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 19

“Oh, wow, it’s finally finished!”

Zess, summoned by the dwarves of Rarado, raised a joyful voice in front of the wooden single-story house built right next to the great tree.

The building that looks like the Shosoin is particularly large compared to the other buildings under construction around it.

“You can come in from here.”

Following Rarado’s guidance, I climbed the external stairs and went inside.

The interior is spacious, with many rooms.

The structure itself is similar to Rarado’s house in the dwarf village, but it is far more magnificent.

“I watched quite a bit of the construction, but seeing it completed like this is truly spectacular. I can’t believe they were able to build something like this.”

“If you like it, that’s all that matters. After all, this is Lord Zess’s house.”

“Huh?”

Zess, who had been looking around the house at the sudden coming out, turned to Rarado.

He is smiling cheerfully.

“No, no, I’m not involved in construction, so the dwarves’ houses should come first.”

“That’s not true at all! We should build the leader’s house in this village first!”

“Yeah! Since it’s Lord Zess’s house, we really put our hearts into it!”

The surrounding dwarves shouted in unison at Zess’s words.

Everyone had the same craftsman’s face.

They seem to be confident in what they have created and are looking forward to Zess enjoying it.

“Well then, what do you say, Lord Zess? Will you accept our feelings?”

“You know that saying it like that makes it hard to refuse, right?”

Zess looks at Rarado and the others with a sidelong glance.

They had the face of a child who had successfully pulled off a prank, without a hint of remorse.

“Well then, I’ll gratefully take you up on that. Oh, but until everyone’s houses are finished, you’ll be sleeping inside with us.”

“When we finally move into our new home, it will get dirty—”

“I’m here for you, aren’t I?”

Zess interrupts Rarado’s words of concern.

Then he opened his eyes wide and laughed merrily.

“That’s right, we have Lord Zess with us.”

At Rarado’s words, the surrounding dwarves burst out laughing.

◆　◆　◆

“――always”

Today, as always, Zess was working in the fields, but suddenly a sharp pain shot through his palm.

When I looked, the blister that had formed near the base of my finger was crushed.

“Darling, are you okay? Want me to lick it?”

Sonia, who had been running around nearby at Zess’s voice, looked up.

“No, no, it stings when you lick it! Plus, it’s dirty. I’m going to go see Flora for a bit.”

“Mr. Gau, are you going to another woman besides me?”

“What kind of wife who pursues infidelity are you talking like?”

While somehow calming Sonia down, I head to the location of Flora’s outdoor clinic.

“Oh, Zess-san. Did you get hurt somewhere?”

Flora, noticing Zess, approaches with a concerned look.

“It’s not really an injury or anything. It’s just that the blister popped.”

“Wow, that looks painful… Let me touch it a bit. —《Heal》”

Warm light envelops the hand.

The pain that had been attacking the base of my fingers gradually faded away.

When the light settled, the wound was completely closed.

“Every time I see it, Flora-san’s ‘Healing’ is amazing.”

“No, not at all… I’m not as skilled as you, Zess-san. I couldn’t help Peter with my abilities.”

Flora murmurs as if recounting a bittersweet memory.

Unintentionally creating a heavy atmosphere, Zess scratched his cheek.

“I don’t think you should belittle yourself like that. Thanks to Flora, Peter has made it this far safely. If you’re having fun now, that’s what matters.”

“—, yes, that’s right. I’m sorry for saying something strange.”

“Well, everyone has times when they feel down or lack energy. Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.”

Flora chuckled at Zess, who casually said it with a nonchalant attitude.

“Zess-san doesn’t seem like the type to do that.”

“Because everyone is here. If I were alone, I might have just been feeling down all the time.”

While answering, Zess recalls the day he was disinherited.

Actually, when I was first transported to this forest, I was somewhat depressed… I think. …I was depressed, right?

The more I think back on it, the less I can recall any particularly depressing memories.

I felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort at Flora’s giggling smile.

“Zess. People are coming this way from outside.”

“Person?”

Yggdrasil, who appeared out of nowhere, informed me in a cautious voice.

“There are about ten of them. They have the same aura as Flora… probably elves.”

“――”

Flora stiffened at Yggdrasil’s report.

Her eyes tremble as if frightened by something, and her lips tighten.

When you say “the Elf tribe”

“I think they probably followed me and Peter… because Peter’s fate was a decision made by the village.”

“That’s not very calm.”

The reason Flora and the others ended up living with Zess at the base of this great tree was that they had been driven out of their homeland and had no place to return to.

“Still, you found this place well. Flora and the others aren’t outside, right?”

“I think I followed the trail of destruction Sonia left behind. She was also afflicted by the divine curse.”

“Ah, I see…”

Zess pressed his forehead, realizing he hadn’t thought that far.

Then, Flora asked Yggdrasil.

“Um, where are those people?”

“Wait. What do you plan to do after hearing that?”

Feeling an ominous premonition from Yggdrasill’s determined expression, Zess pressed him for answers before he could respond.

Flora, as if trying to escape the scrutinizing gaze, awkwardly lowers her face.

“Before causing any inconvenience.”

“Are you planning to leave here?”

“――”

It seems I hit the nail on the head.

Zess sighed at Flora, who was at a loss for words.

“You might find it surprising, but I’m actually quite selfish.”

“I don’t think it’s surprising.”

“Yggdrasil is noisy.”

Glaring at Yggdrasil, who keeps butting in, Zess continues.

“But still, I want the people around me to act selfishly too. If they hold back for my sake, then I won’t be able to be selfish, right?”

At Zess’s words, Flora hesitantly lifts her face.

Her pink eyes captured Zess.

“So, do you and Flora want to leave here?”

When Zess asks, Flora shakes her head and says, “No.”

“I want to stay here. Peter would surely want that too.”

“Then, there’s no need to leave. I’ll be lonely without the two of you too.”

“Zess-san…”

Zess stacked his hands, which had lost their pain, and stretched above his head.

“Well, well, it’ll work out somehow. Since Peter’s curse has been lifted, they’ll understand if we talk. Besides, we have a secret plan.”

“A secret plan, is it?”

With a voice full of expectation, Flora asks.

Zess smiled slyly.

“When you look good, you feel good, right? That’s what I mean.”

“…I’m really anxious.”

Despite Zess’s cheerful demeanor, Yggdrasil charges in.

However, Flora clenched her fists tightly in front of her chest and stared straight at Zess.

“Zess-san, please take care of it!”

“Yeah, leave it to me.”