Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

Chapter 142. Sylvan Arrival!

Verena sat across the living room. A beautiful flower held her body by her side, gently massaging her eyebrows. Verdantia looked at the flower and pouted. "Dad, be a bit more reserved in front of my friends." 

The flower communicated mentally. "Oh, right. Sorry, Little Flower."

Verdantia snorted, but she had a small smile on her lips.

Verena sighed and leaned on the flower. "You are only Level 13. Are you sure you want to go back? Why not stay here until you reach Level 20? With the first sub-cycle completion and your innate strength, you will probably be able to face most people who roam around these parts."

Cinderielle smiled and answered. "Thanks for the offer, Aunty Verena. However, we want to look over Liu Shu to protect and guide her. We've learned a lot, and while we might not be perfect, together with her, we are sure that we can face this World together."

Verana looked at them for a few seconds and sighed. "That mothkin named Mariane, I've done a background check." 

Tempestria asked, curious. "Is there anything wrong with her?"

Verena shook her head. "No, nothing is wrong. She is still a person from quite a distinguished background. Although… She is from another continent."

The girls blinked, surprised. Cinderielle asked. "So, what is she doing here?"

Verena shrugged. "I don't know. I just know that she came to this continent to find knowledge about runes. She is a famous archeologist on her native continent. People there seemed to think she was interested in runes because they were cool. Nobody realized that she is quite a decent Rune Crafter." 

Verdantia blinked. "Isn't that obvious?"

Verena snorted. "Obvious? Wasn't it obvious that she was from another continent when no strong mothkin families exist in our continent?"

Verdantia coughed. "Sorry."

Verena looked at them and sighed again. "Verdantia… I love you a lot. You are my little darling."

Verdantia smiled and nodded. "I love you too, mom."

Verena commented, her tone difficult. "I know, darling. Just… I can't really save you again. I've received a letter from the Stormrider family. Look at it."

Verdantia frowned and read the letter. 

"Greetings, Lady Verena Liferoot"

"I've written this letter to inform you that my son's actions are indeed reproachable. However, we, adults, shouldn't interfere in the battle for the young. Let them use their own resources to fight for the ownership of the World Tree."

"Similarly, I would appreciate it if you would keep my son's collaboration with the Void Witherwood Exarchs quiet in exchange for me keeping silent about that World Tree slaughtering their group to the Nexus. Also, Fortuna would probably be interested in knowing about that World Tree that is growing in her back garden."

"I know you are an intelligent woman, so let's allow the small children to compete with each other without our interference. Otherwise, things will escalate beyond ourselves."

"Regards,
Lord Stormrider."

Tempestria blinked and asked. "Lord Stormrider? Doesn't he have a name?"

Verdantia answered reflexively. "The leader of the Stormrider family throws their name away and changes it to Lord… Wait." Verdantia looked at Tempestria and berated. "That's where you are focusing!? Do you understand the threat this letter contains?" 

Tempestria raised her arms. "Hold it there, woman. I was just curious. I understand that this means that we are on our own from now on."

Verdantia snorted. "That's not all. Eldric was afraid that his father would discover his relationship with the Witherwood people. Yet, he has told him and nothing has happened. Isn't that bad?"

Verena smiled. "Don't worry about that. Lord Stormrider became interested because Eldric got a few of that World Tree's fruits and showed him."

Cinderielle almost coughed a mouthful of blood. "How is that something not to worry about!?"

Verena blinked. "Well, they are powerful fruits, but they are not that strong, no?"

Verdantia sighed and explained the effects of the berries. 

Verena blinked several times and hummed. "Well, that's a bit beyond my expectations. Hm. They work on any creature?"

Verdantia nodded with a sigh. "Yes, Mom."

With a cough, Verena commented. "I have indeed underestimated that little one. However, she should take a long time to grow them, right?"

The three Sylvans looked at Verena with deadpans, and Verena's lips twitched. "Hm. Guide me there. Lord Stormrider must still be thinking similarly to me. We need to cover some things up before things get completely out of control and… Um…" 

Verdantia sighed. "Yes. I'll ask Liu Shu if she can give you some for Dad and you."

Verena stood up and hugged her daughter, who was more than half a head taller. "Thank you, baby. Mom loves you the most~." Verena blinked a few times. "Can I-."

"Buy them."

Verena snorted. "Really, you, Little Flower, are quick to fall off the branches that nurtured you just to get stuck in another canopy!" 

Verdantia laughed and hugged Verena. "You will love Liu Shu when you interact with her." 

The flower, or well, Verdantia's father, commented. "Hm~, take a pot with one of my parts. I also want to meet the World Tree that stole my daughter's and her friend's hearts." 

"Dad!" Verdantia blushed a bit. "D-Don't do anything strange, okay? I know you are quite powerful! What if Liu Shu gets scared?

"Is he?" Cinderielle and Tempestria asked. 

Verdantia snorted and said with pride. "If he were a World Tree instead of a <Ninety-Nine Blossom Vine>, we would have a massive city instead of a house! Daddy's is Level-."

Verena chopped her head. "Enough, don't reveal family secrets at will." 

Verdantia nodded, and then, realizing that she would see Liu Shu soon, her heart began racing. She went to her room, where she had accumulated quite a few books, and giggled. 'Here we come, Liu Shu!'

Verena stepped outside, carrying a flower pot with a gorgeous purple flower in her arms. "Come and fly us out, little one." 

A seed fell from her leafy dress, and then the ground transformed and rose, placing all of them on the bed of a massive bird-like creature with leafy wings. 

The bird-like being extended its wings and flapped, taking flight and quickly disappearing into the clouds above. 

As they crossed the sky, Verdantia asked. "When will I be able to raise a summon like this one, Mom? It is quite convenient." 

Verena smiled. "With your current Aether and Anima pools, you should be able to create one strong enough to carry one person. It is a good summon to have, as the ability to fly can really save you from a few tricky situations." 

Cinderielle looked at the large bird and asked. "Isn't it too big for some situations?" 

Verena smiled. "Our Liferoot family has an inherited art to fuse with our summons, gaining a significant stat boost and some appearance changes. We are so strong as a family because we are unlike others who rely on numbers. We, the Liferoot family, are not many, but our individual power is top-notch. As Sylvans, being able to transform and the fuse to boost our stats further is terrifyingly strong." 

Tempestria commented. "I am focused on Phoer and physical strength, but my Anima stat is not small. Can I learn summoning?"

Verena shook her head. "Sadly, summoning is not something you learn. It is a talent you are born with. The reason is that you need to unlock the <Summoning Affinity> section on your system page if you even want to start competing with other summoners. Naturally, it's not like you absolutely can't summon something. However, it will be much more inefficient and weak compared to something with those stats unlocked."

Cinderielle commented. "<Summoning Affinity> is about summoning cost, strength, maintenance cost, and… What was the fourth?"

Verdantia commented. "Summoning time. The time we need to summon something." 

Cinderielle nodded. "Right." 

The plant in the pot commented. "Taking into account the three types of summoning as well, only those with <Summoning Affinity> unlocked can do the dimensional summoning. 

Tempestria muttered. "Now that I think about it… Sir, could you tell me your name? We have not heard it yet." 

Verena and Verdantia blinked and realized that they'd been calling him nicknames all the time. Verena coughed. "Sorry for that. He is Branthis, my partner and, well, husband. His race is quite rare as well, <Ninety-Nine Blossom Vine>."

Branthis waved one of his petals. "It is a pleasure to meet my daughter's friends for the first time."

Verdantia cleared her throat. "I-It's not the first time."

Branthis laughed. "Right, right." 

Cinderielle exclaimed. "Oh! I've read about your race, sir!"

With an interested tone, he asked. "Oh? What have you heard?" 

Cinderielle muttered. "Well, I don't know if it is true, but I heard that they can take over entire towns in a matter of years if they are allowed to grow and Level Up enough!"

Branthis sent a chuckle with the mental message. "Well, that's not wrong. Your aunt Verena discovered me when exterminating my core from doing exactly that. It was quite a well fought battle. In the end, when I thought I would die, Verena told me."

Verena pinched the petal of the flower. "Dear?"

Branthis exclaimed. "Ouch! Oy, it's not a shameful thing! I am quite proud of that moment."

"Hmmm. Well, if you say so…" Verena muttered shyly. "I also found you handsome at that time."

Tempestria smiled and asked. "So, what did Verena tell you, Uncle Branthis?"

Branthis chuckled. "Well, she said. 'You are a strong plant! I am sure you can fertilize my seeds! Come home with me!' And she took me home after beating me up for refusing."

Cinderielle thought. 'She kidnapped him.'

Tempestria followed. 'She kidnapped him and then forced him to give her children.'

Verdantia smiled. 'So romantic~.' Then, she sighed. 'Sadly, I can't kidnap Liu Shu; she is too big…'

Verena commented, changing the subject. "Ahem, look, the Golden Sap Forest!"

The three Sylvans quickly looked over from the sky and realized that there was a new tall tree around the middle area of the forest. 'Hm? Isn't that where Liu Shu was before?'

Cinderielle muttered, incredulous. "Is that tree Liu Shu?"

Tempestria laughed. "Wow, she has really grown quite a lot! What Level is she now?"

Verdantia muttered to herself with a sigh. "If that's her, kidnapping her is even more difficult now…"

Cinderielle blinked and looked at Verdantia. "What did you say?"

Verdantia smiled. "Nothing. How about we approach?" 

Verena manipulated the bird, and when they were around 500 meters away, her pupils shrunk. 'Oho~?'

"Dodge left."

The bird quickly flapped and moved out of the way as several seeds passed through the area where they had previously been with incredible speed and strength. 

Verena whistled. "That would've heavily wounded my summon! Well, this one is just Level 20, but even then- Oh? Dodge to the right."

After a swift maneuver, another round of seeds passed closely. However, this time, the seeds actually exploded, sending shrapnel around, hitting the bird and making it cry in pain.

Verena laughed. "Great! That's quite strong. It chipped away a few hundred Phoer Shards from my bird, and it wasn't even a direct hit!" 

Even Branthis was surprised. "Hasn't she reached Level 10 not long ago? Quite powerful. At Level 10, I was still hunting down small animals." 

Verena's lips arched as Anima Energy flowed out of her, sinking in the bird below her. 

A strong aura surrounded the flying creature as its speed multiplied, together with its overall strength. "Well, well. Let's see if you can take us down, World Tree." 

"Will everything be okay, Mom?"

"Don't worry, darling, I won't retaliate. I am just going to test her air defenses. Hold tight if you don't want to be sent flying~."

Following her words, the bird's wings came closer to its body, and then it dived downward. 

Below, the aura of the World Tree increased as a pillar of green light manifested together with a sharp hissing sound. Verena's face changed to one of surprise. 'She can summon as well!? A World Tree that can summon… That's dangerous.'