Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 1006 - 121 The Location of the Royal Palace

Chapter 1006: Chapter 121 The Location of the Royal Palace

Surrounded by fairies, the group drew ever closer to the World Tree. The aerial roots became increasingly dense around them, with one encountered every few meters—just a single colossal tree had created an environment akin to an entire forest. Situated within the Lost Forest and during the summer, one would expect a stifling heat, but under the World Tree, it was refreshingly cool and pleasant, making one reluctant to leave its shade. The girls then understood why so many gathered on this meadow—it was solely for the pleasant night-time coolness.

Leading a pair of small Undead by the hand, the girls walked in the middle of the group. They noticed as they passed by the fairies that the creatures quickly evaded the space around the two Undead and equally steered clear of Pannis. However, the fairies were exceedingly affectionate towards Lina, who was brimming with life; some even landed directly on her shoulder, chirping incessantly against her neck, in a display of sheer joy. But as the group passed a certain point, the girls saw no more aerial roots ahead of them. The fairies, too, left Lina’s side with evident reluctance, flying back into the leaves. All the girls could see was a gargantuan tree trunk before them, so wide that its edges were nearly out of sight, resembling a massive wall of wood.

The bark of the World Tree was a dark brown, with marks of variated colors left over time, exuding an ancient aura. Its rough surface was not hard to the touch, but rather had a subtle elasticity. Yet, when one tapped it lightly with the fingertips, it resounded with a clang akin to striking metal, prompting one to marvel at the material of the tree.

When they arrived at the base of the trunk, the King’s Court officials that followed the group took leave after brief salutations, each going their own way except for a few who knew the demigod present and stayed behind. The evening banquet was a private affair hosted by Elf Queen Flare, meant for close and intimate friendships. Thus, these welcoming officials had only shown up to honor customary formalities of other races and add gravitas to the welcoming ceremony. Had this not been the purpose, they might not have appeared at all. To these Elves, accustomed to a carefree and liberated lifestyle, it was better to swiftly complete their official duties rather than squander time with the visiting delegation. Once they reached their destination, these people were eager to depart as if another minute would incur insufferable agony.

"Alright, now we are among familiar friends," Flare clapped her hands after the Elves left, drawing everyone’s attention toward herself, "This is the World Tree, the location of the Royal Palace, and also my home. Of course, it’s not just my home alone—the World Tree is divided into several dozens of layers, with thousands of rooms both inside and out. Rumor has it that if the World Tree were to reach its full extent, it could provide completely safe dwellings for nearly ten thousand Elves. So, this place may be regarded as the Elven Royal Court’s last fortress; even in the direst of times, it offers a glimmer of hope for our race’s survival."

"Is it really alright to tell us such things?" Catherine asked with a frown, "By rights, this should be a closely-held secret of your people. Aren’t you afraid that it might be leaked?"

"This is hardly a secret among us, and most of the friends here are aware of it," Fula chuckled and shook her head, "And even if it does get out, it’s not a concern, because we are not at all afraid of someone targeting our Royal Palace. You still do not comprehend the might of the World Tree—an almost indestructible entity. Simply put, unless the existence of Lord Yuktiraxil is fundamentally negated, as long as a single other plant exists in the Yarran World, the Goddess will not fall. As long as the Goddess remains, the World Tree will endure. Therefore, only by destroying all the world’s vegetation or if Lord Yarra personally returned to negate the existence of the Goddess in the Yarran World could the World Tree be affected. But clearly, Lord Yarra will not return, and if all vegetation is destroyed, other beings would also lose their means of survival. We have nothing to fear, and should you leak this information, we might even thank you—as you surely understand why."

"Well, there’s indeed reason to thank us," Catherine said with a wry smile, changing the subject, "Is this World Tree like the previous yvelin tree, with rooms inside the trunk? Such a tall tree—if hollow inside as well—it’s hard to imagine how it supports its own weight."

"Big sister, you shouldn’t ask such questions. Sacred Items related to Deities are not for mortals to discuss," Lina shook her head at Catherine, "Not because discussing them is blasphemous, but because many such matters are beyond our mortal comprehension. Even if we had the answers, they would be meaningless."

"Indeed, even I do not know the answer to that," Flare agreed, nodding, "But one thing I’m sure of is that despite the many rooms within, the World Tree retains ample vitality. Actually, the rooms inside the World Tree date back to the Third Epoch when the Goddess herself created them for us; she knew well the tree’s capacity. Thus, the current structure should not affect the World Tree."

"Rooms inside the World Tree?" Catherine mused, looking up at the canopy, "Since you’ve put it that way, it means the Royal Palace is not just within the tree. There must also be parts outside the trunk. True, even if we turned a five-hundred-meter trunk into rooms, it might not accommodate ten thousand residents or it would be terribly cramped. So, there must be some external structures. However, since the palace should be unified and we can’t see the outer buildings, does that mean they’re above us?"

"You won’t be able to see those buildings," Flare pointed upwards, "Above the first layer of the canopy, they are concealed by the lower branches and leaves—deliberately designed that way. From above, one can peer through the leaves to see below, but from the ground, all you see are branches and leaves."

"That’s a fascinating design," Pannis remarked, "The first time I came, I spent a long time studying this clever architecture. Unfortunately, it turns out such structures rely on a plant of the World Tree’s magnitude to work—meaning they were crafted specifically for the World Tree. It’s impossible not to admire the designers from generations ago who built and expanded the Elven Royal Palace."