Nordix spoke.
“Do you know what this medicine, Silencium, is made from?”
Silence settled over the room.
Nordix carefully took the bottle from Tie and examined it closely.
“Inside are distilled leaves of the Herb of Oblivion, pollen from the Rechenera flower known as the Night Flower, and sap from the tatin tree.”
He lifted his gaze.
“And naturally, all of those can only be obtained within the Rokse Forest. The materials needed to create the antidote are there as well.”
Bale’s eyes widened.
Every key ingredient for the antidote existed inside Rokse Forest.
The very forest now completely controlled by the church.
Tesetan seemed to have realized the same thing, his brows knitting together.
“I doubt the Pope would allow us inside.”
Nordix nodded.
“Of course not. Even within the Grand Temple, only a select few are permitted entry.”
“Then... could we sneak in somehow?”
Basto asked from the side.
Nordix looked directly into his eyes.
“Luciano watches over Rokse Forest obsessively. Which is only natural, considering the World Tree is there.”
The room fell silent once more.
Allerik and Ribia exchanged glances while Tie quietly stared at the bottle in Nordix’s hands.
“What exactly are the required materials?”
Allerik asked quietly.
Nordix paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before answering.
“Silencium is not merely a compound poison. It is a fusion of three completely different poisons functioning together as a single medicine. Which means the antidote must also contain three separate substances capable of neutralizing each toxicity.”
Allerik frowned.
“That sounds unbelievably complicated and inconvenient.”
“Yes. But there is at least one fortunate thing. I know exactly which substances are needed to neutralize it.”
Tesetan raised his head.
The rest of the squad also fixed their attention on Nordix.
“The pollen of the Rechenera flower can be broken down by the secretion of the Mized butterfly, which exists only within Rokse Forest. The sap of the tatin tree is neutralized by an extract from kalumina leaves, and the Herb of Oblivion can be countered using shining stone crystals extracted from the underground crystal layer beneath the forest.”
After hearing so many unfamiliar names, Ribia grabbed her forehead.
“...This is insane. Just hearing the names makes it obvious those things are nearly impossible to obtain!”
Allerik’s expression darkened as well.
‘I considered myself fairly knowledgeable about pharmacology....’
But every single substance Nordix mentioned was completely unfamiliar to him.
More than that, this was the first time he had ever heard about an underground crystal layer beneath Rokse Forest.
Nordix murmured quietly.
“That is why I said you will never be able to create the antidote.”
His gaze swept across the squad members.
“You cannot enter the forest right now, and even if you somehow do, there is no guarantee you will successfully obtain everything.”
Basto let out a heavy breath.
For several seconds, he stared at the floor with a conflicted expression before lifting his head.
“Then... what are we supposed to do?”
His gaze naturally settled on Tie.
The concern in his eyes for the child was unmistakable.
“We don’t have time. Luciano intends to use Silencium on Tie. We managed to avoid it the first few times somehow, but we can’t keep dodging it forever.”
The room grew quiet.
Tesetan silently stared at the floor while Bale irritably raked a hand through his hair.
Nordix slowly nodded.
“...Yes. You’re right. We cannot delay indefinitely. Luciano is an extremely suspicious man.”
Then he looked at Tie.
“But there is one piece of good news. Silencium does not take effect immediately after ingestion. It slowly strips away a person’s strength over time. At minimum, we should have three days.”
Nordix extended a hand toward Tie.
“Child. I will obtain the antidote materials myself.”
Tie’s eyes widened.
Her lips trembled as she looked at him anxiously.
“But... Grandpa alone? Rokse Forest is huge....”
Nordix shook his head.
“It’s alright. Rokse is not merely a forest to me. Even now, if I close my eyes... I can still clearly see that greenery.”
Tie tilted her head.
The squad members frowned slightly as well.
But Nordix continued.
“The forest is ruined and desolate now, but a hundred years ago, Rokse was completely different.”
“No, wait. A hundred years?”
Bale interrupted.
Nordix nodded.
“Yes. I no longer have anything left to hide.”
He took Tie’s hand.
“Others may not be able to see it. But you will.”
Golden patterns lit up across the backs of their joined hands.
And—
“...Waa.”
Tie let out a quiet gasp.
An unfamiliar landscape began unfolding before her eyes like paint spreading across paper.
Nordix spoke softly.
“This is a very ancient memory. A legacy... that I, as the final Great Guardian, managed to preserve.”
Basto abruptly rose to his feet.
‘Great Guardian....?’
Back when the World Tree had still been alive—
The Great Guardians had cared for its branches, serving as the highest priests of that era.
But after the World Tree was corrupted, every one of them had been executed, and it was believed none survived.
‘Impossible.’
Only now did Basto finally understand.
Nordix had always avoided answering whenever people asked about his age.
Not once had he ever clearly revealed his years, homeland, past, or family.
“In those days, Rokse was alive. Flowers, wind, trees... everything.”
Meanwhile, Tie stared breathlessly at the beautiful scenery unfolding before her.
Brilliant sunlight poured down from the sky.
Leaves of countless colors decorated the heavens.
The forest shimmered with thousands of shades of green.
The scent of grass, tree bark, and blooming petals felt astonishingly vivid.
“This is Rokse Forest? A long, long time ago?”
The trees rose toward the sky as though their crowns were supporting the heavens themselves.
Small animals darted between the roots.
Tiny spirits chased one another before tumbling across the soft moss.
Tie’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s so pretty....”
A wide stream flowed gently through the forest.
Glowing butterflies fluttered above the water.
In the distance stood the enormous base of the World Tree.
The bark of the massive tree glowed with silver white light.
And the leaves stretching toward the sky shone a brilliant green.
“It truly was a beautiful age.”
Nordix murmured.
“Caring for that tree was my purpose.”
Tie took a step forward.
Then another.
Warm, damp earth pressed beneath her feet.
“There is something called Tree Sight, Tie.”
Nordix’s voice sounded distant.
“These are eyes capable of sensing the World Tree and every living thing beneath its protection so that none may lose their way. They serve as guides within forests as vast as Rokse.”
The scenery of Rokse Forest gradually began to blur.
“This will not take long.”
Nordix tightened his grip around Tie’s hand.
“I promise you. I will absolutely find a way to protect you.”
An unshakable determination filled his voice.
But for some reason, that only frightened Tie more.
“But....”
Nordix shook his head and continued.
“Child. Within the Grand Temple of Sercanos, I alone still retain Tree Sight. Luciano and his followers lost it as the price for betraying the World Tree. That is why they cannot perceive your true nature.”
Tie silently closed her mouth.
Now she finally understood why Luciano had never been able to sense what she truly was.
“For a long time, I tormented myself wondering why Tree Sight remained only with me. Why I alone could still vaguely sense the World Tree and the spirits.”
Nordix’s gaze settled on Tie.
“When we first met, that was the reason I came to the First Gate. I sensed Lucarion beside you.”
His gaze darkened.
“At that time, I should have reported everything to Luciano. I should have told him where Lucarion was and confessed that I sensed the power of the World Tree within you.”
Bale and Basto silently watched Nordix.
“But I could not do it. The light inside you... was too noble for me to extinguish with my own hands. Too pure. Too radiant.”
For a moment, Nordix’s gaze trembled.
“That light restored the purpose I had forgotten. It saved me from Luciano’s darkness.”
He slowly rose to his feet.
“Astie.”
And then he quietly said:
“You are the last spring left in this world.”
Tie unconsciously held her breath.
A faint smile touched Nordix’s lips.
“And as long as you exist... my purpose as a Great Guardian is not yet over.”