Chapter 29: The Outsiders’ Quarters
“What’s your idea?” Leona asked, staring at Abyss. “You’re going to get us kicked out! Can you feel the Grand Sage’s urge to banish us right now?”
“I’m just trying to solve the sacred tree’s problem,” Abyss said, pouting defensively. “I have a plan. It will help us locate the source of its mana. Then we can trace it back to the root of the problem.”
“Tell us your plan,” Rebecca said, her voice filled with curiosity. She wasn’t concerned about the Druids’ opinions. Once they solved the problem, everything would be fine.
Abyss, a smug grin on his face, patted the sacred tree’s rough bark. “The problem is the high mana density, right? It’s preventing us from observing the mana flow.”
“That’s correct,” Rebecca said, listening intently.
“So, we should focus on the mana density,” Abyss continued, his hands on his hips, as he looked up at the tree. “If I drain all the mana from this area, the density will decrease, and we’ll be able to see where the new mana flows from. That will reveal the sacred tree’s mana source. Brilliant, isn’t it?”
“You’re trying to give the Grand Sage a heart attack…” Leona said, slapping her forehead.
“Of course, I won’t do it now. That would be too much of a shock. He seems like a sensitive person,” Abyss said, chuckling. “I’ll suggest it during the meeting, after some preparation. I don’t want them to think I’m trying to destroy their sacred tree. For now, we can relax or investigate those magical animals.”
…
They descended from the sacred tree and headed towards their assigned accommodations, which they had been shown earlier. The Druid council didn’t have many guests. The guesthouses, located on the outskirts of the council’s territory, were simple vine-woven structures, their surfaces still green, adorned with small flowers.
“I’ve never stayed in a treehouse before!” Leona exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement, as she bounced ahead, examining the structures. “Do all Druids live in such elegant homes? So refined! Those Western Empire nobles, with their vulgar tastes, should learn a thing or two from these elves!”
Flora, although less enthusiastic, was also intrigued. As a Saint, she had traveled extensively, even visiting the Elven Kingdoms, but she had always stayed in palaces, befitting her status.
“This place is quite charming. Perhaps I’ll find some inspiration here,” Rebecca said, her gaze sweeping across the treehouses.
“I wonder if corpses decompose faster here. The biological activity seems quite high,” Abyss said, his voice serious, as he examined the surrounding vegetation.
“Master Arcaiste said our accommodations are marked with purple and blue flowers… Let’s find them,” Leona said, her eyes scanning the treehouses, some already occupied by other Druids.
As they entered the area designated for guests, several curious faces peered out from the treehouses.
Even among the visiting Druids, elves were the majority, Wood Elves and the less common Light Elves comprising most of the population. The rest were humans, dwarves, and a few halflings. They were all high-ranking Druids, their age evident, especially among the humans, their hair white, their faces wrinkled, the dwarves’ beards reaching their knees, and the halflings resembling the Lannis they had met in Lavoisier City.
Flora greeted their neighbors with a polite curtsy, her beauty attracting their attention.
Leona wanted to shout “What are you looking at?!” but Flora’s politeness restrained her.
“My friends, do you know where the treehouse with purple and blue flowers is located? We’re looking for our accommodations,” Abyss asked, his voice friendly.
Although most Druids ignored them, a female dwarf, her voice gruff, replied, “I know. It’s at the end of the path, to the left of that little girl. You’re all high-ranking Druids? You seem so young. I’ve never seen such young high-ranking Druids before.”
Druids relied on experience and their connection to nature to enhance their magic. This meant that achieving high rank required not only talent, but also time and patience. Fortunately, as long as they had sufficient talent, they would eventually reach a high level, their long lifespans ensuring ample time for growth. After all, balance was the core of their philosophy. A Druid who couldn’t maintain their own health would be a disgrace.
The dwarf’s question, however, sparked the interest of the other Druids. Abyss and his companions did look incredibly young. Flora, due to her demeanor, seemed the most mature, followed by Rebecca. Abyss looked like an adolescent, and Leona, well, she looked like a child.
“Did the council recruit a bunch of charlatans?” one Druid whispered to another. Their voices were low, but their words didn’t escape Abyss and his companions’ enhanced hearing.
Druids were generally distrustful of young people.
The old Leona would have enjoyed this, keeping their true identities a secret, allowing Abyss to reveal their power later, humiliating those who had underestimated them. But she had changed, her time with Abyss making her disdainful of such petty games.
She puffed out her chest. “Don’t let my appearance fool you. I’m almost sixty years old. I might not be a Druid, but I’ve spent many years buried in the earth, communing with nature.”
The Druids, impressed by her “dedication,” nodded approvingly, giving her a thumbs-up. Although she wasn’t a Druid, her methods were certainly… hardcore.
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