By Zephyria 
Since ancient times, it was said that this place was a spot where beings who transcended time would stay for a brief moment. Spiritual creatures, spirits, the Dragon race, and—believe it or not—even gods.
Thus, in the old days, when most people were simple and desperate enough to believe in the existence of gods, priests on pilgrimage and scholars exploring philosophy and humanities would gather beneath the tree to share their knowledge. It was unknown how they stepped into the rift of time, but for that long, the Hiatus Temple existed as a sanctuary for all creation.
That is, until the religious persecution aimed at strengthening Laina Rogia’s imperial power began, and displaced religious followers flocked here, turning it into a final line of defense.
The child said she vividly remembered the scenes she had seen with her own eyes back when she was truly a child. Though it had been over several hundred years, she said her stomach still churned whenever she recalled the moment the entire swamp was stained with blood. And she added that most of the people who had survived that carnage no longer existed in this world.
‘Does that mean they died?’
Listening to her story, Leonardo speculated that her age might be similar to Grimbleton’s, or perhaps she had lived even longer. Could someone who had walked such a long stretch of time truly be called human? Would this person also simply throw him a clue about the curse and then die? Why was she helping him without even asking for the reason?
Leonardo was swept away by various thoughts.
Then, just as the beast carrying them—the reptile presumed to be a White Dragon—increased its altitude and soared into the sky, Leonardo was finally able to face one of the temple’s secrets.
“This place is….”
“The tree that supports the rift. In our time, it was called Rimaxis.”
As Leonardo’s relaxed Gold Eyes widened, the child, who had glanced at him, answered.
“It is a spiritual creature that has lived for tens of thousands of years. Perhaps even longer.”
The lush forest was so vast that its scale could not be captured in a single glance, even from the sky. However, the identity of the ridge surrounding the forest became much clearer. What Leonardo witnessed was not a winding mountain range.
It was the bark of a colossal ‘tree.’
The entire forest, whose end seemed immeasurable, was contained within a hollow world inside the bark.
He had thought the circular opening of the sky was strange, but it was because the shape was like a tree trunk cut in half and hollowed out. It was only natural that the sky looked round when looking up from below.
So, was the tree dead? No. Outside the bark, thick roots that seemed to grip the earth and numerous small branches stretched out profusely.
The white beast skillfully flew between the branches, heading toward the world outside the tree. Despite the speed—so fast it was difficult to keep one’s eyes open—it took quite a while to exit the territory.
“This is that ash tree?”
“It’s way bigger than the one we saw in the flood before,”
“I’d believe it if someone told me a whole kingdom had been moved here.”
Finder, Nero, and Taylor each let out a sigh of admiration.
It felt as if they had discovered the World Tree, which was said to appear briefly in various places across the world before vanishing.
Leonardo thought to himself that although he believed he had traveled to many mysterious places with his companions, it seemed his experience was still far from enough. Watching the three people sitting huddled close to him for fear that he might be cold, looking down at the ground with faces full of wonder, he suddenly realized there were still many worlds he wanted to discover anew with them.
Just then, a vast lake appeared through the gaps in the thick leaves. The white beast, pushing through the small branches, glided at a low altitude and guided them into another world.
“Boss, eat slowly. You’ll get indigestion.”
“Seriously, I thought I was going to die of hunger.”
Leonardo replied, barely swallowing the food filling his mouth. He held wooden utensils in one hand and a wooden bowl in the other, his nose practically buried in the soup. His companions sitting beside him stared at him blankly. While the Boss was known to be a glutton, it had been a long time since they had seen him inhale food as if he were a beggar.
Piled high before him were root vegetable dishes—not greasy or stimulating, but perfect for filling a starving stomach. A low, wide jar contained potato soup boiled thick with cheese, a large tray held honey-glazed sweet potatoes, and a basket was neatly filled with bread made from cornmeal.
The child had prepared nearly ten servings, considering that four young men should eat plenty. However, 40% had already entered Leonardo’s stomach, 40% went to his companions, and the rest were destined to return to him.
Whether it was his own state of having temporarily lost judgment while seized by a glimmer of hope, or the sudden appearance of the scarecrow—Leonardo decided not to think about it for now. Dwelling on it wouldn’t solve anything immediately.
And he didn’t want to show a depressed side to the companions he had reunited with after a long time. Especially since they were close enough to have seen each other’s absolute rock bottom. Perhaps this kind of resilience was only possible because his companions were with him. As his stomach filled, he regained his composure.
“It’s good that he’s eating well. Honestly, Boss needs to eat more than this. He’s a fire mage, so he doesn’t put on weight easily. Don’t you know a man needs thick thighs and a sturdy chest? Especially the chest—it should be bigger than a woman’s.”
As Leonardo seemed to recover some energy, the atmosphere relaxed. Taylor asserted his claim to the companions, gesturing with both hands as if gripping masses of muscle. At this, Nero turned his head away, shuddering with a disgusted expression.
“Ah, Senior, please. Stop doing that with your hands, it’s gross. And does that even suit the Boss? Maybe if he were cross-dressing again.”
“Kuh—”
Leonardo, who had been eating hurriedly, let out a short cough as if something had gone down the wrong pipe. Finder, who had been observing, patted his back as if he had expected this. Nero, tactfully, scooped some of the green liquid the child had brewed into a wooden cup and handed it over.
“Hey, kh—. Didn’t I, cough, tell you that if you bring that up, I won’t let it slide?”
Covering his mouth with the back of his hand and squinting one eye, Leonardo managed to squeeze out a few words. At the same time, he pushed away the cup Nero offered. Nero suppressed a laugh and replied in a pitying tone.
“I tried it, and I’m telling you it’s good! It’s a real elixir!”
“It smells foul. And if you bring that up again? I’ll seriously pull your tongue out.”
Leonardo threatened Nero regarding the topic he had tried to raise. The experience of winning a lottery and having to infiltrate while cross-dressing to steal confidential documents from a corrupt tax collector was not a pleasant memory for Leonardo.
Of course, it was effective, and the mission was completed successfully. Except for the fact that his companions took photos and used it to tease him for ages.
“And this is plenty sturdy.”
Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Leonardo spoke while looking down at his chest covered by the shawl. After that chaos with Agrizendro in the shower, and despite feeling inwardly hurt that Agrizendro couldn’t remember the past, he didn’t know how many push-ups he had done just to overcome that man’s health anxiety. It was true that he was… a little lacking compared to His Excellency’s chest, which looked like it could fit his own in the cleavage.
Finder, who had been quiet, flicked his wrist behind Leonardo’s back while Leonardo was feeling his own chest. The quick-witted Nero handed the cup of liquid to the Senior. Finder completely poured the green liquid into the potato soup, mixing it in. The color became a bit murky, but not enough to be suspicious.
“You have no idea how much I’ve been exercising lately….”
“I get it, so don’t talk while eating. You’ll spray it again.”
At Finder’s soothing words, Leonardo glared at him briefly before focusing on the food again. Just then, a pleasant, cool breeze blew through the open window. With his cheeks puffed out with food, Leonardo naturally turned his head.
The cottage, called the child’s home, was situated in a peculiar environment. Outside the ash tree, a large lake stretched out, and the cottage was perched atop a small, gently rising island in the center. On the other hand, the house was so large that it looked as if the cottage were floating alone on the lake.
Built only from natural materials—wood, grass, and mud mixed with straw—the house was dominated by the deep scent of ash tree blossoms. This was because the base of the giant tree occupied a portion of the view outside the window, like a photograph in a frame.
Munching on the food in his mouth, Leonardo recalled the story the child had told him inside that tree. At the same time, looking at the pale landscape where he couldn’t distinguish day from night, or where the lake ended and the sky began, he suddenly spoke.
“Hey.”
It was a general call, but since he usually called the other seniors by their names and was most comfortable with Nero, Nero was the first to look at Leonardo. Leonardo, turning his eyes toward him, asked with a calm face.
“Do you love me?”