Chapter 22: A Troublesome Matter (Part 1)

As night fell, deep within the Whispering Forest, a large hollow in an ancient tree served as a temporary meeting hall. Dozens of giant fireflies embedded in the walls emitted a soft glow, illuminating the newly carved space. All the elders of the elven race had gathered here, except for Elder Lloyd, who remained in the capital of Einfast. In addition to the elves, there were three outsiders present: Asa, Ayime, and Master Edwina, who had arrived with Ayime on a pegasus.

"On behalf of the Tooth Tower, I offer my sincerest apologies for the misunderstanding and the losses incurred by the Whispering Forest due to this conflict," Master Edwina bowed respectfully to the elf elders led by Ruya. She wore a water-blue robe that covered her head, and under the soft light of the fireflies, her delicate features were marked with solemnity and regret. Her curly red hair was slightly disheveled, falling loosely across her face.

Beside her, Ayime occasionally glanced around curiously at the furniture and walls shaped by natural magic, but her expression was troubled and anxious. Yabin had not returned, and the elves' search had turned up no body. Asa suspected that Tamik and his group had taken him. With Talice around, Yabin's life was likely safe, but Ayime was still deeply worried.

Despite Master Edwina's sincere apology, none of the elven elders, including Ruya, looked pleased. Many of the elves standing nearby bore expressions of anger and killing intest. The battle had devastated nearly half of the Whispering Forest, with hundreds of elves dead or injured, countless deadwood guardians lost, and the entire pegasus cavalry wiped out. Even the three war mantis eggs had been used. Such destruction was comparable to repelling an invasion from the Nigen army in the Turaleone Forest. This was not something that could be dismissed as a mere "misunderstanding" or resolved with a simple apology.

The mages had all left, leaving behind a scene of devastation. They too had suffered dozens of casualties, including many elite archmages, and the losses were equally grievous. The mastermind, Master Aiden, had not even left a complete corpse. Fortunately, it wasn't a case of no evidence, as the two air elementals that arrived later from the Tooth Tower brought with them the mages who had been freed from the mind-control spells. After verifying the facts, the mages, shocked and ashamed, retreated. Only Master Edwina remained to apologize and discuss further matters with the elves.

Though she appeared to be a young woman with no physical strength, none of the elven elders dared to underestimate this seemingly frail archmage. During the rescue of the dozens of mages on the ground, she had single-handedly erected a circular ice wall so sturdy that it withstood the charge of a hundred deadwood guardians. The wall, dozens of meters high, resembled a colossal barrel, allowing the air mages above to summon air elementals to carry the trapped mages to safety.

Her courage and composure in staying behind alone were also worthy of admiration. The Sunwell's waters had partially recovered, and even with her formidable magical abilities, she would have little chance of resisting if the elves decided to attack.

Though their expressions remained grim, the elven elders eventually accepted her apology. Ruya was aware of Master Aiden's identity as a necromancer. Moreover, the conflict had already occurred, and both sides had suffered losses. Since the other party had admitted fault, there was no point in seeking revenge by marching on the Tooth Tower. The elven nature abhorred unnecessary conflict and bloodshed.

"Although this entire incident was orchestrated by that necromancer, the Tooth Tower cannot shirk its responsibility. As an apology, I, as the master of the Water Tower of the Tooth Tower, assure you that the Whispering Forest can call upon us for any assistance in the future. We will not refuse."

Hearing this promise, Ruya and the other elders' expressions softened slightly. Having such powerful allies would greatly enhance the safety and strength of the Whispering Forest. The terrifying elemental magic they had witnessed during the battle had left a deep impression. The elders exchanged glances, and several nodded in agreement.

"If the elves are interested in elemental magic, we welcome your people to come to the Tooth Tower to study. We will share our knowledge without reservation."

This offer further eased the tension among the elders, and Ruya's eyes even lit up with interest. According to elven records, all magic originated from the ancient elves, but after tens of thousands of years, the elves, having distanced themselves from war and killing, had largely forgotten elemental magic, focusing instead on natural magic. Humans, on the other hand, had developed and refined it. Due to the lack of interaction between the races, the elves had no way to learn these advanced techniques. Master Edwina's proposal was an excellent opportunity to break this deadlock.

The anti-magic barrier of the Whispering Forest did not affect the elves. If they could master powerful elemental magic, the forest would become an impregnable fortress.

Seeing the elders' expressions improve, Master Edwina finally said, "However... there is one favor I must ask of Elder Ruya. Would that be possible?"

Ruya nodded. "Of course. Since the Tooth Tower is offering us so much assistance, please feel free to make your request."

"Master Granden of the Earth Tower was severely injured by Aiden and his accomplice through some unknown means. Even I can only tell that he seems to be under a unique curse. He has fallen into a deep coma... I was wondering if Elder Ruya could use the World Tree Leaf to heal him..."

"No way." All the elven elders stood up at the same time, their eyes filled with heightened vigilance.

"Why not? We are not asking for the World Tree Leaf itself, only for Elder Ruya to use its power to perform a healing spell," Master Edwina said, her face filled with confusion. "I've heard that the restorative magic of natural spells is on par with white magic. I also heard about the spell Elder Ruya used on the war mantis. I believe that only such life magic can save Master Granden now."

Two elders coughed lightly, and the others sat back down, realizing their reaction had been somewhat excessive. They all looked to Ruya, who nodded. "Then please bring Master Granden to the Whispering Forest. I will do my best to help."

Master Edwina quickly replied, "But Master Granden is in no condition to be moved. His life would be at risk. I must ask Elder Ruya to come to the Tooth Tower instead."

Ruya immediately agreed. "Very well."

Some of the elders seemed hesitant, their expressions conflicted. Although they had reconciled with the Tooth Tower and even established a near-alliance, allowing the World Tree Leaf to leave the Whispering Forest seemed risky.

"Perhaps Master Edwina could stay here and enjoy the scenery of the Whispering Forest..." Asa, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. "I will accompany Elder Ruya to heal Master Granden first."

Master Edwina seemed slightly surprised and glanced at Asa. A flicker of light passed through her beautiful eyes. She then sighed and said, "If you are concerned, I can stay here as a hostage. Once you heal Master Granden and return, I will leave."

"You are very understanding," Asa said with a smile.

"Likewise," the female mage replied with an equally charming smile, even winking at him, her eyes sparkling with lively energy.

"That won't be necessary. We elves do not share such distrustful habits as humans," Ruya interjected, waving her hand dismissively. "I will go."

"Elder Ruya, your kindness and trust have already earned the respect of the Tooth Tower," Master Edwina said, turning to Ruya. "Time is of the essence. Shall we depart now? I have a few teleportation scrolls from the Tooth Tower that will allow us to travel quickly."

"Perhaps Master Edwina could go ahead, and we will follow shortly," Asa said, before Ruya could respond.

"Very well. I will await you at the Tooth Tower," Master Edwina said, smiling at Asa. She placed two teleportation scrolls on the table.

"It really would have been better to keep her as a hostage," Asa said to Ruya with a frown after Master Edwina and Ayime had left and the other elders had finished their discussions.

"If we truly wish to resolve this misunderstanding and become friends with the Tooth Tower, how could we possibly detain someone as a hostage?" Ruya replied.

Asa sighed. "Do you realize that, in a direct confrontation at a distance, that woman might be even more dangerous than that old flying bastard around everywhere? Without her, I could guarantee your safety at the Tooth Tower."

"But she doesn't seem like a bad person, and Ayime is her disciple. If she had ill intentions, she wouldn't have stopped the battle," Ruya said confidently, clenching her small fist. "I believe she is a good person."

"If you want someone to remain good, it's best not to give them the opportunity to do evil. Even good people can do bad things..." Asa sighed deeply. "But before we go to the Tooth Tower, there's something I need to do. Can you help me?"