Chapter 210 - 209 : Return
She turned back toward Arthur.
"That’s why I told you we’re leaving in two days," Astarte said.
Arthur nodded slowly.
"So I guess you don’t care what happens to the Elven Kingdom, right?" Arthur asked.
Astarte didn’t hesitate.
"Precisely," Astarte said. "Why should I care?"
She flicked a strand of purple hair back.
"The contract is over," Astarte said. "It’s time for me to leave."
Her tone darkened.
"I’ll find that bastard who injured me last time," Astarte said. "And I’ll torture him until he begs me to kill him."
She looked back at the World Tree.
"But I need more power for that," Astarte added. "And I cannot obtain it here. That much I know."
Arthur listened, his mind turning quickly.
Every puzzle piece fell into place.
Zephr.
The corrupted tree.
The missing royal couple.
The holy knights.
The undead.
"Why did he want Erica to become queen?" Arthur asked softly. "If the true power of the World Tree is gone..."
He fell silent.
A figure flashed through his mind.
A chill ran down his spine.
’Yeah... that’s it,’ Arthur thought. ’I figured it out.’
He remembered Erica’s calm composure, the World Tree’s reaction to her presence, and the tomb’s trial.
"Wow," Arthur whispered. "Zephr really was a clever man."
He smiled faintly.
"Erica is an important piece after all," Arthur murmured.
He looked at the World Tree.
"I’ll need an army in the future," Arthur said quietly. "And Erica is the only person I can use to lay the foundation."
Just as he said that—
A blinding light engulfed him.
It burst forth from beneath his feet and wrapped around his body, luminous lines spiraling upward. The glow was different from holy light—vivid greenish-gold, tinged with ancient mana.
Arthur’s vision warped.
The same voice he’d heard before, back in the ancient tomb of the elves, echoed in his mind.
{ The trial has been completed. You have successfully identified the true savior. }
{ You will be rewarded with the blessing of the World Tree. }
Arthur’s body burned brighter and brighter, light etching symbols across his skin for an instant before sinking into him. His veins felt as though they carried liquid sunlight. His mana heart pulsed with newfound energy, roots of power reaching outward.
Astarte watched.
"Looks like you’re heading back to that tomb you told me about," Astarte said. "After clearing the trial."
Her tone cooled.
"I’ll give you until the night after tomorrow to come back to me," Astarte said. "If you don’t... then you’ll have to come find me yourself."
She tilted her head.
"So," Astarte said softly, "good luck."
Arthur smiled, even as the light pulled at him.
"I’ll be back, Astarte," Arthur said. "Just wait for me."
Astarte’s eyes twitched slightly at the sound of her name on his lips. For the briefest instant, an emotion she could not quite identify surfaced within her crimson eyes before disappearing just as quickly. Her expression returned to its usual calm, unreadable state, hiding whatever thoughts lingered beneath the surface.
The next second, the light swallowed Arthur completely.
He vanished.
Astarte stared at the spot where he had been. The lingering glow slowly faded from the grass beneath her feet until nothing remained except the quiet rustling of leaves and the distant cry of a night bird echoing through the forest.
"Will he be any different?" Astarte muttered.
She turned her back on the glowing tree.
She walked toward the mansion.
The giant doors closed behind her with a heavy thud.
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Elsewhere, inside the palace of Elvania, Erica was busy in her office.
Documents were spread across her desk—tax reports, security briefings, trade proposals, requests from nobles, and letters from foreign envoys. The weight of the crown sat invisibly upon her shoulders. The flickering lanterns lining the office walls cast a warm glow across stacks of parchment, while the silence inside the room was broken only by the scratching of quills and the occasional turning of a page.
She worked quietly.
Beside her, Yuna sat at a smaller table, going through her own stack of papers. She now helped Erica manage the kingdom’s affairs—allocating knights, organizing patrol schedules, and overseeing resource management. They didn’t talk much while working, but a quiet, steady bond had formed between them.
Yuna found herself at Erica’s side more often these days.
Helping.
Protecting.
Planning.
At another table nearby, Elizabeth lounged in a chair.
She swirled an expensive glass of wine in her hand, enjoying its aroma and sipping lazily as though she had no cares in the world. Her crimson hair cascaded over her shoulders, her expression relaxed, but her eyes remained sharp. Despite her carefree posture, nothing in the room escaped her notice. Every sound, every fluctuation of mana, and every subtle movement was quietly observed beneath that deceptively relaxed smile.
Perched atop Erica’s head, Luna—tiny and floating—sat like an annoyed crown.
She glared at Elizabeth.
"Hey, lady!" Luna yelled. "Will it kill you to help us out a little?"
Elizabeth lifted her gaze toward Luna.
"Sorry," Elizabeth said casually, "but I don’t take orders from bugs."
Luna’s face turned red with rage.
"You blood-sucking fashion disaster!" Luna snapped. "I hope Arthur ties you to a training post for a month!"
Erica and Yuna nearly burst into laughter, struggling to maintain their composure in front of the mountain of paperwork.
Then Elizabeth suddenly groaned.
Her back arched slightly.
The symbol etched onto her back—the slave mark that bound her to Arthur—flared with burning heat.
Crimson light pulsed beneath her skin.
Elizabeth’s eyes widened.
Disbelief.
Rage.
Ecstasy.
All at once.
Yuna frowned.
"Hey," Yuna said. "What’s happening to you?"
Elizabeth’s hand tightened around her glass.
Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper.
"He’s nearby," Elizabeth said.
Erica blinked.
"Who?" Erica asked.
Elizabeth’s lips slowly curled into a smile.
"My master," Elizabeth said.
Yuna and Erica exchanged stunned glances.
Before they could ask anything else, the office door burst open.
An elven maid rushed inside without knocking, her breath coming in sharp gasps, her cheeks flushed from running. She had clearly sprinted through the palace corridors without stopping, barely taking enough time to catch her breath before delivering the urgent news.
"M-My Queen," she said, almost stumbling over her words. "He’s back!"
Erica stood so quickly that her chair scraped loudly across the floor.
"Who?" Erica asked, her heart pounding.
The maid swallowed and spoke quickly.
"He came out of the ancient tomb," she said. "Lord Arthur has returned."
For a moment, the entire room fell silent.
Yuna’s hand clenched around the paper she was holding.
Elizabeth’s smile sharpened.
Luna nearly fell off Erica’s head.
And somewhere between a corrupted World Tree and a sacred tomb, a boy who refused to stay dead was already stepping back into the world that believed it had lost him.