The projection of Senie in this world was completely destroyed, and the Spirit Threads that had hung over the heads of all living beings vanished.
But for the vast majority of people, they never felt that they had been controlled by a deity at some point.
Those in power who knew the truth did not make it public, instead letting them continue to immerse themselves in the mundane yet warm daily life of rice, oil, salt, and the like.
The next day, Theodore personally led the five-hundred-man army from Windwhisper Fortress, along with the Emerald Army, arriving at the City of Emerald Shadows.
Together with Marshal Odysseus, who had arrived a day earlier, they guarded the residences of Isabella and Winnidith.
After such an incident, they should have quickly protected these two noble ladies and the Empire’s delegation back to the Empire.
However, at Isabella’s own wish and the request of the tenth-generation Elven King, Astria, they would stay here for a week.
While perfecting the trade details between the Natural Forest and the Empire, they would also help deal with the chaos in the city.
And while Winnidith rested in her room and Arns led part of the Border Army to maintain order, Isabella, accompanied by Odysseus, secretly went to the damaged Elven Royal Palace to claim her due reward—the Sacred Fruit.
‘It might hurt a lot when you first eat it. Bear with it.’
Under the double protection of Leah and Odysseus, she consumed the Sacred Fruit.
But the moment she swallowed it, her entire body swelled up like an inflating balloon.
Fortunately, they had all anticipated this.
Isabella did her best to steady her breathing and prevent the energy inside from flowing chaotically.
Odysseus helped stabilize Isabella’s form, while Leah carved pre-prepared Seals into her body one by one.
As each seal was inscribed into her body, Isabella’s pain began to fade, and her body gradually returned to its normal size.
“This should do it. I’ve set nine seals on the remaining power inside you. Each seal corresponds to one rank of strength. When you feel your body can withstand the corresponding power, just unlock the seal.”
Isabella clutched her chest, still shaken.
Just now, she really thought she would keep swelling like that and finally go “pop” like a balloon.
Fortunately, she was still alive, standing here.
Not only alive, but her body was in unprecedented condition.
She looked at her right fist.
There, nine emerald-green Star Rings emitted a soft glow.
She clenched her fist slightly, and a surge of emerald Douqi quickly wrapped around it.
This was Isabella’s first personal contact with supernatural power.
How should she describe it…
It was a bit wondrous—like wearing a pair of gauze gloves.
After a brief glance, Isabella retracted it under Leah’s guidance, showing not a trace of excitement.
Even though she had been waiting for this day for nineteen years.
“Under normal circumstances, besides making up for your innate deficiency, the energy inside the Sacred Fruit could forcibly raise your Douqi and Magic to at least the Ninth Tier level.”
Leah curiously circled around her.
“But Magic disappears for no reason as soon as it enters your body. And your body is like a bottomless pit—no matter how much Magic I send into it, it just takes it all. So I sealed away all the remaining Magic for now.”
“This is obviously not normal. Regarding your Spiritless Body, I suggest you talk it over with your father after you return. If nothing unexpected happens, it’s very likely related to the Deity.”
Related to the Deity.
Isabella’s expression immediately turned serious.
As someone who knew the truth about the Deity, having something related to it on her body was not good news.
It seemed her father had indeed concealed quite a bit.
“Alright, official diplomacy ends here. Now it’s private time between friends.”
In an instant, all of Leah’s kingly aura vanished.
Before the Empire’s princess and marshal, she quite gracelessly clutched her head.
“Isabella, can’t you guys really stay in the City of Emerald Shadows a little longer? You’ve seen how messed up the city is now. If it were just me, I really wouldn’t know what to do!”
The more emotions were drained, the more violently they erupted.
And the entire City of Emerald Shadows, being closest to the Sacred Tree, had been drained for a full thousand years.
Now that the Sacred Tree had just disappeared, the erupting emotions had turned the whole city into a living hell.
No exaggeration—the only elves in the Natural Forest who were still normal now were Leah and Evian.
Even the guard troops, who were supposed to maintain order, had thrown themselves into this mad frenzy.
If the Empire’s Border Army hadn’t helped stabilize the situation, Leah really wouldn’t have known where to start.
Isabella and Odysseus recalled the chaos they had seen along the way and felt a bit sorry for Leah’s current predicament.
But sorry was sorry.
Isabella could not stay to help deal with the troubles of the City of Emerald Shadows.
“I am the Empire’s princess. If I rashly involve myself in the politics of the Natural Forest, it will make outsiders question my motives.”
“Don’t worry, I don’t care.”
Leah pounded her chest loudly.
“But the Empire cares. Karan cares. Alandin cares. Baierston cares. The Tribes and the Demons care too. Everyone knows that this is the weakest moment for the entire Natural Forest in a thousand years: the chaotic clans, the newly ascended Elven King, the heavily depleted Guard Army and Tree Soldiers. Countless eyes are fixed on this place. If Isabella rashly interferes in the Natural Forest’s government at this time, the first thing everyone will think is not that the Natural Forest has allied with the Empire, but that the Empire has already made a move on the Natural Forest.”
“Only if I return can the Empire form an alliance with the Natural Forest. If I stay, my two dear brothers will pin a bunch of charges on me, strip me of my royal status, and then lead troops into the City of Emerald Shadows. By then, the elven race would really be facing extinction.”
Isabella calmly stated very frightening things, making Leah’s hair stand on end.
She was about to say that her father had an agreement with the Empire’s Emperor, but Isabella, as if anticipating her words, rebutted.
“Don’t count on Father to faithfully keep the alliance agreement. For the Emperor of the Empire, aligning with the Empire’s interests and voices is the most basic ability to maintain rule.”
Leah’s mouth dropped wide open.
This was her first time learning about the darkness of such politics, but she still refused to accept it.
“Come on, isn’t Winnidith still here?”
“Framing, entrapment, coercion—as long as they want to, they can pin all those charges on me. But the good news is, with Wendy here, at least they won’t take my life.”
“You humans are terrifying.”
Leah conceded.
She scratched her head in frustration.
For the Natural Forest to get through this painful period, it had to ally with the Empire.
And to ally with the Empire, Isabella had to return and gain a voice.
“Fine. When are you planning to leave? I’ll see you off then.”
Even setting aside their personal friendship, just based on how much Winnidith had helped this time, Leah had to see them off out of both emotion and reason.
“One week. That’s the longest I can help you. If I return even a day later, the Empire’s public opinion might be stirred up by my two dear brothers.”
“Okay.”
A week later, Winnidith, after all she had been through, finally boarded the carriage home.
But she was a little curious why Bella had ordered the windows to be sealed shut.
Wouldn’t that get stuffy?
“That’s because everyone in the City of Emerald Shadows admires you so much. If we don’t seal them and they see you, the excited elves might overturn our carriage.”
Isabella spouted nonsense with a straight face.
She couldn’t exactly say that the City of Emerald Shadows had become even more chaotic after a week, could she?
She had just seen a group of people surrounding a pole dancing naked striptease!
Winnidith didn’t say whether she believed it or not.
She just never asked about the windows again and silently removed the Magic from her ears.
The carriage left the city.
Leah saw them all the way outside the City of Emerald Shadows.
Only after the Empire’s carriage completely disappeared did she turn and leave.
But she didn’t go straight back to the City of Emerald Shadows to deal with those troublesome disturbances.
Instead, she took a detour and arrived at the Silent Forest.
The battle with Elaril had caused a quarter of the Valiant Spirits to completely dissipate.
The remaining participants had also lost too much power.
No one knew how long it would take for them to recover.
She touched the tree trunks here, one by one.
Like an empress conferring medals on her loyal soldiers.
She walked like this, all the way to the deeper parts of the forest.
There, in a spot full of them, there were eighteen new Sprouts.
The moment she saw them, Leah’s gaze became exceptionally gentle.
When elves die, their souls turn into seeds.
Then, over countless years, they quietly await rebirth.
She brushed her fingers over the two outermost Sprouts, her soft voice filled with hope and determination.
“Father, Vilda. We will definitely meet again.”