How To Suck Honey With Extras [EN]: Chapter 300

333. The Revival of the World Tree (2)

“Then, may I entrust this to you?”

“Hmm?”

“Just a moment…”

She gestured for me to wait.

Suddenly, she produced a dagger, about the size of my palm, from her bosom.

For a moment, I was wary, wondering what she might do, but then I realized she wouldn’t attack me with that.

Instead, she held the dagger in reverse, pointing the blade towards herself.

And without hesitation, she plunged it into the area near her solar plexus.

“…Huh?”

I was taken aback.

“What are you doing? Even if you have such a body…”

“It is precisely because I have such a body that I am doing this.”

What, does she have a hobby of stabbing herself with knives? That’s messed up.

It’s not a pretty sight. More than anything…

The sight of her cutting open her stomach with that dagger makes my toes curl just watching.

I can’t watch!

“…Why are you making such a fuss when it is I who am cutting open my stomach?”

“Have some consideration for the viewer, will you? No, why do I have to watch something like that? I hate gruesome things.”

Even though I may seem like this, I was the type who couldn’t even watch horror movies properly back on Earth.

But I can’t afford to let my guard down, not knowing what she might do, so I’m just at a loss.

Ignoring my fidgeting and pacing with an absurd look, she widened the gap she had made and brazenly shoved her hand into the wound.

“Ugh…”

“Why are you making such a fuss?”

It looks painful just watching, you know?

It’s really bad for my mental health.

“So, as an Undead, you don’t feel pain?”

“It’s not that I have no sensation at all. Even though it may seem like this, this body was made with quite a bit of care, so I can block sensations whenever I wish…”

It seems that if she had no sensation, it would hinder her ability to wield a sword.

She put quite a bit of thought into it, huh?

But should I consider that convenient?

“If the senses are too dull, I cannot wield the sword properly… Hmm. Was it here…?”

A bizarre sight of her nonchalantly rummaging through her own stomach…

It feels like something is being chipped away from my mind.

This is truly a crazy world.

I’m getting out of here! Ah, I can’t.

After rummaging for a while, she finally took something out with a triumphant look.

“…Hmm? A bead?”

It’s some kind of bead-like object.

“I am an Undead.”

“I know. A living person wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“I am also a special kind of Undead.”

“Yes, a specially crazy… Ouch.”

Why did you step on my foot?

“Like Liches, I also have a medium that contains my current consciousness.”

The Life Orb Vessel that Liches commonly possess.

The core that contains their soul and magic.

And although she is an Undead, the basic theory is not much different from that of a Lich.

“This bead is…”

“I will entrust it to you as collateral.”

“Collateral?”

As she said that, she placed the bead she had taken from her body into my hand.

What am I supposed to do with this? Pawn it? Can I get money for it if I sell it?

Well, that’s not what she means.

Even I, who have no sense, know that much.

“Are you saying that if I feel suspicious, I should just break this?”

“That way, I won’t be able to attack you, even if I wanted to.”

If I break this, her soul will go bye-bye to the sky beyond.

It’s as if she’s handing over her weakness.

“Wait? Can you even move after giving this to me?”

“As long as I don’t stray too far, there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“Specifically, how far?”

When I asked roughly, it seems to be about 500 meters [approximately 1640 feet or 0.3 miles].

A subtle distance.

No, rather, isn’t it absurd that she can move even after detaching her core?

“…Is your soul some kind of Wi-Fi or something?”

“Pardon? What did you say?”

“No, anyway, you’re proving that there’s no possibility of betrayal with this?”

“It’s difficult to say for sure, but at least if you feel I’m dangerous or suspicious, you can break it at any time.”

“Hmm…”

I quietly examined her core.

In fact, this kind of material is quite valuable.

If I sell it, it would fetch a high price on the black market, and it would be useful even if I made it into a weapon or equipment, right?

“Once this is over, you can break it and use it as you please…”

“No… What do you take me for, a human trash?”

Do I look like the kind of person who would cut open someone’s stomach and think about selling what’s inside?

Besides, if I use this as a material, that girl will probably come out in my dreams and complain.

It’s very unsettling.

Still, it’s not a bad insurance policy against betrayal.

I firmly accepted the bead.

It’s a sign that I will cooperate.

“Then, shall we try to go in as soon as possible?”

* * *

The relationship between the World Tree and the Elves can be blatantly compared to the relationship between a crocodile and a crocodile bird [a symbiotic relationship where the bird cleans the crocodile’s teeth].

At least, that’s the setting I encountered in the original work.

I was entering the World Tree and explaining it appropriately.

“For the World Tree, Elves are small beings that cultivate and protect it… And from the Elves’ point of view, the World Tree is…”

“A great tree that provides them with a place to draw out their power.”

It has a meaning beyond just a place to live.

That’s why when the World Tree rotted and decayed, the Elves naturally had no choice but to fall.

“Under the condition that the World Tree exists, the Elves seem to receive blessings that are virtually invincible.”

“…Hmm? You know a lot.”

“I have a few Elves among my acquaintances, and I’ve done some research.”

I glossed over it for now.

“Above all, climbing the World Tree would be a truly unknown realm for humans.”

Climbing the World Tree.

If I were to record it, it might leave behind astronomical value.

The value of the records of lost historical relics would be incalculable.

If scholars saw it, they would go crazy.

‘…I’d like to record everything in detail if I could…’

But I don’t have the time right now, so should I just engrave the necessary things in my head?

I don’t forget to subtly collect tree bark… samples of the World Tree.

Living samples of the World Tree.

It can be used as a material, or sold off later as a specimen for a high price.

“…Please stop that.”

Eventually, Elles, who was walking ahead, sighed and shook her head.

“Is this the time to be collecting such things?”

“Please think of it as giving in to petty monetary curiosity and desire.”

“…”

She still doesn’t know how materialistic I am.

If I can take it, I’ll squeeze every last drop out of it.

How else can I endure it!

“World Tree materials are not commonly available. It’s not like there’s no use for them right away, so I can’t be negligent.”

“…For someone who says that, you’re being swayed by desire.”

“To be frank, I have quite a bit of desire.”

“You do?!”

I honestly admit that in its own way.

“If possible, I’d like to get my hands on the freshest branches.”

Perhaps realizing that there’s no use in scolding me any further, Elles silently moved further ahead.

“…More importantly, are you sure about the path?”

“Don’t worry. As expected. The internal structure is not much different from the World Tree back then.”

She said in a somewhat bitter tone.

Come to think of it…

“What was your relationship with Ernil?”

What I know is that she was involved in the Elves’ destruction.

It wasn’t her intention, and it was a plot by the higher-ups of the Empire, but she called it her own sin and helped Kmel.

That’s all.

That’s why I was curious.

“Is it information you want?”

“I personally want to know. There are many things I don’t know about Ernil either.”

“…It’s nothing much.”

When I gave her a look that said it was okay, she eventually sighed and seemed to be in the mood to talk.

“We simply got to know each other when I was dispatched as an envoy.”

“…That’s it?”

“We also had quite a few conversations.”

“You were close.”

“…I wonder.”

She doesn’t give a clear answer, neither affirming nor denying.

“When I first met her, she was truly an innocent child.”

It was Ernil who spoke to her first with an arrogant attitude.

“As an envoy, I couldn’t help but respond politely. …We ended up talking about various things.”

“You’re making it so hard to say you became friends.”

“You’re not popular, are you?”

Damn it!

“I won’t deny that. Anyway… there were many things that happened.”

“…And.”

“And what happened after that is probably as you know it.”

The Empire hatched a plot, the World Tree rotted and collapsed, and the Elves were massacred or driven out by the Imperial soldiers.

“After that, our family seems to have been treated as a prestigious family.”

Her family gained many benefits for that contribution?

Senilum Kelbeneas, the 1st Sword, who died at Elles’ hands, also obtained the elixir of rejuvenation for that contribution and monopolized the position of the pinnacle of knights for hundreds of years.

In the end, Elles recently cut down that villain, though.

“That is the reality of this disgusting country.”

She gained disillusionment and turned her back on the Empire.

“…And back then, that child too.”

She can’t continue her words there.

Come to think of it, Ernil is also one of those who died there.

“But she didn’t blame me.”

She only said that as if it was painful.

“She said they were the bad ones… and comforted me until the very end.”

“…”

“Now, she may think differently…”

“Are you afraid to hear it?”

When I asked, she stopped walking.

“Going up from now means facing her. She will probably… recognize you.”

“It doesn’t matter, though.”

“Well, if you’re prepared to face her, I won’t interfere.”

There’s no reason to say anything now, and there’s nothing I can do.

“Or would you prefer that I not step forward?”

“If I were to give personal advice, I think it would be better for you to say a word or two rather than me…”

In the original work, she and Ernil never met again.

But the schedule has changed.

Because I didn’t finish this girl off, an opportunity has arisen.

“Whether we meet or don’t want to meet, what we need to prioritize is reaching the top.”

To do that, the road ahead is still rough.

“…Especially since they probably won’t let us go easily.”

I sighed, and at the same time, she drew her sword.

She narrowed the distance to right in front of my nose in an instant.

“…”

She silently wielded her sword.

A precise sword strike that could easily pierce a needle barely grazed past the side of my head.

Thud!

It severed the tree roots that were trying to attack me from behind.

“It’s the World Tree’s defense mechanism.”

“It seems that Ernil… or someone else wants us to be chased out of here.”

We are destined to be chased out because we were not invited.

The World Tree.

The strongest impregnable tree.

The reason for that notoriety is not just because it is a big and beautiful tree.

Those who harm this tree.

And those who are hostile to those who receive its protection.

The hideous side that is only visible to them.

“…I didn’t want to be in a position to experience that firsthand.”

“This is not the time to grumble. …It’s coming!”

She said, and as she swung her sword a few more times, the tree roots that were aiming for me were shattered and scattered.

But this time, the width of the cut was reduced.

No, rather, the half-cut roots remain.

“…As expected, it’s becoming less and less effective.”

The troublesome point of the World Tree.

This tree itself has annoying characteristics.

“I know. Resistance to all concepts that harm it…”

“The blessing of vegetation!”

The more an attack, including swords, is repeated, the more it gradually builds resistance to it.

It’s not just about becoming materially harder, it’s the effect of the concept of mana [magical energy].

“I heard it’s a kind of ideological defense ability.”

“It’s as you know it!”

A kind of ideological defense ability.

For example, right now, Elles’ swordsmanship is not simply deflecting the sword strike, but rather, her swordsmanship is gradually becoming ineffective.

In this way, resistance increases.

The effect of the increased resistance is said to last about ten hours.

“Really, what a cheat-like ability…”

Because of this, the Imperial army could not find a way to attack it other than to rot it with a specially formulated poison.