Storm of Gods

Chapter 220 Golden Tree

Compared to the bustling city of Heldan, the royal palace was unusually quiet. Any tyrannical ruler would probably have indulged in a life of debauchery, but this king was as strict as a hermit, and there were hardly any activities in the palace except for certain holidays.

Fortunately, Estella had the Hexbird News. At this moment, the princess was exceptionally excited and her heart was filled with emotion. The story described in Utopia was completely different from what she had heard or seen before. It was like a thought from another world. She never thought that a novel could be described from such a perspective.

It was exactly her type, and she was filled with anticipation. The Cardinal was dead, what a pity. Would Dantès be able to leave that prison and find the treasure of the unknown god?
The thought of the treasure left behind by the ancient gods was thrilling. She tried to go back to the monastery and casually mentioned it, but her mother immediately rejected it. She didn't dare to emphasize it, lest she attract her mother's attention and cut off her way out in the future.

Estella was in high spirits and couldn't fall asleep, while Klee was already fast asleep, completely enveloped by the fur she loved.

How about we conduct a nighttime raid on the largest treasure vault of the Dao Yuan Continent?

Before long, Estella appeared at the entrance of the treasury with practiced ease. The layers of guards and checkpoints could not stop "His Majesty the King." Although Estella could go by herself, it was the middle of the night, and the guards would definitely report to her father, who would then give her a long lecture. She couldn't listen to any of it, so she used the monastery mask to impersonate her father. Nothing was easier than imitating her father's serious expression.

The guards, of course, dared not stop her, and Estella entered the treasury without hindrance. She had no interest in the dazzling array of treasures. The innermost treasury contained not treasures but some worn-out armor. Her father had said that these were relics left by their ancestors in battle and should not be desecrated. He also forbade Estella from entering again. Estella indeed had no interest in those worn-out armors and weapons.

But this time she felt that if the treasure vault had any special mechanisms or secret passages, they were probably in the inner vault.

The inner treasury was very dirty and messy, as if no one had been near it for a long time. There was a layer of dust and cobwebs. If it was as my father said, shouldn't we show it some respect and wipe it clean?

Undeterred by the mess, Estella began searching for the secret passage, turning things upside down. However, all she found were a pile of worn-out armor and the like. Estella was speechless. Were the stories all fake, or was her kingdom simply lacking in resources and unable to find a secret passage within a secret passage?

Estella leaned against the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess, which was probably the only clean spot in the inner treasury. As a follower, there was nothing disrespectful about leaning against the statue, right? She was getting a little tired from searching.

Suddenly, Estella felt a little strange. Why was there a statue of the Earth Mother Goddess here? And why was the statue surrounded by a pile of tattered armor? Her father said it was so that these meaningful objects could continue to be bathed in the halo of the Mother Goddess.

No, this is very unusual. Father is usually not that patient with her, but he explained this matter very clearly. This is also why Estella has lost interest in this place.

There might be a big secret inside.

Estella quickly stood up and respectfully bowed to the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess. As a follower of the Mother Goddess, she felt a sense of familiarity whenever she saw the statue. Then she began to observe her surroundings. Usually, there would be some mechanisms, but the surroundings were empty and did not seem to have any mechanisms. Estella looked around and groped her way around, but it did not seem to be a secret door. However, she vaguely felt that something particularly familiar was calling to her.

Illusion?
Estella wandered around for a while longer, but still found nothing. She wasn't good at activating hidden mechanisms or the like.

Just as Estella was about to leave, she suddenly had a brilliant idea. Her divine relic, the Abundance Ring, was released, and the power of the divine relic filled the entire treasure vault.

Suddenly, the statue of the Earth Mother opened its eyes, and golden light shone upon Estella. The next second, Estella vanished from the spot. An indescribable sense of comfort enveloped Estella, warm and filled with a strong sense of security and attraction, like the feeling of sleeping in her mother's arms as a child. After a while, Estella also woke up from that hazy state, opened her eyes, and heard an unknown, crisp sound in her ears, which seemed to be the chirping of birds and insects.

Estella was stunned by what she saw.

She felt as if she were in a vast cave world, surrounded by vibrant life. All the plants shimmered with golden light, and what came into view was a golden tree that was a hundred meters tall. Its branches and leaves were so thick that they seemed to block out the sun. It radiated golden light and was full of vigorous vitality. Its branches spread out in all directions, and the strong sense of warmth and intimacy emanated from the golden tree.

The Golden Tree is the national symbol of Moncaleta. Legends of the Golden Tree have been passed down throughout the Dao Yuan Continent, and many hidden forces have been searching for it, but no one knows that the Golden Tree is the place where the lifeblood of the Moncaleta Kingdom is gathered, and it is also the greatest blessing that the Earth Mother Goddess bestows upon this country.

The legend comes true: the Mother Tree of All Things in Montcarette from the fairy tale.

Estella was excited, but she quickly calmed down because she saw two figures under the tree. They were too familiar to her – her father and her older brother. If her father found out, she would be finished.

Estella quickly found cover against the nearby stone wall. She had heard the legend before: the Kingdom of Montecrita possessed a Tree of Life that protected the kingdom from bad weather and abundant harvests. It was undoubtedly the Golden Tree in front of her. No wonder only the Montecrita royal family had the Tree of Life; this must be a withered branch of the Tree of Life.

Even the withered parts are extremely valuable materials with hidden powers.

The adventure had truly uncovered a great secret. Estella subconsciously rubbed her face. Was this a dream? But as she rubbed, a human face peeled off. She didn't know when the concealment mask had become ineffective, and no matter how she tried to put it back on, she couldn't use it.
Estella quickly took it off and carefully put it in her bosom, not wanting to break it.

Aura XVIII and Crown Prince Hawke stood beneath the Golden Tree, appearing exceptionally small, intently examining the state of the Tree of Life. "Father, everything is in good condition. The nation is currently prosperous. Although there were some minor issues, they have been resolved, and the future will only get better. This glorious battle will surely allow the Mother Tree to absorb enough power of wishes."

He was in charge of the specific arrangements for the War of Glory, and Hawkel also did his best to create a celebration that was excellent in all aspects. This would not only select a group of new generation pillars of the nation and provide them with a stage to enhance their strength, but also replenish the power of the Golden Tree, achieving multiple benefits in one fell swoop.

Aura XVIII gently stroked the golden tree and nodded. "We must not let our guard down. Many secret organizations have already infiltrated Heldan; they want a piece of the pie."

“Several neutral associations have already been contacted. They’re not part of the Knight’s Path, so they probably just want to ride along. It’s the same old rule,” Hawke said. Generally, the kingdom maintains a good relationship and balance with those ancient and powerful secret organizations. Of course, secret organizations also have to abide by the rules. As for other petty scoundrels, they’ll be dealt with as appropriate. “I trust my second brother. He may seem a bit unruly at times, but he actually has his own style of doing things. He’s very approachable, and he showed considerable wisdom in the duel between Didia and Simmons.”

Aura XVIII nodded. "Finally, something reliable. Didia can be reused. Simmons will be observed further."

Hawke agreed, saying, "Making such a decision must have been difficult for Didia. He is brave, resourceful, knows when to advance and retreat, and is loyal to the kingdom. He will be a great help to me."

(End of this chapter)