Previously, Anbaixiu had assumed that the Dream Barrier was a wonder unique to the Emerald Dream Forest.
Maintaining such a massive magical barrier undoubtedly required an immense expenditure of resources. He had believed the druids chose this costly, labor-intensive measure solely because Ryan had stirred up trouble.
Yet when Anbaixiu heard that the dream ritual also encompassed the entirety of the Emerald Dream Forest, a theory formed in his mind.
The Dream Barrier was likely adapted from the dream ritual itself.
The reason was simple: it saved effort, saved money, and saved manpower.
The dream ritual required an activation passphrase—likely a secret prayer unique to the druids—and reciting it before falling asleep granted entry into Nature's Dream.
The Dream Barrier, on the other hand, plunged anyone who set foot within its range straight into sleep.
Dissecting the two, inducing sleep and entering the dream realm were distinct components. The Dream Barrier forcibly dragged people into sleep while keeping outsiders barred from Nature's Dream.
Anbaixiu felt the odds of his conjecture being correct were quite high, but it needed verification.
First, he needed an environment where he could sleep peacefully. While Polymorph did not require his constant active concentration and would not dispel on its own when he fell asleep, there was no guaranteeing an accident wouldn't occur while he was unconscious. If the Polymorph failed, his true identity would be exposed.
Second, to test the theory, he had to obtain the prayer the druids used to enter the dream.
He couldn't simply coax Sares into revealing it; a single slip might raise suspicion and invite trouble.
Anbaixiu could only pray silently, *Catherine, please come through for me. Dig this secret out!*
***
On the other side of the dense forest, Naomi slunk through the night and soon returned to Catherine's side.
As the noble Elven Queen, Catherine received the highest level of hospitality in the Emerald Dream Forest.
While Anbaixiu had to settle for a wooden cabin, Catherine resided in a castle formed entirely of living trees. The Archdruids had grown it on the spot specifically for her, constantly asking for her preferences throughout the process for fear of giving any offense.
The druids could hardly be blamed for this differential treatment. The elves and druids had always shared good relations, practically millennia-old allies. Catherine was the Elven Queen and possessed an irresistible charm, so such lavish treatment was not exaggerated in the slightest.
Furthermore, Catherine did not need to force the druids to withdraw their surveillance as Anbaixiu had; the druids dared not place anyone to watch her, terrified of displeasing her.
Consequently, Naomi's return did not disturb anyone. At most, the druids only knew that the Elven Queen's companion had slipped out, and they paid it no mind.
For a ranger, letting a beast companion loose to roam or hunt on its own was entirely ordinary.
The moment Naomi returned to the exquisite wooden castle, Catherine asked impatiently, "Did you see him? Did he have any instructions?"
Naomi glanced at the Elven Queen, thinking that anyone else overhearing this would probably faint dead away in shock.
"Master said he wants you to keep gathering details about the dream ritual, and also to help facilitate a tripartite meeting..." Naomi recounted all of Anbaixiu's instructions without missing a detail.
Catherine listened, her face filled with shock.
"A tripartite meeting? Didn't he go to sea to look for an artifact? How did he suddenly become an envoy of the Raging Tide Kingdom?"
Naomi shook her head. "Master didn't explain in detail, so I'm not entirely sure either. But he has a princess of the Raging Tide Kingdom serving as his bodyguard, so Master's standing over there must be quite high."
"He even has a princess as his bodyguard?!"
Catherine's eyes went wide. Wasn't this lich a bit too absurd? No matter where he went, power, status, gold, and beautiful women practically threw themselves at him. It made no sense at all!
The religious zealots of Ryan showered him with gold and dropped to their knees, and now the battle-crazed warmongers of the Raging Tide Kingdom assigned their princess to protect him. It was utterly ridiculous—so ridiculous that a bard couldn't dream up such a tale even if blind drunk.
Catherine could only comfort herself with the thought that her decision to follow Anbaixiu into the world had been the right one. In just a few days, she had seen more of the world than in the past century.
So this was how political intrigue was played; this was how fortunes could be swindled; this was how hearts could be so complex, yet so easily manipulated.
Since Anbaixiu wanted her to keep inquiring about the dream ritual, Catherine had no choice but to comply.
"Still, how am I supposed to ask? These are druidic secrets. Even if I bring it up, they wouldn't just tell me, would they?" Catherine said helplessly.
Naomi countered, "Sister Catherine, you're overthinking it. As long as you ask, there's no secret you couldn't pry loose."
She wasn't wrong. A certain Archdruid had been pursuing Catherine with an obsession bordering on madness, forcing Catherine to stay behind closed doors for the past two days just to avoid his pestering.
If Catherine only asked, no secret would remain a secret.
Yet Catherine refused to do that.
The last time she had helped Anbaixiu deceive Ryan's paladins, she had found the roleplaying thrilling at first. But on closer reflection, she realized she had spent the reputation of the elven race to do Anbaixiu's dirty work. Had Anbaixiu not salvaged her reputation in the end, the fallout would have been catastrophic.
The once-naive queen was learning to look at the bigger picture. Helping Anbaixiu gather intelligence was fine, but never through deception; she represented the entire elven race now. No matter the circumstance, the elven people held supremacy in her heart.
Using seduction to extract information was out of the question; it would bring dishonor upon the elves. She had to find another way.
What could she do? If that lich were in her shoes, what would he do?
Catherine pictured Anbaixiu's figure, meticulously recalling every moment spent with him, especially the silver-tongued rhetoric he used when conning others. She only regretted not writing down his words back then to memorize them by heart.
Seeing Catherine's distress, Naomi joined in brainstorming, but neither could devise a workable plan by sunrise.
Then came another knock at the door.
"I bring the most radiant blossoms of the Emerald Dream Forest and the sweetest honey, offered to you, my beloved goddess!"
A passionate, booming voice rang out from outside the castle. It belonged to the Archdruid relentlessly pursuing Catherine—Brandir Sanda, a legend druid at the tender age of thirty-eight.
Naomi poked her head out the window and peered down.
A tall, handsome blonde man stood there holding a bouquet of fresh blossoms. Seeing Naomi, he flashed a dazzling smile.
From appearance alone, he was indeed an attractive man. In terms of status, an Archdruid of the Emerald Dream Forest was essentially one of the rulers of the realm, carrying considerable renown. As for personal capability, reaching the legendary realm at thirty-eight made him a genuine prodigy, among the finest across the Nine Kingdoms.
Even so, Naomi felt he wasn't worthy of Catherine.
A man captivated by Catherine's charm had completely lost himself. Like a slave, he could not even stand as Catherine's equal—how could he ever become her husband?
Yet the Archdruid did not see it that way. From his very first glimpse of Catherine, he had fallen hopelessly in love with the Elven Queen. How could such a flawless being exist in this world? It was a breathtaking beauty that kept Brandir awake night after night.
However, his frantic devotion had only startled Catherine. Back in the Silvermoon High Court, other elves would shield her from such rabid suitors. Here in the Emerald Dream Forest, on druid territory, she had to handle it herself.
A polite refusal had failed, leaving Catherine with no choice but to shut her door and refuse visitors.
Even though two days had passed without catching a glimpse of Catherine, the feeling burning in Brandir's chest had not waned; it had only grown fiercer.
Brandir had sworn an oath to the Oak Father that he would marry no one other than Catherine in this lifetime. Whatever the cost, he was determined to win the Elven Queen's heart.
What were mere gifts? If Catherine asked for it, he would hand over his very life.
The other Archdruids felt his behavior was inappropriate and uncouth, but given his equal standing, none could easily stop him. Besides, if he actually succeeded, it would be a boon for the Emerald Dream Forest as well.
Consequently, several druids even helped out behind the scenes, trying to discover Catherine's preferences in hopes of facilitating a celebrated match.
Backed by his kin, Brandir grew all the more devoted. He never repeated a gift from morning to evening, consulted others for advice, penned love poems to be delivered by birds, and composed serenades to belt out beneath her window.
He feared neither humiliation nor ridicule; his eyes held only Catherine.
Naomi sighed, leaped out the window, and landed before Brandir.
Brandir hastily produced two fragrant strips of dried meat and laid them before Naomi, asking cautiously, "Good girl, how is your master's mood today? Would she be willing to see me?"
As he spoke, Brandir cast Speak with Animals, though it was wasted effort—Naomi was no ordinary leopard.
Naomi clamped onto the dried meat, gobbling it down in a couple of bites. Immediately, a soothing warmth spread throughout her body. This jerky was specially prepared, saturated with natural energy, and profoundly beneficial to physical health. Out in the world, these two pieces alone could fetch a hundred thousand gold coins. To please Catherine, this Archdruid truly spared no expense.
Having devoured the jerky, Naomi shook her head at Brandir, signaling that Catherine still had no desire to see him—a courtesy so as not to take his food for nothing.
Brandir's face fell, but he quickly rallied and pressed on, "What kind of man does your master like? I swear I can mold myself into whatever she desires."
The image of Anbaixiu's skeletal frame popped into Naomi's head. If this druid ever learned that Catherine was working for a lich—and paying him out of pocket for the privilege—she wondered if he would suffer a mental breakdown.
Just as she turned to leave, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Naomi.
Raising a paw, she scratched a sentence into the dirt: *Master has been so unsettled by your pestering lately that she can't sleep peacefully at night. Do you have any way to give her sweet dreams? If you can help Master get a good night's rest, I'll put in a good word for you!*
Though puzzled as to why the leopard was writing when druids could readily understand animal speech, Brandir didn't dwell on it. This was the first ray of hope he had seen.
"Wait right here! I'll prepare it immediately. I guarantee Catherine will have the sweetest dreams!"
With that, Brandir spun around and dashed off.
Watching his retreating back, Naomi smiled.
It was inconvenient for Catherine to coax secrets out of Brandir, but as a "beast companion," Naomi had no such qualms. For a pet to care about its owner's health was only natural. As for whether she accidentally learned a druidic secret in the process, that had nothing to do with her. What malice could a little leopard possibly harbor?
She wondered how much of her master's knack she had managed to pick up with this trick.
Chapter 195