Your Majesty's money, why don't you engrave my name on it?

"I saw it then—"

“Hush,” a finger was raised to his darkened lips, “I know. The goddess doesn’t want her arrival to be talked about, but perhaps you can proclaim her mercy and magnanimity? She spared your life?”

“You’re really overthinking it,” Leslaufer said, raising his hand to look at the seemingly normal palm, shaking his head with a sneer. “Did He not finish speaking so that you could continue?”

Lillendra gave Raslaufer a deep look: "You guessed right. Although I am the matriarch of the Evans family, if the goddess calls, I can only set aside worldly affairs and serve a more sacred mission. However, you must still have things to do right now, right? I don't want your distraction to ruin things—under the goddess, we can now be considered allies who stand together through thick and thin."

Leslaufer knew what this so-called ally meant: if things failed, everyone would suffer.

“So I’ll come talk to you again in a few days,” Lilindra nodded. “I just heard those human mercenaries wanting to settle scores with us, is that right?”

“They lost a lot of men—I know your losses were not small either, but since you failed, you have no right to negotiate,” Leslaufer stared into the other’s eyes. “What title should I use to address you, ‘Madam’? You don’t want your people’s existence to be publicized, do you?”

“Dark elves are not the same as elves; you will not have a peaceful life.”

“The goddess expects us to stand on the surface again and take revenge on the evil elves under the sun, but it is obvious that it is too early to start a formal war now,” Lilindra paused for a moment. “I am not quite sure how you surface humans view ‘hatred’ or anything else.”

"If I'm willing to pay a ransom to keep quiet, will they keep their mouths shut? Or will their hatred continue generation after generation, forcing me to kill their children, grandchildren, or even great-grandchildren?"

Revenge and hatred permeate the society and culture of the Dark Elves, so Lillendra wouldn't be surprised if Leslaufer answered the latter. However, it's clear that humans and Dark Elves are different, and mercenaries are also different from other humans.

“As long as the money is there, anything is negotiable, or vice versa: anything is negotiable, but more money is required,” Leslaufer rubbed his thumb and forefinger-middle fingers together. “However, this money must be usable on the surface. Can you afford that?”

Lillendra flipped her wrist, showing Leslaufer the three currencies used by the dark elves: a gold coin engraved with an emblem and a spider's mark, a coin that looked like a mixture of obsidian and some other metal, and a coin that glowed even in the morning light.

“None of those seem to work,” Lilindra knew the answer from Reslaufer’s expression. “But that’s understandable. Besides that, we could use slaves, magical items, or unique underground minerals and plants as a bargaining chip, but I’m not sure if you mercenaries need those…”

Dark Elf society does have mercenaries, but they usually don't charge them as a fee.

"Yes! Why not?" Although Dahl was over fifty, he was still very hard of hearing and immediately shouted, "Bring them all out so we can see them!"

Chapter 366 The Expansion and Contraction of Ambition

There are occasional instances of dark elves setting aside past grievances to fight together against a common enemy, but such so-called "alliances" quickly reveal their true nature once the crisis is over, or even crumble before the crisis is resolved.

Therefore, when the mercenaries who had just lost their comrades gathered around without any suspicion, marveling at the things that came from underground, the dark elves of the Evans family all gripped their weapons, looking as if they were facing a formidable enemy.

But these humans' minds were not really on their dark-skinned neighbors at all.

“These things are usually only available to the dwarves of the East Sea, and they are quite expensive.” Raslaufer glanced at von Dahl, while the dwarf craftsman simply shrugged and walked over to examine the resources, which even he considered rare.

“You have always misunderstood ‘underground,’ thinking that’s the depth we usually dig,” von Dahl said, carefully picking up a piece of material that looked very different from any common mineral on the surface. “But in reality, it’s a much deeper, darker place, and its bottom is even thought to lead straight to the abyss.”

"Do you really think we would deliberately inflate prices and sell these things to outsiders? You're sorely mistaken! We might not even have enough for ourselves!"

“That dark place has the power to change the essence of everything. Elves, dwarves, gnomes—anything that lives there for a long time will undergo a fundamental change. And when newcomers like us go down there, in addition to dealing with the harsh environment, these creatures will also become part of the obstacles to survival,” he looked up at Lilindra. “Am I right?”

“Surface dwarves are usually very expensive,” Evans’s mistress sighed. “If I had been willing to buy a few, the outcome of the previous battles would have been very different.”

"But I still have to remind you, do you know what kind of people usually buy your compatriots?"

Although she didn't give an answer, the dwarf's face quickly darkened—who else could it be? Naturally, it was the dwarf's relatives who lived underground.

“But after that, things are likely to change,” Dahl said excitedly, putting down his things and standing up. “I hate to say this, but you know what? As they say, you can’t be friends without a fight. Forget about the costs! We should sign a contract to do business between the surface and underground. We’ll both make a fortune!”

Leslaufer shook his head. He knew, of course, the potential profits, but he disliked this bloodless development. However, he didn't intend to stop it—it was a golden opportunity for his old friend to retire peacefully, one to celebrate, not destroy.

Dahl, who had originally intended to leave everything to Raslaufer, quickly took over the matter again. At this moment, everything underground was attractive to him, or rather, the profits were what drew him in.

Slaves underground are a rarity on the surface as well. Those surface dwellers who accidentally stumble into this world would certainly be willing to pay a high price for sunlight and freedom. Not to mention the profits that can be brought by the trade of special products between the two sides. What's even more intriguing is the underground dark elf society—and the conflicts between them!

Families and clans, dozens or even hundreds of people—isn't this exactly the kind of battle group that can unleash its full potential? The underground caves and streets are the main battlefields, and the formations are completely unafraid of those charges that lack heavy armor and iron cavalry!

As for magic and such... it's as if they can handle it all on the surface!

As for the matriarch of the Evans family, after gaining such a deep and accurate understanding of the surface world for the first time, she felt something similar to Dahl: if she could establish a stable trade route between the surface world and her homeland, or even develop other businesses, her family's power would surely reach its zenith!

Perhaps those old families had Rose's favor, but Evans was no exception! The young matriarch's eyes gleamed with boundless ambition as she looked up at the rising scorching sun. The sphere of light that had once disgusted her now felt warm to her!

However, just as the two sides were getting along well and laughter filled the air, a matte suddenly appeared out of nowhere and poked Lillendra in the arm.

"What—?" The dark elf turned her head. She recognized this woman; she had previously been one of her top priorities. But now that they had reconciled, what was she doing here?

“I’m certainly not as devout as you, but I have some advice to give you based on what I know of the stories—when you’re no longer the enemy,” the bard winked at Lillendra, “think of Rose.”

"As a Dark Elf, never take yourself too seriously."

Daisy's words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing Lillindra's burning ambition—think of Rose.

If the Spider Queen desires unified cities, or even a unified dark elf world, couldn't she do it? So why is it that the various families are still scheming against each other, one after another, taking turns on the stage?

Rose's favor allows her to imagine, but if she rashly does what she wants to do... will Rose still favor her?

Lillendra began to feel a chill, as if she were eating the poisoned pastry her mother had fed her when she was fifteen. Rose had given her everything, and could take it all away at any time.

“Th-thank you,” Lillindra sighed, as if she had aged a century in an instant. “Thank you for reminding me; it makes me even more certain that everything I’m doing right now is the right thing to do.”

"But why?"

“Well…” Daisy smiled slightly, but the angry male voice that had forcibly inserted itself into the mental link between her and Zhengling floated into her mind, “It’s just something I felt. I’ve read similar dark elf stories before, and they were so sad.”

"And more importantly, you also have eyes of a similar color to the protagonist of that story."

"This is Rose's blessing... Could it be?" Lillindra was immediately horrified. The Evans family was certainly not the first family to receive the goddess's blessing, nor would they be the last to be lost and destroyed because of it!

Daisy nimbly retreated outside, letting the other party's thoughts be irrelevant to her. Her role was simply to act as a messenger, conveying the thoughts of a great figure who was superior to Zheng Ling, yet could only rage helplessly under the intervention of a true deity.

She glanced at Raslaufer, who was changing his undershirt, which had been almost completely corroded by the Wax Melting Demon, and looked perfectly normal.

It seems that the Grand Duke of Purgatory who made the deal with Philna will not be causing them any more trouble.

Chapter 367 A Temporary Farewell to My Companions

Although a fire set by a few orcs burned down much of the woodland, the dark elves were used to surviving in worse environments, so this was nothing to them. Besides, there were also "enthusiastic" mercenaries eager to cooperate with the Evans family in various ways.

Leslaufer and his men would not linger there any longer. East Inassus was very close, and Dopler was eager to end his long escort journey and sink into the sea of ​​gold coins.

What is somewhat saddening is that some companions also had to part ways temporarily—each returning to their own homes.

“I still have a long way to go, so I won’t be visiting Old Lei’s hometown,” the dwarf stroked his beard and smiled as he bid farewell to the crowd at a crossroads. “I have to return to my clan in Haidong. My mission should be fulfilled—don’t worry, it’s just blacksmithing, there won’t be any danger.”

"Once this is all done, I'll invite you all to try the dwarves' specialty stew!"

"Definitely, definitely!" Everyone agreed with smiles, not wanting the parting to be too melancholy. Daisy, however, seemed exceptionally excited. "And don't forget, I don't know the way to your place!"

"Don't worry, all the dwarves in the East Sea will be there to support your performance!" Feng Daer mounted a freed-up warhorse with some effort. Since its former master died, it was finally free from the heavy task of pulling a cart and could once again gallop across the roads and wilderness. "Old Lei, I hope you don't have any missions to attend to, or I'll drink you under the table!"

“Uncle Leslaufer never drinks,” Angelita retorted, which only drew louder laughter from the dwarf.

"Then you'll take his place! Old von Dahl's belly can hold more spirits than you've ever drunk in your life—here we go!"

“He can definitely forge some decent stuff,” Zheng Ling said in the telepathic link between Daisy and Leslaufer, as if she, like everyone else, was watching the dwarf’s departing figure. “Those dark elves gave him a lot of good things, all very important materials.”

"However, it's hard to say whether we can actually open the road to Forge City. If that place could be reached simply by piling up valuable materials, it wouldn't be such a place of suffering for the dwarves of your world."

“The ancient dwarven empire,” Leslaufer murmured, “Vondar will find it—he certainly will.”

“Let’s go, let’s set off too. My hometown, Zebrech, is quite far from the direction of the East Sea, and forcing us to come together will only waste everyone’s time,” Reslaufer said, turning to look at Angelita. “Speaking of which, how are we going to let your teacher know you’ve arrived? Although it will still be a month or two, it will definitely take him time to get here, right?”

“Professor Paul is quite accomplished in astrology and divination, so there’s no need to worry about that; he’ll know it himself,” Angelita said without any doubt. “I don’t have any magical items on me that can track or send messages, which would make me just as easy to track by other royal mages.”

"What you really need to worry about is the final payment. I've done the math, and based on the time we've spent and the dangers we've encountered along the way, the reward will probably accumulate to a rather alarming figure."

Despite being the employer, Angelita didn't seem distressed at all when she said this; instead, she appeared somewhat happy.

“Ha, it doesn’t matter if you can’t afford it. We’ve come all this far. Do you think Leslaufer can send you back?” Bella laughed. Naturally, this statement was met with resistance from Leslaufer, but the druid’s fighting spirit was extremely strong. No matter how many times Leslaufer pressed her head down, she would find a way to pounce on her again to “harass” her.

However, at this time, neither Bella nor the others expected that this red-haired druid would also leave the group shortly after entering Eastern Inathas.

Compared to the prosperity of the Empire or Western Inassia, Eastern Inassia seemed like an undeveloped wilderness. Although the plains and forests were beautiful, no trace of civilization could be found for a long time. It wasn't until almost a week later that, guided by the memories of the local man, Leslaufer, they finally discovered a small village where they could rest.

The villagers rely on herding for a living. Although there are a few scattered farmlands around, the soil is barren, and in winter, it looks even more desolate and lonely. On the contrary, behind the village, a man-made reservoir is quite lively.

The surface was now covered with a thick, hard layer of ice, making it a perfect playground for the village children.

There were few elders supervising the children on the surrounding shore. Even the adults were mostly lying there sunbathing during the day. Compared to them, the livestock in the enclosure, gazing longingly out, seemed to care about the children. Yet, in this otherwise ordinary place, everyone's eyes were drawn to the woman who had noticed them and was walking towards them.

The woman appeared to be around forty years old, wearing a thick, greyish-white feathered cloak that concealed a dark green robe adorned with silver waterfall patterns. A plant-woven belt was fastened around her waist, from which hung a water pouch and several herbal pouches. She wore no hat, allowing her graying hair to flutter freely in the cold wind.

“Ah, guests from afar,” the woman stopped and bowed to the group before Leslaufer could warily reach for his greatsword. “I have been waiting for you here for some time, but thankfully, with Edas’s guidance, you have finally arrived.”

“You are…” Bella stared blankly at the other woman and couldn’t help but ask. For some reason, this woman had a special aura that made her want to get closer, but in the end, reason prevailed.

Or rather, the other party did not intend to seduce her; it was just a natural aura emanating from them.

“We gather around the Tranquil One, sisters, like dew gathering into a stream,” the woman smiled serenely, extending her hand to the druid. “The peaceful children of Eastern Inathas recently received an oracle that a young sister from the Empire would be staying here for some time, and it must be you.”

After saying this, she turned around and bowed to the others again: "Thank you all for your company along the way. Idas's blessings will continue to be with you. However, she still has much to learn. If you allow, perhaps it would be more appropriate for us sisters from afar to settle under the glory of the goddess, which is also her homeland."

Chapter 368 The Adas Followers of Eastern Inasas

"Is this the goddess's arrangement?" Bella looked at the woman in front of her with some surprise. The woman's attire was not unfamiliar; it was similar to that of the Edas priestesses in the Golin Otto Mountains, except for the difference between winter and summer clothes. "How long have you been waiting here?"

"About two or three months," the woman tilted her head back slightly and recalled for a moment. "I heard that things were not peaceful in the west, so I was prepared for a long wait from the beginning, but it seems that things are actually not so bad now."

“Speaking of which, it would be a good choice to meditate here and also better help the local residents,” the woman said, her eyes revealing a hint of love and compassion as she looked at the children playing on the ice. “The clouds of chaos, war and death have long shrouded Inasas. If I am here and can keep this place safe, the goddess would surely be pleased.”

As they were talking, several children ran over. They glanced at Leslaufer fearfully at first, then rushed to the woman's side. It seemed that one of them had been cut by sharp icicles. The woman quickly knelt down, gently scolding the child while taking out a water bag and herbal pack from her waist to bandage and treat the wound.

At this point, there was no doubt about her identity—she was indeed a follower of Adas, and her expression, actions, and the village children's affection for her were all genuine. More importantly, neither Bella nor Daisy, who wore the pendant given to her by Adas, sensed anything amiss.

“Thank you for your kindness, but I still don’t quite understand…” Bella looked at her companions, her expression filled with reluctance. “Is this the goddess’s arrangement? How should I serve the goddess? And where should I go?”

“You’ve asked a difficult question, sister,” the woman laughed. “How would I know? But if you’re asking about the woodlands of Eastern Inassus, I can answer you—Antekoru Woodlands, also known as the ‘Realm of Resistance’.”

“We live there with the followers of the goddess Merika, and whether you seek the path to complete peace and tranquility or believe that standing up is the better solution, you can find like-minded companions there.” As she spoke, the woman showed everyone her water bag, which was embroidered with a unicorn half-submerged in a lake.

A sacred site like the one in the Goringoto Mountains, dedicated entirely to Edas, is actually a very rare example. Wandering from place to place and living among other allied sects is far more common. Among these, the locations of the followers of Melique, Edas's closest friend and sister, become frequent gathering places for Edas's followers. And like the relationship between gods, the followers of the two goddesses are usually very close.

“The Land of Refusal to Fight,” Raslaw nodded to Bella. “In Eastern Inassassins, if a mercenary intends to retire from all killing and never do anything related to killing again, he might go there to pray—I’ve heard it’s a very nice place, though I’ve certainly never been.”

That's a haven for retirees, but those still in the workforce should probably stay away from it.

The woman listened with a smile as Raslaufer briefly introduced the special place to the others, without interrupting or trying to persuade the local mercenary to join the cause of peace—in her view, this would also be stirring up trouble and violating the teachings of the goddess.

“Of course I really want to go…” Bella’s hands clasped together involuntarily, looking quite conflicted. “But you see, I came all this way because of my companions. If I have to endure hardship, I’d rather go back to the Colin Otto Mountains.”

“No one will restrict your freedom, sister, that’s not what we expect,” the woman shook her head, thinking that the young parishioner was rather shallow. “Although I think you may need some time for retreat, it’s okay if you don’t want to.”

"You can go see your friends whenever you want—are you all taking a break for a while?"

“Zebrech.” Raslaufer nodded.

"It's not too far away."

“Ah, it seems I’ll be the second one to leave the team after von Dahl,” Bella finally made up her mind after a moment. “But don’t worry, I’m much closer to him than he is—Annie, remember to write to me once you’re settled in, I’ll be coming over often!”

“I never expected that I would leave before you,” the druid said, rolling up his sleeves to let Jump, who was hiding inside to keep warm, come out to say goodbye to everyone. He then looked at the bard and said, “I thought you would be the next one to leave!”

“What can I do? My creditor is here, where can I run to?” Daisy grinned and pointed at Angrita. “Anyway, there’s no rush. To me, everywhere is just as exciting!”

If von Dahl's departure left others with a touch of sadness, Bella's departure brought only joy and blessings. After all, according to the estimates of Raslaufer and the follower of Adas, Zebrech and the Rebellion Zone were only about a week's walk away, and Bella, as a druid who could transform into birds and beasts, made the distance seem quite short.

After Bella left, only Daisy, Margaret, and the little girl they had rescued remained in the group. Since Eastern Inassos was not as remote as the west, the group abandoned their strategy of mainly traveling through the wilderness and instead sought out the main roads between cities and villages. Even so, the carriages could not move very fast.

“Back in Western Inathas, you asked who maintained those roads. Now look,” even Leslaufer, a native of Eastern Inathas, chuckled in exasperation as the group stopped once again at an ancient, dead-end road. Pointing to the dilapidated end before him, he said to Daisy, “Look, this is the abandoned part—”

Caravans from the east mostly used pack animals like the Loss to transport goods northwards to the East Sea and even Ampire, so the condition of the roads was irrelevant to them. But this was not the case for Raslaufer and his group, who were traveling in a wagon. They had to start unloading their cargo by the roadside so that the empty wagon could be moved to the equally difficult terrain.

This situation is a last resort for some, but for others it is a welcome opportunity.

Chapter 369 Old Grudges Remain

"Tap!"

Just as Mary was about to carry the last piece of luggage back onto the carriage, a stray arrow pierced through the desolate but muddy wilderness, striking the outer wall of the carriage with a loud bang, causing the entire carriage to shake.

The arrow was quite long, but the archer's strength caused half of it to penetrate the carriage wall, which wasn't thin.

"Ouch!" Caught off guard by the sudden attack in such a quiet environment, Mary belatedly jumped up and fell backward to the ground. The others quickly prepared their weapons to defend themselves, but another arrow struck Daisy's feet, nearly pinning her foot and boot to the ground.

Neither arrow wounded anyone, but it was clearly intentional, aimed at a panicked target but failing to hit them. This is something that an ordinary archer could not do without luck.

Raslaufer immediately shielded Angelita behind him. Although the two arrows came from different directions, it did not prevent Doppler from locking onto the opponent's position—unless there were two such sharpshooters.

"Put down your weapons and don't move!" A loud shout rang out from behind a small hill about 300 meters away. With that shout, a dozen men wearing protective gear waved their weapons wildly and emerged from their ambush position, spreading out in an arc, seemingly intending to surround the group.

"Old Lei, someone's robbing you on your own turf!" Although Daisy obediently raised her hands above her head, her mouth didn't stop.

Leslaufer couldn't stand such words. The mercenary frowned, his lips curled slightly, and he blew a short but powerful whistle.