Chapter 185: The Main Plot Finally Begins to Return

The young adventurers were stunned—their former belief that "bishops" were never easily seen had been shattered, for this one was so unexpectedly "friendly."

This casual high-ring divine healing spell filled the cramped parlor with holy light, making it feel like a temple on earth.

The half-elf knight Parna, bathed in silver radiance, pushed herself up with disbelief—she felt her life force returning.

Her wounds tingled (regaining sensation); with a bit more aftercare, she would be fully restored.

Though the Shadow Pantheon's healing abilities ranked lowest among all divine systems, a fifth-ring divine grace spell cast by a Chosen One could never be weak.

Even a high-ranking knight mortally wounded could be saved by this spell, let alone a "little one."

Continuous healing was better suited for battlefields, but in this situation, it ensured the knight's stable recovery—though her spirit had been shaken.

"Wasn't it said this landlord was a fallen degenerate, someone we were supposed to protect?" This discounted rent came with the duty of guarding the premises.

It didn't mean they guaranteed his absolute safety—that was impossible in today's world.

Rather, their honor and reputation were tied to the courtyard's security; if trouble arose, they would pursue it to the end, acting as a deterrent.

To the adventurers, the landlord—whose presence was as elusive as a divine dragon—was assumed to be a retired warrior with a modest pension, now a weakling needing protection.

But now, seeing this clearly high-ranking Dark Elf high priestess behave so kindly, they realized this was an extremely "pragmatic" race.

Parna recalled the grumpy priests she'd met and the Dark Elves who looked down their noses—could these two notoriously difficult "types" somehow become friendly when combined?!

"No, this landlord is special." Feeling her body recover, Parna finally had the energy to truly observe the landlord she'd never met.

"Uh… full plate armor?" At first glance, Parna, herself a plate armor enthusiast, froze.

Only then did she realize the gray cloak concealed the silhouette of full plate armor.

This made no sense—his movements and posture were too fluid, as if he wore ordinary cloth, utterly free of the stiffness and restriction of armor.

And yet, ignoring that, this man wore heavy armor inside his own home.

"I heard he retired from the battlefield—how many wars, ambushes, and backstabs must he have endured to develop such habits and instincts? Wait—he's degenerated, isn't he?"

Yet the small scales on Li En's cheeks and the tiny horn on his forehead clearly signaled that things had changed.

If so, then their own group, who had moved in under the guise of guards, would look utterly foolish—just from his effortless movement in armor, he must be an extraordinary warrior.

The observation Parna made—merely that effortless motion—was enough to confirm he was an opponent she could never defeat.

"It's truly joyful to see you successfully achieve another evolution," the Dark Elf noblewoman said with warm congratulations, fully confirming the reality of the change.

The two elites paid no heed to the onlookers; after polite small talk, they went upstairs for private discussion.

In the parlor, the adventurers and the detained elf maid stared at each other in silence.

Parna especially noticed the floorboards groaning under the landlord's footsteps—proof he was no empty shell.

"Black dragon scent. Black dragon evolved form." The Dark Elf noble's maid also sniffed out the odor on Li En.

"That one from the Charlofen family, huh? Tsk tsk tsk—that fool thought himself invincible as a great warrior and great priest, yet his own dragon was slain. I heard the wound on that dragon's skull was made by this man's blade."

"I heard the idiot eldest daughter mocked him on the spot and got stabbed in the back. Utterly foolish." Dark Elf culture never mocked the ambition of traitors—only the stupidity of those betrayed.

For Dark Elves, family power struggles and backstabbing were always hot topics.

The rumor that the Third Family's foolish dragon knight had his brain devoured by the mastermind, and his dragon slain by the knight, had spread across all families.

Their idle chatter also subtly revealed awe toward Li En—for Dark Elves, results mattered most; the victorious schemer deserved everything. Because they thought in terms of conspiracy, they saw every victor as a schemer.

This was one of the Dark Elf philosophies Victoria hated most—but precisely because of it, Li En, as a "strong one," earned respect, and those under his protection, like Victoria, could escape the constraints of Dark Elf society.

The two "important figures" didn't talk long—only a dozen minutes passed before they came down, yet their cheerful conversation confirmed the suspicion that they were equals.

This further terrified the rookie adventurers, who had just learned from the maid that the Dark Elf noble was the sister of the Elf City's ruler.

If the high priestess was a true "goddess," then the landlord, her equal in status—

"The princess mentioned just now—was she real? Princess Deniya?"

Li En smiled as he saw the Dark Elves off, then turned—expecting to see the young people celebrating wildly, thrilled by their companion's recovery. Instead, he found them rigidly pretending calm.

Li En thought for a moment and understood roughly what had happened. He smiled, shook his head, and went upstairs again.

Nothing he said now mattered—let time familiarize them. He himself had a commission that might need these people.

Though they couldn't become his "thigh" as Shaliman planned, "claws and fangs" were never too many.

Dimon also intended to enter the underground ruins exploration business—he definitely needed skilled hands.

And some things had progressed faster than expected: when Li En came downstairs again, he saw Laina among the young adventurers, listening to their stories—her sense of restraint had nearly vanished.

The little one was charming—a girl of this age, not spoiled, yet pure, cute, and lively—she was a dreamlike treasure.

"I punched the scorpion-lion's head back, yelled, 'Find a worthy opponent!'—and it dropped the girl and charged me." The shield dwarf happily recounted his adventure—but if even a third of it was true, he'd be remarkably honest.

But the little one listened with sparkling eyes, waving her tiny fists—she believed every word, and wished she could fight alongside him.

Seeing Li En come down, they shed their earlier restraint; they'd learned much from the little one—"our friend is a good person," "our friend is a holy knight who fights evil."

The holy knight identity, combined with the child's trust, eased the young adventurers' nerves. Holy knights could even get the best discounts from most merchants—while bearing far greater constraints, they naturally earned more trust.

Li En found a seat in the parlor, pulled out a spellbook, and quietly flipped through it.

In the rental contract, the parlor was clearly a common area—and the landlord's attitude suggested he had no intention of breaking the agreement, further easing the adventurers' minds.

"You're… also a practicing spellcaster?" Li En looked down; the gnome illusionist's upturned face was full of astonishment.

Holy knight and mage were perhaps the two most distant professions.

"Hmm, just started learning recently," Li En replied with a smile, easing everyone's tension.

It seemed this great one, after degeneration, was now retraining as a spellcaster.

Once someone spoke, conversation flowed easily—especially since they realized Li En was surprisingly young. "Wait, you're fifteen years younger than me?" came the surprise from the gnome mage, who looked no older than a child.

Li En's relaxed, casual demeanor was the key that broke the stiffness.

Li En was also astonished to hear from them about another world—adventurer circles held countless secrets and amusing anecdotes.

Some information included the distribution of underground monsters and the prices of various materials.

Li En was surprised to discover these young people were far more cautious—even excessively conservative—than he'd expected.

The game-like scenario of "I'll finish this wave, then heal and replenish" never occurred in reality.

Instead, most adventurer teams operated strictly under safe, unharmed conditions; if a member was injured—especially severely—or if the team's capabilities showed clear weaknesses, they immediately retreated.

"Adventure stories and novels are ridiculous—no one retreats after being wounded? We're not holy knights. Wait, I didn't mean that—basically, we prioritize survival. After all this time, this is the worst injury we've had." Li En thought about it—he was right. If adventurers fought to the death, there'd be no need to praise knights and holy knights for bravery and loyalty.

Nobles and royalty favored knights and warriors precisely because these professions were the most skilled and willing to fight—they even craved war and glory, seeing them as opportunities to level up.

But many wild adventurers might spend their entire lives facing only monsters, at best adding goblins or ogres—low-intelligence tribes.

Precisely because these teams habitually exercised caution (hunting only when safe), they mostly escaped unharmed during this disaster—if they'd been used to "using the last potion," they'd be dead by now.

Of course, there were bad tidings too—Li En heard rumors of cultists of the True God of Chaos operating in the underground ruins.

Not the "Beast Cult," but the True God of Chaos and its followers—the situation was growing increasingly complex.

"Next time you go out, can you take me along?" Li En casually asked, showing interest during the chatter.

He had, indeed, developed some curiosity about the so-called underground ruins.

Considering the underground ruins' shifting "Deer," certain things couldn't be avoided—perhaps it was time to take a look.

(End of Chapter)