Eat The World Tree

Chapter 304: Master, You’re So Cruel (2)

Dodododo!

The sound of a woodpecker pecking back and forth at a tree.

Its beak mercilessly tore into the knot of an oak tree.

[A-ahhh! Ack, uh, hiiiiii!?]

Like a maple tree on the roadside, the sap spilled out. The knot, resembling an orange slit open, quivered as if in a spasm, oozing liquid all over.

[...Wa-wait... Stop... Please stop... Hnng, ugh... Ahh!]

The oak tree screamed in a mix of pleasure and pain, struggling to drive the woodpecker away by extending its branches.

I moved behind the oak tree and grabbed the branches it extended, pulling them wide open. The branches, soft under my grip, squished out tender bark between my fingers.

Resistance was futile. Luci stared at me with a thoroughly drenched face.

‘Continue.’

[...Hnng, ugh, ahhh...]

It tried to hold back the sound, bracing its roots, but that stubbornness lasted only a moment.

[Hngh, ahhh!?]

The tree arched its trunk, letting out obscene noises. It was strange it hadn’t fainted yet; its convulsions seemed almost extreme.

Even if I had been talking to trees more lately...

It was hard to see Taeyang as purely driven by lust.

The branch I was holding lost strength. With no resistance, the oak tree’s leaves lay back as if rolled over in defeat, and droplets, like tears, gathered on its leaves.

Running a finger along the unresisting branch, it briefly trembled.

Dodododo!

Despite it all, the woodpecker’s torment didn’t stop.

[...Hyah, uh... ack! Ahhh!]

This wouldn’t have happened if she’d just told me sooner. What kind of conviction made her endure this?

I looked at the oak tree, shrugged, then cast a spell to create a binding rope. A simple spell to bind the other party, preventing any resistance or escape.

Not that any creature could cast a spell while having its body poked at 20 times per second,

which was exactly what these weakened branches proved.

[Aaaah! Ack, hiiiii.]

The dazed tree could now only scream.

With the spell completely binding it, I turned and walked out.

‘Keep at it.’

‘I still have more tasks to do.’

Morning routines. I still had other regions to cover.

The Sage cares so deeply for her charges that she might say something if I missed even a day.

‘If anything dangerous or unusual happens, tell me immediately. I’ll be back in about 50 minutes.’

Dodododo!

[...I... hngh, huff... can’t... ngh... can’t... hold... on....]

The relentless sounds of its voice and the tapping at the knot continued. By the time I returned, the “education” should be somewhat complete. Fingering the artifact in my pocket, I activated the spatial magic.

[...Ugh, ah... ah, ack, ack. Agh....]

The oak tree, its voice hoarse, let out regular groans. Had it perhaps given up on life?

I stopped the woodpecker.

“Alright, go on back now.”

<...Yes, Master.>

“Sorry for asking you to do something weird.”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The woodpecker spoke in a slightly shocked voice. Though female, the act seemed to have affected her quite a bit. When I petted her head and infused her with mana, she shivered in pleasure.

[...Hyaaa...]

A tender moan slipped out beyond her beak. After sending the woodpecker away, I stood alone facing the oak tree.

The knot was so soaked that it was in a terrible state. Smooth, without a single prickly thorn, and the once tightly closed opening had widened, revealing the inside. Inside, sticky sap dripped.

‘Though it doesn’t seem like she knows anything important.’

Subjugation... The fact that I’d have to mix bodies with a tree was disgusting in itself. Taeyang suggested I think of it as a form of self-pleasure, but my past experience with the World Tree of Healing still traumatized me. I couldn’t bring myself to even consider it.

Besides, my situation now was a direct result of getting involved with that tree in the first place. It’s no wonder I had a distaste for trees.

‘But I’ll have to do it eventually.’

Today’s not the day. No one ever came here anyway.

When I checked outside, the location seemed similar to a slum. A secluded, untouched place in nature.

It’s just an old church being used as a dwelling. I shook off my hands and looked at the tree displaying its knot.

There would be plenty of chances in future morning routines. Visiting occasionally and teaching it a harsh reality might be beneficial.

In the hollowed-out ground, I tossed Cistus’s blood-stained corpse.

[Lady Ci... Cistus.]

A face with the expression of a child. Though I didn’t know about the other executives, it’s clear that Cistus was an evil presence.

“Think about whether this is Cistus’s face, or the face of the children you captured and sent.”

I activated spatial magic. Blue mana swirled around my body.

If this didn’t make her snap out of it...

I’d just let her die. Though, I’d take information and fill out the codex before slowly letting her die.

Pop!

Eleonore sat up in bed, her cheeks puffed up in annoyance.

“Luci. Luciii!”

She immediately jumped up, threw off her covers, and flung the door open with a loud bang. Her gilded door slammed against the wall.

Bang!

The servants working in the hallway turned to her in surprise.

“P-Princess?”

“Where’s Luci?”

“You mean Lady Luci? She’s back... resting in her room.”

“Luci!!!! Aren’t you coming out!? I won’t let this slide!”

Recently, Eleonore and Luci had become the talk of the kingdom due to the rumored contract between them. Their bond, sharing secrets, had only grown stronger. With her brown hair flying, Eleonore, her cheeks puffed up, stormed down the hall toward Luci’s room.

“My dear Eleonore, what’s all the fuss about?”

“Mother! Luci took something precious of mine!”

“Oh my, really?”

The queen approached and wrapped the small Eleonore in her arms. Her ample bosom hugged Eleonore tightly. The queen, dressed in a pure white gown, gently patted Eleonore’s head.

“Could it be a misunderstanding, my princess?”

“...There’s no way. That woman hogged all the attention of my contractor.”

Luci, a knight recognized within the Spirit Kingdom, would naturally be prioritized over Eleonore, still a novice in spirit summoning.

The queen stroked Eleonore’s head. The puffed-cheeked princess was known as the cutest in the kingdom.

‘Jealousy... how adorable. I was like that once, too.’

The Spirit Queen, the Holy Mother. Recalling her own past, the queen fondly petted her. Although she currently has no contractor, she once shared an adventurous journey with a certain woman.

A comrade, an ally, and a friend. She hadn’t forgotten the thrilling experiences from that time.

When Eleonore found a contractor, the queen naturally welcomed it.

“Let’s go together, then.”

“...I want to see Master.”

“What was that?”

“N-Nothing!”

Holding Eleonore’s hand tightly, she headed for Luci’s room.

Knock, knock.

“Luci? Are you in there?”

Eleonore knocked on the door, calling out to Luci, but there was no response. Irritated, she pushed the door open without permission, and soon, mother and daughter took in the scene inside.

Armor and helmet lay on the floor. Luci sat on the bed, her face flushed, covering her mouth with her hand. Her little finger seemed to tremble slightly.

“Luci?”

“Ah. Princess....”

Luci awkwardly smiled, rubbing her thighs together. Her lips, shiny like cherries, trembled. She ran her fingers over them, exhaling a heated breath outside her mouth.