The Cursed Forest Where I Was Exiled Had Somehow Been Designated As A Sanctuary. - Awakened to the Purification skill, I, Surrounded By Divine Dragons And Great Spirits, Become The King of A Nation - Episode 13

Even as the sun sets and much of the Great Tree Sea is enveloped in darkness, the dwarf village remains lively.

In the central square of the village, a large campfire has been set up, illuminating the entire village with a brilliant glow.

Around the campfire, some dwarves danced with a drink in hand, others cooked dinner, and some sat watching the flames and praying, each spending their time in their own way.

However, the more than a hundred dwarves living in this village have all left their homes and gathered in this square.

To avoid being swallowed by the darkness or to check on the safety of their neighbors, it was the village custom to gather like this on clear nights, Rarado explained.

“Big bro, this is really delicious!”

“More, more, eat more!”

“Got it, so line up, line up.”

In the distance, Peter is surrounded by children and is flustered.

His cooking seems to be popular even among the dwarves.

“Oh, how grateful I am, how grateful I am…”

Zess, who had been watching the scene with a smile, noticed the dwarves who were reverently gazing at him from a distance, and let out a small sigh while lowering his gaze to his hands.

In Zess’s hands was that royal scepter.

“How did it come to this…?”

After regaining his original form with the scepter in the house of the village chief, Rarado, Zess tried to return the scepter to its original place.

However, it was handed over to Rarado with the words, “You should keep it.”

Zess repeatedly refused to accept the symbol of the village’s power, but eventually gave in and here we are.

Where has the old-fashioned appearance that looked like it belonged in a history textbook gone?

The current king’s scepter emits a mysterious luster, and the jewels set at the top are more dazzling than anything Zess had seen in the royal castle, filled with majesty and elegance.

The crown that the king wears on his head. It was accompanied by a brilliance that surpassed it.

The villagers were fervently worshiping such a royal scepter.

“Really, Zess-san hasn’t done anything, right?”

Flora, who was sitting next to him, reacted to Zess’s muttering.

“I didn’t do anything. I just picked it up, and I don’t even know why this happened.”

I lifted the royal scepter and looked through the “Spirit’s Eye,” but strangely, no information surfaced.

Just when I was troubled and wondering what to do, Rarado appeared.

How is the village at night?

“It’s lively and fun… if it weren’t for this.”

Saying that, Zess raised the royal scepter.

Rarado gave a small laugh and sat down next to the two.

“Lord Zess, what is your impression of this dwarf village?”

Since picking up the royal scepter, Zess recalls what he learned at the royal castle in response to Rarado’s slightly formal question.

“The dwarves who love veins and forging naturally settled in this resource-rich great forest, that’s all.”

Rarado nods slightly at Zess’s words.

“Indeed, it is believed to be so.”

“Isn’t that right?”

“…Once upon a time, dwarves were treated as slaves. After all, this is a dangerous area infested with monsters, so no one willingly wanted to step foot here. In such circumstances, the dwarves were sent to this great forest to be used as tools to create high-quality weapons.”

“Such a past…”

Zess is astonished by the history of the dwarves he is learning about for the first time.

“And that royal scepter was a divine relic bestowed by the gods to the leader of the time, who, outraged by the circumstances of being used and discarded as slaves, united our kin and stood up against oppression. He severed the chains of human dominion and brought prosperity to our clan. Since then, we have been living in this Great Tree Sea, a life for our kin by our kin.”

“Then, it’s not something you should casually hand over to an outsider like this.”

It’s not just the value as a divine relic.

For the dwarves living in this great forest, it is the most meaningful thing of all.

No wonder the village elders are so desperate to please.

While coming to terms with it in his heart, Zess offered the scepter to Rarado.

However, Rarado shook his head from side to side.

“Lord Zess. Divine relics possess a will of their own. The fact that the long-slumbering scepter has regained its brilliance means that it has chosen you.”

“Choose me?”

“Well then, please excuse me for a moment.”

Saying that, Rarado reaches for the royal scepter.

Zess intended to hand him the scepter, placing it on his hand—but the scepter slipped through his fingers and fell to the ground.

“Huh?”

Is it an optical illusion?

Zess, wondering about it, picked up the scepter and placed it back in Rarado’s hand.

However, the result is the same.

As if Rarado’s hand did not exist, the scepter fell to the ground.

Rarado nodded with satisfaction, as if he had always understood this.

“As expected, Lord Zess, you have been chosen by this scepter. As proof, no one but you can even touch it.”

“Even if you say I was chosen…”

Feeling perplexed, Zess places it on Flora’s hand this time.

However, the result did not change either.

“We dwarves make tools for their owners. It goes against our pride to take tools away from those who are worthy of them.”

“Even so, won’t the villagers have trouble without this divine artifact? I can’t accept something so important.”

Rarado said that this divine relic has the power to repel monsters and bring prosperity.

Whether that is true or not is uncertain, but I have no intention of taking anything from this village, which still bears the scars of the monster attacks.

And whether Rarado himself understood this, he fell silent at Zess’s question.

In silence, Zess once again gazes blankly at Peter.

She was smiling happily, having her food enjoyed by many people.

“Um…”

Suddenly, several dwarves gathered under Flora.

They are the young people who were injured in the battle with the monsters during the day and were healed by Flora’s “Healing.”

They had come again to express their gratitude to Flora.

With a shy smile, Flora also looks happy.

While watching the two enjoying their time in this village, Zess suddenly thought.

“That’s right…”

“Lord Zess?”

Rarado looks up at Zess, who suddenly stood up, with a puzzled expression.

Zess told him that.

“Mr. Rarado, would you come to our village?”

◆　◆　◆

The area around the Great Tree where Zess and the others have established their base is free from monsters due to Yggdrasil’s “Spirit’s Blessing.”

Even though it is within this great forest, it is no different from the outside, and perhaps even safer than the outside.

If we move there, we won’t have to worry about monster attacks anymore.

Rarado brought back Zess’s proposal and, after hearing the opinions of the entire village, accepted the proposal.

Thus, a few days later.

Zess and the others, to proceed with the preparations for migration, took some of the dwarves with them and returned to the Great Tree.

“Once again, it has become quite lively.”

Yggdrasil descends from the great tree.

Perhaps because they had talked about her in advance, the dwarves all simultaneously bowed deeply towards Yggdrasil.

It was the same with Flora, but it seems that the Great Spirits are quite extraordinary beings.

Zess, while feeling that once again, calls out to Yggdrasil.

“Due to various circumstances, they ended up living here too.”

“Great Spirit, I humbly ask for your favor.”

Representing the dwarves, Rarado steps forward.

“Hehe, leave it to me. I’ll protect you with my power.”

Cheers erupted at Yggdrasil’s triumphant words.

“Alright, you lot! We have a mountain of tasks to tackle, from gathering materials and digging wells to building houses and preparing the workshop! For all decisions, consult Lord Zess for guidance! Got it?”

“Yes!!”

“Hey, why me? Isn’t that something for Rarado-san?”

Suddenly being targeted, Zess couldn’t help but interject.

However, the eyes of the dwarves present at this place were fixed on Zess, shining with a brilliant light.

“Even if you ask why. It’s because Lord Zess is our Dwarf leader. It’s only natural. Now, we will go check the terrain around here!”

“Eh, ah, wait… we’re just friends hanging out, right…?”

I try to convey to Rarado and the others what I had previously told Flora and the others, but it doesn’t reach their ears as they head out for a stroll with their sleeves rolled up.

Flora smiled at Zess, who was dejectedly hanging his head.

“Zess-san, please give up. You are the de facto leader here.”

“No, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“I think Zess-san would make a great leader!”

“Even Peter…”

Yggdrasil descends next to Zess, who is exasperated by the two eager to solve the mystery.

“Oh, I thought for sure that Zess wanted to become king.”

“That’s not true at all. I just want to live a leisurely life and use ‘Cleansing’ to my heart’s content within that.”

At Zess’s declaration, Yggdrasil peered into his hands and tilted his head in confusion.

“But, what Zess is holding is the ‘Scepter of Divine Authority,’ right?”

“……Hmm?”

It felt like a word he couldn’t afford to miss had just slipped out, and at that moment, Zess furrowed his brows.

“Z-Zess-sama!! A-a dragon!!”

The dwarves who had gone out for a stroll are returning while shouting.

At those words, Zess remembered that he hadn’t introduced Haku yet and hurriedly rushed over to them.