Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos.

"Explain our general situation."

"Understood."

The place where the two voices spoke was a decorated hall with luxurious wooden furniture. Unlike other places, the furniture was perfectly crafted and clearly built from dead wood. 

The general ambiance in the room was one of opulence and elegance.

"We have lost the eastern hideout to the <Azurebell Heather Sect>. An ambush coupled with a high-level Sylvan razed the place to the ground. Almost none of our people escaped. Those who did are non-important."

There were nine people listening, divided into groups of three based on their clothing. 

The one who asked for the explanation, a middle-aged man, asked again. "Such a sudden move. Any idea why?"

The man doing the report shook his head. "We have no idea why they suddenly became so active. However, we managed to uncover the identity of the Sylvan." 

The nine people looked over with curiosity, and the man said. "It was Verena Liferoot."

The nine people got silent, looking at the messenger with puzzled looks. "Why did she move? We didn't really touch any of her bottom lines, right?"

The messenger shook his head. "We don't know why she moved."

A woman between the six commented. "Well, with the help of that woman, no wonder the place got razed to the ground. Any other news?" 

The messenger paused and looked at the reports he had carried with her. 

"Is there anything wrong?"

The messenger nodded, confused. "There was this report from a minor branch. I was going to dismiss it, but the situation feels strange. Would your excellencies like to hear it? Or do I move on?"

One of them, who had been silent so far, spoke, his voice low and gruff. "Move on. Small branches should defend themselves or be cut." 

The first man who spoke previously sighed. "Can you just stay silent all the time? Every time you open your mouth you spout nonsensical drivel." 

The man snorted, but he didn't retort. "Anyways, since you have it, we lose nothing by listening to it. Go ahead." 

The messenger nodded. "There was a group of two Level 9s and a Level 10 that died, or, at least, went missing in the Golden Sap Forest."

Another woman who had been looking at the sky out of boredom turned her head with a confused face. "Golden Sap Forest? Where is that? Also, a mere Level 9 and 10? Why in the withered hell does that matter?" 

Another of the nine spoke. "That place is a below Level 10 area. Only chiefs have Level 10 strength, but from what I heard, those creatures are F rank, F+ Rank at most."

The confusion in the woman's face cleared, and her eyebrow went up. "Oh? One of our Level 10s died in a place like that? That's certainly not normal."

The messenger looked at the information about the humans that died and said, "They were relatively weak. Regardless, do we do anything about this?"

"It still is not something of great importance." The leading man started. "Just send a group of First Energy Cycle hunters to investigate what's going on. If something happens to them as well, then we can start worrying." 

The messenger wrote something on a piece of paper and threw it upward. The paper folded itself and became a shadow, vanishing as if mixed into the ground. 

"Continue the report." 

Meanwhile, in Fortuna City, Verdantia and Cinderielle entered the Explorer Association and walked toward the counter where they could get missions. The receptionist was a human man with a sunny look. He looked at the next ones approaching and had to look up as the two stunning and tall women stopped in front of him. He smiled professionally and spoke. "Hello, what might I help you with?" 

Cinderielle asked. "Are there any requests to do around the Golden Sap Forest?" 

The man smiled. "Wait for a moment, miss." He turned around and left to search. 

Verdantia looked at Cinderielle with a deadpan and whispered. "Can't you be a little less direct, Cinderielle?"

Cinderielle blinked twice, not understanding. "What's wrong with my wording?"

Verdantia sighed. "What if there is someone who doubts us and is following us? Would you like to give them free information?"

Cinderielle shrugged. "Would there be someone like that?"

A voice interrupted their conversation from the side. "Miss, I couldn't help but hear about your interest in the Golden Sap Forest. Do you want to have a chat?"

Verdantia maintained a neutral expression, but her current desire to cross her staff with Cinderielle's face was strong enough to make her hands twitch. 

Meanwhile, Cinderielle, who also kept a cool expression, was apologizing to Verdantia and Liu Shu several times in her head. Still, she tried to salvage the situation. "Hm, I can feel that sir is quite strong. Is there any request you would like to offer us?"

The man's smile didn't change, and he asked. "Oh? You can tell that I'm strong?" 

Cinderielle smiled back. "I'm a Sylvan, sir. Our senses are a bit sharper than those of humans. I can tell at a glance that you are not weak." 

The man laughed. "Right, right. Sylvans are blessed beings." 

Verdantia's eyes sharpened for a fraction of a second, but they returned to normal quickly enough for anyone to notice. 'Not many people speak like that about Sylvans. Something is wrong with this person.'

Cinderielle didn't notice and continued. "So, sir. Do you want anything?"

The man nodded. "I've come from afar to visit the Golden Sap Forest. However, going there without checking in here for some missions felt like a waste. Then, I heard you speak, so I approached." 

He shrugged at the end with a smile, and Cinderielle answered. "I see. Well, sir. We are from the academy nearby, and we are quite new to doing missions. So, we can't say much about the place other than what you can find in the guides over there."

Pointing at the side, there was a stand that sold guides and general knowledge about nearby places Explorers went to. 

The man nodded. "I see. Thank you." Then, he walked away.

Just as he left, the sunny receptionist arrived and asked. "Are there any problems, Explorers?"

Cinderielle shook her head. "None at all. Anyways, can you show us the requests available?"

"Of course! Here they are. Please check them on the side, and when you choose, go to the counter on the right." 

Cinderielle picked up the copies of the requests and went to one of the free tables at the side. A Sylvan waitress came with a broad smile and asked. "Will you eat or drink anything, beautiful ladies?"

Cinderielle looked at Verdantia, who shook her head. Therefore, she said. "We are good, thank you."

The waitress nodded and left. 

Verdantia commented after checking her surroundings. "That man was suspicious."

Cinderielle blinked, confused. "How was he suspicious?" 

Verdantia explained. "Not many people openly express our natural advantages as 'Being blessed.' Only religious groups think as such." 

Cinderielle pondered. "And what's wrong with that?"

Verdantia looked at Cinderielle in an exasperated manner. "In this world, there are two groups that follow religion. The first is the <Verdant Sanctity Covenant>, and the other is the <Abyssal Void Nexus>." Verdantia saw Cinderielle's expression remain semi-confused and asked, incredulous. "Don't tell me you don't know about these two names?" 

Cinderielle coughed. "Is there anything wrong with not knowing? Not everyone knows about everything." 

Verdantia tapped the table and said, holding back her anger. "That would be the truth if the two names I've spoken about weren't the TOP 2 WORLD RELIGIONS." Verdantia took in a deep breath when looks were directed her way and continued. "It's like not knowing that there are Sylvans and Humans! While we are in the <Azure Rose Confederation> territory, their influence around here is not small!" 

Cinderielle scratched her cheek. "Well, sorry. I'm a rural girl, okay? I moved to Fortuna City around 2 or 3 years ago, so I'm quite clueless about the general power dynamics. I just know some local powers like <Azurebell Heather Sect>, <Whispering Willow Sect>, or <Reverent Timber Wardens>."

Verdantia raised her hand. "That one! The last one you said!" 

Cinderielle blinked and asked. "<Reverent Timber Wardens>? What's wrong?"

Verdantia commented. "That power, the <Reverent Timber Wardens>, are a subgroup of the <Verdant Sanctity Covenant>. Or, well, they are a group that follows the Covenant's beliefs. Usually, even in the territories of the major groups, smaller powers of the other major groups are not prohibited. Well, all but the <Abyssal Void Nexus>, who is basically at war with the rest of the world."

Cinderielle exclaimed. "Oh! So the <Abyssal Void Nexus> is the bad guy!" 

Verdanita looked at Cinderielle as if she were a subspecies of Sylvans lacking intelligence. Her gaze was so depreciating that Cinderielle felt her face heating up with shame. "W-What, am I wrong?"

Feeling that she needed to give this woman a bit of proper education, Verdantia lamented in her head. 'Is she really my rival in getting Liu Shu's affection? Why is a genius Fire Aether Sylvan so ignorant? Do they not teach anything in rural areas? I need to keep this in mind when Liu Shu's dominion extends throughout the world.'

Verdantia sighed and commented. "Anyways, that man, the one we saw, called us, Sylvans, blessed." Cinderielle nodded and motioned for her to continue. "The way he spoke might appear praising, but in truth, it is a way of looking down on Sylvans. Something like 'Sylvans are strong only because they are blessed.' This kind of thinking is predominant in the <Abyssal Void Nexus>, as they are a group with a majority of their members being human and less than 0.01% being Sylvans."

Cinderielle blinked. "They say we are blessed but… Blessed by who?"

Verdantia looked at the orange-eyed woman for a few seconds, and Cinderielle fidgeted in her seat. "W-What's wrong?"

Verdantia asked, or well, it was more like a statement. "You don't know who they worship in their religions, do you?"

Cinderielle laughed. "Hehehe. Nop."

Verdantia sighed and rubbed her forehead. "We'll delay our visit to the forest for three days."

Cinderielle's eyes widened. "Why!? I wanted to see Liu Shu and-!" 

Verdantia's face, cold as the moon, cut off her words. "I'm going to make you learn as if you were Liu Shu and force you to swallow books!" 

Cinderielle felt that Verdantia was not joking and stuttered. "I-I don't have a skill for that."

Verdantia's lips arched quite diabolically. "Let's awaken it, then." 

Cinderielle felt that becoming friends with this woman was as much of a blessing as it was a curse. 'Who would've thought that below the usually elegant, calm, and gentle woman, there was a cold-faced demon!?' 

Verdantia grabbed Cinderielle by the collar and dragged her out while using a few roots to place the copies of the missions on the counter. "We are returning these. We won't take any missions for now, thank you." 

The receptionist saw Cinderelle's lamenting face and Verdantia's cold face and decided that interrupting or asking about what was happening was unnecessary. "Sure. I hope to see you soon."

Verdantia spat. "That will depend on how fast she can swallow books!"

The receptionist's head was filled with question marks, but he didn't dare retort. 

Meanwhile, Cinderielle was lamenting in her head. 'I want a refund! A refund of my friendship!'