Chapter 302. Eve Of The Meeting. Some Big Players Appear. [AotSC] (Patreon)

Flor, Wert, Eila, Delia, Taro, Verdantia, Cinderielle, and Tempestria arrived at the front of the location for the meeting. The place was a relatively modest building with seven floors. The floors were slightly taller than usual, each around four meters tall, ensuring that most races would have no problem traversing it. Around the entrance, Flor’s group of five could see and sense many powerful people.

“Oh? City Lord Flor is already here?”

Flor looked sideways and saw a man that she had not seen for a long time. He was a tall and handsome middle-aged man with a valiant aura, his eyes looking sharper than before. Flor smiled faintly and nodded at him politely. “Lord Stormrider! It is a pleasure to see you again. Liu Shu probably misses having a talk with you since you two seem to hit it off quite nicely the last time you visited.”

Stormrider laughed and commented his tone teasing. “It seems that your intelligence is good enough to give this kind of compliment, eh? Even though I know you are just speaking, I can’t help but feel better.”

Flor chuckled faintly. “I do mean those words. If Lord Stormrider hasn’t already seen her growth, once we return, how about you come with us and visit Golden Sap City? I am sure you’ll be gladly surprised.”

Lord Stormrider rubbed his chin and smiled. “Sure. I’ll return with your group, then, City Lord Flor.” 

A female voice came from the side, making Flor and the others look over. “Oho~? So this is the little monster that has taken control over a World Tree?”

Flor wasn’t offended. Instead, she smiled generously and bowed. “Indeed. I am lucky to have gained enough intelligence to communicate and create a City where all types of intelligent races are able to thrive. Golden Sap City is nothing less but a little paradise.”

“Arrogant.” The woman snorted, crossing her arms under her generous bust. Lord Stormrider sighed. “Sister. Be less skeptical. We’ve already talked about this, right? We made a bet, and I won that bet. Therefore, you must oblige.”

The woman that people called Miss Stormrider raised her elegant eyebrow. “It must’ve been luck. How could these people win against someone like Baron Lorbase otherwise? Not to mention, she was aided by someone else, right? That someone else was not weak.” She pointed at Flor and sighed. “A recently formed city with leaders of her strength is not a force that should be able to beat a Baron.”

The people around gathered and looked over, feeling that this was going to be interesting. 

While everyone expected Flor to flare up and strike down her argument, Flor spoke calmly and even supported her words. “You are absolutely right, Miss Stormrider. Our strength is far from enough to battle and win against someone like Baron Lorbase. Much less annihilate them and leave not a single survivor as we did.” 

Miss Stormrider looked at Flor, her eyes flashing with a touch of surprise. Flor looked around and added, her lips smiling but her tone cutting. “However, it seems that everyone here is underestimating the creature that is backing me. I find it distasteful the seemingly normalized disdain toward the creatures at the top of the ecosystem, Honorable World Trees.”

Everyone paused and glanced at the relatively small fairy. Flor was clearly much larger than the usual fairy people were accustomed to looking at. Still, while the size was indeed different, her aura was what caught people’s attention. Flor felt different from a monster, who gave them an inherent sensation of danger. She was like a gentle breeze that melded with her surroundings, giving her body an ethereal and awe-inspiring sensation. 

Someone clapped twice. Looking over, they saw a wild but similarly elegant woman walk out. Her stature was great, and her body was lean and full of noticeable but not big muscles. She even had a crop top that showed her perfect abdominal muscles and faintly tanned skin. Flor saw many people bow down in respect, even Lord Stormrider and others. 

Flor looked around and followed their gestures, making the woman chuckle. “No need to pay respects in this matter.”

An elegant woman at the side smiled and answered as they all straightened their backs. “Madam Thalgryn is a person deserving respect. Just allow us to give you this one bow.”

The woman shook her head. “Sure. Do as you please, but I don’t really like such formalities.” She looked at Flor and stepped forward, disappearing and appearing in front of Flor. The Flower Fairy felt a chill go up her spine. ‘I-I couldn’t follow her movements.’

Madam Thalgryn smirked and chuckled. “Don’t worry. I am a <Third Energy Cycle> person. It is normal for you to be unable to follow my steps. You need to reach Level 40 at least before you can start to follow my movements! Hahaha.”

Flor blinked a few times and coughed. “I see. I am sorry if my expression of surprise offended you.”

Madam Thalgryn patted Flor’s head with a smirk. “No worries! You are cuter than I expected~.” She sighed. “Sadly, I already have a husband back at home.” 

Flor’s lips twitched wildly. ‘W-Was I just flirted with?’

Madam Thalgryn laughed aloud and crossed her muscular arms. “Jokes aside. Impressive work, people from the White Flower province. I honestly didn’t expect Baron Lorbase to be killed by you! I knew that you had some potential, and I was worried that such potential would be stomped before it could bloom. However… It seems that I was wrong.”

Flor looked at Madam Thalgryn and saw her wild and penetrating eyes looking deeply at her. The tall and muscular woman’s facial features were gorgeous, mixing sharp angles with feminine eyes, lips, and eyebrows—a heroic woman who could charm both sexes alike. 

Flor couldn’t help but ask, confused. “Madam Thalgryn, why would you invite me? I am sure that you and Lady Prarya know that our Liu Shu is not someone who knows how to… stop.” 

Madam Thalgryn nodded and rubbed her chin. “Indeed. That’s the case. However, I am curious about that new World Tree. Her ability to grow and surprise is… exceptional. Moreover, the last information I’ve received made me even more interested.” Madam Thalgryn looked at Flor with a smirk. “However, that can wait for later. For now…” She looked around and spoke aloud. “Let’s enter. We’ve prepared a seat for each of the leaders. The followers will need to wait while standing.” 

“Oh? You are going to start right now? I am glad I wasn’t late.”

Madam Thalgryn looked sideways and saw a man in luxurious clothes walking toward them. He had a great muscular physique that even the suit-like clothes couldn’t completely hide. Madam Thalgryn raised her eyebrow and smiled. “Lord Count. It is a pleasure that you decided to come to our tiny meeting.”

Flor’s face paled slightly. The man in front of her whom Madam Thalgryn called Count had such a profound energy aura that it made her feel helpless. While Madam Thalgryn was strong, and she even had trouble following her with her eyes, Flor didn’t feel complete and utter despair. However, this man walking between ten other powerhouses made all her senses tingle with danger.

Lord Count answered Madam Thalgryn. “Tiny? If you are participating, then it can be anything but! Regardless, you were about to guide people into the building. I will not hold everyone’s time back.”

Many people jumped to boot-lick him. “Lord Count is wise!” 

“This little one will forever remember Lord Count’s kindness.”

“Lord Count’s gait is that of a truly powerful person!”

The man ignored everything and walked forward, his gaze eventually landing on Flor. “Hm…? Monster?” He was genuinely confused and asked. “Does Madam Thalgryn allow monster pets?”

Madam Thalgryn’s lips trembled as she held back her laughter. She cleared her throat, giving a glance at Flor before she answered. ‘Oh? She is not reacting much… Is she in shock from the Count’s strength?’ She shook her head and spoke. “This monster here is an intelligent monster, Lord Count. You must’ve already heard about your subordinate Baron Lorbase’s fate.”

The count blinked and tapped his chin. Then, his eyes widened slightly. “Oh! No wonder your aura was so different from a typical monster. So you are the previous Rose Fairy Queen, Flor.”

Flor straightened her back, feeling somewhat scared under the gaze of this man. He was just too powerful and also a potential enemy. Still, she answered with a firm expression and tone, her words loud and clear. “I am indeed Flor, Lord Count. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Lord Count’s lips arched faintly. “So… I heard that Lorbase died at your group’s hands. Lady World Tree you are under must be quite powerful.”

Flor blinked twice when she heard the respectful tone toward Liu Shu. She had thought that, like other leaders she had seen until now, his tone would be depreciating or somewhat ridiculing. However, Lord Count appeared to genuinely respect Liu Shu’s status as a World Tree. This made Flor have a good impression of him, prompting her to answer. “S-She… I mean, Lady Liu Shu is nothing more than a blessing for me, Lord Count. Regardless of her strength, I'd rather die a thousand times than let a branch of hers get damaged.”

Lord Count hummed and turned toward the building. “That’s a great attitude…” 

Many people were confused by the Count's entry into the building without pushing anything about the Baron or trying to make Flor uncomfortable. The moment they saw the Count arrive, they really thought that he would splatter the poor little fairy around. 

Flor was also surprised at his attitude. It was far from hostile, even looking somewhat friendly. 

Madam Thalgryn smirked slightly and looked at Flor through the corner of her eyes. ‘Interesting… I wonder what will happen.’

Everyone else followed Madam Thalgryn and Lord Count. On their way inside, Eila muttered, confused. “This is a different Count from the one that placed me in charge of Fortuna… I wonder when they changed positions?”

Verena approached them and answered Eila. “I thought you had more information at your disposal. It seems that you have only managed to gather information about the relatively low-level factions.

Eila nodded without shame. “Count Level people and above are too difficult to spy or gather information about. Moreover, differentiating them is difficult since everyone calls a count Lord Count.”

Tempestria muttered. “... That seems bothersome.” 

“Indeed!” 

The new melodic voice that no one knew startled most of them but Tempestria. The Wind Sylvan looked sideways and asked, her tone incredulous. “You… What are you doing here?”

Looking over, they saw a tall sylvan with purple hair and hues of blue walking toward them, her hips so full that each of her steps would send a small seductive jiggle across. Her eyes were a shifting hue of purple and blue. The woman looked at Flor and grabbed the sides of her dress, slightly bowing. “Hello, Lady Flor. I am Harmonixia and I have a few suggestions that you’d be interested in.”

Flor blinked twice and had a strange deja vu. ‘This Sylvan…’ Looking at her gaze with hidden darkness that she knew so well, Flor’s lips twitched. ‘She is after Liu Shu!’

No one could deny a mother’s instincts were terrifyingly sharp.