Kolebas really wanted to talk to this man alone this time, but unfortunately, no one present heeded her words.
“I apologize for my previous rude behavior, I certainly won’t do anything like that again, I guarantee this in the name of the High Priest of the Dark Night Elf Tribe.”
“It’s rare to see you so sincere, High Priest, I accept your apology.”
Seeing that the timing was almost right, Ivan finally spoke up to break the deadlock and gestured forward with his hand.
At his command, Janey and the swamp ant reluctantly left the reception room, and with another wave of his hand the door slowly closed, isolating the reception room from the outside.
“High Priest, what would you like to discuss?”
“Tell me, what are your conditions for allowing the Holy Daughter to come back with us?” Kolebas sat down unceremoniously on a side seat and questioned instead.
She had realized by then that convincing the human man in front of her first was the only way the Holy Daughter might come back with her.
Offer him some sweets to taste first, all other concerns could be dealt with later.
“Oh? You’re actually letting me propose.” The man’s attitude, allowing Ivan to name his price, secretly amused him.
“Speak.”
“How about also taking me to the underworld so I can confirm for myself the environment where Janey will live?”
“That’s not possible.” Hearing his conditions, Kolebas refused without a second thought, feeling obliged to explain, “You are not of our tribe, and due to the restrictions of the Secret Technique, we cannot take more beings than the Holy Daughter into the underworld.”
“You say that it’s impossible, yet you ask me to make any condition.” Ivan said contemptuously.
“The Molten Lord is the guardian of the passages between the underground and surface, protected by Danaila’s grand will, and avoiding his encirclement is not an easy task. I can give you a detailed map of the passage, but you will have to find your own way past him.”
Kolebas took a deep breath and suggested a compromise.
“Not enough,” Ivan paused for two seconds before replying.
“I can also give you information about the first layer of the underworld, sufficient for you to fully understand the first layer.”
“What else?”
“I’ll add a Shadow Gem, a rare treasure from the depths,” Kolebas wished she could slap him and, thinking of the bigger picture, she took out a shiny dark gem of notable quality.
“If you want to give a treasure, don’t give me something useless. Choose from space, earth, fire, or wood; I’m not picky.” Ivan glanced at it and shook his head.
“Here, don’t overstep.” Kolebas had to switch the item, casually tossing it towards the table next to him, causing the table to crackle under its weight.
A small but incredibly heavy ore.
Ivan picked it up. Besides its great weight, the flow of Mana in his palm became obscure, and a light sparked in his eyes, the ore being able to affect even his Mana was indeed a rare good thing.
“What is this?”
“Enchantment stone, encompassing space and earth energies, exactly meeting your requirements.”
“No problems, where are the detailed map and information?”
“I hope you won’t go back on your word.”
Kolebas immediately handed him a beast hide map and a metal tome two palms thick, placing them all in front of him, then the High Priest left the reception room.
Ivan checked them briefly and then tucked them into his Space Ring.
At this moment, Janey entered the reception room.
“What’s your reason for not going to the underworld?” he asked.
“Guarding Sorcerer Ivan is my duty, I’m sorry but I can’t leave your side,” said Janey naturally.
Ivan’s mouth twitched; he had known it was this reason.
He had felt it before, Janey had a special fondness for protecting him, seemingly an innate sense of mission that Locke didn’t possess.
“Janey, you should understand, I am now a Level 3 Sorcerer and a Flying Knight, holding two arcane scrolls; safety is not a major issue for me. If there is a worse situation than this, your presence or absence beside me won’t change the outcome.”
Facing his arguments, Jenny appeared somewhat silent.
Ivan knew it was not easy to persuade Jenny. After pondering for a few seconds, he revealed his previous actions and the origins and consequences of the Curse of Demon’s Resentment, laying bare the most significant issue they were likely to face in the future.
“How about it?”
“I am willing to go underground. There is a power there that draws me.”
Pressure naturally brings motivation, and Jenny had to compromise for the greater good.
“As long as you understand, that’s good. It probably won’t be easy to leave the Dark Night Elf Empire once you’re there. Remember to help me inquire about the movements of the Centaur Race, I’ll come to find you.”
After persuading Jenny, Ivan instructed her on some matters.
Communication might be impossible between the surface and underground, and he was uncertain when he would be able to break through the defenses of the Lava Lord and successfully reach the first level of the underground world. Some things, of course, needed to be communicated in advance.
Jenny listened to each point, secretly committing everything to memory.
Soon, the parlor door slowly opened, and Kolebas hurriedly stepped forward on the deck, looking toward Ivan.
“Ease your mind, I never go back on my words,” Ivan said lightly.
“Holy Daughter?” Kolebas then asked.
Jenny imperceptibly nodded her head, which, to Kolebas, seemed like incredibly good news. Her gaze shifted toward Ivan, becoming—more displeasing.
Such a human man who could influence the decisions of the Holy Daughter posed a terrifying threat and a blasphemy against the Mother God.
At that moment, the High Priest secretly made a decision: this man must not be allowed to remain.
However, considering the Holy Daughter’s attitude, she refrained from acting rashly and did not show any odd expressions.
“Holy Daughter, pack your belongings; we’ll be leaving soon.”
“No need to pack, I am ready to leave now.”
“Sorcerer Marichadon, we shall take our leave then.”
“Take care, safe travels.”
After formally bidding farewell to Ivan, Kolebas and Jenny disembarked from the Lanque, taking their subordinates and leaving the vicinity of Mongna Ant Land Cottage.
In a while, the procession of the Dark Night Elf Race disappeared from everyone’s sight.
But someone did not leave; it was the sorcerers from Ancient Tree Ridge.
At this moment, Lai Te and his companions were extremely uneasy and tormented. They wanted to leave, but they dared not. Who could have expected that Lord Marichadon had suddenly become a Level 3 Sorcerer?
When they were supposed to gather information about the Dark Night Elves and instead discovered this piece of information, Lai Te felt almost suicidal.
“Sorcerers, weren’t you aligned with the Dark Night Elf Race? Why are you still loitering here?”
“Sorcerer Marichadon, we truly did not align with the Dark Night Elf Race; we were compelled against our will.”
“Do you mean to say, being compelled against your will justifies leading an alien race, plotting against human scholars, and committing all sorts of actions that betray the sorcerer world?”
“I—”
Under Ivan’s interrogation, Lai Te and his companions were petrified.
Status changes the weight of one’s words.
As a Level 3 Sorcerer, a scholar from East Capital, and an inspector from the Enchanters Guild, his label of betrayal could indeed define them as traitors, potentially affecting the entire Ancient Tree Ridge Academy. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire
“Now, explain in detail the process of your defection.”
Lai Te dared not conceal anything and recounted his encounter with the Dark Night Elves from start to end.
They had originally been forced toward Chanay Continent, but new intelligence from Moon Pincer Peninsula forced them to change their itinerary back and forth, consuming much time until they recently arrived in Tidal Swamp.
Thus, the scene just now unfolded.