Chapter 246 Different Treatment
The Old Elf Crevian felt that the situation was a little bit odd.
Nial was the first one to approach the Elves, he was well aware of their hand signs, and he was loved by nature and mana.
However, simultaneously, he was a Destroyer and the person, who was the most familiar with someone, who acted suspiciously upon seeing the green portal descending within the Forest of Life.
That means the Sacred Knights leader was likely to know something about the green portal, and possibly what it actually was; a manifested Fragment of a Divinity!
'If he knows about the portal's true identity he can only be closely connected to a Divine existence, or be one himself!' Crevian assumed when he thought about the identity of the Sacred Knights leader.
It was truly weird that he had run away somewhere. Yet, at the same time, the young man in front of him was even odder.
Nial was definitely not an ordinary person, but that was obvious from the moment Valvian determined that he was loved by nature and mana while being a future Destroyer.
Simultaneously, the special condition with which Nial transferred some vigor to Crevian was something that didn't make any sense either.
'If not for Valvian having investigated whether Nial is an incarnation of a God, a Divine existence himself, or in possession of a Divinity Fragment of a God, I would have sworn that he has a connection to a God…but maybe he was just lucky with the memories which he unlocked through his Inborn ability…'
Crevian and Nial had gone a little further away to speak with each other. Nial was actually not worried that something bad might happen. He could merely say that the Sacred Knights leader had been interested in the memories he had gained from his Innate ability and the fact that his Innate ability was powerful.
"Can you tell me more about the Sacred Knights leader? Just now, I heard that he has a subordinate, but that subordinate seems to know nothing about the whereabouts of the leader of his organization. Isn't that weird?"
Even the Prometheus Original, who was also a member of the Sacred Knights didn't know much about their leader. After the Sacred Knights leader picked him up to nourish him and to give him powers he never had before, he left them to allow everyone to train properly.
Afterward, the Sacred Knights leader returned to check their progress, to give them more resources, and to give them commands.
Only when the Dryx incident happened was everyone finally allowed to reveal themselves, and to fight by their leader's side.
However, even then, it was not as if they got to know their leader any better than before.
Thus, even the Prometheus Original, who belonged to the Sacred Knights, was pretty sure that Nial knew him best.
"To be fair, I don't know that much about the Sacred Knights leader either. I know that his name is Silvian, that he prioritizes his own progress over the life of others, and that he has knowledge that exceeds everyone else. Before the incident with the Dryx, I, and probably everyone else, didn't really pay much attention to him.
He was under everyone's radar and gained mankind's interest and gratitude when he and his organization showed up as our saviors. They worked hard to protect our shelters from being destroyed by the purple portals that were created in the center of our shelters and camps, by some weird fragments, or crystals."
Nial revealed certain information in the hope that Crevian could connect the dots. Silvian was actually not a common name, but the Elves should know, and possibly fear that name, even more so in connection to the Dryx.
'Perfect.' Nial thought the moment he noticed that Crevian flinched. It should have been quite a while since the Dryx and Elves fought an all-out war, but Crevian still knew about it. The meaning of this was pretty simple; Crevian was even older than Nial had assumed in the beginning.
"You said…Silvian…are you sure? And you are sure that the existences you fought against were Dryx? Not that you call them like that, and they're actually a completely different kind of beast you've mistaken for Dryx…?" Crevian asked, his voice getting weaker with every spoken word.
It looked like his body got jolted by a sudden sense of weakness the moment he was flooded with the information Nial had provided.
This was certainly not great for Crevian because his entire body turned cold for a few moments, but it was not as if Nial could do anything against it.
'I had to share the information. Silvian is not up to something good, and the green portal seems to be even more special than I initially thought…'
While Nial had shared devastating pieces of information with Crevian, Tessa and Bilarn planned on re-entering the Forest of Life.
However, before they could do so, Tyson and a few other human Originals approached the young Elves.
"I sincerely apologize for the way some of our fellow brethren acted in the last few days. Everyone is anxious to meet with Elves, which is why they approached the Forest of Life without permission. They even tried to trespass your territory, which was uncalled for. I want to apologize for their rude behavior." Tyson immediately said with his head bent a little low while trying to strike a conversation with the Elves.
Unfortunately, their eyes were distant and cold as if they wanted to have nothing to do with Tyson and the human Originals.
'How can their gaze be so different when looking at Nial, or even Mathias?! Just what did they do to gain their favor??' Tyson felt unfairly treated. However, it was not as if he could do something against the treatment he and many others received from the Elves.
It was already advantageous that some humans were accepted by the Elves, and that they had been willing to learn their language. This created many opportunities for the entire human race, which was something everyone was fully aware of.
"No problem. This isn't the first time. It is already a wonder that nobody tried to use force to enter the Forest of Life." Bilarn said, all of a sudden, while his distant eyes scanned through the group of Originals, who had come forward to speak with him, and Tessa.
'Don't they have anything better to do?' He wondered, only for his head to flick back to a particular young Original, the moment he sensed something about her.
'Another one loved by mana?' Bilarn realized in an instant before looking over to Tessa, just to notice that she had realized the same.
However, instead of saying something, both stayed quiet. They chose to report what they found to Valvian and let him decide what to do with the woman, whose face they were not even able to see.
"When will we be able to meet the head of your group? We would like to speak with him to get to know the Elven race and to create a bond of friendship. Would that be possible, soon?" It was another Prometheus Original, who enquired in a carefully guarded voice.
At first, he wanted to ask this question with an arrogant and aloof expression, showing that he was powerful and that even Elves had to bow to him.
However, the thought of acting in such a childish and dumb way disappeared the moment he perceived the presence of the Old Elf.
Thus, his question ended up being asked in a hesitant manner, his voice filled with politeness.
The Prometheus Original expected a nice answer, nonetheless. But it was his mistake to be too optimistic because the male elf's eyes turned even colder than they were before as he looked straight in his eyes.
"Only the human race's diplomats and their master are allowed to enter. Nobody else is allowed to enter the Forest of Life until the Midnight Elf decides what will happen." Bilarn did not reciprocate the politeness and spoke in a rather blunt and emotionless tone. He was not here to please the human Original after all.
Mere moments later Bilarn turned away, and both he and Tessa walked toward Master Crevian.
However, just when everyone thought that the Elves would leave for good, ignoring everyone else, Tessa slowed down.
She turned her head, and looked straight at Mathias before waving her head. "Are you not coming? You can take your master with you. The Forest of Life told us that she can enter."
Mathias and Miranda looked at each other in confusion for a few seconds before they began to smile dryly.
Their eyes glanced over to the other Originals, only to turn back to Tessa.
"I'm on my way, wait for us please!" Mathias shouted while inwardly sighing in relief. 'They didn't throw us away!!'
Without showing a sign of hesitation, Mathias rushed to Tessa and Bilarn's side. Miranda followed them quickly as well, not wanting them to have a change of opinion and exclude her at the last moment.
'Well, maybe my disciples did a much better job than I could've expected. It might have been reckless and dangerous to approach them without knowing anything about them, but both Nial and Mathias made it work.
Great opportunities hold great dangers…but the rewards are heavenly upon succeeding!' Miranda laughed in her mind, her earlier anger about Nial's actions and the fact that he pulled Mathias in the mess now completely dissolved.
She was even happier to be their master than ever before, which was quite difficult. After all, her disciples had opened the gates of runic armaments to her, allowing her to become a Runicier!
'I should really start thinking of ways to repay them…I guess?' Miranda thought the moment she passed by Nial and Crevian to enter the Forest of Life.
The purity and density of mana that flooded her intensified and it was as if her old bones received the blessing of rejuvenation and vigor was seeping into her.
'Oh my…that is amazing…and so beautiful.' Miranda was not even able to speak. It was as if her breath had been taken away the moment the Forest of Life opened a small path for the Elves and their guests
The scenery that unfolded in front of her was breathtakingly beautiful and for the first time in a very long period, Miranda was glad to be born in this era, the era where mankind was supposed to cease to exist or rise from its ashes like a reborn phoenix.
Smiling brightly, Miranda took a few deep breaths of fresh air, while her hand reached out for the plants in her surroundings. The tips of her finger lightly caressed the leaves and flowers around her as she followed the Elves.
Meanwhile, Mathias was not focused on the flowers as their novelty had worn off in his eyes. Rather, he was trying his best to replenish his used up mana as quickly as possible.
Nial and Crevian didn't speak much anymore, and when they saw that the others returned to the Forest of Life, they followed the two as well.
'Valvian needs to know everything the young man said…we might have to face a crisis even before we can properly settle in Jundra…'
However, while the three Elves and three humans entered the Forest of Life, everyone else was left behind, their faces showing various expressions.
"Are…they fucking serious?!?" One of them asked in shock and was trying to calm down by breathing in and out.
"Who the hell are even our diplomats?!? It's not like anyone is allowed to enter the Forest of Life, even if we were to try sending in some of our politicians…" Another one complained, only for realization to strike some of them.
"Didn't he say that only our diplomats are allowed to enter the Forest of Life?... What if they already chose their diplomats?"
"...You mean Nial and Mathias? That can't be…?!"