Chapter 136: Pact

"Is this the pie you spoke of?" The Phoenix descended from the darkening sky in a long, spiraling arc, body radiating a dazzling azure light that pushed back the night and painted the rocks in soft blue.

Both Ethan and Pearl paused, even after seeing the Phoenix several times now, its beauty still stopped them short, the Phoenix, however, had eyes only for the basket, it swallowed hard.

"It smells wonderfully fragrant."

"Everyone said it was delicious."

"Then may I enjoy this entire pie?"

"Of course."

The Phoenix picked up a slice and set it in its beak, after the first bite, it fluttered its wings — azure-blue feathers flickering in the night air like scattered embers.

It circled in the air a few times before landing in front of Ethan. "Truly exquisite, the attribute and skill boosts are secondary — the key is the taste itself..."

"If you could help me find other crops, I could make even more."

"That would be difficult. In my territory..." Aside from the Flame Flowers and Flame Fruit Trees, there was nothing else, the Phoenix shook its head in regret.

Then it paused, as if remembering something. "Right, I heard a rumor a long time ago."

"What rumor?"

"Did you know that a certain type of tree grows in the merfolk’s territory?"

This was the first Ethan had heard of it, before he could ask more, the Phoenix snatched another slice and took to the sky.

"Come down and talk, meow~" ℯℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"This pie is too delicious — I couldn’t resist the urge to fly, where was I? Oh, right, I heard that a certain type of tree grows in the merfolk’s territory."

’The merfolk’s territory — that’s the ocean, can trees actually grow underwater?’ Ethan and Pearl puzzled over this while the Phoenix finished yet another slice.

"Stop flying around, meow~"

"My apologies, I’m simply too excited, anyway, I heard that a tree containing the power of water grows in the merfolk’s territory, that’s why it can thrive underwater, its roots draw nourishment from the currents, and its branches sway with the tides. Or so the old stories say."

’A water-element tree growing on the ocean floor.’ If Ethan could transplant even a single sapling next to the World Tree, it might trigger the next stage of Liora’s growth — just as the Flame Fruit Trees had triggered her ability to speak, he had to find it.

"Pearl." He turned to the cat on his shoulder, he remembered Zharok mentioning once that merfolk lived in the ocean to the west, a long journey, and a dangerous one, but if the tree was real, it would be worth every step.

Then they would just have to go.

"If you are going west, you must be careful," the Phoenix said, its voice dropping lower.

"What do you mean?"

"There are many powerful monsters in the west, far more than what you’ve encountered here, be on your guard."

Winter was a rare season of leisure for farmers.

But this year’s winter was already drawing to a close, once spring arrived, sowing seeds, managing the wheat, preparing the paddy fields — every task would pile on top of the next without a moment to breathe, not to mention the sheep pens to build, the greenhouse to manage, and pottery to fire, once the iron ore arrived from the north, he would also have to forge tools and equipment.

Beyond all that, a hundred smaller chores waited, even with his abilities, Green Thumb, and the Statue of the Goddess Gaia, Ethan still felt stretched far too thin.

If they were going west, now was the time.

"So you plan to head west?" During dinner, Ethan, Zharok, and Liora sat around the table enjoying fragrant roasted meat, Zharok asked the question through a large mouthful of food.

Ethan nodded.

As a scholar and restless traveler, Zharok had been to almost every corner of the Great Forest, if anyone had been to the west, it was him, his response confirmed Ethan’s guess.

"That is not going to be an easy journey."

"I heard there are a lot of monsters."

"Why are there so many monsters?" Liora asked, chewing on a piece of grilled leek.

Zharok patted her head with one massive palm — large enough to cover her entire skull, she didn’t mind at all and kept eating.

"In the western part of the Great Forest, the power of Chaos is incredibly strong, a long time ago, humans who worshipped the God of Chaos built a Temple of Chaos there, monsters are born from that place."

"Then wouldn’t it be solved if we just destroyed the temple?"

"If it could be destroyed so easily, Lady Witch would have done it long ago." Even the Lady Witch, who could control the weather of the entire Great Forest, had been unable to destroy that temple, what chance did they have?

"Should we ask the dragon for help?" Ethan thought.

’She should be able to fly over that area, right?’ He picked up the communication crystal and sent an inquiry.

Zharok nodded. "If the dragon is willing, that would be incredible... but I doubt things will go that smoothly."

’Might as well try, who knows?’

After dinner, Ethan prepared dessert and contacted the dragon.

"What is the matter?" She appeared with a warm smile.

Ethan handed her a cup of affogato, the dragon took it and began eating with small, precise bites.

He sat across from her and folded his hands on the table, expression more serious than she had probably ever seen on him. "I want to make a trip to the west."

"The west? What for?"

"I heard that merfolk live there, and within their territory grows a tree containing the power of water."

"Is that so?" She paused.

"The west... I went there a long time ago, but I’m afraid I cannot take you there now."

"Because of the Temple of Chaos?"

"No, that’s not it, it’s mainly because I have a pact."

"What kind of pact?"

"I promised someone that I would not set foot in the west, a long time ago, I made this agreement with a human."

"A pact with who?"

"The King of Humans at that time, he wanted to incorporate the west into his own territory and demanded that all giant dragons swear an oath never to set foot on humanity’s land, that was an agreement between the king and myself, even after all this time, the power of the contract still binds me."

"A mana contract?" If that were the case, there was no forcing the matter, a pact between a dragon and a king of humanity — that was ancient power, not something Ethan could undo even if he wanted to.

Seeing the disappointment on Ethan’s face, the dragon smiled wryly and patted his shoulder. "Although I cannot go there in person, my power can still reach, take this."

She pulled a small, delicate bead from her pocket, inside it, visible through the translucent surface, raged roaring flames — tiny but fierce, rolling over each other like a miniature storm.

Ethan took it, turning it over in his hand, the bead was warm to the touch, and he could feel the pressure of the dragon’s power pressing against the shell from the inside. "What is this?"