"Compose yourself, Priestess of the Tachya Tribe. We are cognizant of the anguish you endure from the loss of your child. Yet, you are well - aware of the fate that befalls elves who fall into the hands of those human nobles. Even if they manage to survive, they will be subjected to unending humiliation. And should they return, they would only be a stain upon your tribe..."
"No—!" The female elf clad in white robes below shrieked hoarsely. It was evident that she had been deeply provoked by the words of the High Elves above.
"Priestess, do take care of your health!"
A dozen or so accompanying forest elves, upon witnessing the reaction of their tribe's priestess, approached with palpable concern.
Gnashing her teeth, the elf in white robes forcibly suppressed her tears and pleaded in a voice tinged with desperation,"Then, I implore you, lend me your aid. I am willing to bear any cost."
After a protracted silence in the great hall, the authoritative voice of a High Elf finally resonated:
"We shall dispatch envoys to the Zern Kingdom. This is the utmost we can do. As for the retrieval of your daughter, we cannot offer any guarantees."
"Thank you most sincerely..." The female priestess in white robes bowed and then departed with her fellow tribesmen.
Once the doors of the great hall had closed, a High Elf on the dais remarked,"Their tribe does not fall under the dominion of our kingdom. Is it truly necessary to extend such assistance to them?"
The High Elf standing in the center responded,"We are all children of the Great Mother Goddess. We should regard ourselves as one family. Moreover, the kingdom has, in the past, promulgated decrees to safeguard the rights and interests of all our kin."
"Let us do this in the name of the Mother Goddess," another High Elf chimed in.
...
In the Outer Forest of Bayek.
Gotaya brandished a wooden staff with remarkable poise.
Through the training and teachings imparted by Glen whenever he could spare the time, she consistently gained profound insights.
This filled her with exhilaration and led her to engage in some skullduggery during work hours to practice.
Practicing these stances seemed to captivate her even more than her previous archery training.
Had it not been for the multitude of events that had transpired in recent days, keeping Glen extremely occupied, she would undoubtedly pester him for sparring sessions at every available opportunity.
She had discerned that Glen still harbored many latent skills, yet he had persistently held back from revealing them fully to her, which caused her no small measure of discontent.
After engaging in yet another three - hundred - round imaginary battle with her foes, she at last paused to rest.
Gazing at the mist - shrouded sky, she was suddenly reminded of her mother, that gentle and affectionate elf in white robes who had once smiled tenderly upon her.
"That human claimed that the Saeh Kingdom would dispatch envoys, yet there has been no sign of them as of yet. Could he have been deceiving me?" she murmured softly to herself.
In fact, Glen had, on one occasion, informed her that should there continue to be no news from the Saeh Kingdom, and if she so desired, he would find the time to devise a means of sending her back.
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However, she found herself in a quandary. For she felt that she had scarcely learned much of this so - called martial art, and leaving in such a state would fill her with profound regret.
Moreover, considering the prodigious lifespan of elves, the time she had spent here was but a fleeting moment.
Just as her thoughts were in a state of turmoil, a voice laden with complaint rang out:"Elven woman! It's your turn to take over! I'm utterly exhausted!"
Gotaya rose to her feet. It was now Ravel's turn to shirk his duties.
...
Owing to the impact of the war, the opening of Glen's butcher shop did not yield the anticipated results.
Presumably, due to the frequent patrols of knights on the streets, the number of pedestrians was significantly reduced.
In the past, there had been travelers and merchants passing through the town, but it was unlikely that they would appear in the foreseeable future. They would surely bypass this area.
With three individuals in the shop, it sufficed, and Danni would also offer her assistance of her own accord.
Although Glen slept at the shop, during the day, apart from engaging in some idle chatter with Danni and her son, he spent the rest of his time with the old man.
He still placed the acquisition of magic skills at the forefront.
The introductory magic book presented by Daov was nearly at the last few pages, signifying that he was on the verge of truly venturing into the realm of magic.
Upon his return to Dudd Town from the old man's abode, Glen was accosted by a burly man dressed in a craftsman's attire.
"Pray, are you Mr. Glen?" the man inquired.
"I am he. What is the matter?" Glen asked, looking perplexed as he sat on the carriage.
He had no recollection of the person before him.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cliff, the most renowned carpenter in Kanchi Road Town,"
The man adjusted his clothes and spoke with great solemnity.
A carpenter? Seeking me out? Could he be here to recruit an apprentice?… Glen surmised inwardly.
He suspected that this fellow might have been impressed by the furniture he had crafted and thus intended to take him back to collaborate on making a profit.
However, the man's words were not as he had expected:
"You may not be aware, but the furniture you create has now become the height of fashion in our locale! The nobles there are willing to pay exorbitant prices to acquire your furniture. We ordinary carpenters have also imitated your work and have reaped a handsome profit!
"However, for reasons unknown, we are never able to replicate the beauty of your creations. As a result, we sell our wares at a reduced price to common merchants."
Upon hearing this, Glen understood."So, you are here to seek to become my apprentice?"
"Seek to become an apprentice?" The man was hearing this phrase for the first time, yet he quickly grasped its meaning and nodded vigorously.
"Indeed, that is precisely my intention. I am willing to compensate you. Therefore, I earnestly beseech you to teach me, esteemed sir."
"Regrettably, this is an exclusive craftsmanship that I do not impart to others," Glen refused resolutely.
Now that he knew how lucrative his furniture business was, only a fool would divulge his skills and create a competitor for himself.
The man before him was rather forthright. Had he not been so candid, Glen might have acceded to his request.
"Sir, do not be too hasty in your refusal. We can surely reach an agreement!" The man clearly was not prepared to give up.
Glen feigned contemplation for a moment and then proposed,"I am willing to teach you, but you must come and work for me. In other words, you will become my employee."
The man was taken aback and then shook his head."No, no! I will not engage in employment for others. What meager sum could I earn that way? I wish to earn money on my own."
Glen did not elaborate further but instead put forward his offer:"You will be entitled to 60% of the profits from the furniture sold."
Cliff lowered his head and began to count on his fingers. After a considerable amount of time, he still could not make sense of it.
At this moment, Glen's voice sounded again:"Accommodation and meals will be provided."
"Er..." This time, Cliff was thoroughly swayed. He gritted his teeth."Very well, but I shall only give it a try for a few days. If it does not meet with my satisfaction, I shall leave of my own accord."
"A few days?" Glen smiled faintly."Very well, but do not expect me to impart any teachings during these days. I will merely provide you with the finished products for sale, and you will be entitled to only 30% of the profits."
"No issue." Cliff did not hesitate. He was well aware that making such a request would lead to such a consequence.
"You will also be responsible for transporting the goods back yourself. As you can see, the situation here is such that there are few customers. I am surprised you even had the audacity to come,"
Glen gestured towards the surrounding scene.
"I came only after receiving word that the demons had been repelled," Cliff scratched his head and said.
"Get in the carriage. I happen to have some stock on hand. I shall show you," Glen motioned for him to board.
The man did not hesitate and promptly climbed onto the rear of the carriage.
"By the way, do you possess a carriage? How will you transport the goods?"
Just as the deer - drawn carriage set off, Glen suddenly inquired.
"That poses no problem. I can hire a convoy."