Regarding that giant tree, Movira had not been completely unaware of it either. However, she had always thought it was just a legend. After all, the elf race was not considered a particularly powerful tribe. Her mind had been entirely focused on humans and the Abyssal Disaster, so she truly had not expected it to actually exist, let alone possess such power.
The Demon Realm naturally had similar methods to achieve the same effect, but most of them carried some risk. They were far less natural and stable than this method that was blessed by divine favor.
All of this also made Movira realize that she had indeed been somewhat mistaken about Astreya. However, she did not regret it. Any potential risk, no matter how small, she would rather misjudge than let it slip by!
She stood in the observatory for a while longer. Only when the sunlight at the edge of the sky grew increasingly bright did Movira turn and head downstairs.
Not long after, the morning sunlight cast shifting patterns on the floor. Only then did Seraphina slowly awaken from her dreams.
The room was very quiet. There was only the sound of her own breathing. The space beside her was empty. Movira had clearly already gotten up.
At the same time, the memories from last night instantly flooded her mind. She could not understand how she had ended up like that again… And after being treated that way, she had still… still needed to be held in order to fall asleep…
The door was pushed open. Just as she was restlessly tossing and turning under the blanket in shame, Seraphina immediately stopped all movement. She carefully parted a small gap in the covers, not looking toward the door.
Movira’s figure appeared in the doorway. The other woman immediately met her eyes.
“Awake?” Movira walked to the bedside and spoke. “It’s time to get up. Astreya has prepared breakfast.”
“Mm, I know.”
Seraphina dawdled as she sat up and pulled the blanket off her head, but she still did not dare to look at Movira.
This unusual behavior was taken in completely by Movira. She maintained a “see nothing” reaction and simply took Seraphina’s clothes from the rack and handed them to her. “The temperature is low in the morning. Put on your clothes properly. Don’t catch a cold.”
This seemingly natural show of concern left Seraphina somewhat at a loss. She quickly took the clothes and responded softly, “I can do it myself.”
“Alright.” Movira turned around and walked to the window, giving Seraphina space to get ready and time to adjust her mood.
This allowed Seraphina to relax a little. She quickly put on her clothes. During the process, she secretly glanced at Movira several times to make sure the other woman was not turning around. Only after she finished tidying up did Movira turn back and casually smooth out the wrinkles on her clothes. Her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the skin on the side of her neck, bringing a slightly cool sensation. Seraphina’s body trembled slightly for no apparent reason, but she did not pull away.
“Let’s go.” Movira withdrew her hand. The two of them then went downstairs one after the other.
Downstairs, Astreya had already set breakfast on the table. Upon seeing them, she immediately greeted them with a smile. “Good morning, you two. How did you sleep last night?”
“Good morning… Astreya.” Seraphina tried her best to make her voice sound normal. “I slept very well. Thank you.”
Astreya did not say much. She only swept her gaze between the two of them. “That’s good. Hurry and eat.”
Whether it was Movira’s imagination or not, she felt that Astreya today seemed a little more distant than yesterday. She was also maintaining a certain distance from Seraphina.
During the meal, Astreya took the initiative to mention today’s plans. “The weather is very good today. The commercial street in the royal capital is very lively. With the new year approaching, there are many interesting things. Why don’t I take you two out to have a look after breakfast? You might be able to buy some things you need.”
“Alright.” Seraphina immediately answered, but then seemed to think of something and quickly looked up to ask for Movira’s opinion.
Movira had no objections. “We can.”
The three of them had just finished breakfast and were about to go out when the sound of a carriage stopping came from outside. Immediately afterward, the door was pushed open. Dekalorin, carrying a chill with her, walked in. She took off her heavy cloak, revealing her arm that was still wrapped in bandages. Her gaze swept over the two in front of her.
“Are you about to go out?” Seraphina nodded. “Mm. Astreya said she would take us out for a stroll.”
“A stroll…” Dekalorin pondered for a moment, then waved her hand for the two to go back. “Wait a moment. Go later. I just came back from the palace. There are some urgent matters I need to discuss with you first.”
As she spoke, her gaze shifted to Astreya inside the house. “Long time no see, Astreya.”
The other smiled and nodded in greeting. “Long time no see. Looking at you, your injuries probably won’t recover anytime soon.”
“Ah, as long as I don’t die, it’s fine.” When talking about her injuries, Dekalorin’s expression remained open-minded. She walked over to the sofa and sat down, also gesturing for the others to come over and sit.
Seeing this, Astreya said, “You have important matters to discuss? Do you need me to step out for a moment?”
“No need. Speaking of which, this matter will also require your help.”
Finally, after everyone had taken their seats, Dekalorin’s expression grew serious.
“I’ll keep it short. Saint Eustacia is still at the palace handling the aftermath. I came back early to tell you. Regarding what happened in that town that day, we can now confirm that the mastermind behind it is the organization called ‘Rusted Dawn.'”
Upon hearing this name, the others present showed some uneasy expressions. After all, just hearing the name made it clear that it was nothing good.
Although Astreya had lived in the human world for a long time, this matter involved the stability of the human world, so she had no knowledge of it.
As for Seraphina and Movira, they knew even less.
“Mm. However, their goal should not be as simple as creating chaos for no reason. To figure out exactly what they want to do, the most critical clue right now probably lies with the escaped princess from the Debisg Duchy that fell five years ago.”
Dekalorin’s gaze turned to Seraphina and Movira. “That princess’s name is Ira.”
After Dekalorin had said everything she could and could not say, when Seraphina murmured the name “Ira,” her heart suddenly jumped.
A figure rushed into her mind. Lina!
She almost immediately looked up at Movira, but did not dare to say it directly. She could only desperately signal with her eyes: I have something to say.
After listening to Dekalorin’s account, Movira stood up and said to Dekalorin, “I’ll go write a letter right now and use my connections to help you find her. Seraphina, you come too.”
Seraphina understood and nodded. “Alright.”
The two of them went upstairs one after the other. After entering the bedroom and closing the door, Seraphina immediately grabbed Movira’s arm and lowered her voice. “Ira… I feel like Ira is Lina! Think about it. She has that stubbornness that doesn’t belong to a slave at all, a faint noble air, and her identification with her own country!”