Chapter 146. The Kindness of Aiya, the Demigod Elf; the Gold Legion Enters the Silver Oakleaf Royal Capital
The Grand Elder patted William on the shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.
“Well? Little William, watching this little show wasn’t a waste, was it? Opened your eyes, didn’t it?”
William nodded vigorously, his gaze still fixed on the direction where the angels had dragged the old Hydra away before disappearing.
He had never imagined that so many demigod powerhouses were hidden across the continent. In ordinary tis, they remained completely out of sight, yet the mont sothing truly critical happened, they all gathered here. The sight of it shook him to the core.
Just then, a cool, refreshing scent of grass and trees drifted closer as the elf Aiya quietly ca to his side.
She handed him a lustrous green leaf. Its veins were clear and delicate, as though it still carried the dampness of morning dew.
“William Kroll.”
Her voice was like a clear spring in the forest.
“This is for you.”
When William accepted the leaf, she added, “If sothing important happens, pour mana into this Tree of Life Leaf. I will sense it, and when the ti cos, I will co to see you.”
The mont she finished speaking, an exaggerated gasp sounded from nearby.
The burly lion beastman’s eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit a fist, and even his mane seed to flare up from shock.
“W-What? Aiya, you... you actually left a human a love token?”
Beside him, an old man in a star-patterned magic robe pushed up the crystal spectacles on his nose and looked at William with utter seriousness.
“So this is love? How wonderful. It brings back mories of my lost youth.”
A faint blush touched Aiya’s cheeks. She glared at the two of them, and a chill rose around her once more.
She said nothing else. She rely gave William a slight nod, then her figure turned into a streak of green light and vanished into the horizon.
The lion beastman was still smacking his lips in amazent.
“So even a thousand-year iron tree can bloom at last...”
The old mage sighed emotionally. “Back when I was young, I too had sothing just as earthshaking...”
The Dragon Island Grand Elder gave a light cough, cutting off their chatter, then said to William, “Ti to go, Little William. You should be heading back to Iron Skull Fortress.”
William tightened his grip on the Tree of Life Leaf in his hand. The leaf felt warm and smooth, as though it still retained the elf’s lingering presence.
The Grand Elder departed with William and Darwin. Behind them, the lion beastman and the mage were still whispering among themselves, drawing sidelong glances even from the other demigods.
A rare trace of ease filled the air. After the end of such a grand spectacle, this small interlude had beco the sort of topic people would chat about afterward over tea.
The wind on the return journey carried the chill of the upper sky, making William’s robes snap loudly.
The Grand Elder glanced at him. Seeing that William was still clutching the Tree of Life Leaf, he could not help but speak.
“Little William, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”
He paused, his tone carrying the clarity of soone who had seen much in life.
“That girl Aiya has a cold temperant. In the past thousand years, she has never shown anyone much warmth. If she suddenly left you a token, then she most likely has sothing she wants from you.”
William lowered his head and looked at the leaf in his palm. The green on its surface seed almost alive.
He nodded. He understood that perfectly well.
“I know. It’s just... if even a demigod finds it troubleso, what could I possibly help with as the heir of a kingdom?”
The Grand Elder smiled, but did not answer directly.
“She may not need you to handle it personally. Sotis, people with different identities and positions can see different things, and what they can do is different as well.”
He looked at the outline of Iron Skull Fortress gradually becoming clear below them, and his voice grew heavier.
“The elves haven’t had an easy ti these past few years. Sothing went wrong in their sacred land, but they’ve kept it hidden and haven’t let the outside world know.”
“If Aiya ca to you, it may well be related to that. There are so matters in which you may be more conveniently placed than others to intervene.”
“We’ll take it one step at a ti.”
The Grand Elder’s voice pulled William back from his thoughts.
“If it really cos to that, then if you can’t solve it, don’t force yourself to carry it alone. The Dragon Clan can still keep you safe.”
William tightened his grip on the leaf and nodded.
He knew that was both a warning and a promise.
The wind high above remained fierce, but his heart felt steadier now.
The Grand Elder set William down in front of the camp at the border of the Kroll Kingdom, then turned into a streak of golden light and disappeared.
The mont William landed, he imdiately took out his Communication Crystal and connected to Kroll II’s channel. His voice trembled slightly with urgency.
“Father, the old Hydra from Magic Serpent Fortress has already been captured by the Ancient Council. The Hydra Clan’s high-level combatants... have all been wiped out.”
There was a brief silence from the other end of the crystal before Kroll II’s relieved voice ca through.
“Understood. Hold the border and do not act rashly.”
After ending the call, Kroll II imdiately contacted Fenlilan.
After hearing the news, the Ancestor rely said, “Understood,” then cut off the communication.
At this mont, Fenlilan was seated atop the vanguard war chariot of the Gold Legion, looking at the increasingly distinct outline of the Silver Oakleaf Royal Capital ahead.
The smoke on the city walls had yet to fully disperse. Among the broken walls and ruins, the shadows of bones could still be seen. Clearly, the traces left behind by the Divine Artifact’s cleansing were still there.
“Faster,” he ordered the knights.
The war chariot quickly arrived before the city gates. Legion Commander Kru stepped forward and called out to the guards on the wall, “By order of the King of Kroll, the Gold Legion has co to support the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom.”
The city gates slowly opened, revealing the heavily guarded streets within.
Odyssey V stood before the palace in wrinkled royal robes, his face livid, with only a handful of surviving nobles behind him.
When he saw Kru leading the soldiers of the Gold Legion inside, his fists clenched tightly within his sleeves. The Silver Oakleaf Kingdom had paid a price close to national ruin just to exterminate the tens of thousands of Hydras outside the royal capital, yet the Kroll Kingdom had only now made its belated arrival. They were truly shaless.
“Legion Commander Kru,” Odyssey V said, his voice as cold as ice, “your army arrived at a truly ‘tily’ mont.”
Kru seed not to hear the barb in his words. He stepped forward, his tone calm.
“His Majesty has ordered us to help the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom clear out the remaining Hydra scourge across the Royal Territory.”
The words fell like a stone into still water. Odyssey V abruptly lifted his head, his eyes full of disbelief.
He had assud that the Kroll Kingdom would take advantage of their disaster and demand even more benefits. He had never expected them to propose such a condition instead.
He fell silent for a mont. His gaze swept over the royal capital behind him, which now looked like little more than ruins, then shifted to the grim formation of the Gold Legion outside the city.
The current Silver Oakleaf Kingdom no longer had the ability to bargain.
If the Kroll Kingdom was willing to help clear away the Hydra scourge, then the troops and resources they saved would be enough to buy them so breathing room.
“Very well.” In the end, Odyssey V nodded, a trace of exhaustion in his voice. “I agree.”
Kru inclined his head slightly, then turned to the ssenger knight behind him.
“Pass down the order. Proceed according to plan and eliminate the Hydra scourge in the Royal Territory.”
The soldiers of the Gold Legion moved at once in response. The scraping of armor echoed through the empty streets.
As Odyssey V watched them leave, a deep sense of powerlessness suddenly washed over him. This ti, the Silver Oakleaf Kingdom had suffered far too great a loss.
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