Records of Rebirth

The Nymph's appraisal results weren't weak, but if her children were this strong, it served to reason she should have been much stronger than she currently was.

I scanned the banquet to find the Veladrys the Nymph had sent to assist Typhon. She wasn't weak at all, with her appraisal results also being quite high.

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LV25 Verum Veladrys                                                       

Specie: Ailith Fae

HP: 290/290          Defence : 245

MP: 370/370          Intellect: 260

SP: 175/175          Magic: 340

Attack: 325            Agility: 335

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This was also true for the rest of the Veladrys gathered around my nestlings.

The Veladrys weren't much of a threat to us because they were friendlier after fighting with my nestlings in battle, and they were under the command of the Nymph, who seemed to want to befriend me – although she had a strange way of showing it.

However, the truly unusual ones were the four children the Nymph had brought.

They weren't Veladrys, or Nymphs, but something called Lyenysa and all four of them were quite strong.

Also, they didn't seem like they were under the Nymphs control as much as the Veladrys. They openly acted displeased with my presence, and I was concerned my nestlings would be hurt if one of them got angry enough.

Thankfully, my nestlings could read the room. They were on their best behaviour and only conversed with the Veladrys or ate, which made me glad they were on our side.

But aside from that, the Nymph concerned me even more.

It stood to reason that the Veladrys evolving further would make them as strong as these four Lyenysa, but if so, how could the origin of the forest – the oldest of them all, the Nymph, not be at least three times as strong or more.

I only evolved twice and the difference between my nestlings and I, was already impossible for them to reach without them evolving the second time. . It didn't make much sense to me that all their strengths would be so similar – unless I wasn't seeing the full picture.

Thankfully, the Veladrys resumed playing her string instrument and the tense atmosphere somewhat relaxed.

Even so, I felt many piercing gazes on me, which I tried to ignore. The Nymph's children really weren't happy with me, and I didn't know why – and above all, the Nymph didn't seem to care about it at all.

When I tried to keep some distance, she reached over and  casually draped her legs around my curls, resting entirely on my body.

|[Maybe we shouldn't stay so close together…]| I started to say, but the Nymph ruby eyes flashed dangerously at her children, and I felt a bloodcurdling aura that left me stunned.

It disappeared almost immediately, but the effect was incredible.

The Veladrys around us stopped talking and seemed to be shivering, to the surprise of my nestlings. Her children also looked away, with the brawny Lyenysa crushing the honeycomb in her hand was reduced to dust.

She was clearly suppressing her fury.

But then, the blonde haired Lyenysa whispered something to her across the table, and she stopped glaring at me. For once it didn't feel like I was targeted for death by their sinister gazes, and I was relieved.

[Is that better?] The Nymph asked, her face leaning extremely close to mine.

And suddenly, I felt in immense danger.

I was wrong – she was very much the strongest here and completely in control!

Yet, why was she looking so expectantly at me?

If I said I wasn't satisfied, would she scold them more?

|[Yeah… it's fine.]| I replied, and the Nymph sighed as she leaned against me with her eyes closed, seeming to relax even more. 

I really wished she would get off me.

Clearly something wasn't right here, and I was hesitant to shake her off, because it felt like she was a bomb strapped to my chest. But then, the Nymph raised her face to stare at me, soft waves of dark hair tumbling down her chest.

[You're not eating?] The Nymph asked, her chin set rather stubbornly in a pout. [Do you not like the food?]

Was she purposely trying to make me uneasy?

|[No, The food is good. I will eat... in a little while.]| I replied, but my mouth felt dry, my appetite all but gone at her  arrival. . 

Where the hell was the dark fae when I needed her?

She had taken off right after I scolded her, and she hasn't returned since.

[If you're not hungry, do you want to eat something else?] The Nymph pondered, as her legs gripped around me. [Something live, perhaps?]

Her lips parted as she studied me, her red eyes ablaze with a strange hunger, and although she wasn't doing anything dangerous, somehow I was more terrified.

The Nymph was testing me - although I couldn't figure out why.

"Sensei!" I hissed.

However, there was no response and I got even more impatient as the Nymph continued to stare at me.

Why wasn't he offering some suggestions to get me out of this mess?

|[What do you mean…live?]| I asked her.

[I saw you watching my children.] The Nymph replied. [I thought perhaps you'd prefer to eat them.]

|[What? Oh no. Definitely not! I would never!]| I immediately refused.

What the heck was she thinking?

"Sensei!" I impatiently hissed, but once again there was no reply.

Where was he? Why wasn't he answering me?

I was beginning to panic because the Nymph did not look away.

|[I would never eat them, really!]| I repeated, but instead the Nymph's brows wrinkled in annoyance.

[Why not?] She asked. [You don't think they taste good?]

What the…?

"Sensei!" I impatiently called out, and this time I heard a lazy voice.

«What's the matter?» Sensei asked.

This bastard!

The Nymph was waiting for my response, her pout now set in a frown.

"Help me!" I panicked. "What the heck does she want?"

«She's just playing with you.» Sensei replied. «Just tell her the truth and she'll leave you alone.»

What exactly was the truth here? I would happily eat them if they harmed me or my nestlings.

|[I  don't want to eat them.]| I settled on a neutral response. |[They belong to my Pit now. We're bound together like a family.]|

My heart beat furiously as I stared at the Nymph, but fortunately this seemed to satisfy her, because she smiled happily before resting on my scales once more. What a relief.

"Where the hell did you go?" I snapped at Sensei. "Did you mute me again?"

«Yes.» Sensei replied. «I'd rather not be privy to  your...activities.»

"What activities? How can you abandon me here!"

Sensei sighed. «You said you needed some help. And I helped. I'm going now.»

"Hey!"

The Nymph was resting, but it still felt dangerous.

"Is it possible to fake appraisal results?"  I questioned Sensei, before he could  mute me again.

«No. But I can see why you would be confused.» Sensei replied. «What you're appraising isn't the Nymphs true form. For better words, she's an incarnation of nature, the collective consciousness of every tree stretching across her domain and far beyond, including those her children create. 

It's quite tricky to estimate her true value, since the forms she chooses to appear in can also vary in strength.»

What the heck? I swallowed nervously.

I knew she was terrifying, but this was much worse – I didn't understand what she was anymore.

If this wasn't actually her true form, would killing this body actually defeat her?

The Nymph bit down on a piece of fruit, and as she sensed my stare, she turned to smile at me.

Unfortunately, this only attracted the foul gazes of her children, which made the Nymph sigh.

But then the ground beneath us started moving, as several roots shot up from the ground to form a lattice around us that gradually obscured everyone's view as they sprouted all over with pink leaves.

[Don't be afraid.] The Nymph said as I looked around, startled. [I only want a little privacy.]

I wanted to agree, but the only problem was that this shade also blocked my view of Apollo and Morgana.

|[I can't let my nestlings out of my sight.]| I confessed to her, and the Nymph nodded.

[Don't worry, my children won't let them escape.] 

Escape? Wasn't that a strange choice of words?

I wanted to ask why she said that, but the hedge around us was tightly shut, sealing out all light and to my horror, I realised I was now completely alone with the Nymph.

And my eyes widened in panic, as the resting Nymph turned to face me, my tangled curls gripped between her legs.

|[What are you doing? Release me.]| I said, trying to stay calm.

The Nymph was small but surprisingly strong, somehow her tiny body was pushing me down, and although I could probably throw her off me, I didn't do so because I wasn't sure if she was just playing.

However, Nymph simply stared at me, her red eyes strangely ablaze. [I've never met such a shy serpent before. I keep wanting to eat you, but I can't bring myself to.]

Er…

"Sensei, I may need some help here." I said, but there was no response.

That traitor! How could he leave again?

|[What do you want?]| I was trying to reason with her, but at the same time, I couldn't just let her bully me. |[If you don't let me go, you're going to die sooner or later.]|

Instead of being angry or afraid, the Nymph smiled, her voice low and threatening as she spoke.

[If you mean that oversized drake that keeps flying over my forest? Or those creatures skulking around in the dark?] The Nymph had a lovely smile as she said all of this, which made her even more terrifying. [If any of them dare to step foot in here, I will bury them all in the ground where they belong.]

|[You…]| How did she know? I was stunned. 

[Can you promise they wont enter?] The Nymph said and I tried to read her expression to see what she was thinking.

Yet, what was this situation? 

I was a monstrous snake – I shouldn't be getting harassed like this.

[If they don't enter, they can leave with their lives intact.] The Nymph insisted. [I only want to talk to you alone.]

Somehow, she seemed to be telling the truth, and I nodded with a sigh, the weight on my body quickly vanishing as her grip loosened. Soon, all that was left was a blushing Nymph that looked away rather shyly.

I didn't understand her at all.

|[So what do you want to talk about?]| I asked.

The Nymph hesitated as she looked at me, her ruby eyes sparkling with excitement as she mulled over her words. When she eventually spoke, I was completely surprised.

[I want you to give me a name.] The Nymph declared. [And in exchange I will remove my kiss.]