Viers beheld the majesty and grandeur of the spirit forest of Liapris which the elves had made their home with his own eyes.

The outer forest was pretty ordinary. The elves weaved their obfuscation magic, turning that place into their first line of defense. The real elven forest was where Viers was now.

The big trees with living places inside, the atmosphere, the pretty spirit lights, the abundance of mana, all came together in harmony. There was also a sense of ancientness in the trees. Viers’ high standard of what an elven forest should be was met.

Yet no matter how nice Liapris may have looked, it was clear not all was well and good. Many of the elves looked languid and battle-worn. The infirmary that they passed by, a hastily made one, was filled with sick elves. Not only the battle-able elves, but even the civilians looked sickly. Medical workers went to and fro with tired and grim expressions on their faces.

“It seems the situation is more dire than we thought,” Croix said to the guard that escorted them.

“Verily. You have come during the lean time.”

Croix’s party got some curious looks from the isolationist elves but that was it. They had other, more important things to care about.

Based on what he’d seen, factoring in the number of the houses, Viers estimated the elves of Liapris numbered around two hundred, almost all of them being Pathseekers, though not all were warriors. Pretty small population but elves were long-lived after all. Not borderline ageless like in other Fables, but in this world their lifespan should be at least triple that of a human.

Situation as it was, sightseeing was not on the table, which was a shame. Croix’s party was led to a big hall inside a similarly big tree. There were three elves that sat on a higher platform. The three elders.

Except for the main one that sat in the middle, the other two didn't look old at all despite the title Elder. In fact, most elves didn't look old. Viers’ age sensor was out of whack here.

Some audience and guards were also present besides the elders. The talk began, which Viers paid very little attention to. Croix’s words were almost inaudible. The more important matter in his mind was how strong his potential enemies would be. Blatantly using Euryale Sight would be too conspicuous and rude but Viers was a resourceful man.

…The two elders should be Level 4. I’m afraid the old elder, the main one, is Level 5. They too are sick. Especially the old one. His illness is the worst of all. Hm? He even has difficulty breathing. Wouldn’t surprise me if he starts coughing blood at any moment. He still has to maintain the reputation of his people though so he’s been showing off his aura.

Dangerous, but not overly much. Viers checked if his life-saving magic items were working as intended.

“The humans cannot be trusted. You’ve come to help us, you say. But this can easily be a plot to rob us of our homes and wealth. The greed of your kind runs as thick as the blood coursing through your veins!”

The female elder seated on the left made her distrust vocally clear. Viers was sensing some deep-rooted grudge.

“Let us not brand people that extended a helping hand to us as evil just because of their race. Cooperation will benefit all sides.”

The male elder was in favor of Croix’s aid. The two elders did most of the talking while the old elder stayed silent while watching the proceedings. In this place, words were swords and Croix wielded them adeptly. The prince showed sincerity and wished for friendship.

After some time, the elders dismissed Croix so they could discuss matters amongst themselves. For the time being, they were guests.

“What do you all think?” Croix asked his entourage after they arrived at the guest house.

“Hard to say, Young Lord,” Alfred replied with a calm voice. “The location of the monster is problematic. The elves of Liapris seem adherent followers of tradition and according to tradition, we aren't allowed to go to the place they call Cradle of Serenity.”

“Are they not being stubborn about this?” Boram frowned while in deep thought. “It’s clear they cannot handle things, so why not let us try? It’s not like we asked for payment or anything. The longer the monster lives, the more elves are going to get sick.”

From the audience with the elders, they divulged that the epidemic originated from a monster. They called it the Foulfly. The monster was only Rank 3 but the most problematic part about it was its virulence, especially to the elven kind. The fly Croix and the others encountered earlier was the Foulfly’s spawn, one of many.

The Liapris elves had tried to vanquish the Foulfly many times, even the old elder. They were sure they had succeeded, multiple times even, but somehow the Foulfly seemed to be able to resurrect and kept terrorizing the village. The old elder then got exposed to the sickness in one of the subjugation attempts. Many elves had lost their lives in the battles and the sickness that followed.

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Their best guess was the Foulfly had a gimmick tied to its lair. The monster rarely ventured out of the Cradle of Serenity. As if protecting something precious.

The disease was airborne and able to spread from physical contact. Almost all the elves had been infected. Naturally, most other animals and monsters in the forest had been infected too. Turning them into disease spreaders.

“Their suspicions run deep,” Croix sighed. “I just want to help.”

“There’s such a thing as too good to be true, Young Lord. If you come across someone that promises you a pie in the sky, more often than not, it is a scam.”

“Alfred. Not. Helping.”

“Forgive my impertinence… Can I persuade you to return, Young Lord? We are not immune to the disease. Based on the spread, staying here too long will definitely expose us to it. Your vassals will handle this matter so-”

“Out of the question.” Croix firmly refused Alfred’s suggestion.

“Then we must act, and soon. We cannot afford to tarry.”

“I’m of the same mind… Avel, you've been quiet. Anything you want to add?”

“Nothing in particular. What will be, will be.”

Viers had a calm expression on his face as he watched the world outside of the window. Was it confidence or he didn't even care? Croix had difficulty deciphering him.

“...So what should we do while waiting for the council’s decision?”

“Boram?” Viers deflected Croix’s question to his disciple.

“Me? Uhm… Oh, right. I’ll be going now.”

“Wait!” Croix stopped Boram. “Care to explain?”

“Well, Master taught me, if we arrive at a new place, the best way to garner goodwill is to walk around and help the residents with their chores. There are always things that need doing. In my experience, it works quite well, Prince Croix.”

This was video game wisdom that Viers imparted to Boram. Games and their quests. Viers had done more deliveries and fetch quests than actual delivery men. While mundane and sometimes just a pain to complete, helping people was helping people. Who didn't like getting help anyway?

Croix looked at Alfred.

“It’s… a reasonable idea, My Prince.”

Croix looked at Viers.

“Very effective.”

“Right then. Shall we get to it? Excuse me.”

Croix knocked on the door and their guard answered.

“Yes?” Jessica entered the house.

“We would like helping the elves rather than sitting on our thumbs. Even boiling water for the sick or chopping wood is better than doing nothing. Can you tell your superior that?”

“I see… I’ll pass it along. Please wait.”

“Thank you. And forgive my curiosity, miss, but you are a human, are you not? How come you’re living with the elves?”

“It’s a long story. The short version is the elves gave me aid in the past and I stayed to repay that gratitude. And then the disease struck, which was especially dangerous to elves. I’ve been fighting at the front lines but I wasn't able to make much of a difference. My power is insufficient.”

“Do not sell yourself short, friend Jessica,” an elven guard that stood close by said. “Many of us owe our lives to you.”

Jessica gave the elf wearing light leather armor like her a thankful nod. Based on the wounds on her body, she really looked like someone who fought on a daily basis.

“You have fought the Foulfly then? Hearing about it from someone with firsthand experience should be invaluable. Hopefully it will bring about its demise sooner. Ah, I have not introduced myself yet. I’m Croix, a viceroy of a small hamlet south of here. A pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m Jessica,” she shook the offered hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m still inexperienced so feel free to point out my mistakes.”

Croix said something that most noble-born wouldn't think of. His sincerity and humility was what drew Viers to invest in him in the first place. That was why Croix’s and Marvin’s fate ended so differently.

When Jessica returned, she brought good news. Croix and company could go outside with chaperones accompanying them, Jessica volunteered along with a few guards.

Jessica brought them to meet with the apothecary of Liapris, a handsome male elf with golden hair, Eucenn. His intellectual face and glasses gave off the impression of a professor or scientist. They found him terribly busy and haggard. With the pandemic, he must have worked without much rest. The pharmacy was filled with the scent of medicines.

Viers gave the collection of ingredients a once-over and found most of them were potent and high-quality. He approved the high standard of the elven medicines.

“You want to help? Good. You, bring me the batch from the second top left shelf. You, stir this pot while maintaining the flame. You, bring this brew to the infirmary immediately. You, pack the powder, two spoons per package. Gawk later. Move those hands!”

Eucenn was hard at work, no one could deny that. Jessica and the guards also got splashed with chores. According to Jessica, even though Eucenn was a Level 3, his skill as an apothecary was unrivaled. He was also trusted by all, even by the three elders.

When asked about the illness, Eucenn wouldn't stop speaking. In summary, they were up against a mutating illness. As long as the source monster, the Foulfly lived, the sickness could not be cured directly. He also stressed to Croix to get the poison gland of the monster intact so he could research the cure. Croix promised to do his best.

Croix and the others worked until the sun had fallen. When the sun rose, they were summoned again to the elders’ place. Croix was given permission to enter the Cradle of Serenity to slay the foul beast. There was no time to waste, so Croix set off immediately.

“We will accompany you, to guide the way and give support,” Jessica said with the other three elves in agreement. One of them was Level 4 while Jessica and another were Level 3. The last one, an elven youth, was a Level 2.

“Your company is most welcome. Gods be kind, today will be the last day of these dark days,” Croix said.

The hunt of the Foulfly was on.

***

Somewhere in Liapris.

“The outsiders?”

“Already left the village.”

“Except for the royal brat, kill them all. Use the monster as you wish.”

“It shall be done, my lord.”

“The elves are almost ours. Let none intervene.”