“You know everything?”
A rare look of astonishment flickered across Olivia’s face.
“Your intentions were seen through long ago. You have no choice but to surrender.” Sharena’s smile was foxy, her previously fervent eyes now brimming with confidence.
With the aid of other Blood Cultists, Sharena believed the elf before her had no hope of escape.
After a few moments of silence, Olivia let out a soft sigh.
Accompanying her sigh, a circular magic array materialized beneath her feet, conjuring a fierce gust of wind from the surge of magical energy.
“To think you could capture me so easily, Sharena, you are far too arrogant.”
Her knee-length skirt and waist-length hair danced wildly in the gale. A green magical longbow appeared in Olivia’s hand, and in the next instant, she raised it, aiming directly at Sharena.
“Quick! Stop her!”
After ordering the cultists to attack, Sharena’s eyes narrowed. She began incanting a spell, intending to directly counter Olivia’s assault.
Yet, to her surprise, the magical arrow launched from the longbow bypassed her completely. It streaked towards the living room wall, blasting a gaping hole through her villa.
Debris scattered and dust billowed. Sharena stared at the gaping hole in bewilderment, unable to fathom Olivia’s actions. However, when she turned back, Olivia had vanished from the living room without a trace.
‘She escaped?’
“Pursue them! Chase them down immediately!”
At her command, several dark figures burst through the hole, embarking on a search for the diminutive elf. Sharena’s face, however, had darkened, losing its prior elegance.
‘After so many years, Olivia seems far more cunning than before…’
****
Inside the inn, magical candlelight cast a golden glow. Sitting by the window, Hia glanced at the darkening sky outside, murmuring, “It’s already dark. Has Olivia not returned yet?”
“Could something have happened?” Fely asked, stifling a yawn that made her chest heave.
“What could possibly happen? Don’t let Olivia’s small stature fool you; even the three of us combined aren’t as old as her. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable, but she also knows far more magic than we do.”
Hia walked to the window, gazing into the distance towards the West District. “Surely, those who could defeat her in this city could be counted on one hand, couldn’t they?”
Having spent some time with Olivia, Hia knew that despite her small frame, Olivia exuded an inexplicable sense of security. It was as if, by her side, every perilous situation would inevitably resolve itself.
What trouble could possibly befall such a reliable companion?
Contrary to Hia’s thoughts, Nona, who was seated by the bed, suddenly looked towards the wooden door. Her pale blue eyes seemed to pierce through the timber, perceiving the scene on the inn’s first floor.
She caught a scent of danger.
Retrieving a black robe from the coat rack, she moved to the window, opened it, and instructed Hia and Fely, “Leave this place quickly.”
“Huh?”
Though they didn’t fully understand, Hia and Fely still donned their black robes. Then, following Nona, they leaped out the window, abandoning the inn.
Not long after their departure, the wooden door to the room suddenly burst open, and several Blood Cultists stormed inside.
Immediately after, a man, approximately three meters tall, appeared in the room.
He was clad in an expensive Blood Cult robe, his attire suggesting a position of significant status.
As he entered, one of the black-clad cultists quickly knelt, reporting, “My Lord, they have escaped.”
His murky gaze swept cursorily around the room. Upon confirming its emptiness, the man flicked his sleeve and departed, issuing a command as he left.
“Capture them, and ensure they are alive.”
“As you command.”
****
In a narrow alley off the street, Nona pulled down her hat brim, stating, “Our identities have been exposed.”
“That was too quick. How did they find us?”
Hia’s face was etched with confusion. They had only been in the city for half a day, yet the local Blood Cult had already discovered their identities and sent people to apprehend them. This speed was simply too astonishing.
Before they could ponder further, Nona seized Hia’s wrist, leading them deeper into the alley.
“Follow me.”
Sensing the gravity of the situation, Hia and Fely dared not look back. They merely lowered their hat brims in silence, following Nona deeper into the alleyway.
After navigating several hidden alleys, they arrived at a deserted spot. However, seeing a dead end ahead, Nona cast her gaze upwards.
Just then, a magic array shimmered into existence on one of the alley walls, and a figure, also clad in a black robe, emerged from within.
Upon seeing Nona and the other two, he quickly waved them over, whispering, “Quick! Come this way!”
Nona and Hia exchanged glances. Despite their uncertainty, they chose to follow him, stepping into the magic array.
After they departed, several more Blood Cultists appeared in the alley. However, finding no trace of Nona, they soon left the area.
The magic array led to a dark corridor. After passing through it, the path ahead opened up dramatically, as if they had stepped into a forest. Starlight dappled through the canopy, and fireflies drifted freely.
Beyond the dancing fireflies stood a spacious treehouse.
It was only upon reaching this point that the black-robed figure ahead of them lowered their hood, revealing a youthful face and a pair of pointed ears.
“An elf?”
Hia exclaimed in surprise.
The elf man paid her no mind. He led them further, to the front of the treehouse. After a brief word with the elven guard, he turned and gestured for them to enter.
After giving him another look, Nona and the others stepped inside the treehouse.
Inside the treehouse was a bar, its decor imbued with a pervasive natural charm. Besides several elves sipping fruit juice, they also spotted a few harmless small animals.
“Olivia?!”
Hia’s joyful cry drew Nona’s attention, allowing her to spot Olivia seated in a corner.
Seeing that she was unharmed, Nona couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief.
“Is everyone alright?”
Olivia approached them, her face etched with worry. Hia, in turn, clutched her wrist, meticulously examining her condition.
“We’re fine, but what about you? You didn’t return until so late. What happened? And how did you end up here?”
“It’s a long story…”
After Olivia briefly recounted her experiences, the group finally learned that some elves had actually pledged allegiance to the Blood Cult, betraying their own Mother Goddess.
Other than this revelation, the experiences of the other elves were similar. Olivia, while evading the cultists’ pursuit, had also been brought to this location by other elves.
Nona had intended to offer Olivia some words of comfort, but Olivia shook her head, stating that she respected Sharena’s choice.
Though she was a fervent devotee of the Life Church, Olivia possessed reason. She could comprehend why these elves might choose to worship other faiths in pursuit of a better life.
“So, what are we supposed to do here?” Fely inquired, speaking up at that moment.
“There are still some elves in Pad City who follow the Life Church. This is one of their secret strongholds. Their leader will come to meet us shortly.”
“…My apologies for the wait.”
As Olivia was explaining, a relatively young voice drifted down from the treehouse’s second-floor staircase. A man, clad in elven robes, slowly approached them.
He possessed fine skin and a face that appeared to be in his early twenties. Golden hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his elven robes exuded a subtle air of authority.
The moment they saw him, Hia and Fely’s primary concern was his age.
Given that elves live far longer than most mortal beings, while he appeared to be only in his twenties, his true age could easily be over a hundred.
The elven leader of Pad City was, naturally, no exception.
Nona’s focus, however, was entirely different from theirs. Her gaze remained fixed on the chest of his robe, and she stood in a trance.
Pinned there was a green leaf emblem.
Except for its color, it was almost identical to the emblem her mother had left her.