Chapter 67. Building materials.

Having listened to the World Tree rant for a while, Flor was now clear about what Liu Shu wanted. "Hm. I see. We need to gather quite a few things."

Liu Shu agreed with a cheerful tone. 'There are many!'

Flor sighed. "Let me get a list and write them down."

Liu Shu patiently waited, and around twenty minutes later, Flor returned with a stone tablet and a carving pen. "Although I don't know how to write proficiently, I can at least write the materials you discussed."

Curious, Liu Shu looked over and saw Flor scribbling on the tablet. The language was not the same as the one used in the books she had absorbed, but understanding was not a problem thanks to her SSS rank skill.

What was written as the following.

Materials List (F- Rank):

Spalignwood

Yellow cotton

Earthmud

Pebbleheart

Material List (F Rank):

Sprout Heart

Earthspire

Yellow Cotton thread

Dustheart

Material List (F+ Rank):

Budbark,

Gustbark, Mistbark, Soulbark, Astralbark…. (Any F+ Rank wood of any Aether Element).

Flor nodded and showed it to her. "No materials other than these?"

Liu Shu asked. "Don't you need to know the quantities I need?"

Flor blinked, looking between the list and Liu Shu. Her lips twitched, and she asked. "Tell me about the Budbark. That one is the most important, right?"

Puzzled, the World Tree asked. "Why don't you want to know about the rest?"

Flor sighed. "Aren't they probably in the thousands of units? We probably won't gather enough even for the foreseeable future. I would rather focus on the high-level and scarce materials so that we can focus later on the ones we need a ton off."

Liu Shu didn't understand that logic, but she agreed with her words and spoke to her. 'I need at least 43 units of Budbark plus two units of any elemental bark like Mistbark.'

Flor scratched her head. "Units? How big is a unit? Can't you tell it by weight or size?"

Liu Shu thought she actually had a point, so she lowered one of her branches and moved it along her trunk from the base up to the breasts-like protrusion of her trunk. 'A log around as tall as this if it is as thick as my trunk. If you can't find one as wide, it doesn't matter as long as the volume is similar.'

The Rose Fairy Queen's eyes couldn't help but linger on the definitive voluminous chest. 'Will those… grow?'

Flor imagined a massive tree with an alluring womanly body, and her face darkened. 'We need to create clothes or something. I can let the little one be naked!' Flor remembered hearing about Fortuna City's World Tree also wearing cloth-like vines around the chest and waist area, solidifying her decision.

Still, thinking about creating something so big, her head ached. 'Moreover, whenever she levels up, she grows exponentially taller, bigger, and thicker…' Flor clicked her tongue. 'Thicker in all senses of the world! I can swear that her body was not this… this… this much boing!' Flor gestured around her chest to make a comparison, making her face darken more. 'In the past, I was bigger!'

Clavel approached and saw Flor making strange gestures, so she coughed. "Cough. Queen Flor!"

Flor jumped, startled, and glared at Clavel. "You didn't see anything."

Clavel blinked several times, stunned. "O-Okay?"

After clearing her throat, she asked. "So, what's wrong, Clavel?"

The Level 8 Rose Fairy nodded and spoke. "Here is the summary of the Level ups. I just finished it."

Flor picked the list carved in mud-like stone, which was different from the one Flor had just used. Honestly, the Rose Fairy Queen was a bit uncomfortable. A few weeks ago, there was nothing like these tablets; it was something Cinderielle and the humans introduced.

Flor believed that she wouldn't forget anything important, but their arguments about reassurance and the ability to look at them at any time eventually convinced her. They even helped create a few.

The rock one she just used to list Liu Shu's material needs couldn't be altered after craving. It was, after all, a rock-like material.

However, the one Clavel was using could be reused using new mud, clay, and water to soften it.

'Well, I can't deny that it is quite handy. Being able to record these things gives it more of a… How would you call it? A profound feeling?' Flor was confused about the attempts by Cinderielle and the humans to civilize their Rose Fairy group.

After all, if they really wanted Liu Shu to build successful, they needed to build a town around her and expand from there. A lone World Tree could grow fast, but it was too vulnerable to attacks.

Even without natural predators, a World Tree's body was incredibly nutritious, and many species coveted it.

Flor nodded, feeling that their general strength had grown quite a bit. Zinia managed to reach Level 9, while other Rose Fairies also leveled up. Clavel was equally on the verge of Leveling up.

Flor sighed at the War's loses, feeling that it wasn't worth it. But at least they were not all bad news. She passed the stone tablet and spoke. "Hang it in the <Lignified Vault>. All Rose Fairies are to carry back these items if they find them in nature. They are for Liu Shu."

Clavel looked at the list and exclaimed. "So many! Is Lady World Tree doing something special?"

Flor paused and looked at Clavel strangely. "How did you call her?"

Clavel titled her head. "Cinderielle told me that's the appropriate way of calling World Trees… Speaking of which, Queen Flor, why didn't you tell us about it?"

Flor snorted. "It is dangerous to know about it. Even then, going back to our conversation, forget those words. Liu Shu will be sad if you alienate her so much. She is already a solitary tree with different perceptions. If we start treating her as if she is a venerated and sacred being, I fear Liu Shu might degenerate and believe that nonsense!" 

Clavel scratched her head when a gentle, cheerful, and nature-like voice reached her. 'That's right, I like it when you call me Liu Shu, Clavel.'

Clave's eyes widened, and then she launched her body forward to hug Liu Shu. "Ahhhhh! Why is your voice so adorable!? You are so cute, Liu Shu!!!"

Flor's eyebrow twitched. 'So much for Lady World Tree, eh.' She turned around with a sigh and commented. "Anyways, tell the others the same."

Clavel, who was rubbing her face on Liu Shu's pleasantly rugged bark, responded. "Aye, aye! Who can be formal with such a cute-sounding World Tree? If you were a Rose Fairy Child I would carry you around everywhere~. Adorable, cute, lovely!'

Liu Shu giggled. 'Hehehe. You are also pretty, Clavel.' Then, Liu Shu looked at her and mentally smiled. 'Thank you for being so gentle since the beginning, Clavel.'

This Rose Fairy was the one who found her and instantly tried to protect her. Moreover, she took the initiative to call the other Rose Fairies to live with her. While Flor had usually acted as the guardian role, if it weren't because she was the strongest, Clavel would've probably been in that position.

Clavel commented. "Speaking of which, Liu Shu, there are a lot of materials. Why do you need so many?"

Liu Shu agreed. 'There are a lot! That's right! But I need those materials to build houses and other things!'

Clavel exclaimed. "Oh! Houses! Those things Sylvans, humans, and other city dwellers live in! Will they be Rose Fairy size?"

Liu Shu coughed. "They won't be there at the start." When she saw Clavel pouting, Liu Shu continued. "But I can create them later! When there are extra materials!"

Clavel hummed. "I see~. Well, good enough, I guess."

Flor suddenly asked a question that made Clavel's ears perk up. "There is so much wood; what are you trying to build, Liu Shu? Isn't it uncomfortable to see buildings that are made of wood?'

Liu Shu looked at Flor with a confused gaze and asked, her tone clearly doubtful. 'Why would it be uncomfortable?'

Flor and Clavel deadpanned, feeling incredulous. 'How… you ask?'

Flor insisted, wanting to deliver the point across. "Well, seeing a house made of Rose Fairy skin would honestly creep me out. Don't you feel the same?"

The World Tree imagined that kind of house and commented with disgust. 'That would be an awful house!'

Clavel and Flor were about to nod and agree when Liu Shu continued. 'It would not block the rain and would rot very quickly! No wonder flesh creatures don't use their skins to build houses and use ours. Hmph, useless skin!'

The Rose Fairy Queen felt that, in some aspects, it was really difficult to match the thinking process of a tree.

With an awkward cough, Flor changed the subject. "Other than the buildings, how is the rest going, Liu Shu? Do you need help with anything?"

While the World Tree wanted to share her skills with Flor and speak about them, there was an innate feeling of reluctance and resistance toward such actions.

The subconscious fear about the ever-changing nature of living beings meant that the chance of betrayal from everyone was ever-present. While Liu Shu was young and didn't understand these matters, World Trees were inherently doubtful and cautious.

It was extremely rare to give a good first impression to a World Tree that went any deeper than those of curiosity. That's why there was a saying that stated: "A World Tree's friendly gaze will give luck to nine generations!"

Liu Shu didn't discuss her skills per se, but working on their use was not that much of a problem. 'Well, I am growing plenty of berries, but I wonder if you need more.'

Flor sat on a branch while Clavel waved goodbye and went to place the Rock tablet on the Lignified Vault.

Swinging her legs playfully, Flor commented. "From what I know, we should have a surplus even when we deliver them to everyone. However, if anything, I would love it if you created more of those <Delicious Berry>. The ones that give experience. I can feel that they are a bit more than just an experience resource."

Liu Shu was curious. 'What do you mean?'

Flor clarified. "The energy they have is beneficial toward Level Caps. Do you know what are those?"

Liu Shu enthusiastically answered, like a child who was asked about something they had recently learned. 'Yes! <Level Cap> is the state of being unable to Level Up even if you have enough experience points. This often means the stagnation of that person's progress, and it is generally limited by either talent, lack of hard work, or genetics!'

Flor laughed. "Impressive! You are learning so many things, Liu Shu." Then, she continued. "So, I think that the energies inside the Delicious Berry have the ability to break these shackles if taken continuously. To see if this is the truth, I need quite a bit of them to prove it with an elderly Rose Fairy who is stuck at her level."

Liu Shu understood Flor's explanation and readily agreed. 'Okay, I'll focus half of my production on growing <Delicious Berry>.'

Flor smiled. "Thank you, Liu Shu. Ariel and the caravan people should be arriving here soon, so we can ask them for more things." Flor paused and commented. "Liu Shu, try not to speak with them like you are with me. Use me, Ignatia, or a Rose Fairy as a middle-man for your words."

While our young World Tree didn't understand why, she didn't ask because she felt that there was no malicious intent and just worry behind Flor's words. 'Okay, I'll listen to you, Flor.'

Flor smiled and patted the big tree. "Good."