Weed ~The One’s Gardener~ - Chapter 99

It was merely something they did just to see him smile, to hear a compliment. In the end, the priests couldn’t maintain their sanity, day and night, as their actions only hastened Weed’s death.

Yet, he smiled—more brightly than ever.

Weed expressed joy and other emotions, calling out the names of the priests, remembering each one of them. This made the priests even more sorrowful and distressed. The day they had longed for had finally arrived, but the end was drawing near.

Desperate to extend his time, the priests did everything they could. Rutis, who struggled the most during this period, ventured into the human realm to find a cure for the divine disease.

Several other priests, who had never left Lar before, decided to follow Rutis.

Hensis, Rutacea, and Kukurtavi, who had been like her close aides since the arrival of One, joined her on the journey.

The task requested by the humans was to overthrow the kingdom’s ruler. In simpler terms, it involved dealing with many high-ranking wizards of the magical kingdom.

No matter how skilled the wizards were, they were still merely human. Given their weakened state, it shouldn’t have been too difficult for a single one of them. However, there was a specific reason they were going in a group this time.

“All you will be facing are the sick royals and nobles of Eatinte. It should be simple for you, the masters of the forest.”

“Sick royals and nobles.”

“Yes.”

Caldenos replied, not needing to elaborate further since he had already explained it once before.

The nobles of their kingdom had a history of being affected by the void, currently suffering only in certain parts of their bodies. While the exact method of this affliction remained unclear, they seemed to be managing to halt its progression somehow.

For the priests, it was far more critical to suppress the progression of the divine disease than to solve the issue of the void.

As much as they didn’t want to admit it, humans had more knowledge regarding how to handle the divine disease. It had been a field of little interest to the priests, and there was likely a significant difference in the level of urgency.

While the priests could understand the principles just by hearing about them, Rutis decided to visit the human settlement in person to be sure. Some priests followed out of curiosity, while others simply wanted to assist Rutis.

Moreover, the fact that this human, Caldenos, was a guest held great significance. Rutis concluded that, for Weed’s sake, more attention should be given to Hana rather than Weed. Helping to resolve his issues would undoubtedly serve the role of caring for Hana as well.

“Do you have someone backing you? What will you do when it’s all over? A leader isn’t made alone.”

“Once I sit down, it’ll naturally feel at ease.”

“Wow, how convenient for you.”

“It’s refreshing, and I like it that way. It’s just right.”

The priests of the World Tree, Rutacea and Kukurtavi, subtly questioned the humans as they walked. Rutis followed behind them, chuckling at their conversation. Weed may not particularly like Caldenos, but he was probably the most influential human at the moment.

After all, he had a powerful ally in Shin Hana.

Rutis’s desire to help him stems solely from her.

Caldenos, the human leading the group, was fully aware of this fact. Seizing the opportunity, he guided the priests toward the capital of his kingdom, not forgetting to offer a bribe.

Seeing him hand over the national treasure—the ‘Wand of Light,’ which held no value to the priests—to Shin Hana confirmed Rutis’s suspicions. He had verified that it was something she cherished.

In Lar, where everything existed in abundance, it was unclear what purpose she intended for that magical tool.

In any case, Caldenos was truly fortunate. One highly skilled human wizard and four priests from the forest. What would unfold next wouldn’t even amount to a war. It didn’t matter how many opponents they faced. When had there ever been a case of priests working together for a single objective—especially for the sake of a human from outside Lar?

“Well then, I’ll leave it to you.”

“Okay.”

“Uh-huh.”

There was no need for special instructions.

As they teleported repeatedly, Caldenos suddenly drew his sword. With what kind of confidence? He didn’t even bother to sneak in. However, leading the priests made such recklessness an acceptable luxury. They boldly opened the main gate of the castle and charged inside.

Initially, everyone in the castle was taken aback by their audacity, but once they recognized Caldenos’s face, their movements became frantic.

Someone shouted. The sound of swords being drawn echoed, followed by the cries of magic resonating in the air.

The only magic the priests had shared with Caldenos was a wide-area defensive spell.

With that alone, he played his role effectively at the forefront. As a member of the royal family, he used his magical power to create an unyielding barrier while maintaining it, effortlessly cutting down the castle’s magic swordsmen who stood in their way.

‘He’s quite skilled.’

The precision of the barrier and the swordsmanship displayed alongside the magical energy were impeccable. Regardless of his skill, Caldenos, being a castaway prince from the human realm, lacked the support to single-handedly conquer the castle.

This situation felt like a stroke of good fortune bestowed by the heavens.

‘He’s really taking advantage of the opportunity given to him.’

Rutis silently waved her hand through the air, moving the plants with her magic. There was a specific reason for using magic to manipulate the plants rather than doing so without it.

“It, it’s Ligna!”

“Oh my.”

“There are four of them!”

Those who had encountered a priest at least once in their lives rushed toward the center of the castle. Most of them were noticeably older.

It had been a considerable amount of time since the priests had ventured out, and the younger generation had only a shallow understanding of what ‘Ligna’ truly meant. Yet, it seemed they were intent on continuing this standoff.