372 A Father’s Request
Selma Payne’s POV:
It was said that the western part of the elven territory was more developed than the eastern part, and the northern part was more lively than the southern part.
The first city-state we arrived at was called Chena City. It was named after the family of the ruler. Compared to the four cities of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, which had become ghost cities, or other slightly desolate small southern cities, this was a completely different world. The place’s liveliness and modernization made me feel like I was in some advanced pack. However, the people here all had a pair of pointed ears.
From what I could remember, or rather, from what most people in the outside world could remember, the elves were a conservative and self-isolated race. That was why news articles mentioned the elves often included images of a group of elves hunting in the forest with bows in their hands. It was as if they were acting in some movie set in the old era.
The scene in front of me completely changed my worldview of them.
“The mayor of Chena City was a very… ‘deviant’ person. When he was young, he once snuck into human society to study abroad. After inheriting the city, he boldly modernized the city.”
Kaya introduced the local customs to me. With the influence of Chena City, many city-states followed in their footsteps and undergone the process of modernization, especially the city-states in the west. However, Chena City is still the most modern city-state so far.
The mayor of Chena City was an elegant young man. Eighty years old was indeed very young for the elves, and he warmly received us, making him seem to respect the interim government. Kaya calmed down a lot.
Other than the fact that the vegetarian meal made me feel a little hungry, everything was fine. We had the most comfortable night since we entered the Elf Forest.
I kept feeling that the way Chena looked at me during the party seemed like he wanted to say something, but he hesitated. As expected, he met me alone after the party and made his request.
Facing a coffin that seemed to have grown naturally from a vine, he said mournfully, “In fact, I’m begging you to do me a favor.”
Looking at the serene-looking woman in the coffin, I already had a few guesses in my heart.
“This is my daughter, Sandora,” Chena said. “On the night the capital was attacked, she happened to be attending a literature seminar in the palace. She became one of the people who were killed in the chaos. Fortunately, His Majesty used himself to seal all the sources of contamination and forced all the contaminated people to fall into a deep sleep. They will only wake up when the contamination is completely gone.
“I’ve heard of your experiences in the four cities of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. Not only did you generously purify the corruption of the evil energy, but you also helped the contaminated soldiers get out of danger.
“I beg you to save my daughter like you saved those soldiers. I’m willing to pay any price, even the entire Chena City.”
I shook my head immediately. “I’m not an elf, so you should keep your city.”
Just as he was about to say something about money, I beat him to it and said, “It’s a free favor. I can help you purify the evil power in your daughter’s body.
“But I must tell you beforehand that this contamination is not without a price. The longer it stays in a person’s body, the more serious the contamination of the person’s spirit will be. Moreover, this damage to the spiritual world is irreparable.
“I don’t know if His Majesty, the Elf King’s seal will stop the contamination activities or if it will only seal people’s actions. Perhaps when your daughter wakes up, she will become… Forgive me for being blunt. I must tell you the consequences. Sandora might become muddleheaded and even a vegetable person with no happiness, anger, or sorrow.
“Even so, you still want me to purify your daughter now instead of waiting for a more secure method?”
“Yes, I want it now,” Chena City’s mayor said firmly. As you said, the longer we delay, the more damage Sandora will suffer. Who knows when a safer method will appear? Tomorrow? Or 100 years later? Sandora can’t wait any longer.”
I nodded. How could I refuse a father’s request to save his daughter?
“Okay, I can try to help you. But I hope you can keep it a secret. You know I’m just a guest of the elves to help you eliminate Azazel’s party. I shouldn’t and have no right to interfere in other matters. For the sake of the diplomatic relations between our two races, please keep this a secret, okay?”
“Of course. I swear to the goddess of nature that I will never mention anything that happened tonight to anyone without your permission.” Chena City’s mayor understood the complicated situation.
This was a very quiet palace. Other than Chena City’s mayor and me, there were only a few guards or servants, making it very convenient for me to open up New Flow.
Calming myself down, New Flow wrapped the girl in the coffin in its arms and carefully explored her spiritual world.
