T/N: Sorry, mixed up the chapter numbers. I re-uploaded it in the correct order.
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Stelle and Castorice continued deeper into the Grove to investigate.
They were slowly making their way through, when the golden spindle in Castorice's hand trembled slightly.
"Looks like it's safe now." Castorice quietly said as she looked around.
Just as the golden spindle detected, aside from the shadows of those dead white dryads, and the remains of the black tide affected monstrosities.
There was no threat to the two of them here.
As the two continued walking, the scenery of the Grove of Epiphany gradually unfolded before the audience's eyes.
Earlier, because the situation was so tense and urgent, the audience's perspective had remained fixed on the group, and many had felt regret at not seeing any unique scenery.
Now, that regret was somewhat made up for.
Surrounding Stelle and Castorice was no longer stone walls or oppressive structures, but ancient brown tree bark.
These barks were neither rough nor crude. Their natural grooves and textures had become the most exquisite relief carvings.
Compared to the stone carvings of Okhema and Castrum Kremnos, this place instead carried an indescribable sense of subtle sophistication.
Countless branches extended from the bark, deliberately guided and shaped, forming natural arcades within the Grove of Epiphany, bearing various objects.
Thick main branches stretched horizontally, forming natural corridors or viewing platforms. The thinner ones became handrails, or even domed ceilings.
The gentle light that filled the entire space did not come from outside, but from the branches themselves.
The two blended perfectly together. Exquisite beyond words.
Amid the tense atmosphere of the Black Tide ahead and danger behind, this scenery allowed Stelle and Castorice to relax for a moment.
The audience also let out a small breath of relief.
As they went deeper, bookshelves formed entirely from curved branches appeared. These shelves spiraled upward along the branches, straight and towering, like the ribs of gigantic beasts.
The shelves were filled with books of all kinds. There were also many places scattered around for contemplation, reading, and debate.
Tree-stump stools, low long tables, and books, ink, and quill pens scattered everywhere.
All of it told everyone one thing. Before the Black Tide struck, this must have been a place of knowledge people longed for.
...
: So beautiful!
: It's my favorite scenery segment again.
: Every episode, besides the plot, I'm always looking forward to the different landscapes.
: Amphoreus really lives up to its top-tier production, different maps, environments, styles, everything feels so fantastical!
: Just looking at the inside of the Grove of Epiphany makes me want to go in and read.
: Quiet, peaceful, my soul is being purified.
: And the style is completely its own, yet not jarring at all!
: Does anyone understand this feeling? The furniture, the layout, even the interior structures are all made from connected tree branches!
: Such incredible design! Nature and knowledge, perfectly fused!
...
The audience's comments swept past.
The stunning visuals allowed the Grove of Epiphany to leave a deep impression in their hearts in just a few seconds.
And on screen, Castorice's gaze softened, her expression drifting back into the past through the scenery.
"Back then, we studied, slept… all in places like this."
"I can tell," Stelle nodded and said. "It's just a pity that there's no trace of life left now."
"It's not quite that absolute." Castorice smiled slightly and gestured toward the distance.
Stelle followed where she pointed and saw several golden butterflies flapping their wings as they flew out from among the branches.
"That is…?" Stelle froze for a moment.
Those butterflies were beautiful, so beautiful that they didn't seem real.
Just as Castorice was about to explain, a voice spoke first.
"That is the nymphs of Mnestia."
"Hehe. What a strange combination."
Hearing the sudden voice, both Stelle and Castorice instantly turned around.
A tall, golden figure with waist-length hair and a long dress had somehow appeared behind them at some point without any sound, just like a ghost.
"What a good-looking ghost." Stelle immediately gave a off-hand comment.
Castorice, meanwhile, took out the golden threads in her hand.
But strangely enough, the golden threads had not sensed her arrival at all.
"Be careful, Miss Stelle…"
"The golden threads didn't react."
Castorice stared at the other party as she spoke her warning.
This was the first time something created by the Romantic Demigod had shown signs of failure.
That alone was enough to prove that the other party's background was anything but simple.
"Hehe… What a smooth-talking child... I'll accept your praise."
The woman did not react to their vigilance. Instead, she casually gave an off-handed comment to Stelle and then looked at Mem behind her.
"Hehe... Such a lively little bunny. You even smell a little familiar."
Seeing that the woman did not respond to her, Castorice's eyes grew wary as she said calmly, "...Who are you? Keep your distance and identify yourself. Otherwise, you'll face the consequences."
A dangerous aura surged forth yet the woman still didn't seem to care, instead studying the girl before her with interest.
"The scent of Thanatos... I recognize you. Aidonia's renowned Goddess of Death."
Castorice's pupils shrank. She became even less able to discern the other party's origin.
Seeing the little girl about to bristle completely, the pressure around them subtly intensified.
"Just call me Calypso. I greet you on behalf of the Seven Sages and the Lotophagists. Hi, professor!"
After Calypso finished speaking, the doubt in Castorice's eyes did not fade.
The Lotophagists did exist, but it had always remained hidden and rarely revealed itself openly.
This person could not be trusted easily. Yet the golden threads had failed to detect her presence. If this were merely an illusion, it would be far too bizarre.
But if she were already dead, as a priestess of death, Castorice should have been able to sense it.
Still uneasy, Castorice asked several more questions.
Some of them were extremely tricky. Yet Calypso answered every single one.
At this point, even if Castorice remained uneasy, she could only temporarily make contact with the other party.
"Then… why is Your Excellency here?"
Castorice still kept her distance, while signaling Stelle to remain alert.
"Hehe." Calypso saw that the two were still on guard, but she didn't bother with further nonsense.
"Anaxa the Nousporist is still alive. I saved him, and he is now recuperating at the Luminary Throne... So, are you satisfied with my answers?"
"...!" Both Castorice and Stelle had a flicker flash through their eyes.
Anaxa wasn't dead, he was safe!
"Hehe, this dumbfounded expression of yours... is much more adorable and likeable than the previous one."
Calypso said with a smiling squint.
On screen, Castorice and Stelle wore expressions of relief.
The audience watching the screen was the same.
·····
: Hahaha, that scared me! I thought Anaxagoras really was the shortest-lived Chrysos Heir!
: So he didn't die! As long as he's alive, that's fine!
: Mysterious identity, able to save Anaxagoras, and even evade the detection of the golden threads, totally reasonable.
: Exactly! A city-state that big, Castrum Kremnos has people like Krateros. How could the Grove of Epiphany be held up by just Anaxagoras alone?
: True! If she were my teacher, I swear my grades would multiply tenfold!
: You sure it wouldn't drop tenfold?
: Huh? Got a problem with that?!
...
The comments swept past.
Stelle and Castorice also finally let out a sigh of relief. Just as the two were about to impatiently ask Calypso to lead the way, that woman suddenly started dawdling again.
Insisting on testing their "quality." This roundabout talk left the two of them completely confused.
Although Anaxagoras was safe for the moment, delays could invite disaster, and they had no idea what her current condition was.
Castorice and Stelle truly didn't want to waste time with Calypso.
In the end, under what seemed like a reasonable set of incentives from Calypso, the two finally agreed to give it a try.
Calling it a "test of quality", In reality, it felt more like testing their knowledge with most of the answers given by Calypso herself.
During this time, Calypso acted as if she had never spoken enough in her life.
She kept chatting nonstop with the two of them. Before they knew it, the topic somehow drifted toward matters of the Romance Titan and the Reason Titan.
Coupled with the tone she used, something only scholars preserved in books would have, it gradually stirred the curiosity of the audience as well.
...
: Don't tell me she's another existence like Gnaeus?
: How does she know so much about the Romance Titan and the Reason Titan?!
: Holy hell, she can even explain the two of them falling in love that clearly?
: And there's a hint of melancholy when she talks.
: Lotophagists? More like the Gossip School!
: I'm dying laughing, no wonder she won't show her face. Turns out she's hiding away to feast on Titan gossip every day!
: The contrast is way too strong.
: Anaxagoras, Calypso, the sages of the Grove of Epiphany, this topic lineup is wild.
...
The audience was laughing their heads off at this sage.
And on screen, after Castorice and Stelle completed the brief test, Calypso finally spoke frankly.
"As I've previously mentioned, I'm one of the Seven Sages of the Grove of Epiphany. If you think that this answer is insufficient, then I'll add to it. I'm the leader of the Seven Sages."
"As for why I can't show you my true appearance, it's an inability to do so rather than an unwillingness. For me to appear in my true form, I'll require your help."
"Hence, I want to ascertain your ability to help me reclaim my true form... and reclaim the Grove from the black tide."
As for this so-called "true form," no one thought too much about it.
After all, Anaxagoras's techniques had already set a precedent. Calypso knowing a trick or two wasn't surprising.
With Calypso's assistance, their progress suddenly accelerated. A journey that should have taken quite some time was cut straight in half.
At the same time, Trianne in the sky finished her scouting. The two teams planned to meet at the junction before Luminary Throne.
But just before reaching the junction, Calypso suddenly vanished again, leaving without a word.
...
But with things already at this point, there was no room to worry about that anymore.
Although along the way, Calypso either talked about Titan gossip or revealed secrets that even made Castorice's heart tremble,
It was obvious that she hadn't explained everything.
Yet since their goals aligned, Castorice didn't press the matter.
At a crossroads, Trianne returned from the sky and started shouting from far away.
"Woah, it's Little Gray, Little Cas, and the pink puppy!"
"Trianne flew high up into the air so the monsters couldn't reach us, and the spindle that Agy gave us is so powerful that Trianne seems to have found Nax and also something else!"
Landing on the ground, Trianne lifted what she held like a treasured offering, showing it to the two.
It was a piece of black cloth. Looking as if it had been burned, completely charred.
The moment they saw this fragment, the three present, and even the audience outside the screen, immediately thought of the earlier info.
Black Tide, black robe, cloak.
"Yup! Trianne found it on a branch not long ago. Trianne even used the golden thread to search around and found that the entire Grove is giving off a similar aura."
After saying this, Trianne looked expectantly, waiting for praise.
"Lady Trianne is amazing," Castorice said softly.
Her gaze then fell back on the fragment.
Everywhere? Was it torn to pieces, or deliberately placed in different locations?
"Maybe... Anaxa left it behind using alchemy, in order to guide us?" Mem popped up to give her opinion.
But Trianne shook her head.
"Trianne doesn't think so. Because when Trianne picked it up, we didn't see anything at all... And judging by the golden thread, the aura seems to be all around!"
"Across the entire Grove of Epiphany?" Stelle looked at Trianne with a face full of question marks.
"Mm-hm!"
"Everywhere! One moment here, the next moment there!" Trianne stretched out her little hands, gesturing animatedly.
What Trianne said was all true. But to Stelle, Castorice, and even the audience, it all sounded rather unreal.
Castorice shook her head and casually asked, "...Lady Trianne, where is the aura gathered at right now?"
"Heehee!" Trianne gave a cute smile and said, "It seems to be... a little higher and a little ahead of us."
"Above our heads?"
"Not far away?"
Stelle and Castorice thought it through, their expressions suddenly changed drastically!
Wasn't that Luminary Throne?! Anaxagoras was still there!
Stelle instantly turned and sprinted forward. Mem followed close by. Castorice rushed after them.
"Eh, eh!"
"Little Gray, Little Cas! Wait for Trianne!" Trianne still hadn't figured out what was going on and hurriedly flapped her little wings, chasing after them with all her might.