The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 233

I know, that’s the fate of us elves who were commanded long ago to protect nymphs. But if the sapling that has become my life dies, we have no pointed solution…

‘Wait!’

To miraculously revive a nymph destined to lose her tree,

To completely repair the broken sky stairs and summon ancient spirits to create new mirror dimension gates—wasn’t that the necessary condition…?!

His hand beneath the round table automatically clenched tight.

Iel knew what method could make it possible. Everyone gathered here was the same, but they were all acting as if they had forgotten about just one person—no, now everyone except him and Cassis seemed to be pretending to forget.

It wasn’t unreasonable. The gap until Cassis was designated as the World Tree’s guardian was nearly eight hundred years. Therefore, when a new World Tree guardian appeared, no one at that time thought to consider the probability that he might be the World Tree’s ancient guardian.

What if Cassis had been the World Tree’s ancient guardian from the beginning?!

Gulp.

Before Iel’s gaze, who had unknowingly swallowed his saliva, could reach him, Cassis quietly murmured to himself.

“I don’t mean to revive all past glory exactly as it was then. I mean to look this way and that, taking only what’s absolutely necessary while maintaining Jupiter’s current order.”

“Those are proper words, Your Majesty the King. As the elder said, we hope glory will shine again like during the reign of King Rune Keor, the 23rd King.”

King Rune Keor served as both the World Tree’s ancient guardian and achieved countless accomplishments, choosing this castle site and establishing the foundation. His insight and abilities were so outstanding that there had never been any argument for relocating the capital since then.

When Iel brought up the name mentioned earlier again, a small ripple appeared in the quiet King’s eyes. It was at an extremely minute level, but Iel knew just from seeing the changed sign.

The King they served was definitely the World Tree’s ancient guardian. Jupiter, please enjoy this moment for a long, long time!

Thus, while Iel, who was no different from the King’s right hand, was overcome with emotion as if he could crush rocks with his bare hands, Laocon, called the left hand, tried to quickly fulfill his own desires at this opportunity.

“Your Majesty. When the sky stairs to Macris are restored, the path to the pantheon there will be constantly open, so please command others besides Nike to clean as well.”

“Nike’s hardships until now have been beyond words, so let’s do that. Now, let me speak about the next matter I wish to propose.”

While the meeting presided over by Cassis continued, Iel observed the elders seated around the round table while trying to control his surging emotions. Foolishly, they seemed completely oblivious to Cassis’s true identity.

Starting with the restoration of the sky stairs, the tasks to be done and future possibilities had expanded infinitely. Although Jupiter had consistently maintained closed diplomacy since the nymph extinction crisis, there was now hope for change in the future.

As much as Jupiter was changing, the world outside Jupiter was changing even more rapidly. Therefore, they could not forever hope to be protected by relying solely on the World Tree’s power. While elves’ appearances remained eternally young, there were cases where their hearts, hidden beneath that exterior, aged and became useless with time. If Cassis could become that answer, Iel was willing to gladly follow. Just as he had been doing until now.

“…With this, I conclude the meeting.”

No sooner had Cassis’s declaration ended than the elders poured out their personal feelings.

“Perfect, Your Majesty the King!”

“Once the path to Macris’s old sanctuary is restored, there will surely be those who wish to make pilgrimages there. Currently, the statue of Helios is not in the castle but only there, isn’t it?”

“Hmm, that would be their freedom.”

Even as the elders left the round table one by one, Iel waited steadfastly. Since his job was originally to guard the King, it wasn’t a strange situation. Finally, the opportunity came when only Cassis, himself, and Laocon remained.

What should he use to open the conversation? Just as he was pondering, Laocon beat him to it.

“Your Majesty, by the way, how is Evelyn doing?”

“She is well.”

“It’s a bit disappointing that I haven’t encountered her in the corridors since she moved to the second floor.”

“Don’t worry about her since she’s doing well.”

Somehow, to Iel’s ears, it sounded as if Laocon wasn’t particularly pleased about inquiring about Evelyn’s well-being. But come to think of it, if he had saved that nymph as the World Tree’s ancient guardian, then in the end, Cassis had personally committed that act repeatedly every night…?!

Iel’s flustered lips nearly dried up before returning to normal.

Though it was the person involved’s choice, since no one else could help, the nymph’s revival was a burden that the King had to bear entirely alone. Instead of noticing this and ensuring his peace, hadn’t he tried to forcibly send the energetic Polyxene into His Majesty’s bedchamber? What kind of thinking led him to commit such great rudeness to someone who was tired! Iel was in a position where even bitter self-reflection wouldn’t be enough.

He couldn’t just withdraw from this place. As he was wondering whether he should separately request an apology, Laocon patted Iel’s back.