The two whispered tenderly for a while longer. Alice, exhausted and tired from before, soon fell into a deep sleep in Lind's arms, a satisfied smile on her lips.
Linde carefully covered her with a blanket, placed a gentle kiss on her smooth forehead, and then quietly got up and left.
From then on, Linde's life seemed to be divided into several sweet quadrants.
Nazla's dwelling is filled with wild passion and languid maternal glow.
He loved to hold her in his arms in the afternoon, listening to her tell stories of the orc kingdom, feeling the occasional throbbing of the little life inside her, and enjoying her intimacy with its unique fox-like charm.
Leonis's room was like a sacred haven.
She maintained her simple habits, but the gentleness and determination of a mother in her eyes became increasingly evident.
Linde often visited her after evening prayers, and the two would whisper by candlelight, sharing their expectations and plans for the new life.
Leonis would take his hand and gently place it on her slightly protruding belly, feeling that miracle, her face radiating a sacred and blissful glow.
Her faith seemed to have found a new anchor, becoming more introspective and profound.
At the top of Alice's workshop tower is a secret garden full of wisdom and passion.
In his spare time, the genius mage finally opened his heart completely.
When Linde arrives, she will temporarily put down those complicated blueprints and crystal cores, and jump into his arms like a clingy kitten.
Their conversations ranged from sweet whispers between lovers to heated discussions about magical armor, crystal technology, and even the mysteries of life.
Alice seems to have channeled her passion for research into her emotions as well, being bold and direct, which often leaves Lind feeling overwhelmed yet content.
Linde was like a diligent and happy gardener, moving back and forth among three flowers with very different personalities but who all loved him deeply, and he never tired of it.
Everyone in the castle knew this without saying a word, and the old butler Seth was all smiles, for the prosperity of the Truk family bloodline was just around the corner.
During this heartwarming time, Linde also keenly noticed another unexpected, almost miraculous phenomenon brought about by his "Activation Aura".
In the dead of winter, Blackrock Territory should have been covered in thick snow, with everything withered and lifeless.
However, centered around the core area of the castle where Lind frequently operates, a vibrant "oasis" is quietly forming, and its area is constantly expanding as his activities extend!
In the castle courtyard, the lawn, which should have been withered, stubbornly sprouted tender green shoots, and even a few wildflowers, unafraid of the cold, quietly bloomed in the corner.
He often walked along the path to the church, where the snow melted even faster, and moss and tiny grass shoots could be seen stubbornly pushing their way out of the bare ground! Near his study, several old oak trees had unusually sprouted tiny, barely perceptible buds on their branches!
Even more amazingly, in some of the vegetable plots cultivated by the people near the outer perimeter of the castle, covered by the edge of the Lind activated halo.
Several bold and devout farmers, in late autumn and early winter, decided to give it a try and buried some cold-resistant root and tuber seeds in the soil near the castle.
This was supposed to be a futile effort, but unexpectedly, in the biting cold wind, tiny patches of tender green sprouted from the vegetable plots! Radish seedlings, spinach... although they grew slowly, they truly survived in the icy and snowy landscape!
"A miracle! This is a miracle from the Lord of the Light Veins!"
"It is the lord! It is the lord who brought the Lord's grace!"
"Your Lordship is a chosen one of God! A saint walking on earth!"
The news spread like wildfire throughout Blackrock Territory.
The people were ecstatic! They spontaneously gathered near the castle, bowing in reverence to the greenery that stubbornly grew in the cold winter, and praying devoutly in the direction of the castle where Lind often came and went.
They firmly believed that it was the Lord's devout faith and great achievements that moved the Lord of the Light Veins, Lucius, to bestow a blessing that defied the natural order of the seasons! That green area was called "the land favored by the gods" or "Linde Oasis" by them, and it became a new holy place in the hearts of the people.
Standing atop the castle, Lind looked down at the striking green area in the silvery-white world below, and at the people gathered at its edge in devout prayer, and understood.
This is not God's grace, but rather the result of the overflow of His powerful life energy from His "Activation Aura".
The halo subtly accelerates the metabolism of plants and even distorts the natural laws of local areas to some extent, giving them the vitality to resist the cold.
This undoubtedly further solidified his prestige and cloaked his rule in a sacred guise.
But Linde knew that any force that breaks the mold, while bringing benefits, would inevitably attract unexpected attention.
This attention does not come from the human kingdom.
Deep within the Emerald Forest, an ancient woodland protected by an eternal magical barrier, lies far from Blackrock Territory, at the junction of the eastern forests and mountains.
Inside a magnificent tree palace entirely formed by the growth and intertwining of living giant trees.
Several figures dressed in flowing, leaf-woven robes surrounded a giant crystal ball that floated in mid-air and emitted a soft, emerald-green light.
Inside the crystal ball, the scene of Blackrock Territory was clearly displayed.
The focus is on that unusually lush "oasis" in the dead of winter.
The leading female elf had a face that seemed to embody the essence of moonlight and morning dew. Her long silver hair flowed with a star-like luster, and her pointed ears were adorned with mithril ornaments shaped like tender buds.
Her eyes, a deep emerald green, were now filled with surprise and solemnity.
“Such a vast, pure life force…and it appears all around humanity?” Her clear, cool voice carried disbelief. “This goes against the rhythm of nature, Glenhill.”
She looked at the male elf beside her, who had his eyes closed and senses, and whose forehead had leaf-shaped emerald green patterns.
The male elf known as Glenhill slowly opened his eyes. His pupils were a strange amber gold, as if the seasons of the forest were changing within them.
He lightly touched the crystal ball with his fingertips, and the image zoomed in, as if he could feel the surging, almost tyrannical flow of life energy beneath that land.
“It is not a gift that grows naturally, Elder Galadriel.”
Glenhill's voice was deep and magnetic, with a hint of wariness.
“I can feel… a forced ‘awakening,’ a brutal ‘drive’ to the essence of life. This power… is strong and unfamiliar, and its source is within that human fortress.”
Like an invisible ripple, it forcibly distorted the life rules of that area, forcing plants to defy their instinct to slumber with the seasons.
"A brutal drive?"
Another male elven warrior, with a resolute face and carrying a longbow made of emerald wood, frowned and spoke, his voice like the clash of metal.
"Could it be that humans have invented some evil magic that desecrates nature? Like their alchemical flames that burn forests?"
“It doesn’t look like a magic circle, Tal Salin.”
Glen Hill shook his head.
"More like a... domain? A persistent and powerful life field. The source... seems to emanate from a powerful life form itself."
"A human?"
Elder Galadriel's beautiful brows furrowed.
"How can the human body contain and emit life energy sufficient to distort the local laws of nature? It's impossible! Unless..."
A sharp glint flashed in her eyes.
"He stole power that shouldn't belong to mortals! Or... did he forge a forbidden pact with some ancient and powerful being of nature?"
The atmosphere inside the tree hall instantly became heavy.
The power to distort the laws of nature, regardless of its origin, is enough to alarm the highest elves.
This is especially true when such power appears in a human lord and could threaten the balance of nature.
"Elder,"
Glenhill stood up, a determined light flashing in his amber-gold eyes.
"The anomalies of the Fountain of Life cannot deceive us. That forcibly created 'oasis' is a scar from the distortion of the laws of nature. We need to find out the truth. I request to lead a 'Emerald Eye' squad to that human territory to investigate the nature of this power up close and to make contact with that... lord."
Elder Galadriel remained silent for a moment, then turned his gaze once more to the striking green within the crystal ball, so glaring against the backdrop of the icy world.
Finally, she nodded slowly, her voice carrying an undeniable authority:
"Granted, Glenhill. Take my token. Make sure you ascertain the source and nature of this power. If it originates from blasphemy, it may threaten the balance of nature... You know what to do."
If it is harmless... then humanity must be warned that the forces of nature should not be arbitrarily manipulated, but rather respected and balanced.
"Yes, Elder."
Glenhill placed his hand on his chest and bowed, the emerald green lines on his forehead glowing faintly.
The elves moved swiftly and silently.
Several days later, several agile figures, almost blending into their surroundings, like the most nimble deer in the forest, began their long journey toward the human castle surrounded by the miraculous greenery of winter.
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