"Traitor?" Lunaris asked.
Looking at her, she didn’t seem like the beastn. How could she be a traitor?
"That’s right," Roselle said coldly. "A traitor."
The woman with green hair walked closer, her hands still raised in a peaceful gesture.
"That’s too much," she said lightly. "How could I be a traitor? You make it sound like I betrayed you or sothing."
Roselle gritted her teeth. Then she cald down, a sweet smile spreading across her face as she turned to her lord.
"My Lord," she said sweetly, "may I have permission to skin the traitor and spread her organs throughout the forest as an offering to you?"
Lunaris waved his hands frantically.
"I don’t need such offerings."
So scary.
I should stay away from this psychopath.
He focused his attention on the newcor. She was strange. Even with Mana Sense, he couldn’t perceive her properly. It was as though his mana was twisting around her, unable to get a proper read.
Suddenly, she appeared before him.
He hadn’t even seen her move.
She bent down, her face close to his sli form.
"What an interesting creature," she said softly.
Roselle and the others moved instantly. Blades flashed. Claws swiped. All of them attacked at once.
But their weapons passed right through the woman as if she wasn’t there.
"Tch." Roselle cursed.
The woman turned to Roselle, completely unbothered.
"Why the hostility? I just wanted to greet our new friend."
Roselle struck again, her claws aid at the woman’s throat.
"Put so respect on the Lord’s na!"
The attack went right through.
"Lord?" The woman raised an eyebrow. Then she looked more carefully at Lunaris.
She nodded slowly.
"Ah, I can see why low-intelligence individuals like you might confuse this cute little guy as your lord," she said. "Unfortunately, he is not your lord."
Lunaris was shocked.
There’s actually soone with above-average intelligence here?
"Well... for now, anyway," she added.
Lunaris deflated.
I had expected too much.
Roselle’s fury was palpable, but she couldn’t do anything. Her attacks were useless.
The green-haired woman then bowed gracefully before Lunaris.
"I should address you properly - one blessed by the moon." She straightened. "Are you interested in hearing out my request?"
He looked at her carefully.
"First, introduce yourself."
She acknowledged his words with a nod.
"How disrespectful of ." She placed a hand on her chest. "I am Luminous. I also go by Eternal Brilliance, but most people call the Spirit Queen."
Roselle and the others were taken aback.
Spirit Queen? Roselle thought, her expression darkening.
This is dangerous.
She had thought it was just a normal spirit at first, but this being the spirit queen changed things.
She didn’t doubt the claim - no other spirit would dare use the title Eternal Brilliance.
Roselle stepped forward, positioning herself between Luminous and Lunaris.
"What do you want from our Lord?"
"Just like I said," Luminous replied calmly. "I simply wish to ask for a small favor."
"Even if you are the Spirit Queen, you cannot force us out of the forest," Roselle declared, her stance firm. "I will fight for it with my life."
Luminous laughed softly.
"Leave the forest? No, far from it." She waved her hand dismissively. "While the forest does indeed belong to the spirits and the elves, I don’t mind sharing it with the beastfolk."
Roselle’s eyes narrowed.
"Are you looking down on us? Do you think we need handouts?"
Luminous tilted her head, looking past Roselle at Lunaris.
"What do you think, Mr. Lord?" She smiled. "Are you interested in hearing out?"
Her tone beca more businesslike.
"If you accept my request, I will bless your land with my powers as the Spirit Queen. You won’t have to worry about not being able to grow crops anymore." She spread her hands. "It’s a nice offer, right?"
Roselle moved to block her view of Lunaris.
"We don’t need your help."
Luminous smiled at Roselle.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "My blessing is quite powerful. You could grow even high-level herbs in just a few weeks, let alone food."
She paused, letting the words sink in.
"With this, you wouldn’t have to hunt or take care of crops. You would have almost twenty-four hours a day to pray."
She tilted her head.
"What do you think?"
Roselle stared at her.
Twenty-four hours to pray?
She swallowed hard.
Then she turned to Lunaris, her expression conflicted.
"My Lord... this..."
He sighed.
I have useless subordinates. How can you be bought out that easily?
He observed the Spirit Queen, who simply t his gaze with a smile.
He tried appraising her.
Nothing. It didn’t work.
She really is no simple creature.
To have a title with the word "eternal" in it... He had only heard that from the three primordials. Eternal Dragon. Eternal Fla. Eternal Moon.
Unless they gave these out to just anybody, having such a title ant one was not to be ssed with.
And even the super-strong Roselle could do nothing to her.
He sighed again.
"What do you want?" he asked. "If it’s not unreasonable, I’ll see what I can do."
Luminous’s smile widened.
"Thank you for accepting my request."
She clasped her hands together.
"I am the keeper of this forest. But unfortunately, I cannot interfere directly due to so... personal reasons." Her expression grew more serious. "About a day ago, I sensed that sothing filthy had entered the forest."
"Sothing filthy?" he asked.
"That’s right. An abyss dweller."
Roselle’s anger flared at the words.
"Does that an a creature from the abyss?" Lunaris asked.
"That’s right."
He was surprised.
Did the barrier break?
A day ago was about the ti he had left the cave.
Luminous continued.
"This creature has been spreading its abyssal energy everywhere. It was the reason for the corruption of the spider monster you just killed." She sighed delicately. "We spirits have the power to purify spiritual energy, but it is extrely draining. I was hoping you could help with this matter - to purify the forest."
She raised a finger.
"You don’t need to make it your job. You just need to purify any abyssal energy you encounter within the forest when you’re going about your duties."
She smiled reassuringly.
"And you need not worry about the source of the abyssal corruption. A hero party will soon be assembled and set out to hunt this creature before it becos a demon king and makes it everyone’s problem."
A hero party?
Well, at least he didn’t have to deal with the escaped creature.
He looked at the Spirit Queen. She smiled at him.
He felt nervous.
She doesn’t know that I was the one who broke the barrier, right?
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