A gorgeous and elegant silver-haired woman walked down the streets of a populous city toward a giant palace. The structure was located in the middle of a giant city that had no World Trees. Even then, its prosperity was extraordinary, and the people living there all looked happy. What was peculiar was the lack of plant-related creatures, making the silver-haired woman stand out among the masses.
As she walked down the streets with a younger woman by her side with a very similar face to hers, people would be able to tell that they were mother and daughter. Still, what was peculiar compared to other places was that many humans and beastkin would look at them with a slightly hostile gaze.
“Mother, why do we fight for them?”
The mature woman chuckled. “Because we fight for the winning side. Even if living among the Nexus people is slightly inconvenient, it’s better than living among people who adore us and yet are dood to die. Don’t you think so, too?”
The younger woman humd, her face showing non-commitnt. The mature woman glanced at her with a smile and spoke. “Well, you’ll eventually understand. Now, it is ti to see if our choice back then was the correct one.”
After arriving at the palace, the guards stopped them from crossing their spears in front of them. “Sylvans are not allowed beyond this point.”
The woman reached into her pouch, making the guards tense up. Then, she took out an insignia and showed it to them. “Will this work?”
The tallic insignia had the shape of a leafless tree with cracked bark. It was exquisitely crafted, giving an aura of desolation and lifelessness. Seeing the insignia, both guards were surprised for a second before exclaiming softly. “Excuse our rudeness!”
The silver-haired Sylvan walked forward, already accustod to such matters. Inside the palace, gorgeous architecture filled the walls and large pillars. The tall ceilings had gorgeous chandeliers hanging, and the natural light pouring from the expansive windows gave the place a trace of solemnness.
Their high heels echoed with a crisp sound, each step seemingly disturbing the silent peace in the long halls. However, no one spoke to them and continued patrolling the area.
After reaching the end of the hall, the silver-haired woman pushed open the door, entering a room with a similarly tall ceiling. However, the details here were much more modest. That didn’t an they were less intricate, though. An ambient of hidden luxury filled the room the two Sylvans entered.
In the room, both Sylvans could spot a dozen people. Each of them had an extraordinarily profound aura, far beyond what she herself could distinguish even with her Level 60 strength. Those twelve people stopped speaking with each other and looked toward the mother and daughter pair.
The silver-haired woman knelt down on one knee, her gorgeous black dress opening like an elegant rose. “I, Evangeline Whisperwind, greet the lords and ladies. I wish eternal prosperity for the .”
The daughter followed shortly after, in a similar but body-hugging black dress that gently opened with her movents. “I, Jolie Whisperwind, greet the lords and ladies. I wish eternal prosperity for the .”
A woman chuckled once, the sound between mocking and amused. “Who called these plants here? Or did you two co without orders?”
A man’s soothing voice spread in the room with a pleasant tone. “Kaelis, it was I who called them. Please don’t make a scene since this has sothing to do with what I explained earlier.”
Kaelis was a beautiful brown-haired woman with a slender body wearing a short beige dress. Her honey-colored eyes glanced at the man for two seconds before she waved her hand. “Whatever, go ahead, Thalric.”
The man smiled gently. “Thank you.” Then, he looked at them and said, his tone similar to before but with a hint of strength. “Stand up. You did well coming when I called.”
Evangeline and Jolie stood up slowly with formal smiles, and Evangeline talked. “If Lord Thalric calls, I doubt there are many people who would dare not co. Such grace is rare to co by even during the long lifespan of us Sylvans.”
Thalric answered, his face showing a hint of amusent. “Naturally. After all, my life is not as long as yours, right, Sylvan?”
Evangeline knew that there were hidden thorns in those words. Hence, she answered unflustered, her smile unchanging. “Long lives make us dull, incomparable to the ability to pass down knowledge other races have. If long lives were the answer to solve all problems, the Nexus wouldn’t be the strongest power as it is now.”
The faces of the twelve people relaxed faintly, not showing much of a change in emotions. Thalric chuckled. “Well said. Let’s get to the point.” He pondered for a little bit before speaking with a rather mysterious tone. “I called you because the Wild Continent’s fate has changed from a foregone conclusion to an unknown one.”
Evangeline blinked slowly, trying to discern the aning of those words. However, nothing ca to mind. She asked, unsure. “Did I commit so mistake, my lord?”
“No.” Thalric sighed, looking at the report on his table. “The ones that committed a mistake were the arrogant and useless people we sent there.”
He paused for a second, and Kaelis took the chance to intervene. “Let’s be blunt, Evangeline. I don’t want to waste too much ti going in circles.” She glanced at Thalric, and seeing him sigh and nod, she smirked. Reclining back on her chair, she comnted. “You knew there was sothing wrong with that World Tree called Tianlian Liu Shu. However, you were ignored. Now, like you told Marlius and those other leaders, Tianlian Liu Shu has evolved to beco a real threat. She is influential enough that the Celestial Lotus Empire has even started spreading propaganda about her around the main continents. It seems that Galia, a person you are quite familiar with, is leading the efforts and gathering a lot of support.”
Evangeline’s face didn’t change much at Kaelis’ words. She stayed silent and waited for their order. In these scenarios, the more you talk, the more mistakes you are prone to commit. Hence, answering just as you need to is the best option.
Thalric took over the conversation. “Evangeline. Your prediction about Tianlian Liu Shu’s evolution was optimistic, to say the least.”
Evangeline nodded, and Thalric’s lips arched as she looked at the docunts. “However, you missed the mark by a large chunk.”
Evangeline blinked, confused. “Did I overestimate her, my lord?”
Thalric shook his head. “No. You underestimated her.”
Jolie’s and Evangeline’s faces changed for the first ti. Evangeline, at the ti when she made the report, took a few liberties and exaggerated a few of her estimates. This was to make sure that the higher-ups would at least notice Tianlian Liu Shu and her terrifying potential. Yet, now they were telling her that she had underestimated her. “... My Lord, I am doubtful. In my report, I rember saying that Tianlian Liu Shu would be able to dominate around three provinces by age twenty-five. Sothing like that is, to be blunt, ridiculous. Are you saying that even with such a prediction, I underestimated her?”
Kaelis picked up her report and threw it at Evangeline’s feet. “Pick it up and read.”
Evangeline slowly leaned down, her cleavage beautifully revealed as her silver hair cascaded down like a glittering waterfall. So of the n in the room couldn’t help but give an extra glance, while so of the won felt a small surge of jealousy at the ethereal and natural beauty of Sylvans.
The gesture that was done with the intent of slightly humiliating Evangeline changed to a seductive scene, making Kaelis’ face darken slightly.
While she caused a shift in their ntal state, Evangeline picked up the report and began reading. However, the more she read, the quicker she lost control of her facial expressions. ‘Controls the grand majority of the East side of the Wild Continent? She has defeated an army with over 5000 from the Nexus? She has cleansed the ? She is told to have started conquering the Wild Lands that no one dared traverse? A Level 50 to 74 appeared near her domain? She is placing other under her control!?’
The more she read, the more incredulous she beca.
Thalric sighed. “Do you understand now why I told you that you underestimate her?”
Evangeline couldn’t help but look at Thalric, her gorgeous face showing traces of shock. “My Lord… Are all these reports from a trustworthy source? They sound like a children’s fairy tale but written in formal wording…”
Thalric chuckled. “Well, they are indeed trustworthy. We have considered sending a to deal with her. However, once they leave, the other three powers won’t stay silent. Even if they compete with each other, whenever our Abyssal Void Nexus dares to poke our heads too far out, they stop the conflict between them and gang up on us.”
Kaelis chortled. “A bunch of angry plant-huggers. They don’t know that their years are already numbered.”
Thalric smiled. “Indeed. Perhaps it won’t happen during our generation. However, we might get to observe it while resting during our last years.”
Kaelis rolled her eyes. “Creep. Stop making strange predictions. What if it truly becos true? I don’t want to witness the Abyss’ victory full of wrinkles!”
Thalric looked at Evangeline and Jolie and comnted. “You both were the only ones who didn’t purposely underestimate Tianlian Liu Shu. Therefore, it is only right that the mission will fall on both your shoulders.”
A woman with a servant's outfit walked forward and handed Evangeline the scroll. Evangeline observed the Sylvan woman and noticed that her eyes seed devoid of light. ‘... Well, not my problem.’
After taking the scroll from her hands, Evangeline noticed a System notification.
[You’ve unlocked .]
Evangeline blinked slowly and opened the scroll. ‘I’ll read the details later. If I don’t read this one first and answer, I might get killed on the spot.’
After Evangeline read the scroll's contents, she exhaled and passed it to Jolie for her to read. After all, this was sothing both of them needed to do together. Evangeline bowed elegantly toward them and spoke formally. “I, Evangeline Whisperwind, have understood the orders from my lords and ladies. I accept the responsibility that was given to with joy and promise to bring results.”
After reading the scroll herself, Jolie followed her mother’s words. “I, Jolie Whisperwind, have understood the orders from my lords and ladies. I accept the responsibility to aid Evangeline Whisperwind that was given to with joy and promise to bring results.”
Thalric smiled. “That’s great to hear. Don’t disappoint us.”
Evangeline and Jolie left the palace in silence. Once outside, Jolie whispered. “Why did you accept, Mother? Didn’t you ask to be sent back here precisely because you didn’t want to have anything to do with Tianlian Liu Shu?”
Evangeline smiled wryly. “What could I have done? Reject them? If I do so, I might end up like the Sylvan who gave the scroll.”
Jolie paused. She also noticed the gazes a few of the lords gave her mother. After all, her mother was truly attractive. With soft but not exaggerated curves, her body emitted a mature allure of a ripened fruit. Anyone would want to pluck it and take a bite. Jolie, who had inherited a large part of that beauty, needed to learn how to hide herself in the past.
Evangeline sighed softly. “Well, since we are going back, I guess we need to prepare. Let’s try to have a few extra reinforcents sent back with us. The quest details are important enough that, even when we are Sylvans, we’ll be able to recruit quite a lot of people.”
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