These two people from Earth seemed to be part of a larger group. According to Wayne Peng's introduction, they weren't military personnel, just like the female translator—they were civilian workers brought in through some collaboration.
"Is that so?"
I had to admit, Mia's suspicion seemed somewhat justified. From a distance, those two were still excitedly discussing something, and just as Mia had pointed out, their expressions were indeed strange!
Maybe Mia, having stayed in Edenmere for so long, didn't really understand humans well. But to me, those two Earthlings didn't seem to have any malicious intent—though, admittedly, they did seem a bit... creepy?
"Hehe, these are real elves! Look at their pointy ears! If people on Earth saw them, it would cause a huge sensation, especially among those foreigners—it would be as shocking as a comet hitting the Earth!"
"Exactly! Who knows, maybe 'The Lord of the Rings' wasn't a fantasy novel after all but an ancient historical record! Everything we see here is real, not special effects or animation—this is truly another world! It's just too bad we didn't come here alone, or we could've made a fortune. At least one wife each, no problem!"
"Come on, is that all you see? Just elf girls? Think about it—if there are elves in this world, there could be dragon girls, cat girls, bunny girls... all those species we thought only existed in anime might be real here! I'm not going to give up the whole forest for just one tree, hahaha!"
"Pfft, nothing compares to my elf girl! I've always been loyal to elves. Oh, by the way, didn't Captain Wayne mention something about bird people when talking to the locals? Do you think there could be angels in this world too?"
"Angels? That's just a myth. They couldn't exist in reality. You're thinking too much!"
...
Alright, I finally understood! I had been eavesdropping from a not-too-close distance, and in short, these two were just having some rather delusional daydreams. They weren't speaking quietly either, clearly taking advantage of the fact that the locals didn't understand them.
Luckily, angels don't have pointy ears; otherwise, the three of us might have ended up in their fantasies too.
But from these few conversations, I confirmed another important fact: the Earth army probably really didn't know about Cyra and Nicola, otherwise, they wouldn't be so clueless about the existence of angels in this world.
"It's not that serious. Maybe they're just overwhelmed by the wonders of this world..."
But facing Mia, I couldn't think of better words to explain this situation. She didn't know I could speak the H-country language, so she wouldn't believe my reassurances.
In the end, we decided that Reed, Adrian, Mia, and I would all go to the human base together. The Light Elves didn't really care whether the humans from another world were deceiving them or not. Whether the Empire defeated them or the humans from Earth eventually took over the forest, as long as their lives weren't disrupted, it didn't matter to them. For now, the Earthlings seemed much friendlier than the Empire's people.
"You're not elves... you're humans?"
Just before we left the Light Elf village, as we were about to get into the vehicle, Wayne Peng and his team finally noticed that the four of us seemed a bit different from the locals.
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"Is there a problem with being human?" Adrian quickly clarified, pulling out the trade permit from Colomidos that we had used before. If they mistook us for being from the Empire, it could lead to trouble. "We're not residents of the Ilandra Dominion Empire. We're traders traveling from other countries on the continent!"
"Oh, that's fine! Actually, the base has also temporarily taken in some refugees from the Empire. But I've heard this continent is vast, with many countries. If we could learn about these other nations, it would help us better understand this world."
Wayne Peng glanced at the trade permit before returning it to Adrian with a generous offer.
To prepare for the upcoming war, the Empire had been aggressively conscripting soldiers and resources, making life unbearable for the local people. In contrast, the Earth army was much more civilized, treating the populace well and even providing humanitarian aid. Many rural and town residents, unable to bear the pressure, had chosen to defect and become guides for the humans from another world.
Finally, we could get in the vehicle! After so long, I didn't expect that one day I'd be riding in a car again, and I felt a little excitement bubbling inside me.
Due to the different levels of civilization, only the Empire and the Sage Council had managed to create magical transport tools with similar functions on this continent. But those were only developed for transporting goods, and civilian use was still far off.
For Adrian and Mia, it was their first time experiencing this. Adrian couldn't stop asking questions about this magical vehicle that didn't use magic or require any external force to move.
"This is the first time we've encountered an elven village. We had heard from some locals that this world had various races, but we always thought it was just legend. I didn't expect to be proven wrong so quickly! It's fortunate we met you!" Wayne Peng was driving, and the female translator in the passenger seat couldn't help but express her amazement. Only the two of them in the whole group could speak the continental language, so we were all in the same vehicle. Their trust in us humans seemed partly due to Reed's help earlier.
Even though Earth's current level of magic research couldn't yet apply the knowledge they'd gained from magic circles, the language barrier being completely removed made exploring this world much easier.
"That portal connects to your world. I heard it caused serious damage, right?"
I thought for a moment before asking, hinting at what I had discussed with Reed earlier. We both suspected that the city we saw through the portal when we crossed over was the one we had come from.
"Of course! Those Empire people are so barbaric—killing anyone they see, stealing whatever they can! Luckily, the portal wasn't in the city center but in a more suburban area, or the casualties would have been even worse! Thanks to our nation sending troops quickly, the losses were minimized."
The female translator didn't hold back in condemning the Empire's actions, her face showing a hint of pride. It was clear she had strong feelings against the Empire's invasion.
Most of the Empire's ordinary soldiers, except for the mages, used cold weapons. But their physical strength and stamina were several times greater than that of Earthlings. From her words, I gathered that while the Empire's soldiers couldn't effectively counter guns and ammunition, many could still stand after being shot several times. Some could even survive a direct hit from a grenade.
In reality, those who went to Earth were likely the lowest-level Empire patrol units, usually of no more than the third rank and certainly not elite forces. But the next time the Empire concentrated its forces for a counterattack, it wouldn't just be these low-level troops—they might even deploy powerful airships!
Could the Earth army still win so easily under such circumstances? I looked at Reed with concern, hoping she might kindly warn Wayne Peng and his team. But Reed just continued reading her book with her usual indifferent expression, not seeming to care at all.
Is there really no problem? Her reaction left me puzzled for a moment, but then I quickly understood.
The Earth army must already be aware of the Empire's stronger forces. If they dared to counterattack, they must have confidence in their victory. When it comes to military matters, the Earth army's leaders are undoubtedly more professional than I am, and they must already have the enemy's intelligence in hand. There was no need for me to worry unnecessarily!
"We've arrived!"
After nearly an hour's drive, we finally returned to the site where it all began. The memories of Adrian and Nicola's duel were still fresh in my mind, but the scene before me had completely changed.
All traces of the battle—uprooted trees, shattered stones—were gone, replaced by rows and rows of neatly arranged temporary housing, stretching as far as the eye could see!
"The base has expanded significantly. We've had several rounds of expansion, and now it can accommodate several thousand people!" Wayne Peng got out of the vehicle, proudly introducing the base.