Chapter 351: The Wish-Granting Tree

“Hey, isn’t there a wish-granting tree in Esperance? I think it wouldn’t hurt to pray for the kid’s safety there.”

Rumors about a wish-granting tree had started spreading at some point.

Of course, it’s probably just superstition, but what parent doesn’t know that? It’s all about sincerity and heart, right? Desperation can sometimes work miracles, so it can’t hurt to try.

“Besides, Esperance is supposed to be the safest place in the Human Realm, isn’t it? It’d be perfect for raising a kid.”

“You…”

“What? What is it?”

Did I say something wrong?

The member, flinching under Kleter’s unwavering gaze, slowly backed away. Kleter watched him, muttering in genuine surprise.

“So, you’re not completely brainless?”

“What the hell, you bastard?!”

So, that’s how you’ve been seeing me all this time?!

The member raged, but no one paid him any attention. Everyone else was focused on Kleter, who continued to speak.

“Let’s do as he says.”

I knew that the ‘kid’ he was talking about wasn’t just this child currently with us.

His suggestion wasn’t wrong, so there was no reason to refuse.

“Esperance is definitely safe, that’s true. That’s why so many people risk their lives to cross the mountain range to get there. Though, I heard rumors that they’re not accepting any more people because they’ve already taken in too many…”

That wasn’t a problem.

Kleter smirked and glanced around at his comrades.

“We can just sneak in, right?”

“Exactly!”

“Let’s go right now!!”

Sneaking in? Easy peasy.

The Lofty Mercenaries set their course.

***

Not long after being forcibly separated from Deon Hart, the Lofty Knights, half out of their minds, pondered.

‘Why were we teleported?’

They were usually forgetful and often lost things, but they were certain they had Deon Hart’s charm with them when they were forcibly moved by the Commander of the 11th Corps.

How could they carelessly treat something their captain had given them out of concern for their safety? They were sure, without a doubt, that everyone had been carrying it.

‘Why?’

They couldn’t understand.

Wasn’t this charm supposed to block magic? They had clearly seen magic being ineffective against them before, so this was strange.

‘…Come to think of it, the captain didn’t say this charm would block magic when he gave it to us.’

The questions gradually began to unravel as they traced back to the past.

[Captain, what is this?]

[A charm to make the combat conditions between you fools and the demons a little more even.]

This was a different kind of charm. Indeed, when they later fought with other demons in the Demon Realm, they felt it was easier to fight compared to before.

If that’s the case, then the order to take off our epaulets before the Commander of the 11th Corps ordered the teleportation was…

‘…The charm that blocked magic was in the epaulets.’

The magic-blocking charm had been in the epaulets.

Ironically, the thought that came to mind when they realized this was, ‘Thank goodness.’ It meant that when he told them to take off their epaulets, it wasn’t in the sense of ‘dissolution’ or ‘our bond ends here.’

Of course, even if he had meant it that way, nothing would have changed.

“Is this the tree?”

“It definitely has a strange vibe.”

“Now we just have to make a wish… how should we do it? Do we kneel?”

“Wasn’t it putting your palms together?”

“Shouldn’t we bow our heads?”

“Shut up. It’s the sincerity that matters, so just do whatever you feel like, whether it’s kneeling or bowing. …Baby, you can just stay still and wait while eating this snack.”

…The fact that he had secretly taken measures for their safety made them both happy and sad.

And so, the Lofty Mercenaries, who had miraculously sneaked into Esperance and stood before the rumored tree, prayed earnestly.

If you really do grant wishes…

To the child who is alive and will continue to live, grant your blessing.

And to the resentful child who left first… please, grant them peace.

***

“I imagine you must be quite worried.”

The Lofty Knights, the Lofty Mercenaries.

Since they were usually called the Killer Knights, the name ‘Lofty’ wasn’t well known to the public, so using it as is wasn’t entirely incomprehensible. But still, it wasn’t the most fitting decision for a new beginning. Even if the general public didn’t know, wouldn’t some power figures be aware?

But Rememver spoke calmly.

“Even so, power figures don’t have the leeway to touch them, so you don’t need to worry too much. They have too many other things to worry about to bother with mercenaries living quietly. Besides, there’s someone secretly watching over them.”

This old man guarantees it.

And Rememver paused. Perhaps because he had mentioned familiar names, another familiar figure flashed through his mind, and he hesitated uncharacteristically before cautiously broaching the subject.

“…This is just out of curiosity.”

The image of the child nonchalantly entering the mansion and peeking around, trying to learn as much as possible, was vivid in his mind.

The clever young man who was perceptive enough to be secretly considered as the next butler, who acted so naturally that one couldn’t help but grow fond of him. Rememver asked the question, knowing full well that no answer would come back.

“Did you… meet Dan?”

Is he doing well?

Without a body or a grave, he remained even more of a concern. As if retracing the face of a child who was like another grandson to him, his slightly distorted eyes crinkled with wrinkles, but soon, as if nothing had happened, he put on a bitter smile.

“You might remember the Den Merchant Guild he created. Do you know what meaning the name of that guild held?”

Perhaps you simply took it to mean a ‘lair’ to support the disaster’s path. Of course, that’s not wrong. Dan probably initially created it with that meaning in mind too.

However.

“Looking at the word itself, ‘Den’ also carries the meaning of a cozy shelter, a comfortable hiding place.”

Rememver, who had watched Deon Hart for a long time and understood Dan by teaching him, knew.

As time passed in the Demon Realm, and as he spent more time with Deon Hart, the meaning of ‘Den Merchant Guild’ for Dan would have gradually changed.

How could he push someone further who was barely clinging to life on the edge of a cliff?

It was obvious that he was only trying to stay alive until he finished what he had to do, and rather, that precariousness might have made him hesitate.

“…If I had paid a little more attention, it might have been possible to utilize it in that direction as well, but perhaps because he left before learning everything, he couldn’t. It’s a great regret.”

The driving force to support Deon Hart’s path was good, but what he needed most at the time was a sanctuary to rest for a moment.

The Den Merchant Guild could have become a haven for Deon Hart, who couldn’t easily set foot in the Human Realm by any means other than invasion, but Dan only knew how to utilize it in an aggressive direction, so he wouldn’t have grasped how to operate it in this way.

“Still… I just wanted you to know that he also did something for you.”

Although he failed to create a ‘sanctuary,’ he succeeded in creating an ‘escape route.’

Rememver lowered his gaze, recalling the guild which Dan had tried to do a few things with before giving up and turning to other aspects.

“Among the things the guild had prepared, there were also things to support you when you decided to give up everything and run away.”

He acted like he would never allow such a thing, but behind the scenes, he had prepared everything.

Of course, all of these things disappeared like a sandcastle under Deon Hart’s orders, who used and discarded the guild as a tool.

A calm voice, devoid of emotion, flowed out, carrying the purpose of his words.

“So, if you do meet him, I hope you won’t scold him too much.”

Even if he was somewhat selfish and acted hatefully, in the end, he gave his heart to you.

“…That’s all I have to say.”

He dusted himself off and stood up.

“I don’t know when I’ll come again. But to let you know my destination, I’m going back to Esperance. I heard rumors that a wish-granting tree has sprung up there, and I thought it wouldn’t be bad to check it out and set foot on my hometown land for the first time in a while.”

Actually, it’s because I think I’ll feel a bit more at ease if I pray for the peace of the young people who have passed away.

Rememver flashed a faint smile and immediately turned his back.

***

Meanwhile, Ed, who had stepped aside, stood blankly before meeting Hien, who had come with flowers.

It wasn’t an unfamiliar situation, and Ed, accustomed to scanning his opponent and surroundings, slightly frowned. His gruff voice followed.

“…Where’s Aiga?”

I thought she’d be here.

“She went to Lord Demon King’s grave.”

“Ah… even though I told her she didn’t need to…”

“Lord Demon King’s grave is in the Demon Realm, after all. Traveling back and forth is a chore, so she probably wanted to help.”

“…I see.”

No doubt it was to ease my burden.

The incubus who tried to help with this and that in the name of ‘friend’ flashed through his mind. The image of him playfully smiling and waving his hand was already vivid in his mind, and Ed shook his head.

“Anyway…”

His gaze lowered to the small bouquet.

“You brought flowers when we made Lord Demon King’s grave back then, and you brought flowers again this time.”

“Ah, these are different flowers this time. It’s not a funeral, so I didn’t think I needed to bring chrysanthemums. Actually, I almost died back then too…”

“Come to think of it, you did come back covered in wounds.”

He had searched the Human Realm for flowers, saying that human culture put white chrysanthemums at funerals, and he got caught. It was only natural that humans, in a situation where animosity towards demons was at its peak, would try to kill him.

In fact, he had returned half-dead.

“Speaking of which now, if Ben hadn’t been there back then, you would have definitely died.”

“That’s why I didn’t go deep into the Human Realm and brought different kinds of flowers…”

“…Usually, they don’t wander around like that and quietly hide… no, never mind.”

It’s pointless to say anything.

He’s a stubbornly persistent incubus, so he won’t listen. Well, he was the kind of guy who would meet my eyes and speak his mind even when I was the next legion commander, so what more needs to be said?

‘This guy is definitely not right in the head either.’

He let out a deep sigh.

The day they made Lord Deon’s grave flashed through his mind. More accurately, Hien from that day.

…What was most shocking at the time was that even in that situation, he had managed to bring the flowers back without a single scratch, tightly held in his arms. Ben, and even I, who usually nagged at him, were speechless.

Recalling that time, his heart softened involuntarily, and a more relaxed voice came out.

“What kind of flower is that?”

“Dog rose, they say.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, the flower meaning is… just a moment.”

He just picked up flowers that caught his eye, huh…

Without even being asked, Hien flipped through the book he had been carrying around.

He flipped through the human realm plant book found in the warehouse of Oel, the former 5th Corps Commander, and then spoke with a brightened face as if he had found the part he wanted.

“Solitude, and… longing for family… it says here.”

Oh… should I give this to him…

“…It looks like there are other kinds of flowers mixed in besides dog roses.”

“Ah, this one is a flower that Lord Deon liked when he was alive.”

The same kind that was blooming on Cruel Hart’s grave.

I remember the flower meaning was probably ‘youth without regrets.’

“…I see. Well, anything is fine, but there’s someone already there, so wait a bit…”

…He’s here.

Ed, sensing a presence, turned to look at one spot. Silver-blue eyes met his gaze.

“Are you finished with your business?”

“Yes. Thank you for your consideration.”

“It’s only natural, no need to thank me.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that. And next to you… oh.”

Rememver’s eyes curved gently as he saw Hien.

“Long time no see.”