Chapter 810 Yggdrasil Heart
-----
"You big idiot! I won't leave your side! And this is not because you're forcing me or something… I'm with you because I really love you!" She started crying in front of me. "S-So… don't say those things! It really hurt my feelings… that you think I would love to be here rather than with you!"
"E-Emeraldine… Okay, I'm sorry… Calm down, dear." I hugged her tightly. "I love you too, geez, I really screwed it up… I just wanted you to be happy, but I guess I misunderstood, hahah…
"Idiot, dummy!" Emeraldine continued bonking my head with her holy light-imbued fists.
I deserved that pain… honestly.
"I'm sorry… I love you too." I sighed, giving her a head pat.
"Dummy…" Emeraldine sighed, pouting, as I gave her a tender kiss in her soft lips so she could calm down a bit.
"Dummy, mooch… Idiot, hmm~" Although she continued belittling me while we kissed.
"Let's go together then, once what we want to do is done, we can come visit your family again…" I smiled at her. "C-Come on, don't be angrier…"
I've never seen her so angry before, she must have been really hurt! Ugh, I'm a stupid idiot.
"Okay…" She sighed. "But don't say dumb things like those again. I'm with you on my own volition. You've never ever forced me to do a thing! Geez, why would you ever think that?!"
"I-I'm sorry… I was stupid for thinking that." I apologized again.
"Yeah, you really are!" She said.
"Hahahah, I'm glad you've found someone that loves you and cares for you so much, dear Emeraldine." Said August. "And you seem very lovely. It is so cute. I wish your mother was here!"
And quickly, we realized we were actually being watched by everyone…
Ah, now I'm a bit embarrassed…
"Y-Yes…" Emeraldine slowly sat down again. "A-Anyways! As Maria said, let's get this forest restoration project done, so we can go rescue her little brother!"
"Alright!" Everyone cheered.
As we walked into the desolate, deserted area with only dead trees, we talked about how we would do things. Eventually, Tear wondered something.
"I wish Root could be here, he's a literal tree, right? I know he's protecting our home, but it would be nice if he could come for a bit to spread some of his roots too." Tear said.
"Actually, about that…" I said.
RUMBLE!
CRAAAAASH!
The ground below shook, as a huge root emerged underground. Large roots started spreading out, growing a few little saplings at first, until one of them suddenly grew a small face, two holes as eyes, and a long twig nose.
"Master gyuh! I'm finally here gyuh!" He said.
"ROOT?!" Everyone was shocked.
"Yeah, I called him to come here since yesterday, seems like his roots finally were able to come as far as this place! Amazingly done, Root." I congratulated him.
"It's nothing gyuh! I've been able to extend my roots so far thanks to your constant Mana supply, master! Gyuh!" Root was happy to be praised, nonetheless.
"A-Another monster tree?!" August cried in fear, stepping back.
"I'm not a monster tree, gyuh! I'm a good tree!" Root said angrily. "Even the spirits like me!"
"I-It cant talk eloquently…" Said Ash. "And he's not malicious at all either. I can sense Miasma within him though, but it is balanced perfectly with nature and life, amazing…" Ash seemed very capable of detecting and sensing magical energies.
"Well, Root is more than an Undead, or a monster, he has become something like a Spirit, so we made a contract of master and spirit a while ago, I can supply him with mana so he can do awesome things like this even when we're far away from one another!" I giggled. "Sorry if he scared you."
"Now that I see much better…" August activated his spiritual powers as an Elf. "I can sense it, the same aura as spirits within this tree! What an odd fellow he is! So he's your pet, huh?"
"I wouldn't go as far as call him a pet, he's a friend." I laughed. "A member of our family, maybe even my son."
"Thank you so much, Root! I thought it would be hard to do it all on my own, but if we got you here, it shouldn't be so complicated!" Emeraldine smiled.
"I'm happy to help, auntie Emeraldine! Gyuh!" Root said.
"Alright then, let's begin now." I nodded. "Ash, I think you'll have to help us too!"
"M-Me?" Ash asked in surprise. "But what can I even do?" He wondered.
"Seems like you've not realized yet." Tear giggled. "The moment you were freed and we defeated the tree, something went inside of you. Haven't you noticed at all?"
"W-Well, I…" Ash was confused.
"First of all, you were purified of all miasma and dark energies." Takeshi explained.
"And then, your Demonite core became very clear, and white, even a bit silver colored, and gold." Said Laura. "It emanates the complete opposite of your powers before… Something is within you now, something that is not malign, but benign."
"This energy I've sensed since I woke up…?" Ash glanced at his own hands, as they glowed with bright yellow light. "Right… I was even able to accurately sense what Root was made of…"
"Yeah, my child." August nodded. "I think you've become the carrier of our Ancient Spirit Tree's Soul."
"His Soul?! Do trees have them?" Ash was surprised.
"Of course we do, gyuh!" Root complained. "You've got a very strong Ancient Spirit Tree soul inside of you! It was after all, some sort of lesser Yggdrasil, is it not?"
"R-Right…" Ash nodded. "But why? I thought the tree died… And it was all my fault…"
"The soul must have been quite resilient, and when the corrupted body perished, and your body was purified slightly, it entered and made you its new vessel, purifying the rest of your body." I explained my hypothesis. "Your Demonite core is no longer made of Demonite, but of something I'll call an Yggdrasil's Heart."
"Yggdrasil's… Heart?" Ash was surprised, as his chest started glowing bright gold…
"I think you have the power to help us revive the forest." Emeraldine said. "Ash, will you help us?"
"O-Of course! I'll help! It is… the least I could do." Ash started crying, as he nodded.
Looks like things are leading to a better conclusion than I imagined!
-----
Visit freewe𝑏(n)ovel.co(m) for the b𝘦st novel reading experience