"Hahaha! I'm finally back!"
Cocotte rode a cloud and floated arrogantly out of a massive green doorway.
Sitting on the cloud, she tilted her head back, opened her mouth wide, and breathed in the air, looking extremely smug.
Leon followed closely behind, walking out after Cocotte.
As the green teleportation passage disappeared, Leon looked around and felt something was off.
She turned her head back toward Cocotte and couldn't help asking, "Did you… mess up the coordinates?"
"Huh?"
Only then did Cocotte react, noticing that the wild grass around them was almost up to Leon's knees.
The lush flowers were also extremely tall, full of vibrant life.
A massive bronze-colored ancient tree stood in the grassland, positioned right behind Cocotte.
She turned around to look at the giant tree, her face full of confusion and blank disbelief.
"???"
Didn't they just come back from the Elf Forest?
Why was there still such a crappy tree here?
Leon glanced up and down at the divine tree, then turned back around and saw the Cravenna estate in the distance.
It still looked just as familiar.
"No problem."
"We're back in the right place."
After saying that, Leon put on her hood and pulled up her face covering, hiding her face and leaving only a pair of gem-like green eyes visible.
"Then I'll take my leave first."
After returning from the Elf Forest, she had so many things she wanted to say to Liya.
Leon leapt forward and dashed nimbly toward the estate.
Cocotte watched her back, opened her mouth, and before she could even try to stop her, Leon was already gone.
"Sigh, why are young elves these days so impatient."
The reason Leon had also been kept in the Elf Forest was to see whether her inability to draw upon natural energy could be resolved.
But the result was a failure.
No matter how Leon touched the divine tree, even if she drank several mouthfuls of the Moon Holy Spring, she still couldn't generate natural energy within her body.
As an elf, it was as if she was repelled by natural energy itself.
No wonder the Yard Divine Tree hadn't acknowledged her back then.
Even so, Cocotte was still trying her best to think of solutions.
While she was sitting on the cloud, deep in thought, a familiar voice came from behind her, "Seems like you're in a good mood."
Cocotte turned her head and saw Viktor standing behind her, staring straight at her.
His gaze was incredibly deep, as if it could see through everything about her.
Cocotte wasn't surprised at all. She simply sat cross-legged on the cloud, placed both hands behind her head, and laughed cheerfully.
"Hehe, just got lucky and accidentally surpassed a whole bunch of people… hey, wait, what are you doing, don't, don't touch me there…"
Suddenly, Viktor reached out and grabbed Cocotte's arm.
The moment their bodies made contact, Viktor stared intently at the top of her head.
[Lv50]
Tier Five Mage.
Viktor wasn't surprised.
For Cocotte, becoming a Tier Five Mage wasn't a coincidence.
She had already been one of the very top Tier Four mages, long since standing with one foot inside the threshold of Tier Five.
However, to truly enter Tier Five, she needed an opportunity.
After the Yard Divine Tree died, an enormous amount of natural energy poured out, and part of it surged toward Cocotte like a gift.
That part became Cocotte's opportunity.
She had already been on the verge, and under the impact of that energy, breaking through the final barrier was only natural.
After confirming Cocotte's level, Viktor let go of her arm and said, "Congratulations."
Hearing this, Cocotte immediately understood.
Viktor must have used some method to see that she had grown stronger.
She didn't find this strange at all.
Besides, Cocotte had originally planned to tell Viktor about this herself. She just hadn't expected Viktor to notice first.
Thinking about it that way, Cocotte seemed to grow even more proud.
"Hmph, from now on you should show me a bit more respect. I'm your family's, no, I'm currently the only Tier Five Mage in the entire empire!"
The facts were exactly as she said. Aside from the Mage City, which placed great importance on cultivating mages, most countries weren't particularly interested in mages.
Because training a powerful high-tier mage cost an absurd amount of money.
And even then, that mage might not obey you.
The more powerful a mage was, the broader their knowledge tended to be.
People like that were hard to control.
Even in the entire Calencia Empire, on the surface, there were at most a dozen or so Tier Four mages.
After all, with that much money, it was better to train the same number of warriors or knights instead.
They could also be trained to high tiers and would actually listen.
Especially knights.
Bound by the code of chivalry, they would almost never refuse their leader's orders.
Of course, even in the Mage City, at the current stage, Cocotte had become the highest-ranked Tier Five Mage in Endymion.
As for why she wasn't the strongest... sorry, pal, there was still an unreasonable existence named Viktor blocking the way above her.
Cocotte was at least self-aware about that.
Viktor was already so powerful that he could no longer be judged by the standards of a normal mage.
At this moment, Viktor put his hands in his pockets and looked at her, nodding as if in agreement.
"You are the only queen of the elven race. Without matching strength to support that status, it would be hard to convince others."
When the elven race decided to expand outward, it meant that the Elf Forest was no longer just a spiritual homeland.
It had become a complete nation.
A nation recognized by others must have a supreme combat force to protect it.
Although the elven race did indeed have the protection of nature, making others hesitant to provoke them recklessly.
If the race itself was weak, it would invite ridicule and mockery.
People would think they were just a group of weak elves sheltered by nature.
After all, insulting someone wouldn't get you punished by the spirits of nature.
So a Tier Five Cocotte was the most suitable choice.
Floating on her cloud, Cocotte spoke somewhat helplessly to Viktor, "By the way."
"Vinia wants to establish diplomatic relations with the empire, starting with trade."
The elven race had lived beautifully on their own in the Elf Forest for thousands of years, but they had plenty of good things.
For example, fruit wine brewed by elven girls stepping on the fruit.
And the dew from the Elf Forest, rich with dense natural energy, which could even be used as a blessing agent in forging, greatly improving the quality of weapons and armor.
As well as naturally formed spirit fruits that, once eaten, could extend a human's lifespan.
All of these could be exported for trade.
"But you know, this is our first time establishing relations in the name of a nation."
Cocotte spread her hands, closed her eyes, and sighed.
Since this was the elves' first time engaging in export trade, there were naturally many immature aspects.
They needed someone to personally guide them and let them learn.
Viktor, who had a close relationship with the elven queen, was their best choice.
"So, if your employees are in trouble, shouldn't you lend a hand?"
As she spoke, Cocotte opened one eye and secretly glanced at Viktor.
She saw him standing there with his hands in his pockets, slowly speaking as if he had long been prepared, "Twenty percent."
"Huh?"
Cocotte instantly froze in place, completely bewildered.
She seemed to have no idea what Viktor meant.
Then Viktor's voice continued, "I can help you open up the market and guarantee huge profits."
"But on the condition that I take twenty percent of the earnings."
Cocotte was completely confused. She didn't understand these things, but she was still thinking it over in her head.
Twenty percent, was that a lot?
It didn't really sound like much.
The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. In the end, she simply gave up, leaned back, and stopped thinking.
Whatever, Viktor was the boss anyway. It was fine to leave the decision to him.
After her mental gymnastics, Cocotte nodded.
"Alright! I agree!"
Viktor's expression remained unchanged.
Good thing Cocotte was the elven race's lucky mascot, as well as their powerhouse who held the fort with her strength.
Otherwise, if she were in charge, she could probably be tricked into selling the entire race and still help count the money afterward.
Viktor raised another finger.
"Second, remember what I told you before."
Cocotte froze, listening as Viktor reminded her, "Don't forget the elves I need."
"Oh, that."
Cocotte suddenly realized. She hadn't forgotten about that at all.
The reason Viktor had personally gone to the Elf Forest in the first place
Was, at its core, just because he wanted some elves to be sent to work at the Cravenna estate.
Calling it work was just a formality. In reality, it was pure enjoyment.
Because all he needed was the natural energy produced by elves through happiness.
"..."
'Wait a second!'
Only now did Cocotte react.
At the beginning, Viktor had only wanted some elves to provide natural energy, right…
So how did things end up with the Yard Divine Tree being burned down?
Just to catch a few elves as employees, and along the way liberate the entire elven race's mindset?
This…
While Cocotte was still completely confused, Viktor stood there with his hands in his pockets, looking at the divine tree towering in place.
The tender green branches swayed in the sunlight, glowing with a faint translucence.
The thick trunk was wrapped in slender vines, and green moss quietly absorbed the moist, refreshing air at the base of the tree.
The enormous divine tree soared into the clouds, piercing the blue sky.
Specks of silver stardust constantly shook loose from the branches, falling toward the ground.
Viktor looked at the divine tree and said calmly, "I've already prepared housing for the elves as well."
"That tree?"
Cocotte's gaze was also drawn over. As she looked at the giant tree before her, it began to feel more and more familiar.
It looked similar to the divine tree in the Elf Forest, just much smaller.
And the unusually rich natural energy within the tree made her feel incredibly comfortable.
This really was a suitable place for elves to live.
Even Cocotte herself almost couldn't resist diving into the divine tree and taking a nice long nap.
She suppressed the urge to sleep and asked, "How did you do this?"
Viktor didn't look at her. His eyes seemed to contain only that towering divine tree.
Then his voice suddenly sounded, "Don't you find it familiar?"
Cocotte shook her head in confusion.
Viktor let out a faint smile and, under Cocotte's gaze, softly called the divine tree's name.
"Yard."
The divine tree seemed to sense something. Its branches, carrying silver stardust, slowly lowered, as if gently bowing to Viktor.
Its massive body completely blocked out the sun, casting a vast shadow over the land.
Cocotte looked at the divine tree that was slightly bowing and opened her mouth, "Ah?"
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