The Eighth Floor of Nazarick.
In what seems like an endless wilderness, a tree with its roots pointing skyward stands out prominently.
[Tree of Life - Sephiroth]
This is the residence of the Floor Guardian, Victim.
Because it hangs inverted in the sky, with its roots facing upward, it is also known as the Upside-Down Tree. Its design was inspired by the [Kabbalah Tree of Life].
It symbolizes the entirety of the universe, its meaning profound and difficult to fully grasp.
The Tree of Life is generally understood to represent the vast cosmos, the human body as a microcosm, and the spiritual journey toward the divine.
This Tree of Life is composed of ten spheres (sephira) and twenty-two paths.
Its structure can be broadly divided into the Three Pillars, the Ten Sephirot, the Four Worlds, and the Twenty-Two Paths.
The ten spheres are believed to represent ten aspects of God.
The left side of the tree signifies the masculine, the right the feminine, and the center represents the harmony between the two.
To its adherents, these ten spheres symbolize the energies that humans can attain. Ancient religious scholars believed that "God" exists in a form that is elusive and difficult to define.
People may grasp certain attributes of God, but never the whole. As a result, they defined ten distinct aspects of divinity, calling them "Kabbalah."
The network of paths connecting these ten attributes forms the "Kabbalah Tree of Life."
In the game [YGGDRASIL], there exist super monsters known as "World Enemies."
Even a Legion—formed by six parties of up to six Level 100 Players each, totaling thirty-six—would have very slim chances of victory against them.
They are regarded as balance-breaking monsters.
There are thirty-two in total, each a powerful Boss exceeding Level 100.
Among them are beings known as the Ten Angels of the Sephira, whose lore is based on angels that guard the ten source nodes of the Kabbalah Tree of Life.
Returning to the point, the one in Nazarick naturally falls far short of its mythical counterpart. At best, it can only be considered a similar imitation.
Even so, despite not being the true Tree of Life, it still possesses mysterious and unfathomable power.
After all, the Eighth Floor is the result of the entire guild pouring in enormous amounts of resources. Nearly everyone invested most of their spending into this level.
It is Nazarick's true final line of defense!
...
Stepping inside the Tree of Life feels like entering a secluded world, completely cut off from the outside.
The surrounding walls are formed from rough bark, giving off a natural, earthy presence.
Magically simulated sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows that create a calm and peaceful atmosphere.
The room is furnished with simple wooden pieces, their textures seamlessly blending with the tree itself, as though they had grown naturally from it.
Two figures sit on chairs.
One is a young girl, carrying herself with elegance and composure.
She lifts her teacup gently, savoring the black tea at a leisurely pace. Every movement is smooth and practiced.
As her lips part slightly, a faint glimpse of small, delicate canine teeth can be seen.
As for the other girl—
At first glance, she appears perfectly calm. But a closer look reveals the slight tremble in her hands, and a trace of tension hidden deep within her eyes.
She sits quietly, doing her best to appear composed, yet the unease inside her continues to surge, impossible to conceal.
"Relax, I'm not going to eat you."
"Honestly, for an Undead, how can your emotional control be this bad? Did you spend too long hanging around those little fledglings or something?"
Shalltear looked somewhat exasperated.
She took a light sip of her tea, and a soft sigh slipped from her crimson lips, her voice lingering gently in the air like a quiet melody.
Ever since the Dragon Transformation Secret Art ended, she had hurried straight back to Nazarick, dragging along Keno—who was outwardly excited (and inwardly resistant)—so she could meet her precious "good son."
But what left Shalltear speechless was that this fellow of her own kind was even more… peculiar than she had expected.
"Ah?!"
Keno, who had been lost in her thoughts, suddenly jolted in shock. Her body trembled uncontrollably, and the teacup in her hand nearly slipped free.
At that critical moment, she hastily cast a spell. A faint glimmer flickered into existence, like a thin thread wrapping around the teacup and holding it suspended in midair.
Seeing this, Keno let out a quiet breath of relief.
Phew, that was close~
I almost made myself look clumsy.
"Um… I… I was just thinking about what I should say when we meet… I mean… becoming a mother and all… it's… it's my first time…"
After setting the teacup down, Keno lightly bit her lower lip, her voice hesitant.
As she spoke, her hands fidgeted with the hem of her clothes, while her feet seemed rooted in place, swaying slightly from side to side.
Her head lowered a little, her gaze drifting around uncertainly, and her fingers clenched together so tightly it looked like she might crush them. She appeared deeply conflicted.
When it came to matters of love, Keno was serious.
After all, for someone like her, who had gone centuries without ever falling for anyone, and whose first feelings for the opposite sex were also her first love, her emotions were especially genuine.
Suddenly becoming a mother…
It wasn't that she couldn't accept it. But with her appearance and height still that of a twelve-year-old, it left her at a complete loss.
How was she supposed to get closer to him?
What if he looked down on her?
What if he kept his distance?
What if he ignored her…
Ugh, this is such a headache~
Why don't romance novels ever explain how to be a good stepmother?!
"..."
Watching her mutter to herself, her whole figure practically shrouded in a gloomy gray aura, Shalltear's lips twitched.
What is this supposed to be?
That shy, awkward demeanor was simply unbearable to watch.
"You…"
Just as Shalltear was about to say something, she suddenly paused. Her eyes narrowed into slits, her gaze shooting like lightning toward a nearby room.
"My, have you finally woken up~"
Under Keno's slightly puzzled gaze, Shalltear's lips curved into a faint, mysterious smile.
Not long after she spoke, the air around them seemed to ignite, growing restless and unstable.
The long-sealed door slowly creaked open, like a beast awakening from slumber. From within, a figure clad in pale blue armor stepped out.
His body was wrapped in dazzling lightning, arcs of electricity dancing across his skin with sharp crackling sounds, like countless silver serpents writhing in motion.
The lightning shimmered like the scales of a dragon, radiating a blinding brilliance that made it hard to look directly at him, as if even a moment longer would see one swallowed by that overwhelming power.
"Hmm… Shalltear?"
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