I am the heroine's godfather!

Meanwhile, Loran was somewhat troubled as he was about to embark on another round of banquets and social gatherings. Although the elven banquets were not as full of flattery and secrecy as the ones he had hosted in Enshiya, the elves were just too enthusiastic. Loran himself wasn't a particularly sociable person, and after a while, he inevitably became a little tired.

If it were Messiah, she could probably keep him entertained from morning till night. If it were Christine, she could keep him drinking until he was completely drunk. But the person next to him was Estia.

Estia noticed Loran's discomfort and pulled him aside, saying, "Let's go, Mother is still waiting for us."

Loran immediately understood and nodded apologetically to the elves around him. The elves didn't say anything, but smiled to show their understanding.

Those who didn't understand have already been turned into skewers by the Elf Queen (not really).

Despite the Elf Queen's usual cheerful and approachable demeanor, as lively as a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, her methods are undeniably powerful and her prestige is quite high, having lived through the war-torn era seven hundred years ago.

Estia sometimes feels pressured, after all, her current achievements are far less than when her mother came to power.

Estia's greatest achievement to date is her participation in the battle against the Demon King, but in the past that the Elf Queen is unwilling to mention, she can be said to have fought her way out of blood and fire.

Yes, although she sometimes felt helpless about her mother's behavior, Estia still admired her very much.

"Little Lorian? Why are you in such a hurry to see your older sister? Did you have fun playing with little Estia?"

When the Elf Queen saw Loran and Estia approaching, she smiled and waved, dismissing those around her. Then she pulled Loran close to her ear and whispered, "Let me tell you, don't let Estia's always-present poise fool you, she's actually quite shy... Ouch! Little Estia, be gentle, be gentle! My head's going to split open!"

Retracting the foreword isn't just a fleeting feeling of helplessness, it's a frequent one.

That crazy woman is actually my mother; now she's really pathetic.

"Sorry, my mother just likes to talk nonsense."

Estia calmly clapped her hands, completely unconcerned about the elven queen who was covering her head with a bitter expression.

"Hahaha... Actually, I'm quite interested in what the Queen said."

"Right, right! See, little Estia, you're just too hasty!"

"Ok?"

Estia gave the two of them a cold look. The Elf Queen immediately put her hands together in a gesture of begging for mercy, and Loran also silently made a zipping motion with his hand over his mouth.

With a single glance, Estia subdued two saints; her power was terrifying.

After some lighthearted banter, the Elf Queen got down to business.

"Does little Lorian know the characteristics of the ancient elven tree?"

"Um, I remember Estia saying that the ancient elven tree lives for three thousand years without dying, stands for three thousand years after death, and does not decay for three thousand years after falling."

"It's just a legend."

The Elf Queen waved her hand: "The lifespan of the ancient elven tree is approximately three thousand years."

"this?"

Loran was somewhat surprised. If the lifespan of the ancient elven tree was only three thousand years, wouldn't that mean it could only protect three generations of elves?

Even Estia was somewhat shocked: "Mother, how is this possible?"

“I know what you’re thinking. If the ancient elven tree only has a lifespan of three thousand years, then why is the history of the elven race so long?”

The Elf Queen narrowed her eyes: "What I am about to say is something that only each ruler of the Elf race can know."

Estia frowned, and Loran silently stood up: "Then I'll take my leave."

"Oh dear, why is little Lorian in such a hurry to leave?"

The Elf Queen waved her hand, and the room doors slammed shut.

"This isn't information I should know, is it?"

"But little Lorian already knows part of it, you know?"

The Elf Queen revealed a somewhat dangerous smile. If it were anyone else, they would probably be in a panic by now.

After all, the Elf Queen is an eighth-tier warrior, and within the Elf Forest, she is a top-tier eighth-tier fighter.

However, Loran was not flustered at all. On the one hand, he knew the Elf Queen's character, and on the other hand, he had Messiah's mark on him. Even if the opponent was a top-tier eighth-order fighter, it was impossible for her to kill him instantly.

If they can't kill him instantly, it means Messiah will definitely notice this place.

Without the slightest panic, Loran scratched his head: "Your Majesty, what do you suggest I do?"

"How about this!"

The Elf Queen clapped her hands: "Since only the rulers of the Elf race can know this information, why don't we just have little Lorian and little Estia get married!"

Several # symbols appeared on Estia's forehead.

"boom!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Little Estia, what are you doing?! Mommy is doing this for your future... Ouch... Ouch..."

While launching a magnificent rebellion against her mother, Estia covered her mother's mouth with her hand and looked at Loran: "Sorry, you know my mother's personality, she likes to talk nonsense."

After being severely punished by Estia, the Elf Queen finally became serious: "The lifespan of the Elf Ancient Tree is indeed only three thousand years. Once three thousand years have passed, it will die."

Estia's expression immediately turned grim. The Ancient Elf Tree was a sacred object of the Elf race, and if it died, the Elf race would definitely face a major upheaval.

But Loran remained calm and said, "Your Majesty, if I'm not mistaken, you probably still have something to say."

"Oh, have you been discovered?"

"Mother!"

"Okay, okay, I was wrong, I won't keep you in suspense anymore."

The Elf Queen smiled and continued, "After the ancient elven tree dies, it will transform into a seed of withering and flourishing, which will last for seven days. After seven days, the seed of withering and flourishing will transform into the ancient elven tree and be reborn, thus ushering in a new three-thousand-year cycle."

"I think there should be a 'but' after this, right?"

"Yes."

The Elf Queen's expression turned serious: "During these seven days of the Elf Ancient Tree's rebirth, I cannot use the Elf Ancient Tree's authority, and I even need to conceal the fact that the Elf Ancient Tree has disappeared. This means that I cannot use most of my power."

"Therefore, once the Apocryphal Apostles attack, the Elven race cannot guarantee that they will be able to withstand their attack."

"That's why I called you here."

Chapter 173 Satan's Court

"I have one more question."

Loran was silent for a moment before asking, "Why is the Apocryphal Apostle so fixated on the Ancient Elf Tree? Could it be..."

"Yes, it's what you think."

The Elf Queen said solemnly, "Their lord, the Tree of Death, is not actually complete."

"The Tree of Death has only authority over decay, not over prosperity—that authority resides in the Ancient Tree of Spirits."

“Under normal circumstances, the Elf Forest would not fear their attacks. In fact, we have repelled their offensives more than once. But things are different now.”

The Elf Queen sighed: "I cannot use my full strength, and the three seventh-tier elders of the Elf Forest are currently all busy maintaining the barrier, so the only high-level combatant who can use her full strength is Estia."

"This is really troublesome."

Loran narrowed his eyes.

That's why we invited you here.

The Elf Queen sighed: "We hope to get help from the Holy See."

"The following words were spoken by the saintess's agent."

Loran let out a sigh of relief: "The Vatican cannot send anyone."

"..."

"In that battle more than a decade ago, the Cardinals of the Holy See suffered heavy losses. Now the Holy See can only mobilize a few seventh-ranked individuals, at most the Bishop of the Avia region near the Elf Forest, Tikmia."

That's really...

The Elf Queen's expression was somewhat unpleasant. She knew Tikmia quite well; she was a rising star of the Holy See, having ascended to the position of bishop at a young age and was also a saint. However... although she was a saint, to put it bluntly, her combat strength was only slightly stronger than that scholar-type saint of the Elf race.

To put it bluntly, Estia could take on two of her, let alone Loran.

"However, there is still good news."

Loran continued, "I'm here."

"You mean?"

"Yes, I, or rather, the saint's agent, am here."

The Elf Queen's face immediately brightened, the dark clouds dissipating: "Then, I can rest assured."

Estia easily understood the riddles between the two. She knew that Messiah had left a contingency plan on Lorian, but she had never seen Lorian use it.

However, it's unlikely that Messiah's own contingency plan was weak. After all, Messiah was extremely devoted to Lorian back then.

"So, Your Majesty, approximately when will the Ancient Elf Tree reach its three-thousand-year cycle?"

"Ah, three years from now."

"......ha?"

Loran's expression was a bit strange. The cycle would not begin for another three years, so why call me here now?

"Lorian must also feel it's urgent, right?"

Estia looked at Loran, who sighed and said, "No, what I meant was... never mind, what about after that? I can't stay in the Elf Forest for three years."

"I know."

The Elf Queen waved her hand: "Three years is the final deadline. In fact, the ancient elven tree could turn into a withered seed at any time, but I have suppressed it."

"Then once you release the suppression..."

"The ancient tree of spirits will then begin to evolve, and the cycle of withering and flourishing will begin in seven days."

"That's it..."

Loran narrowed his eyes: "In that case, we still have plenty of time to prepare."

"Yes......"

The elven queen, who had been smiling, suddenly turned strange. She stood up, slowly walked to the window, opened it, squinted, and looked into the distance.

"Her Majesty the Queen?"

"Mother?"

Loran and Estia were both puzzled. The Elf Queen looked into the distance and narrowed her eyes: "It seems that we have guests."

"guest?"

Estia frowned and stood by the window. A gust of wind blew in, and she sniffed: "Demons?!"

"Demon?"

Loran narrowed his eyes, while Estia frowned: "A demon, and a very strong one at that... It has a somewhat familiar aura."

"Could he be the ruler of the royal court?"

After all, the only person who could be considered very strong by Estia is probably the Lord of the Royal Court.

Loran tapped the table and pondered, "But why would the Lord of the Royal Court come here?"

Although Loran did not have any deep-seated hatred for the rulers of the royal court, their relationship was certainly not very good.

Although Loran and Lucifer, the fallen angel king he had encountered earlier, shared some similarities, that was all. If the two were to actually fight, it would be a fight to the death.

The only one with whom he could be considered to have a decent relationship was Lilith, the ruler of the vampire royal court. After all, what bad intentions could a socially awkward, introverted girl have?

Even so, Loran and Lilith did have a real fight.

Although ten years have passed and relations between the demon race and the human race have eased, the two races have ultimately fought a war, and it will be difficult to achieve complete peace without two generations.

The demons and elves loathe each other. The elves despise the warlike demons, while the demons refer to the elves as "babies nursing under the ancient elven trees."

In this context, why would a ruler of the royal court come to the Elf Forest at such a sensitive time?

Loran couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

Who is it?

"Mother, I'll go take a look."

A bow and arrow materialized in Estia's hand, her eyes sharp. Loran also stood up: "I'll go too."

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