After she woke up, the woman didn’t want to go out. However, she was forced out of bed by the Lignified Tree she lived in. Her pale face, sunken cheeks, and dark eye circles could easily tell her current ntal condition. “W-What do you want? Why are you forcing to wake up?”
The voice that answered her was not the tree’s but Liu Shu’s. “You are quite involved, so I decided to use you to bring them out in the open. Now, go to work like normal and then deliver a set of docunts to them.”
The woman was trembling as she listened, stamring while answering. “B-But I don’t know which docunts.”
“Just do as you are told.”
Liu Shu’s presence disappeared from the room. The woman sat in the living room, alone, and looked at the already prepared breakfast. A root poked out and slapped her shoulder lightly, as if telling her to speed up her actions.
So, holding back the nausea, the woman ate the otherwise delicious breakfast. Even then, she couldn’t taste a single thing, her mind spinning and trying to find thods to keep her life. ‘Even if I confess now, it is too late. Should I ask her to forgive and use as a spy? I can beco a useful double agent.’
While walking down the stairs, she t with a few of her neighbors. He was a middle-aged man with a family and an approachable vibe. “Hey, Emlen. It is nice to see you this morning. You usually wake up much earlier.”
Emlen nodded once and continued walking down, her mind preoccupied. The neighbor was sowhat suspicious, but he didn’t call out again. ‘I wonder why she is so worried?’
When she reached the lowest floor and walked outside, Emlen took a look at her surroundings once more. ‘...Why did I even do what I did?’
Around her, Lignified Trees could be seen as far as her sight stretched. The city had long, perfectly designed streets, with enough space between them to avoid feeling cramd, so that living didn’t feel suffocating. Just stepping outside would usually make you feel refreshed and full of vitality.
The people walking around were not too nurous. With the capacity of the city, everyone was spread out nicely, creating a welcoming environnt. People welcod each other, speaking together and letting their children play around without worries.
Large ants slowly walked down the streets, their black compound eyes taking in the surroundings with barely any head movents. Emlen looked up, looking beyond the canopy of the tall trees, and could easily see parts of the World Tree’s canopy. Above her, a grayish sky filled with rain clouds blocked out the Sun; it was rainy season in the Wild Continent.
“Lady Heavenly Willow… Please forgive . I know my wrongs.”
Her mutter went unanswered, so, with a heavy heart, she moved to a nearby stable and rented a transportation beast and carriage. These stables were spread out throughout the city. The animals used for pulling the carriages ca from a batch Liu Shu had been growing in her farms for decades. Their numbers were significant, making it rather affordable for anyone with a decent inco.
When Emlen traversed the center of the paved streets, her soulless gaze took in the happy residents of the city. The more she looked, the more she felt she was blind before. She spoke, her mutter full of bitter regret. “At least… I will follow Lady Heavenly Willow’s words during my last hours. This will be good as repentance for my actions.”
It took around ten minutes to arrive at the Town Hall, where she usually worked. The Town Hall, one of the tallest Landmarks of the city, exuded both presence and power. The sleek exterior, interlocking branches at the top, beautiful windows, and the multitude of people entering and exiting constantly told volus about how busy it was inside.
As she walked inside, Emlen received the greeting of a few guards. “Good morning, Lady Emlen.”
“Hope you had a great night, Lady Emlen.”
Emlen smiled weakly. “Good morning to you, too.”
Stepping inside, a massive reception room welcod her. In the reception room of the Town Hall, the citizens could speak to governnt officials directly and have their worries listened to. There were protocols for how to answer each basic inquiry, taking care of most people. For those whose inquiries were outside of the protocols, they were given a permit to go to higher floors.
To work here, one had to have a profound education and extra studies given by the governnt after joining. This way, the efficiency of work was nothing but exceptional.
As she walked toward the stairs on the second floor, she was approached by a Sylvan. A lodious voice pleasantly rang in her ear. “Lady Emlen, wait.”
Emlen looked over and frowned. ‘This woman…’ She looked at the purplish-blue hair, pear-shaped slim figure, and short stature. Then, she recalled. ‘Right, she is a Sylvan from the Songtree family.’
“Yes, Miss Songtree. What’s the matter?”
The girl smiled and spoke. “My aunt, Lady Harmonixia, is calling you. Please follow .”
Emlen’s entire body burst into goosebumps as her muscles and expression tensed. The girl, seeing Emlen’s reaction, noticed that sothing was wrong. Nevertheless, she didn’t pry into it. ‘Aunt has personally called, so it is normal for her to be so scared.’ is temporarily increased by 5%.]
Looking at the effects, Emlen was stunned. Then, she spoke with a stutter. “T-Thank you, Lady Harmonixia.”
Harmonixia’s finger continued playing with the flower, and the flower answered adorably. It would sotis coil its petals around her fingers, and at other tis, it would shake as if laughing when Harmonixia tickled it. Emlen rembered. ‘That must be Violue, one of Harmonixia’s biological daughters.’
This flower was almost as famous as Harmonixia herself because so people nearly lost their lives by exchanging it for new flowers to earn “favor” from Harmonixia. ‘The fact that those people were spared is beyond …’
“Emlen. I know everything about you. After Lian’er… excuse , Liu Shu told what you and those people of the Explorer Association were planning, I was in disbelief.”
Emlen still stumbled with her words, even when her mind and body were calr. “Lady Harmonixia, I know what wrongs I committed. Honestly, I was unaware that they were manipulating Lady Heavenly Willow’s children. If I knew, I wouldn’t have cooperated like I did! I was greedy, but I never wanted to make enemies out of Lady Heavenly Willow.”
Harmonixia didn’t interrupt and allowed her to speak, her gaze always on Violue. “Anything else?”
“Um… Excuse ? I don’t understand…”
Harmonixia still didn’t look at Emlen, her finger gently tickling Violue’s stalk. “I asked if there was any other confession you wanted to make.”
Emlen’s eyes darted around, trying to think what Harmonixia was searching for. “That… I am willing to beco your hunting dog or soldier ant. I will work honestly, so please, spare my life. I don’t want to die.”
Her choking voice and teary eyes were heartbreaking, but not for Harmonixia. The Sylvan raised her eyes for the first ti, and Emlen let out a silent scream.
Harmonixia’s blue and purple shifting eyes were cold like the ice on the moon, as if she were looking not at a living creature but at a dead person.
“Spare you?”
Harmonixia’s lips arched while the colors in her eyes swirled with deep obsession.
“Spare soone who made my Lian’er upset? Huhu…”
Emlen wanted to leave; she wanted to flee. Her very soul was screaming for her to run, and if not possible, to kill herself. This person was not normal at all; those profound eyes carried a particular hint of madness that terrified her to her core.
“L-L-Lady Harmonixia! P-Please, please! I swear I will do anything! Please!”
Harmonixia’s expression didn’t even twitch. “You have two options. Listen to us and die cleanly… Or don’t listen to us and fall into a place where death is a rcy. Choose.”
Emlen knew that she had no choice. “I, I will listen.”
Harmonixia’s smile arched slightly higher. “Good.”
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