Chapter 38: Standoff
Of course, the Savage Lands, knowing an investigation into the explosion was likely, had also sent a significant number of soldiers, under the guise of an escort.
The Bewildering Forest’s envoy was the most bewildered of all. They had come to the Twilight Marsh simply to apologize to Eleanor, not expecting any of this.
Normally, the sacred lands didn’t interfere with local affairs. The High Priestess had only dispatched troops, not an envoy. These elders had come on their own initiative.
Protected by the High Priestess and the elven warriors, some of the elders had been shielded from the horrors of the war, their views still rooted in a bygone era.
Of course, not all the elders were like this. The council was filled with various factions, their conflicts only suppressed by the High Priestess’s authority.
But thankfully, the Twilight Marsh was also home to a contingent of battle-hardened warriors, so in terms of strength, they were more than a match for the other two “envoys.”
When the envoys from the North Empire and the Savage Lands arrived at the border, they, and the elven elders who had come to greet them, all stared at each other, a single thought in their minds: “You call this an envoy?”
On one side, dozens of beastkin soldiers, their auras menacing, some still stained with blood. On the other, twenty heavily armed knights, led by the renowned Legendary Knight, Arnold (though the elven elders didn’t recognize him).
Diana’s presence was less surprising. She had been the liaison in the capital before, and she was a close confidante of Queen Arachne, and a direct descendant.
…Though “descendant” was a bit of an exaggeration. Spiders laid a lot of eggs, and the Queen had many children, though few were as exceptional as Diana.
“G-gentlemen… are these your… escorts?” the elven elder stammered, his legs trembling. He had never seen such a display of military might.
When Norma had asked him to greet the envoys, she hadn’t mentioned this…
She had flattered him, and he, filled with a sense of self-importance, had foolishly agreed, even refusing Norma’s offer of a proper guard, accepting only two warriors as an escort.
He considered the “tainted” elves of the Twilight Marsh beneath him.
But now, seeing this, the two elven warriors quickly exchanged glances and sent a message to Norma.
“I am leading an envoy from the capital. There is no need for concern,” Arnold said, his face a mask of sincerity, though the heavily armed knights behind him told a different story. The beastkin snorted.
Who brings a full squad of armed knights to a diplomatic meeting? And did they think they didn’t recognize those pulse cannons? They had lost many a tribe to those things in recent border skirmishes…
“We are merely an escort for our envoy, to ensure their safety,” Diana said, her own lie just as blatant.
If it was just for safety, a few guards would have been sufficient. Why bring an entire elite unit…?
The elven elder looked at the snarling beastkin behind Diana, a wave of fear washing over him.
Isabelle, disguised as a fox-kin, stood silently among them, observing.
“The Bewildering Forest welcomes guests, but not enemies,” a calm, steady voice echoed from the forest, and two figures emerged.
Norma, having received the message and anticipated this, had arrived at the border, Bai, in her ranger’s cloak, beside her.
The disgraced elder had been a pawn in her little game, a bit of revenge for his treatment of Eleanor.
But the size of the other two envoys had surprised her. She had expected them to bring a few guards, but not… this.
Bai’s gaze, hidden beneath her hood, swept over the “envoys,” her eyes narrowing as she saw Arnold and his squad.
“That’s likely the Empire’s top combat unit,” she murmured.
Unlike her Sharp Assault squad, which had specialized in covert operations, this unit was designed for direct, large-scale combat.
“I can see that,” Norma’s voice echoed in Bai’s mind.
On the other side…
Bai’s gaze shifted to the beastkin. She recognized Diana and Brute, and she knew the beastkin soldiers were all seasoned warriors.
Just then, she felt an intense gaze on her and looked up, meeting the eyes of an unassuming beastkin woman.
“Who is she? She looks like a fox-kin…” Bai wondered. She had concealed her fox-kin features. How could she have been discovered?
Norma, sensing Bai’s attention shift, said, “That’s a true fox-kin from the Savage Lands. But it’s strange. The fox-kin are considered a lower race. Why would one be present at a high-level meeting like this…”
With Norma’s arrival, the other two envoys knew who was in charge.
“We are not enemies. We come in peace, to visit the Bewildering Forest,” Commander Arnold said, his voice firm.
“If even these humans have the audacity to say that… then we also come in peace,” Diana said with a smile, her gaze lingering on Arnold.
He’s a bit old for a human, but for a long-lived being like me, he’s still a young snack. Perhaps I’ll have a taste later~
Alonso, still lost in his thoughts about Bai, didn’t recognize her in the ranger’s cloak, assuming she was just one of Norma’s attendants.
Brute, his arms crossed, remained on high alert.
Three parties, each with their own agenda, yet no one was willing to show their hand.
Diana makes me scaroused