Chapter 135
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Volume 2 + Chapter 135: The Great Tree Sea
“Lucius, there’s a mysterious forest to the west of Corolle. I’ve always wanted to go see it,” Xia Yi said.
The mission Xia Lulu entrusted to Xia Yi was to go to the forest west of Corolle and search for a sealed secret realm hidden within it.
That secret realm was highly unusual—sealed by powerful means and only accessible to someone with royal blood.
Because of this peculiarity, Xia Lulu hoped Xia Yi would act discreetly and not reveal the purpose of her journey. If she could avoid talking about it, she should.
So now, Xia Yi disguised her intent by speaking as though she simply wanted to visit for sightseeing.
However, the moment Lucius heard Xia Yi’s words, his expression darkened, turning stern.
“Your Highness, you must not go to the forest west of Corolle. I urge you to reconsider this.”
“…Why not?”
“How did you learn of this place?”
“I… uh…”
Xia Yi glanced at Serra.
“Serra told me! She said it reminded her of a forest near our hometown, and that it was very pretty, so I thought I’d like to see it too!”
The little princess quickly pushed the blame onto Serra.
“Serra, was this intentional? This kind of joke is no laughing matter.”
Unusually, Lucius actually scolded his own daughter quite seriously.
“Lucius, what’s going on with you?” Xia Yi asked.
Lucius fell silent for a moment.
“…Your Highness, that forest to the west of Corolle is no ordinary forest—it is the Tree Sea.”
“The Tree Sea?”
“Yes. It’s often called the Great Tree Sea due to its vastness. Along the southern borders of the Dragon Kingdom, every frontier is fortified—except for one place: the Great Tree Sea. Within it, the Dragons have established no defensive lines.”
“Why not?”
“Because the Great Tree Sea is a forbidden zone of life!” Lucius explained.
“The Great Tree Sea has existed since ancient times on the southern frontier of the Dragon Kingdom, but no historical record tells what lies within it. No one knows what kind of life inhabits it. Our knowledge about it is almost entirely blank.”
“If we want to know more, couldn’t we just go inside and look?” Xia Yi asked.
“Your Highness, that’s precisely where the danger lies. No Dragons who have entered the Great Tree Sea have ever returned. Their fate is unknown. Even flying over it is futile. That’s why the area was sealed off long ago and strictly forbidden to approach.”
“This is…”
Xia Yi felt something was off.
Why hadn’t Xia Lulu told her any of this? She had only mentioned a forest containing a secret realm.
As the Silver Dragon Queen, Xia Lulu couldn’t possibly be unaware of these facts, right?
Could it be that she looked down on Xia Yi and thought she’d back out if she knew the truth?
Hmph.
What a joke. Does she think so little of the Human Sword Saint?
When it comes to adventuring, Xia Yi is a professional!
“Your Highness, it would be better to stay away from the Great Tree Sea. There are plenty of other scenic places that are no less beautiful.”
“No, my mind is made up. To be honest, Lucius, I came to the southern border precisely to investigate the secrets hidden within the Great Tree Sea!” Xia Yi replied with determination.
Lucius saw that he couldn’t persuade her. He looked toward Serra.
Strangely, Serra’s expression was calm. Even upon hearing Xia Yi’s outrageous request, she didn’t object at all.
He started to understand.
“Could this… be Her Majesty’s will?”
“…Yes,” Xia Yi replied quietly. It was no longer something she could conceal.
Fortunately, Lucius was a smart man and asked no further questions.
“In that case, Your Highness, I will assist you. With your influence here in Corolle, we could quickly organize an expedition team—”
“No need!” Xia Yi interrupted.
Based on her experience, the more people on an adventure, the greater the chaos.
After all, human Sword Saints are lone wolves.
If danger arose, she’d have to protect others too, which would be a liability. It simply wasn’t worth it.
“I’m enough on my own. More people would just be trouble. For this trip into the Great Tree Sea, I want as few people to know as possible. At most, I’ll bring Serra.”
“Serra, you’d better do your best,” Lucius said to his daughter. “Don’t let our good princess down.”
Afterward, he went to prepare the permits that would allow Xia Yi to enter the Tree Sea without revealing her identity as the Silver Dragon Princess.
“Serra, why haven’t you said anything?” Xia Yi asked.
“…”
Serra had been silent for a while now—acting a little strangely.
Xia Yi didn’t understand. Why hadn’t Serra reacted at all when she brought up the Tree Sea? As a native of Corolle, there’s no way she didn’t know about it.
“Why didn’t you tell me about the Tree Sea earlier, Serra?” Xia Yi asked. “Did you think I’d be scared?”
“…Forgive me, Your Highness. But I don’t know anything about the Tree Sea,” Serra answered, unexpectedly.
“You don’t?”
“Yes. It sounds strange, but it’s as if there’s a missing piece in my memory—specifically, about the Tree Sea.”
“You lost your memory?” Xia Yi looked worried. “Was it stress? Or did Lucius upset you again? Maybe you should rest.”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness, but aside from not knowing about the Tree Sea, I feel perfectly fine.”
Xia Yi looked into Serra’s eyes. There was no hesitation or deceit. It didn’t seem like a lie.
“But please don’t worry, Your Highness. Even if it’s the Tree Sea, I’ll make sure you’re safe. I’ll protect you.”
“Mm, good!”
Hearing that from Serra put Xia Yi at ease. Her personal maid was always so dependable.
…
After resting for two days and fully recovering her strength, Xia Yi received her permit to enter the Great Tree Sea and left Corolle.
She didn’t say goodbye to anyone, leaving quietly to avoid attracting attention.
To the west of Corolle lay the Tree Sea. Just as Lucius had said, it had become a natural barrier to protect the southern frontier of the Dragon Kingdom—needing no military defense.
Upon presenting her permit, the dragon guards allowed Xia Yi and Serra to pass into the Tree Sea’s outer area.
After crossing a mountain valley, Xia Yi saw an endless expanse of silent forest. Trees stretched to the horizon, like a boundless sea, unfolding like a painting.
The scene was no less awe-inspiring than the first time she saw the ocean in Gold.
Even in all her past adventures as a Sword Saint, she had never seen a landscape like this.
“Waaah!!”
Xia Yi ran forward with excitement.
But Serra froze the moment she saw the Tree Sea. The memories she had lost—everything about the Tree Sea—suddenly came flooding back.
And with them, another sealed memory returned as well. In that instant, she understood everything: why she had become like this.
It was all because of Her Majesty the Queen.
The night before they left for Corolle, Serra had been summoned to a secret meeting with Xia Lulu, who issued a special command.
“Why… why would Her Majesty give me such an order…?”
