To You, Who Will Die Alone in Paradise Chapter 2

He poured out all the magical power he possessed and turned himself into a tree. The magical power dwelling in the body of an elf who had lived for over a thousand years exploded and swept across the continent, and in the place where the magical power swept past, neither monsters nor demonic energy remained.

Yggdrasil saved the continent. Everyone on the continent cheered, calling out Yggdrasil’s name.

The wounds left by the monsters’ rampage healed quickly. Farmers planted crops again on the purified land, and fishermen brought back nets full of the returned fish. As life was restored and fear disappeared, there were even opinions to subjugate the monsters.

(The fact that the monsters came across the sea meant that the monsters’ home base was beyond the sea. The reason was that true peace could only be achieved by wiping that place out.)

But that was impossible. After a little time passed, a fact that was not known at the time was revealed.

It was that Yggdrasil was not eternal. To be precise, the purifying power that Yggdrasil possessed.

At first, Yggdrasil’s power, which had covered the entire continent and even stretched beyond the sea, gradually weakened over time. The range of purification narrowed around Yggdrasil, and from the distant sea, demonic energy began to encroach once again. The sea, covered in a purplish demonic energy, slowly became a place that the people of the continent could no longer reach over several decades.

Yggdrasil’s power is not eternal. That gave people fear.

Everyone tried to find a way, but this time too, it was the elves who found the answer. The elves studied his purification magic for a long time based on the records Yggdrasil left in the elven forest, and at the end of it, they reached a conclusion.

Yggdrasil’s power uses magical power. Therefore, if magical power is replenished, the power of purification will continue.

It was not an entirely hopeful conclusion. For one, very few among the elves were born with magical power. That alone made it difficult, but even worse, the elves who offered their magical power to the Guardian Tree reached death as soon as the ritual was over. The elves did not know that magical power and lifespan were in an inseparable relationship for a magician.

However, it could not be helped. The death of the Guardian Tree was the death of the continent, and also the death of the countless lives on the continent.

After that, the elven forest continuously offered elves born with magical power to the Guardian Tree. The people were deeply grateful for their sacrifice, and in the sense of respect and praise, they called them high elves.

Thus, for a thousand years, many high elves offered their lifespan to Yggdrasil, and thanks to them, the continent was able to continue its life.

And so, the one who received the blessing of the entire continent as soon as he was born.

The high elf born after a very long time. That was Kellewen.

“Lord Kellewen has arrived.”

That voice brought Dandeleon back to reality. He had been lost in thought for a moment and had not even realized time was passing.

With the sound announcing the arrival of the high elf, the people’s murmuring stopped for a moment, and the members of the royal family stood up from their seats to prepare to show their respects. Dandeleon also stood up a beat late and stared at the entrance of the banquet hall.

Under the brilliant lights, the savior of the continent strode in.

For a moment, Dandeleon unknowingly held his breath.

He was a tall man with long, black hair. His long, black hair was unadorned, and his neat and tidy clothes had not a single accessory.

And yet, the man shone. His straight posture was like a tall, stretching tree, and his face with a sharp jawline and nose was as splendid and pure as a lily. His eyes, the color of tender leaves, shone more clearly than any jewel in the banquet hall.

It was the most beautiful living creature Dandeleon had ever met.

“Kellewen Amos Rioselia greets the king of Benoit.”

Kellewen bowed deeply. Even his voice was beautiful beyond measure. As the low tone that felt like it could melt one’s ears reverberated through the banquet hall, soft gasps were heard from here and there.

Everyone in the banquet hall was focused on him. It seemed as if even the birds and insects in the garden were holding their breath, waiting for his next words.

Perhaps… no, certainly.

He must be the most beloved being on this continent.

As he thought that, his face contorted. His head felt dizzy, as if he had inhaled too much smoke. Dandeleon squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them.

In that time, Kellewen was being introduced to the princes by the king. The one who had been making eye contact and greeting each and every one of them kindly, finally looked at Dandeleon.

At that moment, Dandeleon’s vision turned completely black.

“…Leon.”

A voice he had heard somewhere before said. A beautiful, low tone that felt like it could melt one’s ears. But the voice, unlike when he first heard it, was strangely rough.

“Look at me, Leon.”

The room was dark. In the middle of it, only green eyes were sharp. The eyes looked at him without wavering. In that rough gaze, Dandeleon could not move a muscle, like a mouse before a snake.

Thump!

Suddenly, something collided with his lower body. Dandeleon threw his head back and opened his mouth, but what came out was not a scream of pain.

“Ah!”

Pain was certainly mixed in… but there was a greater pleasure.

Something continued to slam into his lower body again and again. Each time, a scream that felt like it belonged to someone else was heard. Dandeleon realized his face was soaked with sweat and tears.

When he forced his gaze down, he saw his own naked body. And then the hands holding both his ankles, the figure standing before him, and the large something slamming into his lower body came into view one by one.

“I told you to look at me.”

Suddenly, one of his ankles felt free, and then that hand grabbed Dandeleon’s chin firmly. Dandeleon’s face was pulled up as if being dragged, and he met the green eyes buried in the darkness.

It was Kellewen.

The high elf. The savior of the continent who will offer his lifespan to Yggdrasil.

“Say it.”

He was looking at him. With eyes blazing like a beast, while pressing him down with force.

“Say you won’t leave, Leon.”

The sound of applause.

That brought him back to reality. Dandeleon blinked. Kellewen, who had turned his body toward the banquet hall and not the king, was bowing to everyone.

‘What was that I just saw?’

His head was spinning. Dandeleon swayed and, just before falling, grabbed the table to barely support himself.

Did I, did I drink too much smoke? Was it a vision? A hallucination? If not that, then….

Dandeleon stared blankly at the high elf’s back. His instincts were shouting.

That it was not a vision, not a hallucination, not a midday dream in the middle of the night, but a future that would surely come.

“Aah… Hah, haaah….”

“Does it feel good? Hm?”

“Yes, do it more….”

Such passion, starting from the early evening.

Dandeleon tilted his head askew and looked beyond the balcony. A pair of lovers, shrouded in the darkness of the garden, were kissing passionately. No, they might be moving on to the stage after kissing soon. It was fortunate that it was night; otherwise, he would have witnessed a very ugly sight.

Dandeleon sighed deeply. Zellos, watching his expression, cautiously asked.

“What are you doing, Lord Leon? Are you not leaving?”

It was understandable that he would find it strange, as Dandeleon, who had been grumbling that even showing his face was a nuisance, still remained in the banquet hall. Now was the perfect timing to quietly disappear, after the royalty’s greetings, the king’s congratulatory address, and Kellewen’s reply had all ended.

Instead of answering, Dandeleon took a sip of the champagne in his hand. While doing so, his eyes followed Kellewen, who was standing a little way off.

The high elf’s presence was immense. Everyone in the banquet hall flocked to him like moths to a flame. They hoped to at least make eye contact with Kellewen once and exchange even a single word.

To all those desires, Kellewen responded with utmost sincerity. He held the hands of those who reached out, and to those who wanted a blessing, he offered a gentle embrace and words full of wisdom. He did not send a single person away carelessly, so the number of people who wanted his touch grew larger and larger.

A banquet hall where no one danced, and no one coveted food and drink, but only filled with a craving for the saint.

“Is it a miracle, if you can call it that?”

Dandeleon murmured, looking at Kellewen.

“Pardon?”

Perhaps having heard a fragment of the soliloquy, Zellos glanced at Dandeleon and then turned his gaze toward Kellewen. Zellos’s ears perked up.

“Lord Leon, could it be that you want to talk to Lord Kellewen?”

Zellos, looking back at Dandeleon, uttered something nonsensical. Dandeleon almost dropped the champagne glass in his hand.

“You should have tried talking to him when you were talking with the other royals earlier. Ah, were you perhaps being mindful because of the queen? Then even now….”

“Zellos.”

This level of delusion is a sickness. Dandeleon felt the need to divert Zellos’s thoughts elsewhere. He’s a kind and good fellow, but sometimes he goes off in strange directions like this.