is this how Asherat truly sees me? Well, it’s true I’ve been living rather lazily these past few decades.
There wasn’t much else to do besides entertaining visitors like other kids or powerful figures such as the Great Warrior or Archmage of the Lizardmen.
Maybe it’s time to take on a light-hearted task after such a long break.
“Alright, alright. I get it. Stop nagging already. Handling this won’t hurt, will it?”
I casually brushed off Asherat’s incessant complaints while tuning her out entirely. Honestly, whose genes made her such a relentless nag?
Ignoring all the lectures slipping through one ear and out the other, I redirected my awareness toward the depths of the forest.
A dark grove untouched by sunlight. A special barrier ensures no intelligent beings can enter unless they have a clear purpose to seek the sage.
And yet, stepping into the forest were disheveled children—an adolescent boy and girl, both clearly not yet adults. How did they manage to bypass the barrier?
Surely, I set up the boundary properly; so how could they make their way inside? Could there be something wrong with the barrier? Strange indeed.
Their clothes were tattered and covered in dirt, showing signs of great hardship, yet the fabric quality and stitching suggested they originally wore very fine garments.
This is intriguing…
The older brother led the way, while the younger sister struggled to keep up. She looked pale, likely suffering from poor health.
Eventually, the little girl collapsed mid-step, clutching her chest in obvious pain. The boy then turned back, picked her up gently onto his back, and continued walking with determination.
He carried her despite being smaller himself—it was a sight full of desperation.
Almost as though they were being chased by something…
Hmm… chased? I glanced toward the edge of the forest and noticed a group of soldiers mounted on horses near the entrance. Who are these guys?
They weren’t wearing metallic armor nor displaying any insignia of affiliation. Instead, they were dressed lightly but carried genuine steel swords at their waists—a contradictory bunch.
Though unable to penetrate the barrier, they tried tracking the children’s trail before vanishing through the opposite exit.
Wait… If the barrier works perfectly, meaning only those seeking the sage can pass, then why are these two kids inside? What gives?
“The tracks end here!”
“No way! Unless they flew into the sky or sank into the ground, there’s no reason for them to disappear!”
“But they’re gone! We followed the trail into the forest, but now there’s nothing!”
“This is ridiculous… How am I supposed to explain this to our superiors?”
The apparent captain sighed deeply, scratching his head in frustration before addressing his troops.
“For now, let’s head back with the horses. We’ll go to the nearest village and gather information about this forest. There must be a reason they came here.”
“Yes sir!”
Thus, the soldiers rode away toward the closest village.
Hmm… What kind of people are these two siblings that armed soldiers would chase them like that?
Well, I’ll find out directly from them soon enough.
“Excuse us! We’ve come seeking the Sage! The Sage of the Deep Forest, please lend us your aid!”
An old stone house long neglected, nearly reduced to ruins, its walls covered in moss, giving it an eerie atmosphere.
Standing at its entrance, the boy called out.
“Please, help us!”
Indeed, they’re here for the Sage of the Deep Forest. Perhaps I should invite them in first.
I began manipulating the Sage’s body, which had been dormant for so long.
“Enter.”
With a slight flick of the Sage’s finger, the tightly shut door opened automatically. Startled but cautious, the boy stepped inside the dimly lit stone house.
A mysterious figure dwelled within this small, poorly lit structure.
Originally created solely to guide Rychlen, this artificial body somehow ended up being used far longer than intended.
Truly… I only planned to use it briefly during Rychlen’s time before discarding it. How unpredictable life can be!
“Who might you be? And why have you entered this forest?”
The boy remained silent initially, merely staring at the Sage—or rather, what used to be the Sage.
“My name is Arthur, and this is my younger sister Vivian.”
Arthur and Vivian… interesting names.
“I wonder how you learned about me. I assumed I’d been forgotten after all these years.”
“H-Hearing from Grandpa. He said if we found you, you’d help us.”
Grandpa? Ah, I see… His wholesome appearance gives it away.
I hid my realization and pressed on.
“Help, you say. Though I haven’t helped many people, I suppose…”
“B-But… There was no other choice for us. Coming to find you was the only way to survive.”
Survival, huh? They’ve clearly endured tough times.
“Well, I can at least hear your story. That much I can do.”
My offer brought a faint glimmer of hope to Arthur’s eyes. He seemed genuinely relieved I’d listen.
However, before anything else…
“Before we begin, allow me to check something.”
I stopped Arthur just as he was about to speak and turned my attention to Vivian, who appeared distressed. Her chest… Hmm… Weak heart? No, more like poison.
The toxin isn’t particularly potent but lingers stubbornly in her system, neither dissipating nor breaking down. It seems someone has been slowly poisoning her over a long period.
I clasped Vivian’s hand. Arthur looked startled by the sudden appearance of black rock-like hands, but priorities remain unchanged.
First, remove the poison and restore her weakened body… Or wait, there’s a simpler solution.
Considering she carries the bloodline of the Hero’s daughter, sealed magic flows dormant within her. Essentially, she shares an undeniable connection with me.
“This child possesses the qualities of a Dragon Priestess.”
The long-sealed lineage resurfaces once more through her.
