51. valuable thing

Noah sat and listened to Lalatina's story in amazement. The person in front of him was the great princess of a nation. Her calm and serious expression left no room for doubt.

Indeed, someone so elegant and beautiful like her could only be a princess. I must be foolish for not realizing this sooner, he thought to himself.

Just this morning, I gave the princess a full-body massage.

No, no… That's not the point.

There's no need to be too flustered. Mortals and immortals are separated. She's just a mortal princess, after all. There will be more of these encounters in the future.

Later, she told me many things about the outside world.

After listening to everything, Noah gently took her hands and slowly said,

"I know that in the royal family, amidst all the wealth and splendor, the schemes and cruelty are beyond what ordinary people can understand. That's why you've always had to be so cautious because one wrong step and there's no chance to walk again.

But look around you. This place is not the royal palace. You don't need to follow those harsh rules here. I will protect you, and you won't have to marry for anyone's sake. You can trust me."

Lalatina felt the warmth from his hands. For the first time, she was holding hands with a stranger, listening to such sweet words. Yet somehow, she didn't feel embarrassed, shy, or angry.

Instead, she felt warmth, care... Is this what they call human affection?

Tightening her grip on his warm hand, she looked at his simple face, his eyes filled with sincerity, with no hint of lust.

She sighed softly.

Yes, this place isn't the palace, and the manor lord is a good person. But still, I can't shake this uneasiness, she thought as she took a deep breath.

At that moment, the emblem hanging at her waist began to glow... the recognition ceremony had begun.

… In another place, half a day earlier…

On the long corridor, Luna Hart was in a cheerful mood, thinking to herself, The manor lord is so strict when working, but at other times, he's easy-going and thoughtful, just like Father.

Now that I'm gone, Liora has also been dismissed, so only Lalatina remains... Surely nothing bad will happen. Yes, you're just overthinking things... I wonder how Madam Kim is doing.

Just as she thought of this, she suddenly saw Kim Lian standing and staring at the enlightenment tree without blinking. She walked over.

"Steward Kim."

…

Moments earlier

Kim Lian had just walked out of the corridor when she saw something unimaginable. She had reached the nascent soul stage and could vaguely sense the essence of the Dao.

The Dao essence in the world is something that can only be understood, not sought. Yet here in this courtyard, there was a tree, with strands of Dao essence pouring down in clusters, falling to the ground. Each strand, if leaked outside, would lead to a frenzy of competition. But here… She wanted to step forward to gather the Dao strands... when suddenly, a voice woke her from her thoughts. Luna Hart had somehow appeared behind her.

"Luna Mei, this tree..."

Luna Hart glanced at it and immediately understood.

"Steward Kim, this is the enlightenment tree. Just sitting under this tree and pondering something can instantly bring you into a state of enlightenment. It's an incredibly precious treasure... I tried it this morning, and the tree really can help with enlightenment."

Seeing Kim lian in a daze, she quickly composed herself and asked,

"A treasure this valuable, why leave it here? Shouldn't it be kept in a secure place, heavily guarded?"

Luna Hart shook her head, indicating that she didn't know.

"Steward Kim, I'm not sure why the manor lord leaves it here. But he's so powerful—who would dare covet this tree?

The manor lord has allowed me to spend this afternoon with you. Let me tell you everything that's happened since you were in deep sleep. Let's go."

Inside the room, the space was peaceful, with everything neatly arranged.

…

"Steward Kim, that's how things are."

Kim lian couldn't believe it. A phenomenon covering all of Eastern Continent, followed by the dragon's vein bowing in worship.

… As she silently pondered, connecting all the events...

She had a feeling that something was amiss. It felt like everything was in chaos yet strangely connected, as if not orchestrated by one person or even intentionally arranged.

This could be… a battle between great powers beyond the mortal realm.

She suddenly felt an opportunity. A great opportunity. A phenomenon covering all of Eastern Continent, the dragon's vein bowing, the enlightenment tree growing in the courtyard, suppressing a monster from a rift. What kind of person could do this?

A mere immortal?

Only someone who transcends immortality, or at a much higher level, could possibly…

There's an immense opportunity to become an immortal.

Seeing that her Luna Mei hadn't yet realized the significance of this opportunity, she felt the need to remind her.

"Luna mei, I believe this is a rare fortune. This manor is immensely powerful, and the lord of the manor is a man whose influence spans the entire world. If I'm not mistaken, the world is on the brink of drastic change, with great upheavals ahead. Someone of his caliber wouldn't reveal himself otherwise. But this is also an enormous opportunity—especially for you, since you can serve the manor lord. That is an incredible advantage.

You must not upset him. Do you understand? Whatever he asks, you must do."

Luna Hart widened her eyes and pouted, hugging Kim lian's arm, acting spoiled.

"I know, Steward Kim. He may be strange, but he's a good person. Plus, he's been appointed as the steward by the manor lord, so he's on par with Sage Zhao Yu . I'll definitely need your guidance in the future."

Kim lian was taken aback.

"Sage Zhao Yu??"

"???"

…

Back in the kitchen

The light gradually faded, revealing Lalatina's beautiful figure with her rosy skin, her dress billowing in the wind. Below her, Noah struggled to keep his gaze from the pair of slender legs peeking out from beneath her pink dress.

Lalatina opened her eyes, looking at the emblem floating in front of her. The rules, the laws, and her own identity had all been transmitted into her consciousness through the emblem.

Looking at the Royal weapon in her hand, a red silk ribbon called Heavenly Silk, she glanced down to see the manor lord staring intently at her legs. She blushed.

"What are you looking at?"

Noah kept his face calm as if nothing embarrassing had happened and replied calmly.

"Nothing. Could you continue telling me about your companions?"