The Queen of Scrolls never admits defeat

There were two clumps of bellflowers at the entrance of the hotel. As Moran and her companions walked by, the wind stirred the flowers, making a crisp and melodious "ding-a-ling" sound, as if someone had knocked on the doorbell.

The spiderweb-patterned leaves beside the door were parted by a pair of long, slender hands with a few wrinkles.

Moran and the others then discovered that there was a window behind the large spiderweb-like leaves.

At that moment, a head peeked out of the window, and slightly cloudy, silver-gray eyes lingered on them for a moment:
"Are you staying at the hotel or buying a house? If you are staying at the hotel, you are prohibited from eating meat on the premises."

Moran withdrew his gaze from his pointed ears and said, "A hotel room is fine, but we can buy one if the price is right."

The elf became interested: "Please come in and talk!"

The door was opened.

Inside the door was a bar, and a small window was inside the bar. The elf just leaned out and opened the door.

Compared to the Silverball Hostel where I stayed before, the bar at the entrance of the Oak Inn is really too small.

There were only two seats at the bar, so Moran and the others couldn't all sit down.

The restaurant was neither too big nor too small, but it only had one long table.

However, there is also an open kitchen, a spacious reception area, and a tea room.

Every corner of the decoration is exquisite and natural, with intricate and vibrant paintings harmonizing with a variety of plants, creating a completely elfin style.

It just doesn't feel like a hotel; it feels more like a cozy home.

"Please come and sit here, everyone!" The elf led them to the reception area and offered them some berries.

The elf introduced himself: "You can just call me Alamir."

Moran and the others also introduced themselves.

Before Moran and the others could ask, Alamir said:

"If Miss Sylph wants to buy my house, it will cost 20 magic coins. If it's Miss Moran, it will cost 30 magic coins. Just don't touch the old oak tree in the yard. You can choose any plants you like to plant in the flowerbeds, but you can't use the flowerbeds for anything other than planting. How about it, do you think this price is acceptable?"

Lilith and Vasita waited for a long time, but he didn't mention himself: "Wait, what about us? Can't we buy some?"

Alamir thought for a moment and said, "If Miss Sylph and Miss Moran don't want to buy them, and you're willing to leave the flower garden and the old oak tree untouched, I can sell them to you, but it will cost at least 50 magic coins."

"???"

Lilith now knows why the hotel can't be sold!
Why are you treating people differently based on their status?
"Is it because Sylph and I are good at wood magic?" Moran asked.

The fact that she treated them differently on their first meeting was the only possibility Moran could think of.

Both she and Sylph openly possess wood-based magic and are always tainted with some wood elemental power.

“That’s right,” Alamir said.

"Then why is Sylph's price lower than mine?" Moran couldn't figure this out.

"Miss Sylph must have been blessed by fairies! She must be a good child who loves plants to have won the favor of fairies. If it is her, I believe this place will always be filled with the atmosphere of nature, and Yar will be well taken care of."

"Alamir said."

Bea, hidden in Sylph's hair, shrank further in. Had she given herself away?
Sylph reassured it in her heart; fairies weren't only good at blessing witches, so it didn't matter if they were discovered:
"Is Yar... the old oak tree in the yard?"

Alamir nodded: "It's an oak seed I brought from the Elf Forest. I planted it on the first day I settled here."

I'm in a hurry to get back to the Elf Forest; once I go, I might never have the chance to come back.

I'm just a little worried about Yar.

If there are still various kinds of plants here in the future, it will not be lonely.

Sylph understood his concerns perfectly and looked at Moran:
"Mentor, this price seems like a great deal! Could you lend me some money to buy it? I'll work hard to earn money and pay you back as soon as possible!"

She certainly has enough money, but she just needs to maintain her public image while reasonably expressing her own desires; that's all I can say.

“Mr. Alamir, we need some time to think about it.”

Moran should have agreed immediately. She was just a stingy mentor, not one who exploited her apprentices. The apprentices were just borrowing money, not asking for it. 20 magic gold coins was already a very cheap price to buy such a large courtyard in Lance City. Buying it was a bargain.

However, after hearing Alamir say that he was being so picky about buyers because he was worried about Yar, Moran had some other plans.

Sylph, Lilith, and Vashida were somewhat surprised by Moran's response, but for now they were still playing the role of mages, in a mentor-apprentice relationship.

They cannot question their mentors' decisions; they can only suppress their doubts.

Alamir was slightly disappointed: "You have three days to consider. After three days, I must leave. You can choose any room on the second floor; the key is on the door."

After saying that, he lost interest in talking and got up to leave.

"Lina, Jenny, can you come back to find us tomorrow?" Moran asked Lilith to give them the fee for guiding them: "We'll settle the fee separately then."

“Of course!” Lina and Jenny said happily.

These monks are so generous! They only helped us find a hotel and then paid for the whole day!

Lina and Jenny ran away, while Moran and the others carried their suitcases upstairs.

There were three suites upstairs, but they didn't choose one yet. Instead, they went into one of the suites and closed the door to talk.

“Moran! Why can’t we buy this house?” Sylph said; she really loved it here.

“It’s not impossible! I have a better way!” Moran said.

"What?" Sylph asked, puzzled.

Moran looked out the window and said:
"Mr. Alamir is so reluctant to part with the old oak tree, and there's a war going on in the Elf Forest. How about we use the {Space Planting Pot} as bait to invite him to join the Dawn Society?"
Then he can take his old oak tree back to the Elf Forest, and we can also plant a seed in the Elf Forest in advance.

The turmoil in the Elf Forest is precisely when the elves need support, making it easier for our 'seeds' to grow.

But... I'm a little hesitant about how to invite him!

If he invites us personally, we'll have to pretend to be members of the Dawn Society beforehand, which is much earlier than originally planned. If he doesn't agree, there's a risk of us being exposed, but in the end, we'll be able to buy the house at a low price.

Without his personal invitation, and without Yar's influence, Alamir could easily drop his demanding requirements and sell the house to someone else at a normal price. We might then have to find somewhere else to stay. (End of Chapter)