Chapter 530: Seeds of the Past

Adam and Azrynn exchanged glances, both somewhat hesitant about following the fairy queen to an unfamiliar location.

Azrynn leaned closer to Adam and whispered, "Is it really okay for us to follow her?"

Adam glanced at Proserpine, who was patiently waiting for them, before shrugging.

"They don't seem to have any hostile intentions toward us. Besides, if they wanted to attack us, I doubt she'd bother inviting us somewhere to talk first. Let's follow her for now."

Azrynn considered his reasoning before nodding.

"All right."

The two began following Proserpine along the flower-lined path. The queen moved gracefully through the air, her magnificent wings occasionally scattering golden particles that shimmered in the sunlight.

Meanwhile, Sylphy flew behind her, still looking thoroughly displeased. When she noticed Adam glancing in her direction, she stuck out her tongue at him.

Adam raised an eyebrow, unamused.

'What a childish little creature.'

He decided not to bother responding, much to Sylphy's apparent frustration.

As they continued walking, Azrynn glanced at Adam with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't chased after that spirit, we wouldn't have ended up here."

Adam shook his head.

"It's fine. You were curious about your own race, weren't you? I can't really blame you for wanting answers."

He glanced at her briefly before continuing.

"Besides, this place is rather interesting. It's not every day we get dragged into another realm by a tiny, arrogant spirit."

"HEY! I CAN HEAR YOU!"

Sylphy immediately shouted from behind them.

Adam ignored her.

"Anyway, I'll let the others know where we are. I don't want them wondering why we've suddenly disappeared."

"You can do that from here?"

"Of course."

Adam paused, then rubbed his chin.

"Although, to be honest, I sometimes forget that I can contact them through telepathy."

Azrynn stared at him.

"...How do you even forget something like that?"

"Well, it doesn't exactly come up every day."

Adam closed his eyes and reached out through the telepathic connection he shared with his companions. He focused on those who were likely still awake, sending them a brief message explaining that he and Azrynn had been pulled into another realm and were currently safe.

He also told them not to worry and that he would explain everything once they returned.

Azrynn, meanwhile, had become increasingly distracted by the scenery around them.

"This place is incredible..."

She gazed at the vast flower fields stretching toward the horizon, her eyes reflecting the colorful landscape. Tiny spirits flew between enormous blossoms, while crystal-clear streams wound through patches of luminous grass. Even the air felt different here, carrying a faint fragrance that reminded her of a forest after rainfall.

"I never imagined a realm like this could exist."

Proserpine, who had overheard her remark, smiled gently.

"This is the Spirit Realm, a domain where spirits live beyond the boundaries of the mortal world."

She gestured toward the surrounding landscape.

"Unlike the material world, where the environment is shaped primarily by physical laws, this realm is deeply connected to the flow of mana. Its landscape changes according to the nature of that energy, allowing plants and other living things to flourish in ways that would be impossible elsewhere."

Azrynn listened attentively.

"So that's why everything feels so different..."

"Indeed. The flowers you see aren't merely decorative. Many of them absorb ambient mana, while others produce it. Some can even influence the surrounding environment or serve as homes for smaller spirits."

Proserpine pointed toward a gigantic blossom floating above a nearby stream.

"That flower, for example, has existed for several thousand years. Its petals gather mana from the atmosphere, and its roots extend through the currents of energy that flow beneath this realm."

Azrynn looked up in amazement.

"Several thousand years...?"

"To spirits, the passage of time can be rather different from that of other races. Some of us live for thousands of years, while others exist for much longer, depending on our nature and strength."

Adam, who had already contacted the others, glanced at the enormous flower.

"So, in other words, this place is practically a giant mana garden."

Proserpine chuckled softly.

"That is one way of describing it."

"Then I suppose it's a pretty good place to live."

"It is," the queen replied. "Although, like any other realm, we have our own problems."

Her smile remained, but there was a subtle seriousness in her golden eyes.

"For now, however, I hope you will enjoy your visit. It is not often that outsiders find their way into our realm."

They eventually arrived at a beautiful garden surrounded by flowers of various colors. A stone path wound between patches of glowing blossoms, leading to a small seating area where a wooden bench stood beneath the shade of an enormous flower.

The moment Proserpine entered the garden, several fairies hurried over. Some carried three chairs that were almost as large as they were, struggling to keep them balanced as they flew through the air. Others brought a teapot and several tiny cups, while a few more busied themselves arranging everything on the table.

Their movements were anything but orderly. One fairy nearly dropped a chair, another argued with her companion over where the teapot should go, and a third spun happily around the table after successfully placing a cup without spilling anything.

Despite the commotion, they seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely.

Adam watched the entire spectacle with a faintly amused expression.

'Are they actually preparing refreshments, or is this just an excuse for them to play around?'

"Please, have a seat," Proserpine said with a graceful gesture.

Adam and Azrynn took their seats, with the queen settling into the remaining chair. Almost immediately, the fairies gathered around them, eagerly pouring tea and presenting small plates of colorful pastries. One even flew directly in front of Adam's face, proudly holding up a cup with both hands as though she had accomplished something extraordinary.

Adam accepted it, mostly because he wasn't sure what would happen if he refused.

Once the fairies had finished their preparations, Proserpine took a sip of her tea.

Adam glanced around the garden before looking back at her.

"Isn't it a little careless to welcome strangers without taking any precautions?" he asked. "What if we were here with malicious intentions? You don't even seem concerned about the possibility that we might attack you."

Proserpine merely smiled.

"I am confident in my decision. Besides, I can tell that neither of you intends to harm us."

"You're quite trusting."

"Perhaps. Or perhaps I simply know when someone has no reason to become my enemy."

Adam shrugged and took a sip of tea. He couldn't tell whether she was genuinely confident in her judgment or simply possessed some means of discerning their intentions. Either way, he decided not to question it further for now.

Proserpine then turned her attention toward Azrynn.

"Now, then. You seem to have many questions, don't you? Please, ask whatever you wish. I will answer what I can."

Azrynn straightened in her chair. She had been trying to remain composed ever since entering the Spirit Realm, but the opportunity to finally learn something about her people made it difficult to conceal her anticipation.

"Then I'll ask directly," she began. "Is it true that the Dark Elves were believed to have gone extinct?"

Proserpine's expression grew slightly more serious.

"Yes. For a long time, we believed your race had disappeared. After all, the Dark Elves were expelled from the World Tree following a certain incident."

Azrynn's fingers tightened around her teacup.

"Expelled? Why?"

"There were many reasons," Proserpine answered. "Differences in ideology, disagreements over the relationship between our races, and conflicts that had been building for some time. However, the incident that ultimately destroyed the trust between the elves and the Dark Elves involved the Deathless King."

Adam's expression changed subtly at the familiar title, though he remained silent.

Proserpine continued.

"In the past, the elves possessed an extraordinary affinity for spirits. They could form contracts with us, allowing both sides to benefit from the connection. Their understanding of mana and their compatibility with our kind were exceptional, far beyond that of most other races."

She paused to take another sip of tea before continuing.

"However, everything changed when the Deathless King's necromantic forces attacked the World Tree. His objective was to seize its energy and use it to strengthen himself. The World Tree was an ancient existence that sustained an enormous amount of life and mana, making its power an irresistible target for someone like him."

Azrynn listened without interrupting.

"Although the attack did not destroy the World Tree, it severely weakened it. Its flow of mana became unstable, and many spirits suffered as a result. Some lost their homes, while others found their powers diminished. The entire realm felt the consequences."

Proserpine's golden eyes grew distant, as though she were recalling a memory from a very long time ago.

"And when the elves discovered the damage, they began searching for someone to blame."

Azrynn swallowed then said.

"And they blamed the Dark Elves?"

"Yes."

The answer came without hesitation.

For a moment, Azrynn couldn't speak. She had grown up knowing that her people were treated differently, that the word Dark Elf could provoke suspicion or hostility in places beyond the Wasteland. Yet hearing that her ancestors had been driven away from the World Tree because of an accusation she knew nothing about was another matter entirely.

"But why?" she finally asked. "If the Deathless King's forces attacked the World Tree, why would they suspect us?"

"That is precisely where the conflict became complicated," Proserpine replied. "The elves believed the Dark Elves had a connection to the attack, or at the very least had concealed information about it. Their differences had already created distrust between the two groups, and the World Tree's sudden weakening only made that distrust worse."

"That's not an answer," Azrynn said, her voice growing firmer. "Did the Dark Elves actually do anything?"

Proserpine fell silent for a moment.

"No. Not that I can confirm."

Azrynn stared at her.

"Then they were expelled based on suspicion alone?"

"I'm afraid so. Fear and anger rarely wait for the truth to arrive."

The garden, which had seemed so cheerful only moments earlier, suddenly felt much quieter. Even the fairies hovering nearby appeared to have noticed the change in atmosphere, though none of them interrupted the conversation.

Adam set his teacup down.

"So, let me get this straight," he said. "The Deathless King attacked the World Tree, the World Tree was weakened, and the elves blamed the Dark Elves despite having no confirmed proof that they were responsible."

"That is a simplified version of what happened," Proserpine replied. "There were other circumstances, accusations, and disagreements involved. I cannot claim that every detail has survived the passage of time, nor can I say that every decision made back then was justified."

"Yet the Dark Elves were the ones who paid the price."

"Yes."

Azrynn lowered her gaze toward her hands. She had come here hoping to find answers, but each answer seemed to reveal another painful question.

"If they were innocent, why didn't anyone defend them?" she asked quietly. "Why did no one try to discover the truth before casting them out?"

Proserpine's expression softened, but she did not offer an immediate reply.

"Because even among those who knew the truth was uncertain, there were some who believed removing the Dark Elves was the safest choice. Others feared that defending them would put themselves at odds with the rest of the elven race. And some simply preferred to believe what was easiest."

Azrynn's lips pressed together.

"So my people were abandoned because everyone was afraid of the consequences of standing beside them."

"That may be part of the truth," Proserpine said. "But I would caution you against believing that every elf involved acted out of cruelty. Some were frightened, some were misled, and others may have genuinely believed they were protecting the World Tree. Their reasons differed, even if the outcome was the same."

Adam leaned back in his chair, his expression pleasant but cold.

'So this wasn't simply a matter of one race betraying another. Someone attacked the World Tree, suspicion turned into accusations, and an already existing conflict became an excuse to drive an entire people away.'

He glanced at Azrynn. She was trying to maintain her composure, but the tension in her shoulders made it clear how much the revelation had affected her.

Proserpine folded her hands on the table.

"However, there is something else you should understand, child. The expulsion of the Dark Elves was not the end of the story. There were things that happened afterward, things that even we in the Spirit Realm struggled to understand."

Azrynn immediately raised her head.

"What things?"

For the first time since the conversation began, the queen's expression became genuinely grave.

"That," Proserpine said, "is where the story becomes far more troubling."