"You've heard me. Do I really need to repeat myself?"

A man looked at his partner with a dead serious face after revealing a shocking finding. His partner spoke with a disbelieving voice. "But… That place is so low leveled. How can it be possible? It's just the Golden Sap Forest!"

The first man snorted. "So what? It's not like a place stays at the same level forever. If an anomaly appears, it is not impossible to become much more advanced."

The other rolled his eyes. "As if that's not the exception in the exception. How can an environment grow when everyone is at a low level? They can't really get enough Experience Points from killing other creatures. It's like saying that a Level 50 will Level Up in a Level 10 area without an energy-gathering system."

The first person sighed. "It's not the same, don't spout nonsense. Anyway, listen here. We need to tell the others and investigate. I really think that what happened was because of that. Moreover, with our Levels, do we have anything to fear in there? In the worst-case scenario, we just lose a few days and make a small profit by killing a few first-cycle creatures."

"Hey, are we going to upset the environmental balance by killing those first-cycle creatures?" The second man frowned and commented. "If those people learn about it, we are going to have big trouble."

The first man leaned on his chair and sighed. "We are part of the power. A place that's feared in every forest around here. Why do we need to be so careful?"

Disdain toward this arrogant person filled him when he heard his question. "Why do we need to be careful? Well, listen, asshole, we are feared because some of the top families don't involve themselves with us as they take our actions as part of a natural cycle. Do you think that if the Liferoot, Neoflora, or even the Songtree family hears about us upsetting an entire forest's environment, we won't be uprooted like little bad weeds growing at the side of their house?"

The arrogant man's face stiffened, and he frowned. "I mean, they can't really move as they please, right?"

The second one laughed derisively. "You want to risk it? Really? I heard that the Liferoot woman keeps man-eating plants as pets and goes hunting humans to feed them. Not to mention, the Songtree family can probably just make a pretty concert in front of our sect and kill us all. I'm sorry, but if you intend to upset the environmental balance without a proper reason, you can go alone."

When he saw that he was about to stand up, he extended his hand and grabbed his arm. "Wait, wait. Why are you so hasty? Let's speak about it."

Meanwhile, in the , a few tens of kilometers away from Fortuna City, a handsome man was elegantly sitting in a lavish room, holding a cup with processed sap that had a gentle, inebriating taste. "So, how did it go, Theodore? It's been a few months since then, but I have no answers from you or that pretty and fiery Sylvan."

Theodore stood in front of him, his face clearly swollen with red marks. "I told you that I don't know anything about her. Cinderielle has lately disappeared and is going to investigate the forest. I can't follow her inside alone; I am too weak to follow a Sylvan into the forest."

The handsome man smiled refreshingly. "Well, you being too weak is the truth. However, that's why I chose you. After all, if I send a high-level person, she will be on guard. Moreover, you were supposed to be her friend, but lately… It doesn't seem like that."

Theodore didn't say anything as his tongue rolled in his mouth, tasting the iron in his blood.

"Oh, did I hit you too harshly? Sorry. I guess my strength is a bit higher than yours, and I couldn't control myself, haha." The handsome man didn't lose his smile as he asked. "I mean, you confessed to that Sylvan and got rejected. You confessed to a Sylvan I got interested in while knowing I was interested in her. You being hit by me is not a strange outcome, is it?"

Theodore wanted to sneer but looked to the right of the man, and the towering bodyguard made him stay silent. "Tell me what you want, Eldric Stormrider. Someone of your status should not abuse little people like me. It's below you, right?"

Eldric acted surprised. "Small people? You? From the Ironheart family? First time I heard about it." Then he laughed, his eyes shining with hidden yet sharp emotions. "How could any human family compare to a Sylvan family? We are the same! The same humans in a beautiful world. Aren't we all?"

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Theodore didn't answer but cursed in his mind. 'Psychopath.'

Eldric sighed. "Well, since you can't call pretty Cinderielle here for a lovely chat, I guess I'll have to go personally." Eldric smiled widely. "The first time I saw her, she was really pretty. Fiery hair, orange eyes, a tall and slender build. Really exotic. I wonder if I can tame that little prideful flame and make her do my bidding. After all, she is a flame without roots."

Theodore muttered. "I've seen that she has been close to the Liferoot miss lately."

Eldric blinked twice after he stood up and got thoughtful. "Liferoot… Lady Verena. Hm…" After a few moments, he smiled. "That shouldn't be a problem."

Theodore was confused, but he didn't dare speak anymore, wanting nothing more than to leave this place.

During the same time, a Sylvan with black hair and white accents rested on a comfortable chair in the principal's office of the Academy building. Her face was cold as she looked out of the window toward the towering World Tree, whose canopy covered a large part of the central city.

Her lips opened slowly and called it. "World Tree Fortuna."

Without much delay, an ethereal and profound reverberating female voice echoed in her mind. "What might you want, Eila Neoflora?"

Eila looked at the World Tree and asked. "Why are you so active lately?"

Fortuna, the World Tree, answered. "Why should I tell you?"

Eila answered with indifference. "Why shouldn't you? Am I not here to protect you?"

Fortuna's natural and ethereal laugh reached her. "Protect me? That's interesting."

The powerful Sylvan heard World Tree Fortuna speak. "You are not here to protect me, Eila Neoflora, but to control me. Don't play human politics with me, or I'll get angry."

Eila paused and asked. "And, what if you get angry?"

Fortuna sent an amused message. "Who knows? I've never considered myself a World Tree with patience."

The black-haired Sylvan sneered. "Ironic for a World Tree that prides herself in Destiny arts."

"I don't. Your people just forced me down this path. Otherwise, I would've been uprooted, like many others." Fortuna laughed. "It's amusing when I hear the drivel you spout in class about how I managed to become an independent and protected World Tree. Doesn't your conscience hurt from lying?"

Unsurprisingly for Fortuna, Eila answered flatly. "It does. I don't like it, to be honest."

Fortuna knew it was the truth, Eila Neoflora was a strange creature. Strong enough to live a life without attachments as long as she was careful. Stubborn enough not to leave the power she was in out of attachment, even after a few centuries.

"Eila Neoflora."

"Yes?"

"Lately… I feel strange."

Eila blinked, surprised. "You do?"

Fortuna's voice sounded thoughtful. "Yes. I don't know what could even cause a feeling like this, but I feel… restless." Fortuna laughed. "Level 26 with a few centuries behind my back, and I'm still a scared little tree. Truly…" Fortuna's voice was a hushed whisper but clear enough for Eila to catch it. "... Annoying."

Eila's eyes flashed, looking closely at the being that created a shadow on the city. 'World Trees… Many called them blessed, but living as one is nothing but a gamble. Blessed by their ancestry, coveted for their strength, immobile, and easy to prey upon until they gained enough strength.'

Although Eila was at a higher level than Fortuna, she was personally not sure how a fight between them would go. She was called here to keep an eye on the World Tree. But during the decades she had been here, the World Tree's and her own strength were getting closer.

The creature she could probably defeat without problems in the past was now a difficult challenge. 'What will happen in 50 more years? Perhaps there is no need for such a long time for me to become weaker than her.'

Neoflora looked through the window at the playground in the Academy. Her eyes appeared to be looking there, but they were observing further. 'Flat land that seems peaceful, not knowing that below them, a root net that stretches for several kilometers is laid with enough strength to rip the land apart.'

Fortuna spoke. "Eila Neoflora."

"What's wrong, World Tree?"

Fortuna asked. "When will I die?"

Eila looked at the towering creature. "Why would you ask?"

Fortuna laughed. "I thought you might know. Do I get eliminated once I gain enough power to defend myself? What if I one day kill you? Will they leave me alone or send someone stronger to supervise me?"

Eila answered flatly again. "I don't know what will happen. I will be dead if you kill me."

Fortuna paused. "That's true, I guess." A laugh reached Eila. "Hahaha, really… I should've not trusted… Not following my instincts as a World Tree is probably the biggest mistake I've ever made. Now… Who knows how it will turn out."

Eila's mind flashed with many thoughts as she analytically observed it. 'The World Tree is not stable. Should I inform the envoys?'

Her hand moved, but it stopped before she touched the pen as words from the World Tree echoed in her mind.

'... I feel restless.'

'... When will I die?'

'... I really should've not trusted.'

'... Who knows how it will turn out?'

Eila stood there, frozen for a long time. Her gaze moved toward the large window by her side, taking in the large city and every building ever built here. 'Prosperity and happiness, huh?'

Her stiff lips arched in a derisive sneer. 'Really, hypocrites everywhere.' Eila leaned back on her chair and spoke aloud. "I'm also getting tired, World Tree. Too many years… Too many…"

No answer came, but it didn't surprise Eila. How could there be an answer of consolation from a creature that's been pointed at by her weapon for years?

While the world moved and the cogs of fate slowly spun, affecting everything and everyone, a small and young World Tree grew inside a grove, surrounded by people, and that, with time, would be involved right in the middle of a storm.