— Meanwhile, in her Ocean of Consciousness —
Aurelia opened her eyes to the familiar sight of the Hearthcore Womb.
However, there was now a new structure attached to it — presumably the Crystal Incubator.
“What is the Crystal Incubator?” Aurelia asked, stepping closer to inspect the newly formed facility.
Silence lingered for several seconds before a notification appeared.
| Crystal Incubator — A facility that grows crystals. A crystal seed is required to produce a sizeable crystal for a one-time harvest. |
Aurelia frowned slightly, studying both the notification and the structure itself.
“So I need a crystal seed to activate it… and it produces a single harvest based on the purity and size of the seed,” she murmured thoughtfully.
“If I take the description literally, I won’t receive a seed upon harvest. And it doesn’t state how long growth will take. It could be as long as the tree…”
Her gaze shifted to the now-empty Hearthcore Womb.
“System. Was the Tree of Idunn already moved to the spatial island Taurus and Tori gifted me? The one tied to the ear cuff?”
A soft chime answered her.
| User is correct on all accounts. |
| New Function Unlocked — Growth Points |
| Each time the User consumes a Persimmon of Idunn, one Growth Point is acquired. Growth Points may enhance the User or instantly complete incubation cycles. |
Aurelia stilled.
Then a slow smile formed.
“System… can you harvest a viable sapling branch from the Tree of Idunn?”
A brief silence stretched.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
| Auto-gathering applies only within incubators during initial growth cycles. Auto-harvesting is unavailable until the User manually completes a successful harvest within a claimed domain. Apologies. |
Her smile widened.
An even better idea took root.
“System. Is my Ocean of Consciousness directly linked to the Dimensional Island? I can access it physically there… but not manipulate it from here. Correct?”
| Processing… |
_Oh. No delay this time?_
Aurelia walked slowly around the Hearthcore Womb and Crystal Incubator as she waited.
Their runes pulsed with a steady, warm blue rhythm — like a heartbeat. The wooden framing seemed more alive than ever.
_Is that because the Tree of Idunn completed its growth cycle?_
A soft ping interrupted her thoughts.
| Confirmation: The Ocean of Consciousness interfaces physically with the Dimensional Island. User may access incubators and facilities in physical form on the island. However, interaction with the island cannot occur from within the mental construct. |
“So there are limitations…” Aurelia murmured. “But depending on what I cultivate, initial interaction here may still be advantageous.”
Satisfied, she nodded and exited her Ocean of Consciousness.
Her eyes fluttered open.
Warmth greeted her — at her feet, her torso, and beneath her head.
After a few seconds, her vision adjusted.
Seris and Elowen were asleep beside her on the couch — snuggled in close.
A furious blush spread across her face.
She didn’t have the heart to wake them.
_I… suppose I can wait until morning. Maybe I’ll show them my idea then._
Despite her usual aloofness, Aurelia relaxed into their warmth and allowed sleep to take her properly.
— The Neutral City, Atlantis. Council of the Twelve —
Twelve representatives stood before the AZC, voices raised in heated argument.
“You told our predecessors there were only twelve of you!” a broad-shouldered man wearing a Leo pin accused.
“Enough!” Taurus bellowed. “We believed her dead after her sacrifice stabilized the worlds and sealed the gates. Whether you accept it or not — Ophiuchus is, and always will be, one of us.”
Her gaze hardened.
“While I do not agree with the ruling, it stands. We will not intervene in non-AZC or non-SC (Shengxiao Council) conflicts. If the Meteora child troubles you… then handle it yourselves.”
Leo himself flinched — fully aware that Taurus’s fury was not born of weakness, but restraint forced by internal division.
“That is sufficient,” Leo replied coolly. “The AZC has ruled. We will not involve ourselves where it is not our place. Yes, we chose your predecessors as our wards generations ago — but this matter does not concern us.”
He waved sharply in dismissal.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
The Patriarchs and Matriarchs of the Twelve Houses of Japan exited with thin smiles — all except the Taurus representative, who left in silence.
A derisive snort escaped Taurus as the female members of the AZC glared at their male counterparts.
“This is precisely why we chose Ophiuchus over any of you,” she said coldly before departing.
_Please survive this trial, Aurelia…_
The council doors shut behind her.
