Chapter 261:I want to go home.

Atheline settled onto one of the large couches near the fireplace. A warm fire crackled nearby. Outside the windows, snow drifted through the darkness.

Lilith disappeared into an adjoining room for several minutes. Atheline assumed she was changing out of her formal attire. Instead, she returned carrying a small wooden case.

He immediately became curious and interested.

"What is that?"

She set it down beside him.

"Sit properly."

He narrowed his eyes.

"What are you planning?"

"Remove your outer robe first, I want you bare-chested... I’m doing what I promised you."

He hesitated then obeyed. Lilith had promised him a massage but this looked different from what he had expected. She felt like a healer with the case in front of her.

She opened the case. Several small bottles rested inside.

Atheline recognized them. There were healing oils, medicinal extracts, and Aether restoration mixtures.

Atheline looked at her and she looked back. His smile widened while she scowled.

"I thought we’d start with a bath, then this."

She gave him a flat look.

"We’d end up having sex."

Atheline chuckled.

"I can’t argue with that. You’d sleep with a sick man."

She visibly rolled her eyes. She resisted the urge to throw the bottle at him. Instead, she pointed toward the couch.

"Turn around."

Atheline immediately complied, he had teased her enough. She sat behind him. A moment later she poured a small amount of oil into her hands.

Atheline felt warmth gather around her fingers then the pressure came. He nearly groaned.

Lilith’s expression didn’t change.

"Bad?"

He closed his eyes.

"No... Actually the opposite," he said

She continued, satisfied with his answer. Several knots of tension immediately disappeared.

Atheline felt his shoulders relax, especially after he had walked around with the tension all day.

The room grew quiet, only the fire crackling nearby could be heard occasionally. Outside, wind rattled softly against the windows.

For several minutes neither spoke. Lilith focused on her work while Atheline enjoyed not dying. Both were productive activities.

Eventually, he broke the silence.

"About the corruption problem..."

Lilith wasn’t surprised. She had expected him to return to it eventually.

"You’re still thinking about it."

He nodded.

"A little."

Lilith’s hands continued moving, the warmth spreading through his muscles felt almost unfair.

"You think you’re right."

Atheline hesitated then shook his head.

"No."

That answer surprised her slightly. He continued.

"I think the timing is suspicious. It seems as though the moment we think there’s peace, something else seems to come up."

She paused a little.

"That’s how the world is. You’re now seeing it in the eyes of a ruler. There is rarely any peace," she said calmly," It’s just that it’s always resolved before it reaches those who aren’t in power."

He nodded. "I know but it’s quite frustrating. If the corrupted coming from the ocean are from the Storm island then..."

He sighed heavily unable to put what he wanted to say into words.

"You’ll regret not killing all of them?" Lilith continued.

He nodded. "You wanted to kill them all and I stopped you."

She chuckled.

"We don’t even know if they’re from the Islands, stop trying to blame yourself. "

He shrugged.

"I can’t help it. If they’re emerging from the Beastkin side, it’s only a matter of time before they reach our continent."

"You’re worried they’ll enter through the high elven territory?"

He nodded.

"The problem is that they have abilities that they have never encountered. "

Lilith remained silent.

"To top it off, they’re intelligent and have a clear purpose."

Her hands slowed slightly. That part bothered her too. The corrupted entities they encountered inside the ruin had been fundamentally different.

Atheline sighed.

"The attacks are too organized."

Lilith nodded.

"I agree."

He looked toward the fire.

"If it really is connected..."

He didn’t finish, he didn’t need to. The implication was obvious. She understood.

The room fell quiet again. Eventually, she spoke.

"We’ll investigate."

Atheline nodded that was enough, for now. Lilith continued working. The tension that had built in the room disappeared.

Atheline felt increasingly reluctant to move. Eventually, another thought entered his mind, a different one.

This was something that he had been considering for a while, he had just reached the tipping point. He stared at the flames then spoke quietly.

"I want to go home."

Lilith’s hands paused briefly then continued.

"Home?"

He nodded.

"The High Elf territories," he explained though they both knew what he was talking about.

She remained silent, listening. Atheline smiled slightly.

"I haven’t visited since the wedding," he quietly said, his tone nostalgic.

"I want to see my parents."

Lilith instantly understood, but it irritated her. The words carried more weight than they appeared to. Atheline’s life had changed dramatically.

From a normal high elf to a husband, then to an imperial consort, and to a king. The pace had never slowed, perhaps he simply missed home.

She didn’t want him to miss anyone but her but she knew that was impossible.

Atheline stared toward the window. Snow reflected faintly in the darkness beyond.

"I want to see my brother too."

She snorted softly. He looked over one shoulder.

"What?"

"You’ll regret that."

He laughed. She wasn’t entirely wrong. His brother possessed a remarkable talent for becoming annoying the moment family gatherings began.

She resumed the massage and he settled back again. For several moments neither spoke then he added,

"I also wanted to see the World Tree."

Lilith’s hands stopped. This time she didn’t resume immediately which he noticed. He turned slightly.

She was carefully watching him.

"Why?"

He hesitated. The honest answer sounded ridiculous, then again, most important discoveries in his life had sounded ridiculous.

He eventually shrugged.

"It’s just a feeling."

She continued staring, not believing him. He sighed.

"Fine... I think the roots might be connected."

Lilith’s expression sharpened immediately. Now they were discussing something important.

He continued.

"The World Tree, the Blood Ocean... and the ocean floor."

She remained completely silent. Atheline gathered his thoughts.

"The roots extend beneath the continent, and also towards the other Continents."

She nodded. That wasn’t controversial, the World Tree was enormous. It was ancient beyond imagination. Its roots supposedly stretched farther than the known continents and into the beyond.

He continued.

"I want to know how far."

Her eyes narrowed slightly. Understanding slowly appeared. Atheline looked toward the fire.

"The corruption appeared in the Blood Ocean..."

The queen nodded under his gaze.

"... And the World Tree roots reach the ocean."

Another nod. Atheline sighed.

"I know it sounds stupid... But I keep thinking about it. What if it also gets affected or something worse?"

The room grew quiet. Lilith resumed the massage, slower this time. Eventually, she spoke.

"You want to investigate."

He nodded.

"Yes."

She considered the idea. There were many flaws, almost certainly, yet she had learned not to dismiss his instincts entirely. Far too many absurd ideas had eventually proven correct, unfortunately.

Atheline eagerly waited. Eventually, he asked,

"So?"

Lilith looked at him. He smiled hopefully. She immediately wanted to say no, purely because of that expression. Instead, she answered honestly.

"You may go."

He brightened immediately but then she continued.

"Later."

He looked at her with a surprised expression.

"Later?"

She nodded. He sighed dramatically but she ignored him.

"There is something else first."