Chapter 77 : Chapter 77

Chapter 77. The Princess Arrives

A fine day began, as always, with the daily routine.

A pale blue light screen silently unfolded within Eli’s mind, and a deep purple beam swept across his vision.

【Purple: Details on the change of rulership in Runestone City: Sabda Medici used two hundred soldiers to feign an attack and a defeated retreat, luring the main defending force out of the city in pursuit.

The Gold-Tier Knight Calvin Medici, who had been lying in ambush in the dark, launched a surprise decapitation strike and slew the defending commander.

He shattered the defending army and, at the cost of nearly a hundred casualties, successfully seized Runestone City.】

Eli’s fingertips tapped lightly against the desk, and there was no surprise on his face.

“So it was exactly as I thought,” he murmured, confirming his earlier guess.

The Duke of the Southern Frontier had given Sabda extremely considerable reinforcements.

Feigning defeat to lure out the enemy, then using a Gold-Tier Knight to launch a surprise decapitation strike.

At present, this truly was the most effective and least costly method for taking weakly defended strongholds.

“With Runestone City as his foundation, and with part of his forces already reduced, he will definitely lie low for a while next.

He will absorb the population, reinforce the city’s defenses, and accumulate strength.”

Eli judged Sabda’s likely course of action. “In the short term, he should not launch a direct assault on the Black Territory.”

This confirmation from the intelligence system allowed the tautness in his nerves to ease a little.

His thoughts could not help drifting to another piece of purple intelligence, one that had existed for some time already, yet had never been acted upon.

【Purple: Deep within the Forgotten Rift on the border of the Western Frontier, in an underground cavern, lies the hidden tomb of “Iron Hand” Bardel.】

The Forgotten Rift, Bardel’s tomb...

Only after asking Scholar Avar had Eli learned that the legendary “Iron Hand” Bardel was one of the founders of the ancient City-State Alliance.

Within that tomb, there was very likely considerable wealth, lost martial techniques, and perhaps even secrets concerning this land.

Before, his strength had been insufficient and the timing had been wrong, so he could only bury that intelligence deep in his heart.

But now...

Eli’s gaze swept past the increasingly towering outline of the city walls outside the valley window, while the orderly shouts of soldiers drilling on the training ground echoed from afar.

The bloody battle against the beast tide had tempered veteran soldiers, the population of the territory had surged, and the grain reserves were abundant...

The necessary strength was now in place, at least in its initial form.

Sabda’s threat had temporarily receded into the background, and now, he also had time.

“It is time.”

Eli made his decision. The exploration of Bardel’s tomb was now officially on the agenda.

After that, he quickly began calculating the manpower available to him.

“There are three hundred and fifty veteran soldiers left who have been tempered by the beast tide.”

“As for the Black Crow Knights, there are forty men remaining under Captain Buck.”

“The territory’s population is abundant, and the grain reserves are sufficient to support an expansion of the army... I can recruit another two hundred new soldiers.”

“That would not only fill the gaps in the routine defenses of Lucerne City and the Obsidian Territory, so that we can respond to Sabda’s threat,

but also further absorb the new population and provide more manpower for the next operation.”

Just as he was immersed in his deductions, there came a light but hurried knock at the door.

“Young Master?” It was Estor’s voice.

“Come in.”

Estor pushed the door open and entered, the expression on his face complicated.

“My lord... Butler Sebastian... has returned.”

“Oh? The butler is back?” Eli felt a burst of joy. That mysterious old butler had disappeared for many days, and now he had finally returned.

With him here, the chances of successfully exploring the tomb would increase by several more degrees.

“He... he did not come back alone.”

Estor’s expression was somewhat strange.

“At his side... there was also a lady with a very... rather unusual bearing.

And... and also a... well, a mouse?

The very noisy marmot that came here before.”

A lady? A mouse? Gulu?!

Eli suddenly raised his head. That combination... could it be?!

He sprang to his feet. “Where are they?”

“Lord Sebastian brought them directly to the Council Hall,” Estor replied at once.

Eli did not hesitate in the slightest. He rushed out of the study and headed straight for the Council Hall.

And when he suddenly pushed open the heavy wooden doors of the Council Hall, the sight before him made even his breathing stop for a moment.

Inside the Council Hall, the fire in the hearth danced and flickered.

Sebastian stood in silent attendance in a shadowed corner as he always did, that unchangingly flat expression still on his face.

And seated upon the place of honor that belonged to Eli...

Princess Irene sat there with elegant poise. That world-shaking face of hers had now been replaced by a more delicate and graceful appearance.

She wore a comparatively simple light blue robe, and her silver-white hair fell loosely over her shoulders.

Only those eyes, deep and tranquil like a star-filled sky, remained unchanged.

Fresh and ethereal, Eli judged in silence.

And on the broad oak table before her, that plump little marmot

stood upright on its hind legs. The great Lord Gulu had its tiny paws planted on its hips,

radiating all the swagger of someone proclaiming, “I, Hu Hansan, have returned!”

“Her Great Highness the Princess and the great Lord Gulu,” Gulu’s shrill voice broke the silence of the Council Hall,

“have descended upon her loyal Obsidian Territory! Where is the applause?!”

Eli: “...”

An overwhelming urge to press a hand to his forehead rose within him.

He forcibly suppressed his speechless frustration, took a deep breath, and stepped forward a few paces.

Then, facing the figure seated in the place of honor, he pressed his right fist to his chest and bowed deeply.

“I, Eli Pendragon, pay my respects to Your Highness.”

He automatically ignored the noisy marmot.

Irene’s gaze fell calmly upon Eli, yet she did not respond to his salute.

She merely tilted her head slightly and signaled with her eyes in Sebastian’s direction.

Having received the princess’s look, the old butler gave the faintest nod toward Eli.

That flat expression on his face seemed... to soften by the slightest trace.

Then, his figure became like ink dissolving into shadow.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished beyond the heavy doors of the Council Hall, leaving Eli alone with the two unexpected guests.

Eli looked toward the direction in which Sebastian had disappeared, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

That old butler... had simply run off like that!

Helpless, he turned his gaze back toward the seat of honor.

“Knight Eli,” Irene’s ethereal voice rang out, breaking the silence.

“Will you not introduce me to... your territory?”

Introduce his territory? To an elf princess?

Eli suppressed the strangeness in his heart and organized his thoughts.

“Your Highness, this place is called Black Territory Valley. It is the current foundation of the Pendragon Family.

At present, there are... nearly three thousand subjects.

Its main industries include basic farming, mining operations, forging, and some fishing and hunting.

As for defense, the city walls are currently being raised and reinforced. There are roughly three hundred and fifty standing soldiers, in addition to forty elite knights.

From nothing to its current initial form, it has been... roughly three months.”

He neither exaggerated deliberately nor affected excessive humility. He simply stated the facts.

“Three months... nearly three thousand people...”

Within Irene’s tranquil starry eyes, the faintest ripple passed.

She truly felt a trace of surprise.

In the long perspective of elven life, for humans to establish a settlement of such scale

usually required several years, or even longer, of accumulation.

The efficiency of this human exceeded her expectations.

Yet her expression did not change in the slightest. She merely gave a light nod, her tone as calm as ever.

“Yes. In a place like this, to start from nothing and, within only a few short months, manage it to this extent...”

She paused for a moment, then finally gave two words that carried no discernible praise or criticism.

“It barely passes.”

At the side, Gulu muttered in a small voice, “Barely passes? This is already amazing, all right?

Your Highness the Princess has standards that are way too high...”

But its voice was ignored by Irene just as completely.

Rumble— A loud growl suddenly sounded from atop the table, breaking the brief silence.

Gulu rubbed its round belly hard with its little paws and looked pitifully toward Eli with its black bead-like eyes.

“Hey! Human! Did you hear that?! The great Lord Gulu is hungry!

We walked such a long way! I want good food!

Cheese! Meat! Lots and lots of it!”

Eli’s gaze swept over the marmot that was hopping on the table in protest, then turned toward Irene as he asked,

“Your Highness, why have you suddenly come here, and why did you arrive together with my butler?”

Irene reached out and covered the marmot’s mouth.

“You may call me Irene. I have only just awakened not long ago.

Naturally, I should become acquainted with the outside world. I merely happened to meet your butler friend.”

A sharp gleam flashed through Eli’s blue eyes, and a bold thought instantly took shape.

“Hey! Did none of you hear it? Lord Gulu’s belly just said it is hungry!”

He ignored Gulu’s howling yet again, met Irene’s gaze, and revealed a sincere smile.

“Princess Irene,

you have only just awakened, so I imagine you must also be full of curiosity about exploring the unknown.

May I ask... whether you have any interest in... archaeological expeditions?”

“Archaeology?” Irene raised a slight brow. “Oh? Let me hear it.”

“It is like this.” Eli stepped closer and lowered his voice somewhat.

“I obtained a reliable piece of intelligence.

Deep within the Forgotten Rift on the border of the Western Frontier, inside a hidden underground cavern,

there rests the tomb of ‘Iron Hand’ Bardel, a legendary pioneer from the early Western Federation.

Within it, there are very likely buried... some rather interesting relics.”

Irene listened quietly. Exploring the resting place of an ancient powerful figure?

That truly did stir the curiosity that had lain dormant within her for a long time.

Although the spark of a human life was brief, Irene had to admit that there were still brilliant flames among them,

ones that could often leave behind traces beyond expectation.

“Hey!!! Are either of you even listening to me!!!” Gulu finally exploded in fury!

Those two were actually completely ignoring the cries of its stomach!

It did not dare vent its temper at the princess, so its rage instantly turned toward Eli.

“You hateful human! How dare you ignore the great Lord Gulu!”

With a shriek, it shot forward with a WHOOSH straight at Eli’s head.

Caught completely off guard, Eli only felt a sudden weight on top of his head, followed by several strands of white hair being yanked hard.

“Ah! You damned marmot! Let go!”

Startled and furious, Eli instinctively reached up to seize the ball of fur wreaking havoc atop his head.

“Absolutely not! That is what you get for ignoring me! For refusing to feed me! For abusing small animals!”

Gulu clung tightly to Eli’s hair, its four little paws kicking and scratching wildly against his head.

For a moment, the solemn Council Hall was filled with Eli’s exasperated shouts and Gulu’s furious shrieks, and the entire scene descended into complete chaos.

From the seat of honor, Irene watched the absurd spectacle before her.

That white-haired human lord, who always seemed so steady and sharp,

was now flailing in utter disorder as he “battled” with Gulu, and all of his composure had vanished...

A faint smile, like the first thread of spring water released from melting ice,

quietly rippled through her eyes, lighting up that deep and boundless starry sky.