Chapter 743: Beneath the Thorin Tree

The entire Cecil Empire was shrouded in winter’s grasp. Cold winds swept down from the northern mountains, across the central plains and southern wilderness—from Frosthold to Cecil City, from Tenwood to Longwind Fortress—the chill of the season was everywhere. Half the empire had already seen at least one snowfall.

Yet, in the eastern reaches of the Holy Spirit Plains, where the towering Thorin trees stood, spring’s vitality still thrived.

The colossal Thorin tree rose proudly from the earth, its vast canopy stretching beyond the central axis of Thorin Keep and spilling westward into the canyon below. After a recent period of rapid growth, the magnificent plant had reached its full size. Its roots and branches no longer wildly expanded, but its leaves continued to mature, and its roots delved ever deeper into the soil.

Within the tree’s protective embrace, the once-ruined Thorin Keep had been partially restored. The castle and town regained some functionality, now serving as a base for local garrisons and research teams. Roots snaked through cracks in the crumbling walls, stabilizing the precarious stones, while several research facilities had been built around the ancient walls and winding roots.

In this extraordinary place, the empire’s scholars and the giant tree seemed to have formed a remarkable symbiosis. The Thorin tree not only provided invaluable samples for the druidic research institute but also cooperated with local production and construction efforts.

On the trunk level, in the southeastern sector, a large transport vehicle was parked on a clearing beside the tree. A group of magi-technicians and workers bustled around it, opening side panels and untying ropes and hooks securing the cargo. A commander stood atop a protruding aerial root, directing the operation.

The unloading area was surrounded by a broad, leveled, and compacted open space. Temporary shelters dotted the vicinity, and rows of magic crystal street lamps lined the makeshift roads, dispelling the darkness beneath the canopy. Signposts and stacks of building materials hinted at extensive ongoing construction plans—all proceeding in an orderly fashion.

The production and construction corps responsible for this zone had divided the Thorin tree’s domain into layers vertically: the root layer (home to the underground palace), the trunk layer, the canopy layer, and the treetop layer. Horizontally, the circular land beneath the canopy was split into four sectors.

Currently, most personnel and stationed troops operated on the surface sectors, exploration was confined to the root layer, and a small druidic team focused on the trunk and canopy layers. They had set up two small observation and sampling stations on the trunk and a “druid’s cabin” in the canopy. But overall, research in these areas was still in its infancy. As for the treetop, local teams had yet to venture there. To reach the crown, they still needed the Thorin tree’s cooperation.

The workers opened the vehicle’s side panels and untied the tarps, revealing a massive magi-tech device inside.

Its alloy base spanned several meters, featuring complex locking, support, and levitation mechanisms. A diamond-shaped metal frame, several meters tall, was embedded with numerous faintly glowing holm crystals.

It was a colossal Mana Obelisk—its crystal structure so vast it was assembled from countless smaller crystals.

“Careful, everyone! This thing cost a fortune!” the commander called out from his perch on the root. “Watch your fingers when releasing the hooks—no more unlucky folks losing digits! Alchemical potions don’t just pour out of the Gorgon River, you know!”

The workers responded to his commands, while the magi-technicians climbed aboard to inspect the vital rune plates and check the crystals’ integrity.

The commander turned toward the Thorin tree and called out, “Lady Beltira—are you there?”

Almost immediately, a rustling sound came from around them. Vines entwined with flowers and brown roots emerged from the ground nearby, twisting and merging into the shape of Beltira herself.

“I have always been here,” she said.

“Good day, ma’am,” the commander greeted the incredible “tree spirit” with a smile. Though he had heard she was once a high priestess of the Cult of the End of All Things, and that the entire Thorin tree was a mutated fusion of the cult’s remaining followers’ power, he had worked here long enough to converse calmly with her. “Lovely weather today.”

Some things were in the past. The land still lived—and that was what mattered most, the young commander thought.

“Yes, the weather is fine,” Beltira replied slowly, tilting her head slightly. The canopy above rustled faintly. Though sunlight didn’t touch her face, it bathed the leaves overhead, causing her to squint. “Today’s sunlight is perfect for… photosynthesis.”

“The Mana Obelisk I mentioned earlier,” the commander said, pointing to the large vehicle nearby, “has been transported from the Pompeii factory in the south.”

“Oh, it is indeed larger than usual…” Beltira said without turning, already “seeing” the device on the truck. “Shall I send it up for you?”

“Yes,” the commander replied. “Just bring it straight up and assemble it according to the blueprints I gave you. The device has been calibrated and can be activated remotely.”

Beltira nodded, and a rustling chorus rose from the canopy.

The magi-technicians and workers quickly stepped back from the truck, forming a circle at a safe distance. Thick vines extended down from the canopy hundreds of meters above, weaving through layers of branches and leaves, then gently wrapped around the massive Mana Obelisk, lifting it upward.

The specially designed obelisk seemed weightless in the vines’ grasp, effortlessly drawn toward the canopy. The dense leaves rustled aside, revealing a clear “path” leading all the way to the treetop.

Beside the commander, Beltira slowly raised a hand, mimicking the motion of holding something above her head. She paused, then lowered her hand again.

Looking around, she realized no one had noticed.

The commander kept his gaze fixed upward, watching the vines carry the obelisk into the canopy until it vanished among the thick foliage. Then he turned to Beltira with a smile.

“This is the largest Mana Obelisk in the eastern Holy Spirit Plains, equipped with the latest signal amplification and relay array. Now it’s mounted on the tallest ‘support tower’ in the plains, ensuring optimal performance. From now on, this will be the magic network hub for the eastern Holy Spirit Plains—connecting half the region’s magic nodes. We’re one step closer to uniting the entire empire’s magic network. Thank you so much for your help.”

Beltira regarded the young commander’s beaming face. Though she was an expert in biochemical technology, her knowledge of magi-tech was limited, and she found herself curious.

“That sounds very useful,” she said.

“Absolutely,” the commander replied eagerly. “The magic network not only powers magi-tech devices but also transmits signals and maintains regional shields. The empire is building magic networks everywhere, but they’re not fully connected yet. Many areas rely on single-line relay stations, so it’s not a true ‘network.’ His Majesty wants to link all the empire’s magic networks into one, like the southern central network. The Holy Spirit Plains’ node is a crucial link connecting the empire’s various networks…”

Beltira listened quietly, seeing genuine pride and joy on the young man’s face.

Nearby, magi-technicians stood vigil by the magic network terminals and small mana crystals, monitoring the Mana Obelisk’s ascent. In them, she saw wholehearted dedication and passion.

And in places she could not see—she could imagine countless others, equally proud, joyful, and devoted.

They were changing the world—though many might not realize it—and this monumental change was built bit by bit by ordinary people.

No miracles or forbidden arts were needed. No transcendent power or artificial deity ruling over all.

This was a path she and her former comrades had never envisioned.

Carefully controlling her vines and canopy as if cradling a fragile treasure, Beltira guided the massive, intricate device to the Thorin tree’s highest point. Following the blueprints she had once studied, she assembled the components and then gently balanced them above her head.

Inside the canopy lay thousands of magic network rune plates, sent up over the past several days. Countless tiny vines had woven them together, and now connecting them to the Mana Obelisk was the final step.

“It’s in place,” she said.

The magi-technicians nearby received the activation signal from the obelisk’s base and quickly sent remote commands. On the monitoring magic network terminal, faint lines in the holographic projection lit up one by one, nodes activating rapidly.

Beltira watched with curiosity as text appeared in the projection. She saw greetings sent from afar, miraculously transmitted by mortal hands right before her eyes—

“Signal received from Thorin hub—Greetings from the Boulder City reconstruction camp.”

“Signal received from Thorin hub—Greetings from the Red Maple reconstruction camp.”

“…Greetings from Pompeii…”

“This is the Cecil Central Station. Congratulations. Rebecca Cecil sends her regards.”

Cheers erupted.

Even the young commander, a former officer wearing a knight’s insignia, joined in the celebration.

Beltira blinked. On this bright, photosynthesis-perfect day, she felt her heart—now fused with the tree—beat anew.

“Congratulations,” she said, forcing a smile that felt almost human, turning to the young commander.

He thanked her again, then ran off to join the workers, technicians, and soldiers in their celebration.

Beltira stood quietly for a moment longer, then looked thoughtfully toward the south.

A visitor had arrived.

A magitek vehicle bearing the banner of the United Reconstruction Corps arrived in the Sorin region, carrying what seemed to be a very important guest. Beltira could see everything happening around the Sorin Great Tree. Many people were rushing out from the Sorin Fortress stronghold to greet the vehicle. An elderly man stepped out of the car, flanked by several attendants and guards—though they might have simply been his subordinates.

Finally, she saw the old man approach near her own trunk.

Norris looked up at the vast canopy that blotted out the sky, gazing at the countless branches illuminated by the glow of the magestone lamps, the supporting pillars hanging down from the crown, and the flowering vines coiling around the trunk and pillars. He couldn’t help but whisper, “So this is the Sorin Great Tree…”

“A true miracle,” a young agricultural technician also looked up in awe. “I’ve never seen any plant grow this large…”

“And it sustains the entire region’s vitality, even maintaining a relatively comfortable temperature here,” Norris added. “Remember the road? Up until the crossroads, the ground was still covered in snow.”

“I’ve only transferred some of the heat from deep underground up to the surface,” came a slightly hoarse female voice. Beltira’s form emerged from a tangle of vines and roots, moving along the ground near the trunk with the help of writhing tendrils until she reached Norris. “Hello. I am the plant before you—you may call me Beltira.”

“Hello, Ms. Beltira,” Norris said, regaining his composure after a brief moment of surprise as he looked at the woman before him. “I’m Norris.”

“That name sounds familiar…” Beltira frowned, a look of recollection crossing her face.

“He’s the Minister of Agriculture for the Empire,” someone nearby whispered.

“Ah, yes, that’s right. I remember now,” Beltira said, her expression brightening. “I have indeed heard that name… in newspapers and on the radio.”

(End of chapter)