Savage Forest - Chapter 145.1

However, among all the gazes, the one that embarrassed Enya the most was Tarhan’s look.

She could feel many emotions in his intense gaze.

Now that she thought about it, it was the first time she had used her abilities in front of him.

‘He seems proud of me.’

Enya straightened her neck, feeling a mix of pride and embarrassment.

Of course, she could have asked someone else to move the bodies, but Enya insisted on doing it herself.

She wanted to ensure that no one else’s hands touched it.

It could have been the cruelest thing. Servia had seen Enya as an obstacle in her life, so entrusting her own dead body to Enya for burial was, in a way, the most humiliating funeral she could have.

With everyone watching, Enya slowly began to roll the two bodies.

At her gesture, the plants in the forest responded and moved the bodies in the direction she wanted.

Following her, Tarhan also began to move slowly. Jahan and Fiarca followed naturally.

“Fiarca.”

Leroi immediately grabbed Fiarca’s hand and tried to follow. But Fiarca shook her head at him.

They slowly made their way to the small grove where Senu’s body had been placed.

In the Nervana Forest, tree burials were a very common method of funeral.

Senu’s body, which had been badly damaged by the flood, had to be buried prematurely. However, once the leper colony people arrived in Nervana, they planned to give him a proper funeral. It was unanimously agreed that they would wait for a sunny day.

Not long after entering the burial site, a small mound appeared, not long since being buried.

It was Senu’s grave.

A small branch had started to grow from it. Though it wasn’t very big yet, the trees in Nervana grew quickly and large.

Soon enough, this small branch growing from Senu’s grave would soon rise high enough to become part of the lush vegetation.

Enya gestured to the plants moving the bodies behind them. The stems that had wrapped tightly around the two shrouded bodies quickly sank back into the earth.

Looking at the bodies placed in front of Senu’s grave, Jahan muttered.

“Is it okay to bury these two with Senu?”

Enya, too, stared at the gravesite, feeling somewhat confused.

The bodies of Servia and Haron were badly damaged, possibly from some injury they had suffered in Cavaligo. Enya wasn’t sure if it was the right choice to bury them alongside Senu, and she found herself questioning her decision.

However, the conclusion had already been made. Enya clearly remembered Senu’s last moments.

She believed in his expression of relief as he spoke of his mother.

Senu had already forgiven Servia.

“I know this could be seen as lenient towards people like Servia and Haron. But…”

Enya spoke quietly, her gaze fixed on the small branch that had sprouted near Senu’s grave.

“I hope that Senu’s tree grows and covers the land where Servia and Haron are buried.”

Thus, Senu’s mission could be fulfilled even after his death.

Enya silently made this wish in her heart.

Tarhan gently wrapped his arm around Enya’s shoulder.

After a while, Enya raised her palm and gave a silent command to the forest plants. The ground behind Senu’s grave quickly shifted, and a space large enough for two bodies to be placed was soon prepared.

With her hand gestures, Enya guided the bodies into the pit, covering them with soil. Not a single human hand touched the process. It was a burial made solely through the movement of the plants.

Unlike Senu’s grave, no tree sapling was planted at Servia and Haron’s graves. The ground wasn’t raised to make it obvious that it was a burial site. Even after the burial, it looked like just another spot in the forest, indistinguishable from the rest.

Jahan, who had been kneeling in front of Senu’s grave, finally wiped his tears away. Fiarca approached him and gently patted his shoulder.

They stood there for a long time, lingering at the graveside, before finally returning to the village.

* * *

Time passed quickly.

After sending Tarhan to work early in the morning, Enya spent time with the other women in the communal rest area before slowly getting up.

“Enya, are you going to the training ground?”

“Yes, Piache and Ihita will be waiting for me.”

That day, the women gathered together to prepare the vegetables for their evening meal.

The women saw Enya off.

Enya had played a major role in revitalizing Nervana, a village that had once been on the brink of collapse. The villagers had always revered the daughter of the forest, but lately, their affection had grown even more.

They genuinely liked Enya for her dedication to the tribe. Not only because she was the daughter of the forest and the next leader, but also for her kind yet rational personality, which had earned her the affection of many.

Most importantly, after witnessing her abilities, even the strongest men respected and followed Enya.

“You don’t have to come with me. I can go alone.”

“I know, Enya. But still, be careful not to fall. We don’t want Tarhan rushing over and dropping everything to come help you!”

The Nervana women, perhaps thinking back to what had happened before, laughed and blushed as they looked at each other.

Enya smiled along with them, greeted them, and then left.

Enya had gained the tribe’s deep favor, and part of that was thanks to Tarhan.

Everyone praised his skills and leadership. He had naturally become the center of power among the men of Nervana.

Rigata and his subordinates, who had followed Tarhan from Aquilea, had been of great help. They blended into the tribe without causing any problems and had taken on crucial roles in rebuilding the tribe, which was at a pivotal moment.

“Whoo…”

Enya took a deep breath and gradually picked up her pace, placing a hand on her back.

Her belly was now noticeably bigger, and it couldn’t be overlooked. Every time she slept, her back ached, and it had become routine for Tarhan to rub her back both before bed and in the mornings.

Even so, everyone in Nervana knew that the baby inside her was healthy.

“It’s really strange. Among all the pregnant women I’ve seen, you’re the healthiest, and the baby is the most active.”

Piache often marveled at Enya and her belly. Lately, Piache’s research has focused on the relationship between the people of Nervana and the forest.