“Forget it...” Liana endured the pain in her mouth. “Should we go first? It’s not good to stay here for too long.”

“Okay,” Mephilia nodded.

But at that moment, Minoga suddenly spoke up. “That elf is someone you both know. It’s Princess Sephirena.”

“Sephirena...” After hearing this name, Liana no longer wanted to leave. “Why don’t we wait for her here?”

“It’s up to you. Doesn’t your tongue hurt?” Mephilia asked.

“It’s fine. It’s still tolerable.” Liana discovered that during this period, she was always sustaining some strange injuries. Was this to train her endurance?

“Is that so? If you’re really uncomfortable, let’s go back first, okay? Don’t force yourself to endure it.” Mephilia knew very well that when she was startled just now, she might have bitten down a little too hard.

Besides, there was an extra taste just now that wasn’t usually there, a slightly sweet and metallic taste.

“It’s alright.” Liana shook her head. “Minoga, just help us hide our presence for now.”

“Okay,” Minoga nodded.

Even if elves were very sensitive to mana, the gap in power would still make it difficult for the other party to notice them.

Soon, a white figure walked over. Because of Minoga, and also because they were in the Elf Forest, Sephirena wasn’t overthinking things, so she didn’t notice the two people sitting on the other side of the stream.

Sephirena had changed a lot from how she looked before. No, it would be better to say she looked somewhat similar to her old self, very much like how she was dressed on full moon.

She wore a pure white one-piece dress, its cuffs and hem embroidered with flowers. She was barefoot, with a crown of flowers on her head.

It seemed this was her attire in the Elf Forest. It was very pretty, but Liana felt that this outfit didn’t quite suit Sephirena.

After all, her original personality was the more mischievous type. It was only after experiencing her sister Tarashil’s death that she had changed somewhat. But had she really changed? Not necessarily.

It wasn’t that Liana was speculating about Sephirena’s inner thoughts; it was mainly that what Sephirena was doing right now was not something a mature and steady person would do.

She came to the edge of the stream, bent down, and completely submerged her face in the water.

She blew bubbles in the water.

After about a minute, she finally lifted her head out of the water, and then... saw Liana and Mephilia.

“Hello there,” Liana took the initiative to greet Sephirena.

Liana could clearly see Sephirena freeze on the spot, her snow-white skin turning red at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“He... hello.” Although Sephirena’s expression was a bit awkward, she still greeted Liana.

As long as I act like nothing happened, then Her Highness Liana didn’t see anything.

Sephirena’s peripheral vision caught sight of Minoga standing behind Her Highness Liana, and only then did she understand why she couldn’t sense her presence.

“Come over and chat?” Liana waved her hand.

“Okay.” Sephirena stepped onto the surface of the water and came before Liana.

“How should I address you now? Jacaranda?” Sephirena asked. After all, she knew very well that Liana was currently disguised as an elf and could not be exposed in front of others.

“That’s not necessary right now. Just call me Liana. After all, Minoga is watching. She won’t let anyone get close easily,” Liana said.

“I understand, Your Highness Liana,” Sephirena nodded.

However, Sephirena felt a distinct hostility. This familiar hostility also made her feel much more at ease.

Because when she was by Her Highness Liana’s side before, she had already felt this kind of hostility many times.

It originated from Princess Mephilia.

Princess Mephilia was currently linking her arm with Liana’s, sandwiching Liana’s hand within her own full chest, as if declaring her sovereignty.

Sephirena didn’t mind much. In any case, she didn’t think she had those kinds of feelings for Her Highness Liana, at least not at the moment.

However, one thing was undeniable: Sephirena did currently have a favorable impression of Her Highness Liana. She was the first human she felt she could get along with properly.

After all, she had never met Liana’s mother back then; otherwise, she might have been the second.

“How do you feel after returning to the Elf Forest?” Liana asked. “Is there anything you’re not used to?”

“Your Highness Liana really likes to worry about people.” Sephirena sat down next to Liana. “The Elf Forest is my home, but it’s true that when I first came back, I was a little unused to it.”

Sephirena also put her feet into the stream, feeling the coolness of the current.

“Did Princess Avira say anything?”

Sephirena was silent for a while, then smiled with happiness. “Sister Avira took me to see Sister Tarashil.”

“...” Well, now there’s nothing to talk about.

With Sephirena saying that, Liana didn’t know how to continue the conversation.

But Sephirena didn’t stop; she told Liana what happened that day.

Sephirena arrived before the barrier.

The guards didn’t stop her. After all, the other party was also a member of the elf race. Moreover, if she had been exiled, she would not have been able to set foot in this place.

Sephirena walked into the Elf Forest, a hundred emotions welling up at once.

She had been away from the Elf Forest for over ten years. To an elf, this wasn’t a very long time, merely the blink of an eye.

It was quite normal for an elf to be away from the Elf Forest for several decades.

It was just that Sephirena was a bit special. She didn’t know what kind of emotions to bring back to the land that had birthed her.

She walked through the forest. The Elf Forest hadn’t changed much, yet Sephirena felt that many, many things had.

Sephirena knew very well what her goal was in returning this time.

She headed toward the interior of the Elf Forest, but was stopped by a guard.

“Halt. Ahead is the Holy Land. For now, besides the high elves, no other elves are permitted to enter,” the elf guard said.

“The Holy Land?” Sephirena raised her head and looked at the Tree of Life in the distance.

Its branches and leaves had already withered by more than half, and many black cracks had appeared on the tree. It was the corrosion of the demon race.

Sephirena raised her hand.

“Illusion magic, Eternal Forest.”

The guard fell into Sephirena’s illusion. She saw Mother Tree of Life in full, healthy bloom.

“Now, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) may I enter?” Sephirena asked.

“...My apologies.” The guard took several steps back, her heart pounding. And just now, from the illusion magic, she could clearly feel the aura of the Mother Tree of Life.

This meant that the elf before her was one chosen by Mother Tree of Life, or perhaps even one who had been granted a blessing.

In the Elf Forest, the status of such an elf was second only to the Elf Queen.

Although the guard did not recognize Sephirena before her, she knew very well that she had no right to stop her.

Sephirena took a step forward and arrived before the Tree of Life.

She looked at the Tree of Life’s current state and felt her heart ache.

It was much worse than when she had left.

Sephirena knelt before the Tree of Life. “Mother, I’m back.”

The Tree of Life heard Sephirena’s voice and extended a branch, gently stroking her head.

“Wh-what?”

“Mother Tree of Life... she moved?”

“Mother Tree of Life hasn’t moved for over ten years, has she...”

“Who is she?”

This thought spread among the elves.

And Avira arrived at the first possible moment.

“You are?” Avira could feel a familiar aura from Sephirena, but she wasn’t entirely certain.

“...” Sephirena’s blood-red eyes stared intently at Avira.

She had seen Avira from a distance once before, back at the Venus Manor.

And now, for the first time in decades, Sephirena was this close to Avira.

Sister Avira looked more mature and steady than before, but also a bit more tired.

When Avira saw those blood-red eyes, she froze on the spot.

They’re so similar.

Only, this time, the gaze was not filled with hatred like before, but more with... nostalgia?

“I’m back...” Sephirena opened her mouth. Although she didn’t voice the last few words, Avira could still tell what she was saying from the shape of her mouth.

... Sister Avira.

Avira stood frozen, understanding everything in an instant.

But she didn’t rush to say anything to Sephirena. Instead, she calmed the emotions of the elves on the scene. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

And she whispered to Sephirena, “Go and wait for me under that cherry blossom tree.”

“...” Sephirena’s lips trembled slightly. She knew very well which cherry blossom tree Sister Avira was talking about.

She nodded and turned to leave.

Soon, Sephirena arrived before that familiar cherry blossom tree.

She stood before a tombstone.

“Sister Tarashil, I’m back.”

Sephirena looked at the tombstone before her, many memories flashing through her mind.

Finally, Sephirena smiled faintly.

Memories are beautiful. When seeing them, one should smile.

It’s just that the smile would be a bit stiff and bitter...

Sephirena also saw that there was a fresh flower in front of Sister Tarashil’s grave. As an elf, she could naturally sense that this flower had been picked just this morning. The surroundings had also been carefully tended to, and the tombstone was so clean you couldn’t see a speck of dust.

“Sephirena, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting long?” Avira quickly rushed over.