When the plot-skips players into the game world

Chapter 774: Chapter 157: The Story of the Forest Goddess Chapter 774: Chapter 157: The Story of the Forest Goddess “That form is called a Tree Demon, right…”

Aiwass nodded slightly, deep in thought, “I seem to have heard of it before…”

“Yes, I’ve asked around.

Once Aya is completely transformed, her soul will ascend into the Dream Realm and become an entirely different tree, one that is asleep.

She could appear in any corner of the Dream Realm where there are trees, looking no different from the others.

“If awakened by gentle music, it is possible she will grant the awakener a wish, but if disturbed by noise, the angered Tree Demon will attack any Phantom Demon passing by.”

“…I feel like I’ve heard something similar before.”

Aiwass felt the story was somewhat familiar, “There is a segment in the ‘Brave Series’ from the Helasal Empire period, ‘Forest Goddess’.

“Legend has it there was a hero traveling the world, who argued with his fiancée over the nature of love, unable to convince each other or find a satisfactory answer from friends, and thus sought the wisdom of the fabled Forest Goddess.

During their adventure, the hero was gravely injured while battling ferocious beasts, and his fiancée, while seeking healing herbs, accidentally consumed poison, which left her on the brink of death, hallucinating.

“After trying all means to no avail to save her, the hero cradled his unconscious fiancée, sadly leaning against a tree.

He played his harmonica, intending to accompany her to the end.

“And upon hearing his harmonica, the tree he leaned on came to life and tenderly wiped away his tears.

“It was a beautiful girl with hair like tendrils, her lower half gradually turning into tree roots.

She healed both the hero and his fiancée, and when they woke up, they together thanked the girl.

They were distressed for having caused each other such worry and care, and apologized for their stubbornness.

“Upon hearing the story of why they had come there, the girl smiled and crafted a flute from her own wood that could cure disease and break curses, an amulet from her leaves for good sleep, a pair of bracelets from her flowers that allowed one to hear each other’s hearts, and finally used her fruit for them to have a feast.

“By this point, both of them had lost the stubbornness to continue adventuring and seek out the Forest Goddess for answers; they just wanted to leave the dangerous forest as soon as possible.

After thanking the girl, they returned home.

“But after they told their adventures to their wisest friend, he slapped his thigh – the girl you encountered was the Forest Goddess!”

After finishing the story, Aiwass realized the girl had sat beside him at some point.

Anastasia listened intently to Aiwass’s story, her eyes gleaming.

Her gaze, once wary, now seemed affectionate.

“Will I become a Forest Goddess too?”

She asked, half curious, half longing.

It was the first time Grace had seen such a bright light in her eyes.

She was somewhat surprised, “Do you…

like the story, Aya?”

“I like it.

I really like it.”

Anastasia nodded vigorously, “I want to help others too…

I want to give what I have to others.

“Mom, is the Forest Goddess…

a child like me?”

“…If nothing unexpected happens, she should be.”

Grace felt a bit helpless.

Because she could guess the original of this story.

It must have been those Elves who lived in isolation, suffering from the tree transformation disease and unable to bear the noise of town life, so they went deep into the forest.

Eventually, they turned into trees in the heart of the woods but for some reason didn’t rightly ascend into the Dream Realm.

“However, this ‘Forest Goddess’ probably will ascend into the Dream Realm eventually,”

Grace said softly, “She must not have had her fill of sleep…

or rather, had not received enough sunlight, which is why she lingered in the Material Realm for a while.

She created gifts from almost all the essence of her being because she was about to leave.

“Because she was awakened by the gentle music, that is the right way to awaken.

If she had been disturbed, she might have lost her temper – and after that outburst, she possibly wouldn’t have had enough strength left.”

“…No wonder.”

Aiwass stroked his chin, “I’ve heard in some places there are customs of worshipping ‘tree gods.’ But sometimes the tree gods suddenly become unresponsive, which must be because the spirit inside has ascended to the Dream Realm.”

“That should be less common these years,”

Grace shook her head, “Some say it’s because the Elf bloodline isn’t as pure now…

but I think it’s mainly because those Elves who could have turned into Tree Demons have already ascended to the Dream Realm.

Among the remaining Elves, few have as pure a lineage as Aya.”

“Atavism, huh…”

Aiwass muttered.

He was afraid Isabel might undergo tree transformation.

After all, Isabel had almost the same hair color as Anastasia, and both were skilled in Illusion Technique.

This tightened Aiwass’s heart.

After all, Isabel was to become the Queen Vanhua, inheriting the legacy of Vanhua…

this meant that she could at least awaken the blood of Vanhua in her.

Perhaps, that could also be considered a form of atavism?

Grace obviously understood what Aiwass was getting at and nodded, “It should be.

After all, tree transformation usually only occurs in Pureblood Elves, and I’ve never heard of a Half-Elf or a child born to a Half-Elf experiencing it.”

She clearly recognized Aiwass’s concern.

…That’s good.

Aiwass had somewhat eased his concerns.

“Brother Aiwass,” Anastasia pleaded, “can you tell another story?”

The girl had obviously been lonely for too long, rarely encountering someone who would sit beside her and tell a story.

“Your Brother Aiwass is here on official business.”

Grace patted Anastasia’s shoulder, then turned to look at Aiwass.

Aiwass nodded and asked softly, “Do you still remember Yunus?”

“…The uncle who plays the harp?”

Anastasia’s eyes lit up, and she immediately guessed the rest of what Aiwass hadn’t said, “Has he come to see me?

Uncle Yunus came to see me!”

“But you can’t go out, Aya.”

Grace immediately rejected the idea, “If you come into contact with the outside world at this time, your tree transformation process might immediately exceed the danger threshold.”

“Can Mr.

Yunus come here, then?”

Anastasia countered.

“…I’m afraid that won’t work.”

Grace hesitated and shook her head, “He is too old, probably has lost his childlike innocence long ago.”

“Then I must go out.”

Anastasia said firmly, “Thanks to Uncle Yunus, those friends were able to find me.

He saved me, and I want to thank him face to face.”

“…Even if it accelerates your tree transformation?”

Aiwass also asked.

He neither dissuaded nor enticed.

“That is what I want to do.”

The girl was obstinate, “And…

I now feel that it may not be such a bad thing after all.”

“…Aya, you’re not even a hundred years old yet.”

Grace crouched down, embracing Anastasia’s waist with some worry, “You haven’t even lived through a full childhood…”

“Mom, I know you want to do what’s best for me, you want me to stay longer.”

Anastasia suddenly spoke, “But I am but an evanescent phantom.

“Staying in this state…

might be even more painful.”

At that moment, Grace suddenly froze.

She even held her breath for a moment.

Because it was then that Grace belatedly realized something—she hadn’t considered whether Anastasia felt any pain in her transformed state, as her life had been too short, while she constantly sought ways to extend her life, even to the point of breaking taboos…

Perhaps it was because Anastasia was too sensible.@@novelbin@@

—She had never mentioned that it pained her to be this way.

“…Did I cause you pain, Aya?”

Grace’s voice trembled.

The girl merely extended her hand, gently wiping away Grace’s tears.

It was only then that Grace realized…

her not-yet-of-age daughter, who had been sent to the Fairy Kingdom for an “age freeze” at even less than half the age of adulthood, had already attained a maturity and tenderness far beyond that of ordinary people.

Despite having the childlike innocence and having spent all her life before with her parents and fairies, Anastasia indeed had lived for decades.

She was much more mature than Grace had imagined.

“I have a gift I want to give to Uncle Yunus.”

The girl spoke tenderly, “He is fragile and sad…

I want to help him.

“I might be able to save him…

to save his soul.”

Her tenderness, like the Forest Goddess in Aiwass’s stories.