My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 610: Entering the Sacred Altar

Leon and Zelda walked side by side down the hallway.

Leon's gaze kept drifting to the left, where the walls were lined with ancient paintings.

"Were all these painted by your predecessors?" he asked curiously.

The artwork depicted elves worshiping a massive tree—the World Tree.

Among the paintings were two men, each holding a sword: Demon Emperor Amon Crimson and Hero Luminus Troya.

Unfortunately, the paintings had been worn down by time. Their faces were damaged, almost unrecognizable.

"Yes, all of them were painted by my predecessors," Zelda replied with a small nod.

"I see..." Leon gave a faint smile.

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, prompting him to turn his head toward Zelda.

"By the way, Zelda, I've been meaning to ask you something," Leon said. "Do you know the Hero of Mankind, Luminus Troya?"

At his question, Zelda's brows furrowed slightly.

"The Hero of Mankind, Luminus Troya?" she echoed softly. She fell silent for a moment before gently shaking her head. "No, I don't know him. Is he someone important? What era was he from?"

Leon wasn't surprised. He smiled faintly, as if he had expected that answer.

"He was a friend of Demon Emperor Amon Crimson—and the wielder of one of the two holy weapons, the Holy Sword of Zenith," Leon explained.

"Oh? So that's him?" Zelda's eyes widened slightly.

"You've heard of him?" Leon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I've never heard of him," Zelda said, softly shaking her head. "However, I did come across an ancient record that spoke of a close companion of Amon Crimson—someone who wielded the Holy Sword of Zenith."

"It's just... the record never mentioned his name. His identity remained a mystery for thousands of years. But after hearing what you said—" she paused, a faint smile forming on her lips, "I finally feel relieved to know who he truly was."

Leon let out a wry smile. "As I thought... the technique used by Luminus Troya really did make him vanish from history."

Miranda had once explained that the appearance of the three heroes was caused by Luminus Troya using an extraordinarily powerful forbidden technique.

As a result, the true Holy Sword of Zenith had been split into three weapons: the Holy Spear of Soaring Dragon, the Holy Bow of Celestial Frost, and the Holy Sword of Zenith itself.

The consequences of the forbidden technique were terrifying—its user would be forgotten by everyone in the world, except those who had truly been close to them.

Even worse, their name could never be recorded in history. Their very existence would vanish, as though they had never lived at all.

Just imagining it sent a chill down Leon's spine.

"I don't think I could endure that kind of torment," he muttered softly.

Even though he had never seen Luminus Troya—not even a portrait—Leon held deep respect for the Hero of Mankind.

Before he realized it, they had arrived in front of another gate, just as large as the one before.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Leon widened his eyes as he stared at the massive gate.

"Is this the gate you were talking about, Zelda?" Leon asked.

"Mm." Zelda nodded slowly. "Beyond this gate lies the Sacred Altar, where we once communed with the Spirit of the World Tree. But ever since the key was shattered and broken into fragments, we've been unable to enter."

"Moreover, the source of life and vitality of the World Tree was wounded by the dark power of the Evil God. Because of that, the spirit fell into a deep slumber and can no longer speak to us as she once did. The last time she spoke to our race was two thousand years ago—before everything changed."

Had the World Tree never been tainted, the Dark Elves would not exist. Their people could have thrived, living in peace as they waited for the arrival of the Fated One.

But that was only a dream. Long ago, the Evil God launched a devastating attack on their lands, and in order to protect them, the World Tree sacrificed itself.

Yet the cost of that salvation was immense. One could say that all the suffering they endured since then was the price of the World Tree's sacrifice.

Even so, neither Zelda nor her predecessors ever blamed the World Tree.

On the contrary, they remained deeply grateful.

Without the World Tree's sacrifice, they would have been wiped out—and the Elven race would have vanished from the world.

Leon took a deep breath and gave a firm nod. "Alright then, let's head to the altar."

"Okay!" Zelda replied with a bright smile.

She raised her palms toward the sky.

*Buzz!*

A blue light suddenly formed above her hands.

As it faded, the light transformed into a blue key, roughly the size of a hand.

*Whoosh!*

The key slid into the keyhole on the gate and settled into place.

With a loud clack, the gate slowly swung open.

Unlike the heavy creak of the previous one, this gate opened in complete silence—as if it had been used often.

Then, in an instant, a breathtaking scene unfolded before them—a forest.

Yes, a forest. On all sides grew short, leafy trees, only two to three meters tall, casting soft shadows.

The ground was blanketed in thick, lush grass, vibrant with life.

At the far end stood a ten-meter-high altar, towering above the greenery.

Although it remained grand, time had worn it down—its surface cracked, its structure weakened.

Atop the altar, a ring of humanoid statues surrounded the platform.

Unfortunately, their faces had long since been damaged or destroyed, leaving Leon unable to tell who they once represented.

"Is that the sacred altar you were talking about?" Leon asked, pointing toward the structure.

"Yes, that's the sacred altar," Zelda replied, her voice soft and distant.

A dazed look crossed her face. Her eyes were filled with longing and sorrow.

It had been over a thousand years since the key to unlock the gate within had been lost, leaving them unable to enter the sacred altar.

But now, the mission entrusted by the previous elf queens had finally been fulfilled.

Leon noticed the shift in her expression and gently took her hand.

"Come on," he said, giving her hand a light pull.

Zelda froze as his hand closed around hers. A flush rose to her cheeks, and embarrassment welled up inside her.

Yet she didn't pull away. Instead, she tightened her grip, holding his hand even more firmly.

As they walked together, Leon glanced around in awe.

"It's incredible how the plants here are so lush and healthy in a place with so little light," he murmured.

Normally, trees and plants needed three things to thrive: sunlight, water, and fertile soil.

But in this place, dimly lit by fireflies and shrouded in shadow, the trees and grass still thrived—lush and full of life. It was an unexpected sight.

Then again, Leon reminded himself, this wasn't his old world. This was a fantasy one, where such things might be perfectly natural.

The closer he got to the altar, the deeper his frown became.

There was something strangely familiar about it.

Suddenly, a realization struck him, and his expression shifted.

"Wait... doesn't this look almost exactly like the altar in the Hall of Glory inside the inner palace?!"