Chapter: 240
The starlight emanating from Sylvia flowed into the tree.
Then the tree began to glow, and that light spread throughout the forest.
The light that wrapped around a forest filled with nothing but death brought life back to it.
In the ground where nothing seemed capable of sprouting, tiny sprouts began to emerge.
What on earth should I call the sight of the trees regaining their greenery?
If I had to express it, it was a miracle-like spectacle.
I found myself unable to close my mouth as I gazed at the one who created this miracle.
“Is everyone okay with this?”
“Please do as you wish, new star.”
After commanding the people and observing their response, Sylvia turned to me, as if she sensed my gaze.
Perhaps it was the starlight shining like an aura above her head.
Something about her made me feel like she was an extraordinary person, and as I stared at her in a daze, she seemed to notice and smiled as if to say, ‘What do you think?’
“See, I told you to trust only me.”
Trust? What on earth just happened…?
Maybe it was just how astonishing everything was.
I even felt a slight dizziness, like a mild seasickness.
I took a deep breath to steady myself and asked Sylvia to explain the situation.
“Uh, Sylvia, can you explain what’s happening here?”
“Um, it’s a bit complicated to explain. You could say I’ve revived the burnt World Tree? That’s a rough understanding.”
“World Tree…”
I mumbled as I looked at the tree that had been glowing so brightly moments ago.
So, this is the sacred relic of the elves, the World Tree.
It may not be shining as it was earlier, but there’s an unmistakable aura that suggests it deserves the title of a sacred relic.
While I was gazing at the World Tree in a daze, the dizziness I had been feeling intensified, and my body swayed a bit.
“Ah! Scarlet! Are you okay?”
Startled by my sudden wobbling, Sylvia grabbed me, her expression one of concern.
“C-could it be that the miasma was purified when the World Tree revived…?”
Her expression darkened as she wondered if it was her fault I stumbled.
Seeing her like that, I quickly shook my head and said.
“It’s not that, so don’t worry. I just felt a little dizzy. Maybe I was just surprised, haha…”
She could think this might be because I’m a witch, but that wasn’t it.
If the purification of the miasma had affected me, I would be feeling much worse than simply dizzy.
Thinking back to the sensation I felt when I passed through the barrier…
I shuddered slightly at the bad memories, and upon further reflection, I found it curious that I hadn’t felt anything when the World Tree purified the miasma.
When I looked around and saw the miasma that had been all around disappear completely, I thought I should have felt something.
Could it be that the World Tree purified everything but me?
If that were the case, I thought I should really thank the World Tree.
Just then, with a sparkle,
As if answering me, the World Tree emitted a slight glow.
Startled, I wondered, ‘Was that a response?’ and it sparkled again.
It was a distinct response, too clear to dismiss as my imagination.
It seemed the World Tree was being considerate of me, Sylvia’s friend.
Though the Witch of Wrath had burned the World Tree, I had inherited it, making me more like an arch-enemy to the World Tree, yet it cared for me like this.
What a magnanimous entity! Or should it be called “Grand Tree”?
Feeling grateful, I bowed my head and said, “Thank you.”
After thanking the World Tree, I turned back to Sylvia and noticed she had a troubled expression.
“Ugh… I’m relieved you’re okay, but it was a close call where you could have been harmed just now…”
Despite me saying I was fine, the fact that I could have been harmed seemed to be quite a shock for Sylvia.
Knowing that she would likely sulk and blame herself if left alone, I hurriedly spoke to lighten her mood.
“By the way, Sylvia, that was amazing! You purified all the miasma in this vast forest; that’s really fantastic!”
“Eh?! Amazing? It’s not really a big deal. The World Tree mostly did everything; I just contributed a spoonful…”
Sylvia downplayed her efforts, but I happen to hold a Level 1 Certificate in Sylvia Psychology.
Her ears perking up meant she was genuinely happy inside.
From the movement of those ears, I felt her inner thoughts shouting, ‘More! Praise me more!’ so I cheered her on with all my might.
“No, it was you who revived a World Tree, which is an incredibly big deal! You’re amazing, Sylvia! Incredible! Fantastic!”
“Is that so…? E-heh, oh!”
Thankfully, it seemed to lift her spirits, and Sylvia smiled brightly.
With that, I was able to continue our conversation.
“That aside, Sylvia, what exactly is this ‘head of the family’ you mentioned earlier?”
I casually glanced at the group of Astra people kneeling towards Sylvia and asked.
I was curious why those who had previously disagreed with her were suddenly so compliant just because she mentioned the head of the family.
Then Sylvia nodded, answering my question.
“Oh, you mean the head of the family? The head of Astra is someone chosen by the spirit of the star, the World Tree. Do you see this? The light shining above my head is proof that I was chosen as the head.”
She pointed to the starlight halo above her head that enveloped her body just like before.
I gazed at that light and asked.
“So, you were chosen as the head? How did that happen?”
“That’s the thing; I’m not exactly sure myself. I just realized it when I woke up. Anyway, I was lucky. Thanks to that, I was able to get the cooperation of the First Elder. Every member of Astra must unconditionally follow the orders of the head.”
She smiled brightly as she said this, yet I couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
If they must unconditionally follow orders, how could that be called voluntary cooperation?
So, feeling awkward, I said to Sylvia.
“Umm, you’re not going to force everyone to follow your orders, right?”
“Huh? What do you mean force?”
“I mean, just earlier, those people had a hard no on letting me into the city… I understand their reasoning, to be honest.”
I appreciated the help, but I hoped she wouldn’t force them into unreasonable requests.
That was my honest feeling.
Though I didn’t mind returning to the city, I also understood it wouldn’t be easy.
I had enough awareness of the people’s hostility towards me for injuring Yoon Si-woo.
There was no need to even ask about how big that was.
So I figured if forcing Sylvia to go through the trouble would be risky, it was better if I just gave up and stayed outside.
Nodding when the First Elder said they wouldn’t kill me but ask me to avoid getting noticed by people was precisely why.
“So please don’t make them follow orders just because of me, forcing an almost impossible task…”
Thinking along those lines, I conveyed my thoughts to Sylvia.
Seeing my expression, Sylvia sighed and muttered.
“It seems Scarlet views me as some kind of dictator.”
She shook her head slowly and then spoke.
“Don’t worry, I’ve considered it carefully before giving orders. Trust me; it’s not as impossible to send you back to the city now. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, indeed, Head.”
The elderly person from Astra replied affirmatively while lying down, and I was momentarily stunned.
What? Wasn’t this the same person who had just said it was nearly impossible?
I couldn’t understand why his opinion had suddenly changed, standing there in a daze when Sylvia spoke.
“Well, I understand why you feel that way, Scarlet. It truly was the case until just a moment ago. But the situation has changed. Let me explain.”
Sylvia began her explanation.
“To hunt the witch, Astra dispatched a hunting party. The hunting party encountered that witch.”
“…Yes.”
“However, instead of attacking the hunting party, the witch protected them from the demonic beasts. Moreover…”
Sylvia pointed to the World Tree.
“Coincidentally, the hunting party that followed the witch into their homeland was able to revive the World Tree and reclaim their homeland with her help. It would have been impossible without the witch.”
“…”
“So, do you think people will only think badly of this witch after hearing this story?”
I answered, still dazed.
“No…”
“Yes. When the World Tree resurrected, the forest was purified, and they would have surely witnessed it in the city. This is solid evidence that you aren’t bad, Scarlet.”
Sylvia moved, standing before the prostrate Astra people as their representative.
Then Sylvia looked my way and spoke.
“Scarlet, Astra does not forget favors. And we all owe you a great debt. With a certain degree of possibility, no one among us will refuse to repay that debt to you. Isn’t that right?”
“Indeed!”
“Did you hear that? This is the unanimous will of us at Astra…”
Speaking in an earnest tone, Sylvia, as the representative of Astra, faced me.
“So please, trust us. We will surely send you back to the city.”
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