Chapter 995 – The Cocoons Ripen

Over the following months, Mo Lan was either researching the Thelan-version magical camera or out in the forest collecting magical materials.

Since it was inconvenient to use the Book of Cards and cards inside the forest, she made a special trip out of the Emerald Forest to retrieve some Material Cards that were hard to find in the woods. While she was at it, she also contacted Lilith and Sylph.

【Sylph: Vasida and Traci are still inside the life cocoon that your friend condensed? They haven’t been born yet?】

【Lilith: So after they’re born, what should they call you? Auntie Moira?】

【Mo Lan: …】

【Mo Lan: The Elf race doesn’t have all those complicated generational titles!】

【Sylph: Don’t forget to send us photos! I want to see the baby versions of Senior Traci and Vasida!】

【Lilith: Me too!】

【Mo Lan: Trade you for photos of when you two were hatchling dragons!】

Never having seen what Sylph and Lilith looked like when they first hatched from their shells remained one of her lasting regrets.

Unfortunately, Dragon Territory, much like Suramalan, was a hidden demiplane attached to the main world.

Even though she had now become a high Elf with multiple classes at level 20 Peak, she still couldn’t get to the Dragon Territory.

Every day, Mo Lan would ask Tree Spirit Mother about the growth of the life cocoons where Traci and Vasida resided.

When they were about to mature, she received the news even before Chieftain Matil.

At that point, her magical camera still wasn’t finished, but the magical paints and canvas were already prepared.

Mo Lan hurried to find Celine, Lila, Polly, and Dominic.

“Tree Spirit Mother says noon today at the latest!”

Celine was in the middle of preparing recovery potions for the upcoming incubation period. When she heard the news, her hand jolted and some powder spilled onto her fingers. She didn’t bother wiping it off and shot to her feet. “I’ll go get Lady Lila right away!”

“Don’t rush,” Mo Lan held her back. “I just passed by Lady Lila’s Herb Garden and already notified her.”

Only then did Celine collect herself slightly, her eyes a tangle of nervousness and anticipation. “Then I’ll go fetch the dried moss blankets!”

“Mm! I’ll go notify Polly and Dominic—their life cocoons should mature around the same time as yours.”

Mo Lan released Celine’s hand and hurried off to the treehouse where Polly and Dominic lived together.

Inside, Polly was preparing hemostatic bandages for Dominic—he had injured his arm during patrol the day before.

“Polly! Dominic! The life cocoons are about to mature!”

Polly’s hands froze mid-motion, her gaze colliding with Dominic’s as he looked up at the same instant.

The next second, Polly let out a soft “ah” and practically leapt up, the scissors in her hand nearly slipping from her grip.

Dominic reacted swiftly, extending his long arm to catch them steadily.

But even he couldn’t stay calm. “It’s Moira! Our life cocoon is about to mature!”

“Yes!” Polly nodded emphatically and scooped up the moss blanket folded to the side, flustered. “I keep feeling like this moss blanket isn’t sturdy enough, not soft enough—maybe we should use cotton cloth instead!”

“No need! The moss blanket you wove is the best—it’ll definitely catch our life cocoon safely!” Dominic reassured her. “Come on! Let’s hurry over!”

Before long, news that two life cocoons were about to mature had spread throughout the entire Emerald Green Tribe. For a tribe that welcomed a new child only once every several years on average, this was undoubtedly wonderful news.

The Elves all gathered beneath the Tree of Life as if by unspoken agreement.

Polly and Dominic, Celine and Lila—the four of them climbed up into the branches of the Tree of Life. Beneath their respective life cocoons, they carefully spread open the soft blankets that had been repeatedly tanned from moss and steeped in morning dew, holding their breath as they gazed upward at the two cocoons radiating a warm, gentle glow.

Mo Lan chose a nearby horizontal branch to sit on.

Across her knees lay a specially prepared magical canvas, with luminous paints arrayed at hand, ready to capture the moment the life cocoons matured in a magical painting.

The first to stir was Celine and Lila’s life cocoon. It swayed ever so slightly, its surface smooth and self-contained, then settled steadily into the soft moss blanket.

Lila immediately wrapped it gently with the blanket, and Celine’s hands followed, resting over it. The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with excitement and tenderness that needed no words.

Almost at the very same moment, on the other branch, Polly and Dominic’s life cocoon emitted a faint cracking sound.

Polly’s breath caught sharply as she watched the cocoon shell begin to loosen, about to detach.

In the instant it fell, Polly drew strength from somewhere deep within, lunging forward and reaching out with both arms. Before the cocoon could fully drop into the blanket, she caught it—steadily, gently—cradling it against her chest.

“Polly!” Dominic called out softly, but she was already clutching their life cocoon tightly, her cheek pressed against it, an irrepressible smile curving her lips.

He said nothing more. He simply wrapped the blanket swiftly around her and the cocoon together, shielding her as they carefully made their way down along the branch.

Below the tree, Chieftain Matil held a plain wooden tray in her hands. On it sat only two small Crystal bowls, each containing the life essence condensed by the Tree of Life—precious beyond measure.

Polly and Dominic, Celine and Lila knelt respectfully, gently lifting the moss blankets that cradled the life cocoons.

Matil dipped a leaf from the Tree of Life into the liquid in the bowls, her movements gentle yet solemn, and carefully applied the life essence across every surface of each cocoon shell.

The glistening droplets seeped rapidly into the shells upon contact, and the cocoons responded by emanating an even softer, steadier halo of light.

“There,” Matil withdrew her hand. “Take them home and incubate them with care. Nourish them each day with pure forces of nature until the cocoon glows steadily from within—and in a few days, you will meet your children!”

Polly held the cocoon in her arms tightly and nodded with all her might.

Dominic stood behind Polly, his hand resting gently on her shoulder.

Celine and Lila shared a smile, sheltering their cocoon between them.

The watching Elves parted to form a path of their own accord, their gazes brimming with blessings.

Mo Lan didn’t follow them.

She watched their figures recede into the distance before looking down at the canvas across her knees.

The excitement and joy of Celine and Lila catching the cocoon, Polly’s fearless embrace—all of it had been sealed eternally in the painting by her flowing brush and magical paints.

On the canvas, light and shadow seemed to still shimmer faintly, the emotion of joy nearly leaping off the surface.

She gently rolled up the canvas and touched the trunk. “Tree Spirit Mother! When Celine and Polly’s children are about to hatch, remember to let me know!”

Tree Spirit Mother, assuming she simply didn’t want to miss the birth of her friends’ children, rustled her leaves gently. “I know…”

From that day on, Mo Lan didn’t see Polly, Dominic, Lila, or Celine step outside again.

They were all at home, devoted entirely to incubating their little Elves.