I Became the Progenitor Vampire Chapter 384

Chapter 384: Chapter 386: Aftermath of the Battle, The Elves Stir (9000 words)

Everyone had not anticipated that the finale of Risier City's Divine Relic would conclude in such a scenario.

The cape, bloody in appearance, became the last memory point for everyone.

Lord Ilo, the War of Five Armies, the Blood Cloak, Ancient Evil Gods, and so on, became the new legends in the mouths of the minstrels.

But the end of the War of Five Armies was merely the beginning, an unprecedented one.

April 15, three days after the battle for Risier City had ended.

In the core area of Risier City.

At that moment, numerous adventurers and mercenaries were reluctantly searching around the shattered Black Altar, seemingly trying to find some forgotten treasures.

A Level 7 warrior, after searching to no avail for half a day, could not help but sit on the altar cursing in irritation, planning to rest for a while. However, just as he sat down, his eyes suddenly bulged, because he saw the space in front of him distorting.

Then, with a crackling sound like shattering glass, the surrounding space was torn apart.

Countless Fierce Half-Ratmen roared and charged out.

These Fierce Half-Ratmen were even more terrifying and ferocious than before, with frightful barbs growing on their backs, a horn atop their heads, and their sharp teeth and claws even more lethal.

In an instant, the Level 7 warrior was overwhelmed.

These creatures were so numerous they defied count, and with their surge came a gray energy carrying an evil aura.

Nearby, the looting mercenaries and players instantly felt the sharpness of these hellish devils' claws and fangs.

Risier City fell once again, the impact far more exaggerated than three days prior.

With barbed backs and wings that stretched three blades wide, the Meat-winged Half-ratmen covered the sky, while two-blade tall, vicious, evil Fierce Half-Ratmen took over the land.

Risier City was reclaimed by hundreds of millions of Fierce Half-Ratmen.

This city, which had sealed the Ancient Evil God for millions of years, had completely become a rat's den.

The Nest of the Evil God.

Even more exaggerated was that the gray evil energy gushing from the altar did not stop at Risier City but began to spread out around it, covering a hundred kilometers in radius before barely coming to a halt.

The area enveloped in gray mist became the Demon Territory, ruled by murderous, cruel, and evil Divine Servants from Risier City.

The screeching of the rats became the only melody of this sky.

This land was thoroughly transformed into a no-man's land.

And some fearless adventurers and players had again ventured into Risier City, only to discover blasphemous language from the old times echoing once more above the city…

As the starting point, the Divine Relic of Risier City, a terrifying storm was beginning to brew in the Main Plane of Glory.

The Ancient Evil God's release opened the forbidden cage…everything was changing.

Green City, being most affected, saw notable changes; rumors spread wildly, frightening the citizens into unrest, and many well-established nobles began to move their households away from Risier City, intending to distance themselves from the rat-infested Demon Cave.

This was because the ruler of the southern provinces–Duke O'Kelly, likely had no strength left to protect Green City.

Millions had witnessed Duke O'Kelly's defeat in Risier City, with tens of thousands of troops lost.

If even the Duke, who commanded such a powerful army, was defeated, what capital did they have to resist the invasion of the Evil God?

For a time, the mood was uneasy.

But what kept many from deciding to leave Green City was another point, the sovereign of the Dark Contract–Lord Ilo.

No one could forget that towering presence above Risier City who made the Divine kneel with just his words, nor could anyone forget the shocking scene where he burst three Extraordinary beings with a single hand.

With such a figure in Risier City, many undoubtedly regained a certain degree of confidence.

Of course, the claim that Lord Ilo is a vampire began to spread widely along with the deeds of Risier City.

But in the end, because the legends of Lord Ilo are so vast, they formed a very interesting situation.

A portion of people firmly believe that Lord Ilo is indeed a vampire, and the massacre above Risier City is merely a cover-up.

Among them, the Heart-eating Demon Wales stands as a representative, a staunch supporter of this argument.

Wales had personally witnessed Lord Ilo, before him, unleashing the power of light through his Bloodline identity, so no rumor or claim could shake his steadfast trust in Lord Ilo.

He even went out of his way to verify the authenticity of the Divine Relic through his own channels, but instead, his adoration for Lord Ilo grew deeper after confirmation.

This Heart-eating Demon, whose aura has quieted, and who at a glance appears no different from an ordinary person, now has one untouchable taboo: no one is allowed to speak ill of Lord Ilo, not even the slightest bit.

And the view of the Heart-eating Demon Wales represents the perspective of the majority of the Underworld population in Green City.

Even if someone came forward with examples to prove that Lord Ilo is a human, they simply couldn't convince the people of the Underworld in Green City, who instead would believe that Lord Ilo's disguise was too successful, fooling all these people.

Thus, a miraculous scene emerged in the public opinion arena of Green City.

The people of the Underworld were utterly convinced that Lide was the essence of Dark Life, with humanity being his disguise–just a disguise so successful that it tricked all humans.

But those who had seen Lide wield Holy Light Power to suppress an Evil God were firmly convinced that Lide was human, and that the so-called Dark Life was just a disguise similar to the Life Goddess walking the earth.

These lowly, unwise forces of the Underworld were naturally unaware of the greatness of Lord Ilo's actions, and both sides firmly believed what they saw was the truth.

The two parties developed a significant divide, yet each was convinced that what they saw and heard was the truth, with the other side merely deceived by Lord Ilo's facade.

Moreover, everyone felt they had plenty of confidence and evidence, leaving no room to persuade one another.

At the epicenter of this storm, Lide mysteriously became a powerful figure revered by both camps, enjoying worship and admiration from both sides.

It wasn't that no one doubted him, but because the strength Lide showed was too formidable, no one dared try to verify the truth.

Although the opinions of the natives were divided, they still retained enough sanity, in contrast to the online gamers, who were far crazier than the natives.

In the eyes of most gamers, Lide had undoubtedly become the most formidable existence among NPCs known in Glory, without peer.

Transcendents, Divine beings, they were all just fated to be obliterated or kneel before him.

On the official forum of Glory, thousands of posts about Lide could be refreshingly churned out in a minute.

“The Most Powerful Handsome Man in History–Lord Ilo”

If someone told me yesterday there was someone as handsome as me in this world, I wouldn't have believed it, until today in Risier City, I saw Ilo burst three Transcendents…

“The God of Risier City–Ilo”

After repeatedly pondering the images of Ilo suppressing everyone, the excitement in my heart can't calm down for a long time, I'm sorry everyone, I am now a faithful Believer of Ilo, and once I complete this task, I will join the Dark Contract…

“My Love Diary with Husband Ilo”

Today is the third day I've known husband Ilo, miss him miss him miss him…

“If my boyfriend were half as handsome as NPC Ilo, I'd never let him out of bed each day”

“'My Days Living with Ilo' has officially started serializing, yingyingying, welcome everyone to support, there are many descriptions of good morning and good night scenes”

Most posts from the silly gamers were exclamations about Lide's strength, and some female gamers who coveted his looks filled the forum with screenshots. It's just that Glory does not allow video recordings, or else by now the videos would be flying everywhere.

Of course, setting aside those silly gamers stirring up excitement, many professional gamers also provided some quite professional analyses.

Among them, the analysis from the player “Broken Sword the Knight,” a notable figure of the Undead Clan, was most popular.

“Reflections on the Divine Relic of Risier City”

Hello everyone, this is the Knight of the Broken Sword. It's been a long time since I last posted. The Undead Empire has been quite busy lately, and I haven't had much time to attend to other matters, so I haven't been able to provide analysis for everyone.

Today I'm posting two gifts as compensation: Bunny Girl Screenshot.jpg and Cat Girl Long Legs.jpg…

The main content of today's post is to analyze the Divine Relic for everyone.

This matter is too important, and I hope it can raise everyone's awareness.

Why do I say this? Because when the Evil God broke free in Risier City, I personally heard the phrase “The Old Era has come” from the mouth of the Undead Monarch.

Although I can't determine exactly what the Old Era is, and my further questions to the Undead Monarch didn't yield more useful information, I have drawn a conclusion after synthesizing messages from various sources.

The Divine Relic in Risier City should be the starting point of an event.

Or to use gaming terms, it's the opening of a new expansion pack.

The gods of old will return… That is my judgment.

Those evil beings sealed within the main plane of “Glory” are certainly not solo in their kind.

Everyone may consider, why were those Divine beings sealed? And what will they do after they escape their confinement?

Will they choose to repay evil with kindness, or will they incite war to take revenge on those Divine beings who once betrayed them?

As beings at the pinnacle of “Glory,” Divine beings are the ultimate life forms in this multi-dimensional world.

Once they wage war against each other, how should we, as part of Glory, conduct ourselves?

This is the crux of the matter!

We players have entered “Glory” for too brief a period, and even after half a year of public beta, the top players are still stuck at Level 4, with most people still at Level 3.

We have no choice but to be passively drawn into this conflict.

Of course, this is not only about crisis, but more about opportunities.

I believe everyone knows that Risier City is now a place overrun by Fierce Half-Ratmen. Although the place is fraught with threats, such a dense gathering of monsters is extremely rare in Glory.

I even suspect that this could be an instance specifically created by the official website for players to farm and level up.

These Fierce Half-Ratmen may generally be at Levels 6 or 7, and even Level 10 and above are not uncommon, but with proper strategy, players nearby can use this opportunity to level up quickly.

Therefore, my second inference is that the emergence of the Evil God has, in another sense, opened up a new instance for us. As long as you have the appetite to handle it, you can quickly rise in levels.

This is also a chance for ordinary players to pull away from top players and for top players to become even more elite. It depends on how everyone grasps this opportunity, DogHead.jpg

The turmoil in Risier City is just the beginning, as stated by the Undead Monarch himself. It can be foreseen that not only the Nolan Empire, but more seals will likely break in the future.

And each time will be an opportunity for us.

The Undead Empire is now recruiting a large number of players in preparation for war. If anyone is interested, you can directly contact the WeChat below. A staff member will send you a guide to enter the Undead Empire, and I will personally lead the team to ensure your leveling is safeguarded.

I am the Knight of the Broken Sword, brothers, come and fight me…

It's undeniable that advanced players have access to information channels beyond what ordinary players can imagine.

Like the Knight of the Broken Sword, who can interact daily with personas like the Undead Monarch, he sometimes has access to even more extensive information than Lide.

So after this post was published, it immediately sparked heated discussion among players.

Of course, most players are interested in the news that more Divine relics will emerge, each eager to show their mettle, clamoring to seize Divine Artifacts and slay gods, as if they can't wait to pull off a big heist.

The subsequent direction of events also validated the judgment of the Knight of the Broken Sword, or rather, the Undead Monarch.

On April 20, a week after the battle for Risier City, the skies and earth of the Storm Sea Domain suddenly changed color, and an island housing hundreds of thousands of people collapsed with a roar.

Then an Ancient Evil God, with the body of a giant octopus and nine deformed heads, reemerged.

There was no coming of a Savior this time, for the Storm Sea Domain hundreds of miles around was completely massacred by the Ancient Evil God, and many players tasted the flavor of death at the hands of a god.

And with the appearance of this Ancient Evil God came countless Bloodthirsty Octopuses, these creatures surged out from the deep sea densely packed, transforming this sea area into the Land of Death.

The catastrophe of the Storm Sea Domain was termed by players as the Tentacle Catastrophe.

On the same day, at the outer region of the Ancient Forest, a city of the elves was in upheaval, the ground cracked, trees ignited into flames out of thin air, and thick smoke covered the sky.

An Evil God with wings on its back and six eyes on its head crawled out of its seal, and on that day, the six-eyed Evil God became the source of the elves' terror.

Thousands of elves were devoured by the Evil God, a loss that was close to a catastrophic blow for the always scant elf population.

Finally, only the extraordinarily powerful Elf King from within the Ancient Forest took action to expel that six-eyed Evil God, driving it into the depths of the abyss.

Even so, the shattered elf city remained tainted, and numerous deformed monsters crawled out from the Space Gate, attacking any life they encountered.

When time advanced to April 30th, the entire Glory Main Plane seemed to be engulfed in an indescribable atmosphere.

Since the first Evil God emerged from Risier City, in just this brief half-month, such events had occurred over ten times.

These horrifying deeds directly caused the deaths of millions, sparking the fury of various Light Attribute Sects, who dispatched many Extraordinary Level powers to investigate any place the Evil Gods' seals might be hidden, seeking to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The various empires were also on high alert, with armies on guard at all times, and Extraordinary Level beings mobilized uniformly.

The Pandora's Box seemed to have been quietly opened.

April 30th, evening, in the western district of Green City.

On the dimly lit street, only occasionally would a Magic Lamp cast a light as faint as the dying embers of a fire.

On the houses lining the street, colorful stained glass windows were etched with vivid paintings, but the dim light turned these images somewhat bloody and terrifying.

Pointed rooftops with ferocious giant dragon statues seemed particularly sinister at this moment.

In such surroundings, the damp ground and the ancient streets with their hundreds of years of history exuded an ineffable sense of gloom.

Yet within this environment, which could give commoners shivers, there appeared a figure shrouded in a red cloak.

Tap, tap~

The clear sound of leather boots tapping against the ground echoed, and the ivory scholar's robe she wore highlighted her slender figure strikingly.

The noblewoman's head was held high like that of a swan, elegant and indifferent, her every move exuding an unmistakably unveiled arrogance.

On the dimly lit street, this highly abnormal scene drew the attention of many.

Members of the Underground Forces loitering on the street exchanged glances, a gleam of lewdness in their eyes, and then a curve of ill-intent formed on their lips as they covertly sized up the woman who, at a glance, appeared to be a noble.

However, there were also many astute individuals who quickly quickened their pace to leave, understanding that a lady walking alone at night, no matter how harmless she may seem, was best approached with caution–this was, after the slums of Green City.

Andabella's gaze swept around her with indifference, her eternally raised neck broadcasting her upper-crust noble aura to anyone at first glance.

Her gaze swiftly locked onto several hooligans on the street corner who were eyeing her with malicious intent.

She strode forward, and before the few could open their mouths with leering laughter, a terrifying aura erupted from her.

In that instant, it was as if a giant dragon was roaring at the small-time hooligans, their necks feeling as though choked by powerful arms, breathing becoming a luxury at that moment.

“I ask, you answer,”

Andabella's eyes, sharp as blade's edge, pierced the onlookers' gaze, her tone like a master commanding a servant.

But several thieves, barely at level 5, nodded repeatedly, not even considering the idea of rebuffing, all of them had swallowed the lascivious smile from just moments ago.

“Where is the Dark Contract? And where is Lord Ilo?”

This?

The thieves glanced at each other, somewhat panicked, one of them, a tall figure, plucked up his courage to speak.

“Respected lady, the Dark Contract is on the other side of the west district; you need to go through the black market to find it.

As for Lord Ilo, how could beings like us know the whereabouts of such a significant figure…”

Andabella's brows furrowed slightly.

“How much do you know about the legends surrounding Lord Ilo?”

“Ah? Lord Ilo is the chairman of the Dark Contract, he once…”

After the thief had related all he knew, Andabella couldn't help feeling disappointed; these were all common knowledge.

“Is that all?”

“Yes, my lord,” the speaking thief swallowed and quickly added, “If you go to the black market to ask Lord Wales, the Heart-eating Demon from the Demon Heart, perhaps you could get more information…”

Andabella nodded slightly at these words, her proud head never lowered in the slightest.

“Thank you, I appreciate your cooperation.”

She turned and left straightaway.

The thieves, who had just narrowly escaped death's scythe, felt oddly flattered and even thought they had struck it big by being thanked, given the interrogation they'd endured.

Being thanked by such a distinguished noble lady was a first in their lives.

After Andabella's figure disappeared around the corner of the street, one thief couldn't help but comment emotionally.

“I have no idea who will end up with such a perfect lady, by the Goddess above, I don't want to be a thief in my next life…”

The other thieves nodded in agreement.

Later, they didn't expect that these petty thieves, stimulated by this event, began to work earnestly on improving their abilities and started to learn to read and write, eventually becoming pillars of the Thief Guild.

Moreover, by a stroke of luck, in a chance operation, they made a great contribution to Green City and were rewarded with noble status by Duke O'Kelly, becoming admired nobles and even marrying true noble ladies.

These men became legends in the Green City thieves' community, with countless thieves born in slums idolizing them.

At this time, Andabella, naturally unaware of future events, was walking towards the street the men had indicated.

“Should I go meet Duke O'Kelly, have people gather information on Lord Ilo first before paying a visit?”

“No, it would be too insincere if it's not a personal visit.”

“To suppress an Ancient Evil God, he must be formidable…

Perhaps Lord Ilo might understand the Risle Bloodline…”

Andabella walked down the dimly lit streets, her brow tightly furrowed, a hint of her intimidating aura leaking out, causing those with ill-intentions to tremble and no longer dare to peer at her.

But at this moment, the girl's thoughts were not on these passersby.

“Although I was summoned to Risier City by the power left behind by my ancestors, the force that has fused into my body is too immense, and I simply cannot control it.

The message from my ancestors was to unlock the potential of the bloodline, and once I brought the Risle Bloodline's glory to light again, I would be able to fully inherit that power.

But all of this is without clue…”

Thinking this, Andabella shook her head, feeling the Blood Cloak fluttering in the wind behind her, her expression subtly changing.

“And who could have thought,” she mused, “that this Legendary Level Blood Cloak I carry on my back is but a replica, made in imitation of our ancestor's cloak by the Risle Royal Family.”

“And the true Blood Cloak, I fear, is now unknown to all–a genuine Divine Artifact.”

“Regrettably, although I have acquired the true Blood Cloak, I am still unable to control it. Only by awakening the full power of the Risle Bloodline and grasping the ancestral power can I breathe life into the dust-covered Divine Artifact again…”

“But the secrets contained within the Risle Bloodline are too elusive. After more than half a month of research, I have gained nothing…”

“I need help…”

Help?

After the word surfaced in her mind, Andabella's steps faltered slightly. The image of the man who had saved her from danger, riding atop a steel giant beast, inexplicably appeared in her thoughts.

Thinking of the man who had given her a sense of security for the first time in her life, the corners of her lips instinctively curled upward, and the pride on her face softened a touch.

She had not witnessed the scene where Lide made the God of Plague kneel with a single command. By the time she arrived, Lide had already flown dozens of kilometers away from Risier City.

Therefore, the two had not met, and Castro, the steel giant beast, had not appeared within her sight.

The stories about Lord Ilo reached her ears after she had driven away the God of Plague, tales she heard from outsiders, and his might surprised her.

This was why she desired to seek Lord Ilo's counsel. As for whether he would pose a danger to her, the power inherited from her ancestors within her body was enough to face any challenge fearlessly.

Even if he were a true Divine being, she was confident she could escape.

Being a girl who acquired the title of polymath in her early twenties, the heights of her ambition were naturally incomprehensible to others.

Therefore, her solo journey to the west district of Green City was somewhat curious but not wholly unfathomable.

“Such intense energy? Are you the descendant of the Risle Royal Family who drove away the Evil God from Risier City?”

But just as Andabella stepped into a small alley, a crisp yet somewhat lazy voice interrupted her stride.

Hm?

Andabella spun around sharply, facing a figure that took her aback.

“An Elf??”

The Level 17 Elf Archer Master, once tormented in the mysterious tavern–Lady Ariel–was now looking at Andabella with evident interest.

“I saw you at Duke O'Kelly's banquet, City Lord Andabella…”

“I think I've seen you as well, Lady Ariel.” Andabella's brows furrowed slightly, but her expression remained steady.

Elves are purely aligned with nature. As long as their Ancient Forest isn't harmed, no innocents are indiscriminately killed, and no evil deeds are committed, these proud beings seldom act against outsiders out of disdain.

“Do you seek me for a reason?” But why would this Elf suddenly seek her out??

At the question, Ariel giggled, and the pride not fitting for an Elf on her chest trembled slightly with her laughter.

But Ariel's next sentence startled Andabella.

“We've sensed that power within you, perhaps, we may have a way to help you…”

If it's too good to be true… Andabella's expression didn't change much, but she was already on her guard internally.

“Help me? What would I need to give in return?”

“No, City Lord Andabella, you need not give anything.”

“Then what is your purpose?”

“We have discovered an Ancient Ruin… perhaps, you might be interested.”

“Why invite me?”

“In fact, we were planning to invite Lord Ilo, but we ran into you on the way. It seems to be fate. Is City Lord Andabella also looking for Lord Ilo?”

“You?”

“Yes, we…”

As her words fell, Lady Ariel hesitated for a moment, and then finally waved her hand.

Then the space behind the Elf suddenly shattered, and two figures with such imposing auras that they moved Andabella herself appeared in the alley.

One of them, an Elf Spellcaster in a Mage's robe, exhibited an aura that undeniably reached the Extraordinary Level, and her stunning beauty brightened the air around her.

The other lady caught Andabella's attention with several glances.

For this person was not an Elf, and the soul's aura was almost indistinguishable from a human's; but that was not the key. The key was her eyes, which were red, as red as fresh blood and rubies.

Moreover, this unknown female Transcendent seemed even more dangerous and lethal to her than the Extraordinary Elf Spellcaster.

Both were Transcendent… Andabella's thoughts were tumultuous.

Legendaries were too rare, so Transcendents were absolute figures of status no matter where in Glory they were. In Green City, with its population of over a million, there was only Lord Rock in the public eye, his status so revered that it was beyond the comprehension of outsiders.

This time the Elves had dispatched a Transcendent to Green City from the Ancient Forest, which certainly indicated a momentous scheme.

Lady Ariel's gaze at Andabella was intense.

“City Lord Andabella, perhaps we can visit Lord Ilo together.

Regardless of the outcome, we will share with you the secrets of the Risle Bloodline…”

“You have the secrets of the Risle Bloodline?”

“Miss Andabella, you shouldn't doubt the Elves' erudition.”

Andabella glanced at the two Transcendents who had been silent the whole time, her emotions stirred, and in the end, she nodded slightly; she could not refuse the proposal, as the secrets of the Risle Bloodline were too important to her.

“I trust the Elves' reputation…”

“Then let's go together…”

That evening, Black Rose Manor welcomed several unexpected guests.

In the City Lord's Manor of Green City, Duke O'Kelly stood in his study with his hands behind his back, looking at the map of the southern province hanging on the wall, his expression exceedingly grave.

“Your Excellency the Bishop, the Fierce Half-Ratman of Risier City, are they truly beyond extermination? I fear they may become a significant threat to us…”

The Bishop of the God of Nobles had gained his trust since they went through a life-and-death ordeal together half a month ago.

The other's meticulous and cautious style perfectly complemented Duke O'Kelly's rough and forceful demeanor, which made O'Kelly appreciate him greatly, leading to assigning him right by his side.

Under normal circumstances, a Bishop of the God of Nobles would naturally hold an exceedingly high status within the Sect and could not be reassigned on a whim.

However, in the Noble God Sect, the great Nobles are the real decision-makers. As the Controller of the southern province, there was no one with higher status than him here, so what was reassigning a bishop?

“Duke, Risier City is not an isolated case.

Recently, reports from all the major empires in the Main Plane of Glory have been coming in; many ancient seals that have existed since time immemorial are being broken by Evil Gods, bringing with them countless monsters along with these Ancient Gods…

No one has yet been able to exterminate these foul beings that crawl out from unknown realms.”

After hearing this, Duke O'Kelly couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

After the war at Risier City, his losses were too great so that now he could no longer muster 300,000 elite forces. Yet the vast southern provinces still required his troops for defense, which undoubtedly put him in a dilemma.

“How did the King respond?”

“His Majesty the King will dispatch 100,000 troops to our aid… but the subsequent expenses of this army must be borne by us.”

Duke O'Kelly immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

“Good, send this army to eradicate those damned rats near Risier City.”

After a brief pause, he continued, “Any news from Lord Ilo?”

“No,” the bishop shook his head, “We have contacted the Dark Contract repeatedly, and their response has always been that Lord Ilo has not yet returned.”

“You must personally supervise this matter. When Lord Ilo returns, I want to visit him myself.” Duke O'Kelly's tone carried a sense of urgency.

The world was clearly changing, and he had to find a new protector for Green City.

The Extraordinary Mage, Rock, while powerful, was too weak to make much of a difference on a battlefield where Ancient Evil Gods were awaking.

By contrast, Ilo, who could crush three Transcendents in one hand, had now become the new prospective Protector of Green City in his heart.

“Yes, Your Grace.”

The bishop immediately nodded and seemed hesitant as if remembering something.

“Your Grace, about the Elves' request, should we agree to it?”

“Elves?” Duke O'Kelly frowned slightly, turned his head to glance at the bishop, and then questioned,

“Don't they see the plight of Risier City? What basis do they have for coveting Divine Ruins??”

“Your Grace, the Elves have discovered a broken Plane which may conceal Plane Stones, and also numerous precious ores…”

“No, I'm not interested in those.”

After shaking his head, Duke O'Kelly paused and then slowly added, “I still owe the Elves a small favor. If they decide to proceed with their plan to explore the shattered Plane, after Lord Ilo's return, when we visit, let's mention it for them… Maybe Lord Ilo will be interested too. With Lord Ilo's protection, this matter shouldn't be too difficult.

“Did the Elves reveal any other information?”

“Your Grace, it seems the Elves are heading there for the Sun Chasing Bow…”

“Is that the Divine Artifact that the Elves have never completed forging?”

“Yes, it appears that the ruin contains Divine Stones capable of forging artifacts, and there's quite a few of them.”

“That's irrelevant to us; even if we had those ores, we couldn't use them. Is there any other information?”

“Well, no… that's right, there's also a peculiar human following those Elves, with eyes like rubies…”

“Oh? Not an Elf?”

“No, those eyes are too memorable.”

“Alright, this has nothing to do with us either. If there's nothing else, you're dismissed.

“While Elves are mighty, these proud beings are never straightforward. Green City doesn't have the energy to meddle in their affairs now. What we need to prepare for is the great calamity that's about to hit our world.”

Duke O'Kelly spoke in a grave tone, his gaze exceedingly solemn.

“Bishop, since His Grace last gave us his decree, no matter how much I pray, there has been no divine oracle, not even the Holy Light Pearl is shrouded in darkness.

I feel the crisis approaching; we don't have much time…

The power of the Old Era will soon envelop this world, and we will live again in fear under the dominion of Ancient Gods…”

Chapter end