After Frak’s departure, a beep sounded—
A letter had arrived from Barad.
Unfolding the letter revealed the negotiation details and Barad’s proposal.
‘Sending members of the Gale Squad as swordsmanship instructors to the Kingdom of Praham?’
It wasn’t a bad idea.
Moreover, the main character of this negotiation was truly Hyun-soo.
Hyun-soo sent a reply agreeing to everything.
Ding!
[Kingdom Quest: Negotiator]
Grade: A
Restriction: One proposed by the king
Reward: Negotiation skill increase by 10% and kingdom contribution by 5%.
Penalty for failure: Decreased intimacy with Barad.
Description: As a negotiator, you can increase your negotiation skill by accomplishing various tasks during your 10-day stay in the Kingdom of Praham, which will also affect the relationship between the Kingdom of Praham and the Kingdom of Goyard, as well as how well the Gale Squad members teach swordsmanship.
The quest revealed much.
Firstly, Hyun-soo, a Viscount from Goyard, could stay in the Kingdom of Praham for 10 days.
And the negotiation skill increase from this negotiation.
‘Negotiation skill by 10% and contribution by 5%, huh.’
Currently, Hyun-soo’s kingdom contribution was at 29%.
Reaching 100% would normally grant the next title.
Suddenly, Hyun-soo remembered the 49 soldiers waiting in the Arham territory.
Normally, soldiers should seek their master after completing a certain level of training.
Yet, those who had chosen to wait.
Upon attaining the next title, Hyun-soo could bring them over.
‘Just wait a little longer.’
Then,
Creak—
The door opened, and Ben entered the garden.
Hyun-soo greeted him with a slight nod.
Spear Heaven Ben was rumored to be a rather eccentric king.
And Hyun-soo knew it too.
‘A notification that Ben’s favor has been won.’
It’s a concept slightly different from intimacy.
Through Barad’s letter, Hyun-soo knew they had initially planned to send him.
But he also knew Ben wouldn’t easily allow it.
Essentially, winning Ben’s heart was merely a ticket to the Kingdom of Praham’s entry.
‘His Majesty’s letter contained words hoping for satisfactory and pleasing results.’
But this too was doubtful.
Whether he could win over the old man’s heart.
Soon, Ben, with his hand on the Minor World Tree, got to the point.
“The Minor World Tree was a tree at the center of the sea.”
The old man, lost in memories, wore a subtle smile.
“At the tender age of 17, when I became the king of this Kingdom of Praham, I heard stories of the most beautiful tree in the sea. I was too young and it was tough, so I needed even the smallest story or achievement, so I ventured into the sea.”
Ben looked affectionately at the withering Minor World Tree.
“Everyone thought I was mad, in the middle of the sea. That there’s the most beautiful tree in the most dangerous part of the sea, believing such a king. But after several days and nights of sailing, I found it. No, in the middle of the sea, this beautiful Minor World Tree stood tall. I brought it here that day and have spent the time together ever since. It has aged with me.”
One could tell from his voice how precious the Minor World Tree was to Ben.
“Initially, I only brought the Minor World Tree and planted it here, but just its presence allowed other small trees, grass, and petals to grow around, yet as time passed, the Minor World Tree withered them all, and even itself turned into this state.”
The Minor World Tree, once a creator of nature, now withers everything around it.
‘Is this what they meant by it might cause disaster?’
When first seeing the Minor World Tree, there was such a notification.
[The Minor World Tree may cause a disaster.]
“I struggled to revive this Minor World Tree and found one way.”
“What might that be?”
“The Minor World Tree was in the sea, the opposite of where a forest belongs.”
Ben took out a water bottle and sprinkled it on the Minor World Tree.
Ssshh—
Then, the watered part quickly regenerated before withering again.
“Exactly, it needs water, not just sprinkling water on the Minor World Tree, but a lot of it.”
It needs water.
A seemingly simple problem.
Why not use magic to create water and sprinkle it?
But Ben answered this curiosity.
“Magic does not manifest permanently, and since the Minor World Tree is artifact material, it reacts more strongly to water made from artifacts.”
Ben started the most important conversation.
“I wish you could create an artifact that would prevent the Minor World Tree from withering for a few more years, not expecting it to fully recover.”
Then, Ben walked back towards the door.
“Soon, nobles and blacksmiths will swarm into the garden, you have the power to quickly create equipment, I hear.”
Meaning emergency creation.
“Many doubt the decision to entrust such a crucial task to a negotiator from another kingdom. You have something to prove to them and to me.”
With those words, Ben departed.
After he left, Hyun-soo realized that this was a test.
‘An artifact that can spout a lot of water…’
Hyun-soo thought of a sword.
‘A sword from which water spouts…’
Like a faucet, gushing out.
‘I think I understand why it hasn’t been revived until now.’
A garden the size of two playgrounds combined.
Revive the Minor World Tree with an artifact that acts like a faucet in this space?
That too would be impossible.
‘What about pouring a large amount of water at once?’
No, that would be impossible as well.
The tree seemed to revive when Ben sprinkled water on it but quickly withered again.
Then,
[Soon, a small calamity will begin.]
Startled by the sudden notification, Hyun-soo looked at the Minor World Tree with a puzzled expression.
‘What?’
It was then Hyun-soo realized.
The notification that a calamity might occur.
And the Minor World Tree, which had withered everything.
It wasn’t that a calamity had occurred.
The calamity (禍) was actually a different kind of fire (火).
[The small calamity begins to burn.]
Flames started to emerge from the base of the World Tree.
Whooosh—
[If the small fire is not extinguished within 3 minutes, the Minor World Tree will be completely destroyed.]
‘If the Minor World Tree is completely destroyed, the negotiation itself becomes meaningless.’
Watching the flames fiercely burning, Hyun-soo suddenly thought of something.
‘If spraying water won’t work, and creating water won’t work, maybe using that method…’
At that moment,
Boom—
A massive explosion from the Minor World Tree struck Hyun-soo.
Thrown backward, Hyun-soo heard unbelievable notifications.
[HP drops below 56%.]
[Suffering from severe burns is unbearable.]
[Afflicted with the status condition of dizziness.]
***
Outside, Ben spoke with the kingdom’s foremost blacksmith and the nobles.
First with the nobles.
“Your Majesty, the people are anxious. Although it is delicate to say, some are wondering if Your Majesty might be suffering from dementia.”
Ben hadn’t mentioned one thing.
It was about the secret of the Minor World Tree.
The Minor World Tree.
According to legend, if the Minor World Tree were fully revived, it could bear fruit that would yield bountiful crops.
“We know, don’t we? Someday, that tree will cause a great disaster.”
Yes, the Minor World Tree had been warning consistently.
“The people are saying that we should abandon the Minor World Tree.”
The blacksmiths said something similar.
“Your Majesty, it’s impossible to create an artifact that can save the Minor World Tree.”
Hundreds of blacksmiths had collaborated to create an artifact that could inject water into it.
But that too had always ended in failure.
That’s why Ben chuckled.
“After all, didn’t we agree to assign the negotiator an impossible task?”
“…Oh?”
“Ho?”
Now that they thought about it, that was true.
They had tasked him with something no one could achieve.
Of course, Ben had a small hope of reviving the Minor World Tree.
Then,
Boom—
Everyone was startled by a loud noise that shook the entire castle.
Ben reacted first.
He hurriedly opened the gate to the garden.
Whooosh—
A tremendous blaze erupted inside before dying down, and Ben entered.
“Ah…”
Ben saw the burning Minor World Tree.
His subjects had always said,
‘Your Majesty, we must abandon the Minor World Tree.’
‘The people are going mad! The public sentiment is more turbulent than when Your Majesty went to find the World Tree.’
The reason Ben couldn’t abandon the Minor World Tree was because even without him, the Minor World Tree could remain here.
Ben had aged alongside the World Tree.
He thought that even if he would eventually be forgotten, the Minor World Tree, which a once-young old man had acquired, would remain here.
To put it more directly—
The aged old man could not bring himself to abandon the Minor World Tree in the end.
‘It was my greed.’
Ben finally admitted.
Knowing that a disaster could occur, how foolish it was just to let it be.
And the officials and blacksmiths who had come in with him.
“Perhaps it’s for the best.”
The words spoken without understanding the king’s heart.
The flames intensified.
Ben couldn’t bring himself to step away. His strong physique allowed him to endure.
But the officials and blacksmiths stepped back as they saw the flames spread wildly.
“Your Majesty, we must leave.”
“Please, hurry!”
“……”
Yes, Ben envied Barad.
If they were Barad’s subordinates, they wouldn’t just talk; they would have blocked the way in front of him.
In fact, Ben didn’t have someone like Bella, who would stand by his side.
Nor did he receive the love of all his people or have many trustworthy loyalists.
All because of his peculiar personality.
Whoooosh—!
The flames became fiercer, engulfing the entire space.
[In 30 seconds, the Minor World Tree will be completely destroyed.]
The Minor World Tree was completely burning black. Ben turned around.
‘Farewell…’
Then, beyond the massive flames.
A figure shaking his head vigorously stood up.
Blacksmith Hyun.
He began walking towards the inside, parting the flames, with a mineral and a branch rising above his head.
Ben watched him.
It was strange.
The nobles and blacksmiths who told them to only trust themselves began to flee.
“It’s hot!”
“Run!”
“Call the soldiers!”
On the contrary, the negotiator from the enemy country walked towards him.
Hyun-soo, passing by him, reached his hand towards the sky, and the spear he created descended into his hand.
Ssshh—
Holding the spear with both hands.
Whooosh—
With the sound of an explosion, he thrust the spear into the midst of spreading flames.
Crack—!
At that moment.
Ben wore a puzzled expression.
The explosion was about to engulf Hyun-soo and himself.
But now, he found himself momentarily unable to breathe, clutching his throat before letting go.
He silently continued to look around.
Where is this?
He moves his hand.
Swoosh—
His hand moves slowly due to the filled water.
Soon, Hyun-soo’s voice brings back his thoughts.
“If sprinkling water won’t work, and creating water with a sword won’t work, then…”
Ben looked at Hyun-soo with shaky eyes, smiling slightly.
“Perhaps we should put the Minor World Tree into the sea?”
He finally realizes where he is.
Yes, the Deep Sea (心海).
Ben was inside the sea.
And notifications came to Hyun-soo.
[You have stopped the destruction of the Minor World Tree.]
Hyun-soo received several notifications.
[Negotiation skill increases by 4%.]
[Negotiation skill increases by 6%.]
These notifications kept coming.
And Ben, in the sea, watching the extinguished flames on the World Tree, asked.
“Why didn’t you run? You could have died.”
Hyun-soo was honest.
“After all, it’s not real death for me, and I judged that winning Your Majesty’s favor was more valuable, also…”
Ben understood why Barad cherished him.
“It’s a tree cherished by Your Majesty, isn’t it.”
And the end of the notifications Hyun-soo received was as follows.
[Intimacy with Ben increases.]
[Negotiation skill reaches 39%.]
And the old man smiled, unseen.
Cliche Novel 
I thought it would take a while for minor world tree stuff but damn
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