Novel Bin Chapter 281 - 281 Origins (Part 1)
Floral, who had remained quiet during the explanation of the plan to incinerate Ravenwood Forest, finally spoke up just as William anticipated.
The suddenness of the situation prevented William from sending away the Holy Tree Duke of Emerald Province after he entered the room. Instead, he allowed her to listen in on the conversation.
Despite feeling unsure about revealing all the details in front of an outsider, William realized that since she had already heard some of it, he may as well let her hear everything.
He figured that as the ruler of Ravenwood, she might provide some valuable information.
“What’s the issue?” he asked.
Floral was taken aback by William’s words, struggling to find the right words.
She stood on the sidelines, silently listening in on the conversation. The usual composure and calmness she exuded with her strength, was now gone. She had lost it completely.
The information being shared was beyond shocking, with nearly every 20 words sending a shiver down her spine. She felt as if all the shock she could handle in a lifetime had been used up in this one moment. Numbness took over, and her mind shut down, unable to process any more.
But then, William, the man his subordinate had called, made a statement that jolted her back to reality. He spoke of burning the entire Ravenwood Forest to ashes. The shock was like an electric shock, and her thoughts came flooding back.
What did he mean by “what’s the issue?”
Talking about burning the entire forest to ashes in front of her—that was a huge problem!
Taking a deep breath, she tried her best to sound calm.
“Your plan to burn Ravenwood to ashes…”
“No need to panic, it’s just a hunch for now. We need to confirm the truth first,” William interjected, trying to calm her down.
On the one hand, the Holy Tree Duke’s reputation was at stake. Talking about burning her country to ashes in front of her was disrespectful and he couldn’t bear the thought of it.
But on the other hand, he couldn’t afford to anger Ravenwood Forest, no matter how convincing the girl claimed to be Sibylla from the past. Even if Nizemar believed her to be truthful, William couldn’t act impulsively.
What if this was all just a ploy by a Void Sovereign who thrived on chaos and drama?
Even if Sibylla had indeed left the information for him, there was no way to be certain that her investigation from centuries ago was accurate.
He wouldn’t even entertain the idea of taking such a drastic step until he had irrefutable proof.
Floral said in a trembling voice, “It’s true.”
William turned his head and stared into the other party’s blue eyes. He asked in confusion, “What’s true?”
“It’s true that the Lady of Starvation can use 40 million old souls to descend,” Floral replied.
William became serious. He turned to face the other party, crossing his fingers over his thigh. Then, he asked, clearly enunciating every word, “So, where’s the evidence?”
“I can provide proof later, but what I need to know now is this: Are you going to burn Ravenwood Forest to the ground?”
Floral didn’t back down, meeting William’s intense gaze head-on.
“I don’t know… but I know it’s not my first choice,” William replied frankly.
William understood that the Forest Elves, who had been fully transformed into trees, still retained their consciousness.
If he went through with the plan. The thought of having his hands stained with the sap of 40 million lives was unbearable… William didn’t think that he could keep up such ways of thinking and treat the lives in this world as true lives in the future.
But what worried William even more was the idea that if he went through with such a heinous act, he would have to convince himself every day that what he had experienced was just data, just a game that seemed incredibly real.
But, William couldn’t ignore the other side of the scale.
He knew that sometimes, even if it made you a lunatic and a butcher, someone had to make the tough call.
“So, you won’t rule it out either?” Floral asked in confirmation.
“If it’s the only way,” William admitted, shrugging helplessly. He needed answers, and he wouldn’t waste any more time playing games.
“Now it’s your turn. Whose side are you on?”
William was done playing games. He had already laid out his cards and wasn’t planning on continuing the probing game with this woman.
The half-holiday trip to Emerald Province had taken a dark turn. The information left behind by Sibylla was like a prelude to the storm that was about to hit. The secular power struggles and control over Emerald Province were no match for the impending danger.
William knew that the arrival of the Lady of Starvation was a matter of grave importance. He had to take it seriously.
“Whose side are you on?” Floral seemed puzzled.
“You previously said that you signed a contract with the Lady of Starvation,” William reminded.
As he spoke, he began to prepare spells in his ether domain.
“I need Her strength to destroy the core of the World Tree, but that doesn’t mean I’m Her slave,” Floral replied.
“If you’re familiar with the Moon Realm, you should know that the two are interchangeable.”
In the annals of time, many foolish souls believed they could harness the strength of the Moon Realm. But, in the end, they only became mere footnotes in the annals of the Void Sovereigns’ seductive powers.
“Like how you wielded the Blade of Rot, using the power of the Lady of Starvation, to destroy half of the World Tree’s core?” Floral challenged William.
William remained silent, unable to come up with an explanation. He eventually decided to change the subject.
“Let’s not talk about me. Once again, what’s your motivation for destroying the World Tree’s core? You can’t just say it’s for personal gain,” pressed William.
“Heavens, so you’re really William Kane?”
Floral gasped, taken aback when he didn’t deny her accusation.
Though she had a hunch about his identity from the way Nizemar and the others addressed him, she still couldn’t believe it. It wasn’t until she saw William’s nonchalant behavior and responses that she was certain.
“If I’m not him, perhaps you can try finding someone else who can use Inverse Entropy.”
William shrugged and asked once more, “So, what’s your true motive for destroying the World Tree’s core?”
Floral hesitated for a moment before finally revealing a truth that would shake the Forest Elves’ faith to the core.
“The Lady of Starvation, Camilla, used to be a Forest Elf. She could very well be the first Forest Elf in history. And the so-called World Tree is actually a body she formed when she was mortal.”
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