Eserin's fingertips unconsciously traced across the parchment, distant memories surfacing in her mind.
War Treants.
The advanced units of the elven legions, each requiring extensive time and the tempering of war to cultivate, each one incredibly precious. Only the ancient elves far away in the Ancient Tree Council could afford to raise them.
If one traced the origins of the Oak Guards in the Dryad domain, they might be considered descendants of War Treants, separated by who knows how many generations, with limited potential. The chance of them transforming into a transcendent existence was minuscule.
However, after interacting with those miraculous Slimes and witnessing their strange magic, a vague feeling had arisen in Eserin's heart.
Perhaps, cultivating a high-level unit comparable to a War Treant wasn't limited to following the ancient traditions.
"This place is becoming increasingly unstable..."
She sighed softly, taking out a magical leaf emitting a mysterious power. Rubbing it between her fingers, her thoughts drifted toward the future of the domain.
Although nominally, Viola was the lord of this forest, that inherently lazy and carefree lord had essentially dumped almost all administrative duties onto her in daily life.
This gave Eserin quite a headache.
To protect this tranquil paradise surrounded by treacherous swamps, they needed to seek even stronger, more reliable power.
Precisely because of this, she was quite intrigued by the Slime Kingdom's concept of Rune Oak Guards.
This might be a shortcut to rapidly enhance the domain's defensive strength.
"Little Flower, can you contact His Majesty?" Eserin gathered her thoughts and transmitted a message through the gel communicator clipped to her pointed ear to Little Flower far away in the Eastern Swamp.
About a minute later, Little Flower's soft, sleepy voice came through the communicator. "Not yet. Big Brother seems to be busy all the time;
the communicator isn't responding. Miss Eserin, do you have other matters?"
Eserin responded, "Regarding the alchemical energy circuit formula for the 'Rune Oak Guards,' I have optimized and refined it based on the energy characteristics you provided. Theoretically, it should effectively improve the transmission and conversion efficiency of that mysterious energy within the oak tree's body."
"However, the Magic Leaves currently mass-produced and provided to me by your domain have a certain attribute conflict with the Oak Guards, preventing connection with the energy circuit."
"I need more Magic Leaves as samples for further testing and adjustments."
After the message was sent, a good while passed before Little Flower's voice came through the gel communicator again, this time sounding a bit more awake.
"Ah! Uncle Anvil just told me that Big Brother has already left the mining area and is heading to the Dryad domain. He should be arriving just about now."
Almost as soon as Little Flower's words fell, the air beside Eserin distorted. Viola's spirit form materialized silently, like a reflection in water.
She lazily leaned over the edge of the large rock Eserin was sitting on, propping her chin with her hand. "Eserin, have you decided?"
"You should know what sharing knowledge means in elven tradition, especially knowledge concerning ancient trees. Even among elves, it's not something that can be taught casually."
Eserin stood up and respectfully performed an elven bow to Viola. "Lady Viola, elves are never stingy about spreading knowledge and wisdom to intelligent lifeforms who love nature."
"Of course, excluding those stubborn, rigid old fogies in the Ancient Tree Council who treat knowledge as private property."
Hearing this, Viola couldn't help but let out a soft "pfft" of laughter.
For the usually calm and polite Eserin to call them 'old fogies,' it seemed those old fellows had given her quite a hard time and thoroughly annoyed her during her studies at the Ancient Tree Council.
"Alright, alright," Viola waved her hand, her expression becoming slightly more serious as she reined in her smile. "Actually, I have an idea too."
"Tell me, after staying in this forest for so long... shouldn't we also consider finding a reliable kingdom to... you know?"
Eserin was momentarily stunned, then quickly regained her composure, analyzing, "Those Slimes... are indeed interesting, but they might not be able to emerge from these swamps."
Viola tilted her head, curiously pressing further. "Then what do you think would count as reliable?"
Eserin pondered for a moment before replying, "Then let's wait for the true Slime Kingdom to be born."
"A true king capable of establishing order within the swamps is worthy of my offering of elven knowledge and loyalty, and worthy of the Dryad domain forging a solid alliance with."
Viola chuckled. "Looks like you think quite highly of that Slime King."
Eserin paused, then fell into silence.
Indeed, if someone had told her a few years ago that a Slime could become a king, she would have thought it was some absurd tale concocted by a destitute bard to earn drink money.
And now, she actually believed a Slime possessed the makings of a king.
"Alright, that little lord has arrived. Go greet him." As Viola spoke, she prepared to leave.
"Aren't you coming with me to receive him?" Eserin asked.
After all, it was a formal visit by a "King." For the lord not to appear seemed somewhat discourteous.
Viola waved her hand, wearing an expression that said "spare me."
"That's so tiring. Plus, there'd be so much polite small talk, hypocritically complimenting each other. Just thinking about it gives me a headache."
"Just say I'm engaged in important meditation, or sleeping. Make up any excuse to brush it off."
Eserin wanted to persuade her further, but Viola's spirit form had already rapidly dissipated under the moonlight.
She could only shake her head helplessly.
Summoning Old Bloom, who was on night watch, she then went with him to the main entrance connecting the dungeon to the Dryad domain.
They hadn't been there long when they heard the sound of flapping wings from within the passage.
Immediately after, Chen Yu, riding on Little Ka's back, flew out from the dark passage and landed with a soft "plop" on the soft grass before Eserin.
"Welcome, Your Majesty," Eserin greeted with an elegant bow. Old Bloom also gave a slight bow beside her.
Chen Yu wobbled his body in acknowledgment, then followed Eserin's lead to her mushroom-shaped wooden cabin built beneath a tree.
Inside the cabin, Eserin didn't engage in excessive pleasantries. She got straight to the point, explaining the difficulties encountered in constructing the "Rune Oak Guards."
"The Magic Leaf attributes aren't compatible?"
Chen Yu couldn't help but mutter to himself.
The Magic Leaves currently mass-produced in his domain were all earth-attribute, which indeed didn't seem to match the oak trees.
But in other words, if he could draw wood-attribute Magic Leaves, perhaps Eserin would have a way to forge a true Rune Oak Guard.
This was undoubtedly good news for Chen Yu.
Wood-attribute talismans—Xu Xuan Heaven had plenty of those, as many as he wanted. He just needed to go back and look for them...
So he decided to stay in the Dryad domain for now, his consciousness returning to Xu Xuan Heaven to make purchases through the night.
...
Evernight Domain.
Cold mist permeated the pitch-black cemetery. Several black crows perched on tree branches, occasionally letting out hoarse caws.
Suddenly, one of the crows seemed drawn by movement beneath the tree. It tilted its head, its amber eyes gazing downward, its pupils reflecting the figures of two individuals sitting by a coffin.
A large amount of loose soil was piled beside a tombstone, looking freshly dug, mixed with a few earthworms accidentally sliced in two by a shovel.
"I say, Casimir, meeting an old friend, and you're so distracted."
The speaker was a pale-faced nobleman wearing clothes that, though worn, still hinted at their former opulent style.
He was carefully extracting a somewhat damp, wilted-looking cigarette from a rusty metal cigarette case.
Then he nudged the man sitting beside him, Casimir, with his elbow, offering him one as well.
Casimir took the cigarette, holding it between his fingers, and sighed with melancholy. "Zoran, how long has it been since we last chatted? The last time was ten years ago, wasn't it?"
"Heh, your memory is good."
The vampire noble named Zoran grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Ever since I accidentally offended that petty-minded Salacha, I haven't dared to wake up. I've been hiding in my coffin, playing dead, waiting for him to die of old age..."
Mid-sentence, he habitually reached for matches to light his cigarette but found nothing.
He looked down and cursed under his breath. "Oh, damn it, I forgot! While I was sleeping, my treasured box of matches seems to have been gnawed by rats!"
He irritably searched his pockets and indeed pulled out an empty matchbox with bite holes, completely empty.
This made him so angry he wanted to throw away the precious cigarette in his hand, but after a moment's hesitation, he regretfully put it back, only to scratch his messy blond hair even more irritably.
Watching his friend's predicament, Casimir's mind involuntarily drifted back to that green gel... His Adam's apple bobbed unconsciously as he secretly swallowed.
Compared to that ultimate pleasure, the moldy cigarette in Zoran's hand was as worthless as dirt.
Silence spread between the two vampire nobles for a while, broken only by the occasional caw of crows and the mournful sound of wind whistling past tombstones.
Finally, Casimir seemed to have made some kind of decision. In a seemingly casual tone, he asked, "Zoran, do you think... a smoking addiction is... bad?"
Hearing this, Zoran chuckled as if he'd heard something funny and patted Casimir's shoulder. "Only ten years apart, and you're already beating around the bush."
He waved the cigarette in his hand, his tone carrying the pride of an addict. "How is this bad? This is unparalleled enjoyment, a rare solace in our long, deadened lives."
"If I had to go back and see Salacha's perpetually scowling face, that would be truly bad!"
Having said that, as if to prove the value of this "enjoyment," he picked up the wilted cigarette again and took an intoxicated sniff.
"You simply don't understand. This is absolutely unparalleled, even if..."
Before he could finish, as if irritated by the stale tobacco smell, he suddenly bent over in a violent coughing fit, as if trying to cough his lungs out.
It took him a good while to catch his breath. He opened his palm;
the handkerchief he was clutching was already stained with dark red, viscous blood clots.
Clearly, the smoking was to blame.
He couldn't help but complain, "I said back then I shouldn't have taken this old phlegm with me into slumber. It's been clogged for years, and only now did I cough it out."
Then he nudged Casimir again with his elbow. "What grand schemes have you been up to lately with that Salacha fellow? You look radiant, must have drunk plenty of virgin blood."
Casimir remained silent for a moment, feeling the deep-seated craving for the green gel scratching at his heart like tiny claws, making him unbearably restless.
Finally, an idea struck him. "I've recently discovered something infinitely better than your lousy cigarettes. The taste is something you'll absolutely remember for a lifetime after just one try."
"So, how about it? Want to come with me?"
Zoran curled his lip, scoffing at his words.
"Alright, pleasant chat time is over."
He nimbly flipped back into the ornate stone coffin lined with velvet, stretched comfortably, then folded his hands over his abdomen, closed his eyes peacefully, and prepared to continue his long career of playing dead.
"Goodnight, my dear Casimir. Remember to fill the dirt back in for me, pack it down firmly. Best if you stick a fresh white rose in there for me too..."
After he finished speaking, he received no response for a while. Puzzled, he opened his eyes again.
His gaze fell on the coffin's edge, where he saw Casimir not only hadn't left but was silently communicating with a blood bat.
After the blood bat flew away, Zoran, with his hands behind his head, teased, "Oh, such a busy man. Now you don't even have time to fill in a hole."
Casimir glanced at him. "Those Stone Descendants have discovered a fissure. They might soon enter to explore it."
"Lord Salacha has ordered me to go to the swamp again to lure those Undead into attacking the Goblins."
Zoran shrugged. "Who cares? Stone Descendants, Undead, who gives a damn? I only care if my precious coffin is comfortable enough and if I can get a good smoke next time I wake up."
"Next time you come, remember to bring some cigarettes, or I won't even bother opening the door for you."
Casimir ignored his joke, instead pondering before speaking again. "Zoran, I'm serious. That stuff... once you've taken a hit, you'll truly remember it for a lifetime."
"Are you really not going to come with me to see it for yourself?"
Seeing him emphasize it again, and it didn't seem fake, Zoran felt a flicker of curiosity stirred within.
After a moment's thought, he decided he wanted to see what could make Casimir so obsessed.
"Alright, alright, since you put it that way, I'll accompany you on this trip."
...
Dryad domain, dawn.
The light of dawn, like fine golden sand, filtered softly through the window glass, spilling onto the clean wooden floor.
On the nearby desk, a candle had burned down, leaving only a small amount of yet-to-solidify wax. Chen Yu finished imprinting the last leaf and handed it to Eserin, who sat beside him.
Eserin rubbed the Magic Leaf in her palm, indeed sensing a surge of abundant natural vitality from within.
Moreover, the five Magic Leaves stacked beside it seemed to have different patterns.
Producing this many Magic Leaves in one night was unimaginable even for a mage proficient in the skilled craft of making magical scrolls.
It also indicated that the Slime King before her seemed to be a master scroll-maker as well.
Astonishing.
"Are these enough?"
Chen Yu's words snapped Eserin out of her reverie. She nodded. "They are sufficient. If you are interested, you may accompany me to bestow the runes upon the Oak Guard."