I'm really not a Sanctuary Warlock.

She shouldn't have said those things to two people she had just met: a human and a catgirl.

But the words have already been spoken, and there's no use regretting them now.

“We are merely travelers passing through, with no intention of prying into your secrets,” Lynn spoke first, his voice sincere. “We deeply sympathize with the elves’ plight.”

He paused, then continued, "My name is Lynn, and this is my companion, Whitey the cat."

"We're leaving now, and we will never tell anyone what we heard today."

As he spoke, he prepared to pull the still somewhat dazed cat Bai Bai and turn the unicorn around.

"Wait a moment."

The silver-haired elf's cool voice rang out again.

Lynn stopped moving, calmly turned around, and met the gaze of the female elf.

Evelyn gave a slight bow, performing an elven greeting. "My name is Evelyn, and I am the leader of this Silvermoon caravan."

“Ms. Evelyn.” Lynn nodded politely.

“Mr. Lynn, Miss Bai Bai,” Evelyn said, looking at the two of them. “Now that you know about this, I’m afraid you can’t leave so easily.”

Cat Bai Bai immediately tensed up, shrinking its small body further behind Lynn.

Lynn's heart sank, unsure of what those words meant.

What does Ms. Evelyn mean?

“Don’t be nervous.” Evelyn shook her head, a helpless smile on her face. “I mean no harm, it’s just… this is a serious matter, and I must be responsible for my people.”

“I hope that you two can come with us.”

"Where are we going, meow?" Whitey couldn't help but ask in a low voice.

Evelyn's gaze drifted into the depths of the forest, her eyes filled with reverence.

"To our capital, Manselano."

"Our Queen... may wish to see you."

Manselano.

Upon hearing the name, Cat White's eyes lit up instantly, and he even temporarily forgot his earlier tension.

That was the legendary elven capital, built in the heart of the forest, a city that would never fall.

She always thought it was just a story made up by bards to scam money for drinks.

I never expected... that it actually exists.

Lynn glanced at the excited cat Bai Bai and felt helpless.

He understood, of course, that Evelyn's "invitation" was essentially an unavoidable and mandatory invitation to accompany her.

Rather than going to see the Elf Queen, it was more like being temporarily placed under house arrest until the Elven race resolved their troubles or was certain they wouldn't leak the secret.

However, given the current situation, they seem to have no other choice.

“Okay, we’ll go with you.” Lynn agreed readily.

Seeing Lynn's cooperation, Evelyn's expression relaxed considerably.

Thank you for your understanding.

And so, Lynn and Cat White temporarily joined the elf caravan.

The convoy set off again, heading deeper into the forest.

The atmosphere remained somber, and most of the elves remained silent, simply continuing their journey in quiet contemplation.

Cat Bai Bai tried several times to strike up a conversation with the beautiful elf sisters and inquire about Manserano, but they only gave polite but distant replies and then fell silent.

After hitting a wall several times, Whitey the Cat had no choice but to give up in frustration and sit back on the unicorn, snuggling close to Lynn.

“They’re so cold, meow…” she whispered to Lynn.

"We're about to lose our home, who's in the mood for chatting?" Lynn replied softly.

The convoy traveled through the forest for about two hours.

The view ahead suddenly opened up.

Two towering ancient trees stood guard over a road paved with moonlight-colored vines.

A transparent barrier, rippling like water, enveloped the giant trees, separating the inside from the outside into two worlds.

Evelyn led the convoy without stopping and drove straight into the barrier.

The moment Lynn passed through the barrier, he felt that everything in front of him had changed.

A city beyond description appeared before their eyes.

Countless equally enormous ancient trees form the architecture of this city.

Exquisite treehouses are nestled among lush foliage, connected by suspension bridges made of vines that radiate a soft glow.

A clear stream meanders beneath the tree roots, making a melodious tinkling sound.

Glowing fungi and flowers are everywhere in the forest, illuminating the entire city in a dreamlike way.

Countless graceful elves roam the city. Some tend to the flowers and plants on the balconies of treehouses, some play harps by the stream, and some ride magnificent antlered deer, galloping along forest paths.

Everything here is filled with harmony and tranquility, like a poem written by nature.

"Oh my god, meow..." Cat White was completely stunned. "This...this is Manserano, meow! It's a million times more beautiful than the stories say!"

She was so excited that her tail was wagging wildly behind her. If Lynn hadn't been supporting her, she probably would have jumped off the unicorn.

Lynn was also shocked by the sight before her.

This is not a man-made building at all, but a work of art that blends perfectly with nature.

Evelyn did not linger in the city. She led Lynn and Whitey the cat straight through most of the city and arrived at an incredibly open clearing in the woods.

In the center of the open space was an enormous circular lake.

The lake is like a mirror, perfectly reflecting the sky.

Strangely, even though it was daytime, the lake reflected a dazzling starry sky.

A soft, silvery glow emanated from the bottom of the lake, making the entire lake look as if it were filled with liquid moonlight.

"We've arrived at Moon Pool..."

Evelyn's voice was filled with reverence and piety.

In the center of the Moon Pool, a magnificent palace stands quietly.

The palace was made entirely of a silvery-white crystal that seemed to be formed from moonlight. Its elegant and ethereal design, along with its numerous exquisite spires and vaults, refracted a dreamlike halo in the sunlight.

It doesn't seem to have been built; it seems to have grown naturally from the Moon Pool.

The palace's reflection blends perfectly with its own, making it impossible to distinguish between reality and illusion.

"So...so beautiful..."

This time, even Lynn couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

Cat Bai Bai was completely speechless. She felt that she couldn't find a single word in her merchant's dictionary to describe the value of the palace before her.

"Your Majesty is waiting in the Moon Palace."

Evelyn dismounted from the antler deer and walked to the edge of the Moon Pool, gesturing "please" to Lynn and Whitey the cat.

"Please come with me, gentlemen."

Chapter Sixty-Eight: Elf Queen Sandoros

"Please come with me, gentlemen."

As Elena finished speaking, countless silver specks of light appeared out of thin air on the calm surface of Moon Pool, and within a few seconds, they coalesced into a translucent bridge of light spanning the lake.

The bridge of light emitted a soft moonlight, stretching all the way to the entrance of the ethereal palace in the distance.

Lynn and Cat White followed Evelyn onto the bridge of light.

The sensation underfoot was peculiar, like stepping on solid glass, yet also possessing the softness and coolness of water.

Walking on the bridge feels like strolling among the stars.

Beneath your feet lies the lake reflecting the glittering starry sky, and above you stands the Moon Palace, a divine abode, towering in the heart of the lake.

The entire enchanting landscape of the elven city of Manthalano is now spread out before your eyes.

Countless treehouses are faintly visible among the distant trees, their soft light filtering through the leaves like fireflies.

Lynn could even see elves riding stags galloping across the vine suspension bridge, leaving behind a trail of clear laughter.

This place is so beautiful it seems otherworldly.

Soon, the group reached the end of the bridge of light, where the enormous archway of the Moon Palace, made of silver crystals, was right before their eyes.

The palace was more spacious and tranquil than I had imagined.

There were no glittering decorations, nor any luxurious and exquisite carvings.

The ground was paved with a single, enormous piece of moonstone, smooth as a mirror, reflecting the magical radiance of the dome that shimmered like stars.

Several clear streams meandered out from the depths of the palace, passing through the main hall, making a pleasant tinkling sound.

The air was filled with a scent that blended the fragrance of grass and trees with a faint mist, bringing a sense of tranquility.

At the deepest part of the hall, a tall throne stands silently.

The throne was not made of gold or stone, but rather coiled from an ancient vine that emitted a soft green light.

A figure sat quietly on the throne.

She was an elven woman whose beauty was beyond description.

She had long, dark green hair that cascaded down to her ankles, adorned with a few small, unopened white flowers.

Her eyes were a unique bluish-gray, like a forest after the rain, deep, calm, and with a hint of melancholy.

She wore a very simple light green tulle dress, her feet were bare, and a thin ring of green vines wrapped around her fair ankles.

She simply sat there quietly, naturally exuding a majesty that blended seamlessly with the entire forest.

She is the Elf Queen, Sandros.

“Your Majesty.” Evelyn walked to the foot of the throne, knelt on one knee, and performed a most respectful bow.

The moment Cat White saw the Queen, it immediately darted out from behind Lynn.

She abandoned her usual money-grubbing demeanor and, imitating Evelyn, placed her right hand on her left shoulder and bowed deeply towards the throne.

Lynn was stunned for a moment. He looked at the cat Bai Bai's skillful movements, and then at himself, and suddenly felt a little helpless.

He would never see such a spectacle in modern society.

He could only grit his teeth and clumsily imitate the cat Bai Bai's movements, placing his hands on his shoulders and bending down somewhat stiffly.

"Whitey the cat and her companion Lynn greet Her Majesty the Queen, meow."

The cat's voice echoed in the hall, easing Lynn's embarrassment.

On the throne, Sandros's bluish-gray eyes calmly fell upon the man and the cat below.

When her gaze fell upon the two of them, a hint of surprise flashed deep in her eyes.

As the Elf Queen most closely connected to the Tree of Life, her perception of life and soul far surpasses that of any other living being.

In her eyes, everything in the world has its own "color".

Greed is a murky gray, tyranny is a glaring blood red, and kindness is a warm gold.

The souls of the person and the cat before us are unbelievably pure.

Especially the human male named Lynn, whose soul was as pure as a newborn baby, untouched by any dust.

Such purity is almost impossible to find in this era rife with filth.

In fact, she had sensed Lynn's presence the moment he rode his unicorn into the outer reaches of Manserenor.