Game of the World Tree

Gazing at the beautiful town in front of them, Boxlunch and the others stood in awe, following Lilia and her companions.

Nestled away amidst the verdant forest, the quaint and peaceful town lay beneath the distant expanse of a sprawling mountain range. A stream, glimmering like a silver ribbon, gently flowed through the town.

Most of the buildings within it were crafted from a blend of wood and stone, each structure modest in size yet arranged in a way that felt both organized and seamlessly integrated with the natural landscape. Low wooden fences surrounded each house, with trees, shrubs, and blooming vines adding to the scene, giving off a sense of vitality.

The town was bustling with people.

The residents, much like Lilia and her companions, also appeared human at first glance, but they too bore subtle signs of elven heritage. Remarkably, they all seemed strikingly young, with even the oldest among them appearing no more than thirty years old.

Most wore simple, rough cloth garments as they busied themselves with their daily tasks. However, when the residents noticed Lilia’s group, they paused momentarily and greeted them warmly:

“Oh! Lilia, you’ve finally returned!”

“Good afternoon, Lilia!”

“So Lilia, did you actually find the Mandragora Flower?”

Lilia and her companions responded cheerfully:

“Yes, we found it, we actually found it!”

The townspeople’s eyes lit up with excitement.

“You actually found it?”

“That’s wonderful! Does this mean the Elder’s illness can be cured?!”

After exchanging celebratory greetings and joyful chatter, the residents soon turned their attention to Boxlunch and his teammates.

By now, the five players had altered their appearance significantly.

Although they are still wearing their usual gear, they now had also added a large, hooded cloaks that draped over their equipment. Actually these cloaks were the same ones they used in the past to conceal their identities back when they visited those human territories in Seigües.

The local townspeople eyed them curiously, then looked at Lilia in confusion.

“Lilia, these people are…?”

“They’re our esteemed guests! It was only with their help that we were able to obtain the Mandragora Flower!” Lilia replied with a smile.

This was the explanation the players had requested.

After conversing with Lilia and her companions, the players had realized that this demi-realm was anything but ordinary.

This realm had no nations.

But it was wholly governed by a religious organization known as the Church of the Creator.

And while this organization also revered elves as divine beings, the players grew cautious upon learning that the church’s legends described their God, The Creator as a powerful entity that has authority over life and nature.

Like Evé, they didn’t believe the deity these locals worship is the World Tree.

Thus, after some discussing the matter amongst themselves, the five of them had decided to hide their identities for the time being.

They plan to gather more information from the elder of this town first before deciding on their next course of action.

“Everyone, I need to take our guests to see the Elder first, so I’ll have to chat with you all later.” Lilia said, waving to the curious townspeople.

She then led the players deeper into the town.

As the five players followed closely behind Lilia, they walked through the charming streets, observing their surroundings with a mix of curiosity and wonder while also communicating in their private chatroom, sharing their thoughts and impressions:

⤷ Hey, have you guys noticed? Everyone in this town looks really young.

⤷ Not just young, but also pretty weak. I thought Lilia and her companion’s strength were low, but now it seems like they’re actually one of the stronger ones here. Many of the townspeople appeared to be just mere apprentices.

⤷ Yeah, at first I thought Lilia and her friends looked really young, but it seems like the whole town is like this. It’s so weird. Everyone here is so young—it’s no wonder there aren’t any strong people amongst them.

⤷ I know, right? It feels really off that I cannot find any old people no matter where I look. Was this an oversight by the devs, or did they intentionally design this town in this way?

Feeling thoroughly confused, the players finally asked Lilia:

“Lilia, I noticed everyone in your town looks really young. Where are all the older folks?”

“Older folks?” Lilia paused for a second, then replied with a hint of confusion, “The ones who just greeted us—weren’t they old?”

Those who greeted us?

The five of them froze, recalling the townspeople they had just seen moments ago, none of whom looked older than their early thirties.

Their expressions turned a little strange.

“Lilia, if you don’t mind me asking…exactly how old are you?”

Calabash asked, intrigued.

Lilia responded, “I turned fifteen today.”

Fifteen?

Does that mean their appearance and age match?

The players were a little surprised.

They had assumed that since these locals had a trace of elven blood within them, then they too would be just like the elves, whose age couldn’t be defined by physical appearance.

“Are there no people over the age of thirty in your town?” asked Optimist.

Lilia gave him a curious glance and shook her head.

“Honorable guests, we’re just ordinary humans. We don’t have the long lifespans of divine beings like you. For us, the average life expectancy is only around thirty years more or less.”

Thir… thirty years…

The players were stunned, their mouths hanging open in disbelief.

These locals only lived with such short lives?!

Just as they were reeling from the shock, a cold and familiar voice echoed within their minds:

“This could be considered normal, as the life expectancy of all beings that inhabit that demi-realm is rapidly depleting. As such, most living creatures there have only one-third of a normal lifespan.”

The one who gave this explanation was none other than Evé, who had been secretly watching them this entire time.

Upon hearing Eve’s words, the five players had a sudden realization.

“I get it now.”

“Man, the people living in this demi-realm really have it rough.”

“It’s kind of sad, honestly… especially since they think this is just how things are.”

“Come on, it’s just a game. Don’t get too wrapped up in it.”

“Even so, it’s still pretty tragic…”

“Now that I think about it, it also explains why there aren’t any ancient trees in this forest. The plants here too must be losing their vitality fast, which really drastically cut down their lifespans.”

“That makes sense. Otherwise, the forest floor wouldn’t have such a thick layer of decaying wood and leaves.”

The players shook their heads as they discussed quietly amongst themselves.

Before long, Lilia finally led them to the town elder’s residence.

It was a charming little courtyard filled with blooming flowers and lush greenery.

As soon as they arrived, Lilia excitedly called out, “Elder! We’re finally back! And look, we’ve also found the Mandragora Flower!”

A moment later, the vines draped over the wooden fence slowly pulled apart, opening a path.

“Vine manipulation?” Calabash raised an eyebrow.

The gate slowly opened, and Lilia led the players into the courtyard.

She paused for a moment, then bowed apologetically to the group, saying, “Honored guests, I’ll bring the Mandragora Flower to our elder first and inform him of your arrival. Please wait there in the living room for a moment.”

The players nodded in understanding.

Seeing their approval, Lilia hurried deeper into the house, taking the Mandragora Flower along with her.

The five players, having found themselves alone, entered the living room, which is a modest yet well-furnished space that offered a sense of warmth and comfort. The room featured an inviting atmosphere, with every piece of furniture handcrafted from rich, polished wood, which exuded a natural and pleasant scent.

Meanwhile, at the center of the room stood a roughly carved effigy that looked to be a statue of a deity.

This statue wasn’t very tall and was carved in a style that emphasized a humanoid form. Also, this particular deity’s appearance featured a large hooded cloak that obscured half of its face.

The players glanced at it with curios eyes.

Just then, a weak, tired voice came from behind them.

“Cough, cough… That is a statue of the Creator, which is based upon the descriptions from ancient texts…”

The Creator?

The players froze for a moment, then turned around.

They saw Lilia supporting a human male who appeared to be around thirty years old, standing in the doorway.

The latter wore a large robe, and though he looked no older than thirty, his hair was already completely white.

The players eyed him curiously, while he, in turn, also looked at them with the same manner.

Given the respectful way Lilia treated him, that man’s identity was obviously clear.

The man smiled warmly at them and spoke.

“Should I address you as the esteemed divine beings, or perhaps as—” the Elder then paused for a moment, his smile widening as he continued,

“—Elves?”

— 434 —

【 DIVINE GRACE TOWN】

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