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 22

“Really, you have no intention of coming back, do you?”

As they headed towards the place where the elves and dwarves were deep in conversation, Segwin, the captain of the elves, was asking Flora and the others.

Flora exchanged a brief glance with Peter next to her and nodded back at the Segwins.

“Yes. We will live here.”

“…I see, as expected, they won’t forgive me.”

As if they had known all along, Seguin and the other elves lowered their faces awkwardly.

However, Flora and the others waved their hands in a flustered manner at that reaction.

“N-No, that’s not it. …Sure, there were many tough things. But I knew that my feelings for Peter were my own selfishness. If it weren’t for Mr. Zess, I think the village’s rules would have been right.”

No matter how much Flora’s “Healing” can suppress the progression, a limit will eventually come.

Since it won’t lead to a fundamental solution, eliminating dangerous factors is the obvious choice for those living in this Great Forest Sea.

Flora smiles while stroking Peter’s head.

“But thanks to Mr. Zess, everyone accepted Peter, who was freed from the curse. That alone is enough for both Peter and me.”

“Then――”

In response to Seguin’s words, this time Peter answers.

“I’m sorry. Both my sister and I love living here. — This place is just right for us.”

Flora’s pink eyes and Peter’s deep blue eyes, imbued with strong determination, pierce through the elves.

At that gaze, Seguin let out a faint smile.

“Indeed, this place seems easy to live in. It’s peaceful, there are no monsters, it’s lively, and there are great spirits and guardian dragons. Above all, there are also great and noble people. …If I were you, I would have made the same choice.”

With an expression that seemed to give up or perhaps envy, Seguin nodded.

“Understood. I’ll do something about you. …It was already questionable whether the villagers would accept you.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience.”

“Let me at least do that. It’s questionable whether it would even be a form of atonement.”

As the conversation reached a pause and a somewhat relaxed atmosphere began to settle in, Zess, who had been listening, interrupted.

“Are Flora and the others really okay with that?”

“Uh, Zess-san”

The elves swiftly bow towards Zess.

Shrugging at the sight, Zess approached Flora and the others.

“Um, Zess-san, what does that mean? We love living here. We want to stay here.”

“Yeah, well, I’m happy about that, but you have family in the village, right? I think it would be better to see them if you can. Family can suddenly become unreachable, even if you want to see them.”

My parents in my previous life died in an accident when I was young.

Unlike my family in this life, they were a warm, kind, and beloved family.

Come to think of it, my love for doing laundry might have started with the cheerful smiles of my parents when they did the household chores.

While thinking about such trivial matters, I talk to Flora and the others.

“If you hate the people of the village and your family, then I don’t think you should meet them, but that’s not the case, right? If that’s the case, then you should at least greet them.”

“Well… but, Mom and Dad, forgiving Peter who has been cursed once…”

“Then don’t worry about it.”

“Huh?”

To the Flora who were looking at him with pleading expressions, Zess spoke while gazing at Seguin and the others.

“I’ll introduce you to your real family…”

◆　◆　◆

“Oh, Seguin! You’re back!”

The village elders welcomed Seguin and the others as they arrived at the elven settlement.

“Hmm? What’s with you guys, looking all spiffy and clean…?”

While regarding the Segwins with suspicion, the villagers speak up in unison.

“I hope they managed to take care of Peter without any issues!”

“The child of the devil, no, the devil itself! Before it brings disaster upon us!”

That voice was something that once swirled among the Segwins.

And now, I feel sickened by that distortion.

“No, Peter didn’t kill him.”

“What?!”

The expressions of the elves, who had an attitude as if welcoming heroes, turned as fierce as demons.

“The curse that had afflicted Peter was exorcised by a certain gentleman. Peter will not become a demon. Therefore, we have decided to cancel his punishment.”

The elves murmured at the news Seguin had delivered.

“Can you really lift that curse?!”

“Ridiculous, there’s no way that could happen.”

“Yeah, but the reason Seguin would lie is…”

Amidst the commotion, an elf shouts.

“However! Whether or not the curse has been lifted is irrelevant! Anyone who has been afflicted by the divine curse must be dealt with. That is the rule of this village!”

“Yes, yes!”

“Why aren’t you disposing of it? So, you are the devil’s messengers, aren’t you?”

The hideous cries spread like waves, enveloping the entire village in a feeling of hatred.

The Segwins looked up at the sky with a wry smile on their faces.

“Were we really this ugly? — Now, please. Lord Zess.”

The direction Seguin and the others looked up to. In the vast sky, a single white dragon was flying.

On their backs are the figures of Flora, Peter, and Zess.

Flora covers her mouth as Seguin and the others are surrounded by armed elves.

“Mr. Zess”

“Yeah, well, it’s the same as when Seguin-san was here.”

In Zess’s eyes, the scene of the elves living in the village, with that sludge-like stagnation seeping out, is reflected.

That scene is far more horrifying than the distorted situation Flora and the others are witnessing.

Zess strokes Haku’s back.

“Haku, please.”

“Growl!”

Following Zess’s instructions, Haku begins to descend from the sky to the ground.

The elves, realizing this, shift the aim of their weapons from Seguin and panic.

Towards them, Zess raised both hands.

“—Purification”

The inner self of a person. The light of “purification” that dispels the inner stagnation.

One person, two people, ten people, fifty people, a hundred people――.

A divine light overflows from all the elves in the village, creating a brilliant light that envelops the entire village.

The fear that Flora and Peter had been holding onto until just a moment ago had vanished as they gazed at the scenery from Haku’s back.

And, in the very heart of the village.

Surrounded by the elves writhing in agony, the Segwins quietly bowed their heads towards the white dragon flying overhead and Zess riding on its back.

Eventually, as the light settled, Zess rode up on Haku’s back in front of the staggering elf tribe.

“Hello, everyone.”

A scream echoed through the elven village.

◆　◆　◆

“I’m sorry, Flora, Peter! We were out of line!”

“Sorry, please forgive us!”

“Mom, Dad…”

“I’m the one who should apologize!”

Zess was watching from a short distance as the family embraced each other with tearful eyes.

Leaning against a tree, sitting cross-legged.

And on both of his feet, the shrunken Haku was lying down.

“As I thought, it was just the power of the evil god distorting things. That’s a relief, that’s a relief.”

While intoxicated by the afterglow of having cleansed all the filth, Zess gazes blankly at the Flora family.

The sight of the four of them forgiving each other and hugging each other felt a bit dazzling.

“Growl”

“……Ah, that’s right. Right now, you are comrades and family.”

As I was gently stroking Haku’s head, which had lifted up as if to cheer me up, Flora noticed and approached.

“Zess-san, um… thank you so much.”

“No, no, how many times are you planning to bow your head? It’s fine, it’s fine, go talk to everyone.”

Zess couldn’t help but give a wry smile at the countless words of gratitude he had heard today.

It’s not just Flora.

Peter and Seguin, as well as all the elves living in this village, bowed their heads to Zess repeatedly.

Feeling a sense of discomfort at the almost reverent attitude rather than gratitude, Zess retreated into the shade of a tree so as not to interrupt the long-awaited reunion.

Especially Peter, for several years after being cursed, had not been able to have a proper conversation with anyone other than Flora.

To make up for that, he was cheerfully conversing with various people.

Right now, the elves in the village are constantly bowing their heads in guilt, but eventually, we will be able to return to our original relationship.

While watching Peter, Flora sat down next to Zess.

“I can’t thank you enough, Zess-san. Ever since Peter was cursed, I’ve given up on many things. Peter, myself, a peaceful life… and the family I left behind in the village.”

Flora, murmuring as if recalling something, gazes intently at Zess’s face.

Somehow feverish, cherry blossom-colored eyes captured Zess.

Her cheeks are flushed, and her lips are tightly pressed together.

“Um, Zess-san. I――”

It was when those lips parted hesitantly.

“Grrr! Don’t tempt my husband!”

Sonia, who appeared out of nowhere, interrupted the two.

“Sonia, why are you here?”

“Gall, I was worried about you, so I chased after you! I’m glad I came! My intuition is amazing! Right on the mark!”

“Yeah, we’re all fine, though…?”

Thinking that Sonia’s intuition is unreliable, Zess asks Flora.

“So, Flora, what do you think?”

“Ah! N-no, it’s nothing… at all.”

“Hmph! Elves are really so cunning!”

“Seriously, are we talking about that again? It’s only Sonia who keeps bringing it up…”

As on that day, Zess was exasperated by Sonia’s declaration of Flora as her rival in love.