[Till I’m able to fully repair the internal circulation, my body will be even more fragile than someone from Earth. I’ll have to restart my cultivation from zero as well. I won’t be able to help you too much with the empires… Sorry about this, brother.] → Shen
“…”
Ryu pressed his forehead on one knee, he felt extremely saddened while talking with a sad smile.
“Haha~ At least you’ll live, right?” → Ryu
[Of course! I still have something important to do. I came here to tell you something very important. I want you to send trustworthy warriors to the Urius kingdom, right beside ours. They will execute someone we’ll need for improving our kingdom. He’s a player and we can’t let him die. We got one month till he’ll be executed.] → Shen
“… How do you know this? Were you flying around the world while being a spirit?” → Ryu
He already got used to Shen’s weird powers and knowledge but this time he was taken by surprise. He also had spies in these two kingdoms but never heard of something like an upcoming execution, he would’ve heard about it if is a public execution.
[No. As a spirit, I’m able to see fragments from the Wheel of Destiny. Call it future telling. The respective person was caught a week ago and his creations were destroyed, called the creations of the devil. Don’t forget, the churches are afraid of anything new which might bring improvement to the society, we will have to fight against them as well. That person, if he dies, our kingdom will have much harsher times against the 3 empires, he will play a good substitute for myself.] → Shen
“I understand about the future telling and the church’s part, but 3 empires? Aren’t there only 2? And what do you mean a substitute?” → Ryu
[However you look at it, the Demon Kingdom is an empire through and through. I’ll be able to end a peace treaty with the Demon Lord in a way or another but it won’t last for long. And that person is also a crafter. He will be able to create defensive weapons for the kingdom, making the fortress even more impenetrable.] → Shen
“Understood.” → Ryu
[I’ll go now. Don’t try to ask me anything about all this when I’ll wake up. I might not be able to remember this conversation.] → Shen
Shen then disappeared like smoke in the air. Ryu looked at the sky where Shen disappeared just now, sadness was visible in his eyes.
“Take care, brother…” → Ryu
“Starting from zero again while our enemies are only stronger and stronger… Shen, how in the world can you be so calm…? Will your mind still be stable when we’ll meet? Will the devil take over you?” → Ryu
Ryu was able to tell just how much pressure was on him only by thinking through what he’ll need to go through. He was aware that Shen knew this, so he examined every movement from Shen through the conversation they just had. He saw no nervousness or fear, only calmness and tranquility.
“If he’s so calm, then he must have a plan. Hmm… I suppose I can trust him. For now, I only have to resist on my own and continue to expand the little fortress till I’ll build an imposing City, befitting for a capital. Afterward, to expand on all 4 points.” → Ryu
Ryu’s eyes became serious, he started making plans for the future while looking at the sky, the party still going on on the ground.
In the next morning, Ryu summoned everyone from his group: the 10 leaders, his friends and the clan leader.
“Today I’m going to give everyone something to do. But before that, if you got anything to say and wish to do, tell me now, we’ll be able to start working after everyone has a peaceful mind.” → Ryu
Ryu said while looking at everyone with expectations. Andrew and Sara stepped forward together. Andrew opened his mouth first.
“Your majesty. I ask for permission to go and see the grave of my deceased wife and child.” → Andrew
Andrew said with a heavy face while gazing downward in a show of respect. After yesterday, he had to calm his heart and talk with his deceased loved ones for the last time. He wished to lift the weight from his heart once and for all.
“My King, I wish to go and visit the grave of my husband as well.” → Sara
Sara was in the same predicament as Andrew, taking the exact same position.
“I permit it.” → Ryu
Ryu said with a smiling face. From the top of the tower, he was able to see what happened. He could tell they were able to step forward. Even though they needed all the manpower they could get at hand, with a higher spirit, his two subordinates would work much more efficient than before, gaining a big bonus from this.
“Thank you, your majesty.”
Both of them bowed their heads then looked with respect at Ryu.
“King Ryu, I wish to go to my clan and invite the ones who wish to come and live with us, here.” → Shiroko
This time Shiroko stepped forward with a serious face.
“Accepted, but you’ll have to take Gregor and Lissa with you. They will guard you in case the revolving players wish to backstab you. They are one player and a resident of this world but were taught by Shen martial arts and magic for more than a week. They’ll be able to resist some hundreds of other players.” → Ryu
Ryu said with confidence.
Shiroko looked with wide open eyes at the two then she nodded her head at Ryu.
“Thank you very much.” → Shiroko
“No problem. Next, Tara, I’ll ask of you to go in Urius Kingdom and save a player who will get executed, I would go myself but I need to stay here and defend the stronghold in case of new demonic waves. The rest of you, till Shiroko gets back with more people, we’ll have to build a new wall around the stronghold. Our population will grow more and more, we’ll need to enlarge our territory for the upcoming residents.” → Ryu
Ryu said while taking out the papers with the plans for the new walls and buildings. Bonny, Shiroko and the others were a little bit shocked.
What player? Execution?!
“Ryu? What execution are you talking about? Has the spies reported something?” → Bonny
“Not the spies. Shen contacted me and told me to go in Urius Kingdom and save a player which would be executed because he created technology out of this world, making the churches turn against him. We all know how scared the churches are when it comes to new forms of magic and technology, right?” → Ryu
“Shen did?!”
Everyone was baffled by the news once again.
“Did he wake up?!” → Ronald
Ronald was happy for finally hearing about Shen and he wished to study some more under him. Shen taught him the twins swords dance and he also taught him how to perfect it. Right now he could fight a close match with a Saint even though he is only a grandmaster for now.
“No. He will wake up today at night, what visited me was only his spirit.” → Ryu
Ryu said with a calm voice but everyone, be it Andrew or Gerome, they looked with the same wide-open eyes at him.
“M-my king, do you mean to say that… Lord Shen’s ghost visited and talked with you…?” → Lilia
Lilia asked a little bit stuttering. She couldn’t comprehend how someone’s ghost could visit another person while the ghost’s body is still alive.
“Indeed. He disembodied himself and flew my way to bring the news.” → Ryu
Ryu said with a matter-of-fact voice, already numb at the ridiculous things Shen did for the past few months since he made contact with him in this world.
“Amazing…” → Marina
Marina was too shocked, she looked dazed outside the window while not being able to focus on anything.
“We’ll hear more details from Shen himself when he’ll get back. Till then I want everyone to do what they were assigned to do. The ones who don’t need to leave anywhere, please give it your all in building the new walls and towers, if there is nothing else, dismissed.” → Ryu
Ryu said and got up from his seat. Everyone bowed their heads with the exception of Bonny who smiled sweetly at Ryu then left the room, going to do their respective work
[[[POV CHANGES TO LOCATION OF WORLD TREE]]]
Back at the World Tree in the middle of the Alfheim Kingdom.
On top of a leaf from the World Tree inside a little hut, Sylvia took care of Shen while cleaning his sleeping body with a towel.
“I remember there must’ve been some scars on him, it seems all of them got healed up by the World Tree. So amazing.” → Sylvia
Sylvia said with admiration in her voice while touching his smooth body. Right now she was cleaning Shen’s chest with a thin cloth imbued in water.
“…”
She stopped for a moment and looked intently at Shen’s muscular body. She reddened a little bit while cleaning it with the towel.
He said every player that chose to change in their “character”, would end up with a perfect body, being made after the system of the game… or something like that. → Sylvia
Sylvia touched his body and felt the warmth and beating heart, her face blushing more and more.
“However I look at it, it’s as real as possible. He’s thin but fit, looking like the body of a feline.” → Sylvia
She washed his front, of course she left the boxers on, not daring to take them off on her own, then she turned him around gently.
“Oh my, so these are not called scars then?” → Sylvia
She saw on his back, two lines going in a spiral along his spine towards his top head from his spine-base. The lines were barely visible but if you were close enough, you’ll be able to discern them. At the moment, the lines’ colors were more vividly than normal, looking as if they pulsated blood.
“He’s trying to repair his circulation with the help of Kundalini.” → Sylvia
Sylvia understood why the spiral was so red then she continued to clean his body, her face with a slight blush as before.
What a broad back… Is not that visible from the front, but his back seems pretty big. → Sylvia
Sylvia cleaned his back then she stopped, she reached out and hugged the broad back, laying down on him with her upper body. Then.
Sniff Sniff.
She sniffed him while feeling his warmth.
Ah, I was never able to discern his smell because I had no sense of smell before… Now I can smell it, it’s sweet and sour at the same time but a mild and gentle smell, making me feel relaxed… It somehow smells like raw, young corn~ → Sylvia
Sylvia hugged his back more tightly then she felt like falling asleep on top of him when.
“Sylvia~ the queen said she wants to talk with you- Ah…” → Melinda
Melinda entered the room and she saw Sylvia on top of Shen. She froze for a moment then hastily turned back.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t know you were doing something important! Excuse my intrusion!” → Melinda
Right when she wanted to leave, Sylvia shouted back
“W-wait! It’s not what you think! I was just cleaning his body! I-I wanted to go on the other part of the bed so I thought of going over him!” → Sylvia
Sylvia thought of an excuse with a red face while being incredibly flustered.
“…Really?” → Melinda
Melinda asked with a red face, staying half outside the room and half inside, looking behind the door.
“Yes! N-now, what was about the queen?” → Sylvia
Sylvia tried to change the conversation. She turned Shen back and covered him with a blanket, trying to calm her beating heart.
“Y-yes. She wants to talk to you about something. I think it has to do with the Kingdom built by Mister Ryu.” → Melinda
Melinda finally said, still a slight blush on her face.
“Oh? I understand, thank you for telling me.” → Sylvia
Sylvia got out from the hut where Shen was sleeping on his own. Everyone thought of moving Shen in another house, a one-roomed one which was close to them. Like this, they’ll be sure to not interfere in Shen’s recovery and at the same time, keep an eye on him in case there was any curious elf wishing to pay him a visit.
She walked around from leaf to leaf while admiring the otherworldly view all around her. Some leaves had wooden doors which teleported you instantly to a much more distanced leaf. She entered through a portal after portal, and walked from atop a wooden bridge to another, until she arrived in front of a huge White Palace. The palace was right at the base of the World-Tree, while at the entrance 6 elves guarded the huge gates. When they saw Sylvia walking towards them, they rushed to open the gates.
They were told beforehand about Sylvia’s invitation. Sylvia entered the Palace and was greeted by a spacious corridor, on ground green grass was growing while the walls looked as if trees grew one over the other, making for natural wooden walls with leaves and branches growing from them. The stairs were the roots of the trees placed one over the other, making for a magical view while the ceiling was made from the branches of the huge trees which grew one on top of the other. The place didn’t need any illumination like torches or illuminating crystals because everywhere around, little green dots of light like fireflies were flying around, illuminating every shadowy place. The little bubble-like lights were present everywhere around the tree but were much more visible inside the palace where light didn’t penetrate that well. Sylvia was dazed by the magical view for a second then she continued walking forward, going for the meeting hall where the Queen resided.
Inside a huge hall right at the end of it, on an elevated area, a wooden throne was as if growing from the wooden ground. Above it, a green tree with shining leaves was growing while on the throne, Queen Elisabetta was resting with a calm face. She looked like a mother of nature and a goddess of beauty, making even nature itself to bow down to her beauty. Around her, beside the right and left wall, more high-elves sat down on almost similar thrones of wood, their faces as welcoming as the queen’s.
“…”
Sylvia was momentarily dazed then she bowed her head while pinching her white dress, showing the composure of a refined lady.
“I greet her highness, Queen of Alfheim.” → Sylvia
She said with a refined and graceful temper. She was taught how to be lady-like from the day she was rescued by the clerk, growing up to be able to have a proper conversation even with royalties.
“No need for such formalities, Miss Sylvia. Please look up.” → Queen
The queen smiled at Sylvia then continued.
“Everyone, I’d wish to have a personal conversation with Miss Sylvia, if you could please excuse us.” → Queen
Everyone bowed their heads and left from the room, the 6 other high-elves that took part in the ritual of closing the seal, included. After everyone left, Sylvia relaxed and smiled at the queen then asked in a more relaxed manner.
“So why was I invited to the Palace, your majesty?” → Sylvia
“First of all. I thank you for not saying my name when everyone was present. The queen’s name should be pronounced only after she’s married~.” → Queen
Elisabetta said with a playful smile, making Sylvia have a sudden feeling of uneasiness.
“Yes? May I ask what your highness means?” → Sylvia
“Fufufu~. I mean to say that the first person who finds out the queen’s name and says it out loud, has to be her husband.” → Queen
The queen smiled beautifully while filling in Sylvia with the details.
