"Ugh…"

Liu Shu couldn't help but groan. 'What was that feeling? I felt it all around my body…'

After Cinderielle said that with that smile, Liu Shu's entire body felt like it was twisting involuntarily. The feeling was very powerful, enough that she needed to look away from Cinderielle for a second.

To take her mind off that momentary feeling, she went search for Verdantia. She was quick to find her because Verdantia's Life Aura was particularly pure between Sylvans.

She was on the farm they had outside, supervising the crops that they had planted together with a few Rose Fairies. The farm was a combination of farmland and trees, melded together in a self-enhancing environment that Liu Shu's fostered.

Many Sylvans had used years of research, some more moral than others, to create a catalog to differentiate farmable flora from sentient or sapient flora. Plus, most Sylvans were faintly aware of plant feelings and thoughts, so as long as they were not corrupt or trying to use plant life in the wrong way, relatively intelligent plants being farmed would not happen. Similar to animal farming.

While Verdantia looked at a tree, Liu Shu spoke to her. "Hello, Verdantia!"

The woman reacted calmly, her lips arching as her gentle voice spread. "Hello, Liu'er. How have you been?"

Liu Shu felt her soul calming down when she heard her. Her tone continued to be cheery, and she commented. "I've been great! I made a few equipment pieces, and I am in the process of creating an… army armor. Something like a uniform for the rose fairies!"

Verdantia asked, curious. "Only for the Rose Fairies? What about the Fire Ants?"

Liu Shu answered. "Well, that is for the next batch! Ignatia's children grow fast, so I need to learn how to make adaptable equipment."

Verdantia hummed. "Adaptable… Do you mean armors that change in size? Those are one of, if not the most difficult ones to do. I've only heard of that ability on C Rank items and above."

Liu Shu was confused. "Really? But I feel that I can make it with lower-ranked items… Well, it's probably just a feeling. I'll need to do tests when I start."

Verdantia laughed softly. "I guess. By the way~, do I have a piece?"

Liu Shu giggled. "Of course! You can come to the vault to get it at any time."

"Oh?" Verdantia blinked while tapping the trunk of a tree and testing its vitality. "There is one for me already?"

"There is!"

Verdantia nodded a few times. "Good, good. That's how it should be."

"Huh?" Liu Shu asked, confused. "How so?

Verdantia smirked while looking toward the Golden Sap Town. "Well, you should naturally give gifts to your future Sylvan, no?"

Liu Shu's mind froze, and Verdantia laughed. "You've absorbed so many books based on personality, thought, expression, and other behavior and information of different races. I would be more surprised if you still haven't noticed anything, to be fair."

Liu Shu humphed. "I don't know what you are talking about!"

Verdantia raised her eyebrow and asked. "Oh? Lady World Tree is shy about having a few Sylvans chasing after her. Or is Lady World Tree feeling embarrassed be chased by a specific Sylvan, hm~?"

Liu Shu humphed twice. "I won't tell you! You two are bullies!"

Verdantia's gentle eyes flashed with a hint of coldness. "Two? Who did you speak to before speaking with me, hm?"

Failing to detect the very faint change in expression, Liu Shu made a tongue-clicking sound. "Tsk, Cinderielle! Her smile is a cheat! Anyway, I am going to visit Tempestria, bye!"

Verdantia answered softly. "Bye-bye, Liu'er."

Feeling the presence of the World Tree disappearing, Verdantia's expression became two shades colder. "The other two have already started moving… It seems that I have been too lenient."

Verdantia was not sure why she was okay with Cinderielle and Tempestria aiming for Liu Shu when she was so interested in Liu Shu. If she imagined any other Sylvan attempting to come close to Liu Shu the same way Cinderielle and Tempestria did, she felt like her summons would need to be put to use. And yet, when she thought of Tempestria and Cinderielle, she only felt annoyance and a sense of challenge for being the first. 'First… That means there is a second.'

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Verdantia frowned. 'When was I so tolerant? But… I am not for others… Is it because they are my friends?'

Verdantia crossed her arms, and her green eyes shone sharply. "Regardless, I'll be the one to bear fruits first, so don't become too cocky."

Meanwhile, Liu Shu found Tempestria and decided to speak with her. 'Hm… I spoke with the other two, so I need to speak with her as well…'

Liu Shu felt strange doing this, as if she was going through a checklist instead of naturally interacting with them. 'It feels a bit… unnatural?'

She found Tempestria flying in the sky, looking around with a confused face. "What's wrong, Tempestria?"

Tempestria blinked and smiled. "Shu'er. Well… I am currently looking at the horizon. I am a bit confused as to why they haven't pushed a strong offensive on us."

Liu Shu asked. "Why would they?"

Tempestria rubbed her chin and commented. "They have superiority in all aspects. Size, strength, influence, people, troops. I admit that having Delia and Taro as allies is a strong deterrent, but it shouldn't be large enough to avoid sending an army after almost a week had passed, right? The fights that have happened between us have been nothing but small skirmishes."

Liu Shu looked around her domain, which now spanned over ten kilometers in radius. "I also can't see anything wrong in my domain. Do you think they are preparing something?"

"Preparing something?" Tempestria asked with a sigh. "Perhaps? How about those Nexus guys? They are also silent. We don't have to worry too much about our east part beyond Taro's city since Lord Stormrider has decided not to participate. However… I feel strange. From what I have heard, Eila Neoflora is not a passive person. In the past, when threats appeared around Fortuna, she moved swiftly and eliminated everything in one fell swoop."

Liu Shu commented. "Because I am a World Tree, they probably can't act as they please. I can observe them as long as they come close. Once they decide to attack, they will need to charge through my detection range. That's ten kilometers of distance where they can be ambushed and easily read by me."

Tempestria laughed. "You have a point." She then sighed. "I am nervous, Shu'er."

"Why?" Liu Shu asked.

Tempestria smiled. "Well, I feel weak. I feel that I will be easily pushed back by the truly strong. My contributions might not be enough to help."

Liu Shu laughed. "Tempestria, you are Level 18! That's incredible. A Sylvan like you, whose transformation is so strong, will shine in the upcoming battles."

"They also have Sylvans… No." Tempestria smiled wryly. "They have THE Sylvan in these lands. Eila Neoflora is the person who has been suppressing a World Tree on her own. So, she is like Fortuna, but she can move around. A World Tree level threat with legs, hahaha."

Liu Shu looked at Tempestria, and her tone was smiley. "She is not that overwhelming."

"Hm?" Tempestria asked. "What makes you so sure?"

Liu Shu asked. "How high is your main attribute after you transform?"

Tempestria hummed. "Without taking your buffs into account? Around 550? Not much higher, to be honest."

Liu Shu giggled. "That's great! With my buffs and the armor I've prepared, we can probably push those numbers up to 800 or 900!"

Tempestria blinked. "Huh? You can almost double it? How?"

Liu Shu bragged. "I created a powerful armor! It will give you a set of skills and also 200 ! A Level 20 Low-Grade Flawed-Level armor! Isn't it awesome?"

Tempestria's expression went from surprised to relaxed, and soon, she laughed. "You are adorable, Shu'er. I like you very much."

Liu Shu felt that today, her core was jumping around too much. 'What is wrong with them? Why did they suddenly start being so aggressive!? HMPH! As if I am so easily conquered!'

Tempestria chuckled, and her laughter did something to Liu Shu's soul that could barely be explained with any adjective other than bone-softening. "Not answering my honest confession? You are a little player, aren't you? Is Shu'er aiming for the other two Sylvans as well?"

"I-I AM NOT!" Liu Shu humphed loudly. "Today, you three are very strange! Anyway, I just came to tell you that the armor is in the vault!"

Tempestria felt that Liu Shu was going to leave, so she exclaimed. "Wait!"

Liu Shu asked. "What!? I am a very busy tree!"

Tempestria looked down, gazing at Liu Shu's canopy from where she was. "You have grown beautifully."

"GAH! NOT INTERESTED!"

Liu Shu shouted and left toward Flor, leaving a laughing Tempestria back there. Tempestria stopped laughing and looked at Liu Shu with gentle eyes. "I wonder if I will be able to see your growth after this war…" Looking in the direction of Fortuna City, she sighed. "Eila Neoflora probably has her primary stat over 2000 points before transformation… A difference of 1000 points… That's like trying to catch a cloud."

She extended her hand toward a low cloud, her fingers going through it. "Sigh… I hope Mariane fights; otherwise, we will be trapped inside our territory where Liu Shu can intervene in case of Eila's interference."

Meanwhile, back in Flor's office, Liu Shu started complaining. "Flooor! They are bullying me!"

Flor blinked, confused. "Who has a death wish?"

"Tempestria, Verdantia, and Cinderielle! Why are they smiling and acting so nice!? Don't they know that their smile is very charming!?"

Flor's eyebrow twitched a few times. "Um. What happened, love?"

Liu Shu humphed. "I went to speak with them, but you know what they did!? They… They…" Liu Shu couldn't really complain because they just talked back to her. Therefore, she changed the subject. "Anyway! They bullied me and you need to punish them!"

Flor rubbed her forehead. "Are you acting pampered now?"

Liu Shu asked proudly. "When have I not acted pampered!? You must pamper me if you call yourself my mom!"

Flor asked, speechless. "Are you blackmailing me now?" Her lips arched coldly, and she asked. "Do you know that mothers also spank the butt of their naughty children? I have seen that you have quite a big one over there!"

"..." Liu Shu felt that she dug this grave herself.

Flor laughed a bit and leaned on her hand. "Okay, love. You probably are aware of a few things. So, just take your time. Remember that you have many years ahead, so nothing needs to happen so soon. Look at everything, think of things slowly, and if you ever feel insecure, come to me."

Liu Shu answered obediently. "Okay. I will do that. Also, are all Rose Fairies besides you around the same size? You are around 40 centimeters tall, right? Other Rose Fairies are around 20 centimeters tall."

"That's right," Flor answered. "Why'd you ask?"

"I have a treasure for you!" Liu Shu answered enthusiastically. "Come to the vault to get it! Also, I will need a bit of help from you to plan the armor for the Rose Fairy fighters..."

Flor heard those words, and she looked outside the window, thinking of how ridiculous they were. 'She is going to create hundreds of armors while her roots are working on the other side of the city, creating those extra Tree houses and such… World Trees are a bit crazy.'