The next morning, Lin Mo woke on a bed made from a gigantic leaf and soft moss.
Every bone in his body felt loose and relaxed, as though he had slept on a cloud.
Remembering last night's magical scrub, he couldn't help marveling at its effects again.
He stretched and walked out of the bedroom with a yawn, ready to get some fresh air on the terrace.
Knock, knock, knock!
Just then, someone knocked at the front door, and he turned to open it.
The moment he opened the door, he saw Fendona approaching.
She was carrying a basket of translucent fruit that looked delicious and especially tempting.
"Morning, Fendona!" Lin Mo greeted her cheerfully.
Fendona smiled faintly.
"What perfect timing, Sir Lin Mo. I've brought your breakfast."
She lifted the fruit basket woven from vines.
Lin Mo took it from her, picked up a purple berry, and tossed it into his mouth. Juices burst across his tongue, filling his mouth with a fresh fragrance.
As he ate, he gave Fendona a thumbs-up.
"I could never get tired of the fruit here!"
"It's absolutely delicious!"
Fendona smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling.
"I'm glad you like it. We Elves have no shortage of fruit, so please help yourself."
Then she continued:
"Her Majesty the Queen and several Elders are already waiting for you at the royal court. We... we should head over!"
"Sure. I'll eat on the way."
Lin Mo made himself completely at home, stuffing fruit into his mouth as he followed Fendona toward the royal court.
Along the way, many Elves cast curious looks his way.
Clearly, they had heard that a human who didn't belong to the Holy Human Race had arrived in the royal capital, and they all stared at Lin Mo with wide eyes.
Lin Mo was used to it by now.
Besides, these Elves were intelligent beings brimming with vitality. Beautiful or handsome, and adorned with jeweled accessories, they were certainly easy on the eyes.
Most importantly, the female Elves wore very little and had excellent figures.
Most wore clothes and skirts woven from vines and leaves, while a few followed the Holy Human Race's example and wore exquisite handmade garments.
The two walked along the World Tree's enormous branches, with railings on either side giving Lin Mo a strong sense of security.
As it had been yesterday, the Elf Royal Court was solemn and imposing.
Queen Ellari sat upright on a throne studded with gems, with several highly respected senior Elders arrayed on either side.
Valerius, yesterday's troublemaker, was among them. His face was ashen, and when he saw Lin Mo enter, he snorted loudly and turned his head away.
Lin Mo paid him no attention whatsoever, treating him as though he weren't there.
He strode casually into the center of the royal court, swallowed the last piece of fruit in his mouth, and clapped his hands together in satisfaction.
"Sir Lin Mo, did you rest well last night?" Queen Ellari asked with a smile.
Lin Mo grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth.
"Very well. Extremely well! I have to say, most of the credit goes to Master Fendona's skill."
"Master... Fendona's skill?"
Queen Ellari and all the Elders froze, their gazes turning as one toward Fendona, who stood nearby.
Fendona: "!!!"
Her cheeks instantly flushed crimson. She felt as though all the blood in her body had rushed to her head, heat rising from her until she was practically cooked.
Lin Mo didn't notice the young woman's embarrassment and waved a hand casually.
"Ah, that's nothing. Let's get down to business."
"About the assistance you mentioned yesterday, I've already spoken with my country."
The moment they heard the words "assistance" and "country," every Elf in the royal court immediately focused on him.
Their gazes shifted in unison from Fendona, who was on the verge of fainting, to Lin Mo.
"Then has your country... reached a decision?"
Queen Ellari's voice sounded calm, but her fingers, which had turned slightly white as she gripped the throne's armrests, betrayed her anxiety.
After all, the fate of the entire Elven race hung in the balance.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty."
Lin Mo smiled faintly, setting aside his usual playful manner.
"Great Xia is a peace-loving civilization that is happy to help others."
"After hearing my report and giving the matter careful consideration, they have agreed to provide assistance to the Elves and help your people through this crisis."
At those words, the tense atmosphere throughout the royal court immediately eased.
The oppressive silence broke with a soft chorus of relieved breaths.
Genuine joy finally appeared on Queen Ellari's face. Even the stern-faced Elders beside her relaxed their deeply furrowed brows.
"Wonderful!"
An almost imperceptible tremor entered the Queen's voice as she rose slightly from her throne.
"On behalf of all Elves, I thank your civilization for extending a helping hand in our hour of peril."
She sat back down and looked solemnly at Lin Mo.
"Then, what would your side require from us in return?"
Good. She knew how this worked!
Lin Mo cleared his throat in satisfaction.
"My country is curious about everything on the Terra Continent."
"I described the World Tree's grandeur and wonders to them in detail. They were all amazed and considered it a miracle of the Creator."
He paused, then said:
"So they would like a World Tree Seed to plant and study."
"A World Tree Seed?"
The smile that had just blossomed on Queen Ellari's face instantly froze.
Her dark brows drew together, and the atmosphere in the royal court, which had only just relaxed, seemed to freeze solid.
Even Fendona, who had still been lost in embarrassment, suddenly raised her head and looked at Lin Mo with astonishment in her emerald eyes.
The silence lasted only a second.
The next moment, an irrepressible stir broke out among the Elders.
"What? A World Tree Seed?"
"Absolutely not! The World Tree is the foundation of our race, the source of life!"
"That demand is outrageous! They're asking for far too much!"
The Elders erupted into discussion.
Although yesterday's reprimand had left none of them daring to stand up and accuse Lin Mo to his face, their gazes were filled with wariness and displeasure.
Elder Valerius, who had been put in his place, now wore a gloating sneer, as though to say:
See? I knew these people from another world were up to no good.
The Queen's voice grew grave.
"Sir, do you understand what that means?"
"The World Tree is our companion, but more than that, it is the home our race depends on for survival."
"Producing even one seed consumes an enormous amount of the World Tree's primal power, enough to leave it weakened for a full century."
"The price is too great," she said, gazing at Lin Mo.
Lin Mo was stunned.
Why did producing a single seed sound like carrying a baby for ten months?
Before you continue