Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos

Chapter 119. The World Tree's True Nature.

Liu Shu didn't know what this feeling was. She couldn't really grasp the depth of it or why it was so powerful. It felt as if it came from the center of her core and spread outward like a flame.

Until now, Liu Shu has felt slightly sad when those around her died. For example, when she learned the number of deaths this time around, she couldn't help but let out a mental sigh. But, it never really affected her much more than a few fleeting thoughts that could be summarized with, "Well, that's life, I guess."

But when she saw the three Sylvans on the verge of death, that was not the thought process. Her first reaction was to want to heal them rapidly. She wanted to use anything in her power to help them.

The sight of their bloodied bodies was strangely heartwrenching and depressing. Liu Shu felt that way even when looking at Tempestria, who she hadn't known for long. 'Why fight outside my walls?'

Liu Shu looked around her and analyzed her town. In her opinion, it was strong enough to resist a few attacks. She couldn't really understand what was the point of going out to fight. She had heard their discussion, and she listened when they spoke about not leaving any of them to return alive.

'But, is there a point? Are people outside that strong?'

She knew about Fortuna World Tree, which was Level 26. However, Liu Shu always thought that Fortuna was not the standard for strong people. She still did so, but seeing a group of Level 12 people riding Level 10 creatures, she understood that she had underestimated the outside.

Other than that, she had clearly underestimated her own feelings toward the ones surrounding her. Her notion of indifference was not as clear now that the three Sylvans lay by her side at the doors of death.

'I care.'

Now, she understood.

'I care about Cinderielle.'

During the last months, she had been someone who had made her laugh so many times that she had lost count.

'I care about Verdantia.'

Like Cinderielle, Verdantia has become a source of knowledge, peace, and someone Liu Shu relied on when she didn't know about something.

What she understood a bit less was her care about Tempestria.

She had shown loyalty to her, she had been interesting, and above all, similar to Verdantia and Cinderielle, the aura around her was very attractive.

Although Tempestria has been by her side very little, Liu Shu was surprised that she found her core hurting when the thought of her being gone appeared in her mind.

'Since I first saw them, I felt they were different.' Slowly, Liu Shu's mind matured due to this event. 'I found I cared about them enough to even stop the person I trust the most, Flor, from doing bad things to them.'

The situation when Flor almost killed Cinderielle flashed in her mind, and this made her recall the urge she felt back then to stop her.

It was such an impulsive and incomprehensible feeling. 'What are these feelings of care? Do I feel like this toward all Sylvans?'

Liu Shu knew that was not the truth. When the Earth Sylvan appeared, she didn't feel the same intent she did with the others. Seeing her receive everyone's assault and slowly get killed did not make Liu Shu want to intervene. On the contrary, she herself increased her attacking rate.

'So, it is not all Sylvans? Are they special? Or is it because that earth Sylvan was corrupted?'

As hours passed and Liu Shu continued looking at the resting women, her convoluted thoughts calmed down. She didn't know what they were or what this surge meant, but she could understand that these three were special to her, one way or another.