Chapter 172: Today, I Will Also Save Humanity from the Abyss (Part 2)
Lafael instinctively looked up.
He saw over a dozen enormous, uniquely-formed dragons boldly charging out of the radiance emitted by the giant tree. Their long roars reverberated through the sky. These colossal dragons were as massive as mountains, almost blotting out the entire Holy City. The surviving Shanter soldiers stood in the shadows cast by the dragons, staring up in awe, looking at these powerful creatures that had long been extinct and once ruled the continents of East and West.
On the city walls, Carlos pulled his sword from a monster’s chest, while Lapria unleashed a fireball that sent the monster’s corpse crashing down from the wall. They too lifted their heads, gazing at the snow-mountain-sized white dragon that swirled its massive body above the heads of the Pope Knights.
Carlos’s pupils dilated.
He saw the white dragon hovering not far from the crowd outside the walls. Both Carlos and Lapria stood in the dragon’s shadow, overwhelmed by an almost suffocating sense of oppression. The two Pope Knights stiffened, and before their brains could even register what was happening, they saw the dragon’s head tilt back, and its massive mouth opened wide, flashing with brilliant white light—
Buzz!!!
In the next moment, a terrifying beam of light erupted from the white dragon’s mouth, as if the very heavens had faded in an instant. The light streaked across the sky and smashed into the massive abyss monster’s chest, piercing it straight through. The mountain-sized body swayed momentarily before disintegrating into countless ashes, dispersing into the upper atmosphere.
Carlos was frozen in place.
Above, the disheveled Queen Elizabeth looked equally stunned, watching as the monster, which had been a daunting foe no matter how much she struggled against it, simply fell before the dragon’s breath. Her mouth slightly agape, it suddenly seemed like she understood something, and she turned to look in the direction of the tree.
Inside the Holy City, Margaret, who was closest to the giant tree, slowly opened her tightly shut eyes. She saw the blinding white light fade away, replaced by the earth rumbling as if it were about to engage in a battle of its own, producing a deep, rumbling sound.
She knew that was the sound of the army charging forward.
Before her eyes, countless sharp-eared fairies, wielding their swords and longbows, rode in on blue wolf beasts, emerging from the debris of shattered walls. They burst through the spot where the Saintess Class was, loudly shouting something as they charged toward the abyss monsters outside the city with a force that made it seem like they could crush anything in their path.
The sounds of battle intensified once again.
Inside a half-collapsed building at Holy Angel Fortress, Sophia and her father emerged from their hiding spot in a wardrobe, gazing blankly at the sky and the soaring dragons. They saw the abyss monsters, which just moments before had seemed invincible, suddenly stop moving as if they had crashed; the dragons’ terrifying breath harvested them like ripe wheat, reduced to ashes signifying d*ath.
Watching the scene, Sophia’s mind went blank for a long moment. Then, as if realizing something, she looked toward the towering tree within the city.
Outside the northern city walls, Sword Demon Anacelis sheathed her sword, gazing up at the tree soaring into the sky.
Carlos, Lapria, and the lucky surviving Pope Knights—all the sharpest warriors of the Shanter Army, along with Lafael returning to his senses—simultaneously turned their eyes toward the tree.
Everyone was waiting, their eyes shining with hope, anticipating the scene they yearned to behold.
Or rather, the figure they longed to see.
However, that figure did not appear.
All they heard was a resounding declaration that seemed to emanate from within the tree, reverberating through the skies.
“The Mad God is dead.”
The voice continued, “I have reached a consensus with the fairies and dragons; they will lend you their strength, clearing out the monsters from the Abyss Mud, and toppling the dead tree of Cartelgarin. From now on, this world will know no Abyss and no Gidales.”
That was the voice of a young woman.
Shortly after, thunderous cheers erupted inside and outside the city.
…
Meanwhile, at the southwestern border defensive line.
Barry was retreating constantly, clutching his broken sword. He looked at the monstrous creature lunging toward him with dread and panic in his eyes, but suddenly, the monster froze in place.
Barry blinked, unable to comprehend the scene for a long while. He was in the most chaotic battle setting, and it seemed all the surrounding monsters weren’t moving.
Barry had no idea what was going on.
But thinking back to his friend Ryan, who had been consumed by Dead Smoke and died in agony not long ago, Barry gasped, his chest heaving violently. Steeling himself, he walked towards the monster, his eyes reddening, and struck at its neck with his sword.
Without any resistance, the monster’s head was nearly severed by the blow. Barry exerted all his strength to pull the sword out, letting out a howl and striking the monster’s head again—
“Ughhhhhh!”
Knowing the monster had completely turned to dust, Barry dropped his sword and fell back to the ground, surveying the battlefield where the sounds of others echoing their triumph echoed just like him.
“Little Shay…”
Barry closed his eyes, murmuring his sister’s name, and gradually faded into unconsciousness.
In his dazed state, he seemed to dream.
In the dream, he saw the tiny girl he hadn’t seen in ages, standing at the familiar entrance of their village, waving goodbye to him. Her hair was soft, and her eyes sparkled as if they could speak.
“Don’t be sad.”
She said, “We will see each other again, no matter how long it takes.”
…
In the year 1190, June, after countless sacrifices, the war between humanity and disaster ultimately concluded with humanity’s final victory.
The garrison of over 30,000 in the Holy City dwindled to fewer than 8,000 after the war. Of the 20,000 elite Shanter Falcon troops, fewer than one-tenth survived. The entire Catholic Knights Order led by Safiros perished, Captain Rect of the Sword of Kanli died, and the vice-captain was left permanently disabled, with other Pope Knights’ top combatants also suffering over half their losses.
At the southwestern border defense line, the 67,000 defenders, after the city wall was breached, engaged in a large-scale guerrilla war against hundreds of monsters. By the final moments of battle, their command structure fell into complete chaos. Including the Shanter Wolf Hunting Army, Lion Hunting Army, Erin Castle’s Red Riders, Kariye Cavalry, City Guard, and German Winged Knights, tens of thousands of allied troops fought in disarray against the monsters for days, suffering countless casualties but refusing to retreat. They ultimately held the abyss at bay from the kingdom’s western territory. Ten days after the Tree of Saints battle concluded, with the support of dragons, they slaughtered over three hundred abyss creatures.
In early July, the allied forces of the two nations entered Silgaya’s territory after reorganization, sweeping away the remaining monsters from this fertile land of the Western Continent. By the end of the month, they reached the Holy Wall. The Shanter Army utilized the central workshop’s hot air balloon technology and, alongside the white dragon, flew into the sky above the cursed land of Cartelgarin, searching for three days through the dense fog to locate the dead tree’s position, and then dropped over a hundred barrels of gunpowder to burn down the black tree.
In early August, the skies over the Western Continent cleared.
After the war, the fairies and dragons returned to the towering tree in the Holy City. Many people hoped to join them inside for a peek but were firmly denied by the Fairy Clan. It took the townsfolk a while to understand their meaning— the sins from a thousand years ago would not be forgotten. However, the fairies promised their master they would not wage territorial war against humans again. They would keep their promise, but the inside of the sacred tree belonged to the fairies and dragons, and they would never let humans tread lightly again.
September rolled around.
The emperors of both nations agreed with the fairy leaders to designate some lands around the Holy City, mingled between the three nations, for the fairies and dragons to dwell in and allowed them to build independent nations and freely develop trade.
Additionally, the emperors of both nations would fund the construction of an “Academic Exchange Area” and “Exotic Schools” in the Holy City, hoping it could become a significant bridge for cultural exchange between humans and fairies in the future.
By the end of November, the once sacred site was officially renamed “Holy Land Vidham,” with the Holy City at the center becoming the capital of Vidham—Silvya City.
Final Chapter·Postscript
In the year 1193, late summer.
The clammy weather couldn’t dampen the fiery spirit of the people in the Royal City, akin to the rising temperature.
This day marked the third anniversary of humanity’s victory over disaster. The grand celebration in and around the city had been organized three months in advance. The entire royal palace bustled about, and by today, the results were evident in the smiling faces of the people.
From the most bustling part of the southern city to the poverty-stricken northern slums, almost all the streets were filled with a vibrant atmosphere. The larger squares in the city were alive with song and dance all day. As night fell, after several rounds of drinks, there were even some nobles and commoners linking arms, enjoying the harmonious scene together.
The southern marketplace was equally lively, with crowds surging, mingling with the fragrant aromas of food and the sounds of merchants and vendors shouting. By 8 PM, the most popular dessert stall was already sold out of handmade treats. Watching the crowd, two gay vendors sighed, “It’s been ages since the Royal City was so lively, isn’t it wonderful… don’t you think, dear?”
“It reminds me of a couple of years ago when that beautiful pair of lovers lit up the place on a night just as boisterous as this… I wonder where they are now and if they’re doing well…”
Inside the royal palace, the atmosphere was similarly lively with the grand banquet hall filled with nobles who had rushed in from various parts of Ethanbel, along with esteemed guests from the Valen Empire. At the head table, Emperor Skarlij sat to the left, while Queen Elizabeth and her sister, along with members of the Reikmon family, sat to the right, the two kings of nearly opposite temperaments occupying the center.
The white-haired Emperor Skarlij, sipping prime snow wine specially brought from the empire, watched the elegant dance of Ethanbel’s renowned dancers below and laughed heartily at Queen Elizabeth, “Indeed, celebrations truly thrive in places like the Royal City! Choosing to hold it here was absolutely the right decision. If it had been in Winter City, even the finest dancers would be shivering!”
Her Majesty, the Queen nodded with a calm demeanor, “But as for moon-gazing, I think my place lacks the scenic beauty that comes so naturally to the Empire.”
“Hahaha—”
Emperor Skarlij laughed even louder, “Drink up, drink up!”
The two kings clinked their cups, their toasts showcasing joy and peace. It was a night of revelry for both nations, a festival for the people to forget their woes. They chose to reminisce only about the joyful things, yet during the day, after the envoy from the Valen Empire arrived in the Royal City, the first thing they did with Queen Elizabeth was visit the Hero’s Monument erected in the palace square to honor those who resisted until the last moment during the disaster war.
The names etched in that monument numbered in the tens of thousands, with many of the most prominent familiar to everyone as if just gazing at those cold engravings brought memories of their once-warm smiles back to life.
Thus, that night, Skarlij got drunk, Lafael got drunk, Pasifal got drunk, Little Reikmon got drunk, and plenty of others got drunk.
The banquet continued into the deep of night, with the Emperor of the Empire stepping out to the terrace for some fresh air to sober up, gazing at the two crescent moons obscured by clouds in the sky. The moonlight cast a hazy glow on the rugged face of this northern brute, making the frost at his temples shine like silver.
“Seems like home really does have the roundest moon…”
he murmured. After a while, Lady Catherine approached with a glass of water, handing it to him, “I heard Victoria say that the emissaries from the Emerald City will come in a few days?”
“Oh? Do you think the time is ripe for the Empire to finally break free from the shadow of disaster? Are the two emperors of the Western continent planning to clear their hands and prepare to end the turmoil in Silgaya that has lasted for three years?”
“Ha.”
Hearing this, Skarlij chuckled and looked at his wife for a moment, “Pretty much, but let’s not talk about that tonight.”
The once-renowned beauty Catherine, who had captivated the Empire, had aged more with each passing year through the chaos of these last few years. Even the finest of make-up couldn’t hide the traces time had carved on her face.
Suddenly, the Emperor felt a pang of regret.
“Victoria is still in the banquet hall.”
Noticing her husband’s contemplative mood, Lady Catherine gently said, “Lafael and the others must be in high spirits… It’s rare to have such a relaxing opportunity, yet you sneak off here to gaze at the moon by yourself… what are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking.”
Skarlij touched Catherine’s face, lifted his head, and gazed at the deep night sky, “Did Pepé ever sit here alone, like this, staring at the moon in a daze?”
Catherine froze for a moment.
“…Heh.”
She suddenly laughed, “I think you might be overthinking. You don’t really know your daughter; getting her to sit quietly on the moon-gazing platform at Shanter Castle for even five minutes would make her feel like she was pricked by needles.”
“What interests her are the peculiar animals on the back mountain, or maybe those cheap good eats at the market. Ever since she was little, it’s been like that. I heard from Victoria that when she first arrived, she dragged her along to change into casual clothes, and the two of them devoured everything in the Longdoll Street marketplace, leaving with all the pastries from one stall.”
As she spoke, a smile spread across her face, as she leaned against Skarlij at the rail covered in roses, together gazing at the bustling street scene of the Royal City under the starry sky.
“What a pity,” Skarlij sighed lightly, “If only she were here tonight. Seeing all this must surely make her incredibly happy.”
Catherine shot a glance at her husband, “Missing our daughter?”
“Hehe.”
Skarlij scratched his head, letting out a dry laugh.
“…What a silly sight.”
Seeing his expression, Catherine’s eyes glimmered with tenderness.
“Earlier, you were so eager to leave for the royal city that I knew you couldn’t wait any longer. Really, I’m not even in a hurry anymore… So go say hi to Victoria, and once we meet with the Republic’s envoy, we can head to Tree City as soon as possible.”
“Got it! I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
“But even when we get there, we’ll still have to wait. Just don’t get so anxious that you rush into the lair of those dragons…”
…………
Vilo Garden.
“Slow down, little Jiajia, slow down—”
In the evening, a man named Barry, dressed and ready, stepped out of his estate. He noticed a maid chasing around a two-year-old girl in the courtyard. The little girl darted around the Honey Fruit Tree grove, while the young maid, clearly not athletic and worried about the child falling, was clumsily trying to catch her.
So Barry squatted down, opened his arms, and gently called out to the girl, “Jiajia, come here to Daddy.”
“Oh~”
When the little girl spotted her father, she called out with her sweet voice and ran into Barry’s embrace. Barry smiled and ruffled her hair. The maid, panting, came over and, looking a bit apologetic, said to Barry, “She’s just so fast…”
The maid was someone Barry had saved during an operation a month ago in Silgaya. After rescuing her, he discovered she had nowhere else to go. Feeling sorry for her, he invited her to help out at the estate and keep an eye on the child—though it was probably her first time doing such a job, she learned quickly and was a responsible girl.
As for little “Jiajia,” she was, of course, Barry and Lilith’s child.
“She’s a good seed.”
Just then, the very pregnant Lilith stepped out of the estate, looking at the father-daughter duo like they were glued together, and said with a smile, “Who knows, she might end up becoming a respected knight under King German, or like her father, a part of the Sword of Kanli, making outstanding contributions to defend the Western Continent. Otherwise, it would just be unfair to her father for giving her that name…”
The little girl was named “Silvya,” a name Barry chose, directly taken from the goddess celebrated by the new “Holy Sect” of Tree City, who, according to rumors, eliminated the source of disaster and saved humanity from extinction.
Of course, in Barry’s version of the story, that goddess was “Aunt Silvya,” but little Jiajia never believed it. She thought, if her aunt was a goddess, then why was her dad such a lazy bum who couldn’t even cook at home, always getting on her mom’s nerves?
“What are you doing out here?”
Barry lifted his daughter, surprised to see his wife, who was also dressed nicely, and said, “Didn’t I say to stay home? It’s late, the roads on the way are bumpy, and it’s not good for you. You need to rest.”
Lilith walked down the steps, and the maid hurried to assist her. With her hands on her hips, Lilith took a slight breath and said to Barry, “Consider it a little workout before delivery. It’s not good to keep lying down or sitting around, and besides, today’s a special day! I want to have a chat with Grandma.”
Barry couldn’t win against his stubborn wife. They hopped on the War Chariot and first stopped by the Hero’s Monument in front of the palace. Barry poured some fine wine at the base of the monument, saying, “Brother Rect, and my good friends, I’m here to bother you again.”
He drank alone in front of the monument, sharing heartfelt words, while Lilith quietly watched from the carriage. The energetic little Jiajia couldn’t sit still, so she was taken by the maid to check out the royal palace.
About half an hour later, Barry returned to the carriage, already a bit tipsy. The family then headed to the cemetery on the western side of the city. Lilith was assisted by the maid as she got off the carriage, holding a bouquet of flowers to place at Grandma Claire’s grave. Little Jiajia was feeling sleepy, snuggling in Barry’s arms with half-closed eyes.
The couple chatted with Grandma, sharing bits of everyday life, letting her know that once the chaos in the south was completely over, they would bring her remains back to the village, so she could rest peacefully at home with her sister.
After that, in his drunken state, Barry started talking to Grandma about Little Shay.
“Grandma, back then, I almost died at the southwestern border…”
“I’m not afraid of d*ath, but what scares me is that if I d*e without changing anything… I keep wanting to catch up to her, but in the end, I only learned from others that she saved all our lives again…”
“Grandma, do you know that she saved the whole Western Continent, but ended up becoming a tree…?”
“But I want to hear her voice again.”
“Do you think she’s a fool…?”
“Daddy, why are you crying?”
“Daddy, why did Auntie turn into a tree…?”
…………
Royal Academy of Christ.
“I’m so exhausted!”
After wandering around for a whole day, Sarah and Daisy returned to their dorm. Sarah dropped her overflowing bag and sprawled out on the bed, closing her eyes and yelling, “Ahhh! If it weren’t for Sofia dawdling, we could’ve actually seen ‘The Soul of German’ play! It’s about our Winged Knights, and today is the royal premiere, do you know how long I’ve waited for this?!”
“Not my problem.”
Sofia shut the dorm door, glaring at the woman acting like a spoiled child on the bed. “You’re the one who insisted on going to see another play first. I told you the timing wouldn’t work, but you thought you could make it. In the end, you got stuck outside!”
“I don’t care! I’m blaming you! Who told you to be such a lousy athlete, like an old lady ready to kick the bucket, panting for ten minutes after running two steps? Please, you’re only in your twenties and haven’t even had kids yet. How are you going to attract those dashing young men in the palace? When it’s your turn in bed, you’ll be crying and begging for mercy after just half a sprint—”
“Sarah, what are you saying…?”
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Daisy couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, “Come on, we finally have a chance to hang out together. Can’t we just skip the fighting? Didn’t we all have fun today? It’s been so long since we were back at the academy. Why not just chat about recent stuff?”
“Recent stuff? For Sofia, that means there’s nothing happening. Even if she’s casting her nets all over the palace, she hasn’t landed a single guy she fancies…”
“Sarah, I swear, I will tear your foul mouth to shreds.”
“……”
Sure, they were fighting, but it had indeed been a long time since they’d all been together.
During the disaster war three years ago, Daisy was seriously injured, and it was thanks to Sarah’s desperate protection that she survived. After the war ended, Daisy spent nearly a year recovering in the western region of Ethanbel, and with her family’s care, she gradually got better. Now, the once shy girl has become a somewhat famous herbalist in the German Medical Team.
As for Sarah, she became a knight captain in the Winged Knights.
After the Fifth Knights fell apart, she joined her father in gathering the remaining “defecting knights.” Most of these knights, including Sarah’s father, have in turn joined the Winged Knights, greatly increasing Sarah’s prestige in the order and sparking many rumors that in a few years, she is the most likely female knight to rise to vice captain.
As for Sofia—
She and her father ensured supplies during the disaster war, not allowing the Holy City’s provisions to be cut off even under the most severe conditions. Because of this, the Jiaslin family has become Her Majesty the Queen’s most trusted right-hand men. Sofia’s father’s influence in the royal palace is growing, and since Sofia is primarily responsible for family affairs, she has naturally become the center of envy among today’s young nobles in the royal city.
Yes, so when Sarah just insulted her, it was heavily fueled by personal grievances.
The reason why Sofia is still single to this day isn’t due to the misconception that there are guys she likes who don’t like her back; the issue is that there are hardly any males her age in the palace that meet her standards—leading her to wonder what the Ethanbel royal family was up to, given that this generation seems to be predominantly female, and the Queen’s handsome cousins are either incredibly good-looking or completely useless.
Moving on, the three girls from 1504 have now found their paths in life and have achieved a considerable degree of success in one way or another.
Three years later, they have become excellent graduates from the Royal Academy—earlier dorms have already been taken over by new students. In reality, they have come back to the academy very few times in these three years; tonight’s return isn’t in their old 1504 or 604, but rather the academy’s tower has special “guest lodgings” reserved for returning graduates. This long-awaited reunion is meant to rekindle the deep sisterly bond they once shared.
Maybe they simply hadn’t amused each other in a while, feeling pent up and uneasy.
“So, Sarah, while you keep on blathering about me, what’s your situation?”
After washing up, the three lay in their respective beds. They originally planned to chat, but that didn’t go as expected. The thought only made Sofia angrier, and she unleashed her frustrations on Sarah: “You’ve been surrounded by men all this time, and yet you haven’t popped out even two kids in years. We’re not getting any younger. Find a suitable one to marry, I’m serious. You better pay attention to this. After all, unlike me, you’re this manly woman not just anyone is fighting over, treasure it while you can. I’m doing this for your own good.”
Sarah had cut her hair very, very short, making it very easy to wear a helmet. As Sofia said, she had spent years among those battle-hardened tough guys, unknowingly picking up a bit of their fierceness in the last three years. The once baby-faced girl has shed that softness, now with sharper features and somewhat darker skin. Though Sofia’s comments were harsh, there was some truth to it.
“Shut your trap!”
But Sarah wasn’t having any of it. She shot up from her bed, shouting, “You think I can’t find anyone? Do you have any idea how many people in the Winged Knights line up trying to woo me? I’ve sent them all packing! I’m a knight, okay? Not everyone is like you, obsessing over that little thing between a man’s legs all day long!”
Sofia frowned at this crude language, “I can’t believe I’m hearing such vulgarity from you. I thought I knew your limits.”
After a pause, she added, “This only shows you’ve become desperate.”
“You—”
“Ugh.”
Just as the two were about to throw down, the usually quiet Daisy quickly intervened, “If you’re going to fight like this, I’m heading back to the camp. It’s too loud. Why are we talking about this? What’s the point of tearing at each other’s wounds?”
Then, fearing no one would listen, she quickly changed the subject, “Aren’t we meeting today because of the purification ceremony in Tree City in September? On that day, the Holy Tree will allow blessings to descend upon the Western Continent again, completely purging the dead swamps in the south. They say that, but we all know what might happen that day, right? Should we go or not? Why is no one mentioning this even a day before?”
As soon as she said this, Sofia and Sarah fell silent.
After a while, Sarah lay back down, muttering under her breath, “I already asked the knight order… That stubborn old man Henry won’t allow it. He said the Winged Knights strictly prohibits religious promotion, and no one can get involved with the Holy Tree Sect…”
That was probably also the reason for her particularly irritable mood today.
Meanwhile, Sofia was in a similar situation.
“Sorry, Daisy…”
Only Daisy, as a member of the German Medical Team, didn’t have too many rules. However, she might soon be assigned to Silgaya. The word was already out, and once the order came down, she wouldn’t be able to go either.
After Daisy shared her situation, Sarah sighed, “Well, turns out none of us can go… I even wrote a letter, planning to have you deliver it to that little guy who’s been asleep for three years.”
“Wow, what a coincidence, we’re both on the same wavelength.”
Sofia exclaimed, and Sarah immediately asked, “Wait, you wrote a letter too?”
“Uh-huh.” Sofia huffed, “It’s such an important matter, I’m afraid that if we don’t go, someone will run over here pissed off and punch our noses… You know she’s always grouchy when she wakes up.”
Both Sarah and Daisy shivered at that thought.
“Let’s do this.”
After a moment, Sofia suddenly said, “Since we can’t go, let’s write another letter, making sure to give plenty of reasons, and sound as pitiful as possible to avoid giving her an excuse to punch our noses.”
“I’m close with Captain Sharman, and I know she’ll be going with Her Majesty the Queen. I’ll give her the letter and ask her to take it, saying we’ll treat her to a big feast when she comes back. How does that sound?”
“Sounds great, sounds great!”
Sarah eagerly agreed, “I had no idea you, with those thick eyebrows and big eyes, could actually come up with something trustworthy!”
“Why do you think I’m trustworthy?!” Sofia snapped back, “When have you all gotten into trouble without coming to me to clean it up…?”
“…Speaking of which.”
After a moment of silence, Sarah suddenly said, “Is Her Majesty really going? I thought it was just a rumor.”
“Of course she’s going.” Sofia replied nonchalantly.
“…Why?”
“No reason.” Sofia picked at her delicately manicured nails, “If you’re curious, you can ask Her Majesty yourself, or you can ask Lady Catherine. The Valen royal family has been at the palace lately; they’re getting ready to go with Her Majesty.”
Sarah: ???
“Huh?”
### The Southern Border of Gaia
Three years after the disaster quelled, this land of chaos-infested mud was gradually regaining its former vitality. However, completely banishing the Abyss Mud might still require a long and arduous process.
With the royal rule lost, the once-bustling grain storehouse of the Western Continent had transformed into a breeding ground for chaos over the past three years. Various factions fought over the dwindling fertile land capable of growing food, and the starving citizens were forced to pick up weapons, participating in a seemingly endless brutal struggle.
With resources running scarce and bandits running rampant, the entire nation plunged into a state of paralysis. Burned and pillaged villages were everywhere, corpses littered the streets, and the people were barely surviving.
“Food and women, leave them all to me! Anyone who resists gets killed. If you want to join our Society of Knowledge, show me you can k*ll someone. Do that, and I’ll give you half a piece of bread!”
“No, please, don’t…”
“Ah!!”
“Mom—”
In a remote and impoverished village in the southern border, dirty bandits stormed in at dawn, playing out the daily tragedy that unfolded in this country.
They robbed the villagers of their food, even roasted rats weren’t spared. They drove off and killed the men in the village, toyed with the poor women, and in the eyes of the bandits, survival of the fittest was just business as usual.
“d*mn it, you little… dare to bite me!”
Just as a few bandits were about to have their way with two girls in the street, one of them bit off a finger. As he picked up a dagger to k*ll the girl, his wrist was suddenly grabbed by someone else.
“You know what? You all are just having a bad day.”
The bandit turned to see a disheveled man in a cloak, looking at him as if he were already dead.
The bandit did not like that chill in the man’s gaze and cursed, “Who the hell are you—” as he lunged the blade at the man.
“Ahhhh!!”
But the next moment, he screamed in horror as the man “crunched” his wrist, snatched the dagger, and stabbed it into the bandit’s throat. As bl**d gushed out, the bandit clutched his neck and fell, disbelief on his face. The other bandits, witnessing this, sprang into action. After a brief slaughter, the man looked at the fallen bodies and then at the two trembling girls. He smiled.
“Don’t look, good kids. Just stay inside; it’ll be safe here soon.”
“Hey, Carlos!”
Not far off, a curvy woman dragging what seemed to be the bandit leader’s corpse walked over. “Look, this guy seems to be a cleric from the Holy Church. He has a cross on…”
Suddenly, the ‘dead’ man sprang up, palm glowing as he released a blade of light against the woman’s neck. “Calm down, calm down… I don’t know who you are, but I assure you I’ve done nothing to offend you. I just want to live… How about this? Let me go, and I’ll spare her. Otherwise, we both d*e.”
“… Are you threatening me?”
“Not really, just looking to stay alive.”
“Tsk, tough luck. What should we do?”
The man looked at the scene, feigning a hard time. “How about you k*ll her? I might consider changing targets. Give it a try if you can.”
“Carlos!”
“You—”
Boom!
Flames suddenly erupted around the woman, engulfing the bandit leader who screamed and rolled on the ground as he was consumed by fire. The woman didn’t bother with him, turning into a streak of fire as she charged towards the man, “You’re asking for trouble…”
Ten minutes later, the village returned to tranquility. The two left, escorted by grateful villagers, heading toward an unknown destination.
“When will this life ever end…”
“It should be wrapping up soon. The two emperors of the Western Continent are ready to step in.”
“If all goes well, the entire Western Continent will be theirs from now on.”
“Maybe the Eastern Continent too.”
“Hmm, I heard the Second Knights Order suffered a defeat over there, and the Eastern Continent is in worse shape than Silgaya.”
“So, are we going over there after a while?”
“Sure.”
“Before the new order arrives, saving even one counts as a win.”
“Ah, but we might need to visit Tree City first.”
…………
At the end of August, Tree City, also known as Silvya City.
Giant trees emitting a gentle white glow almost enveloped the entire city. The twisting roots intertwined with the towering city walls, and the unique homes of fairies hung amid the complex branches. In the distant sky, the silhouette of a dragon soared.
Once the “ruins of the Holy City,” this place was slowly restoring to its former prosperity and bustle, thanks to the assistance of the emperors of two nations. Besides fairies, many former refugees also dwelled here, including merchants, craftsmen, pilgrims, and esteemed figures from various scholarly fields.
And the newly emerging sect, the “Saint Tree Sect,” had its followers here.
In the refurbished palace of the Temple Church, former holy saint, now the sect leader, Margaret, had just wrapped up discussions with the fairies regarding the “Purification Ceremony,” focusing primarily on principles of mutual assistance and non-interference between humans and fairies.
Afterward, she returned to the palace where several cloaked figures had been waiting for a while. She addressed the leader, “People in the city are getting too nosy, inevitably bringing in some of those with ulterior motives. Sword Demon Miss, could you please take care of these issues?”
The short woman known as “Sword Demon” nodded in response, “Mm,” but seemed to hesitate to ask something.
At that moment, a lean one-armed girl standing beside her couldn’t hold back, “Master Margaret…”
Margaret turned to look at her.
She recognized the girl. She was Aili, one of the Saint’s Choir survivors from the time of the disaster, also an orphan who survived the Cataloma incident many years ago.
Margaret recalled the girl’s name. Aili was once the child who knelt and cried, begging her to save her Sister Peilo. That face still vivid in her mind, yet in the blink of an eye, the girl had grown so much.
Margaret knew what she wanted to say.
“The fruit of the saint tree has ripened, and the ancient deity’s power is about to give birth to a new Fire Seed. However, the consciousness of the old Fire Seed has shown no signs of dissipating under the king of dragons’ careful watch for the past three years.”
“So just wait; I can assure you that the new Fire Seed… no, the new deity on this land is the very person you all want to meet.”
Her words were directed at both Aili and Sword Demon, yet also for herself.
…………
Three days before the Purification Ceremony.
The entire Tree City was packed; all kinds of people had arrived from everywhere.
These people weren’t necessarily true believers of the so-called Saint Tree sect; many came out of mere curiosity, or looking for opportunities. After all, Tree City didn’t usually open its gates to outsiders, yet recently the doors swung wide, allowing them to witness the legendary beautiful fairies and powerful dragons.
Nobility, merchant associations, legions—various factions from the Western Continent had congregated in Tree City, ostensibly to admire the “Divine Miracle.” Naturally, they had their own ulterior motives, the troubles that stemmed from faith-related issues needless to mention. To avoid these troubles, particularly those associated with worship, the royal carriages from both nations chose to quietly enter the city ahead of time. Except for a few insiders, no one could have guessed their kings were also here.
According to the exchanges among those “insiders,” the two kings seemed to have arrived in Tree City with their families. Once in, they had been residing in the Temple Church and had been having private dinners for several days, apparently in a very merry atmosphere as if they were family.
“So, your little girlfriend really got snagged by that woman?”
At a tavern in Tree City, one of the “insiders,” Carlos, was being eyed skeptically by the alluring woman, Lapria, sitting across from him.
“How many times do I have to say it…”
Facing her teasing, Carlos, already a bit tipsy, could only rub his forehead forcefully. “That girl, with neither chest nor backside… how do I put it, I actually have no reason to hide it from you anymore.”
“Oh?” The woman perked up, all ears.
“Well, it’s like… Hmm, imagine a clumsy four-eared rabbit just born. It’s cute, despite being a bit dangerous… Alright, maybe the four-eared rabbit isn’t dangerous, but she certainly poses some risks… totally clueless about the world, yet so kind. You want to help it, witnessing its growth step by step…”
Before Carlos could finish, he noticed a cold smirk forming on Leah’s mouth. “I get it; you’re a weirdo.”
“……”
The man suddenly felt like he was choking on his drink. “Leah, I’m telling you, you’re acting weird lately.”
“So, we even cleaned up the teacher’s grave.” Lapria ignored him, continuing her tease, “Next, are you staying here waiting for your little girlfriend to ‘come back to life,’ then kneeling down and taking her hand in front of that woman and Skarlij?”
“If you really plan on doing that, let me know in advance. I can help you arrange an escape route. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure there’s no way out for you, and you’ll end up getting hung and beaten. That’s the only way I can watch the fun.”
“……”
Carlos didn’t plan to explain to her anymore. “Who said I’m waiting for the Purification Ceremony?”
“Aren’t you?” She blinked, puzzled. “Why not?”
Carlos shook his head gently. “I’ve already made arrangements with Margaret. If that fruit inside the tree truly is her, I’ll just let Margaret pass a message. I’ll skip the meet-up for now.”
“Ah?” Leah couldn’t quite grasp it.
After all, if he missed this chance, who knew when the next would come?
Yet, Carlos seemed resolute.
“Those words, I can’t say directly to her.”
“What words? A confession?”
“Leah…”
“No way! I don’t care if it’s convenient for you or not; you absolutely must tell me now, Carlos…”
Carlos’s message from Margaret essentially conveyed:
In the very beginning, I told you that what you are doesn’t matter; what matters is what you do and who you want to become. And now, it seems you have become who you truly want to be, and I’m the one caught up in confusion instead.
So, I’m no longer your “life mentor.”
From now on, I’ll follow my own path.
“Hey, Carlos.”
“Hmm?”
“If we leave here, are we heading to the Eastern Continent?”
“Yup.”
“What about after the Eastern Continent?”
“We can’t stay there for a lifetime; I’m a bit tired of that broken place.”
“I haven’t thought that far ahead. Maybe…”
“Maybe?”
“Maybe we’ll check out even further to the east.”
“You mean Amikiel Mountain?”
“No.”
“Not that?”
“I’m talking about the place east of Amikiel Mountain, east of Eborista, east of the Eastern Continent, traveling across the waves to see the world beyond the world.”
“… Beyond the world, there’s another world?”
“How do you know there isn’t?”
“… But what about another crazy deity beyond this world?”
“Pfft pfft pfft!”
“Kids say the weirdest things…”
…………
On the day after the Purification Ceremony, the entire Western Continent was engulfed in nine days and nights of unceasing darkness.
On that day, a black raven perched on the treetop cawed loudly while, high above in the azure sky, countless dragons soared majestically.
On that day, the light emitted by the sacred tree healed the horrific wounds left by chaos on this land. From then on, the scorched lands of Silgaya and Cartelgarin, the boiling swamps, gradually cleared away the growing green grass and tree shade in just five years. It also dispelled the wars and disasters, bringing an end to the prolonged chaos and famine faced by the people of the Western Continent.
On that day, thousands of people knelt before the sacred tree, thanking the lady of the tree for restoring abundance to this land.
For decades after that day, the majority of the populace in both the Western and Eastern Continents believed there was only one deity in this world—the lady of the sacred tree.
However, in reality, only a select few had truly met the lady of the sacred tree on that day.
Led by Margaret and the fairies, they entered the interior of the sacred tree, venturing into the picturesque Land of Dragons. There, they saw the “Fire Seed,” the seed nurtured by the sacred tree, wrapped in immense tree shade, suspended in the sky.
Before their very eyes, that seed blossomed into a gigantic, resplendent, fiery red flower, and at the heart of that blossom, the long-awaited delicate figure emerged, wearing a gown seemingly woven from petals and flames, stepping out into the tear-filled gazes of everyone.
She looked at the familiar faces she hadn’t seen in so long—her father, mother, Viki, Lafael, Pasifal, Margaret, Barry, Lilith, and their children, Annasiris, Aili, Sharman, Bella, Uncle Hoover, Firebird Annie…
The girl gazed at them and their tearful or joyful faces. After a moment, she spread her arms and flew toward them.
“I’m back.”
More than one pair of feet began to run toward the girl.
(End of the Book)
