Chapter 9. Rose Fairies' Decision.

When all the fairies approached, Liu Shu heard many notifications about her <Charm of the Seedling> skill, and the proficiency increased by around 250 points, increasing the level of the skill by one.

One of the messages was especially eye-catching, which made Liu Shu exclaim in her head. 

[<Charm of the Seedling> has attracted a <Rose 10 Fairy Level>. Proficiency increased by 100.]

Liu Shu looked at the tallest fairy in the group with interest. 'Level 10! The highest-level little friend yet!'

She also realized that the proficiency points gained were ten times as much, making her feel happy inside. 'Will I gain extra every time a level 10 comes? Or is this friend special?" 

The fairies flew around her, and a few of them approached the carcass of the beaver she just killed. Liu Shu heard them speak. 

"Look at this!"

"What's wrong?... Wow! Even the bones are broken. How strong is she?"

"I would hate to be on the other side of her attacks."

A relatively low-level fairy commented. "But she can only attack from a close distance, no? Any of us should be strong enough to defeat her."

However, a few seniors looked at her with frowns. "Little girl, have you seen her bark and trunk thickness?"

The low-level fairy looked over and saw that Liu Shu was relatively thicker than other trees of her height. "Huh?"

The low-level fairy looked closer and asked. "Say, do you feel like her trunk has a strange womanly shape?"

A few fairies who heard them looked over, closely examining her, and laughed. 

"It's true! Hahaha." 

"So strange~."

"Such coincidences are rare." 

However, Flor looked at that shape with a deeper expression, her mind spinning with many thoughts. 

After a few moments of hesitation, Flor took the initiative and approached with a smile, floating very close to Liu Shu. Of course, as she approached, she was very alert. She was confident in defending herself, but if she took one of the attacks she had just witnessed with her bare body, she might get an injury.

"Hello, little one. It is the first time I've seen a little tree as beautiful as you in my 38 years of life."

When she heard her speaking, Liu Shu felt joyous, and her branches swayed happily at her compliment. 

The fairies around giggled when they saw her reacting to Flor's words. 

"She is really cute."

"So, it was true that she could understand."

Clavel snorted at the side. "Why would I lie about these things?" 

The second in command of the fairy group, a fairy called Amapola, commented. "We have to protect this little one." The fairies nodded, and then Amapola added wistfully. "Maybe she can become our forever home."

Flor and the rest of the fairies became a bit silent. 

They constantly moved around because strong creatures or natural events sometimes toppled the trees they lived in, and they could do nothing to prevent it most of the time. While Flor was strong, she was only strong relative to the creatures living in the nearby forest area. 

When mass migrations, beast tides, powerful hurricanes, and other natural events occurred, her power was nothing but a raindrop against the wind. 

Flor snapped out of her daze, and she quickly reprimanded. "Don't discuss things here. The little one can understand us, and she might get the wrong idea that we want to use her. If she can become our home, it is nothing but a result of our actions of protecting her, not the objective."

The fairies realized and stopped commenting.

Liu Shu heard them, but she didn't really understand what they meant by a forever home, so she ignored it. These little friends had a pleasant aura around them, so she was happy they were by her side.

Flor hovered about one meter above the ground to gently touch Liu Shu's trunk and ask. "Little one, do you mind if my clan stays near you?"

Liu Shu's mind spun, taking in the meaning of her words. 'Hm, since I feel comfortable around them, and they help me increase my <Charm of the seedling> skill, why not?' 

Liu Shu didn't consider her loss of prey if they came around her, the main reason being that, as a tree, her concept of increasing strength was to do so naturally.

Even after leveling up and feeling that rush of strength, she didn't sprout any greed for more, unlike most living creatures did. Killing many creatures just to gain experience had never crossed her mind, even as an idea. 

As a World Tree, her first instinct was to protect creatures that didn't harm either her or nature in a significant way. Her second instinct was to eliminate all that did otherwise. 

After about 40 minutes, her dropping branches began to sway cheerfully, caressing Flor's body, which was resting on one of her sturdy branches. Flor felt comfortable while waiting because of Liu Shu's crisp, clean, and earthly scent that surrounded her. 

It was very similar to the scent of freshly cut grass, with a touch of mint that made the nostrils feel refreshed and open. 

Although the movement was very light, the aura around her could transmit some basic thoughts. 

Even without words, these fairies, who had lived between all kinds of flora for all their lives, could understand that Liu Shu didn't mind.

Flor laughed, delighted, and commented. "I had yet to use my daily pollination, and Clavel told me she didn't do hers to you, so I'll do it. What do you say, little one?"

Liu Shu didn't know what that was, so she didn't answer. 'Pollination? What does that do?' 

Flor waited for about 30 minutes, but seeing no answer, she guessed that this young tree probably didn't know what 'pollination' was. 

With that in mind, she smiled and commented. "Little one, if you hate it, use your branches to swat me like a fly. Don't worry, I won't get hurt."

Liu Shu heard her and understood what she meant, so she didn't react and looked at Flor intently with her <World Tree Eye>. 

Flor felt like she was being observed again, and she confirmed in her mind that this small tree had a method of observing creatures around her. 

With that in mind, Flor's leaf-like wings began buzzing, and her body floated upward. Her long red hair and eyes swayed with Aether as she began circling Liu Shu, and from there, a cloud of sparkling red dust began falling on top of Liu Shu.

Liu Shu looked at how that sparkling dust landed on her bark, leaves, and roots, delivering a refreshing feeling all around her body. If our little tree had eyes, she would be squinting them in comfort. 'So nice~.' 

Flor saw that Liu Shu's branched began swaying with a comforting feeling, and her eyes were filled with mirth and gentleness. "Do you like it? Then, let's finish it."

She accelerated, creating a small reddish dust cloud that swallowed Liu Shu's entire body, and when Flor finished, she used her mastery over the wind to push it onto Liu Shu.

For a few seconds, Liu Shu was covered in reddish dust, but that soon was assimilated into her. 

A message appeared in Flor's and Liu Shu's minds. 

[You've Pollinated a . You gain 2 Experience Points.]

[A <Rose 10 Fairy Level> has used <Basic Pollination> on you. You've gained 10 Experience Points.]

Seeing an extra ten experience points appearing in her system, Liu Shu cheered in her mind. 'This little friend is so good!'

Flor, who was prepared to gain nothing because of Liu Shu's low level, was surprised. 'Huh? I usually gained about four experience points from that Level 16 Senior Tree, and I've gained two from a Level 2 Tree?' 

Her eyes softened even more as she looked at Liu Shu. 'This little one is a box full of surprises. The fact that I can't tell her race after pollinating her is also really mysterious.' 

Flor looked around the area where Liu Shu was and realized that there were a few tall trees nearby. 

'Hm. This should be enough for our race to live until she matures.'

Flor commented to the others. "I'll stay here with the little one. Go and fetch the rest of our kind. We are moving here." 

Clavel's eyes shone with delight. "Really?" 

Flor nodded with a smile. "Yes." 

Then, Flor caught the corpse of the River Beaver in her periphery and got thoughtful. 'What should we do about those who covet her? Hm…' 

After giving a thoughtful look at Liu Shu, Flor told the fairies with a stern tone. "Explain to all the other fairies that we won't protect her as we usually do. Unless she is at risk of dying, let her face against the beings that come to attack her." Flor's eyes shone murderously as she finished her sentence. "They will become good fertilizers for the little one to grow." 

The eyes of the rest of the fairies landed on the dead River Beaver with indifference and nodded. Regardless of their motives, anyone who hurt Trees and Flowers was nothing but trash in their eyes.

Liu Shu didn't understand the more complicated parts of the conversation that ensued afterward, but she understood these little friends wanted to live by her side. Thinking of how much more fun it would be in the future, Liu Shu was delighted.

To show her appreciation, large amounts of Aether Mana and Anima Energy began gathering around her branches.

The fairies who were about to move out realized and looked at her curiously. They couldn't sense a shred of hostility, so they weren't worried. On the contrary, a spark of excitement flashed in their eyes. 

First, they saw the energy flow from the bottom of the tree's roots across the beautiful trunk and into the branches. 

It didn't take long to envelop all of Liu Shu's branches, giving her an enchanting azure and amethyst glow. 

After that, from between the leaves, small flowers of four different colors started appearing one by one and growing at a visible rate. 

The fairies were mesmerized by the extraordinarily beautiful spectacle. 

The large amounts of Aether Mana and Anima Energy focusing on creating the flowers was something sacred for the Rose fairies. If hurting nature was something they loathed, the action of creation and life was something they adored.

Seeing the little one use such a large part of her Aether Mana and Anima Energy made them all feel touched. 

Clavel wanted to say that it wasn't necessary, feeling a bit of heartache at the enormous amounts of Aether Mana and Anima Energy being used, but Flor stopped her. "Let the little one do as she pleases. We are not going to pamper her but guide her. If she wants to give us something, we should accept it with a smile and use it to the best of our abilities. In the future, we will repay with our lives if necessary. Nature is about giving and taking, an exchange, a cycle. Regardless of what she gives us, we will return in kind."

Clavel and the rest of the fairies nodded. "I understand."

After about half an hour, the Aether Mana and Anima Energy she had gathered were completely consumed, making Liu Shu a bit tired. After all, she had used almost all of her entire Aether Mana and Anima Energy pools. 

Four messages appeared in her eyes.

[You have produced 50 <Delicious Berries (F- Rank)>! -50 Aether Mana Shards. - 50 Anima Shards.]

[You have produced 50 <Phoer Berries (F- Rank)>! -50 Aether Mana Shards. - 50 Anima Shards.]

[You have produced 50 <Mana Berries (F- Rank)>! -50 Aether Mana Shards. - 50 Anima Shards.]

[You have produced 50 <Energy berries (F- Rank)>! -50 Aether Mana Shards. - 50 Anima Shards.]

[You've reduced the ripening time on 200 flowers by 15 days. - 200 Aether Mana Shards. - 200 Anima Energy Shards.]

[You've gained 40 Proficiency points!]

Aether Mana: 50/450 (+16,2/Hour)

Anima Energy: 80/480 (+17,28/Hour)