A night without dreams… truly without dreams.
When the morning mist dispersed through the forest, Iyue had already extinguished the campfire.
She kicked the dazed Lian out of the tent and efficiently packed the camping gear into the saddlebags tied to the horse’s flank.
“Yawn~ I haven’t slept enough yet… awuu…!”
“Not enough sleep, my foot.”
Lian rubbed her sleepy eyes and yawned, but Iyue rapped her over the head with a fist.
“You spent half the night chatting with Meliya, didn’t you? It would be a miracle if you had enough sleep.”
“Ugh…”
Lian’s face flushed red like a child’s as she was called out on her sore spot.
She looked away, but her fingers were twisted together.
“H-How did you find out? You couldn’t have been… the whole night…”
“I’m not that bored.”
Iyue rolled her eyes hard and let out a long sigh.
“I should have guessed it when you came to me to infuse the pearl with Magic Power before bed… I really can’t stand you two foolish lovers.”
“Hehe…”
“I’m saying… even though Milin should be under the protection of the Nereve family, you’re a bit too relaxed, aren’t you?”
“Don’t forget, we also have the goals of unsealing your Magic Power and catching those two Demon Race fugitives on this trip.”
“Right…! Seriously… how could I be so lax…!”
Iyue’s reminder instantly pulled Lian out of her daydreaming.
She asked Iyue for a handful of cold water summoned by Magic to splash on her face, then took out the Communication Pearl and handed it to Iyue.
“I know I was wrong…! You keep it for me. Anyway, I always need you to infuse Magic Power if I want to make a call.”
Seeing Lian looking like a child hanging her head in apology, Iyue couldn’t help but chuckle.
This was indeed the Lian En she knew. No matter how the world changed… only this child’s sincerity remained constant.
It was because of this sincerity that she had accepted the invitation to travel with her.
She pushed back Lian’s hand holding the bead.
“No need. After all, it’s been so many years since you and Meliya last saw each other, and you kept it from her in the Duke’s Household… you must have a lot to say.”
“If I scolded you for something like that, I would seem far too cold-hearted.”
“Iyue…”
Lian looked at her, moved.
“I just wanted to remind you to get some rest. You always wrote letters to Meliya when we traveled before… but you never delayed our business because of it, right?”
“It’s the same this time. I’ve always believed Lian En is a good kid who fixes mistakes once they’re pointed out.”
She smiled and patted Lian’s cheek… then it gradually turned into rubbing and squeezing.
“I-Iyue?”
Lian noticed her gaze turned strange again.
This gaze… it was that terrifying look she had in the tent on the morning after they had first reunited!
“Whoa!”
Lian immediately backed away.
After the little morning farce ended, the two of them headed deeper into the territory of the Sea of Trees.
The deeper they went, the more humid and soft the air became.
Riding through the woods, Lian could smell the natural scent of trees, flowers, and grass in the wind brushing past her.
Although that journey was primarily to defeat the Demon King… it also allowed her to see this colorful, diverse world so different from her original planet.
She had visited many places and seen many sights… and this beautiful Sea of Trees remained consistent with her memories.
The memories of these landscapes and scenes lingered so vividly in her mind that she couldn’t help but smile.
It was a stroke of luck and happiness to be on this journey with her companions.
Everything she gained from this trip… was worth her utmost effort to protect.
“The wind is so pleasant… just like before.”
Lian sighed with emotion.
“Yeah…”
Iyue replied briefly, but Lian saw her frown as her ears twitched slightly.
“I seem to hear some strange sounds… these sounds shouldn’t be in the woods.”
“Sounds? What sounds?”
“It’s nothing… maybe I misheard.”
The topic ended abruptly, and the two rode side by side in silence.
Lian scratched her cheek.
Ever since entering the Sea of Trees, Iyue had been acting a bit odd… why?
The silence made Lian feel uncomfortable. So, she changed the subject to break it.
“Our next destination is Fenglin City, right?”
“Mhm.”
Iyue nodded.
“The main Nereve family home is in Fenglin City… if the Relic fell into the family’s hands, it would only be there.”
She lowered her head in thought for a moment and added, “Besides, didn’t you hear while you were in the bag? Those two Demon Race girls plan to go to Nolan through the Grand Teleportation Array—”
“—And the Grand Teleportation Array and their contact are both in Fenglin City. If they really plan to leave via that array, they’ll need a large amount of money.”
This was exactly the example Lian had mentioned while comforting Meliya last night—the Grand Teleportation Array.
These massive spatial teleportation arrays, relying on the Magic Power of Earth Veins and established on the Sage’s spells, had existed 100 years before the Demon Race invasion.
Such arrays could transport massive amounts of personnel and supplies at once… but they also drained the Magic Power of the Earth Veins.
In Lian’s knowledge, it took three or four months for the Earth Veins to recharge after a single transfer… and they charged non-official personnel huge fees.
Lian had once questioned the efficiency of this thing in Magic class… but Sephy had lightly tapped her head with a pointer.
“Except for the energy consumption, this is a spell with no flaws—it can transport thousands of people and countless supplies at once, you know? You should be thankful for it; it’s how you came to this world.”
“I remember only Nolan, the Sea of Trees, the Holy Nation, and Valantia in the Southern Archipelagos have these Grand Teleportation Arrays… and the one in the Yilansiya Imperial Capital was turned into a summoning array for me by Sephy and Linxi.”
Lian recalled the information about the Grand Teleportation Arrays while confirming with Iyue again.
“You said before that there’s about one month left until the next recharge… is that timing correct?”
“Correct. Since these Grand Teleportation Arrays were reclaimed from the Demon Race, repaired, and restarted, they have been running on a fixed schedule.”
“So the countries put them back into use… honestly, wouldn’t things have been much easier if we could have used them during our journey back then?”
“Yeah… unfortunately, the Demon Race held them during the Great War.”
Iyue sighed. “And the Demon Army didn’t forget to destroy the spell formulas when they retreated.”
The two continued talking as the surrounding forest path became familiar without them realizing it.
Lian had an impression of this road… but Iyue’s performance was clearly more than just “having an impression.”
She made choices at forks without hesitation, occasionally looking up to confirm tree shapes or down at the moss.
“This place seems a bit familiar…”
The two arrived at a fork… and the signpost at the fork was written in Elf script that Lian didn’t recognize.
“Do you still remember?”
Iyue paused for a moment, then smiled. “If you had taken the wrong path back then, you never would have found me.”
“Does that mean… one of these paths leads to your village?”
“Mhm.”
Iyue nodded to her and stopped beside the signpost.
She hesitated for a long time before turning to Lian to ask her opinion.
“Before going to Fenglin City, I want to go home and take a look… is that okay? It won’t take too long.”
“Of course! Why are you asking for my opinion?”
Lian tilted her head, seemingly confused that she would even ask such a question.
“The purpose of your trip was to go home anyway, wasn’t it? I remember it was to the right—”
“Eh… Lian En, wait a moment…”
Without waiting for Iyue to lead the way, Lian spurred her horse toward the right fork. Iyue hurried to follow behind her.
She looked at Lian’s back with a complicated expression and then spoke slowly.
“Thank you… Lian En. Even though I was saying this morning that you shouldn’t delay our business…”
“Oh, what’s there to thank? Since you consider yourself my sister, isn’t your home also my home? How can accompanying family home be considered a delay? Don’t you agree—Sister Iyue?”
“…!”
Iyue was stunned. Lian had turned around and flashed a smile at her.
Through the gaps in the forest, the sunlight generously illuminated her face with brilliance… and a long, long time ago, there had been a girl who called her name intimately and smiled at her just like this.
“Nefi…”
It really had been too long. Iyue pulled down the brim of her hat, trying hard to suppress her emotions.
Then she looked up, returning Lian’s usual smile.
“You brat… no, should I say little girl now? Who did you learn such sweet talk from?”
“I-I learned it these past few days as a Maid…! Also, don’t call me a little girl! I’m a real man!”
Lian turned away awkwardly and continued to drive the horse forward.
“Tsk tsk tsk… look at your blushing face. A real man, you say?”
Iyue didn’t let her escape, riding her horse alongside her to examine her bright red profile.
“Ugh… stop looking!”
“I’ll look all I want.”
“Honestly…!”
To escape the embarrassing situation, Lian quickly changed the subject. “I remember the people in your village didn’t seem to know your real name…”
“Right, I used a fake name in the village.”
Iyue smiled and went along with her. “Ilya. Ever since I lived around here, I’ve always used that name.”
“I see.”
Lian understood quickly. “Then I’ll call you that too.”
“Aren’t you going to ask why I used a fake name?”
Iyue’s gaze fell on the forest shadows ahead.
“Why ask? You must have your reasons. Besides, I asked back then and you didn’t tell me. But I’m guessing it’s probably because of your surname?”
“…You’re quite sharp.”
Iyue sighed. “Do you remember? When we first met.”
“Of course I remember. I was almost shot to death by you… there was a huge tree there.”
“That is my mother.”
“Eh?”
The sudden revelation left Lian dazed… she turned her head again to look at Iyue.
Iyue had never mentioned anything related to her family or home before… and everyone in the Brigade was tactful enough not to bring it up.
Lian had heard that High Elves with extremely powerful Magic Power would transform into trees after their long lives ended, continuing to watch over the land.
“Is… is that so? I remember there was a cemetery there… I thought that grave was…”
“No…”
Iyue gave her a bitter smile. “I really should have told you sooner. After all, you’re my family. I’ll tell you in detail when we get there.”
“Oh… okay. Then let’s do that—”
Lian was about to respond when she noticed a sense of discord. Iyue also frowned deeply.
“What is this smell? It smells like… charcoal? And there’s the sound of logging and sawing.”
“…I hear it too.”
With her Magic Power sealed, Lian’s perception was far inferior to Iyue’s.
But now, the smell of charcoal wafting from not far away and the clanging sounds were already very obvious.
Furthermore, the forest road ahead became open… looking up at the distant sky, there were a dozen, no, dozens of columns of white smoke rising.
The two spurred their horses forward in unison… and at the end of the forest road, a village appeared before them.
“I-Is this Jingye Village?”
However, the village before them was not the village in their memories.
The small village that should have been built upon the trees and surrounded by deep forest was now exposed to the bright midday sky.
Looking around, large areas of woodland had been cut down haphazardly, leaving only neatly arranged stumps and stacks of logs.
The white smoke from dozens of charcoal kilns was distorted by the heat, and temporary shacks stretched along the road into the village.
The air was filled with the smell of fresh wood chips and charcoal… Lian instinctively slowed the horse’s pace.
Iyue also stopped in place, silent.
But her gaze drifted back and forth between the felled trees, the logs piled on the ground, and the surrounding charcoal kilns.
“Iyue…?”
Lian saw the color drain from her face bit by bit.
“Guests?… No, you, you’re…”
“No way…”
Several Elf villagers who were carrying timber stopped their work.
Their gazes first fell on Lian’s face beside Iyue, then moved to Iyue’s face.
One of the older men put down the timber in his hands, walked forward two steps hesitantly, and asked:
“…I-Ilya? Is it you?”
“…It’s me. Uncle Ya Ke,” Iyue replied.
The air on the scene suddenly froze.
There was no joy on the villagers’ faces, nor the excitement of a long-awaited reunion… only confusion and an undeniable awkwardness.
“You… how could you…”
The villager named Ya Ke didn’t even dare to look Iyue in the eye.
He stood with his mouth open, and the rest of his sentence couldn’t quite make it out of his throat.
“B-But aren’t you already dead? Back then, those who left with Humans, especially men, all—”
“Shut up!”
A villager pointed at Iyue’s face and spoke with a trembling voice… but before he could finish, Ya Ke slapped his hand down.
The companions beside him also tugged hard on his sleeve, and they exchanged a few looks.
The villager went silent. A moment later, led by Ya Ke, everyone forced a smile at Iyue.
“W-Welcome back, Ilya…”
Anyone with eyes could see how fake their smiles were.
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