At the End of the Hidden Greenery - Chapter 260
When Jiwoo turned to look at him, Tyrinos’s expression darkened as she noticed Jiwoo’s entire demeanor changed.
“Would you go so far as to give up a part of yourself?”
He was talking about Jiwoo’s promise to do whatever it took to bring them along, no matter the cost.
“Sorry, I overheard a bit.”
“…That’s right.”
“I see.”
Though Tyrinos had been keeping his distance, he took a step closer, and Jiwoo instinctively stepped back as well.
“You’re wary of me.”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
“Hmm? Why’s that?”
Petar, the friendly leader of the beach group, had claimed that the tree was a gateway to another world.
But here, Tyrinos said the tree was actually blocking a portal to the other side, holding back unknown things from crossing over. Even the miasma was supposedly just a natural side effect of that process.
In other words, the tree was both a potential passage to another world, and a defense mechanism preventing something harmful from leaking through. In a way, a kind of immune system for the world itself.
But something felt off. The logic didn’t quite add up.
This group didn’t seem happy about a new tree appearing here. In fact, they seemed more interested in making contact with the other side than protecting their world from it.
‘Skiass said the thing he feared most was me disappearing somewhere he couldn’t reach.’
He’d said he could accept his loved one joining another group, or even being separated for a thousand years. There was something else he feared much more.
Jiwoo was sure it wasn’t just a misunderstanding. These people acted like they’d experienced that particular fear firsthand.
Would they really leave a tree alone if it truly blocked the portal to another world?
“Are you the ones who destroyed the trees in this place?”
Tyrinos’s gaze narrowed.
“You’re perceptive.”
“You’re not exactly trying to hide it.”
“True.”
Tyrinos nodded, glancing meaningfully inside.
“But it’s not us who’s hiding things, it’s them.”
Although these people had become somewhat friendlier, Jiwoo’s husbands had consistently pushed for them to leave this area and head for the capital instead, even though the journey would be long and difficult.
It was obvious they judged this group to be dangerous.
“Are you criticizing my husbands in front of me now?”
“Criticizing? If that’s how it came across, I apologize.”
Tyrinos shrugged.
“The children of Ellandos rarely tell outright lies, but they’re experts at hiding the truth and letting others draw their own conclusions. Isn’t that why you just argued with them?”
“…That won’t happen again.”
Jiwoo sighed.
“They did it for my sake. I get that.”
“You’re quite understanding.”
Tyrinos quickly added.
“But there’s one thing you’re misunderstanding. We didn’t exactly hurt the trees on purpose. We were simply searching for those that had started to wither after we left our homeland.”
“So you weren’t actually trying to revive them, were you?”
“…You really are sharp.”
They never lied, but they never told the whole truth, either. Jiwoo was starting to get used to their way of speaking.
“Then I guess you’ve figured out by now that I don’t mean you any harm, right? Shall we talk?”
“Let’s talk here.”
“…It has to be in that spot.”
And, as always, people like them never show kindness without a reason.
“I’ll listen.”
* * *
“Is your real reason for wanting to touch the dimensional rift… to see your spouse again?”
“…”
Tyrinos seemed surprised that Jiwoo brought this up herself.
“I won’t deny it.”
“At first I thought you wanted me to stay and join your group, like you were asking me to become part of your clan.”
In El Ragneil, Jiwoo had faced that kind of invitation often, especially in places where the trees were sick or facing similar troubles. This place carried the most severe problems of all, so she couldn’t be blamed for thinking that.
Hearing Jiwoo’s explanation, Tyrinos’s eyes widened.
“You really come up with some wild ideas.”
“Well, I didn’t know you were married…”
Jiwoo mumbled, embarrassed.
“But… don’t you ever meet another female manifestation after parting ways with one?”
“That’s impossible.”
Tyrinos answered firmly.
“It’s not normal for a female manifestation to accept us in the first place. Imagine: there are fifty thousand of us, and maybe one female manifestation among us. Humans tend to assume you’ll meet someone new based on those numbers. But that’s not how it works. If anything, it’s less normal for a female manifestation to welcome us.”
Jiwoo remembered Lofrel explaining it the same way before. They weren’t really the kind of beings who could even be paired up at all, and any connection was more like an exception than a rule.
“But there could be exceptions, right? Maybe another female manifestation could accept you?”
“Ha. That would be like a used object…”
Tyrinos paused, arms crossed, searching for words.
Jiwoo waited as he hesitated for a while, then finally he spoke instead of explaining.
“I honestly can’t think of a good analogy, and I swear I don’t mean to offend you, but just hear me out.”
“What?”
He cleared his throat and avoided her eyes.
“Used is one thing, but even in Caranazion, no one goes around picking up someone else’s used pleasure toy. Right?”
“…”
“Same with candy. If you’re full, you’re not going to pick up and eat a sweet someone else already sucked on, are you?”
“…”
“Especially when there are thousands of brand new ones just lying around, if you’d just turn your head.”
It was even harsher than how Callan used to talk about himself as used. Jiwoo was speechless, and Tyrinos quietly asked.
“Perhaps it is different in your dimension?”