At the core of the Verdant Sanctity Covenant, a group of elders sat around a round table. They were, like usual, discussing matters of their Empire. The number of elders in the room was well over 300, and each represented the top responsibility in the Solar System they had taken over.
Not all Solar Systems were the same, though. Therefore, the seats were ranked, with the strongest one, the home Solar System of the main True World Tree, ranking first.
The elder from this World Tree was a Sylvan, who looked young and healthy. However, her eyes bore the weariness of time, showing that her youthfulness stemmed from her strength alone.
"Does anyone have anything to report urgently? Otherwise, we will proceed as usual."
No one spoke straight away, but after waiting a few seconds, someone cautiously raised their hand. The one who raised their hand had the number 284 on their seat.
"We've noticed that Eclipse World is moving a decently sized army. Our spies were unable to fully determine the reason, as the person involved was a Star Emperor. However, we know that they are gathering an army to attack somewhere."
The elders in the room didn't overreact. The war between their two powers had been going on for thousands of years. Moreover, they were losing. The only reason they could maintain a semblance of structure when fighting the Nexus was the protection of the True World Tree in the main battlefields.
An elder from post 46 looked over and frowned. "A Star Emperor? Why would the Nexus dispatch someone like that to your remote area?"
Another spoke with a touch of indifference. "Looking at the star map, Ceperet Solar System is too remote. They are probably trying to take back the place they recently lost to make a statement. I believe we should use this."
A female answered with a deep frown. "How can you say something that barbaric? Are you crazy? Use an entire Solar System?"
The Sylvan sitting on the 1st seat spoke up. "Silence. I know that not everyone is united at heart. However, when we are here, I don't want to listen to children arguing; I want proper counterarguments. Otherwise, go and return to complain to your yes-men back at home."
She then glanced at the man who spoke and asked. "Explain what you know."
The man from seat 284 nodded, ignoring the people who spoke up. "As everyone knows, the Ceperet Solar System was won over just a little over two and a half decades ago. The reason was the rise of a True World Tree. This True World Tree has shown promise, and even our Covenant church has taken notice of it."
There were many things going on in an interstellar power of their size, so many elders were hearing this for the first time, which made them raise their eyebrows in curiosity.
The man continued. "From the reports I've been receiving, the Ceperet Solar System has been attacked a few times, and it has also received several fleets of merchants and other powers. We are not that clear. However, what I learned is that this True World Tree repelled an exploration team of the Nexus."
"Ho~?"
"A new True World Tree managed to do that?"
"Why don't we know much of what is happening? Did we not send envoys?"
Number 284 shook his head. "We did. However, their reports are vague for some reason. It seems that some part of the clergy made a small deal or something. I am a bit unsure. However, there is a high chance that the envoys took a liking to that place and have become naturalized."
"How is that possible? Did they betray the Covenant?"
"You can eat whatever you please, but do not spout nonsense freely. It is unbecoming of someone of our status. Liking a place with a True World Tree and becoming partial is a very normal thing if the True World Tree's personality is proper."
Discussion flew around until, a few moments later, the Sylvan who sat in the 1st seat intervened. Her golden-colored eyes shone with a pondering light as she asked. "So, you are saying that the Nexus has sent a Star Emperor just to get rid of this new True World Tree because they fear her potential?"
Seat number 284 nodded. "That's our most probable guess. The other is that a family member of this Star Emperor died in Ceperet during the first few confrontations, and wants revenge."
"So…" The 1st seat lingered. "What do you suggest we do?"
Number 284 looked at the Sylvan with a frown. "Shouldn't we prepare a Star Emperor powerhouse on our side to help? A World Tree whose potential scares even the Nexus is worth protecting."
The 5th seat, who had been silent, spoke with a deep voice. "What if this is a trap? Even if they were in a hurry, for a True World Tree that had just reached Level 100 a little over two decades ago, a Star Emperor is too exaggerated a response. They are basically using a hammer to strike an ant."
Number 284 looked at the 5th seat for a few moments, and then he looked back at the 1st seat. Clearly, he didn't recognize 5th's words as an answer. This made 5th's eyes cool down a notch.
The 1st raised her hand, stopping the 5th from answering further. Then, she pondered briefly before speaking. "Have the envoys asked for help?"
"They… have not. Still, it is not because they didn't want to, but because I have not confirmed with them that they are about to be attacked. The enemy army won't set off soon, so I was thinking of speaking here first before I gave any concise answer." He added. "From our estimations, they should take between four and eight years to set off and around four more to arrive at the Ceperet Solar System."
"Then, this matter is dismissed." The 1st seat spoke, her tone indifferent. "There is still a lot of time before they attack. Next matter."
Seat number 284 was stunned before opening and closing his mouth. After frowning, he looked at everyone around and stopped speaking. His Solar System was the one in direct opposition to the Solar System Eclipse World was. Therefore, he decided to speak up.
He had not expected that they would disregard this new Solar System to this point. However, as he thought, the conversation continued, and similar situations kept arising one after another.
There were at least 30 to 40 Solar Systems under attack by the Nexus, and many of them were providing some kind of protection fee to have the main armies help them defend.
To these Solar Systems, the 1st seat and the others readily agreed to help.
Seat number 284 was quite new to his position, so he was not very clear about the situation. Seeing the transactional cooperation going on surprised him once more. Only now did he truly understand that, amid the attacks all around, those who contributed resources to the whole would get priority.
'Is this… their usual way of handling things?'
Puzzlement flashed in his eyes. He needed to ask his great-grandfather once he returned to understand things better. After all, this way of acting felt too haphazard for a superpower with over 300 Solar Systems under its control.
***
After the meeting, which lasted about 3 weeks, the 1st seat stood up and walked out in calm steps, her high heels clicking against the polished wooden floor.
Her mind went back to the first day of the meeting for a moment. 'A Star Emperor dealing with a recently advanced True World Tree…?' The reason she moved on so easily after hearing the situation was that, one, the situation was too odd.
It was as if someone from an Empire suddenly heard that the enemy's top general was attacking a village situated at the edge of the empire with an army of 100,000. The first question would be… Is this information real?
If confirmed that it was indeed the truth, the second question would be… why? Is there some sort of treasure in that area?
This question made the 1st seat's steps slow a beat, her face gaining a thoughtful look. 'Did they really discover something of importance? If that's the case, we can't let the Nexus have it. We are already under too much pressure. If they get their hands on some sort of treasure that can benefit them, we might need to retreat some front lines a few light years back…'
She truly had too many things on her mind. After all, this was not the only place being attacked by a Star Emperor. Still, the other places were much more logical, as they were strategic locations in the interstellar map.
These points, hard to access due to the high quantity of rogue asteroids and planets, but easy to defend as they had few paths without the clutter, could act as spatial fortresses that defended a "mountain pass."
Could they circle it? Of course, the map was, after all, three-dimensional. Going under or over was just a relatively small deviation. However, doing that was senseless, as you would position yourself in a pincer attack.
Troops from the "fortress" and those from the main star could squish those "circling armies" and slaughter them quite wantonly.
The Sylvan in the 1st seat furrowed her pretty eyebrows once more. "Sigh… so many things. Can we really spread out and become a
As she muttered, a vast and gentle voice reached her, carrying a touch of arrogance. "Are you doubting your mother now? Your roots have grown too stiffly if that's the case, Danlier."
Danlier didn't answer, and instead, she asked the World Tree. "Mother, you speak as such. However, what is your opinion on that new True World Tree? It is not an everyday matter that a True World Tree defends against an Expedition of the Nexus. After all, those expedition groups usually have at least one World Type Mothership of Level 150. That starship can suppress any recently ascended True World Tree."
"Does it matter? That True World Tree won't have any weight until a few centuries or millennia pass. What you need to ask yourself is if it is worth investing in a World Tree that has already provoked the Nexus being so young."
The True World Tree spoke with a touch of scorn. "Such recklessness and rashness! I can bet she is trying to rely on us to save her and grow under duress. It wouldn't be the first time a True World Tree thought too self-importantly."
Danlier didn't deny it. They had taken a few True World Trees that had quite large egos in the past. She was also not too surprised by her mother's disdain. After all, True World Trees were essentially mortal enemies.
In the path of expansion, only one would remain. This was a universal rule.
The reason that the Covenant had more than one True World Tree was that they were situated in quite a few key locations, and therefore, Danlier's mother was using them to hold the advance of her enemies.
These weaker World Trees would struggle to survive. So, as long as they had some strength, Danlier's mother would not destroy them. She was placing them in a position where a reversal was not impossible, but it was still a matter too difficult to do.
Danlier sighed and opened the star map, checking once more the location of the Ceperet Solar System. "This… it's truly a bit remote, right? They are almost at the edge of the galaxy."
Looking at the map, Danlier's mother spoke up. "Do not bother them. Now that they are using one Star Emperor to get rid of that low-level zone, we can attack more fiercely on the higher-level ones. They are lacking one top powerhouse; use that to our advantage."
Danlier nodded faintly. While she was not too fond of using a True World Tree as bait, she didn't see anything wrong with it. She, looking at the overall state of the Verdant Sanctity Covenant, thought that sacrificing that small Solar System in exchange for capturing some other location was a worthwhile transaction.
"Let's see… Since this is the Star Emperor in charge, we should be able to attack this location… I will speak with number 284."
With a decision in mind, Danlier's furrowed eyebrows relaxed a notch, and she nodded.