Chapter 171 – Moon Pond

"Can she hear us?" The older sister pointed at her younger sister on the bed. Aile shook his head. She continued, "I want her to live a good life and for you to take care of her. She needs to be safe and happy, and you are not allowed to touch her. Allow her to grow and allow her to help you like that girl, Luna. If she is happy, then I will offer you this." She took out a medallion that was made from dark cobalt. Written on one side was "dark" on the other side, "elf".

Aile squinted his eyes, "Oh... So this is your trump card? It is hard to believe that you have a dark elf willing to sacrifice her future willingly. I am well aware that no dark elf would be willing to sacrifice their future. Especially for a human to go on their inheritance ground..." The token was something that each dark elf received in their birth. Using the token, in the dark elf territory once every few years a lake that is very beneficial to them can be accessed. This opportunity can also be passed to another person willingly.

She looked at Aile in surprise that he knew what she had in her hand and was also happy as it would be easier to explain the next part of her request. She looked at him once an again and with a resigned looked she took out her ring, gaining the appearance of a dark elf. She got the symbol of the moon on her forehead just a shade lighter than her skin, and her ears turned pointy. The ring seemed to not change the way she looked, it just hid her features, protecting her from prying eyes and racists. The grace and charm she exuded were also blocked by the ring. "Wealth, beauty, smarts can be double-edged swords without strength. Only with power, one can use these advantages without worry... I am sure you are aware of it... I have decided to gamble and bet on you after my observation and betray my kind, for her happiness. The opening of the dark elf's inheritance grounds is in one year. If I see my sister happy, rejoiced and fulfilled during this one year and a promise to keep her happy after that. I will sacrifice my chance and give you this opportunity. If this is not enough time for you to make her happy or if she is not content, then I can go with you to the next opening in 5 years. What do you say?"

Dark elves are few in number, but each one has always been strong. Their strength has been linked to the moon ponds where they get their power from. None dark elves that have been to the moon pond also receive great boons. So this was something that attracted Aile, and even if he had to protect them from the bandits, it would be worth it.

Aile then made a fate law seal and confirmed everything. Making her vow to never betray him. Aile then knocked her out after making her wear her clothes back and get disguised wearing her ring.

Aile then woke up her sister after suspending her rune temporarily. When she woke up, she was surprised to see Aile. She acted more coyly covering herself in front of Aile's unmasked face, and after making him look the other way. She quickly got dressed now that her sister was asleep. Following that, Aile talked with her and asked similar questions. The older sister requested Aile to not let her younger sister know about her deal with him. So he did not ask about their race or the moon pond.

Aile just wanted to verify the information one more time, the older sister seemed very cunning, so better confirm with her too. She, on the other hand, was very gentle, peaceful, and offered Aile an apology even when it was not her fault or she lacked some knowledge. Her blush from the start of the conversation remained on her face. She seemed defenceless and serene. She took glances at him often. Aile realized she was behaving the complete opposite of her sister and someone that could be taken advantage off. He did not have such thoughts, but he was worried that his secrets might be spilt by her.

She looked at the floor, walls, or roof avoiding eye contact and somewhat incoherently answered everything in a similar and not the exact same way as her sister. This proved that they had not made up the same answer and were telling the truth. As lies are fabrications and therefore two people reciting it would be the exact same thing.

While the truth is based on observations, and everyone perceives it differently, even if it is to a small degree. Therefore the explanation would be varied.

With that, he also made her bind with the fate seal to not betray him or leak his information. She noticed Aile's worry and made her side of the vow more constraining. Aile informed her that she did not need to do that. But she said, "To show my sincerity and build trust. I have to do this, you saved us, and now you are giving us a chance to grow unhindered alongside you. I do not want to make you feel uncomfortable because of my past. This will allow you to trust me and me to not feel distant."

Aile was curious about her previous behaviour, she had always followed her sister and acted coldly. So he asked her. She looked down embarrassedly and said, "Sister always told me to glare at people and only nod in agreement."

Aile realized her personality could easily be exploited, so she was told to act that way. Aile understood now why he has only ever heard the older sister talk.

After that, he woke up the older sister and told them that one of them needs to stay here and the other needs to travel with him. They did not question him, thinking that it was a test. The older sister immediately said she was going, worried about her sister who was more, trusting and naive.

The younger one was going to stay with Hazel, shadowing her, all the time and the older one would be with him. This way, it would prevent the bandit leader from approaching them and evaluating the rune.

Aile wanted one of them to follow him so that he could study the intermediate rune. He had decided to keep them and even help Aurelius if possible. It was better to not deal with him and make an enemy of the bandit leader, even if the relationship remains neutral and distant for now. The fact that Aurelius's daughters were dark elves made Aile realize that he too must be important. Therefore he was going to at least treat him enough to stay alive and who knows if he is also an elf he might regenerate from his injuries.

He had also seen a similar ring on the smaller sister's hand. Two dark elves were next to him, and he had an opportunity to visit the moon pond. This would give him a power-up that he desperately needed. He bid farewell with the two of them and told them to pack their things and immediately come to the main mansion, which was much safer and harder to infiltrate.

Thinking about the infiltration, he went to look at the runes he placed around their house. This way, he could guess how and which direction the bandit leader came from. After searching, he found his tracks, but halfway through it, they vanished. It could mean the bandit leader flew out, figured out that runes were recording his movements. So he hid his presence or used some concealing artefact to navigate out of the mansion.

The first option of flying would be frightening because it would mean he is at least at the 8th level of cultivation.

The second option would mean he would be more vigilant, dangerous and careful in the future noticing the runes. But that was even more confusing. This is because if he had knowledge of intermediate runes, he should have been able to know the presence of runes around the mansion and avoided them. Did he make a mistake, or is there something else at play here? Aile thought of another possibility, and that made more sense. It was that the runes he placed on the girls were stored into talismans and then transferred on to the sister. This would also explain the fact that they could be placed instantaneously. A bandit leader who was also a runemaster in the first place was unlikely. After all, he would make more money drawing runes than being a bandit. The fact that he could not detect simple runes around the house and the instantaneous runes on the girls pointed towards the fact that he was not a runemaster. Placing a rune in a talisman could take many hours, and if he wanted, he could place the runes on the girl in a few minutes himself if he was indeed a runemaster. Why waste such a precious resource, if one is capable of solving the problem alternatively with ease.