Chapter 593

Floa, who had been sobbing for quite a while, adjusted her clothes and rose from her seat.

She bowed her head to Latricia in greeting.

“I am Floa, who leads the Dark Elf clan. I apologize for showing such an unsightly side of myself.”

“Not at all. The High Elf clan sincerely welcomes Lady Floa’s visit.”

“Thank you.”

“My name is Latricia.”

“Yes! Lady Latricia.”

The two elves looked at each other with deep, lingering gazes.

Originally, High Elves and Dark Elves were not on good terms.

Their skin color and their dispositions were all different.

They could be called polar opposites.

In Kurayan, that gap was so vast that they merely drifted apart like oil and water. However, they all shared the common experience of having endured tremendous hardships on Earth.

Those unprecedented hardships made them understand each other’s circumstances more deeply.

Latricia took Floa’s hand and said,

“I will guide you around the World Tree village, Lady Floa!”

“Thank you, Lady Latricia!”

Floa willingly clasped Latricia’s hand.

The two elves strolled through the World Tree village, chatting softly together.

Har was also surrounded by High Elves, busily engaged in conversation.

Left alone, Go Du-won muttered with a dumbfounded expression,

“The World Tree… Good heavens.”

“I’m sorry for bringing you here so suddenly.”

At Zeon’s apology, Go Du-won shook his head.

“No! I’m saying that because I like it so much, so don’t mind me. So that means, if we go through the portal, we can come to the World Tree village?”

“Yes!”

“Hoo… This is insane! I mean that in a good way.”

Go Du-won took a deep breath.

The Primordial Forest also had clean air, but this place couldn’t even be compared to it.

Thanks to the influence of the World Tree, it was even purer and more refreshing.

It felt as if his entire body was being cleansed.

“This is wonderful.”

“They say the World Tree and the Primordial Forest will exchange spiritual energy through the opened portal.”

“Is that so? That’s good.”

Go Du-won nodded without a hint of surprise.

Swoooosh!

A powerful energy could be felt from the portal.

Just as Zeon had said, from the very moment the portal opened, the World Tree and the Primordial Forest began exchanging spiritual energy.

The good energy held within the Primordial Forest flowed into the World Tree village through the portal, while the immense spiritual power of the World Tree surged into the Primordial Forest like a tidal wave.

Shhhhh!

All the trees in the World Tree village swayed at once, producing a strange sound.

Tesserina smiled and said,

“The forest is singing a song of joy.”

“A song of joy?”

“Yes! They’ve felt their connection. The trees of the World Tree village, and the trees of the Primordial Forest.”

Zeon looked at the portal with a fascinated expression.

It was amazing that the trees could sense each other through that small portal.

‘Behemoth’s awakening turned into a blessing in disguise.’

Before, even if they knew of each other’s existence, there had been no way to make contact.

If not for the teleport gem left behind by Behemoth, such a miracle would never have happened.

The World Tree and the Primordial Forest were sensing each other’s existence and engaging in a spiritual exchange through the portal.

They would likely continue to grow, giving each other good energy.

Zeon looked up at the World Tree.

It felt as if he could hear it thanking him.

With a smile, Zeon walked beneath the shade of the World Tree.

“Mr. Zeon!”

“Come play with us!”

The High Elf children gathered around Zeon.

Spirits followed after the children.

And so, Zeon was surrounded by children and spirits.

---

One of the things that surprised Floa the most in the World Tree village was the fields where countless crops were growing.

Many kinds of crops, unseen in the Primordial Forest, filled the plains.

“Where did you get all of this?”

“They were grown from seeds that Mr. Zeon and Briel retrieved from a seed vault.”

“A seed vault?”

“It’s a place humans created before the Great Cataclysm to store crop seeds.”

“A place like that still remained?”

“Mr. Zeon said they were lucky. Anyway, we grew the seeds we brought from there.”

Latricia answered with a proud expression.

Thanks to the High Elves’ meticulous care, and under the blessing of the World Tree, the seeds sprouted and grew quickly.

Floa asked carefully,

“If there are any extra seeds, could you perhaps share some with our village?”

“Of course. There aren’t any extra seeds right now, but once we harvest, we’ll send them to the Primordial Forest first.”

“Thank you so much.”

“No need for thanks. It’s only natural. We’re practically one family already.”

“If there’s anything the World Tree village needs, we will supply it.”

“Ah! I heard the Primordial Forest is interacting with Neo Seoul, right?”

“Yes! We decided to open only part of it.”

“Will that be alright? It will surely become noisy.”

“We’re fine with it.”

Floa replied with a smile.

Latricia found Floa’s answer unexpected.

Elves originally disliked busyness. But if they opened the Primordial Forest, they wouldn’t be able to avoid it.

Floa explained,

“The Primordial Forest isn’t inhabited by only Dark Elves—there are also many humans. We can’t just look after our own interests.”

“You have to be considerate in all directions.”

“Yes! And there’s another reason.”

“What is it?”

“I heard that elves from Elharun might be cast out. To take them in, Neo Seoul’s help is essential.”

“Ah!”

“Did you know?”

“Well, actually…”

Latricia told her, without omission, that Elharun had been destroyed.

Floa’s expression darkened.

“So it ended that way after all. They shut their doors so tightly, saying they would only save themselves.”

“Yes. In a way, it’s like they received divine punishment.”

“Hoo…”

Floa let out a sigh.

Her heart grew heavy on its own.

Regardless of the circumstances, the fact that hundreds of thousands had lost their homes and were cast out into the desert was an extremely serious matter.

Latricia said,

“Mr. Zeon expects that a war will break out.”

“A war?”

“He believes those who came out of Elharun will invade to seize a place suitable to live.”

“That’s entirely possible.”

Floa replied with a hardened expression.

The Dark Elf clan had survived for a long time in a barren desert. Because of that, they knew better than anyone how frightening and cruel those with nowhere to go could become.

Because of that, she thought it wouldn’t be strange at all if the survivors of Elharun turned into scavengers.

Floa said,

“The World Tree village must never be exposed. If they find out the World Tree is here, Del Roa will surely attack with all their strength.”

“That’s true.”

“Until the World Tree fully matures, use our forest as a shield.”

“Wouldn’t that place too great a burden on your side?”

“We’re fine. If it can help the World Tree grow, even in this way…”

Floa looked at the massive World Tree with a dazzled expression.

Just looking at it made her heart feel full.

Just as it had been in Kurayan, if the World Tree took deep root on Earth, green lands like the Primordial Forest would appear everywhere.

No matter the sacrifice, they had to protect the World Tree.

At that moment, Latricia spoke carefully,

“Would it be possible for me to see the Primordial Forest?”

“Of course. Shall we go now?”

“Yes!”

“I’ll guide you.”

Holding Latricia’s hand, Floa passed through the portal into the Primordial Forest.

“Ah!”

Latricia let out an exclamation.

The Primordial Forest was denser than she had imagined.

“It’s far inferior to the World Tree village.”

“No. It’s truly dazzling. To think so many trees and plants grow without the World Tree’s blessing… it’s incredible.”

Latricia spoke with genuine admiration.

“It’s all thanks to Har and Yuri.”

“The World Tree is also truly grateful to them.”

“I’m sure it is.”

At that moment, the portal shone brightly and something crossed over.

Latricia’s eyes widened at the being that had crossed without permission.

It was a spirit.

It was clear that a spirit from the World Tree village had followed them into the Primordial Forest.

—Kya-ha-ha!

The lower spirit, seemingly pleased with the completely different Primordial Forest, laughed as it freely flew through the sky.

Floa looked at the spirit with a bewildered expression.

“It seems spirits can use the portal without restriction? I’ll persuade it and send it back.”

“That might not be necessary.”

“Pardon?”

The spirit fluttered over to Floa, who wore a puzzled expression.

—Hello!

“Uh, oh? Hello!”

—Will you make a contract with me?

The spirit proposed a contract to Floa.

“Make a contract with you?”

—Yes!

Unable to believe the spirit nodding without the slightest hesitation, Floa looked at Latricia.

Latricia smiled and nodded.

“It seems it likes you, Lady Floa. Go ahead and make the contract.”

“Is that really alright? I’m not an elf of the World Tree village.”

“It doesn’t matter to me. And the spirit chose you, didn’t it?”

“Then…”

Floa nodded and looked at the spirit.

Watching Har make a contract with a spirit, she had felt so envious. But she had never thought she herself could form such a contract.

Spirits were pure beings, and so they only contracted with pure elves.

On the other hand, she was far from pure.

Not simply because she belonged to the Dark Elf clan, but because she had experienced so many harsh things.

Before entering the Primordial Forest, her heart had been filled with nothing but anger. She had already given up, thinking a spirit would never contract with someone like her. Yet unexpectedly, a spirit from the World Tree village was asking to contract with her first.

The nameless spirit looked at Floa with eyes full of anticipation.

—Hurry!

“Alright! Let’s make a contract.”

—Okay!

In that instant, a dazzling light burst forth from both the spirit and Floa.

As the formal contract was formed, their souls became connected.

In that moment, Floa felt a sense of fullness.

At the feeling of her body and soul becoming complete, her body trembled on its own.

Drip…

Thick tears streamed down her cheeks.

The spirit wiped her tears and said,

—Are you sad about making a contract with me? Why are you crying?

“I’m just so happy.”

—You’re happy, but you’re crying?

“When you’re too happy, you can cry.”

—I see.

The spirit smiled at something it had learned for the first time.

“You’re an Undine. A water spirit!”

—That’s right! I can control water as I please. Now, will you give me a name?

“Sally!”

Without a moment’s hesitation, Floa gave the Undine a name.

The spirit who had gained a name laughed brightly as it soared into the sky.

—My name is Sally now.

Floa watched Sally spinning through the sky, tears still falling from her eyes.

Latricia took Floa’s hand and said,

“Congratulations on forming a contract with a spirit.”

“Thank you.”