Otherwise, you can find another savior.

"Everything about you is good." Jian emphasized every word.

Shiomi began to feel troubled: "It's not that I can't, but I can't speak to you in that tone."

"It's not the tone or the way of speaking, but something more natural." Ash tried to correct.

"I think I have revealed my true nature thoroughly enough." Xi Jian held his chin with both hands, rested it on his knees, and begged for mercy with a sad face.

He really couldn't grasp what Jian needed.

"Yes, that's the feeling." Jian's eyes lit up.

"Ok?"

"No need to remain calm, just react as you should." Jian held his hand. "Whether you're impatient, unhappy, or acting recklessly... all of it belongs to me."

"I understand. In short, everything I have is yours, right?" Shiomi said with a smile, moving close to her nose just inches away.

"Yeah." Jian nodded, then quickly added, "I'm not saying my husband is my property, but that—"

"You are mine too, so it's fair." Shiomi said again.

Then Jian's expression suddenly brightened, his brows gleaming with joy. "That's right. I belong to you, and you belong to me. There's no better answer than this."

"Of course not." Shiomi reached out and flicked her forehead. "If you decide to spend the night on the boat, I don't mind."

"That's right." Ash rowed again, "Come to think of it, this is where we first met."

"Yesterday's clouds and mist are still vivid in my mind." Xijian was deeply moved.

The two people rowed the boat slowly in the falling snow, heading towards the north shore.

Chapter 40: Under the Fantasy Tree

The closer you get to the World Tree—also known as the Illusion Tree—the more you can feel the immense magical power of its existence.

Shiomi still remembers witnessing several of the seven imaginary trees falling from the sky and landing on Earth.

Are these things similar to the wandering scouts that invaded the Earth 14,000 years ago, coming from the distant outer universe, or are they... some kind of special creations?

All in all, this towering tree is indeed qualified to be called the World Tree, and to some extent, it even fits the impression of the World Tree that Norse mythology gave him.

The only difference is that the fantasy tree in Shiomi's cognition is a more lush and leafy existence, rather than this bare existence full of ominous and threatening atmosphere.

The magic power emanating from the Fantasy Tree is at the level of the Age of Gods. Just by touching it, one can feel its indescribable scale.

The closest reference point Shiomi could think of was the Holy Grail that the Magic King placed in the seventh singularity.

But even so, there are essential differences between the two.

He was not good at analyzing magic, so he could not analyze such a huge existence. Therefore, when Ash began to investigate the Illusion Tree, he stood by to protect it.

Although Shiomi was worried that a being like the Illusionary Tree, which possessed extraordinary magical power, would spontaneously launch a self-defense counterattack against any life that approached it, in fact, this did not seem to be the case.

Perhaps because neither Shiomi nor Ash showed any hostility, the magic of the Illusion Tree reacted to them but did not show any further signs of trouble.

It is possible to roll back the human nature of the planet, completely turn the surface of the earth into a blank slate, and then take root there, recreating a new world and history.

Who created the Fantasy Tree and for what reason?

The questions that had once been forgotten resurfaced as I approached this strange towering tree.

BB didn't reveal too much at the time, but told him that he would deal with the problems of the seven anomalous zones and decide the future of the planet.

Thinking of what Grimm had revealed earlier, Shiomi returned to the original question.

Why yourself?

There is no answer.

Those who have the answer, or gods, all keep their mouths shut and wait for the right time to come.

"My husband." Jian's clear voice sounded, but her tone was quite heavy. "Sorry for the long wait."

Shiomi jumped out of his thoughts and looked at Ash who was slowly leaving the roots of the Imagination Tree and walking towards him.

"Have you investigated it clearly?" Xi Jian asked.

"That's about right." Ash lowered his eyes. "Rather than being a world tree, this tree is more like... a fantasy tree that recreates lost history, re-fixing the once-vanished phenomena on the bleached planet."

"I know." Shiomi crossed her arms. "Or rather, it's because I know this that I came here."

"why?"

"If it weren't for this, our encounter wouldn't have happened in the first place." Shiomi simply stated in a very soft voice, "For some reason unknown to me, your future self, while still alive, transformed into a Servant and came to my side... So I have to do the same thing, that's all."

"But if even our meeting, and even these hundreds of years, were merely the result of the Imagination Tree's calculations after adding you as a variable," Ash grasped Shiomi's arm, "how would you feel?"

He thought about it and felt that it would be more appropriate to answer with actions rather than giving a reply.

As if it were a daily ritual, he kissed his wife in front of him.

Jian didn't react much, but accepted it as usual, and sighed softly in her heart. It was because he could always understand her emotions that the years of traveling in Britain were so happy.

After inspecting the World Tree, I learned a lot of information, and all the distracting thoughts that came with it disappeared at this moment.

It would have been better if he hadn't deliberately played a prank on her.

"Does it hurt?" Xijian asked.

"There's more to it than just pain. Many feelings are intertwined." Jian frowned, but wasn't angry. "But why did you suddenly become like this? To distract me?"

"Whether it's pleasure or pain, these are all things you can actually feel," Shiomi said. "Then all of this isn't just a dream or fantasy. You're here, I'm here, and all of this is real."

"But..." Jian felt uneasy.

"The Fantasy Tree has taken root on the planet, causing events that were once circumscribed by the universe to reappear, overwriting all previous history." Shiomi looked her in the eye. "I know the best course of action is to abandon this world, let it run its course, and then extinguish itself. This is the choice I should have made as a person of pan-human history."

He pressed his forehead against hers. "But I can't do that. I'm unwilling to give you up to save the world. So... even if all this is wrong, I won't change it. I want this history to continue for thousands of years, to free you from your fantasies and give you a solid foothold on this planet."

"What a stubborn person." Jian was both happy and sad.

As he said, she understood what it all meant.

For her, leaving the world he had previously protected... could he really make such a choice?

"The magic of the Fantasy Tree is one of the largest I've ever seen." Xijian raised his head and looked at the roots that spread out and almost covered the sky.

Ash pressed her face against his hand. "This tree won't affect Britain on its own initiative, but if I cut it down, I'll inevitably provoke a counterattack. To use it for my own benefit, I'll need to use all of its magical power at once."

"If we do this, won't this world disappear?" Shiomi asked, "This tree should be the reason why this world can survive."

"...No, I know what to do, but...there's no need to do that right now." Jian shook his head.

"As long as we can ensure that the Imagination Tree will not become a risk to you, that's enough." Shiomi's attitude was clear.

"My husband really is...his mind is always occupied with me."

Jian smiled, and a tear slid down his cheek.

【history】

In the year 3670 of the Elven calendar, the sound of the "Pilgrimage Bell" rang out from Orkney in northern Britain and spread throughout Britain.

The sound of the "Pilgrimage Bell" is the sound of the soul accepting its own sins.

The existence of the "Fairies of Paradise" was announced, and the four clans that had participated in the destruction of the Rain Clan each sent out investigation teams again.

This time the investigation team did not return without success, but they did not gain anything.

At the same time, the Mirror Clan, who have the ability to predict the future but hardly care about worldly affairs, welcomed two special guests.

Although in their "prophecy", the "foreign sage" and the "fairy of paradise" will definitely come.

Chapter 41: Mirror Clan

The Mirror Clan is a group of fairies whose purpose is to "serve and protect someone", and therefore Mirror fairies generally have the ability to foresee the future.

They can recite the future they see in the form of poetry and prophecies, which is an extraordinary ability among all the fairies in the Fairy Kingdom.

In Shiomi's opinion, to some extent, he can be seen as a fairy version of Gilgamesh who has clairvoyance.

However, unlike the King of Heroes' clairvoyance, this ability has a side effect: "Once fate is confirmed, no matter how unfortunate the outcome is, it cannot be changed."

"Is that so? Is this the reason why you, a clan with ties to the Rain Clan, didn't even inform them of the prophecy that they would be exterminated, and simply sat back and watched them perish?"

After arriving at the northern lake area where the Mirror Clan lives, Shiomi and Ash were personally received by the patriarch of the Mirror Clan. After the other party introduced the characteristics of the Mirror Clan, Shiomi asked this question.

Just as the rumors said, the Mirror Clan were peaceful fairies like the Rain Clan. Even though they had foreseen the arrival of the two through their predictive abilities, they did not take any unnecessary action.

"Prophecies are like that. Fairies within the clan have tried to resist, but even the previous clan leader, who possessed the power of the Resurrection Bell, was unable to defy fate and survive the once-a-millennium catastrophe."

Ethel, the Mirror Clan leader, who looks like a young girl but has an aura that doesn't match her age, explained this to Shiomi.

His tone seemed to be full of optimism, but in fact it carried a sense of natural helplessness.

The Mirror Clan witnessed the many tragedies and wars that occurred among the fairies on the British Isles, but they could do nothing. They had long since given up their futile struggle.

"That's as natural as it gets." Xijian sneered.

"In fact, the sage from a foreign land has also experienced this firsthand," Ethel said as they walked. "Even if you try your best, the combined forces of the four clans will only become victims of the Rain Clan's demise. This is fate that cannot be changed."

Xi Jian suddenly stopped and said, "From your tone, it's obvious that you know Ash's identity, and you're also aware that we're closely connected to the Rain Clan?"

"Not only that, we also know that the fairies from Paradise have visited this place and intend to ring the pilgrimage bell."

Even though Ethel sensed Xi Jian's ill intentions, she remained unmoved and continued to lead him and Jian to the Bell Hall.

"Once the Pilgrimage Bell kept by the Mirror Clan is rung, the sound will once again spread throughout Britain. You might then face the same fate as the Rain Clan. Even so, does it not matter?" Ash asked.

"There's no prophecy of destruction, because the other clans haven't yet understood the significance of the Pilgrimage Bell," Ethel answered calmly. "So no matter what you two do, it won't affect the Mirror Clan."

Shiomi suddenly stopped, the magic power in his body fluctuating violently, threatening to transform into destructive magic at any moment: "Is that so? Then if I destroy your Mirror Clan right here, it will have no effect either?"

"Tianxi?" Jian exclaimed, "The Mirror Clan didn't do anything. There's no need to convict them—"

"They only have the ability to foresee the future, but they just watch every disaster that happens in Britain, and then rationalize it by saying 'fate is destined and cannot be changed'. Based on this alone, don't you think it's appropriate to charge them with 'inaction', Ash?" Shiomi told Ash his thoughts.

"……even so……"

Ash knew that he could stop Shiomi, or stand in front of him and protect the Mirror Clan.

only--

"Please. If the Mirror Clan's destruction today is our fate, then as elves with prophetic powers who failed to foresee this fate, it is only natural that we should be destroyed." Ethel replied slowly, "In any case, this destruction is better than the disaster that keeps repeating and never ends."

Rather than facing the horror of the entire clan being destroyed, it would be better to be freed from the pain that has lasted until now.

This is the consistent attitude of the Mirror Clan goblins, and this is exactly what Ethel meant.

"How negative! Is this the price of seeing the future?" Xi Jian stopped his magic and smiled apologetically at Jian. "I was just kidding. I guess I scared you."

"I'm not scared, I just don't agree with it." Jian shook his head.

She saw it clearly. Xijian saw that what he said just now was half true and half false. It could become reality in an instant, or it could become an unfunny joke and end there.

This was the first time she had seen words at such a critical point, with lies and truth overlapping each other. If she hadn't had the goblin eyes, she would have probably believed it.

"Fate is like that, just like the fate that binds you and the Witch-sama, it's unshakable." Ethel's tone remained low and gentle, as if she didn't care about anything. "Besides, if you truly intended to destroy our Mirror Clan, you wouldn't have intervened in Morse's disaster upon arriving in this lake area."

Xijian looked at Jian with a humorous smile: "So we are such kind and convenient beings in the eyes of the fairies in Britain?"

"...You can't understand it that way." Jian felt helpless.

Goblins are goblins, and disasters are disasters.

If the disaster threatening the Mirror Clan is not suppressed, it will hinder their next actions, so it is necessary to take action.

Even if he became a help to the Mirror Clan, Ash would not think it was anything special.

That's it.

"In front is the Pilgrimage Bell kept by our Mirror Clan. It is the bone bell that our ancestor Yaling turned into after her death thousands of years ago. Although it has gone through many separations and chaos, it has been preserved in the end." Ethel pointed to the bell-ringing hall in front.

Unlike the Rain Clan, the bell-ringing hall here is very neat and tidy, with no signs of damage.

Shiomi thought that the pilgrimage bells of other clans should be like this as well.

"Before that, I have something I'd like to ask the Mirror Clan, who possess the power of prophecy." Shiomi paused. "Does your clan have any records of British history or the myth of creation?"

Ethel also showed a slightly surprised expression at this question.

"There's no record of it, but the creation myth has been passed down orally in our clan, from generation to generation. If the Sage and the Witch require it, I can relay it to you."

"That would be great."