Chapter 538: Chapter 538: A Cry

"Oh?" The woman looked surprised, her smile slowly widening. "I thought you were merely guessing my identity as the Spirit of the World Tree. Who would have thought you also knew my other identity?"

The grandmother, Tiva, who had appeared earlier that afternoon, was indeed her.

She had long disguised herself as that woman so she could interact freely with the elves of the Elf Village.

Only Seria knew about this. She was certain she had concealed it perfectly, yet the man beside her had figured it out in just one meeting.

That was truly amazing.

"Isn’t that too obvious?" Nolan rolled his eyes as he took another chocolate and popped it into his mouth. "This afternoon, you said you made peanut chocolate for your granddaughter. And now, you’re giving me the same thing. I recognized it immediately."

"Heh..." The woman’s smirk didn’t fade as she gave an appreciative nod. "So it’s all because of my carelessness, then?"

Nolan nodded slightly. "You could say that."

They looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

The atmosphere between them, once stiff and bland, was now filled with warmth.

"So..." Nolan closed the chocolate box and set it beside him. "What’s your purpose in approaching me? Do you need my help?"

Although he knew the woman beside him was not evil, he still couldn’t shake his suspicion about her intentions when she gave him that look.

The woman straightened her legs, then lifted her right foot slightly.

While gazing at the calm lake before her, she replied, "I’m just curious about you. Seria mentioned you before. She said you were mysterious, cold, and indifferent, yet also caring. As her best friend, it was the first time I’d seen her wear such an expression."

She paused, then turned to Nolan and looked at him gently.

"Even after she broke up with you, she kept talking about you. Well, sometimes her stories were full of anger and hatred, but I could still feel the love and regret in her voice. When I first met you, I finally understood why Seria fell for you so easily. You really are fascinating, Singularity of Chaos—no, Nolan Lorian, right?"

Nolan’s expression didn’t change. He stared at her for a moment before slowly pulling back his hood and removing his mask.

In an instant, his extraordinarily handsome face was revealed to the woman.

"Since when did you know?" Nolan asked casually as he placed the mask beside him.

The woman blinked innocently, then smiled playfully.

"Since long ago," she replied, rubbing her chin as if in thought. "I know your identities, Singularities. Besides, I met the Singularity of Chaos before you, you know?"

Nolan’s calm expression slowly shifted, turning serious.

"You’ve met that old man? Where and... when?"

Despite his attempt to suppress it, the woman could sense his anxiety and unease.

She reached out and gently stroked his cheek. Then she leaned closer, pressing her forehead against Nolan’s.

Nolan remained calm, showing neither surprise nor anger, as if the woman’s actions were expected.

Her green eyes gazed gently into his purple ones. Then, in a soft and loving voice, she replied, "He’s dead. Once he passed his power and title on to you, it was only natural that he died. His existence in this world has been erased—both in the past and... the future."

Those words made Nolan’s chest ache. Unconsciously, tears welled up at the corners of his eyes.

Nolan was startled and tried to wipe them away, but he couldn’t. Instead, the tears kept falling.

He tried to cover his face with his mask, but the woman wouldn’t allow it.

She pressed Nolan’s face against her chest and hugged him tightly.

"It’s okay. Cry. There’s no one here," she said gently.

Nolan cried in silence. In his entire life, he had never cried—not even as a baby.

That was because he carried memories from his previous life. But now, for the first time, he was crying—right in front of this woman.

Nolan quickly tried to suppress his emotions and pull his face away from her soft chest, but she held him back.

Inevitably, he lingered a little longer, enjoying the softness and the faint, sweet scent.

When the woman finally loosened her embrace, Nolan was able to pull his face away from those soft mounds.

She smiled and wiped the remaining tears from Nolan’s right cheek.

"Even after crying, your face quickly returns to normal. Your emotional control is truly remarkable," she said, half-jokingly.

Nolan simply smiled without saying anything. He had once been the heir of the Frey family.

Controlling his expressions and emotions should have been second nature to him.

If his emotions had slipped out of control just now, it was only because the woman’s words had stirred memories from the past—ones he found difficult to suppress.

"There’s something I want to ask," Nolan said calmly. "What did he look like back then?"

The woman didn’t answer immediately. She folded her legs and lightly patted her thighs.

At first, Nolan was confused, but the next moment, he understood.

He hesitated, unsure whether to comply. However, when he saw the hopeful look on the woman’s face, Nolan let out a soft sigh and shifted into position.

He rested his head on her soft thigh, causing the woman’s smile to widen.

As she gently stroked Nolan’s smooth black hair, she explained, "His appearance... was a mess. He looked more like a beggar than the powerful former Singularity of Chaos. You could say he was completely... broken."

Her words made Nolan unconsciously clench his fists.

"Why didn’t he come to me and instead chose to stay away?" he asked, his voice tinged with anger.

The woman shook her head. "I don’t know. But I have a few guesses."

She rubbed Nolan’s cheek and said softly, "He probably didn’t want to burden you. He was afraid you would be dragged into his past grudges."

Nolan fell silent, his lips pressed together. After a moment, he let out a deep sigh and asked, "Did he leave anything behind before he died?"

"Yes. A note."

The woman opened her left palm. In an instant, a piece of paper appeared, and she handed it to him.

Nolan took it. He wanted to read it right away, but restrained himself. He slipped it into his pocket and said softly, "Thank you. I owe you one. If you ever need anything, as long as it’s within my power, I’ll help you."

His journey to the elf territory had not been in vain. At last, he had found the answer that had troubled him for years.

The woman giggled and waved her right hand.

"Don’t worry about it. I don’t want anything."

But Nolan shook his head slightly and insisted, "Since I made a promise, I have to keep it."

Seeing his stubbornness, the woman looked somewhat helpless. Her gaze drifted to Nolan’s lips without her realizing it.

With a playful expression, she said, "I’ve been thinking about it."