Chapter 112
－Giant Ant: Shuri's POV－
I was astonished when the World Tree moved to Master's side of its own accord.
Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I never would have believed it; even now, I sometimes wonder if I merely dreamed it.
The only reason I know it was real is that it was there by the lake.
...
The World Tree governs the heart of this forest; it is the forest itself.
If anything happened to the World Tree, it would affect the entire forest.
That was why no one could find it.
Layer upon layer of barriers had been erected, and no one but those permitted could even approach the World Tree.
That was how Master, under the Treants' guidance, was invited to the World Tree.
The first time I saw the World Tree, it was on the verge of death.
It had probably exhausted its strength protecting the forest from the magic eye.
Master poured magic power into it, but something was wrong.
Then, in the next instant, the World Tree withered before our eyes.
I was so shocked that I could neither move nor speak; I could only stare at the withered World Tree.
But it was not the end of the forest.
The World Tree, after receiving Master's magic, did the impossible and brought forth the next generation.
Faced with that sight, I could only stare at the miracle.
Even the Treants seemed never to have expected it and were extremely surprised.
Rather than surprised, they were confused.
Well, in that situation, Master and the World Tree were probably the only ones who weren't confused.
Strangely, the newborn World Tree possessed a mixture of the forest's magic power and Master's.
Then the combined magic spread through the forest, from the World Tree into the earth and from the earth throughout the forest.
More than anything, the World Tree, like the rest of us, adored Master and wanted to remain at his side.
Master really is something.
He accepted the World Tree and the Treants as companions, plain and simple.
...
The looks on my companions' faces when the World Tree was invited to our home.
That was amusing.
Master seemed to be enjoying it, too; he kept looking around at everyone.
The World Tree put down roots and, nourished by Master's magic every day, continued to grow.
It was still small and made me a little uneasy, but the golems also seemed to be watching over it.
The golems guarded the outside at night and protected our home.
No protection could be more reassuring.
...That utterly merciless, instantaneous slaughter whenever they identified an enemy.
That was frightening.
Without a moment's hesitation or a hint of wavering, they cut an enemy cleanly in two with a single stroke.
They were truly Master's golems.
The World Tree was protected by those golems.
We were here, too, so surely it would be all right.
...
Master's golems were clearly different from any golems I had seen before.
They didn't look particularly strong.
Their small forms had a certain charm to them.
Though many had been fooled and paid the price.
I had seen the strength of the golems outside when monsters and magical beasts approached the house.
So I never angered them.
I had assumed the golems inside our home weren't all that strong.
The outside golems alone seemed to make our defenses perfect, after all...
So I let my guard down a little.
...I only wanted a little wine...
The moment they found me, they gave chase.
For some reason, I felt an intense chill, so I fled into the hole that was my territory.
Just as I felt relieved, a golem appeared right in front of me.
In the blink of an eye, the world turned pure white.
When I woke, the golem was gone.
When I asked the children, they said it had gone back...
It went back...
My hole, which is my territory, is covered in barriers.
And once someone enters the hole, they can never leave without permission from me or the children... or so it should have been.
It went back...
I checked with the children—had they given permission?
...Were they hiding? Then they hadn't given permission.
My hole is sometimes called the entrance to Hell, you know?
Does that mean my barriers have absolutely no effect on Master's golems?
...The golems inside our home are terrifyingly strong, too.
The children are watching me to see how I am.
I'm all right; I'll apologize properly later.
They're Master's golems, so I'm sure they'll forgive me... It's all right.
Come to think of it, didn't the children hide right away?
Hmm?
They've already been through this?
The Big Boss and its children, the cores too...
I see. You should have told me that beforehand.