Belsetia stared at the green on the horizon for a long time, and then realized that it was a continuous canopy—or more strictly, a little branch at the very edge of the canopy, pointing high into the sky, and when viewed from the air, it became a border at the end of the horizon.

The Silver Empress's eyes widened in astonishment.

"That's the Thorin Tree, a branch of the branches that spread out of her southern trunk," Gawain noted Belsetia's gaze and smiled at the holographic projection, "We're still far away - the outside monitor will zoom in on the distant image, and the craft will slow down further as you get closer to the Thorin area." ”

"It's so big!?" Belsetia couldn't help but exclaim, "Bertiela her...... How much of an area is covered? ”

"The whole of Thollin Castle, and the entire Tholin Territory in the past—it wasn't really that big at first, but in the nearly six months since it came to the surface, the Tholin Giant Tree underwent a very rapid expansion phase, and it was not until the vast forces of nature reached a balance within it that this expansion gradually stalled. In fact, Berthira said she could grow a little more, but she was worried that it would have an unpredictable impact on the ecological cycle in the rest of the Whitsundays, so she stopped in this state. ”

“…… I've seen reports from the north about the Thorin Tree, but now it seems that what can be described by text information is still too conservative compared to the real thing," Belsetia took a light breath and shook her head with some sighs, "I can't imagine it...... What a powerful force of nature must have to be to give birth to such a miracle? ”

"The cultists of the end of all things once copied a 'god', although it was not complete, but it was indeed made of real divine factors, and the Thorin Giant Tree was drilled out of the 'hatchery' where they made gods, so you can consider it a 'miracle of the gods'," Gawain said, "Although the end of all things will fail, on the other hand, they do prove one thing with examples: the power of gods can be controlled by mortals, as long as the method is right." ”

"......Born from the hatchery of the gods," Belsetia whispered, as the titular high priestess of the god of nature, although she had deviated from the ancient beliefs, her knowledge of theology was still genuine, and Gawain's description quickly reminded her of some records in the ancient texts, "So this tree symbolizes the giant tree of 'reincarnation' described in the holy scriptures?" Is this the embodiment of a myth? ”

Gawain thought for a moment: "Some of our scholars also think so, but this matter lacks practical and reliable theoretical support other than religious symbolic explanations, so it cannot be used as a conclusion. ”

"So what does ...... 'he' think about this?" Belsetia couldn't help but ask, "I mean ......"

She was referring to Amon, the god of nature, but here, she didn't rush to say the name.

Gawain comprehended, revealing a slightly strange look: "He suggested that we believe in science, and not make any religious symbols and mythological extensions......"

Belsetia: "......"

"Ahem?" Realize the atmosphere is a bit awkward? Gawain coughed dryly twice, and then the topic changed? "Is the Thorin Tree the last vestiges of the end of all things on this land? Now all their technological achievements have been taken over by Cecil and are being transformed into medical and biochemical products that are beneficial to the people? But another group of cultists hiding in the wasteland is a hidden danger. ”

"That's true," Belsetia's expression quickly changed. The tone became serious? "After hearing your information, I have ordered the Magus of the Star Sanctuary to once again check the tower logs at the various nodes of the Great Wall, especially the monitoring records of the flow of energy in the wasteland, although no evidence of the Cultists' activities you are talking about? But we really found some ...... Suspicious traces that have not been found before.

"Specifically? In the few logs, we have observed a small area of energy enrichment and unnatural transfer within the wasteland, while in others, we have found that some Sentinel Towers have communication resets and discontinuities measured in seconds. Did you know when you first learned that there were cultists operating in the wasteland? We've checked these parameters before, but at the time we just thought it was the cultists trying to steal the channels in the Sentinel system? But now it seems...... These clues may indicate that they have been collecting wandering magic in the wasteland since a long time ago? And there is some kind of technology to transform and use the magic energy of chaos.

"It's a pity that all this intelligence is circumstantial? We still lack the means to directly monitor the inside of the wasteland. Is the main function of the Sentinel Tower to keep the barrier running? And at the same time unable to move? In the past, the only thing we had to worry about was the unsane deviants, and the Sentinel Towers were more than enough to monitor, but now that we have to deal with the cunning cultists, those towers are not enough. ”

Gawain nodded slightly, while his gaze swept over the cockpit around him: "In the past two years, we have also built a number of observation points and forward bases in the southern foothills of the Dark Mountain Range to enhance the monitoring of the Gondor wasteland, but the effect of this monitoring is very limited, recently we are trying to find a breakthrough from the air, which may allow us to more clearly control the changes inside the Great Wall." ”

"In the air?" Belsetia frowned slightly, and then realized that the basis of the matter was the anti-gravity vehicle she was on, "You mean...... Use this magical device, known as the 'Dragoons', to break into the walls of grandeur and conduct a direct reconnaissance of the Gondor wasteland? ”

"The 'Dragoon' is just one model of the anti-gravity aircraft, and there are many, many more models, such as the one we are on, its official model name should be 'Cloud Bottom' - this is a carrier aircraft dedicated to transporting personnel," Gawain explained first, and then nodded slightly, "We are indeed trying to create a more efficient and safer aircraft to carry out direct reconnaissance missions to the wasteland, after all, in any case, the prerequisite for the success of any military operation must be reliable reconnaissance means, If we want to counterattack the wasteland, we must at least see where we are going to go. ”

"I'm afraid it's not easy," Belsetia frowned, obviously not optimistic about the matter, "the air unit is indeed the best reconnaissance method, but the fragility of the aircraft is its Achilles' heel, and inside the wasteland, the air environment has always been treacherous - the magic turbulence there is constant flow, and there will be a large-scale energy release near the clouds at any time, and the magic radiation from the deep blue well is reflected many times between the clouds and the earth, like a dense rain of blades that threatens everything that rises into the air." Conventional magic shields are ineffective against that environment, while heavy armor is reliable...... But there is no way to hang on to an aircraft that needs to fly flexibly. ”

"Indeed, the sky environment in the wasteland is completely different from the outside, where strong enough protection is the prerequisite for survival," Gawain said, suddenly asking, "Speaking of which, I'm a little curious, with the protective power of the Star Sanctuary...... Can it fly safely over the Gondor wasteland? ”

Belsetia was stunned for a moment, and said with some uncertainty: "I really haven't thought about this problem...... Theoretically, I think it's possible, the Sanctuary of Stars has a very high-power, multi-layered magic shield, and its own sturdy ancient alloy armor and an internal force field stabilizer, so if it's just flying over the Gondor wasteland, it should be fine. But that's just a theory - the Stars Sanctuary is the treasure of the Silver Empire, and there is only one of them, and it's impossible to recreate or repair, so I don't think anyone will take it to the wasteland on a reconnaissance mission......"

Speaking of this, she couldn't help but glance at Gawain, and suddenly became a little vigilant: "Even if Uncle Gawain speaks, it will definitely not work." ”

"Ahem, of course I didn't mean that, I'm just using an analogy," Gawain said with a quick wave of his hand, followed by a thoughtful expression, "But that means that something like a giant flying fortress is useful for the special environment of the wasteland......"

As if she hadn't heard Gawain's words, Belsetia's attention seemed to have returned to the magic-based craft itself, which was steadily approaching the Thorin Tree, and the massive canopy in the distance had taken up a considerable area of view in the holographic projection - the flight had given the Silver Empress a very new experience, which was very different from the "flying" she felt in the Constellation of the Stars Temple and the experience of flying the Great Eagle.

On the Throne of Domination, she felt connected to countless ancient machines, her senses stripped away, encoded, transferred, and passed back, as if she were a part of that ancient air fortress, and she could only watch the cold data glide through her mind, the machines whispering words that humans couldn't understand, and she had little energy to feel the feeling of looking down on the earth.

Riding the Eagle is a different experience: the Eagle is in touch with its owner, but it is not as exhausting as the Temple of the Stars, but the wide back of the Eagle is never a comfortable seat, no matter how well the saddle is used, riding the Eagle is also a laborious task, and the passenger has to devote part of his or her mind to controlling the breeze shield to help protect himself from the air currents and temperature changes in the sky, and the flying experience becomes even worse.

The experience of this flying machine, known as "Cloud Bottom", was the most satisfying experience she had ever had since she first touched the sky.

Does this thing sell or not? Presumably for sale...... If it is verified that it also has enough practical value in the south of the continent, it may be possible to consider introducing a batch of ...... It's better than a giant eagle with limited utility or an "primordial elf technology" that is no longer reproducible.

While thinking about it, she noticed the nervous appearance of the maid Elaine beside her, and couldn't help asking, "Elaine, are you unwell?" ”

"No, I'm just a little ...... Not used to it," Elaine smiled a little awkwardly, and although she had tried her best to hide it, it seemed that her nervousness had caught the Empress's attention, "after all, this is the first time I've called a Cecil anti-gravity vehicle. ”

"You didn't react that way when you worked in the Star Temple," Beersevia said, "Isn't that also an anti-gravity vehicle?" ”

"That's not the same," Elaine said immediately, "The Sanctuary of the Stars is a flying city, and as long as you don't stand on the edge of its deck, working and living in the inner area is no different than standing on flat ground, but here...... It's buzzing everywhere. ”

As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a crash from under the aircraft, and at the same time, a loud vibration came, and the high-level elf maid's face suddenly changed dramatically and jumped up—but then she was dragged back to her seat by the seat belt: "Ah! We crashed?! ”

The corners of Gawain's mouth twitched, he really didn't expect Elaine, who was running around with Belsetia seven hundred years ago, still had a slight fear of heights: "...... We landed. ”

So how did such a guy who is afraid of heights fly all the way from the Silver Empire to the Northern Continent on a giant eagle with the entire Elven Mission? After knocking yourself unconscious, you tied it to the back of the eagle and then were carried away by other eagle knights?

Elaine looked embarrassed and turned her head to look at the Silver Empress, while Belsetia sighed softly helplessly, she looked at the holographic projection at the front of the cockpit, only to find that the magic guide device had been turned off at some point, and the shading barrier covering the cockpit was gradually dissipating, and the brilliant sky light shone in from the outside of the hatch, and the slight click of the mechanical lock opening sounded from the edge of the hatch.

Gawain unbuckled his seat belt and got up from his seat: "Let's go, let's go say hello to Bertilla." ”

Belsetia left the aircraft, but the first thing she did before stepping onto the ground was to look up subconsciously - all she could see was a brilliant clear blue sky and sparse clouds, and the expected canopy of trees did not appear in her eyes.

"What are you looking for?"

Gawain's voice came from the side, and Belsetia subconsciously replied, "What about the Thorin Giant Tree?" ”

Gao Wen on the side laughed: "Bow your head, you are in the canopy." ”

Beersettia was stunned for a moment, then turned her attention to her feet, and she saw a large, light-grained take-off and landing platform stretching out of her field of vision, and beyond the platform was a much wider green earth—she saw this green out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't realize that these extremely flat greens were actually made up of precisely growing, layered leaves, and in the distance, she saw the antenna devices set up on the tops of the Thorin trees, the energy towers, Research facilities and many things that can't even guess the name.

There is also a group of anti-aircraft treemen warriors armed with magic guide heavy artillery and patrolling the edge of the green earth.

The Silver Empress was stunned for a moment, and then took a light breath: "...... Shocking, this is no less than a miracle of the Temple of the Stars. ”

"Thank you for the compliment," a voice came from not far away, with a hint of the husky texture of the friction of a wooden structure, "It took me a long time to get this place to grow." ”

Belsetia immediately followed the sound, and the next second, she saw the figure standing next to the flying machine—she had a feminine upper body, but she had a plant-like lower body with a strange structure, and a large number of flowering vines stretched behind her like a cloak, extending from her body to the huge layers of leaves in the distance, and the vines gently wriggled and rustled in the sunlight.

Belsetia paused, staring at the vaguely familiar face and the strange, non-human body.

None of this overlapped with the Bertila she remembered.