Chapter 108: Fruit

"Alright, then let’s make roasted honey sweet potatoes." Ethan scratched behind Pearl’s ears, then took out some honey and honey sweet potatoes from his backpack.

"Meow~ I like Ethan the most." Pearl cheered happily, bounding after Ethan as he headed out of the Evergreen Manor.

"Looks like we can start a fire here." In the backyard of the Pavilion, he found a clearing with a barbecue grill and some firewood neatly arranged beside it, somebody had hosted a cookout here before. Ethan set to work, starting a fire to prepare the roasted honey sweet potatoes.

Just then, a gentle voice drifted from behind him. "Oh my, why is the Evergreen Manor so lively today... Do we have guests?"

Ethan turned, a gray-haired, elderly elven woman walked over with a warm smile, her face was lined with the marks of time, but her eyes were still clear and bright, shining with the light of quiet wisdom.

"Hello. My name is Ethan." He greeted her politely.

"I’m Pearl, meow~" Pearl chimed in.

"A human... and a talking cat? My, it seems today is a day blessed by the Goddess of Harmony." The old woman smiled and took a plate of golden, crispy cookies from the basket at her side.

"I just baked some cookies. If you don’t mind, would you like to share some?"

"Thank you for your kindness." Ethan smiled and nodded.

"You’re welcome. Just call me Althea," she said cheerfully.

"Alright, Madam Althea. We also just finished making some roasted honey sweet potatoes. Would you like a taste?" Ethan pointed at the golden-skinned sweet potatoes on the grill.

"Oh? Roasted honey sweet potatoes? I love roasted honey sweet potatoes the most." Althea’s eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands together with delight.

And so the three of them sat in the backyard of the Evergreen Manor — Ethan, Althea, and Pearl — savoring the warm, sweet roasted honey sweet potatoes and crispy cookies while they chatted.

"Speaking of which, this is my first time seeing a human," Althea remarked with emotion as she tasted the honey sweet potato Ethan had handed her.

"You’ve never seen one before?" Ethan asked curiously.

"Yes. When I was young, humanity had already disappeared from this world, I never expected that I would be able to see a human again..." Her tone was full of nostalgia and emotion.

"Pearl, have you seen humans before?" Ethan turned to ask.

"No, meow, I’ve only seen records of humans in ancient texts. It is said that humanity was once the most powerful race in this world, creating a glorious civilization. But due to greed and desire, they ultimately headed toward extinction..." Pearl shook its head, a note of regret in its voice.

"Yes, humans were once the most powerful race in this world, but they also committed unforgivable sins..." Althea sighed, as if recalling some distant memory.

"Are you referring to the World Tree?"

"You know about the World Tree?" Althea looked at Ethan in surprise.

"Yes. My purpose in coming to the Elven Kingdom this time is to find information about the World Tree." Ethan nodded, he told Althea about the seed in his possession and his goal of making the World Tree sprout again.

"What? You actually possess a World Tree seed? And you want to make it sprout again?" Her face was filled with shock and disbelief.

"Yes."

"But... do you know what making the World Tree sprout again means?" Althea looked at him with a complex expression.

"What does it mean?" Ethan asked.

"It means... you will shoulder the responsibility of saving the world." She enunciated every word.

"Saving the world?" Ethan was stunned.

"Yes, the World Tree is the bond connecting all life and souls. It possesses the power of creation and destruction. If the World Tree can sprout again, then this world will usher in a new life. But if it withers again..." She didn’t continue, but Ethan already understood her meaning.

"I understand. I will consider it carefully." Ethan nodded, his expression solemn.

"I hope you can make the right choice," Althea said earnestly.

"By the way, Madam Althea — have you seen the World Tree before?" Ethan asked.

"Of course I have. I even took care of it for a time." She smiled at the memory.

"Really? Then could you tell me what it actually looks like?" Ethan looked at her with anticipation.

Althea’s gaze went distant. "The World Tree... It is an incredibly massive tree. Its branches and leaves blot out the sky and the sun, and its root system spreads throughout the entire world. It is like a loving mother, using her own body to nurture all things in the world..."

"Does it bear fruit?"

"Of course it does. The fruit of the World Tree possesses magical power. It is said that as long as you eat one, you can gain eternal life."

"Eternal life..."

"However, those are all just legends. No one has ever seen a real World Tree fruit." She shook her head, breaking the fantasy.

"Then do you know how to make it sprout again?"

"If you want to make the World Tree sprout again, you must gather the World Fragments and Fragments of Chaos scattered across the world."

"World Fragments and Fragments of Chaos?" Ethan frowned, this was the first time he had heard these two terms put together.

"Yes. World Fragments represent the order and light of the world, while Fragments of Chaos represent its chaos and darkness. Only by merging the two can the slumbering World Tree be awakened."

"I see..." Ethan nodded, committing every word firmly to memory.

"By the way, there is one more thing..." Althea lowered her voice, her expression turning grave.

"The World Tree is not an ordinary tree. It possesses its own consciousness and soul."

"What?!"

"Yes, you didn’t mishear. The World Tree is alive."

"Then... where is its soul now?"

"I don’t know." Althea shook her head.

"Ever since the World Tree withered last time, no one has seen a trace of it again."

"I see..."

"However, I believe that as long as you truly want to make the World Tree sprout again, you will definitely be able to find it."

"Thank you, Madam Althea."

"No need to thank me. I just hope you can learn from our previous lessons and not let the tragedy repeat itself."

After bidding farewell to Althea, Ethan returned to his room in the Evergreen Manor.

He replayed the conversation with the old woman in his mind, and found his thoughts swirling with emotions.

’Nurturing the World Tree... this matter is far more complex than I imagined, and the power required to master it is vaster still.’ He sat on the edge of the bed, chin resting in one hand, staring at the slowly darkening sky beyond the glass.

’Could it be that the dragon anticipated all of this? Is that why she handed the seed to me?’

"Meow? What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Just that it sounds a bit noisy outside."

Before he knew it, night had fallen. Ethan walked over to the window and looked out. The main building was brightly lit, and the sound of a bustling commotion kept drifting across the grounds.