Chapter 163: 18 Twin Birth (+9 Moon Votes)

Chapter 163: Chapter 18 Twin Birth (+9 Moon Votes)

“Hiss—”

The snake hissed softly. Although it was well-acquainted with the world, it was actually seeing the Golden Apple Tree for the first time.

It was born in the first era. In the age where Life had yet to be split in two, within that Divine Artifact symbolizing the ‘Origin of All Things,’ nature naturally nurtured the seed of the first plant in the world.

It was the Seed of All Things. If it had continued to be nurtured in the place of its birth, perhaps the moment the Life Vase evolved into the Genesis Artifact, it could have transformed into a deity, becoming a true innate Deity of Life and Plants. The artifact would have been its true form, just as the earth is the true form of Gaia.

It would have become half-great, after countless beings walked upon the earth.

But as soon as Gaia realized this, she decisively stopped the process. The Life Vase was her Divine Artifact, and artifacts do not need thoughts. So, she planted the Seed of All Things and watered it with Life Origin Liquid. From it, the Golden Apple Tree was born, sharing with it the authority over Plants.

“Have you made your decision?”

The golden leaves swayed gracefully, and a sound like a silver bell echoed in the wind, akin to nature’s purest symphony.

The snake looked up at Chaos’s ‘Ancestor of All Trees’ and couldn’t help feeling the similarity among the deities.

Even a god like Gaia would not tolerate her treasures being influenced by other minds. Thus, the deity that should have been born was strangled in the cradle.

Of course, from another perspective, this was also the ‘destiny’ of the current world taking effect. After all, even greatness that already existed was being constantly diminished. How could it possibly stand by and watch new greatness arise?

“...I have already brought you here.”

Dodging the question, Moanda spoke softly to the side.

The snake knew the tangle of emotions the other was feeling at the moment. After all, until now, the other still worried that the snake only wanted to use her authority to enter the Golden Apple Orchard and wasn’t sincerely trying to help her become a god.

So, she did not tell the truth. Entering the orchard and touching the tree were different matters, after all, the orchard existed for the Golden Apples, not the other way around.

Therefore, on the Golden Apple Tree, there were additional protections. Only those who touched greatness could see the power flowing on the tree.

Anyone other than those allowed by Mother Earth to touch it would not only be blocked by this power but would also awaken the Ancient Gods that had fallen into slumber. No one could take the Golden Apple Tree from Mother Earth’s true form. Fortunately, the snake had not come to steal.

“Yes, I have come. The Golden Apple Tree is indeed a rare treasure in the world.”

The snake’s head swayed, causing the branch in its mouth to shake and the golden leaves to rustle.

“So we can begin the next step now.”

“The next step, you must tell me what I can gain from this.”

Gathering her courage, the elf looked directly at the snake on the ground.

She could work for the other, provided the reward was equal to the effort.

Once she took form as the Golden Apple Tree, all nymphs naturally born from plants would become her subjects.

“Moanda, what are you doing here? Isn’t it your day to be at the Oracle?” a voice rang out suddenly.

“Ah—”

Startled from her thoughts with an exclamation, Moanda was shocked by the unexpected voice. But a moment later, she quickly recovered.

Covering her chest, pretending to be frightened, Moanda turned around and ‘glared’ at her friend who had approached quietly.

“Veda, how could you approach without making a sound?” she exclaimed.

“It’s because you were too engrossed in your thoughts, nothing to do with me,” Veda retorted.

As a nymph born from flowers, Veda had grown in the shade of Moanda’s tree before she became conscious, so the two were very good friends.

“Has the Golden Apple sprouted new branches again? I didn’t expect a new fruit to start growing so soon after the last one,” Veda remarked casually, feeling it might relate to Mother Earth’s slumber. Maybe because of their mistress’s slumber, the Golden Apple too became more vigorous.

“Right, if it weren’t a Divine Artifact of the Principal God, I’d really like to pick one and try it,” Moanda said, keeping her expression unchanged while agreeing with her friend. She knew no one would believe that a nymph would dare go against the Principal God’s orders and claim the Artifact for herself.

In fact, up until now, she still had a tiny bit of hesitation.

Although it was just a tiny bit, she felt that if the divine fruit were ripe, she would definitely put it in her mouth.

“Indeed, I’ve tasted many fruits, but I still don’t know what a Golden Apple tastes like,” Veda admitted, also yearning a little, but without overthinking it.

“You haven’t said yet, why did you come here today? Didn’t you go and check on the Oracle?” Veda pressed, curious.

Though the so-called ‘overseeing’ was just a formality, no one thought that places like the Golden Apple Orchard or the Oracle of Delphi could be damaged, and if they were, it was not something they could contend with. But still, it was necessary to go there.

Not all nymphs were harmonious, and there were quite a few who disliked Moanda’s presence.

“It’s the duty the Principal God left before his slumber. The new Divine King of Olympus has arrived at the Oracle, and I was naturally kicked out,” Moanda said, spreading her hands relaxedly.

What was done was done, there was no longer any room for regret. All that remained was to wait.

“You know it, we don’t really matter to a True God. I suppose that Divine King intends to place his own symbols in the temple. We can go check it out together in a while,” she proposed.

“The Divine King?” Veda asked, clearly surprised. “What does he look like?”

“Let’s go out first; I came here to tell you about this,” Moanda urged.

“I’m telling you, the new Divine King looks like...”

With ease, Moanda captured her friend’s curiosity, and together they walked out of Mother Earth’s orchard. Behind them, the Golden Apple Tree swayed gracefully.

In the crown of the tree, a new divine fruit was growing. But this time, perhaps it would not be a god who would eat it.