Black Rose had not replied to a single message, which left Ambrose somewhat worried.

Unfortunately, he had no way of flying straight into the Umbral Depths to check on her. All he could do was mention her lack of activity in the group chat and ask Alabastra to check in on her.

But Alabastra claimed to be too busy to do so at present.

Busy? What could a bone dragon possibly be busy with? Surely she wasn't childbearing?

With no other options, Ambrose could only wait patiently for Black Rose's reply, hoping she wouldn't get overly emotional when she met her ancient forebear.

Originally, Ambrose had planned to keep Arthur Lyon operational and squeeze a few more gold coins out of Heki Stone. Unfortunately, the heroic spirit was far too weak and had to return to the hourglass to sleep once more.

Reluctantly, Ambrose had to give up on exploiting him for the moment and instead turned his thoughts to what lay ahead.

It would take at most one further day of sailing to reach the western coast of the Emerald Dreamwood. After that, it would be time to formally negotiate with the druids.

If the Ragetide Kingdom hadn't insisted on dispatching an entire fleet to escort him, Ambrose would have contacted Catherine and Naomi the moment he landed and run off with them.

With the divine artifact in hand, there was no point in lingering further.

But Ariel had followed him here. That meant Ambrose couldn't go back to his true identity. If he did, the contract between the Silent Sea Pirates and the Ragetide Kingdom would be void, and his annual income of several million gold would vanish just like that.

More importantly, once he was exposed, the Ragetide Kingdom would pursue him relentlessly. Ariel might even try to kill him on the spot.

So he had to find a way to stage Monge Greywater's demise in the Emerald Dreamwood.

The Ragetide Kingdom needed to accept Monge Greywater's death—or disappearance—without blaming it on the undead.

That would be difficult. The druids would never cooperate in a staged performance, and it would be extraordinarily difficult to frame someone while a group of spellcasters deeply attuned to nature were present. The druids would easily spot inconsistencies in a fabricated crime scene or corpse.

"This is troublesome. How can I make Monge Greywater die gloriously—and convincingly?"

Ambrose shut himself inside his cabin and pondered this question deeply, but even by the time the ship docked, he had yet to find a perfect solution.

Left with no choice, he resumed Monge Greywater's appearance and stepped onto the deck.

Ariel stood beside him and asked with concern, "How are you feeling? Has your strength returned?"

Ambrose nodded. "Thank you for your concern. I've mostly recovered."

Ariel asked again, "So what do we do now? Our relationship with the druids isn't exactly good, and we don't even have a means of contacting them. Do we just send someone into the forest with a message?"

The visit had been Ambrose's proposal, so the arrangements naturally fell to him.

Ariel had recently gained some self-awareness. She knew her intellect didn't match his, so she had decided it was best to listen to his plans.

"The Emerald Dreamwood has activated its Dreamveil Barrier. Any outsider who enters will fall into deep sleep. But don't worry: while physical bodies can't enter, sound can." Ambrose glanced upward. "Activate the ship's magic array. Let's give the druids a small taste of thunder."

At his command, the massive warship of the Ragetide Kingdom began to gather magical energy. Violent lightning coalesced above the vessel.

After a long buildup, thunder roared explosively, loud enough to carry across hundreds of kilometers.

Druids were extremely sensitive to changes in nature. With such a commotion, someone would soon come to investigate. Then they could formally request an audience.

Ariel stared at the lightning overhead and couldn't help but wonder, if she had been the envoy for this excursion, would she have thought of such a method? Probably not. She would have sent a messenger into the forest first, and only after the messenger vanished would she have tried something else. That was the normal approach for a Stormborn.

Monge Greywater had once been her equal. How had he suddenly become so clever in just a few days? He couldn't have been feigning ignorance for decades... could he?

Could she become smarter too?

After thinking for a moment, Ariel asked, "Have you been reading anything recently?"

Ambrose answered casually, "I've been studying the unofficial histories of the Lyon Empire."

He wasn't lying. The things he'd learned from Arthur Lyon were wilder than in any apocryphal tale.

"Oh... I see."

Ariel resolved to get herself some unofficial histories as well. Maybe she'd grow smarter too.

The thunder continued for nearly half the night, consuming most of the ship's arcane reserves. Finally, a group of giant eagles flew out from the forest and landed on the shore before the ship.

Upon landing, the eagles transformed into human form: druids clad in green leather armor, their faces painted with ritual markings.

Ambrose observed them briefly and concluded that they were from the Circle of the Moon.

Druids were divided into several circles according to their philosophies of nature—the Circle of the Moon, the Circle of the Land, the Circle of Shadows, and so on. Each specialized in different disciplines.

The Circle of the Moon excelled at shapeshifting. They possessed a wider array of beast forms, and their transformations were more powerful than those of other circles.

There were eight druids in total. An elderly man, perhaps in his fifties or sixties, stepped forward and warned, "Stormborn, return to your seas. The Emerald Dreamwood does not welcome the thunder of destruction."

As he spoke, emerald light shimmered around the other druids. They were clearly ready for battle.

The Ragetide Kingdom worshiped the Lord of Storms and revered destruction. The Emerald Dreamwood worshiped the Oakfather and stood firmly with nature. They were not mortal enemies, but the doctrinal conflict was unmistakable.

Thus, at the sight of the Ragetide banner, the druids' first instinct was to assume an invasion.

Ariel tightened her grip on her warhammer, lightning crackling around her body.

Ambrose patted her shoulder. "Relax. If they haven't attacked immediately, that means they're willing to talk. Getting agitated will only escalate things."

Ariel quickly restrained her lightning. She was already used to following Ambrose's commands.

Ambrose leapt down from the ship and approached the druids slowly, speaking as he walked, "The Oakfather once said that all things exist within a cycle, a delicate and beautiful balance. Even destructive thunder once brought primordial life to barren seas. Thunder, too, is part of nature. Wouldn't you agree, Elder?"

The old druid sneered. "You, a Stormborn, know the teachings of the Oakfather rather well. Aren't you afraid your god will punish you?"

Ambrose smiled. "The greatness of the Lord of Storms is beyond mortal imagination, and His wisdom deeper than the sea. Whether it be punishment or reward is not for me to worry about."

"Stormborn, state your purpose here. I will grant you one chance to explain yourself."

Though his expression remained stern, the elder's tone had softened.

The best way to build rapport with devout believers was to discuss doctrine. Quote their teachings appropriately, and you would usually earn their respect.

Having lived for centuries, though he might not know every scripture by heart, Ambrose could discuss the beliefs of every god and pantheon convincingly.

The tactic was effective. The druids' hostility went from open enmity to wary caution.

"I am Monge Greywater, Fleet Commander of the Ragetide Kingdom," Ambrose said calmly. "May I have your name, Elder?"

"I am Sares."

The name Monge Greywater was faintly familiar to Sares. His title of fleet commander was likely genuine.

"Elder Sares, I am here today as a representative of the Ragetide Kingdom to visit the Emerald Dreamwood. I understand you have raised the Dreamveil Barrier, so I had no choice but to deliver my message in a more... attention-grabbing manner. Rest assured, not a single tree was harmed."

"A visit?" Sares looked bewildered. Relations between their lands were poor. Why would the Ragetide Kingdom visit?

Ambrose continued, "Elder Sares, the Dreamveil Barrier was raised because of Lyon's rapid expansion, was it not? You know that the Ragetide Kingdom and Lyon are sworn enemies. The entire continent is in turmoil, and no one can afford to remain isolated anymore.

"A forest requires countless trees to form. A nation is much the same. My visit represents a desire to ease tensions between our lands. At the very least, should war break out, we may exercise restraint toward one another. If deeper cooperation is possible, that would be even better."

Sares found some logic in what Monge Greywater was saying, but still struggled to believe him.

The Ragetide Kingdom, seeking cooperation? That was hardly typical behavior for the Stormborn.

But such a decision was beyond that which a tribal elder could make on his own. He would have to report to the Oak Council so that the elder druids could make a pronouncement one way or another.

"I will report the matter at once," Sares promised.

The druids came swiftly and left just as swiftly. They transformed into giant eagles and vanished into the forest.

It was an enviable ability. Druidic shapeshifting could adapt to nearly any environment, and the transformed body was independent of the original. Even if a druid were hacked to pieces in bear form, it would merely break the transformation. Upon reverting back, the druid would be unharmed.

That was why druids were formidable spellcasters. Their natural magic could not be underestimated.

Perhaps due to the authority of Monge Greywater's title, Ambrose did not have to wait long. Elder Sares soon returned with good news.

He handed several vine-woven bracelets to Ambrose. "The elder druids invite you into the Emerald Dreamwood. You may bring a few attendants. Wear these bracelets, and you will not be affected by the Dreamveil Barrier. However, the natural power within them will also interfere with your magic. If you cast a spell without permission, the bracelet will shatter."

This was the forest's safeguard. These bracelets granted entry but effectively sealed spellcasting ability.

All forms of magical power were restricted; even a paladin would be unable to unleash a Sacred Slash. And if the bracelet were to shatter, its wielder would immediately fall asleep, rendered helpless in the most disadvantageous environment imaginable.

Without hesitation, Ambrose put on the bracelet. At once, he felt a hazy layer of natural energy envelop his body. Ordinary movements did not disturb it, but the moment he tried to channel magic, the energy would burst like a soap bubble.

Seeing Ambrose don the bracelet so readily, Sares' attitude improved further. At least Ambrose seemed sincere enough.

Led by Sares, Ambrose and Ariel entered the forest with a handful of attendants.

Yet as soon as they crossed the barrier, Ambrose felt something strange.

This should have been a forest brimming with natural power. Instead, there was a faint, unsettling scent, an aura of evil decay, dark and corrupt.

It was extremely subtle. If Ambrose were not particularly sensitive to such energy, he might not have noticed it at all.

Ambrose thought grimly, "Damn it. Catherine's cursed intuition was right again. Why is there trouble everywhere we go?"