Chapter 196. Unfolding Bonds and Boundaries.

Although Wert tried to find Jolie with the Arboreal Winged Serpent, they were not successful. Jolie had escaped Liu Shu's detection range, so tracking her down became almost impossible.

After Delia returned to the Golden Sap Town with her silent daughter, she quickly rushed toward Liu Shu. By then, her transformation had already ended. The woman arrived near Liu Shu and asked with a heartfelt plea. "Liu Shu! Please help my daughter! I don't know what's wrong with her!"

The World Tree looked at Delia's vulnerable expression and had a hard time processing it. After all, the strong and overbearing woman had disappeared, leaving behind nothing but a worried mother. Regardless, Liu Shu was unsure how to react and how to help her. After all, the child had a very strange and unsettling aura around her. 

After thinking for a moment, she spoke. "I can't."

Delia froze and then stuttered. "But you are a Worl-"

"Stop." Liu Shu's voice descended down with pressure. "I am not going to involve myself more with you. You tried to do something bad to me. I saved your daughter because it was something I could do without making more enemies. After all, that Jolie Sylvan is after me regardless of what I do." 

Delia wanted to speak, but Liu Shu cut her off with a powerful sentence. "Moreover, they will just use another person's child to do what they tried to do. I didn't save anyone; I just changed the victim."

The words that Delia wanted to say got stuck in her throat. Cinderielle and the other Sylvans also realized after Liu Shu said it, and they all felt their stomach sinking. The next child that they see in their hands, they can be sure that it would be their fault in a way.

Liu Shu sighed. "Delia, just take a few of my <Phoer Fruits>, <Mana Fruits>, and <Energy Fruits> and have your pharmacists make an ointment that involves the three of them. Also… Your child is Level 4."

Delia's eyes widened, and she looked down at the unresponsive girl, confirming that she was indeed Level 4. 

Leveling up before adulthood was possible. Parents didn't allow children to Level Up before those ages because there were some proven disadvantages, such as becoming completely reliant on the system for everything. If they reached adulthood without using the system since birth, their mind would be more open. Instead, having a system since birth could limit a person's ability to make decisions, expecting the system to resolve everything for them.

Wert and the flying serpent arrived at this time. The serpent went back into Liu Shu's canopy while Wert sighed and spoke. "We couldn't catch her. That woman is really fast and elusive." 

The World Tree spoke softly. "Thank you for the effort, Wert." 

Wert crossed his arms and grinned. "Ho ho~, will I be hearing from you more often now that you showed yourself in this manner?"

Liu Shu giggled. "Perhaps~, hahaha" 

Wert and Delia looked at Liu Shu with surprise, making people around them pause. Flor asked, confused. "What's wrong?"

Wert shook his head and smiled. "No… It's the first time I hear a World Tree's honest laughter… It's beautiful. So… full of life and gentleness, while having a certain childish cuteness to it."

The World Tree snorted. "Don't call me by my species! People will know if they hear you!"

Wert coughed. "Sorry. I will continue calling you a Life Tree then." 

"Good!" 

Cinderielle looked at Delia and asked. "What about you?"

Delia nodded, agreeing with Wert. "I didn't even know they could laugh like this."

Verdantia spoke. "Don't group Liu Shu with them. She is different."

Wert couldn't help but agree. "I can tell… Oh, speaking of that… How many people know about her? And, also, why does she look… Well, normal?"

Flor snorted. "Asking questions now?"

Wert grinned at her. "Your Liu Shu decided to show herself to me. Of course, that means I've gained her trust to a certain extent, right? It is normal for me to ask questions. But…" Wert looked at Delia and smiled. "You can answer them later."

Liu Shu's mutter spread around. "I hope I don't regret this in the future… sigh."

Everyone smiled wryly, somewhat understanding how the World Tree felt. 

Meanwhile, Delia received a bag with Liu Shu's berries from a Rose Fairy and grabbed it with one hand while keeping her hold on her child with the other. It felt as if she would never let her go.

"Um… I don't know what they wanted to do with that doll that the mothkin has. However, it is linked to my child one way or another. Can I have it back?" 

Liu Shu spoke before anyone else did. "No."

"Huh? Why?"

Liu Shu answered flatly. "The reason I decided to save your child is because I fear that doll more than I fear you. I am not giving you the thing I am fearful about. Mariane, give me the box."

The mothkin threw it toward the World Tree. Roots burst from the ground, catching it mid-air and then dragged it underground. "I'll bury it far below the ground and let it decompose with time."

"Ah." Mariane coughed. "You can't do that, Liu Shu."

"Huh?"

Mariane spoke a bit awkwardly. "That box has a few preserving runes… The doll will be intact when the box breaks."

The World tree paused and sighed frustratedly. "Then, what do I do with it?"

Mariane's insectoid black pearly eyes gleamed with eagerness, and she excitedly suggested. "Leave it to me! I want to analyze it! I swear that I will do it in a secure room!"

"Sure." The box resurfaced, and then the root holding it threw it back to Mariane. The mothkin quickly caught it and grinned, flying off with the box toward the library while leaving a sentence behind. "Thank you, Liu Shuuu!"

Delia frowned, but she couldn't really force them to give it to her. Therefore, she commented. "Do you want me to send a few Rune Crafters to assist that woman?" 

"Ask her yourself. If she agrees, sure."

Liu Shu's answer showed how much she trusted Mariane, increasing Wert's and Delia's evaluation by a few notches. 

Delia sighed. "I'll go back to my city now. Thanks for the berries. I'll make sure to buy more if the results are good." 

Then, the blue-haired Sylvan left the town and rushed toward her own city. Now that she was gone, Wert changed his attitude from easy-going to a serious expression. "Flor, we need to have a talk."

Flor cringed a bit. She coughed to get rid of that awkward feeling and answered. "Yes. We should."

Liu Shu looked as everyone dispersed and sighed again. 'Hm… Now that this happened, they will not attempt anything soon, right? I should Level Up once more and finally reach Level 20.'

Level 19: [0/35,380]

Accumulated Experience: 38865

After Leveling Up to Level 19 with the 150,000 reward, she had around 24,000 remaining Experience Points without counting her previously accumulated experience. The Level Up happened in four months. During that time, her <Energy Method> didn't stop for a single day, and Flor also made sure to use her <Royal Pollination> skill on Liu Shu daily. 

The total number of Experience Points that left her with was 38,865.

'Hm… Let's Level Up… Oh, wait, I needed to create those new <Lignified Houses>, right? This Level Up will also help me grow as I am about to enter the <First Energy Sub Cycle>. My size more than doubled when I reached Level 10, after all.' 

After thinking about everything, Liu Shu decided to ask the system. 'System, how many <Low-Rank Lignified Houses> can I build while I am Leveling Up?' 

[Calculating…] 

[Taking Tianlian Liu Shu's energy regeneration, energy needs, and energy capacity into account, Tianlian Liu Shu can create 15 <Low-Rank Lignfiied Houses>.] 

'Ho? The System answered this time. It wasn't System Hint or Wisdom who did… that's interesting.' 

Taking that information with her, she looked toward Flor, but seeing that she was talking with Wert, she ignored her and went to Ignatia. "Ignatia!"

Ignatia opened her mouth to munch on a meatball of unknown meat sources when Liu Shu's voice reached her. She stopped her basically endless hunger for a second, and she smiled. "Yes, love? What's wrong? Is someone bullying you? If they are, you can always tell me and I will make quick work of them!"

Liu Shu giggled, feeling fluffy. "Um~, I am going to reach Level 20! So! I can build 15 houses while I Level Up according to the System! I don't know how long it will be… What I mean is that I want you to tell Flor these things! Hehe, that's all~."

Ignatia tapped her chin. "It seems that I can't be so passive anymore. Okay, Little One. I understand. Go on~."

Liu Shu said. "Ah! And tell Eric to continue doing those trades! The Cognium is honestly a bit useless for now. As long as he leaves 500 in reserve, I'll be happy. Tell him to focus on Etherium!" 

Ignatia laughed and asked. "Anything else, dear?"

Liu Shu became thoughtful and tried to remember if anything was lacking. "Oh, right, I will be summoning a new serpent; it will be much bigger, so I hope that the people don't get scared."

Ignatia blinked and asked. "What Level?"

Liu Shu giggled. "I don't know~. Anyway, <World Tree Calling>!"

Ignatia felt the energy in the surroundings surge like a condensed stream, and her antennae twitched. 'That's quite a lot of Anima Energy.'

Meanwhile, outside, the serpent sleeping in Liu Shu's canopy was teleported back while a new one descended from the sky. 

The one that was teleported back opened its eyes when the comfortable presence around it disappeared, and she felt a bit sad. 

She instantly went to call her brother, who was this tree's first summon, so that she would be on the list for the summons that were called by that World Tree. 'It is so nice to be by her side~, I want to help Big Brother protect her!'

When she arrived, she saw her brother battling several giant monsters and sending all of them flying with terrifying bodily strength. 'Oh… Since he failed to properly protect Liu Shu that day, he has been training like crazy!' 

The serpent hissed, communicating with him. "Big brother! I want to be on the list!"

Ophion hissed powerfully, his aura exploding outward like a volcano. "Give me a moment!" 

Then, he blurred around and struck the other giant monsters, sending them flying as if they were weightless. 'Wow~, so this is the strength of a Level 24…' 

Ophion then rushed toward his little sister and looked at her. "Hm… You are still Level 19. Is it hard to Level Up on the other side?"

The serpent nodded. "Yes… There are only weak people that I can't even kill…" Then, she said enthusiastically. "But the fruits that Liu Shu gave me are awesome!" 

Ophion rubbed his big head with the serpent and smiled. "Okay, I'll tell Father. But you need to Level Up quickly. Right now, the top level of Liu Shu's summoning is Level 24. When she completes the First Energy Sub-Cycle, she might be able to summon us at Level 25. Although, I would love it if she increased the skill's tier so that we can Tier-Up as well."

"Right, right! Do we tell the next sister or brother that will go down to tell her about it?"

Ophion shook his giant snakehead. "No need to. Allow Liu Shu to grow at her own pace. She is someone our Father has high hopes for."

"Okayy~!"