As Ryan entered the thick fog, he felt an illusion as if the fog itself was alive, discerning its visitors.
As usual, as Ryan walked along the long suspended corridor from the castle towards the valley, he immediately felt a cold divine power sweep over him, favored by the goddess, and he knew what it was, so he let his guard down.
The fog dispersed, and Ryan continued walking. After entering the fog, it surged out from the forest again.
What he saw was a lush forest sea. Brittany's season had already entered autumn, but the forest in the valley was vibrant with life, under the moonlight and dense fog, creating a serene atmosphere around the small valley.
The valley behind the castle covered only a hectare or two, and in Ryan's original memory, the valley was flat land with nothing on it.
But now, besides being surrounded by dense forests, next to the tower of the Lady of the Lake, there appeared a clear pond. There were some herbs planted beside the pond, but their light was so faint that Ryan couldn't see what they were.
Because his attention was drawn to the figure beside the pool.
A beautiful figure stood by the pool waiting for him, her stunningly beautiful face with a sweet smile, her golden hair cascading down like a waterfall to her ankles. Today, the Lady of the Lake was wearing a charmingly sultry snow-white lily dress, with long ribbons trailing from her sleeves, adorned with various gold and silver jewelry. Her aquamarine eyes held a hint of reproach, and her bare feet in simple elf sandals showed off cute toes painted with red nail polish.
"You're a bit late, my champion," the Lady of the Lake approached Ryan slowly, her bare hands still stained with soil, radiating a soft glow as her whispers reached Ryan's ears.
"Your appearance was later than I anticipated, my lady," Ryan, standing before the Lady of the Lake, smiled, "I hope this tower pleases you."
"Oh! Of course! I'm very satisfied!" The Lady of the Lake twirled gracefully in front of Ryan, her dress and golden hair fluttering like blooming irises.
The lady was in a good mood.
After completing a turn, the Lady of the Lake stopped, "You've done well, my champion. You defeated the Nagaou Great Demon and once again protected this kingdom."
"It's my duty, lady," Ryan dismissed modestly, "Fighting chaos is everyone's duty."
"Indeed, I did appear a bit late," the Lady of the Lake also smiled wryly, "As you know, my champion, I first used your power to unleash a flood attack on Musilon, then before I could recover, Nagaou attacked. I used all my power against Nagaou, so for the next few months, I could only recuperate in my divine realm."
"A fierce battle, unimaginable, even Nagaou, weakened by the Grail Knights and the Elector Count of the White Wolves, still cost us dearly," Ryan, initially following behind the Lady of the Lake, found himself arm-in-arm with her, walking beside the small pond.
All was tranquil, under the scattered moonlight, the holiday's noise had faded, leaving only calmness and a faint joy.
The pond reflected the crescent moon, and the clear water revealed swimming fish. The Lady of the Lake's divine power flowed through the valley, filling everything with vitality.
There was a silence between them, the Lady of the Lake, charming and picturesque, leaned on Ryan's arm, her fullness pressing against his arm, "What's the matter, my champion? Today is my birthday, why do you seem a bit dispirited?"
"It's nothing, I'm happy for your birthday as well…" Ryan shook his head, clearing his mind of distractions, suddenly smiling, "My lady, may I ask you a question?"
"Speak," the Lady of the Lake frowned slightly, her heavy scent intoxicating.
"I've heard that the wood elf lord Alaros the Brave, the hero who defeated 'Shadow Beast' Mogul, once saved an elf goddess in his youth, the goddess of dreams and luck, Lillith. Was that you, my lady?" Ryan asked with a half-smile, "It's said that because she was saved, Lillith granted Alaros various favors and made a pact?"
The Lady of the Lake's brows furrowed tighter, initially wanting to refute the rumor, but after a moment, she playfully asked, "Are you jealous?"
"Jealousy is natural, my lady," Ryan narrowed his eyes, the two stopped by the pond, the Lady of the Lake sitting on a swing, Ryan standing behind her, "As far as I know, I am your chosen champion, while Alaros is the chosen champion of the elf queen Aleriel."
Sitting on the swing, the Lady of the Lake felt Ryan's hands on her shoulders, her dress lightly sweeping the ground, she seemed contemplative, "Yes, I was indeed saved by Alaros at that time."
After recalling some unpleasant memories, she pulled Ryan's hand closer, and with a wave of her finger, a wooden chair appeared beside the swing, "My champion, sit down and let's talk."
Ryan sat down, the valley shrouded in mist, all so quiet, under the moonlight, the Lady of the Lake displayed her beauty fully, "It was hundreds of years ago... I descended into the Aisoloran Forest on a whim."
"That was indeed a risky move," Ryan understood.
"Yes, my descent was quickly noticed by the lecherous demon, who sent a great demon to attack me. As you know, my champion, I'm no match for you in close combat, and the lecherous demon's attack soon put me in peril," the Lady of the Lake recalled, her face filled with reminiscence, "At that moment, the young Alaros passed by, forgetting the danger, he drove away the lecherous demon with my help."
"...At that time, I realized Alaros had the bloodline of a deity, he had the potential to become a god, which could be beneficial to my plans for the future. So, I shared my plan with him, a new world, filled with dawn and hope. I hoped he could, with my support, become the creator and build this new world," the Lady of the Lake hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Ryan the truth, "This has always been my plan, a new world."
"Because of Chaos's re-invasion?" Ryan immediately connected the dots, softly saying, "My lady, you understand."
"Yes, I understand. When the eternal elect marches southward again, mortals might not be able to withstand Chaos's assault. So, I attempted to create a new world to ensure we have somewhere to go after this world is destroyed," the Lady of the Lake revealed her plan to Ryan, "You will support me, right? My champion?"
"If you really intend to do that, then all I can say is, my lady, I am disappointed in you," to the Lady of the Lake's surprise, Ryan let go of her hand and stepped back with a cold laugh.
"No! My champion! Listen to me!" The Lady of the Lake anxiously grabbed Ryan's arm, her voice impatient, "Let me finish talking about Alaros first."
"Alright." Ryan's arm was firmly grasped by the Lady of the Lake, and he was also interested in Alaros's story.
"I gave Alaros three gifts. First, I shared with him my prophecy that he would become a hero of the wood elves, which he did. Second, I adopted his daughter as my own to assist in my plan. Third, my plan was for Alaros to become the new Phoenix Lord—Asuryan—when the new world is established," the Lady of the Lake continued, a tinge of regret in her voice, "But he refused. Even though I didn't tell him the third gift directly, he refused my request to build a new world together."
"Because, my lady, your new world cannot exist independently of this one," Ryan said coldly, his patience waning, "It's like a castle, my lady. You built a room inside a castle, yes, it's yours because you built it. But when the castle falls, will your room remain unscathed?"
"It can! I have a way..." "No, you don't."
Ryan's definitive answer stunned the Lady of the Lake. Suddenly, with a trembling voice, she asked, "You... you know?"
"Yes, I know." Ryan spread his hands, shaking his head, "My existence proves everything. What I'm telling you is, your plan will not succeed."
The divine beauty of the Lady of the Lake twitched slightly, she sighed deeply, "I understand, I understand all. My champion, your presence proves everything. Perhaps, even if we could leave here, what lies beyond this world may not be the peaceful haven we imagine."
"The correct answer." Ryan stepped back, his gaze flickering as he softly said, "My lady, those outside want in, and those inside want out. Outside is far more dangerous than inside."
"...When we're alone, call me Lillith, my champion," the Lady of the Lake stood up again, reaching out to embrace Ryan's arm, "Even so, I still believe that it's possible to build a radiant and brilliant new world. Because of your arrival, you are the best gift from the sub-space. If Alaros has the potential to become a god, then you are essentially no different from a god; you just haven't grown up yet."
Ryan remained silent as they walked along the pond. The cold air of autumn and the dampness brought by the mist invigorated them. The Lady of the Lake rested her head on Ryan's shoulder, "Today is my birthday, but I seem to have talked too much about things unrelated to it. Believe me, Ryan, I didn't mean to test you, but when my plan, which I've plotted for hundreds of years, proved to be futile, I couldn't help feeling a bit sad."
Ryan thought to himself, you also know, huh? And how many birthdays have you had, anyway?
"Ryan! You must be thinking something very rude right now!" The Lady of the Lake immediately sensed it, fiercely pinching Ryan's arm.
The goddess's attack wasn't just talk; Ryan felt his arm would definitely bruise, he grimaced and yelled, "Lady, please don't do that, or I'll have to fight back."
"Oh, just leaving a mark. How does that compare to what you did to Morgiana?" The Lady of the Lake, also known as the elf goddess of dreams and luck, Lillith, teased, "You think I don't know?"
Ryan felt awkward, knowing he couldn't hide anything from the Lady of the Lake, but still felt uncomfortable being called out. He tried to explain, "I was fighting the curse of the undead."
"Right, you were protecting Morgiana, but you also did things to her... never mind, I allowed it. Come with me, Ryan."
The two entered the tower of the Lady of the Lake. The white and gold carpet completely covered the floor, and furnishings and furniture from the Lady of the Lake's divine realm decorated the interior. The Lady of the Lake preferred simple and elegant decorations, exuding a fresh air.
In the dining room, the high elf style of white, blue, and gold lines, along with the circular decoration style, was an eye-opener for Ryan, presenting a perfect sense of harmony and smoothness. Magic lamps illuminated the interior, and pastries were laid out on the table. The Lady of the Lake gestured for Ryan to sit opposite her, "Try the pastries I made myself. It's my birthday, so don't be so formal."
After tasting a few pastries, Ryan was not in the mood for jokes. The information he received from meeting the Lady of the Lake today was quite significant. He swallowed quickly and moved on to the next topic, "My lady, there's been movement among the vampires of Musillon. We've detected many of the vampires' schemes, and the Archbishop of the Goddess of Mercy has also disappeared."
The Lady of the Lake adjusted her skirt and casually took off her sandals, floating barefoot in the air, "I'm aware of this. The Lord of the Dead, Nagash, has always been plotting his resurrection. This matter is related to him, but I'm not clear on the specifics. Morgiana has informed me, and I'm still pondering the causes and effects. Since a new world is no longer possible, my attitude towards Nagash must change."
"Lady, what was your original plan for Nagash?" Ryan asked curiously.
"My original plan was... to let Nagash resurrect!" The Lady of the Lake said lightly, "And, I said, when we're alone, call me Lillith!"
"Why?!"
"Because..."
The Lady of the Lake had always had a plan to create a new world. If the current world couldn't withstand Chaos's invasion, she intended to take the new world and flee. But as it turns out... when the building collapses, can a newly built studio apartment inside it remain unscathed?
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