Inside the Forest of Spirits, Aila’s toes lightly brushed against the emerald branches.
Her figure moved like a startled swan, weaving rapidly between several towering ancient trees.
The wind brushed past her ears, bringing with it the faint rustling of leaves.
After only a moment, she came to a halt before an ancient tree that was thick beyond imagination.
Hidden within the trunk was a vast, tranquil hall. Light fell gently through the cracks, and the air was thick with the fresh scent of greenery and earth.
She stepped inside slowly and called out softly to the empty hall.
“Mother, did you send for me?”
A moment later, an ethereal and warm voice imbued with the spiritual energy of the forest slowly resonated, as if it were gently enveloping her from all directions.
“Yes, Aila. Within the coming days, a Calamity will likely descend upon the world once more. Go and instruct the other tribesmen to be on high alert. Be wary of all the variables that are about to arrive.”
“I understand, Mother…”
Aila fell silent for a moment. A trace of hesitation flickered across her brow, but she eventually could not help but ask,
“Mother… why did this disaster come so quickly? It hasn’t been long since the last period of unrest passed.”
“Indeed. Even I did not expect it.”
The Elven Holy Mother’s voice remained calm and waveless, as if nothing in the world could stir even a single ripple in the lake of her heart.
But in the next second, a faint sound of confusion drifted through the hall.
“Hmm?”
“Mother?”
Aila was slightly taken aback, not understanding why the Holy Mother would suddenly make such a sound.
“Aila, do you still remember that little member of the Demon Race who was running around the Forest — Bai Li?”
The Holy Mother asked slowly, her tone hiding a trace of an indiscernible smile.
“Of course I remember! That Demon who was always accidentally ruining the trees… I have a very deep impression of her!”
“Hehe… this series of turbulent changes was all caused by her.”
The Holy Mother’s tone held a hint of playfulness and insight.
“What? No way… Could she… is she really the legendary Destined One?!”
“That’s right, Aila. Now I can be certain. This unchanging world is finally going to become interesting.”
“Mother, then what… what do you plan to do about this?”
“Observe the changes and maintain a strict watch. That is what we must do for now. Moreover, since we are in the Land at the Center of the World, perhaps we can even reap the fisherman’s profit.”
“But… Mother, I really don’t see where this profit comes from…”
“The fisherman’s profit you speak of might just be Bai Li herself.”
“What?!”
Aila’s entire body shook, and her face was filled with disbelief. Her eyes widened slightly.
“B-but Mother, wouldn’t doing this put you in direct opposition to the Goddess?”
“What if we are in opposition? I have long since grown tired of this world’s cyclical, tedious laws. Besides, I am only one step away from reaching godhood. I might as well use this disturbance to take a gamble.”
The Holy Mother’s voice suddenly paused.
“I’m sorry, Aila. I cannot say any more. Knowing too much is not a good thing for you.”
“I understand… Mother.”
“Go and inform everyone first. They must increase their vigilance.”
“I know!”
Aila responded and left. Her steps were light as she skipped through the trees, her figure quickly disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.
Within the ancient tree hall, the Holy Mother’s presence also quietly dissipated, returning the area to silence.
—
On the other side, Bai Li woke up and finished a simple but warm breakfast before excitedly clutching her book and rushing to the library.
The book she treated like a treasure was none other than the Mimicry Magic Book that she had searched for everywhere yesterday without success.
Just while she was eating, Ziya had suddenly come to find her, saying with a look of joy that she had already found the book.
This had left Bai Li both surprised and touched, making her feel even more affection for Ziya.
Compared to Baining’s daily perfunctory verbal promises, Ziya truly followed through on her words and handled things for her in silence.
‘Mother, I spent the whole night and finally found the book you wanted!’
Ziya’s well-behaved yet proud voice from this morning echoed softly in her mind.
However, Bai Li was completely unaware that this book had been hidden by Ziya herself in the first place.
As Bai Li walked quickly toward the library, she calculated happily in her heart.
‘Once I learn this magic, I should be able to change my appearance back to how it was before. At that time, I can return to the Human Empire and live my own peaceful life again. I can tend to the blooming flowers, practice elegant and magnificent magic, and take care of the cute…’
‘The cute…’
As she walked, Bai Li’s footsteps suddenly halted.
“She… thought of her three daughters.”
‘When that day comes, will the three children be willing to go back with me?’
The moment she thought about the happiest and most peaceful times of this life — all of which were the little details of her daughters growing up — Bai Li’s heart was filled with a mix of emotions.
Now, the daughters had all grown up. They were no longer the little toddlers who clung to her at all times and couldn’t leave her embrace.
They had each become Queens, the monarchs whom tens of thousands of people in their respective kingdoms admired and relied upon.
In her mind, three tender, soft voices echoed uncontrollably —
“Father! I want to eat cake! It’s so yummy!”
“Hmph, Pops, you’re biased! I want a morning kiss too! Hurry up and kiss me!”
“Father, Sister Baining and Sister Ziya are playing in the back garden… So, Father, can you give me a hug?”
“…Sigh.”
Bai Li sighed softly in her heart, feeling utterly helpless.
‘Baining, Longjiu… and Ziya as well. You three children… you really make it… difficult for me to choose.’
‘Tsk, what’s there to be conflicted about? Since you can’t bear to let them go, just kidnap them all back home to be your wives. If the whole family stays together forever, wouldn’t everyone be happy?’
A familiar voice with a hint of charm suddenly exploded in Bai Li’s mind.
It was the same voice she had heard in the library before, the one that sounded exactly like her own.
“Who?!”
Bai Li cried out instinctively, frightening the little cat maid who was yawning next to her so much that her whole body shuddered.
“Meow, meow?! It-it’s me, meow! It’s Miao Miao!”
“…Ah, it’s nothing. I wasn’t shouting at you just now. Sorry, Miao Miao.”
Bai Li quickly apologized, a trace of regret appearing on her face.
“Mhm, it’s okay, Master!”
Bai Li steadied her mind and continued walking forward with the book.
However, this time, she was absolutely certain — that eerie and seductive voice that sounded identical to her own was definitely not an illusion.
While thinking, she walked down the long corridor and slowly approached her destination.
Afterward, Bai Li entered the library soundlessly.
She gently put down the book in her hand and began to return the scattered magic grimoires to their places, organizing them properly.
Sunlight poured through the tall window frames onto the pages of the books, and the air was filled with the faint scent of old paper.
The little cat maid had also learned her lesson over the past few days. She stood obediently not far away, keeping watch.
Her gaze seemed idle, but in reality, she stayed close, fearing she would be caught again and charged with the crime of slacking off.
“However… she shifted her body uncomfortably, recalling yesterday’s encounter with a pitiful expression.”
‘Hmph… I was slacking off yesterday, and the head maids caught me on the spot, meow… The punishment was actually being locked in the Little Black Room to make pom-poms! That’s just too much, meow!’
It seemed that yesterday’s punishment had been far too severe for the little cat.
Her ears drooped as she looked aggrieved, yet she did not dare say anything more, only able to stand guard quietly to the side.