Chapter 126: You Call This a Maid?
“The Bewildering Forest…”
Bai frowned. The mention of the elven homeland reminded her of the strange elf she had met a few days ago.
The one who had insisted on telling her fortune, right before she had encountered Ara at the execution ground.
The crystal ball had shattered, and then the Bewildering Forest had withdrawn from the festival.
And now, they had sealed off their entire sacred land, cutting off all contact with the outside world… as if they were hiding from something.
Bai didn’t know much about the elven sacred lands, only that it was a special place, protected by a powerful barrier that even Queen Shaya would have difficulty breaking.
That’s why the Abyssal Demon Realm’s advance had stopped at its borders.
Queen Shaya’s reaction to this news was… nonexistent.
It seemed she wasn’t particularly interested in the elves. Her attack on the Bewildering Forest had simply been a display of power, to show them who was the strongest on Solor.
…Of course, they weren’t anymore.
As for the Savage Lands, their loose alliance of tribes, and their brutal, self-sacrificing tactics, had allowed them to hold their own against the Abyss, faring much better than the elves.
But it seemed the Bewildering Forest had foreseen the impending disaster in the capital, and their reaction had been even more cautious than expected.
Could it be… because of that failed divination?
That strange elven woman… her name was… Nimora?
Seeing Bai lost in thought, Alonso asked cautiously, “…Miss Bai?”
“Ah, my apologies. I was just thinking,” Bai said, turning back to him. “Sir Alonso, have you ever heard of an elven woman named Nimora? She looks to be in her early twenties… but she feels… much older.”
She remembered her deep, wise eyes.
“Nimora? The name sounds familiar…” Alonso’s eyes widened. “The Elven High Priestess?”
He looked at Bai. “Miss Bai, have you met her?”
“A short while ago, in the capital,” Bai replied, her brow furrowed. “The Elven High Priestess… I’ve heard of her. Her authority is comparable to that of the Emperor, though the elves also have an Elven King.”
With her Legendary Knight clearance, Bai had had access to a vast amount of information.
But with the Bewildering Forest’s withdrawal, she had put the elven files aside, overlooking the mention of High Priestess Nimora.
“I understand the general situation. It shouldn’t be a problem,” Bai said, seeing Alonso’s anxious expression. “If there’s nothing else, Sir Alonso, you may leave. I will inform the Legendary Knights.”
Alonso’s duty was to report any important intelligence to the relevant authorities, which, in this case, was Bai.
But she was only temporarily in command. This information would ultimately be passed on to the Legendary Knights.
Alonso, as if granted a pardon, stood up, his burly frame offering a rather awkward salute. “Then I will take my leave, Miss Bai.”
“Of course,” Bai nodded.
Alonso sighed in relief, then quickly left.
But as he reached the door, it opened, and a tall figure appeared. It was Erlya.
She had come to inform Bai that the Legendary Knights were to reassemble at the Clock Tower Cathedral, and that Emperor Ares had briefly awakened.
She looked at Alonso, at his ill-fitting priest’s robes, and saluted, her demeanor that of a knight, not a maid. “Erlya, Chief Guard of Her Highness Princess Lilia, greets the Archbishop.”
Although a maid’s salute, it felt more like a threat, especially with the massive axe on her back…
“…You call this a maid?” Alonso muttered, then, composing himself, simply nodded.
He quickly left, not wanting to linger in Queen Shaya’s presence for a second longer.
Erlya watched him go, puzzled, then entered the hall.
She hadn’t seen Shaya before, and she had already seen Bai in her current form, so she wasn’t as shocked as Alonso.
And with the urgency of the situation, she wasn’t one for gossip. She saluted Bai.
“Commander Bai, His Majesty Emperor Ares has briefly awakened.”
Direct, to the point.
Bai, slightly taken aback by her abruptness, nodded. “Does His Majesty have any orders?”
Ares’s recovery was to be expected.
“He was only awake for a short time, and couldn’t give clear instructions,” Erlya said, her voice low. “But before he lost consciousness, he repeatedly said we had to stop the assassin.”
“Stop her?”
This was unexpected.
Her assessment of Sasha and Ice Lily’s motives had been based on the assumption that they intended to disrupt the festival.
And she had later learned that Sasha wanted to seal Ara, but that had been after seeing her.
So, Ares’s words were confusing.
But…
“Perhaps… they didn’t just take the scepter to disrupt the festival. Perhaps they intend to use it for something else,” Bai wondered, then looked at Erlya. “Did His Majesty say anything else?”
“No,” Erlya replied. “But Her Highness has decided to convene the Legendary Knights to discuss the matter.”
