Volume 4: The End of the World Chapter 27 The Trustworthy
"You ask what it means... It's just a replay of the history of the birth of our forest elves."
Ebony replied:
"The elven pioneers who came across the sea encountered undead creatures in this land, and the World Tree that was eroded beyond recognition by the undead creatures. The strongest warrior of our tribe and his priest wife worked together to expel the pollution and finally saved this land. Therefore, we need to let Lord Nehe fully exert his talent in undead magic, kill a large number of undead creatures, and corrupt the World Tree. Finally, let our newly chosen Wild Father and Listener kill him as in the myth, repeat that history, and make a new covenant."
So this is what renegotiating a covenant means?
The other party's answer made William stunned for a moment. Recreating past events to affect the present, doesn't this sound similar to ritual magic?
wrong……
Ritual magic recreates mythological stories, and those myths themselves are aspects of creation, so recreating those events can also trigger corresponding phenomena.
But the birth of the forest elves is a real historical event with written records. And no matter what the nature of the Holy Tree Mother is, she is also a deity who can actively manifest her divine power. Their practice is not so much similar to ritual magic as it is to...
"Then wouldn't this be a threat to the Holy Tree Mother you believe in?"
William asked in surprise.
But in response, the other party shook his head and said:
"It's not a threat, it's a reshaping. Or we can say we intend to reshape our own mother."
"Reinventing a God?"
William continued to ask.
Perhaps seeing the surprised expression on William's face, the other party asked back in a somewhat strange tone:
"Is there anything wrong with that? Gods themselves are shaped by the beliefs of mortals. We create them, and then we believe in them. Gods are not isolated things - Gods themselves contain the concept of believers, just like a mother contains the concept of children."
William looked at the man in front of him and felt that he was a little confused as to whether the other person was pious or a heretic.
There is no doubt that his devotion to the Holy Tree Mother is definitely not a fake, but on the other hand, he has a very rational understanding of the nature of faith and gods. And after understanding the nature of gods, he still believes in gods devoutly.
It wasn't just him. According to the history he described, it seemed that the entire forest elf priest class had this attitude. It seemed that my previous understanding of the forest elf high-level officials was greatly biased.
After a long time, William continued:
"What happened next? Did Neh agree to your request?"
The other party shook his head as he expected, and then said:
"No, after learning the details of the ceremony, Neh was extremely angry and rejected our request. He then clashed with the entire Oak Council. After killing several high-ranking members in succession, he left the Holy Tree City, and before he left, he froze the entire Fairy Lake to vent his anger."
Sounds like something Neh would do...
William thought.
Let Neh actively spread the pollution of undead magic in Ravenwood, and use the method of killing those innocent people in exchange for his own salvation. Even if William proposed this plan to him, Neh would definitely fight with him.
As a lich, his order value is among the highest even within the Tribunal.
"So how was it finally resolved? I noticed earlier that you seem to still have customs like 'Holy Communion'."
He continued to ask.
"Not long after Nehe left, a woman came to the Oak Council and claimed that she had received a revelation from the Great Mother and was the new Bride of the Wild. Then, with the attitude of giving it a try, everyone held a Blood Moon Game again, selected a new Father of the Wild, and held a divine marriage ceremony with him. In the end, it actually succeeded. In hindsight, the whole thing seemed like a farce."
Ebony replied.
Is this really a farce? William definitely doesn't think so.
There are too many suspicious points in the whole thing, starting from the inexplicable deaths of the two leaders at the beginning, to the invitation of Nehel to Ravenwood as a consultant, the theft of the core of the World Tree, the ceremony of reshaping the gods, and the final solution that seemed like a joke.
Every detail in every incident was a breeding ground for conspiracy. There were so many suspicious points that he even felt he had no idea where to start the investigation.
Even the authenticity of the historical materials provided by Wu Mu is questionable.
Therefore, William did not intend to simply listen to Ebony's words and help him take back the throne directly.
Moreover, this is not actually a breach of contract. After all, the trial weapons promised by the other party as a reward are fake.
After William was sure that the woman in front of him named Flora was most likely the inheritor of his old friend's legacy, he said the previous words.
What price do you need to offer to buy the other person's loyalty?
If there really was some conspiracy behind those events back then, then the changes brought about by that conspiracy have continued for more than a thousand years to this day.
Although the way this person did things and his personality and attitude were not very pleasing, William was sure of one thing at least - he was a disruptor of the existing order in Jade Province.
In other words, in a sense, the other person is someone who can be trusted.
I'm afraid the other party also sees me this way - as an outsider, compared to those local components of the old order that have been inherited for more than a thousand years, I should be considered a trustworthy person.
Therefore, in response to William's offer, the woman thought for a moment and then replied calmly:
"I should be the one asking this question, right? If I want to hire you, what price should I offer?"
William smiled and shook his head:
"Believe me, you can't afford it. So just quote your price. I can do anything that humans can do in theory. In other words, even most of the things that only gods can satisfy, I can do them."
Perhaps William’s tone was too confident, she said with some doubt:
"I can't believe that there is anyone in the empire who can offer better conditions than Irene."
As she spoke, she tapped the armrest of the throne with her fingers and continued:
"Even if there is, that person should have his own throne, instead of living in a corner like you."
Yes, the other party may be very powerful in magic, but that doesn't mean he is suitable to be an ally... Since his sphere of influence is only the Blackwater Province, which is poor, resource-poor, and sparsely populated, it is not a wise choice for him to be dragged into the quagmire of war by such a person.
No matter what price the other party can offer.
Just as she finished her words, a replica of the withered throne behind her appeared in front of her along with the flash of a space door.
No, it's not a replica. The throne formed by the interweaving roots of the World Tree exudes a majestic breath of life that cannot be faked. It's just... this thing, which was once the base for the core of the World Tree and was later renamed the Throne of Withering, is a symbol of the supreme power of the ruler of . There should be only one such thing in the world.
The other party did not explain, but sat down without hesitation, and floated the magic medium in his hand aside. He rested his elbows on the armrest and crossed his fingers in front of his chest.
"So, your first requirement is that your partner must have a throne? A throne that can sit on an equal footing with you?"
Flora's shocked expression was reflected in his eyes as he said this with a smile.
After taking a deep breath, Flora thought for a long time and finally asked:
"So, which Moon Realm Lord are you representing?"
