Aglaea saw through Hyacine's thoughts and smiled. "No need to be nervous. We absolutely won't make things difficult for you. Trianne will go as the diplomatic envoy. Additionally, Castorice will go with her."
Castorice nodded. "Regarding the missing Titan Thanatos… I happen to have some matters I'd like to consult Teacher Anaxa about."
Seeing that the topic had nothing to do with them after Hyacine's arrival, Dan Heng prepared to leave. "Since this concerns Okhema's diplomatic affairs, we'll take our leave first."
With that, he exchanged a glance with Caelus.
However, Caelus put on a helpless expression. "Going back to the room to sleep again? So boring…"
A glint flashed in Aglaea's eyes. "I have a suggestion. If the Trailblazer is bored, why not go to the Grove with everyone? The scenery there is secluded and elegant, perfect for travel."
Thus, everyone agreed at once. Dan Heng felt this was a rare opportunity. There probably wouldn't be much danger, and experiencing more of the Amphoreus world would also help them better understand it.
Then Aglaea took out this spindle named 「Weft Guide」.
It held powerful symbolic meaning. Seeing this item was equivalent to seeing Aglaea herself. If the Grove made things difficult, presenting it would suffice.
It was similar to a VIP pass.
Furthermore,
the golden threads drawn by the 「Weft Guide」 could outline everything around — whether formed or unformed — just like… what I see.
After preparing everything, Hyacine, Castorice, and Caelus set off together to meet Trianne at the agreed location.
On the way, Caelus asked Castorice about information regarding the Grove Academy, Anaxa, and the Death Titan.
However, while walking halfway,
they discovered Trianne and Clementine, who was also from the Grove Academy.
After understanding the actual situation, facing the wounded, Hyacine decided to stay true to her duty as a healer.
As for the task of heading to the Grove, it was temporarily handed over to Castorice, Caelus, and Trianne.
...
Not long after.
Trianne led the two to the side of a new path. "From this path, if we fly up, we'll leave Okhema! Little Cas, Little Gray, are you ready?"
Caelus asked weakly, "Why don't we just use the 「Hundred Realms Gate」?"
Castorice explained, "Sir probably doesn't know… Every time Lady Trianne uses the 「Hundred Realms Gate」, it causes great harm to her body."
"Mm! Trianne promised Tribbie that unless absolutely necessary, she won't open the gate!"
[Then there will definitely be an absolutely necessary situation later.]
[Bro, does opening the gate kill people?]
[Don't say that. Trianne is like Doraemon. The Hundred Realms Gate isn't the Anywhere Door.]
[No more talking. The knives are already in front of us. How can we stop advancing?]
[Silver Wolf seems to have a similar ability.]
[I don't know how it actually is, but the Aether Editing is indeed quite overpowered.]
[Silver Wolf hasn't appeared in a while. I wonder if she'll come to Amphoreus?]
[Bro, if you had mentioned Kafka, I wouldn't find it so ridiculous. What would Silver Wolf do here? Give the Trailblazer cheats? Besides, this is Amphoreus. What use would a hacker have?]
— —
"Okay! Let's hold hands, big and small! Off to the Grove!" Trianne grabbed Caelus's hand and slowly pulled him out of the camera's view.
Several days later, Grove of Epiphany.
"Sewing the gem and wool felt together is a bit harder than I thought..."
Castorice picked up the gem she had bought from the merchant earlier and sighed helplessly.
"Little Cas!" Mem suddenly spoke human words. "Mem (So skillful with your hands. I want to learn too...)"
Castorice smiled happily. "Mem wants to try too? Then… your turn?"
[????]
[Wait, when did you learn to speak human language?]
[Mem spoke!]
[I remember a comment saying that Mem's way of speaking evolves. It started with inverted sentences, then gradually became complete sentences. Now it's directly speaking human words! Damn, turning into a beautiful girl is just around the corner!]
[Mom, the pet I raised at home spoke.]
[What what??? Mem spoke?]
[Did I miss a segment? How did she suddenly start talking?]
[You probably didn't pay close attention. She could only say things two words at a time at first, then gradually completed them. Everything has a growth path.]
[Opening the bullet comments and seeing everyone discussing it puts my mind at ease. I thought I was hallucinating.]
— —
Caelus scratched his head. The most important thing was, why could Castorice understand Mem's words?
"You two are that close already?"
"Mem (It's been so many days. Cas and I are already good friends!)"
"After all, this little one is very cute." Castorice recalled what happened earlier. "It's truly magical… After the battle against Nikador, its voice seemed to gain sentience.
After spending these past few days together, I seem to have gradually become able to understand some of the meaning in its words… although only a small part."
Mem strongly agreed with Castorice's words. "Mem, Mem! (That means I'm growing! Is it possible that once I gain the memory of poking wool felt, I'll grow hands as pretty as Cas's…?)"
Caelus looked at Mem's hands. They probably couldn't be called hands — just a pair of fluffy paws.
It was hard to imagine those paws turning into hands.
"That image sounds a bit abstract."
"Memimemi! (How rude! How can you say something like that to a girl?)" Mem put her hands on her hips, looking puffed up with anger.
[Stop pretending. Hurry up and add the sound effects.]
[I don't know why, but when I see the subtitles, my brain automatically dubs it with Elysia's voice.]
[Nice, nice!]
This scene truly amused Castorice.
However, the next moment, Mem's mouth curved slightly upward. "Just kidding! But I believe that this trip to the Grove of Epiphany will definitely yield a bountiful harvest. I'm really looking forward to it… I wonder what kind of changes I will undergo again?"
Caelus snorted. "Then go ahead and transform. Turn into a beautiful girl! Transform for me!"
"Aiya, why are you shouting so loudly!"
At that moment.
Hearing the commotion on this side, Trianne slowly came up behind them.
"Whew… Is everyone awake? Little Gray, Little Cas, and…" Trianne carefully observed Mem's appearance. "Pink puppy?"
"Pink… puppy…?" Mem was so angry she spoke human words again. "How did even the species change! Shouldn't it be Little Kitty?"
Seeing Trianne arrive, Castorice asked with concern, "It's time to set off, Lady Trianne. How did you rest? From your sleep-talking, it seems you had a long dream?"
Trianne frowned. "Mm, sleep-talking? What did Trianne say?"
"Mm… Things like 「Mommy~ The doll with the sword~ Fight side by side~ Be brave!」 and so on?"
"Eek, how embarrassing… Everyone, please don't laugh at Trianne!"
"Of course we won't. I remember Lady Trianne's mother was also a Saintess of Janusopolis, right?"
Pride was written all over Trianne's face. "Mm, and she was the most, most powerful Saintess in Door City's history! It was Mommy who brought us the prophecy of the Deliverer — and cute red hair like red mushrooms!
But… Trianne seems to have forgotten what Mommy looked like. Even in the dream just now..."
"Mem... (In that case…)" Mem flew in front of Caelus. "Caelus and I will lend Trianne a helping hand!"
Caelus replied woodenly, "But you don't have arms, only… paw pads."
"Mem. (That was just a metaphor, a metaphor.)" Mem bounced and jumped in the air. "Memimemi... (Everyone, think about it. There are many memories left all over this world. There must be figures of Trianne's mommy inside them too.
As long as I pay attention while searching for memories on the journey, then let the Trailblazer go 「boom」 — not only will Trianne remember what Mommy looked like, she might even be able to talk to her, right?)"
Trianne's eyes lit up. "Mm… Trianne thinks this idea is great! Then, can Trianne ask Pink Puppy?"
[We just want to ask, why can Trianne understand too?]
[After all, she's the Grand Priestess. It makes sense that she can hear it.]
[I'm more curious whether Phainon will also lie down this season?]
[It's already pretty good. There's still one lying frozen on the Express.]
"Memimemi! (Mm! As long as Trianne doesn't call me Pink Puppy anymore, I'll agree!)"
Trianne showed an extremely serious expression. "Okay! Then from now on I'll call you — Little Kitty!"
"Memimemi, Memimemi! (Mm! That's more like it… But even though I just casually came up with a name, what species am I exactly?
Whatever, no matter what I am, I keep my word! Since Trianne has cheered up, let's set off?)"
[Good thing Mem is here to fill in for March 7th's absence.]
[No, filling the gap means March 7th's appearance time will be pushed back!]
— —
After some communication, Trianne brought the topic back to the main task. After all, their group still had a main storyline.
She led everyone onto the Weft Path and entered the Grove of Epiphany.
Not long after, the group arrived at a platform. A majestic giant tree appeared before them.
Trianne pointed at the giant tree excitedly. "Look, a really big tree! It — is huge!"
"Mem! (So spectacular! Caelus, hurry and record it.)"
Caelus immediately took out his camera.
The giant tree nodded slightly in the silent forest, leaning at an angle and lying across the languid green waves.
Occasional winds passing through the trees rustled the leaves, like sighing tremors, faintly falling into the lightless ocean above.
Would March 7th like this spectacular view?
Caelus wasn't sure;
Dan Heng perhaps...
Never mind. Both times he encountered such a big tree in his two lives, he was in an extremely headache-inducing situation.
The next moment, Caelus shook his head, found a good angle, and pressed the shutter.
"Click—"
Caelus looked at the finished product and nodded in satisfaction. "This photo really deserves an award… As expected of me."
At this moment, Mem asked, "Mem? (But what exactly is this giant tree...)"
Castorice explained on her behalf. "That is the Bough of Rift, Cerces's divine body.
Where it takes root — the plain basin beneath our feet — flowers, leaves, and trees began to grow, gradually forming a considerably lush forest.
A long time ago, the 「First Scholar」 Celsus led the people to establish gardens and courtyards in the woods, naming it 「Grove of Epiphany」 for the world to refresh their minds, seek knowledge, and attain enlightenment."
However, everyone still discovered something off. The place was overly quiet.
Since they had come all this way, how could they not go in?
Paths are made by walking. Since no one was welcoming them today, they would just open a new path and go in.
Fortunately, the sharp-eyed Caelus found a 「Janus Secret Path」 and successfully entered the Grove of Epiphany.
But after Trianne shouted several times, there was still no movement here.
Clearly, this quietness had become abnormally quiet.
[No need to guess. I already know the people here were attacked by the Black Tide.]
[They were definitely silenced.]
[How are you so sure?]
[I've seen this trope too many times. Otherwise, why do you think Caelus would foolishly follow along? Although he's pretty much an idiot anyway.]
[Seems to make sense.]
[If everyone's dead, Castorice probably wouldn't be so calm, right?]
— —
As if to respond to the audience's expectations, Castorice asked Trianne for Aglaea's spindle.
After a chant.
Sure enough, some kind of mass appeared in the surroundings.
Castorice walked closer and examined it carefully. "This is… Nymphwood?"
"Mem? Mem! (Nymphwood… These little guys have such cute names.)"
After examining it, Castorice reached a very bad conclusion. "No, this isn't Nymphwood... These are the shadows of dead Nymphwood.
They… strictly speaking are plants. They gained sentience from Cerces's equal blessing, but it is quite limited compared to humans. The little ones in front of us have already died… leaving behind only a tiny remnant shadow of their souls.
However, this also means that the golden threads are indeed tied to the Titans' manifestations — without the golden threads to outline them, we would never be able to see them."
Trianne asked with some confusion, "Then… what exactly did they encounter? Why are only tiny shadows left?"
Castorice turned to look at Mem. "Mem, could I ask you to try sensing the memories they carry?"
"Mem, try, Mem (I'll try. Mem… Memimi...)"
Caelus put his hands together and cooperated with Mem to channel power. "Mem… Memimi…"
"Memimemi! (Aiya, don't exert force with me. It's distracting…!)"
A moment later.
Mem slowly uttered a few words. "「Black」… 「cloak」… and 「sharp sword」... 「toward the big tree」..."
Then Mem shook her head. "Mem, Mem. (Mm, that's all. Their memories are very faint. There aren't even images, only these few blurry words.)"
[Here it comes.]
[I told you so. The people were already all dead.]
[Speaking of which, they've been setting up the Black Tide the whole time. Last season they were fighting Nikador's Lance of Fury soldiers the whole time. It's about time for this end-of-the-world boss that caused everything to appear.]