Cassandra

Year 820 | Month 4 | Day 19

Unsurprisingly, Rodrick is the first person to rush over to me once our two groups meet before wrapping me in a bear hug and lifting me off the ground. But unlike when he used to do this, I don’t grunt or anything in response. Because I’m actually stronger than him now, fortunately.

“Please put me down,” I tell him with a faint smile on my face, happy to be back with them again.

Charles smiles at that and says, “Looks like you’ve gotten a lot stronger.”

I nod at that while Rodrick puts me back on the ground. Charles then walks up and gives me a much gentler hug than Rodrick did. And after that I focus on dad, who is just grinning at me like a proud parent.

“You’re at the barrier between Tiers 3 and 4 aren’t you?” he asks, pride obvious in his voice. Which startles both of my brothers in the process.

I nod my head again, my smile growing a little bit.

Dad breaks out into a laugh at that before walking up and pulling me into a hug, not letting me go again for several seconds. Then both of my brothers walk up and begin asking me about how I’m already at such a high level.

And so I begin to tell them, just for the Aultan king to interrupt within seconds of my story by stepping forward and saying, “King Archibald,” reminding the three of us of their existence.

Oops.

He doesn’t seem to care though.

“King Valtar,” dad says, making me glance between the two to find dad scowling at him while the King of Aulta simply stares with his emotionless gaze. “I appreciate you returning my daughter.”

Surprisingly, King Valtar actually shakes his head and says, “No appreciation needed. It was part of the terms of our deal, and she has benefited our nation greatly during her stay.” He then begins to walk out of the port and towards the path to Yggdrasil.

Dad and my brothers all seem very surprised by his not taking advantage of the situation to gain a favor, but I’m not. Mostly because I did sight a contract. My help for him bringing me here. There wasn’t any sort of favor involved.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

They didn’t know that though.

Both of the princes walk up to me after that and Thórir says, “It’s been a pleasure, Wrath. Maybe we might go on a hunt together at some time?”

I nod with a smile, “The next time I go to Aulta.”

He nods back and begins following his father. Meanwhile his brother just repeats what he said, just without the hunt part before he follows Thórir.

Over the next couple minutes, the hunters under King Valtar all say their own farewells towards me and make their way after their royal family, leaving me behind with the group from Liathtria.

I turn back to them after the last farewell to find Rodrick already walking towards me before he puts his arm over my shoulder and asks rather quietly despite everyone being able to hear him, “So, what happened over at Aulta? Why do they all look like they respect you now?”

“And why are they calling you Wrath?” Charles asks with a raised brow.

I open my mouth to speak again, only for dad to interrupt me this time by saying, “How about we get settled in our afforded lodging before you start.” And when I look at him, he adds, “It sounds like it might be a long story, and the knights could use their rest for the night.”

Oh, true. Didn’t think about that.

“Then let’s go,” I state before almost walking ahead, very briefly forgetting that etiquette dictates the King go first.

Dad just chuckles and shakes his head as he starts walking up the stairs. I then follow behind next to my brothers, with the knights all falling in line behind us.

We all stay silent as we climb the stairs towards the tree. And after an entire hour of walking in silence, we finally arrive at the base of the tree, where various structures are built, along with a vast and floating staircase that looks like it shouldn’t be able to stand can be found.

The structures are all majestic in design, built out of wood and some sort of special stone that identifies as a System item despite being a part of the buildings.

Interesting.

I can’t tell what Tier the stone is though. And I can feel that the wood seems to have mp in it as well, but I can’t identify it. So is it a System item, or just something enhanced by a skill?

This is the World Tree though, so it makes sense that it would be well fortified.

The structures are set up purely for us visitors, as we know from past visits that the Sacred Beasts all live up in the branches, and the Ancestor – the Protector – lives at the tree’s core. So there are only three Sacred Beasts down here to greet us, one for each of the nations.

Dad leads us straight towards the Sacred Beast standing at the far right of the large staircase. A beast that has a humanoid form but with wolf ears instead of human ones, and a wolf’s tail to show that he is some sort of wolf in his original form.

“Welcome back to Yggdrasil, Your Majesty,” the Sacred Beast says with a light nod of his head. Then he turns to look at me and smiles as he adds, “And it would appear that you’ve found your daughter, Wrath! This is wonderful news!”

I hold myself back from raising an eyebrow.

It’s pretty obvious that his ancestor just saved me and the Aultans earlier, so why is he acting like he didn’t already know I was here? Or is it that he wasn’t told of my arrival?

That could be it.

Dad greets him in turn, and so do my brothers and I before he begins leading us to the residences we’ll be staying at.