I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

Evelyn might be mistaken, but she would never be.

Lynn's mount was a genuine Holy Spirit Unicorn.

Purebred unicorns... weren't they completely wiped out in the War of the Gods a thousand years ago?

Why did it reappear in the world, and why did it choose an ordinary human as its master?

Sandros was filled with doubt, but she didn't show it or ask any questions.

Unicorns are sacred beasts of utmost purity and innocence; their choice must have its reasons.

Since it has accepted this human being, it should also give it respect.

"Get up."

The Queen's voice rang out, like a gentle breeze in the forest.

“Evelyn has already told me about it.”

Her gaze shifted between Lynn and Cat White. "Two travelers, where is your destination?"

Cat White straightened up and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, we are traveling merchants from the Kingdom of Shanoria, and we are on our way to the human capital of Rivendell to attend the spring trade fair there, meow."

"Because I heard that the road beyond Ash Wasteland was not safe, I wanted to ask to travel with your guild's caravan for protection when I saw it. I never expected to end up here by mistake."

Sandros nodded, then turned her gaze to Lynn.

“Evelyn said she has told you the secret of the sacred tree.”

"What are your thoughts on this matter?"

Lynn met the Queen's deep gaze and shook her head.

"Your Majesty, I have no opinion."

His voice was calm and sincere.

"We are just ordinary travelers, and it was not our intention to learn of the elves' plight."

"At first, I just thought the caravan had encountered some trouble and wondered if I could help in a little way. I never expected to hear such a huge secret."

"We are deeply apprehensive about this, and we would never dare to have any inappropriate thoughts."

A brief silence fell over the hall.

Sandros gazed silently at Lynn, her greyish-blue eyes seemingly swirling with countless light and shadow.

After a moment, she nodded slightly.

The vines coiling around the throne seemed to stretch their branches and leaves in response to her movements.

"I believe in you."

Sandros's tone seemed a little softer than before.

The human's answer, and his pure soul, completely put her at ease.

"The secret of the Tree of Life concerns the survival of our race, so please keep it a secret."

“Of course,” Lynn replied immediately.

Cat Bai Bai nodded its little head vigorously, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will absolutely not tell anyone, meow! Not a single word."

“Evelyn,” the Queen said.

"Your subordinate is here."

"Send a team of guards to safely escort these two guests out of Silverleaf Forest."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Evelyn replied respectfully.

Hearing this, Lynn and Cat White both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

I finally passed the test.

Although we didn't get to see the legendary elves or drink the elf mead, getting away from this troublesome situation was the best possible outcome.

However, just as Lynn was about to thank her and leave with Evelyn,

Sandros, sitting on the throne, suddenly trembled slightly.

She slowly rose from the throne.

This was the first time Lynn and Cat White had seen her since she got up.

She walked barefoot down the steps and went straight to Lynn.

"The Tree of Life..."

Sandros spoke slowly, her voice ethereal and captivating.

"He said, 'Let you...go to see Him.'"

Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Tree of Life

"See...see Him? Meow?"

Cat Baibai repeated it subconsciously, her voice filled with disbelief.

The divine tree wants to see these two complete strangers?

Sandros's gaze swept over the two of them, finally settling on Lynn's face.

"Please come with me."

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned around, barefoot, and walked step by step out of the palace.

Her simple light green dress swayed gently with her movements, and her dark green hair cascaded down like a waterfall, blending seamlessly with the surrounding environment, as if she herself were a part of the forest.

The three of them silently walked through the empty Moonlight Palace and returned to the city.

This time, Lynn had no heart to appreciate the city's dreamlike beauty.

Instead of using the vine suspension bridges that the elves usually walked on, Sandoros led them onto a path formed by intertwined tree roots.

The scenery along the roadside began to turn desolate.

The once vibrant and exotic flowers and plants have become sparse and withered here.

The fresh fragrance of grass and trees in the air was gradually replaced by a smell of decay.

"Since the divine tree began to wither, the area around it has been completely sealed off."

"The energy He emitted became chaotic, and any clansman who got close would feel their life force being drained away little by little."

"So, it's been a long time... since any elves have come here."

Lynn's heart sank.

Even the most resilient elves can't get close, so are these two... really okay?

After walking for another ten minutes or so, the view ahead suddenly opened up.

A huge circular plaza appeared before them.

The plaza's surface, paved with smooth white stones, contrasts sharply with the towering elven treehouses surrounding it.

This is the center of the elven city of Manselano.

However, it was completely different from the scene that Lynn and Cat White had imagined—a scene of overwhelming light and divine radiance.

In the very center of the square, there were no towering sacred trees, no dazzling holy light, only a small sapling less than half a person tall, its entire body charred and withered, as if it had been struck by lightning countless times, standing there all alone.

Its branches were twisted and its bark was cracked. There wasn't a single leaf on it, only a few bare, thin branches pointing helplessly to the sky.

If one hadn't seen it with their own eyes, no one could possibly connect this desolate scene with the legendary Tree of Life that supports the entire Silverleaf Forest.

"This...this is...the Tree of Life, meow?"

The cat's beautiful white eyes were filled with shock.

This is no divine tree at all; it's clearly just a piece of firewood that's about to rot.

Lynn was also shocked by the scene before him. He had expected that there might be a problem with the sacred tree, but he did not expect that the problem would be so serious.

He was clearly about to die.

"He is not completely dead yet."

Sandros seemed to see through Lynn's thoughts. She walked slowly to the charred sapling, her eyes filled with endless sorrow and longing.

"His roots are still connected to the origin of this land, but his soul is being devoured little by little by a force we cannot understand."

Sandros's gaze fell on Lynn with utmost seriousness.

"Humanity, His will is directed toward you."

“Please…come close to Him, and then, touch Him.”

Upon hearing this, Cat White suddenly raised its head.

"No way, meow." Without thinking, she stood in front of Lynn. "You just said that getting close to Him would drain your life force. Lynn is just an ordinary human. He'll die, meow."

Seeing the cat's fur standing on end, Sandoros just smiled.

“I believe that His will will not harm those whom He has personally summoned.”

Lynn looked at the kitten girl who was standing in front of him and felt a warm feeling well up in his heart.

He gently pulled the cat, Bai Bai, behind him.

"It's fine."

There are no other options now.

“Your Majesty, what should I do?” Lynn asked in a deep voice.

Sandros gave him a deep look. “Place your hand on His trunk, and then…feel it with your heart.”

Lynn nodded, no longer hesitating.

He took a deep breath and, under the expectant gazes of Cat White and Sandros, walked step by step towards the center of the square.

The closer one gets to the charred sapling, the stronger the smell of decay becomes.

It was as if countless invisible vengeful spirits were whispering and howling in his ear, trying to drag his sanity into the abyss.

Lynn calmed herself and cleared her mind of all distractions.

He stretched out his right hand and slowly pressed it onto the charred, rough tree trunk.

It's cold.

This was his only sense of touch.

However, at the very moment his palm was completely pressed against the tree trunk...

boom--

Lynn felt as if the world before her eyes had suddenly lost its sound and color.

Immediately afterwards, countless chaotic, fragmented, yet unimaginably grand images flooded into his mind.

He saw that above the boundless sea of ​​stars, a magnificent divine kingdom was collapsing.

He saw a giant wielding thunderbolts, nailed to his throne by a pitch-black demonic sword that pierced the heavens and earth, his divine blood flowing like a river.

He saw the stunningly beautiful goddess being dragged into a bottomless abyss by countless tentacles amidst her desperate cries, her holy radiance completely swallowed by darkness.

He saw a giant dragon engulfed in flames and an angel clad in armor perish together beneath the shattered sky, transforming into a sky full of flowing fire and feathers of light.

Swords and magic, holy light and shadow, order and chaos...

Countless supreme beings who control the rules of the world fought like insignificant ants on this battlefield, and then... perished.

The sky is burning, and the earth is wailing.

The gods are falling.

Lynn felt as if his soul was about to be completely torn apart by this immense will.

He tried to scream, but no sound came out.

He tried to break free, but found that his consciousness was firmly nailed to this ancient battlefield, forced to witness the end of a glorious era.

I don't know how much time passed; it might have been a moment, or it might have been ten thousand years.