As soon as they arrived at the elven village in the heart of the forest of the world tree, the gloomy atmosphere from earlier quickly faded into normalcy.

The suspenseful atmosphere that I had felt a while ago gradually changed in a different direction as I got closer to the village, and I heard the murmur of dozens of elves near the border separating the forest and the village.

As soon as we entered the village, thinking that there would be no way, a group of elves greeted us as expected.

“Sage, fortunately you are the wise man this time!”

“… Yes, how are you all?”

Even though it’s been a while, I answered a little strange greeting and went straight into the village.

“The wise man has visited! Please guide me quickly!”

“Sage, how long are you planning to stay this time? Last time it was too short, so this time you should stay for at least 10 years, right?”

“My mother also missed the wise man often. If you don’t mind, can I guide you right now?”

“I will carry the burden! Please leave it to me, Sage!”

As soon as I entered the village, I almost forgot and lost my mind when I heard the names of wise man from all directions.

It was a different level of pressure from the three freshmen elves at the academy.

“Leave yourself in the flow, Junior Conrad. You, who have already experienced it once, are well aware that you cannot change your title against this many people, right?”

“… Yes, it can’t be helped.”

It’s because it’s been quite difficult to change the title from sage to senpai from only three people.

Even those kids are calling me the wise man again as soon as they leave the academy.

“And this is just my opinion, but the title of wise man will probably fade in a short time, Junior Conrad. Since it is a place so cut off from the outside world, elves often treat people from outside as special.”

“It’s a good thing I’ve heard.”

“I expect it to be buried in about a hundred years. Just be patient until then, Junior Conrad.”

“… … Yeah?”

Whose house hound’s name is Hundred Years?

I sent a dumbfounded glance to Xian, who calmly said that a period of time equal to twice the average human lifespan was a ‘short time’.

“… That means that in 100 years, I will have to listen to it at least as long as I am alive.”

“If you feel unfair, you can live longer than that.”

“Ah, yes.”

… If possible, I mean.

⁎ ⁎ ⁎

The first place I went to after arriving at the Elf Village was the Forest Plaza with the World Tree.

Even though it had only been a year, the world tree had already grown so tall that its trunk was 20 to 30 meters tall.

Lastly, even compared to the magnificent figure that was about to break, the figure that grew close to half was the growth rate worthy of the essence of life.

At this rate, there is a possibility that the World Tree will be restored before the demon Cardia wakes up.

As I muttered that feeling while touching the rather magnificent tree trunk, a voice I hadn’t heard in a long time and the owner appeared from behind the thick tree.

“Still, it will still take several years to get back to normal.”

The manager of the World Tree, whom I have not seen in a long time, or a mysterious being that can be said to be the alter ego of the World Tree.

As soon as I confirmed that figure, I bowed my head and bowed my knees.

“Meet Mr. Dryad, the manager of the World Tree… .”

“There is no need to be polite, Sage. No matter how much I’ve lived for over 10,000 years, I’m not so old-fashioned as to ask you to be polite even to your benefactor.”

“All right.”

“In the first place, the wise man is not a resident of our forest, so there is no need to follow the rules of my forest.”

Having said that, Mr. Dryad handed me the World Tree paper I entrusted to her with both hands.

… I don’t know where it came from, but her body, which is all green leaf vines, is clothes.

“You’re here to pick up the things I entrusted you with, right? I’ve been keeping it, so don’t worry.”

“… Certainly, I sense that Mr. Dryad has been keeping it well.”

The bundle of papers she received had a mysterious appearance with buds, stems, and leaves sprouting here and there.

Even though it was completely ground and processed into paper, it was the result of the World Tree’s life force reacting with the power of Mr. Dryad.

“Even in that state, the fixed effect of the magic that the wise man wants will be sufficiently displayed. Maybe, it could have been a little better.”

“As much as the overflowing vitality, I think I can use it according to my intention.”

“Please thank me. Thinking of the day when the wise man roughly pushed me down, I fell asleep holding on to the scent of the wise man every night.”

“… Please refrain from misleading expressions.”

My gaze immediately turned to the surroundings at the joke that was so scary that I was afraid that someone would hear it.

Fortunately, there was no one around because I requested to meet Mr. Dryad alone.

“Huh, of course it’s a joke.”

It was the kind of joke that made it hard to know how to react each time I heard it.

“The Elves think that whatever I say is the truth and immutable law, so it’s not fun. After all, the reaction is the most fun when you make fun of the human wise man.”

“Is that so.”

“What do you think it would have been like if I had just made the same joke to an elf? In all likelihood, the object I handed over to you must have been given a cumbersome meaning by not using it for the rest of your life and passing it down from generation to generation. The wise man wouldn’t do that.”

“I will use this paper made from Mr. Dryad’s body as a valuable foundation for my growth.”

“That is enough.”

To her, who smiled slightly, this time I explained the business of my first visit to this place.

“Actually, I have something else to ask of the World Tree’s mother, Mr. Dryad, besides this.”

“Yeah?”

Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to say that I would be indebted to him again, but this time he looked a little surprised on the other side.

“What is your request?”

“… I need the precious essence containing the life force of the World Tree. It seems that the paper of this World Tree is not enough.”

“… … .”

Upon hearing my words, Mr. Dryad’s expression hardened instantly.

“… By fruit, do you mean the fruit of the World Tree that grows from my body?”

“No, by the essence I mean your ‘seed’.”

At the same time as I answered, the roots that rose from the floor wrapped around my ankles, and her mouth moved up and down again in a different atmosphere.

“… You are saying ridiculous things.”

I felt a momentary suffocation from the strong pressure that gripped me along with the sprouting roots.

“I can forgive you for making paper with my body. It was an unnecessary part for me at the time anyway, and if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to protect even the remaining stumps.”

“I am truly grateful for the permission at that time.”

“However, asking for ‘seeds’ has crossed the line no matter how much I think about it. Do you know what that means?”

“… … .”

“You have to choose your answers carefully.”

Her roots, which reached up to my thighs, were tightening my body more and more, but I answered with a quiet nod, not resisting or defiance.

“Unless you knew the meaning, you wouldn’t have dared to ask me to hand it to you. I know deep into my bones the value of the seeds that contain the life force of the World Tree.”

“… … .”

“That’s why we need that seed all the more. I know its value better than anyone else, so I will never use it for something special.”

Her stem, which had been climbing up her thighs and waist, was already tightening up her shoulders and arms.

“… How could I believe that You don’t think you’re the only one who spits out nonsense with a snout for ten thousand years, do you?”

“Then may I dare suggest a way for Mr. Dryad to believe in me?”

“… tell me.”

“Peek into my memory. If you look at it and judge it, I think you can trust me enough.”

Her roots, which had been entangling her neck and tightening her breath little by little, stopped moving for a moment.

“If you peek into my memory now, you’ll be able to see why I know the value of the seed of the World Tree, why I need it, and why I won’t use it for anything special.”

“… That’s pretty crazy. Are you saying that you know what will happen the moment I peek at any part of your memory that I don’t like?”

“If that happens, that too is inevitable. At that time, it doesn’t matter whether you use my body as food for the world tree, or whether you bind me to the root and imprison me forever.”

Now I had no other way to prove myself, so she suggested the most realistic way to trust me.

Of course, this choice will inevitably reveal to Mr. Dryad that I have seen the future.

No matter how you think about it, there was no compromise as much as this. There was no way I could convince her with just three inches of tongue, having lived for 10,000 years and seeing and hearing more than anyone else.

The request for the seed of the World Tree was practically the same as wanting to receive the second life of the World Tree, so I had to risk at least my own life to achieve my goal.

If you can put the life of a mere regressor on the same scale as the demigod, that’s enough business.

After hearing my words, the roots of the world tree burned up to my face before I knew it, and I felt two very thin roots go into my ears.

“Yes, seeing that you speak with that much certainty, it seems that you have a really noble purpose.”

Even her neck and chin were already entangled by her roots, so I had no choice but to respond in a blink of an eye.

“But, you know what? That you are not the first child to ask for a seed in front of me, crying out for ‘great cause’ or ‘salvation’.”

“… … .”

“And all of those children enjoyed their natural life and went to sleep. … As I am now, tied to my roots, imprisoned in a long life prison where I am not allowed to die or even sleep.”

“… … .”

“I hope the memories you want to show can convince me. Anyway, since I owe you a favor, I don’t want to punish you with my own hands.”

The roots that gradually extended into the inner ear reached the innermost part, and I felt the life force of the World Tree flowing into the inner eardrum.

By endowing me with his life force, he must be peeping at my memories.

Although the act of displaying my memories was something I was determined to do, no matter how much I was, I couldn’t help but feel the emotion of fear in this situation.

In the end, even asking her for seeds might be an act close to my own selfishness.

Using the seeds of the World Tree filled with the essence of life force was the fastest way to get to the 8th circle, and the only way I know now.

In fact, it was also the method I used when I reached the 8th circle in my last life.

At that time, Mr. Dryad, already contaminated with dark magic, had given me the seeds of the World Tree, which had lost their regenerative power, as if they were my last hope.

Rather, because she was so healthy now, she could have refused to give the seed.

How many minutes had passed since I turned my thoughts to all sorts of thoughts to get rid of my fear.

I couldn’t feel any emotion from Mr. Dryad, who just looked at me with the same expression he had when he first started reading my memories.

It was a choice she made with certainty in her own way, but in fact, the possibility of being trapped in the root of the world tree forever due to her whim was not 0%.

That’s why I gathered my prayers in my heart with the feeling of a prisoner waiting for judgment.

Please, let my will reach the point where even the demigod can understand.

While waiting for an answer while quietly tied to the root of the World Tree, Mr. Dryad’s mouth slowly opened up and down.

“… It’s insignificant.”

“… … .”

“The outdated idea of carrying everything alone with the thought of correcting the wrong future is really insignificant, child.”

“… … .”

“… However, since I was tricked by you and looked at my memories, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

At the same time as her last words, the roots of the world tree that covered my whole body were removed from my head, and in an instant, they returned to the ground where they were originally hidden.

“… Are you passing?”

“It’s not because I like your old-fashioned ideas, child. I just make the same judgment because I saw the judgment I made in the previous world.”

“Yeah?”

“Even though I was on the verge of collapsing and dying, didn’t I in the previous world choose you as my last hope? If I harm you here, it will be a disgrace to me in my previous life. Didn’t you know that and showed me your memories?”

“… … .”

“Well, that’s fine. No matter what, my decision won’t change.”

I will give you my seed, which can be made once in a thousand years.

At last, such an answer came back from Mr. Dryad.

“Thank you… .”

“only.”

“… … .”

“Before you take my seed, there’s one thing you need to do first, child.”