Chapter 41: You Might Be in Trouble
The High Priestess’s sudden departure had left the unfortunate Veranica in a state of constant anxiety, terrified of being discovered.
She hadn’t left the temple, barely interacting with the other handmaidens, even having to send word to her family to avoid arousing suspicion.
And during this time, several elders had come to visit the High Priestess, and Veranica had had to turn them all away, her back to them, her voice a strained imitation of Nimora’s.
From the elders’ perspective: [The High Priestess is grieving for the future of the Bewildering Forest.]
From Veranica’s perspective: [I want to cry, but I can’t. I just have to keep my legs from shaking.]
But Veranica wasn’t the only one suffering. The so-called “envoy” from the sacred lands, which was more of an “apology tour,” was also having a rough time.
The elder who had been sent to greet the other envoys, who had nearly fainted at the sight of them, was the most miserable. But the others, forced to remain in the Twilight Marsh, were also finding it difficult.
The Twilight Marsh, recently reclaimed, was still in a state of disrepair, a far cry from the pristine environment of the sacred lands. The impure natural energy was a constant source of discomfort for the pampered elders.
And their primary objective, to apologize to Eleanor and convince her to return to the sacred lands, had been a complete failure.
The High Priestess, upon hearing of Eleanor’s exile, had immediately removed an elder from the law enforcement council, an elder who had held a higher rank than any of them.
Now, the less competent, more politically-connected elders were all in a state of panic, each of them fearing they would be the next Cantis, permanently exiled.
The more capable and far-sighted elders had stayed out of it, their positions secure.
Norma, of course, knew their true purpose. But they had caused Eleanor so much grief. She wasn’t about to let them off so easily.
And so…
The task of negotiating with the human and beastkin envoys had fallen to them.
“Norma, you can’t be serious,” the lead elder of the sacred lands’ envoy, a man named Les, said.
He wasn’t a complete fool. He was, at least, a more powerful mage than Norma.
Of course, Norma’s strength didn’t lie in her magic.
In a real fight, she could take him down in two rounds.
Why two?
Because the first round would be spent dodging his large-scale magical attacks. After that, it would be easy.
Les was shocked because the disgraced elder who had greeted the other envoys had given him a full report.
This wasn’t an envoy. This was an invading army!
He couldn’t believe this woman, with her large breasts and small brain, would allow such a dangerous force so deep into the Bewildering Forest!
Of course, he didn’t care if the Twilight Marsh fell. What he cared about was Norma’s insistence that the sacred lands’ envoy participate in the negotiations…
Wasn’t that just sending them to their deaths?
What if the human knights and those beasts suddenly decided to kill them?!
“You are an envoy, and they are an envoy. Negotiations between powers should be conducted on an equal footing,” Norma said, her tone flat. She was enjoying this, getting a bit of revenge for Eleanor.
And she had already calculated the risks. With the other envoys’ reduced numbers, the Twilight Marsh had enough forces to handle any… unexpected developments.
And besides, she knew that if things went wrong, Bai wouldn’t stand idly by. A Dream Demon could unleash a massive sleeping spell, neutralizing any threat.
“Are you sure they’re really an envoy?” Les’s face was twisted in a grimace. “I’ve never seen an envoy that was a fully-equipped military unit!”
“They presented a letter of introduction from an envoy.”
“If they had brought an entire army, would you still call them an envoy? This is absurd!”
Norma, feigning deep thought, said, “That is a valid point.”
“You…” Les swallowed the curse that had been on the tip of his tongue, and simply snorted.
Bai, who had been watching this unfold, was impressed.
Norma, who seemed so rigid and traditional, was actually incredibly cunning, just like with the trade zone negotiations.
She had refused to cede any territory, not because she didn’t see the benefits, but because she knew the Twilight Marsh was still fragile, its elven warriors’ morale tied to the land they had just reclaimed.
If a portion of that land was suddenly given away, to be trampled on by humans and beastkin, what would they think?
Bai wouldn’t have thought of that. She wasn’t a fool, but she wasn’t a leader. She couldn’t think like one.
If she had been in Norma’s position, she would have just beaten the arrogant elders into submission… which would have been satisfying, but, as the elves would say—not very elegant.
“If you insist on refusing… then so be it,” Norma said, and Les sighed in relief. But then she added, “However, when the High Priestess asks, I will have to report the truth.”
“Wh-what truth?” Les stammered.
“That the sacred lands’ envoy refused to fulfill their duties… what will the High Priestess think of this visit then?” Norma’s eyes narrowed. “If I remember correctly, you were here to participate in the negotiations, weren’t you? Or did you have another purpose…?”
Of course he had another purpose. Why else would he come to this backwater?
Les, his anger simmering, finally gritted his teeth. “Fine! We’ll do it your way! We’ll go!”
“Excellent, Elder Les. You have a good sense of the bigger picture. I will be sure to report this to the High Priestess,” Norma said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
“You’re still going to report it?” Les’s eyes widened, his beard bristling.
“I will report that Elder Les has dutifully fulfilled his duties and successfully protected the interests of the Bewildering Forest… of course, that will depend on the outcome of the negotiations,” Norma said, her voice a low purr.
Bai almost laughed. She had never imagined the serious Norma had such a playful side.
“You… hmph! We’ll see!” Les stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
After he left, Norma’s expression turned serious.
“Bai, you might be in trouble.”
