The Sacred Forest—a place close to Albert's village.
No one ever thinks of entering this forest.
It is called "Sacred" because of its unknown trees, herbs, plants, flowers, and animals. They are deemed dangerous. Once, a child picked a single leaf from a tree there, and afterward, the kid disappeared—only dust and clothes were found.
Albert was strolling when he found the biggest tree of all.
Its leaves glowed gold.
He covered his eyes at first.
"Is this for real?
This is truly living up to its name," he said, impressed.
He sat beneath it, resting from exhaustion.
He evaluated everything he needed to do.
"I killed Lessa, and that hooded man is the cause of it. I don't know his motive for killing the Chief, nor what kind of Artifact he has, but I think it's related to teleportation. I'm fairly certain he used it to change positions—both his and Lessa's."
He thought deeply.
"I can't forgive him."
He declared it firmly.
"I need to collect all the artifacts in this world, and then that being will bring Lessa back."
He stood with determination.
He walked and looked around the giant golden tree until he found a door covered with mossy grass.
He cleaned it and opened it.
"I thought no one ever entered here...
Then why is this door here?
I bet there was someone living here."
He thought.
He slowly opened the door, its old wood creaking.
The floor was full of grass.
When he opened it completely, the inside was pitch dark—no windows, a broken lamp above, a small space, and a single table.
He carefully walked inside.
On the table was an old blue book.
He opened it and read the title: "The Guardian of Nature"
The author's name was Victor Quasinto.
"What is this book doing here?
The Guardian of Nature?"
He wondered.
He pulled up an old chair lying on the floor and sat down.
He sighed with calmness.
"I feel like I woke up from a nightmare..."
He whispered, tears forming in his eyes.
And then he began to read.
---
*"My name is Victor Quasinto.
I am a hero chosen by the King of Wenthoriz Kingdom, located in the middle of the Wetlands.
One day, the king commanded me to find the Golden Tree on the other side of the world—the Dry Land.
At first, I disagreed with his order because the Golden Tree was just a fairy tale, a mere imagination.
But he insisted and threatened that if I refused, he would marry off his only daughter to someone else.
I was forced to follow his command."*
Albert commented, "Love really is cruel."
He continued reading.
Hours passed as he read of Hero Victor's struggles while sailing across the continental sea, how he finally reached the Dry Lands, met the villagers, and, with the help of a friend, found the Sacred Forest.
Albert kept reading—over fifty pages—until he neared the end.
The hero met a glowing figure guarding the Golden Tree.
The figure took the form of a human woman, and instead of returning to the king, the hero stayed... until he fell in love with her.
Albert shouted, "Hey, man! That's cheating! You had the princess! She's the reason you went on that mission. What an idiot."
He continued reading.
*"This woman called herself a Guardian.
She explained that she maintained and ensured the world's order.
Every concept, including life and death, was under her control.
Even so, I didn't care. I loved her.
I built a house from the Golden Tree.
She gave me a necklace made from a strand of her hair—it granted me immortality.
We lived happily for decades.
I forgot about the king and the princess I once loved."*
Albert's hands trembled.
But he forced himself to continue reading.
The happy life didn't last.
A new hero was sent and found him.
They fought, and Victor was defeated—not by blade, but by a drug that affected even his immortal body.
He struggled to breathe.
The new hero discovered the Guardian and killed her with the same drug.
She was cut to pieces, and her remains were turned into artifacts scattered across the world, used as weapons.
Victor lay in the middle of the forest for years until the drug's effects faded.
He then learned that the new hero had built a village near the forest.
The most heartbreaking discovery was that the villagers worshipped the hero who had slain the Guardian.
Enraged, Victor attacked the village—
but was defeated once more.
---
Albert closed the book.
He realized it was the history of his village and its so-called hero.
*"So the wielder the village hero defeated... was also a hero.
But then... how did Victor Quasinto write this book?
It never says he died, which means he's still alive...
And he's immortal."*
Night came.
Howling birds could be heard outside.
Albert fell asleep inside the Golden Tree.
---
At the village.
The new chief sat happily inside the Manor as the villagers celebrated. They trusted him—after all, he was their former doctor.
The library was entrusted to Madam Merry, who sat among countless bookshelves, a lamp beside her.
"Albert... my precious student.
I know you're innocent.
But I couldn't protect you.
I failed my promise to your parents."
The night was full of song and dance.
The villagers drank and laughed, while guards stood outside whispering.
"Bro, it's a waste Lady Lessa died."
"Yeah. Curse that Albert! He shouldn't have been born in the first place. He must have been a devil in disguise. Our beautiful, cheerful lady—dead at his hands."
Inside the Manor, the new chief spoke to himself.
"The war in the Wetlands grows worse.
More wielders are invading villages and taking control.
I must ensure they never discover this place.
Only a few outsiders know this village exists."
He looked out the window at the villagers' faces and smiled.
"I'm sorry, Albert. But I must get rid of you—for the protection of our village."
Suddenly, a man in a black hood knelt before him.
"My Lord, I have retrieved my blade. I can now work without any problem."
"Thank you for your hard work. I have already offer you two lives in exchange for protecting this village—great Wielder of Death."
The New Chief said.
The hooded man bowed.
"Your first task is ensuring the death of this man."
He showed the hooded man a picture of Albert.
The man's lips curled into a wicked grin, his eyes sharp and predatory.
"I will savor this soul, my Lord."
He laughed—like a hyena—before vanishing into a swirl of dark smoke.