Book Eater

Chapter 423 - Era of Peace (23)

Once the evening came, the sound of classical musical instruments reverberated far and wide from the grand mansion of the Fairy Dance Lee Family.

All the passersby tried to figure out what was going on, but none of them could achieve their purpose due to the sharp-eyed warriors. These warriors were known for their strictness and dedication to guarding the place with the determination to not miss a single ant.

Of course, there were some who saw the reason with their own eyes and others who only heard about it.

There was a hero who saved people from a disaster 17 years ago.

It was said that the hero who brought back the old mysteries to the Lee Family had come.

These guards would rather die standing rather than cause trouble for him! The guards who held their spears with such determination were impenetrable.

In addition, despite the grand first birthday party, the Fairy Dance Lee Family didn’t invite outsiders. If they had asserted their authority, they could’ve invited all the high-ranking officials in the kingdom. However, Lee Seol strictly limited the invitations to their relatives.

The reason was simple.

“Isn’t it a good day?” Lee Seol was sitting across from Theodore while giving her lap to Tiger King. She turned to look toward the courtyard and said, “It is the day that my child has passed his first year of life safely and will be blessed for the future. There is no reason to invite people who don’t care about my child. What is the point of pretentious celebratory words?”

“I see.”

Theodore put down his cup and nodded.

It wasn’t a positive or negative reason.

It was just a bit bittersweet.

If it was a long time ago, she would’ve announced the news to the whole town while saying that good things should be celebrated together. This change wasn’t a particularly good thing, but it also didn’t mean that what she just said was wrong.

‘She’s grown up.’

Theodore was silently convinced.

This was a family that stood at the top of a kingdom. As the head of the family, she must’ve experienced many things. Even a ship with a favorable wind behind them was bound to experience obstacles. She probably met more untrustworthy people than trustworthy people.

Overcoming the war made her stronger in many ways, and she was bound to be a bit different from her childhood.

The two of them shared a drink quietly.

It was a rare time when silence conveyed more than words.

How many more drinks did they share?

Wahahaha!

Loud laughter erupted in the yard where the music had stopped.

“Hah! The main character of the day has arrived!”

“His bushy eyebrows look just like a general’s!”

“Hey! Don’t try to trick the child’s first birthday preference!”

Following servants who were carrying large items as they walked out was Lee Joonyoung holding his son.

The child wrapped in a blanket didn’t understand what the fuss was about. He just stared with wide eyes and his expression was very cute. Everyone, from the women who already had several children to the women who weren’t married, was taken by him.

At this sight, Theodore murmured with a slight smile, “The first birthday preference.”

It was an interesting custom. It was one of the traditional events that was unique to the East. If the first birthday was to pray for the safety of the one-year-old child, the first birthday preference was an event to predict the child’s future.

It was believed that if they lined up several objects on a large table, the child would live their life in relation to what they picked up.

If they picked up a wooden sword, they would be a warrior. If they picked up a book, they would be a scholar, and so on.

Of course, few people took this choice seriously. Still, it was a perfect reason to exchange good wishes.

“Shall we wake her up?”

“Let’s do it.”

Lee Seol shook the fallen Tiger King.

“Tiger King, please get up. Tiger King?”

But the drunken Tiger King didn’t move. Even though she was in human form, she was still a high-ranking spirit. She wasn’t a being that could be moved with Lee Seol’s power.

Theodore reached out to help. But before he could do anything, Lee Seol grabbed her by the tail.

The response was fairly swift.

“Kyaaack?”

Tiger King shot up like a lightning bolt and made a few somersaults before landing on the ground. Her eyes were shining as if she had immediately escaped from her intoxication. Lee Seol giggled and hit her knee when she saw.

“Ahahaha! Your tail is still your weakness.”

“Eek! Seol, you!”

“Who told you not to get up? Theo, I’m going first!”

Lee Seol returned to her past mischievous self and ran away. Tiger King stomped her feet before sighing.

“How did I get caught by that troublemaker...?”

“Well, that is her expression of affection.”

“I-Is that so? Probably?”

Theodore comforted Tiger King a few times before looking at the yard.

Before he knew it, the attendees had gathered around the table with the objects, eyes shining expectantly.

Lee Seol took her son and raised her voice in a cheerful manner.

“Now! Let’s start the first birthday preference selection!”

The crowd clapped instead of cheering.

Yelling could startle a child, so it was a thoughtful response. Following this, the one-year-old young master of the Fairy Dance Lee Family, Lee Geonyeong, sat in front of the table.

“Ung?”

The baby with plump baby fat flinched and then looked around as if wondering what was going on. However, Lee Seol and Lee Joonyoung just watched him without saying anything.

“Uung?”

This confusion was short-lived. The one-year-old’s curiosity soon turned to the objects in front of him.

There were more than 30 objects that ranged from a small wooden sword to a book, a brush, and a bag of coins.

Every time the child’s ten fingers moved, someone gulped. It wasn’t a big deal when thinking about it, but the calm atmosphere made people nervous.

Soon, Lee Geonyeong’s left hand extended toward something.

“Wah!”

At the end of his destination was a small wooden sword.

“Oh! As expected, he is the child of a warrior!”

“Look, didn’t I just tell you? A wooden sword!”

“Uhuh! The young master’s choice isn’t complete yet!”

As if they had made a bet on the outcome of the first birthday preference, the crowd continued to squirm quietly without disturbing the child.

Soon after, the joys and sorrows of those who made bets intersected.

“Um.”

The child withdrew his hand as he was about to grab the wooden sword. Those who had bet money on the wooden sword lamented while others clenched their fists.

Lee Geonyeong lost interest in the wooden sword and immediately extended his right hand.

The destination was a brush that looked quite expensive.

“A brush! It is a good choice.”

“Yes, isn’t being a civil servant also a path to success and good fortune?”

“Maybe he will combine civil service and military service.”

However, the verbal argument was all in vain.

The hand stopped as it was about to reach the brush. Lee Geonyeong changed the direction he was crawling in as if he was attracted by something else.

“Um?”

Theodore tilted his head after reading the child’s destination.

Was it a connection or a mere coincidence?

Lee Geonyeong, the young master of the Fairy Dance Lee Family, was holding the item Theodore made.

“Abuuuu!”

There were no fancy decorations, but the wand was carved out of solid wood. A discerning magician would be amazed by its perfection. Once the name value of the creator was added, it couldn’t be bought even if 1,000 gold was offered.

Lee Seol and Lee Joonyoung’s eyes widened when they saw this.

It meant they hadn’t expected this turn either.

“A stick? No, a wand?”

“I heard that Western magicians use such an object.”

“The West? T-Then perhaps...?”

A few beats later, the crowd turned their heads.

These were relatives that Lee Seol had personally sent invitations to.

There was no way they would not know Theodore’s appearance and presence. It was ridiculous to deny it in this situation, so Theodore nodded.

At the same time, loud cheers erupted.

Wahhhhhhh!

The cheering crowd roared.

“I can’t believe he precisely chose the great master’s divine treasure! The young master has great vision!”

“It was indeed him! The future of the Fairy Dance Lee Family is now solid!”

“On a happy occasion like this, we can’t forget a toast! Hey, bring ten, no, twenty more bottles of wine!”

Theodore chuckled at the excitement that he couldn’t calm down before realizing that Lee Seol had approached.

Lee Geonyeong was in her arms, and he was still holding the wand.

“Huhu, it is a good thing.”

Lee Seol laughed and Theodore replied gently, “If he chooses to become a magician in the future, you can send him to me. I will teach him wholeheartedly.”

“I wonder if I’ve used up all the luck in my life.”

“Don’t worry. Luck is like a wave. Just because a big wave has passed doesn’t mean it has stopped.”

After exchanging blessings, Theodore extended his finger and stroked Lee Geonyeong’s little head several times.

He was small and warm as if he could be grasped by Theodore.

This was a living, breathing life. The future was breathing within him.

Theodore removed his hand from Lee Geonyeong’s head and his eyes calmed down. Then he looked at Lee Seol and asked, “Do you have something to say to me apart from the first birthday preference selection?”

“...How?”

Lee Seol’s expression stiffened in dismay.

“How did you know?”

She didn’t know all of Theodore’s abilities, but she heard many rumors that the great master’s level had reached the realm of mastery of the six divine powers.

It must be easy for him to look into people’s hearts.

However, Theodore just smiled softly.

“Don’t I know you? You are a clever girl.”

“Hehehe.”

Lee Seol was relieved by these words and laughed. Lee Joonyoung, who had been nervous for a moment, also exhaled the breath that he had been holding.

Lee Seol’s expression became serious as she started to speak.

“Then I will say something despite how shameful it is. If you are uncomfortable with my request, please don’t hesitate to refuse it.”

“Tell me.”

Lee Seol took a few deep breaths before opening her mouth.

“Can you return the Baekun Mountains to its former state?”

“…….”

“We will be returning to the Baekun Mountains soon. The New Central Kingdom can now operate on its own without the help of the Lee Family. Any further interference in state affairs will only lead to corruption. Plus, I’m also physically and mentally exhausted from being around a lot of people.”

Theodore listened quietly.

There was no need to agree or argue about right or wrong.

After finishing the brief topic, Lee Seol fell to her knees.

“I want Geonyeong to see the hometown I remember. A mountain overflowing with flowers and trees, where spirits played...”

It was impossible at this point.

The Baekun Mountains were greatly polluted by the Receptacle of Solitude and had been swept away by Lust’s Apocalypse. The spirit vein of the Baekun Mountains had almost been wiped out.

It was a land where it was difficult to grow ordinary vegetation, let alone spiritual creatures.

A request to change this stark environment to what it was like decades ago?

It was an unreasonable request no matter who it was made to.

‘But I can do it.’

Theodore worried over it for a moment.

It was simple to grant this request. The spirit vein of the Baekun Mountains wouldn’t naturally recover after a thousand years, but it could be restored to its former level within ten years if he intervened.

The question was whether this request was worth it or not.

His interventions in human civilization so far were only when he could ‘hasten what will happen someday.’ Causing something that couldn’t happen naturally would only increase people’s dependence on that being.

In the end, this was a matter that should be firmly rejected according to his original principle.

“...Seol.” Theodore replied to her, “This is the last one.”

He justified this reformation of the land by saying he was returning the favor of Lee Yoonsung, the teacher who taught him martial arts.

Theodore saw Lee Seol’s joyful face and smiled bitterly.

A relationship ended like this.

* * *

Flash!

There was the flash of teleportation and Theodore landed on the ground.

The ground below his shoe was dry. The ground that should hold life was dull.

17 years had passed since that day and it hadn’t changed since.

‘...I might’ve played a part.’

It was the place where Keraunos slaughtered tens of thousands of monsters.

The moment the Lust Apocalypse broke out, countless monsters swept across the mountains. The damage to nature was less than that to creatures, but the death energy and poison left behind by their deaths was enough to contaminate the land.

Under Theodore’s direction, the Taoist monks traveled across the continent to carry out purification work, but there was still a long way to go until everything fully recovered.

The situation was the same in the Baekun Mountains.

Theodore picked up a handful of dirt, and it felt no different from ash.

What crops could be grown on such a land; what type of animals and plants could live?

Theodore let out a long sigh and opened his palm.

“Mitra.”

He summoned her even though her main body was in Elvenheim and she couldn’t bring out all her power.

[Hiing.]

Mitra, the girl who was partly separated from Dmitra’s power, stretched out in a lively manner.

The bud on the crown of her head spun like a pinwheel.

She called out to him as cheerfully as always.

[Wow! Theo! You called me from such a faraway place? What’s going on?]

Theodore spoke as he placed her on the ground.

“I want to restore the spirit vein of this land. How long will it take?”

[Huuooong...]

Mitra worried over it for a while before raising her arms. All ten little fingers were spread out.

[100 years!]

“What if I plant your clone and share power with you?”

[15 years? No, 10 years?]

That should be enough.

Theodore exerted his strength for the first time in ages.

There was no need to use it after reaching the 9th circle, but the magic power produced by the 9th circle was still a natural disaster in and of itself.

Mitra absorbed all of the power he gave and grew bigger and bigger.

[Hiing? Hiiiing? Hiiiiing?]

No, she wasn’t growing. She was becoming bigger.

Mitra’s limbs remained short and thick while her size grew to that of a small garden.

She was so cute that she looked adorable rather than scary.

This was the moment when the new mountain spirit of the Baekun Mountains was born.