How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 299

331. A Certain Dead Man’s Wish (5)

“As you wish, I shall step aside here. Don’t worry and unfold your plans to your heart’s content, Ernil Alfrens.”

Whether she interfered or not, Epheleo chuckled and jumped down from the tree, turning her head as if it didn’t matter.

Soon, the unpleasant presence disappeared completely.

“Maintaining the world… Uttering words that are not even in your heart.”

Ernil scoffed at his attitude and decided to focus on the plan now.

“It won’t be long… The time to correct that mistake.”

The sight of the future remains in her memory.

The only mistake she overlooked.

The plan to correct that mistake will soon be over.

Once that’s done, there will be no more regrets.

“Come up as much as you want…”

She muttered as if sending a challenge, though she wouldn’t be heard.

She is here.

She unfolds her unfulfilled will in this place.

So, try to interfere as much as you want.

As Ernil’s voice fades away, buried in the growing World Tree, the massive tree gradually becomes even more overgrown.

As if telling them to stop it if they can.

332. The Revival of the World Tree (1)

The ending changes.

Certainly, Ernil Alfrens may be classified as evil.

In the original flow, Kmelz Alfrens is pierced by Sylvester’s hand and disappears.

And at the worst timing, Ernil Alfrens learns all the truth, tries to stop Sylvester and mediate between the two, but it is too late.

As a result, Ernil watches Sylvester annihilate her father in front of her.

However, Ernil did not blame Sylvester.

Surely, Kmelz Alfrens is evil.

Surely, he had to meet his end at someone’s hands.

But….

“…That’s why I can’t turn a blind eye to this even more.”

And Ernil disappears.

…Until she reappears as a being threatening the world in the future….

And someday, Ernil is cut down by Sylvester’s sword and meets the same end as her father.

That is the original story I know.

“The problem is that idiot is doing the same thing again.”

Thanks to the rapidly grown World Tree, we were completely caught up in it and bounced out.

“…Damn it, I thought my waist was going to split.”

Getting out wasn’t the end.

I had to immediately help the refugees who had evacuated in the underground of the city.

They don’t know the situation, and there is no one to command them.

Even if the Princess or others were sent, they don’t know anything either.

As I went straight to rescue people, it took quite a bit of time again.

“…Tired.”

After taking a breather.

As I lay down and caught my breath, someone approached my head.

It’s Princess Resilia.

“Ailan? Are you alive?”

“I don’t die. And it will be the same in the future. I’m going to live longer than you, so don’t worry.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“…More than that, are the citizens okay? The aftermath of that tree’s growth must have reached underground.”

“They seem to be safe enough.”

The Princess said, looking back at the place where the imperial citizens were gathered.

“I survived thanks to you.”

“Well… I just survived by chance. Anyway, we avoided the worst.”

“The worst….”

The Princess’s voice grew smaller.

“You’re saying it’s not the worst even with that?”

“It’s not the worst if you don’t die. If you’re alive, you can do something about it.”

“I know. Haa… So, do you know anything about that?”

The Princess asked, looking at the capital.

I got up and sat down as I was, looking at that place.

A huge tree the size of a city that has overturned the capital and grown.

But rather than being hideous, it is magnificent, and rather than being scary, it is even sacred.

‘Wow, the air is getting cleaner right away….’

Because I know what that is, I only have strange feelings.

“So, what is that?”

“World Tree.”

“…Yes?”

Princess Resilia’s eyes widened as if she was saying something wrong.

I didn’t say anything wrong.

“That’s right, it’s the World Tree. …Well, I should say World Tree 2nd generation.”

Or should I say World Tree mk2 [mark 2, a second or improved version].

“That’s great. The Imperial Palace has grown the rarest tree in the world that has been extinct for hundreds of years. As expected of the Empire. Isn’t it extravagant?”

“Is that a joke?”

Well? Whether it ends as a joke or not seems to depend on how we act from now on.

I glared at the still-growing tree.

“…What the hell are you up to, Ernil.”

* * *

First of all, I put aside the World Tree for a while and searched for familiar faces.

Like me, Sylvester and Cruise must have been caught up in the commotion and bounced out.

However, they are people who can take care of themselves, so I didn’t worry too much.

“Agogogo… When I was hit by that damn tree and fell, I thought I was going to die for a moment. …Are you guys alive?”

“…I managed to save my life somehow.”

“I’m experiencing all sorts of things as I live.”

“You’re telling me.”

As I looked around the place where people were gathered, the mercenary Elraut was grumbling and checking on the safety of the other guys.

“Well, aside from my sister, we barely survived thanks to this friend who saved us. …Thanks to you, I survived.”

One of Elraut’s mercenary members made eye contact with me and bowed his head as if expressing his gratitude.

I raised my hand appropriately and replied as if not to worry about it.

“So, kid? Is this also as you expected?”

“Well. I wonder.”

I smirked and shrugged.

“If you expect that such a tree will pop up!, is that a human? It’s a pervert.”

“Oh, so the kid was a pervert.”

“…Is that how it works?”

Tsk, that pervert is here.

I glossed over it for now, but she probably noticed it to some extent.

Still, she doesn’t ask any more questions.

“So, kid? Who are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for some of our group… I haven’t been able to confirm if they’re still safe. For that reason, has anyone seen our group?”

“I haven’t seen them? Is there anyone among you who has seen them?”

Not only Elraut but also the mercenary members shake their heads.

Well, there’s no way there would be an easy witness.

“…If it’s Sylvester, he climbed up the World Tree.”

“And if it’s a wizard who seems to be your party, he jumped down in another direction.”

Unfortunately, it was Alnix and Rucel who delivered the news, looking very tired.

I didn’t really take care of them either, but I thought they would be safe.

Before that, what’s bothering me is.

“…Wait? He climbed up after that?”

The two nodded, saying, “That’s right.”

“We saw it, so there’s no mistake. If it’s Sylvester, he’ll do that, even if the wizard doesn’t.”

“…Ha.”

I scratched my head and sighed deeply.

Should I follow him up now?

‘No. It’s still too early….’

I quit it right away.

First, after telling them to call me if something happens, I deliberately moved to a place where other people’s eyes couldn’t reach.

On the surface, it’s pretending to be alone and pathetic away from others.

But in fact.

“…There’s no one else. Let’s talk now. I can’t stand my back tingling since earlier.”

The one who revealed himself, saying that, was Elles.

She was still there.

Even in that chaos, I couldn’t see her at all, so I guessed she was somewhere, and it was exactly right.

“You noticed. I was just thinking about it roughly, and I guessed that you might be hiding nearby.”

And the fact that you came to find me means you have something to say.

“So, is what you want to say because of Ernil Alfrens?”

“….”

It seems like I’m not wrong.

“Let’s hear it first. I’ll decide on my answer after that, but you don’t have any complaints, do you?”

* * *

Of course, the conditions Elles speaks of are simple.

“In short… you’re asking me to save Ernil?”

“It is a condition of the deal.”

The undead Elles calmly revealed the conditions and offered a deal.

“I will guide you inside the World Tree.”

“Hmm… Guidance.”

“I know the internal structure of the World Tree.”

“Oh?”

I can’t say that there are no tempting aspects, but I acted calmly and reluctantly.

“In other words, you want me to help her in exchange for guidance and assistance?”

“I am asking you to save her.”

She calmly said the condition once again.

In other words, she will help me in exchange for saving the girl.

But I tilted my head and retorted as if I was dumbfounded.

“Don’t forget? Ernil is the one who caused this situation. It doesn’t make sense to ask me to save her.”

As a result, the World Tree grew again.

The situation has once again faced a crisis.

It really doesn’t let people rest. I want to hand in my resignation.

“Really, Kmelz Alfrens… Didn’t he and you know this would happen?”

“….”

She can’t say anything either.

It means she can’t say she didn’t know.

If you don’t explain that first, there’s nothing else after that.

She seemed to understand to some extent, hesitated for a moment, and then opened her mouth again.

“What the girl knows is… that a person named Epheleo was involved in the child’s revival process.”

“…I think I know that roughly. What the hell did he do?”

“That is a story shared by the two of them, so even as a girl, I have not grasped all the details….”

“It doesn’t matter.”

I need even a little information.

“Epheleo… said he would add one more thing to the child’s revival.”

“…Memories of the future?”

She nodded.

Well, there’s nothing else besides that.

“Surely, he said it was memories of the future.”

“And you used that?”

“At first, she seems to have resisted, of course. However, he persuaded her somehow, and she accepted it….”

However, she doesn’t seem to know what that is.

‘Kmelz… can’t simply allow Ernil’s destruction.’

What does that mean?

‘Did Ernil act independently of Kmelz’s will in causing this accident?’

There is something they are plotting together.

“…In short, do you want to stop Ernil? Rather than helping Ernil?”

“It is dangerous as it is.”

I agreed with that opinion.

“Well, now that she’s caused this much trouble, someone will move to deal with her.”

“I want to prevent you from becoming that person, at least.”

“Do you think I’m going to do such a troublesome thing? I’d rather pack my bags and run away.”

Of course, running away from here won’t change anything.

As I continued to maintain a lukewarm attitude, Elles pondered.

“Do you not trust me?”

“Yes. I don’t trust you.”

When in doubt, let’s cut it off.

Sometimes a clear answer is easier.

“I will say again, I know the way.”

“…How… Oh, that’s it.”

Only then did I guess the reason.

“In the past, the girl has entered the previous World Tree.”

Is it the story of when she was interacting as a representative of the goodwill mission due to the Empire’s scheme?

“I learned from that place, but the internal structure is not much different from the past World Tree.”

“…Really?”

That’s amazing.

In the original work, Sylvester entered the current World Tree without any information.

Therefore, there is no way to know whether the road is the same as the past World Tree or not.

But there is a basis.

‘That was revived based on the information of the World Tree….’

She may not be trying to trick me recklessly.

‘Guidance… It’s definitely tempting.’

I’m already agonizing over making a plan to enter that place.

Invasion will happen somehow.

But finding the way… Well?

The World Tree is not a dungeon, so it is unknown whether the ability will be properly applied.

The original plan was to carefully explore and move forward using the ability if it really didn’t work out.

It would be great if I could shorten that.

‘The problem is, can I trust her….’

Maybe her purpose of helping Ernil is sincere.

The fact that she is prepared is all to atone for the past.

The problem is….

‘That means there’s a possibility that she’ll immediately turn against me if things go wrong.’

I knocked her down once, but she is quite strong.

There is no guarantee that I will win properly even if I fight a second time.

“Do you want insurance?”

“I guess my face showed that I didn’t trust you.”

“Even a girl has the same suspicion.”

She nods as if she understands.

Even if I sympathize there, it’s just annoying.

I want a definite basis.

What should I believe and entrust her with guidance?