Chapter 52: The Burning Abode
As previously agreed, Eveum prepared to leave Wind Bird Town after her recovery.
She needed to depart quickly as the roots buried deep in the Wind Veil Basin were too abundant, draining the life force of ordinary humans rapidly.
Eveum’s recovery exceeded her expectations. She had initially anticipated resting in Wind Bird Town for another two or three days. During this period, she enjoyed her time with the Phylin Tribe.
Occasionally, she witnessed Ron’s troubled expression at the mayor’s mansion, and despite feeling a bit guilty, she couldn’t help but chuckle.
Observing Ron’s demeanor was amusing, similar to watching a child figure out how to build a sandcastle.
“Eveum! Are you really leaving!?”
“Don’t go! We don’t want you to leave!”
In just a few days, Eveum’s all-embracing personality gained unanimous praise from the Phylin Tribe.
“Let go, don’t trouble Eveum,” Susua said, but other Phylin Tribe members expressed dissatisfaction.
“Susua! Before saying that, leave from Eveum’s side!” They protested.
“Shut up! Eveum is qualified to be the witch for my mother!” Susua retorted.
Eveum scratched her face awkwardly upon hearing Susua’s words.
She felt a different connection in Wind Bird Town compared to her past experiences with refugees.
“Susua, this is disrespectful to the elderly!” The Phylin Tribe protested against his behavior. They should be standing by Eveum’s side, and Susua should find a place to sit and have tea on his own.
Therefore, the Phylin Tribe carried Susua away, preventing him from embarrassing himself.
“Have a safe journey,” Moluna said after the Phylin Tribe dispersed.
“Thank you,” Eveum replied, pressing her ten fingers together.
Aside from her adoptive mother, Moluna was the first person Eveum had encountered as a witch. She felt fortunate to have met someone as kind as Moluna.
“By the way, where are Lord Ron and Miss Lilian?” Eveum noticed the two of them weren’t there to see her off.
Not seeing their figures, Eveum felt a bit disappointed. It seemed that Ron and Lilian weren’t very welcoming, probably because they sensed that she had been hiding something. She also knew she wasn’t very good at lying, and it was normal for people to see through her.
“Lord Ron ate poisonous mushrooms yesterday,” Moluna shook her head. “Lilian is taking care of him.”
Eveum opened her mouth, unable to resist asking, “Is he okay?”
She thought Ron and Lilian were intentionally not coming to see her off.
“It’s fine. Susua said the toxicity of those poisonous mushrooms isn’t strong,” Moluna added.
“He’ll be uncomfortable for a few days,” Susua said.
Moluna stated she’d rather be the one eating the poisonous mushrooms, confident in her ability to resist toxins.
“I’m still alive,” Ron said, walking out with Lilian’s support, somewhat helpless.
He had consumed a mushroom soup prepared by a hospitable Phylin tribe yesterday, resulting in his current listless appearance.
Contrary to her usual demeanor, Lilian personally assisted him, breaking her usual one-meter distance rule. Normally, Lilian would maintain a one-meter distance, but now, without her support, Ron could clearly smell Lilian’s fragrance.
“It’s a bit miserable, but this kind of welfare is rare,” Ron remarked.
“Lord Ron, thank you for taking care of me during this time,” Eveum said, relieved to see Ron still had the strength to speak.
Eveum had initially thought Ron was too sick to get up, judging from Moluna’s earlier communication.
“Yeah,” Ron replied without hesitation, accepting Eveum’s thanks.
After all, they did take care of Eveum during these days, and Ron wasn’t going to be modest in this situation.
“Until we meet again,” he added without suggesting that Eveum should visit again in the future.
Because Eveum was quite mysterious, she might not come back in the future. After exchanging a few words, Eveum set off with the gifts from the Phylin Tribe to return to her treehouse. Counting the days she was stuck in the black mud, she had been away from her home for too long. She needed to return quickly now and see how far the Mother Holy Tree had encroached upon the Wind Veil Basin.
After Eveum left, Lilian said, “Mr. Ron, we need to find out where she lives.”
“Go ahead,” Ron nodded without hesitation.
Lilian let go of Ron’s hand, bowed, and then left.
“Can’t you support me back before talking?” Without Lilian’s support, Ron had to lean on a nearby pillar.
Eveum, relying on her memory and the signals from the surrounding trees, easily found her way back home. The paths she used to take were always the same, but this time, the scenery on the way back home felt fresh to her.
“Mom, it seems like I’ve encountered some good things these past few days,” she muttered.
However, the trees suddenly conveyed unsettling messages, causing her heart to tighten. She lifted the hem of her skirt and quickened her pace. Initially, many bushes were blocking the way, but as Eveum approached, they instinctively cleared a path – they knew the witch was in a hurry.
With their assistance, Eveum managed to return smoothly to her home. Upon reaching her destination, she saw her treehouse engulfed in flames.
On the way, there were torches still burning and scattered footprints. Eveum looked around frantically, trying to find the culprit responsible for this devastation.
Unfortunately, the arsonists had already escaped from the scene long before. However, she knew that certain individuals among the refugees had set her home ablaze.
The sound of flames filled the air, and it felt as if all the memories she had left in that treehouse were being incinerated. She wanted to do something, but she stood there, frozen, not knowing what she could do.
She couldn’t let her house continue to burn, absolutely not. But what could she do? What was within her power?
“Miss Eveum, instead of standing here stunned, why not extinguish the fire? I can provide some water,” Lilian’s voice unexpectedly spoke up.
