Chapter 253: Noble Soul (7)

Chapter 253: Noble Soul (7)

{Important Announcement:- I wanted to provide an update on the editing process I mentioned earlier.

The good news is that around 100 chapters have already gone through TLC and editing, with another 100 chapters currently in the TLC process. They are already uploaded to the site.

With these updates, there will be some notable changes to character names, terms, and certain locations. You will begin to see those changes from chapter 253 onward. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but to make the transition smoother, I will share a link to the new glossary. This glossary will be updated as the story /spreadsheets/d/15sjwDlJRVSCEUNia-AWeWL-llNJMcO7BiNONqcnNJlc/edit?usp=sharing

This wouldn't have been possible without your unwavering support. I am committed to delivering the best possible English version of this book.

Thank you for being a part of this journey.

Your beloved translator.

Zenith.}

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The orchard of the Dream Tree was originally a tourist attraction.

Although it was the off-season since the vacation period had ended, the area was still bustling with people due to its location in a major city.

However, the visitors there had no idea.

They would never have expected that at the Third World Tree, where they had come simply to relax... They would encounter the Elf King, Florin, the ruler of all spirits, deities, familiars, fairies, and elves.

Third World Tree, Dream Tree, Central Plaza.

While it was not the highest point in the orchard, the central plaza was a flat basin that offered a view of the surrounding landscape, making it a popular spot for tourists.

On this day, it was even more crowded than usual.

“What’s going on?”

“Is there some kind of event happening?”

“Shh. What event? They say the Elf King herself has arrived!”

“Really? But she usually never shows herself so why now?”

To the general public, the Elf King, Florin, was a mysterious figure. She was always shrouded in secrecy.

Rumors claimed that she was so beautiful that anyone who saw her would instantly fall in love, which was why she purposely kept herself hidden... However, since she never revealed herself, there was no way to know the truth.

Today, however, she suddenly appeared in the orchard of the Third World Tree.

She summoned an altar that could only be used by elves for special ceremonies in the center of the plaza and ascended it alone.

Her body was still entirely wrapped in a black dress and her face hidden behind a white mask, making it impossible to see her appearance. People nevertheless felt something strange.

Despite being completely covered... There was something inexplicably beautiful about the Elf King.

No one realized that this was due to the subtle aura of her ability, [Absorbing Affection], emanating from her.

“Hoo...”

Florin let out a small sigh and steadied her trembling voice.

The curse had weakened significantly, so it was fine for her to reveal herself as long as her face was hidden, but perhaps because she had lived in seclusion for so long, she still felt overwhelmed by the attention of the large crowd.

But she had no choice.

She needed to speak directly with the World Tree to find out the cause of the dark magic corruption.

As the leaves of the World Tree began to rustle, and a green aurora slowly spread across the sky, the buzzing crowd fell silent and gazed up in awe.

“Wow...”

Those who had come to Third World Tree to enjoy the beauty of nature found themselves captivated by an even more breathtaking sight. They felt a sense of healing as they watched.

However, unlike the onlookers, Florin frowned and bit her lip hard.

—It hurts.

—Go away.

—It’s... so...

—Sorry.

—It’s painful.

The voice of a child echoed in her mind.

It was unmistakably the cry of Third World Tree, but Florin found it impossible to properly communicate with it.

The Third World Tree was not in a sane state and it prevented any proper communication.

“Ugh...!”

Even as she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, trying her best to focus, Florin couldn't do anything because Third World Tree kept screaming in pain.

'Please get a hold of yourself! You need to tell me where it hurts...!'

Clang!

“Ah!”

Florin managed to gather her willpower and barely succeeded in sending a message to the Third World Tree, but at that moment, the World Tree rejected her consciousness entirely.

Unable to endure the intense pain, she completely shut off her mental connection.

Thud!

As Florin collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, the knights quickly ascended the altar to support her.

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“... Ah...”

’Does he have ulterior motives?’

Hong Bi-Yeon glanced subtly at Sayeran Orkan, who was seated some distance away from her.

The girl with black eyes, whose thoughts were always unreadable, was only two years older than Hong Bi-Yeon. Yet, she was skilled at hiding her emotions, eloquent, and politically savvy.

In terms of pure magical ability, she didn't feel very distant from her, but evaluating her as a human... There were many things Hong Bi-Yeon thought she could learn from Sayeran.

But that was all.

Sayeran was a rival. Someone who would eventually need to be eliminated.

‘If I am to become queen... I must learn even from my enemies.’

A phrase from a book she once read came to mind.

If there is something to learn, you must be willing to bow even to a beggar.

Who had said that?

It was likely... Isaac Morph...

‘Hmm’

She suddenly shook her head to dispel the image of Eisel’s annoyingly serene and peaceful face that had flashed into her mind.

“Princess, would you like some dessert?”

The royal attendant asked her, but she shook her head without even answering.

Dessert?

She couldn't even taste it...

"... No, actually... Bring me some cake and sweet cocoa."

Recently, she had realized that if she concentrated hard enough on her sense of taste, she could faintly perceive something resembling flavor.

It was so faint that by normal standards, it could merely be described as the sensation of something touching her tongue, rather than an actual taste...

But she was certain of it.

She felt that her sense of taste was gradually returning to normal.

From the day she lost her sense of taste, she had been desperate to experience flavors again.

Could this be the result of her countless attempts to regain that happy sensation on her tongue?

“Here you go.”

As the attendant placed the sweet chocolate cake and cocoa before her, she stabbed the cake with a fork and brought it to her lips.

She couldn’t help but feel nervous, wondering why something as simple as this made her anxious.

She put the cake in her mouth and focused intently on trying to taste it.

‘I... can’t taste it.’

But she couldn’t taste anything.

Worse. The revolting, mushy texture made her feel nauseous.

Her sense of taste wasn’t just gone; it was distorted, and the unpleasant texture overwhelmed her mouth.

“Ugh...”

She quickly rushed to the bathroom and spat out the cake, wiping away the cold sweat from her brow.

“Damn it...”

Without the ability to taste, she should avoid intensely flavored foods like cake.

The problem was that she had been too bold to try something too strong from the beginning just because she thought she could taste a little.

‘Why this time...?’

She could have sworn she had tasted something before.

What was different then?

Why could she taste it that time?

Suddenly, she remembered who she had been dining with the last time she experienced taste.

And a faint laugh escaped her lips.

The idea that her sense of taste could change depending on who she was eating with...

‘That... doesn’t make any sense.’

She tried to shake off the thought.

The fact that she was even thinking such nonsense made her feel like she had changed too much recently, and it felt strange to her.

“Princess, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Let’s go.”

When she left the bathroom, Sayeran was waiting for her with that same impassive gaze.

Hong Bi-Yeon pretended nothing was wrong and returned to her seat, while Sayeran observed her for a moment.

‘...Taste. Huh.’

An idea briefly crossed Sayeran’s mind, but she didn’t voice it.

After all, Princess Hong Bi-Yeon was her rival, so there was no need to help her.