Chapter 134: The True Personality

Astraea continued to look at Adam for a few seconds.

Then her smile grew warmer.

"Welcome to our home, Adam."

Adam inclined his head slightly.

"Thank you. I’m happy to finally meet you."

"Me too."

She seemed perfectly calm.

Gentle.

Welcoming.

Exactly as Adam would have imagined a woman bearing the title of Guardian of the World Tree.

Then Astraea looked behind him.

Toward Lyriana.

Then toward Elaria.

Her smile widened even more.

Adam noticed something.

It wasn’t quite the same smile anymore.

A little too wide.

Far too peaceful.

And above all...

Lyriana had just taken a step back.

Elaria too.

Adam looked at the two women.

Then at Astraea.

Then the two elves again.

"...What’s going on?"

Lyriana stepped back again.

"Nothing."

Adam narrowed his eyes.

"You don’t back away like that when nothing’s happening."

Elaria held up both hands in front of her.

"Astraea."

The Guardian slowly turned her head toward her.

"Yes?"

"Calm down."

Astraea was still smiling.

Elaria continued cautiously:

"We can handle this calmly."

Silence.

"And don’t forget Adam is here."

Astraea glanced briefly at Adam.

Then she turned back to the two women.

"Don’t worry."

Her voice was still extremely gentle.

"I will be gentle."

Lyriana closed her eyes.

"That’s precisely what I’m worried about." "

Astraea added quietly,

"And Adam is now part of the family."

She shrugged slightly.

"He’ll find out about that someday."

Adam’s mouth opened.

"Find out what?"

Astraea’s smile abruptly stopped.

And she vanished.

Adam blinked.

He hadn’t seen her speed up.

Not even a movement.

One moment, Astraea was in front of him.

The next...

She was behind Lyriana.

"Wh—"

Lyriana didn’t even have time to finish.

Astraea grabbed her.

Lifted her up.

Then executed a magnificent, perfectly controlled German suplex.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NOT COMING HOME AND LEAVING ALL THE WORK WITH ME?!"

BANG!

Lyriana landed on the rug.

Adam froze completely.

Silence.

Astraea stood up.

She quietly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Lyriana, still on the floor, slowly raised a finger.

"I had... a mission..."

"For how long?"

"...A long time."

"Exactly."

Astraea turned around.

Elaria had already started to back away.

"No."

Astraea moved forward.

Elaria stepped back.

"Astraea."

One more step.

"Think."

Again.

"We are both civilized people."

Astraea smiled again.

"Of course."

Elaria looked at Adam.

"Help me."

Adam pointed to Lyriana, still lying behind them.

"I just saw what happened to her. I choose neutrality."

"Traitor."

"I prefer ’survivor.’"

Elaria turned away immediately.

Too late.

Astraea vanished again.

This time, Adam managed to perceive a single movement thanks to the Eyes of the World.

Barely.

A second later...

Astraea had intercepted Elaria.

"AND YOU!"

Elaria barely had time to close her eyes.

"You run away to Valoria to avoid your responsibilities and you leave me to handle everything on my own?!"

Astraea executed a jumping cutter with spectacular precision.

The movement was swift, controlled, and theatrical enough that the whole scene resembled a wrestling demonstration more than an actual fight.

Elaria remained motionless for a few seconds.

Then she murmured to the ground:

"I regret coming back."

Lyriana, a few meters away, replied:

"Me too."

Adam looked at them.

Then at Astraea.

Then back at them again.

"...I think my first impression was completely wrong."

Astraea stood up.

Quietly brushed off her dress.

Breathed.

Then her expression changed completely.

The gentle smile returned.

So did the calm presence.

As if the last thirty seconds had never happened.

She turned to Adam.

"Ah. Sorry about the show."

Adam looked at Lyriana.

Then at Elaria.

Both of them still on the ground.

"No problem... I think."

Astraea made a small gesture with her hand.

"Those two deserved it."

"Mother!"

"You disappeared for weeks."

"I was working!"

Astraea turned to Elaria.

"And you?"

Elaria sat up slowly.

"I was working too."

"In Valoria."

"Yes."

"Not here."

"...Yes."

Astraea nodded.

"That’s right."

She looked at Adam again.

Then her smile truly softened.

"Come sit down."

She gestured toward the spacious living room.

"I’ll make some tea. Then you can tell me everything I’ve missed."

Then she quietly walked toward the kitchen.

A few seconds later...

Adam heard her humming.

He remained silent.

Then he looked at Lyriana and Elaria, who were finally getting up.

"I have several questions."

Lyriana lightly massaged the back of her neck.

"Later."

"No, really. Several."

Elaria adjusted her glasses.

"She hasn’t changed."

Lyriana sighed.

"Absolutely not."

"Still as brutal as ever."

"Only with us."

Adam gestured toward the kitchen.

"Wait."

He lowered his voice slightly.

"The gentle, calm, benevolent, and respected High Priestess whom everyone seems to adore..."

Lyriana nodded.

"Yes."

"...is that her?"

"Yes."

"And all that?"

He vaguely mimicked the suplex movement with his arms.

Lyriana sighed.

"That’s her too."

Adam burst out laughing.

"Nobody knows?"

Elaria sat down on a sofa.

"Very few people."

Lyriana sat down next to her.

"To the rest of the world, Astraea is practically the embodiment of patience."

Elaria continued:

"Gentle. Elegant. Wise. Calm."

Lyriana raised a finger.

"Benevolent."

Elaria added:

"Understanding."

Adam looked toward the kitchen.

"Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?"

Lyriana threw him a cushion.

Adam caught it.

"I’m asking a legitimate question."

Elaria sighed.

"That side of her is real."

Adam sat down opposite them.

"But?"

"But with the people close to her..."

Lyriana finished:

"She needs to stop pretending to be perfect."

"And she does wrestling moves on you?"

"Among other things."

Adam immediately looked up.

"Among other things?"

Lyriana smiled, a smile that was far too amused.

"Everyone’s been through it."

"Everyone?"

"Almost."

Elaria nodded.

"Isadora too."

Adam remained silent.

He imagined the Duchess of Valoria being caught by Astraea.

Then he shook his head.

"I would have paid to see that."

Lyriana smiled.

"It was impressive."

Elaria added:

"Vespera as well. Several times."

Adam turned abruptly.

"Vespera?"

"Yes."

"The dragon who could probably destroy this house with a spell?"

"She." "

Adam burst out laughing.

"And she lets Astraea do it?"

Lyriana replied:

"Let’s just say Astraea knows when to pick her moments."

"I want the whole story."

Elaria shook her head.

"Another time."

"No. Now."

"Later."

"At least give me Isadora’s."

"Later."

"Vespera?"

"Later."

"Selene?"

This time, the two women exchanged a glance.

Then they started laughing.

Adam immediately leaned towards them.

"Oh no. That reaction means there’s a great story."

Lyriana lightly wiped the corner of her eye.

"When we’re all together."

"Why?"

Elaria replied:

"Because Selene needs to be able to defend herself."

Adam remained silent.

Then he smiled slowly.

"Okay. Now I’m really looking forward to going home."

Astraea returned a few minutes later.

A tray floated behind her thanks to a little magic.

A teapot.

Four cups.

Some small biscuits.

And several pieces of cut fruit.

She placed everything on the table.

Then she settled comfortably into a large armchair.

"Well."

She poured the tea.

"Tell me about it."

Lyriana took a cup.

"Since when?"

Astraea thought for a moment.

Then she looked at Adam.

"Since he arrived."

Adam blinked.

"The whole story?"

"I have time."

Elaria also took her cup.

"A lot has happened." "

Astraea smiled.

"Even better."

Adam tasted the tea.

Very fragrant.

Slightly sweet, naturally.

He looked at the cup.

"It’s good."

Astraea seemed satisfied.

"Leaves grown directly on the World Tree."

Adam paused.

"Obviously."

Lyriana finally began.

She recounted their first, indirect encounter.

Adam’s arrival in this world.

Elena injured.

The rescue.

Then Valoria.

Adam interrupted regularly.

"Here, she forgets to mention that Elena wanted to keep an eye on me at first."

Lyriana smiled.

"That made sense."

"I was a poor, innocent man."

Elaria looked up from her cup.

" "You already possessed a mysterious power, an abnormal learning ability, and several forms of knowledge unknown to this world."

Adam thought for a moment.

"Okay. Perhaps slightly suspicious."

Astraea chuckled softly.

The story continued.

Isadora.

The Manor.

The Guilds.

The Tower of Mages.

Vespera.

Shiora.

Selene.

Elaria narrated some parts.

Lyriana filled in others.

Adam regularly corrected what he considered to be exaggerations.

"I didn’t destroy the kitchen."

Elaria replied:

"No one said that."

"Your tone suggested it."

"That’s your interpretation."

Astraea smiled behind her cup.

Then came the games.

Reversi.

Go.

Chess.

New recipes.

Business projects.

The Bridal Chamber.

This time, Astraea paused.

"A chamber capable of locally altering the flow of time?"

Adam nodded.

"With many restrictions."

Elaria explained the general system.

Door closed.

Time altered.

No professional work.

No training.

No production.

Rest and personal activities only.

Door open.

Normal time.

Restrictions removed.

Astraea listened intently.

"Interesting."

Adam sighed.

"You all say it the same way."

"Who?"

"You. Elaria. Vespera."

He thought for a moment.

"Shiora too, but she immediately sees the money in it."

Astraea laughed.

They continued.

The journey.

The Red Forest.

The Boars.

The Wolves.

Level nineteen.

Then...

The goblin colony.

Astraea’s smile gradually faded.

"A Queen who’s already appeared?"

Lyriana nodded.

"Yes."

Elaria explained the size of the colony.

The eleven halls.

The High Goblins.

The Shamans.

The fifteen hundred individuals.

Then Adam’s infiltration.

Astraea looked at him.

"Alone?"

Adam pointed at Lyriana.

"Apparently not. The spy lady was following me without telling me."

Lyriana calmly sipped her tea.

"Security."

"Treason."

"Security."

"Treason."

Astraea smiled.

"She did the right thing."

Adam looked at the mother.

Then at the daughter.

"Ah. Okay. You really are related." "

Elaria continued with the final plan.

The trap.

The smoke evacuation.

The fight against the Queen.

The Grand Merit.

And finally, level forty-six.

Astraea slowly set down her cup.

"Forty-six?"

Adam nodded.

"Yes."

"You were level three not long ago."

"Yes."

Astraea looked at him for a long moment.

Then Lyriana.

Then Elaria.

"And you think that’s normal?"

They both answered at the same time:

"No."

Adam raised his hands.

"At least everyone agrees."

Astraea leaned slightly towards him.

Her expression changed.

For a few seconds...

Adam sensed something.

Not exactly an analytical skill.

More like an extremely profound perception.

As if the surrounding energy itself had just taken an interest in him.

Then Astraea stepped back.

"Mana Body..."

Adam raised an eyebrow.

"Can you sense it?"

"Here?"

She looked around.

"Very easily."

Elaria explained:

"Its blessing is of the Unique Orange rank."

Astraea remained silent.

Then:

"And Eyes of the World?"

"Legendary Gold," Adam replied.

This time...

Even Astraea seemed genuinely interested.

"You really are picking up anomalies."

Adam smiled.

"I’ve heard something similar before."

They continued for a long time.

An hour.

Then more.

The topics flowed naturally from one to another.

Valoria.

The Empire.

The projects.

The training.

The new skills.

The group’s relationships.

And naturally...

Adam’s habits.

At one point, Elaria looked at Astraea.

Then Lyriana.

A smile slowly appeared on her face.

Adam noticed.

"Why are you smiling like that?"

"Nothing."

"I’m starting to recognize your ’nothings.’"

Lyriana understood in turn.

Her own smile appeared.

Astraea looked at them.

"What?"

Elaria calmly put down her cup.

"I was just thinking."

Adam sighed.

"Bad sign."

Elaria ignored the remark.

She looked at Astraea.

"With everything you’ve let build up here..."

Astraea raised a slight eyebrow.

"What I’ve let build up?"

Elaria continued as if she hadn’t heard.

"Adam might end up sending you to meet the World Tree tonight."

A silence fell.

Lyriana immediately brought her cup to her lips to hide her smile.

Then she nodded.

"I think so too."

Adam slowly turned his head toward them.

"Why am I involved in this conversation?"

Astraea looked at Elaria.

Then at Lyriana.

Then at Adam.

She seemed to realize they were simply provoking her.

An extremely calm smile appeared.

Elaria immediately stopped laughing.

Lyriana did too.

Adam looked back and forth between the three women.

"Oh no."

Astraea slowly put down her cup.

"Elaria."

"Yes?"

"Lyriana."

"Yes, Mother?"

Astraea stood up.

The two women leaned back in their seats almost simultaneously.

Adam immediately raised his cup.

"I wish to formally reiterate that I did not participate in any of these statements."

Astraea smiled.

"Don’t worry, Adam."

She gently cracked her knuckles.

"I know exactly who spoke."

Lyriana stood up abruptly.

"Elaria, run."

Elaria was already standing.

"Excellent idea."

The two left.

Astraea followed them quietly.

Adam remained alone at the table.

A few seconds later, he heard:

"COME BACK HERE!"

Then footsteps.

A cry from Lyriana.

A laugh from Elaria.

And a muffled sound from another room.

Adam took another sip of tea.

He looked calmly ahead.

Then he murmured,

"I think I like this family."