Beacai believed herself to be gentle and approachable now, much like the Yggdrasil of old, if her memories served her. It was this very quality, she thought, that had drawn so many gods and races to follow her in the past.
Would her mother agree to her wishes because of it?
Holding onto this thought, Beacai remained crouched, watching Isis, and awaiting her answer. However, as moments bled into minutes, Isis remained silent, and the bedroom gradually succumbed to a deathly stillness.
Her patience finally exhausted, Beacai rose to her feet, shedding the pretense of gentleness.
Her tone grew somewhat cold, a hint of anger coloring her voice at the woman’s stubbornness. “Mother, you must know that we now share a life. If you were to die, I would perish as well, wouldn’t I?”
Isis, unafraid of her rising anger, calmly replied, “Yes, I know.”
“Are you trying to kill me, Mother?”
Beacai pressed her lips together, her crimson eyes reflecting a myriad of complex emotions. Yet, with a swift glance at Isis’s abdomen, these feelings vanished without a trace, replaced by an absolute confidence and a playful glint.
She stepped closer to Isis, reaching out to caress her cheek. Her gaze was utterly captivated, and her voice held a subtle, almost imperceptible, allure.
“How cruel, Mother. But it’s alright, I don’t hate you. I understand that you simply don’t grasp my true intentions. Later, in time, you will understand…
“By then, you will become like me, no longer despising the evil gods. You will love me, embracing me as your true daughter, and those so-called righteous heroes will become your enemies…
“You will do it, Mother.”
Isis attempted to pull away from her hand, but her body refused to obey, leaving her to endure the caress. In her helplessness, she could only utter a cold, “Dream on.”
To Isis, Beacai’s ideas were nothing more than fanciful delusions. She might compromise, but she would never fall. This was her bottom line and her dignity as Yggdrasil.
Clutching Isis’s chin, Beacai’s lips curved into a smile, her pupils filled with an unsettling blend of aggression and possessiveness.
“Heh, Mother, no one can truly predict the future.”
****
After resting for three days at the elves’ secret stronghold in Pad City, Nona and her companions were finally summoned to the main hall. They were preparing to leave the stronghold and venture into the forest west of Pad City, seeking clues about the Hero’s Sword.
Before their departure, the elven commander Ped produced three bottles of pale blue perfume. He handed one to each of Nona, Fely, and Hia, excluding Olivia, and offered a stern warning:
“This is Elven Floral Scent, produced by the Church of Life. Applying it will effectively mask your scent and prevent the magical beasts in the forest from attacking us.”
Hia opened the perfume bottle and inhaled, a delicate, fresh fragrance filling her senses. Even she, accustomed to various perfumes, was astonished by this particular scent.
“They won’t attack us? Such a miraculous perfume, why have I never heard of it?”
This perfume not only smelled delightful but boasted such powerful effects. If it truly worked as described, it should have long since sold out in every major empire. Why had she never encountered it?
“Because it is only effective in specific areas.”
Ped, understanding Hia’s confusion, clarified, “The forest west of Pad City is blessed by Yggdrasil. The magical beasts living there possess the Mother Goddess’s blessing, making them akin to her kin.
“Elves are a race created by the Mother Goddess. Applying the Elven Floral Scent will lead them to mistake you for elves, and as the Mother Goddess’s kin, they will not attack you.”
This perfectly explained why the Elven Floral Scent had not become widespread in the market. Forests blessed by Yggdrasil were few, limiting its general applicability.
Stripped of its special efficacy, it was essentially just a uniquely scented perfume.
“So that’s how it is.”
Hia praised Yggdrasil’s greatness twice before spraying the perfume on herself. Nona and Fely followed suit, all except Olivia.
As an elf herself, she naturally had no need for the perfume.
After all was done, Ped led them out of the stronghold, evading the Blood Church’s watchful eyes, and into the forest west of Pad City.
The moment they stepped inside, a rich, natural aura enveloped them. Nona glanced at the surrounding bushes, sensing countless eyes fixed upon her.
These gazes belonged to the magical beasts.
Her body tensed involuntarily. Even though Ped had assured them the beasts wouldn’t attack, she remained wary, for one could never predict unforeseen circumstances.
Magical beasts, after all, were infamous for their ferocity.
Fortunately, these hidden beasts merely watched her, showing no intent to attack, which allowed her to finally relax.
After walking deeper into the forest, Nona inquired, “After the hero was defeated, was the Hero’s Sword hidden in this forest?”
“No, there are only clues he left behind here.”
“Eh?” Hia was puzzled.
As far as she knew, the hero had been killed by the ‘Saintess.’ If he died in battle, how could he have hidden the Hero’s Sword? Unless he had known he would die.
The truth aligned with her suspicion. Ped continued to explain, “When he set out to challenge the ‘Saintess,’ he had already prepared for his death, to prevent the Hero’s Sword from falling into the hands of the evil gods after he died.”
“So that’s it. But if he knew he couldn’t defeat the ‘Saintess,’ why did he still fight so desperately?”
A new question arose for Hia. This time, however, Ped did not provide an answer, merely shaking his head silently, indicating that he, too, did not know.
“To prevent it from being taken by others, he cast magic here. Only those who pass the trial can obtain these clues.”
This forest had been untouched for a long time, with no direct path leading to its depths. Thus, Ped had to continuously hack away at the trees blocking their way as he spoke.
“The trial left by that hero is not simple. I hope you will act within your abilities. If you fail, it simply means you have no destiny with the Hero’s Sword.”
“Understood, understood. You’ll see our prowess in a moment.”
Wind Blade magic whistled through the air, and three or four thick trees crashed down in response. Hia wielded her staff, continuously unleashing spells, her mana seemingly inexhaustible.
With her magic clearing the path, the party’s progress accelerated significantly. Before long, Ped, spotting a familiar narrow path, exhaled and chuckled, “It’s right here…”
As his words fell, Nona and the others instantly perked up. Ped reached the end of the path, pushing aside the obstructing leaves, and revealed the place where the Hero’s Sword’s clue was stored.
Sparse trees stood ahead, with a low stone platform at the center. Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the canopy, illuminating the entire platform at an angle, making it shine like a gem.
The clue rested upon the stone platform, seemingly within easy reach. Yet, at this moment, Ped’s face froze.
For he saw a stranger, a woman cloaked in white, standing before the stone platform.