Eat The World Tree

In a quiet library with only two people, the Sage silently delivered her judgment.

“Sansuyu, participant. Do you understand?”

Sansuyu nodded without a word.

“…”

“Your body is in terrible shape.”

The state of Sansuyu’s body, subjected to long-term drug use to create an immortal, everlasting wooden figure, was beyond any conceivable comparison.

The secret research of the Cornus Family was one of Sephirot’s most intriguing subjects. Even Sephirot, who had lived for over 3,000 years, admitted that the path to immortality was so difficult that she had died and been reborn several times due to the overwhelming amount of information she had accumulated.

“Your heart rate is high, all your organs are damaged, and your mana vessel is on the verge of breaking. As you know, if that vessel shatters, what will happen?”

Sansuyu’s dantian contained an enormous amount of mana. It was so vast that no matter how much she used, it never seemed to deplete. That was expected—Sansuyu did not carry only her own mana.

It held the pure mana of a dragon from centuries past, the mana of a conqueror king who once ruled these lands, and the mana of Cheonma. It also included legendary elixirs found only in myths, as well as body parts from beings whose mere existence struck fear in the world.

Based on the World Tree’s status screen, the number was 18. However, Sansuyu could effectively utilize only 11 at best.

Her condition was dire. If the fragile vessel within her were to rupture, even the Sage could not predict what might happen to her.

“You will die.”

That much, the Sage was certain.

Magical arrays appeared in the Sage’s eyes like magnifying glasses, scanning Sansuyu’s body thoroughly.

Below the pancreas. The upper right of the heart. Near the kidneys.

Countless mana stones were embedded throughout her body.

The mana was so dense that her body was beginning to deteriorate. Though someone had recently attempted to heal her in haste, it was merely a temporary measure.

It might seem like her condition had improved—her complexion had returned, giving the illusion of recovery. But unless the root cause was addressed, Sansuyu’s death was inevitable.

If Lee Shiheon stopped healing her, she might die within a week. At most, two months. If he continued healing, she would live no longer than a year. A sudden death during daily life—that was the future the Sage foresaw for Sansuyu.

“There are ways to extend your lifespan. It’s not too late to take action.”

All the mana stones could be removed, her damaged organs replaced with magitech substitutes, and the mana forcibly extracted. However, regenerating the organs would only reactivate the drug’s effects. �

At best, she could extend her lifespan to ten years. Even with all available means, Sansuyu’s body had a maximum lifespan of ten years.

“But doing so would mean the Cornus Family’s experiment ends.”

Sansuyu nodded at the Sage’s words. She thought briefly before gently shaking her head.

“It’s fine.”

“Are you sure?”

Perhaps it was because she shared the Cornus Family’s bloodline, but Sansuyu seemed excessively attached to the idea of immortality.

“You won’t see Lee Shiheon much longer if you continue like this.”

The Sage persistently questioned Sansuyu.

Was she truly fine with that?

After Maronnie left, the conversation between the Sage and Sansuyu stretched on for hours.

“Shiheon… that is…”

“He’ll be sad. Even so?”

“

Sansuyu bit her lip, her heart heavy with emotion.

“Don’t you care for him?”

Yet, Sansuyu repeated the same words.

“The reason I live was determined from the very beginning.”

The Sage gazed at her with eyes filled with complex emotions.

“It’s something I’ve had to do all my life.”

“Sorry if I pushed too hard.”

“No, it’s okay.”

“If there’s anything you can’t say, you can always tell me. I accepted you as my mentee to help you recover.”

To Sephirot, Sansuyu was an intriguing specimen—a rare being capable of achieving immortality.

If she gave up her dream, Sephirot could harvest the organs within Sansuyu’s body.

If she didn’t, observing Sansuyu’s relentless pursuit of her dream would still offer valuable research insights.

No matter the outcome, it was beneficial for Sephirot.

‘…It’ll be tough to succeed, though.’

The Sage knew Lee Shiheon’s abilities well. His healing power was among the finest, capable of regenerating a body even if it were split in half.

But even that power could not cure Sansuyu’s condition.

The research accumulated over thousands of years had reached a point where no one alive could resolve it.

Personally, the Sage hoped Sansuyu would abandon the experiment. Living a little longer and finding happiness wouldn’t be such a bad thing.

“You can leave now.”

“Understood.”

Sansuyu rose, tucked a book under her arm, and left. The Sage watched her with a bitter expression for a long time.

“Only Lee Shiheon could change someone like Sansuyu.”

After all, he was connected to every calamity in the world.

It was no surprise that Sephirot found him so fascinating.

What a foolish thing.

“Considering the opponent is the Tree Spirit King… what if something goes horribly wrong?”

The Sage did not doubt Lee Shiheon’s character.

But with age came the knowledge that people could change at any moment.

The Tree Spirit King’s power and the world’s cruelty toward him could twist anyone.

“When the Tree Spirit King first appeared, he was just a doctor.”

External circumstances could change even the kindest soul.

In the end, that gentle man had been broken and consumed half the world.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Sage blankly gazed upwards.

The towering stacks of books accumulated over millennia stretched to the horizon, so high that the ceiling was no longer visible.

---

What was Right or Wrong?

It was already too late to judge such things—all aspects of her existence had already been decided.

Though Sansuyu’s personality had dulled over time, she was acutely aware of that one truth.

The sensation of sansuyu berries her mother used to place in her hand—that was all she recalled, enduring the pain through that memory alone.

“Shiheon.”

“Hm?”

Lee Shiheon was human. Just like her mother.

Even the warm smile he gave whenever she spoke to him somehow resembled her mother’s.

“Make me tteokbokki.”

“…Tteokbokki?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not sure if we have the ingredients. I’ll ask the Sage.”

Without realizing it, she started acting spoiled around him.

The little things that made her happy, and the care he gave her when she was in pain…

Shiheon wasn’t her servant, yet she always felt like he was.

She kept reminding herself of that, but no matter how often she did, he never got tired of helping her.

It was the same during the MT (Membership Training) trip. When something came up, and Shiheon left without saying a word, she got upset and ignored him, even though it wasn’t something to get mad about.

Still, he came to her first, initiating a conversation.

As if it were only natural, he would show up whenever she called, solve whatever problem arose, and offer her his friendship.

She always thought he was amazing.

A man who could do anything. Someone who could soothe her no matter what she did.

Squeak!

My friend.

“The Sage said she’ll bring it!”

Sansuyu gave a slight nod at Lee Shiheon’s bright smile as he opened the door.

Her face remained expressionless, but she was pleased.

She felt at ease with him.

Because they were friends.

Because they were more than just ordinary friends.

“What’s tteokbokki?”

“It’s really tasty.”

Any friend of Lee Shiheon’s was a friend of hers.

There was no way someone he befriended could be a bad person.

While Taeyang and Aori were a bit… unusual, Maronnie didn’t seem to have any odd quirks.

“Wait, I’ll make it soon. You’ll eat, right?”

“You’re making it…?”

Watching Lee Shiheon and Maronnie chat, Sansuyu clapped her hands softly.

They went to the kitchen, sat around the table, and shared the tteokbokki that Lee Shiheon made.

Perhaps because they used the stove, the atmosphere became warm, completely erasing the chilly air that had initially filled the room and transforming it into a cozy space.

“It’s spicy.”

“That’s the charm—maepjjonmat.”

“Maepjjon…? Sorry, I can’t translate that. My Korean’s a bit shaky. And Shiheon, you… made this way too spicy!”

“Want some water?”

“Isn’t that the water you were drinking?”

“Don’t want it?”

“No… I’ll drink it.”

Her limited lifespan—she didn’t care about it anymore.

This moment was already good enough.

The person she had unexpectedly come to cherish.

Being with him was all she needed.

Sansuyu loved this friendship that stirred her heart.

---

“Isn’t it nice to be outside, after being cooped up in a hotel all the time?”

“What’s all this about, first thing in the morning?”

When the blanket was suddenly slapped, I thought it was Sansuyu waking me up.

I figured her chest must be hurting again, and maybe she finally needed to use that infernal milker device. But as I sat up, the Sage’s face came into view.

• “Are you awake?”

• “…You startled me.”

• “Is there something wrong with my face?”

• “No, not at all. You’re beautiful.”

• “Of course, I am.”

Before I could make sense of what was happening, she grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and dragged me outside.

“Didn’t I tell you why we came here?”

“You didn’t say anything?”

“Not that—what did I say I would teach you during this trial?”

She mentioned something about teaching me the world. I scratched the back of my neck and yawned loudly.

“Yaaawn… So, is this where you brought me?”

“No, we still have a little further to go.”

Despite wearing tall heels, the Sage walked down the dirt path without the slightest discomfort.

The unpaved road was barren, devoid of even a decorative tree, littered with rotting garbage and old branches scattered everywhere.

“Uh… Are you going to tell me the reason soon? This place is so eerie, it feels like you’re planning to cut my throat and bury me in the mountains.”

“…Hmm?”

She gave me a chilling smile. For the first time, I found it unnerving.

“I was just joking.”

“…”

“It’s kind of like you calling me a Wiki, right?”

“I apologize for that.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not upset about it.”

We continued walking until old shanties came into view—a slum.

It was a village, but far from a proper one, lacking any semblance of structure.

The Sage’s elegant appearance felt completely out of place in this setting.

Wearing noblewoman-like attire in a place like this would surely bring trouble.

I glanced at the Sage, concerned.

Though she was hailed as the greatest mage, avoiding unnecessary trouble would be in her best interest, wouldn’t it?

Just as I was lost in thought—

“…Sage!”

A young boy emerged from a crumbling ruin on the verge of collapse.

“Oh my, Eric. Good morning. Hold on a second.”

The Sage clasped her hands together and opened them gently, revealing a large loaf of bread that materialized out of thin air.

Her effortless use of spatial magic was astonishing.

“Wow… Bread! Thank you!”

“I’ll give you another for your brother, so make sure you finish this one.”

“Thank you, always.”

Was this part of the lesson—teaching me about this world?

The Sage turned to me with a smile.

“From now on, Mr. Shiheon, you’ll have to do this every morning. There are nine places in total.”

“…What?”

Nine places?

“Can’t you just use spatial magic?”

“Well, I can. How do you know that, though?”

The Sage grinned playfully.

“Hwangdo. That child learned magic from me. I told her not to reveal it to others, yet she told you anyway… sigh.”

“Oh, you’re the mentor of my mentor?”

“That’s one way to put it. I guess I’m your teacher’s teacher. But tell me, do mentees of mentees usually act this rude?”

“…I’m

I could tell I’d gotten on her nerves. The “Wiki” comment must have really stuck with her.

“Anyway, back to the point. Just watch what I do today, and follow my steps. This is the first phase of your third trial.”

Soon, more children started gathering around us.

The Sage kept smiling as she handed out food to the poor children, never missing a beat.

As she did, she made sure to tell me the name of each child, explaining that I’d be responsible for them from now on. She also gave me precise instructions on how to navigate this area.

“From the entrance to the middle of the village—I’ve already spoken to the kids, so they’ll find their way if they have the time.”

“But Sage…”

“Yes?”

“Where exactly is this place?”

Since she hadn’t mentioned the location once, I asked directly. She responded coldly, as if pleased with the question.

“It’s a place beyond the reach of the government. A place connected to you.”

Connected to me?

“Anyone who’s had contact with the Tree Spirit King, or belonged to his faction even once, hides in dungeons or waits for death in cold places like this. And also—”

A figure wrapped in a tattered blanket shuffled toward us.

The familiar sensation of mana caused my face to twist in recognition.

“This is one of the hideouts of the Flower organization.”