Moonlight spilled across the floor in front of the window, bringing a touch of unusual tranquility to this office that had sat untouched for months.

At that moment, Loren, lazily stretching by the window, suddenly seemed to sense something...

He calmly turned his head, looked toward the direction of the office door, and tilted his head.

"Hmm?"

An unexpected visitor had arrived.

The office door was knocked on.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Three rhythmic knocks, quite soft.

From such polite knocking, it was clear that this was a very courteous visitor.

"Please come in."

Loren, standing by the window, spoke softly.

The office door was pushed open from the outside.

A mysterious woman in a green cloak, bathed in the moonlight behind her, stepped lightly into the office.

Once inside, she walked gracefully to Loren and stopped before him.

Then, after removing the green hood embroidered with a white garland from her head, she performed a unique salute.

A salute that instantly snapped the somewhat languid Loren to full alertness!

This late-night visitor raised her hands, crossed them over her chest, and bowed slightly to the tall figure by the window.

As she bowed, she spoke respectfully:

"Good evening, Grand Druid Loren."

"I am a Druid stationed on this planet to oversee the Environmental Protection Act—Rysso Pepeian."

"Please forgive me for this presumptuous late visit."

"May the power of nature walk with you..."

Loren stared at the female Druid bowing before him, a peculiar look flickering in his eyes.

He recognized the salute she had used...

It was a greeting ritual within the Nature Sect reserved for juniors paying respects to venerable seniors.

After identifying the salute, Loren felt a deeply complex sense of absurdity rise within him.

Even a fake like himself had finally made it to this point, huh? It hadn't been easy...

While inwardly mocking himself, Loren quickly returned a proper salute after she rose.

He placed his left hand over his chest, bent slightly at the waist toward this late-night visitor, and returned the greeting as a senior member of the sect.

"Good evening, Pepeian. May nature bless you."

"This is not an intrusion. As you can see, I haven't retired for the night."

"Clearly, this is an encounter born of nature, and perfectly timed..."

Loren adjusted his expression, mimicking the way Solon Linton had looked at him, and plastered onto his face the same "kindly" and "composed" demeanor befitting a sect elder.

Though it was a bit odd, considering Loren had just turned twenty-four and was trying to pull off that benevolent expression.

But the female Druid named "Rysso Pepeian," upon seeing Loren's "kindly" expression, unexpectedly felt the faint trace of tension in her eyes quietly dissipate.

The rumors weren't entirely accurate after all...

This God's Favored One from the Radicals, aside from his somewhat terrifying aura, was actually quite easy to get along with!!

What "bloodthirsty killer," what "vicious criminal"! All slander!!

It had to be malicious defamation by Loren's enemies!!

He was merely strict with those who harmed nature!

One look at that warm smile, and I could tell he was a highly respected senior!!

Combining Loren's kindly expression with her own direct impression, this exceptionally gifted young Druid seemed to suddenly piece together the logic behind all the rumors circulating about Loren in the Federation.

Letting out a relieved breath, the young Druid named "Rysso Pepeian" flashed Loren a sweet, innocent smile.

"Heehee, perfect~ I was afraid I might have disturbed your rest!"

"I originally planned to visit you tomorrow morning, but since the Moonlight Goddess's Divine Oracle was quite urgent..."

"That's why I came so late. I hope you can forgive my rashness..."

"After all, this is my first time receiving a Divine Oracle, so I couldn't help being a little excited!!"

Pepeian finished speaking.

Loren, who had been maintaining that "kindly" smile, felt the corners of his mouth stiffen slightly.

His eyes unconsciously narrowed.

"Pepeian, are you saying the Moonlight Goddess delivered a Divine Oracle? Related to me?"

Loren's heart suddenly sank.

Outwardly calm, he was already poised for action.

His Legendary ability—【Puppet of Fate】—had already been activated silently.

Countless golden and black threads descended from the void, hovering above Pepeian's head...

At the slightest sign of trouble, he would take her out instantly! And he had already silently prepared to flee to the Empire!

"Yes, that's right! Grand Druid Loren!"

"You wouldn't believe it—I was just sleeping in my forest cabin outside the city!"

"Suddenly, a cluster of moonlight descended from the night sky!"

"It landed straight in front of me and scared me half to death!!"

Pepeian recalled the first divine miracle she had just experienced, her words brimming with joy and surprise.

She was utterly unaware of the killing intent quietly flowing through the office...

"Oh? Is that so?"

"So, Pepeian, what was the content of the Divine Oracle?"

Loren's face remained "kindly," but his tone carried a chilling flatness that made one's hair stand on end.

"The content of the Divine Oracle was just one sentence, but the strange thing was, the Moonlight Goddess herself instructed me to deliver it to you in person..."

"She could have just sent the Divine Oracle directly to you... I don't get it~"

"Speaking of which, sending Divine Oracles to one's followers is a basic divine prerogative, right..." Pepeian's expression was naive and curious.

Loren silently clenched his fist and spoke softly:

"I understand your excitement, but you should first tell me the content of the Divine Oracle, rather than being curious about the exalted Moonlight Goddess, Pepeian."

The invisible golden and black threads in the void grew impatient, quietly creeping onto the young Druid's hair strands.

"Oh, oh! Look at me, getting so happy I forgot the important stuff!!"

Pepeian slapped her own head!

"The Moonlight Goddess's Divine Oracle is: 'The Nature Sect will stand behind you, Grand Druid Loren~'—that's all!"

As those words fell,

The golden and black threads that had been eagerly creeping onto the young Druid's hair vanished instantly.

Loren silently deactivated his Legendary ability.

But Pepeian kept talking.

"I don't get what that means either—doesn't our sect already protect every member?"

"Why go through the trouble of sending a Divine Oracle for this..."

"And making me deliver it so late at night, really..."

"Maybe there's some deeper meaning I don't know about. After all, gods always have complicated thoughts..."

"Grand Druid Loren, do you know what this Divine Oracle means?"

"Of course, if it involves some big secret, then don't tell me!" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"I'm just a little Druid who likes planting flowers and trees—better not get involved in this kind of covert affair that even the Moonlight Goddess has to hint about..."

Loren looked at the young Druid before him, who could only be described as "naively adorable," and smiled.

At that moment, the smile on his face genuinely took on an indescribable kindness.

He chuckled softly:

"Pepeian, nature always holds many secrets."

"You don't need to know every single one—that would be too tiring..."

"As a tender sapling, your task is to 'grow strong.'"

Upon hearing this, Rysso Pepeian nodded thoughtfully.

No wonder he was a Grand Druid renowned throughout the Federation—his words were so philosophical!!