Selene’s radiance settled over him, she said gently, “No need to be nervous, young man. I just want to learn about your life here.”

Her voice seemed to carry a calming power, and Lyle’s taut nerves relaxed a little.

He stole a glance up and saw that the silver-haired elf woman’s emerald eyes were clear and serene. She did not have the condescending scrutiny he had imagined from a noble, but rather the questioning manner of a gentle elder.

“What is your name? Where are you from?” Selene asked, her tone even.

“I... my name is Lyle, Master,” Lyle replied quietly. “We used to live in the slums under Gold Lionheart Fortress.”

“Why did you choose to come here?” Selene’s gaze swept over Lyle’s thick cotton clothes as she continued.

Lyle raised his head and glanced at Alders beside him, who smiled kindly and signaled him to relax.

He mustered courage, his voice growing a bit louder. “Because... because there’s a way to survive here. In the slums, winter is too cold. The wind cuts like knives, blowing through the gaps in the broken shacks, freezing you to the bone. Often there isn’t enough food. One piece of black bread has to be stretched over several days, and you always worry about sickness and all kinds of danger. It’s chaos there.”

“The Kingdom recruited us, gave us warm mushroom houses to live in, taught us to farm, so we can eat our fill. Every day there’s hot soup and bread.”

“My sister will even have the chance to go into the city to learn to read someday.”

When he spoke of his sister, his eyes brightened. That light chased away the winter chill, filled with genuine hope for the future, and he unconsciously straightened his somewhat thin chest.

Selene listened quietly, her gaze sweeping over Lyle’s frost-reddened but lively face.

This was completely different from the poor people she had seen in some human towns in her memory.

Cleaner, wearing thicker clothes, eyes brighter.

She asked further, “How do you get along with the Slimes here? Do they bully or discriminate against you?”

Lyle quickly shook his head, his tone turning urgent, as if afraid of being misunderstood. “No! Absolutely not! The Slime teachers are all very good, very patient.”

“They never look down on us just because we’re human. They work with us, eat with us, and they’re always fair when dividing things.”

He thought for a moment and, with a slightly embarrassed smile, added, “Well... sometimes they’re too affectionate. They like to rub against you to show friendliness. They’re a bit wet, but you get used to it. Also, the teachers are actually quite warm. Inside their bellies are heat-generating stones.”

A young sage nearby couldn’t help but let out a small laugh, and a faint smile flickered across Selene’s eyes as well.

Selene then asked about daily labor arrangements, how the harvest was distributed, and other such matters. Lyle answered as honestly as he could, though he didn’t know some of the specifics.

He talked a lot, even mentioning how everyone would gather at night in the warm mushroom houses to listen to literate companions read simple news from Floating Winterhold or to learn characters from Slime scholars—a cozy daily routine.

Watching Lyle’s eyes shine when he spoke of the future, Selene asked softly, “What do you think the Slime Majesty who rules here is like?”

Lyle froze for a moment, as if not expecting the question. Then a reverent expression appeared on his face. He drew a deep breath and said earnestly:

“Slime Majesty... it must be a very, very great, very, very kind ruler.”

“Although I haven’t seen it, everything we have now—safety, enough to eat, hope... all of it came from it. We worship it and revere it.”

Alders watched me for a few seconds, then nodded. “Thank it, Lyle. He cannot go back to continue working now.”

Lyle breathed a sigh of relief, bowed again, and happily trotted back to the fields, following this rocklike Slime and the farmer ahead of him.

The Slimes went to Alders’ side and loudly asked, “Master Quningqian, what do you think...?”

Alders looked at Lyle’s departing back and at the harmonious bustle in the fields, then hurriedly spoke: “A ruler who can make the lowest vagrants feel genuine gratitude and see hope for the future... regardless of my own form, such a ruler is worth living for.”

You could tell everything Lyle said came from his heart, and you could even see the faint faith light seeping from beneath me.

If, before coming to the Slime Kingdom, her ideal of a Sage’s Nation had mostly existed as theoretical discussion and distant longing, then here in this swamp she seemed to glimpse a possibility of realization.

The southern Lothlorien, the human kingdom she had observed for nearly a century, while more respectful of forests and balance than most human realms, ultimately differed from the ideals the Sages pursued.

Its power structures, social classes, and human-centric inertia remained obstacles too great to overcome.

She hoped that this Slime Majesty and this Slime Kingdom would not disappoint her.

She turned and looked toward the forest’s depths. “Alders, take me to see Viola. I think we truly need to have a proper conversation with this Slime Majesty.”

......

When Chen Yu received the message that the Sages’ delegation had arrived, he had already finished his inspection of Gold Lionheart Fortress and returned to the swamp the next afternoon.

The sun shone brightly, the snow melting throughout the forest. Out of respect for talent, he rode Little Ka down into the Dryad domain and chose Viola’s tree house for a formal meeting with the Sages’ visitors.

Although Selene had heard enough descriptions from Alders beforehand, when she saw a crowned Slime wearing a red cloak hop into the tree house, her emerald eyes still flashed with surprise.

This was the king of the Slime Kingdom?

Round, soft, and bouncy, like a pudding.

She quickly realized her rudeness. She rose, placed her right hand over her chest, and bowed slightly, performing an ancient elven courtesy. “Forest Sage Council, Great Sage Selene, pays respects to the revered Slime Majesty of the Kingdom. Thank you for seeing us.”

The five sages behind her followed with their own bows.

Chen Yu hopped to the center of the tree house, onto a soft moss carpet, while discreetly probing with his spiritual sense.

He was surprised to find that this elf woman gave him a feeling somewhat similar to the silver dragon Miss Olivia.

She must be at least a tier-12 archmage, approaching the edge of the Extraordinary.

He straightened his little chest as best he could, trying to make his gel body appear more upright and maintain the dignity expected of a king. “Miss Selene, and all honored guests from afar, welcome to the swamp, welcome to the Slime Kingdom. I hope the winter here has not been too uncomfortable for you.”

Weiola’s translucent spirit hovered on a branch nearby, propping her chin with one hand, watching the scene with interest and completely ignoring the Slime Majesty’s casual inclusion of her Dryad domain within the “Slime Kingdom” map.

She seemed less concerned with formal territory claims and more curious about what interesting changes these sages might bring and how Chen Yu would handle things.

The young sages accompanying Selene couldn’t help covering their mouths to stifle laughter when they saw Chen Yu trying so hard to look serious.

Selene tilted her head slightly and cast them a stern glance to correct their mildly rude behavior.

To her, a kingdom’s ruler lowering himself and coming personally to the Dryad domain to meet and negotiate already demonstrated the utmost respect and sincerity.

She had expected that they might have to go to Alders’ described City of Slime for formal audiences before they could begin dialogue with this Slime Majesty.

She did not expect him to value the meeting so much that he arranged the first formal negotiation in neutral Dryad territory.

Combined with the intelligence Alders had provided about the kingdom, before talks had even begun, Selene’s evaluation of the Slime Kingdom had already quietly risen.

She began to think this place might genuinely be a worthwhile partner for deeper cooperation.

Still, she remained somewhat skeptical about Alders’ grand descriptions of a levitating castle.

So after the brief greetings and expressions of goodwill, she directly made a request of the Slime Majesty before the formal cooperation details.

“Your sincerity and respect have been deeply felt. The Forest Sage Council cherishes true allies and will not be harsh to those who share our ideals.”

“Moreover, everything you and your kingdom have shown us convinces us that in the future the Slime Kingdom could become one of the Council’s most important partners.”

“However, respected Majesty, before we officially begin negotiating cooperation details, we would like to see with our own eyes the levitating castle Alders described in his magical message.”

The levitating castle was the keystone for whether this negotiation and cooperation could succeed, and it was the critical first step toward her “Forest Nation” ideal.

To announce the Council’s formal cooperation with the Slime Kingdom, even publicly supporting sages joining the Slime Kingdom, would mean exposing this fledgling nation to the sight of every Nature’s Foe.

Nature is not benevolent, nor is it unconditionally kind.

They must be certain this young sapling could withstand future tempests, even destroy invading enemies.

They wanted this sapling to grow into a towering tree, not snap in the storm.

Otherwise, her ideal would not bring natural flourishing but would instead endanger these Slimes and the fragile order just established in this territory.

Chen Yu’s gel body bobbed up and down as he nodded in agreement.

“Of course,” he replied readily, then prepared to lead them out of the tree house toward the nearest planar rift to enter the rift snowplain.

Selene spoke again, solemnly warning, “Please forgive my bluntness. You must understand what kind of enemies we face. If the connection between the Council and the Slime Kingdom is exposed...”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Chen Yu hopped up onto her shoulder and tried to squeeze out a serious expression. “Miss Selene, rest assured. The Slime Kingdom will always stand with allies who respect nature and pursue knowledge and balance.”

Although his words sounded noble, his mind was already calculating Slime-sized schemes.

The Kingdom had already offended many demon lords like Casaric; a few more Nature’s Foes wouldn’t matter.

First recruit these archmages into the kingdom, he told himself. Once the levitating fortress rose successfully, he was confident this new war engine could rewrite how wars were fought across the continent.

Nature’s Foes would be dealt with by a cannon or two later.

The Slimes’ path was the stars and the sea... ah no, the skies and the earth.

He even gleefully imagined flying the fortress into the Abyss plane, giving those demon lords’ strongholds a warm artillery welcome.

Selene hadn’t expected such a decisive answer and paused, guessing that the levitating fortress indeed gave this Slime Majesty ample confidence.

That eased much of her initial doubt and made her even more eager to see Alders’ described fortress.

“Follow me.” Chen Yu signaled for all the sages to sit on Little Ka’s back.

To avoid embarrassing his king, Little Ka straightened, squared his shoulders, and wore a solemn expression, like a loyal black dragon guardian.

These elven sages had never seen such an obedient black dragon and couldn’t help stroking his scales again and again.

Once everyone was seated securely and after bidding farewell to Viola, Little Ka flapped his wings and rose. His broad back carried them through the interlaced branches above Rootwhisper Forest toward the nearest planar rift.

The wind grew harsher and more biting at altitude, but the sages’ casually cast spells blocked most of the gusts. They were unbothered by the cold and instead peered down with interest at the swamp and forest, dotted with melting snow.

Before long they passed through the planar rift and entered the rift snowplain.

Unlike the swamp’s damp chill, the snowplain’s cold was drier and purer.

Against the plain’s gray backdrop, a sight on the distant horizon seized everyone’s attention.

It was Winterhold Alders had spoken of. Countless magical lights, the glow of warm stones, and lights from residents’ windows converged into a warm halo, like a brilliant jewel set against a pale canvas, evoking an inexplicable sense of comfort and longing.

But what made Selene and the sages’ hearts leap was not Winterhold itself, but the enormous presence not far from the city...

A castle as towering as a mountain.

Even from this considerable distance, they could feel the magical fluctuations radiating from the fortress and the complex magic patterns running across it, as if the heart of a gigantic magical instrument was beating and operating with precise machinery.

“No... unbelievable...”

A young sage specialized in runes and formation studies muttered, her pen almost falling from her hand.

These were seasoned mages who had seen grand elven courts, human magic towers, and even ancient ruins. That made them all the more aware of the fortress’s priceless value.

This was a wonder of engineering in magical history!

Alders had truly discovered a remarkable treasure.

Waves stirred within Selene’s heart. She finally understood why this Slime Majesty had such abundant confidence.

If its levitating fortress idea could be realized, the Slime Kingdom would indeed have the means to stand firm and even expand despite Nature’s Foes circling them. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

She exhaled slowly, her breath forming a mist in the cold air and then dissipating.

The last trace of doubt in her eyes vanished, replaced by blazing anticipation.