"Uh, if this is the reward you wanted..."
Before she could finish speaking, Nausicaä had already stepped forward.
She stretched out her arms and hugged the tree trunk, which was already thicker than two people could hug.
The girl turned her head and gently pressed her cheek against the smooth, warm bark of the tree.
"It feels so reassuring," she whispered. "Only with you can I truly relax."
As the affairs within the valley continued to increase, she was always thinking about work, even when she was in her room.
Only under the Erdtree, in this pure realm, could she completely empty her mind.
Mu En remained silent.
He simply used the Erdtree's Favor, with gentle life energy, to cleanse Nausicaä's body and remove her fatigue.
Yes, if you think about it carefully, she's just a girl who has just come of age.
In Mu En's previous life, most of her peers were still sitting in classrooms, worrying about their exam results or looking forward to their upcoming university life.
Nausicaä, however, had already shouldered the fate of the entire Valley of the Wind, seeking a way for her people to survive in this wasteland.
It seems that I have unknowingly come to regard her as a calm and experienced "queen," ignoring the pressure she bears.
"Get some rest."
Drowsiness washed over me like a tide, and my breathing became steady and long.
Nausicaä did not resist, letting her arms, which were wrapped around the tree trunk, slowly slide down.
Mu En used Rune energy as a support to hold up her gradually relaxing body.
After carefully laying her flat on the grass under the tree, he deployed an Shield of Immutability to block the cool night breeze.
Golden light illuminated the girl's peaceful sleeping face, her short red hair gently swaying in the flow of energy.
Mu En withdrew her senses and stopped disturbing him.
Nothing more was said that night.
The following morning.
The residents of the Valley of the Wind gathered early at the edge of the forest to see off the three teams that were ready to depart.
The Horseclaw snorted and pawed at the ground.
Those desert sleds came in handy again—they were piled high with essential supplies such as food sacks, water bags, tool kits, and tent rolls.
The militiamen, who had just been equipped with Storm Rifle, conducted a final, thorough inspection of the barrels and mechanisms, and counted the bullets distributed to each of them.
Nausicaä stood at the very front of the caravan, dressed in her signature blue outfit, with a short sword hanging at her waist.
"Is everything here?" Nausicaä turned around and asked.
Por nodded. "Forty riders, all goods and luggage are packed."
Meanwhile, Eliana was giving Meila before she left.
"Remember, prioritize accepting artisans, mechanics, women, and children. Young and middle-aged men should be rigorously vetted; if any suspicious signs are found, it's better to reject them, prioritizing safety."
The elder statesman spoke in a gentle tone, a stark contrast to the domineering queen he had been at the conference table yesterday.
Meila carried a bulging travel bag filled with first-aid supplies and dry food.
Before leaving, she waved to Nausicaä and gave her a confident smile.
This time, she will go to save more of her fellow humans, just as the Valley of the Wind the Wind saved them from the clutches of the Insect Claw.
The exploration team's formation was the simplest; Yupa carried only a small knapsack, with two swords and a rifle at his waist.
The nine men with him were also lightly equipped, carrying almost no extra weight except for essential weapons, rations, water bottles, and lightweight tents.
In the Sea of Corruption, speed and agility are crucial.
Nausicaä stood in front of the city gate, and the three teams were also waiting for her instructions.
She took a deep breath, mounted the horse, and fastened her mask.
"Set off!"
As the early risers of the valley watched her go, Her Highness rode her Horseclaw, dragging supplies, and set off in a grand procession.
After traversing the canyon and arriving at the desert tower forest, the three teams parted ways.
One branch heads south—that's the way to the Kingdom of Pejite.
One branch heads west—over there lies the Sea of Corruption.
One branch points north—that's the direction of the Mining Town, and also the location of the Joint Gathering.
Nausicaä took the lead, guiding the caravan heading north.
Her glider was folded up and placed on the Horseclaw.
As she was about to leave Tallinn, she couldn't help but look southeast.
That was the direction her father, Chief Jihl, had left the Valley of the Valley of the Wind.
Months have passed, and the audio recordings are still missing.
"I wonder... when will my father return safely?"
The whispers were carried away by the wind; apart from Mu En, no one heard the girl's worries.
The group then traveled north along the mountain range, gradually disappearing into the morning mist.
In the Valley of the Wind, Mu En watched the group depart.
Three teams have already set off, and they will bring back population, resources, and knowledge, injecting new vitality into the Valley of the Wind.
But now, Mu En has something more important to deal with.
That's right, it's the matter I mentioned before that consumed a lot of Rune.
Mu En withdrew most of his consciousness from the outside world and sank deep into the tree trunk.
There lies the core realm that truly belongs to his Erdtree: the Stone Platform.
The remaining glimmer of Ohara's soul still lingered in the corner, Mu En separated strands of energy in an attempt to repair the soul.
Those whose soul strength is insufficient will become incomplete when Erdtree Burial; even the exceptionally gifted Ohara could not save himself.
According to the experience of the Elden Ring, the more powerful one is in life, the more power one can retain after Erdtree Burial.
Only those Hero Level figures are qualified to leave behind a complete consciousness.
But what Mu En had nothing to do with this guy. He focused his senses on the center of the Stone Platform, beneath the calm waters.
There, the Golden Seed were slowly floating.
The surface texture is brighter than it was a month ago, indicating that the energy accumulated inside has reached an astonishing level.
A month ago, when the Stone Platform appeared, the seed was not absorbing Rune very quickly.
But then, the seed began to devour Mu En's energy reserves like a bottomless pit.
At his peak, he could consume almost half of the total amount of Rune he earned that day.
Just two days ago, the rate at which the Golden Seed were being consumed suddenly slowed down, and things eventually calmed down.
Mu En's intuition told her that this Golden Seed was about to ripen.
"Since that's the case, I'll lend you a hand."
Under Mu En's control, a massive amount of Rune surged into the Stone Platform like a giant wave, rushing madly toward the Golden Seed!
As the golden torrent surged in, the entire space was filled with dazzling light.
Outside, the residents of the Valley of the Wind suddenly looked up.
They saw an unprecedentedly dazzling light erupt from the direction of the Golden Forest.
The light lasted for several seconds before slowly receding, returning to its usual soft glow.
People looked at each other, bewildered, wondering what had happened, and could only assume it was some kind of miracle.
As for Mu En... he himself didn't know what had happened.
When the bright light inside the Stone Platform faded, he once again focused his consciousness on the water's surface—
The Golden Seed have disappeared!