Chapter 279: The Sky of Farewell

Chapter 279: The Sky of Farewell

The morning after our farewell feast, we were back in our traveling clothes and ready for the journey ahead. Our supplies were fully replenished, and we had rested well. We were as full of energy as when we left the kingdom.

Fufun! With me along, were as strong as a hundred men!

Hey, be careful!

Woodsorrel was brimming with even more energy than the rest of us. Standing proudly on the roof of a large carriage, she puffed out her chest and said something proudly, only to be quickly brought back down to earth by Chris prosthetic hand grabbing her head.

Despite Woodsorrels protests of pain and discomfort, Chriss actions were justified. Though the canopy of the carriage was made of a strong fabric, it was not designed to support weight. It would be foolish for Woodsorrel to injure herself by tearing it.

Meanwhile, Gardenia curled up on Chiriks lap next to me. This was a common sight but after hearing Buttons story yesterday, I had mixed feelings about it. The reason was that I had only seen them as good friends, but now that I knew what was going on, it seemed to me like Gardenia was letting everyone know that he belonged to her.

Perhaps sensing my mixed emotions, Chirik looked up at me with a puzzled expression on his face. I responded with a wry smile and gently patted his head in a comforting manner.

Chirik was smiling as if he felt ticklish, but his attention quickly shifted downward. The reason was a slight movement from Gardenia who was perched on his lap. Hey, hey, why are you reacting like youre feeling jealous of me

Ho-How mean

Thats what you get for doing that. Seriously

After the incident on the canopy, Chris arrived while carrying Woodsorrel like a piece of luggage on her shoulders. There seemed to be no room for reservations between Chris and Woodsorrel, as Chris unceremoniously dumped Woodsorrel into the cargo bed.

A short yelp from Woodsorrel echoed from the cargo bed. There seemed to be no reservations between the two but in a good way. I would say they were the best of friends, transcending the boundaries of race.

Noticing that Chris and the others had boarded the carriage, Button approached us. I descended from the coachmans seat to bid her farewell.

Will you depart now, Antares?

We are deeply grateful for your hospitality. I will never forget this kindness.

Dont worry about itis what I want to say but I know you are a man of great honor. Therefore, when the seeds bestowed upon you by our lord bear fruit, bring those to us. That shall be considered as your repayment of our kindness.

I understand.

To repay Button and the others, we must carefully cultivate the seeds we have received . the three types of plants Lorentz named. Lets harvest more than we need and share the surplus with them and the Mountain God.

This gave us a new purpose, and with a goal in sight, my motivation soared. I bowed once more in gratitude before jumping onto the cargo bed of the carriage drawn by Apao.

Ah, one more thing. Once you leave here, continue straight ahead. Youll find an open area. Wait there for a while.

Understood Everyone, its time to set off!

There must be someone waiting there, perhaps a guide of sorts. After memorizing the words of Button, I lightly move the reins and give instructions to Apao. The latter was a demon like us and so he understood my words and neighed as if to say, Leave it to me, before we started moving.

Excluding those who had left to protect the forest, all the inhabitants of the flower garden gathered near the exit to see us off. They expressed their farewells with cries, gestures, and for those who could speak the language of humans, with parting words.

Not a single one among those who could speak uttered the word goodbye. Instead, they all said Lets meet again. It was probably Buttons idea, but hearing them say it was comforting. In response, we waved our hands as if to say goodbye without wanting to part.

The one who enlightened me was Woodsorrel who was abruptly tossed into the cargo bed earlier. According to her, the Forest God wasnt an entity with a single body like the Mountain God or the descendants of gods. She claimed that every plant making up this forest was a fragment of the Forest God.

In essence, the entire forest was the body of the Forest God. The term the forest itself that Woodsorrel used wasnt an exaggeration at all. The reason paths through the forest became easily accessible and the abundance of edible plants near the flower garden was due to the consideration of the Forest God. We were literally receiving the blessings of the forest.

It made sense why I didnt feel a powerful presence. Even for the Forest God who had served the Mountain God for ages, spreading its power evenly throughout the entire forest would naturally make it weaker.

During our time in the forest, saying we were inside the belly of the Forest God wouldnt be an overstatement. Had the Mountain God chosen to oppose us, there would have been no chance of victory. I couldnt help but feel incredibly fortunate when I realized this

[Bis sister Woodsorrel]

Being escorted by the Forest God is an honor! You should be grateful!

Gardenia looked up at Woodsorrel with a touch of resentment, but the latter seemed oblivious to her gaze. Once again, Woodsorrel puffed out her chest with pride.

As soon as Woodsorrel shared the truth with me, the surroundings began to transform. The trees encircling the clearing stretched upward with a creaking sound and their tips converged to form the shape of a giant bird.

The giant bird made of tree branches flapped its wings and the area we were in began to move slowly. It seemed that the Forest God was about to take us on a journey through the sky. I had never imagined that we would physically jump over the Shumie Mountain range in one go.

It certainly is an honor. No amount of gratitude could suffice.

Hmm Big brother? Where are we?

Lappy, who had been sound asleep until now, seemed to have finally awakened. After I explained the situation to her with a wry smile, Lappy jumped off the carriage while hugging Chirik and Gardenia.

Big sister Lappy?!

[Wait?!]

Big brother, I want to go outside with everyone. Well be right back.

With those words, Lappy dashed toward the edge of the circle of trees with the two in tow. I exchanged a quick glance with Chris and we hurriedly followed after them.

The trees that had risen with the clearing were few, so even through the gaps between them there was a clear view of the landscape outside. Leaning against the trees, Lappy gazed intently at the exterior.

Wow~

The view from this height was nothing short of spectacular. What met our eyes was not just the forest we had inhabited until moments ago, but also the plains stretching beyond and the villages where people dwelled In other words, it was the scenery of the northern part of Enzos continent.

We were set to head towards the southern part of the Enzo continent next. Once we moved on, it would be difficult to enjoy this view again until we settled down. To be honest, the place held more unpleasant memories than not, yet the fond recollections of times spent with our comrades made it impossible not to feel sentimental.

Following our lead, our comrades too were taking in the outside view. While some enjoyed the scenery, others were paralyzed by the height and their bodies shrunk back in fear. Everyone is different.

This is the best farewell gift, isnt it?

Yeah, thats right.

Chris, agreeing with my murmur, snuggled up to me and gently rested her head on my shoulder. I did not resist and instead quietly continued to watch the northern continent bathe in the morning sun. This landscape, I knew, would forever remain etched in my memory.