The direction of life slowly began to change.
The western border of the Silva Empire.
Among the deep green trees, the flow of the life-ground, always so tranquil and profound, was now rough and chaotic.
Leaves had twisted, vines had been sliced and severed by sharp objects, and roots could scarcely stretch out beneath the earth.
It was because of the recent assault by Metallum.
Just as the Aqua Empire had suffered a sudden attack on its main base by the Terra Empire, the Silva Empire had been struck by the Metallum Empire with the very same tactic.
“Metallum’s forces… penetrated as far as the third layer of our defensive line.”
Tarban finished his report and lowered his head.
“While we were concentrating our forces at the front, our rear was left far too empty.”
Bramir, too, spoke as he looked down from atop a tree branch.
“Earth and metal exploited that gap. Their infiltration reached the center in no time.”
Drian stood with her hands clasped behind her back, gazing at the forest.
Buildings such as the barracks had not been destroyed, but it was clear that Metallum’s forces had aimed solely for Silva’s stronghold.
“The aura of life… has become so terribly distorted.”
She spoke in a low voice.
Among the citizens gathered nearby, murmurs began to rise here and there.
“I’ve truly never experienced anything like this in my life. So those things are Metallum?”
“I’ve never seen anything so terrifying before.”
“To think this is what we look like now…”
“Where did all those soldiers we used to see go?”
Those words passed by like the wind, but the forest heard every sound.
One citizen said,
“It’s not as if there were no soldiers, but honestly, those bastards were too strong. I never thought our side would collapse so helplessly. Maybe I should have lent my strength too. If I had volunteered for the barracks and received training…”
Another citizen glanced at him and quietly opened his mouth.
“But… how should I put it? This is just what I think. Maybe because we’ve been too comfortable all this time, the growth of our forces was slow. Recently, with the Slime Core appearing, it was good that we could keep producing soldiers with slime, but our own troop types seemed to have fallen behind.”
Drian closed her eyes.
‘We were not strong enough. We did not grow quickly enough…’
Through the first invasion she had ever suffered, she realized the shortcomings of her empire.
Drian entered the Chamber of Life.
It was the center where all roots were connected, and Drian’s own private space.
Even the leaves there drooped weakly that day.
“I am sorry. My ability was lacking.”
Drian spoke as she looked up at the leaves.
“My arrogant judgment put you all in danger. I stretched too far forward and overlooked our rear. I will make sure this never happens again.”
As if responding to Drian’s words, the leaves trembled faintly.
Drian ran her hand down a stem.
She was thinking something to herself, but without voicing it aloud, she left the Chamber of Life.
Drian gathered with her retainers in the Garden of Council.
The air was neither heavy nor swift.
Yet there was a current slowly tightening from beneath the roots.
They gathered around the table and recalled the situation at the time.
Tarban spoke first.
“To be honest about what I saw then, Aqua’s slime infantry retreated first.”
Drian and the other retainers looked at him.
Tarban continued.
“Perhaps there might have been a chance of victory. After all, not only we, but the Supple Warriors as well, are strong against Terra. But at some point, Aqua’s soldiers went back the way they had come. And not long after, we received word that Metallum had reached our border.”
Bramir added,
“At the time, Metallum’s soldiers were stationed within Terra, defending on their behalf. When their forces suddenly disappeared, I thought victory was not far off, but I never imagined they were coming here. It was not that Aqua’s situation was incomprehensible. They too, like us, were said to have been attacked from behind by Terra. But…”
He paused for a moment, then continued.
“They moved separately, each in their own direction, yet I wonder if their alliance was, on the contrary, stronger than ours. In truth, we were the ones ambushed simultaneously from two different directions, and even our alliance at the front could not be maintained to the end.”
When Bramir finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
Tarban, who had been lost in thought, spoke again.
“I do not know. In my view, it seems Aqua may have acted arbitrarily. We only learned later that they were being attacked by Terra; at the time, we had no way of knowing what had happened.”
Tarban’s tone grew somewhat heated.
“Honestly, part of the reason we advanced against Terra was on Aqua’s behalf, was it not? Of course, another important justification was that Terra had supported Metallum with Aqua’s Wave Core, but did Aqua ever even keep in mind that we were risking our lives for them…?”
“That is enough.”
Drian looked at Tarban and spoke gravely.
“You know that Aqua had its own circumstances as well. It was simply not in their nature to flow toward another nation. Water originally flows while strengthening its interior through condensation. In the end, they were bound to return someday to their original place in the cycle.”
When the surroundings grew quiet, she continued.
“Blaming someone will not improve the situation. The greatest responsibility for this incident lies with me. I interpreted the world too comfortably. Especially that earth which occupies the center of this world. The earth does not willingly offer its body to our roots. The same is true of water. Water may not remain by our side forever.”
Bramir spoke in confusion.
“But this world is now becoming a structure in which survival is difficult unless one is intertwined with others. Growing alone is by no means easy.”
Drian lowered her head for a moment, then raised it again.
“That, too, is not wrong.”
Her eyes did not waver, but what lay within them was the responsibility of one who had to decide a direction.
“We must set our roots down in a new place. First, we will calmly strengthen ourselves from within, and then we will move in that direction.”
There was still a troop type within the Silva Empire that had yet to be born.
Though the stronghold of the capital, Driandel, had grown to Stage 3 long ago, the barracks had remained at Stage 2.
“I was so absorbed in the Slime Core that I failed to look after our own soldiers.”
Drian immediately raised the barracks to Stage 3, the same as the stronghold.
“Now we must cultivate new soldiers.”
Not long after, a new troop type was born from Silva’s new barracks.
The name of that troop type was the “Grove Champion.”
Tarban explained to Drian.
“Our existing forces were somewhat lacking in agility and endurance. Against Metallum’s hammers in particular, the Bramble Infantry could scarcely evade, and the Vine Archers could not hold out for long.”
Drian nodded quietly.
“We are based on vitality. We must make that life stronger, and more flexible.”
Tarban continued.
“The Grove Champion is a troop type that balances out the weaknesses of the existing troops. Its roots are deep, its stem is elastic, and its leaves and branches have adapted to react even faster.”
Soon, the stems of the barracks parted, and a certain form emerged from between them.
Leaves and branches were intertwined around the head, the arms and legs were wrapped in vines, and the torso was composed of thick, sturdy stems.
The Grove Champion slowly took a step forward.
The soil beneath his foot sank in, then returned to its original place.
Drian said,
“One who is agile yet deeply rooted. This is the kind of soldier we needed.”
After that, Grove Champions continued to emerge from the barracks.
They raised their heads and looked up at the sky.
A certain resolve was contained in their eyes.
A resolve to take responsibility not only for themselves, but for this forest with their own hands.
Tarban spoke confidently.
“Now that we have them, Metallum will not be able to cut us down so easily.”
Drian looked at the Grove Champions and sank into silent contemplation.
Once again, the Chamber of Life.
Drian was gazing at the stems.
This deepest place in Silva was beyond the reach of the earth’s tremors and the flow’s disturbances.
Yet the balance within her heart was shaking.
“The earth is growing harder and harder from within, and metal is approaching us from without.”
Drian quietly spoke to herself.
“In this world, where should we… where should this forest go?”
Drian arrived at the Garden of Council.
Inside, Tarban and Bramir were waiting for her.
Tarban said to her,
“Your Majesty. The reorganization of our forces is complete. With the Life Cores currently in our possession, we have deployed twenty Grove Champions along the western border. Their terrain adaptability also appears sufficient.”
Bramir also said,
“After Metallum withdrew, the forest’s vines have begun to grow again. The defensive walls are gradually being restored as well.”
“I see.”
Drian did not sit down, but remained looking outside.
After a brief silence, she slowly opened her mouth.
“What do you think of attempting to converse with Ignis?”
Tarban and Bramir raised their heads at the same time.
Bramir hesitated, then asked,
“W-would that truly be all right?”
Tarban did not remain still either.
“Ignis once plundered cores from us without permission. We can never be on friendly terms with them.”
Drian silently looked down at the ground.
Beneath her feet, the earth crushed by Metallum was supporting this forest.
“We are trees. At times we may be broken, or cut down. And at times, we may burn together with them.”
Drian’s voice trembled subtly.
“If they can spread their flames further because of us, then Metallum and the like…”
Bramir hurriedly spoke up.
“But Aqua will not simply stand by and watch that happen! Would that not be practically the same as betrayal?!”
Drian pressed her lips tightly together.
Soon, her mouth opened again.
“Ignis is moving alone even in this situation. From Aqua’s perspective, the degree to which I support them will not be a major issue. And there is not the slightest intent of betrayal toward them in my decision. When the time comes, I intend to try persuading Aqua as well.”
A short while later, Drian and her retainers left the stronghold.
The direction they headed was southwest.
It was a sign of the first step in which forest and fire would walk side by side.
Meanwhile, Ignis was attempting a third invasion of Metallum.
Metal would once again have to be tested before fire.
Ignis’s flames were once more aiming for that border of metal, and Metallum too now had to prove the results of its tempering.