“Actually, you didn’t have to come back.”


  In the dark room with only one single oil lamp, Vincent, who had aged visibly, looked at Blour with a complex expression.

  “You knew I would come back,” Blour replied calmly.

  The room was plunged into silence as the light of the oil lamp danced weakly.

  Vincent worriedly said, “The Baibilly Family was plunged into danger like never before. Elliot wants to destroy the betrothal between you and Sally, and he’s prepared to destroy the whole Baibilly Family to achieve that. Our only hope now is for you to maintain your betrothal with Sally and then marry her.”


  “You said exactly the same thing when you made me agree to this betrothal.” Blour curled his lips into a sneer.

  Vincent looked at Blour. He opened his mouth and closed it after his throat moved a little. He sighed with a downcast expression.

  “You should know about the Night Elves, right?” Blour asked.

  “The Baibilly Family’s warriors and I were there when Borg’s army attacked the underground cavern.” Vincent nodded.

  “I was in the underground cavern that you all surrounded then.” Blour smiled at Vincent.

  “You……” Vincent’s pupils constricted as his gaze became fixed on Blour. His expression only managed to calm down after a while. He seemed to age suddenly, and his voice became lower as he said with a complicated expression, “I’ve guessed it, but I didn’t really think you would really be there. I almost lost a son.”


  “Freedom was there. Princess was there. As an elf, shouldn’t I be there as well? You almost lost a son, while the elven race almost lost its future. A future that was almost snuffed out by you all.”


  “You know very well that the Baibilly Family has been struggling for survival for the past few years. We simply couldn’t reject Borg’s order, nor could we reject Helena’s order. Freedom is an extravagance for us. As the family head, my most important task is to ensure our clan survives, and not just talk about whatever future,” Vincent said despondently.

  “So, do you think living like this has a meaning? Is this really the life that we elves want to lead? Our people have even forgotten what freedom is! Even we, the so-called nobles, have shackles around our necks. Even when we are served by servants, when did we ever have freedom? Was the Wind Forest like this 100 years ago?” Blour confronted Vincent.

  Vincent paled, and took a step back instinctively.

  100 years ago, the elf race had paid a terrible price to chase the invading demons out of the Wind Forest, and then build the current Wind Forest under the planning of the elven queen and the high priestess.

  At that time, no elf could have anticipated that the elf race would become like this.

  The elves who had always pursued freedom even during the horrifying war were all turned into slaves by the decadent practice and the system that shackled them.

  Yes. Even he, who was the leader of a clan, was still living in fear.

  This kind of fear didn’t originate from external enemies, but from his own people—people who had fought with him in battles before.

  Everyone was living in desire and fear, struggling and fighting with one another. They gave up the freedom that they had upheld for thousands of years for power that the elves hadn’t even given a care to before.

  “Recently, the youngsters are beginning to behave mysteriously. They would gather secretly after everyone is asleep and talk about freedom with a glow in their eyes.” Vincent looked up at Blour. “Their expressions are exactly like yours.”


  Blour narrowed his gaze slightly, and clenched his fists instinctively.

  “Helena has caught many young people recently. She calls them traitors and Night Elves’ infiltrators. She also issued secret orders to each aristocrat’s territory to catch whoever talked about freedom and lock them up in the dungeon.” Vincent glanced at Blour’s fists, and continued, “Tomorrow, on Sally’s conferring ceremony, these young people would be publicly executed to shock and awe those elves who are ready to make trouble.”


  Blour bit his lip, and said in a low voice, “This is despotism.”


  “This world is not going to reason with you. For example, to stop this betrothal, the Brewster Family’s assassins are already on their way here right now. In order to become an existence like Borg, Elliot would kill anyone who stands in front of him, regardless of the price that he would have to pay.” Vincent shook his head.

  Blour stared at Vincent in silence before unclenching his fists gradually, and as calmly as possible said, “You didn’t catch those young people or send them to Helena.”


  “Yes. This is so unlike me.” Vincent nodded as his gaze landed on the oil lamp at the side. Looking at the flickering candlelight, he softly spoke, “What’s wrong with pursuing freedom? Wasn’t freedom what we had fought so hard for then……”


  ***

  In a secret chamber of the Brewster Family, five to six elves were sitting together, with Elliot taking the place of honor. The dancing candlelight made his gloomy face look even scarier.

  Everyone in the secret chamber had a stern expression. They were all quietly waiting for something.

  An elf wearing all black quickly strode in, knelt down, and respectfully reported, “Chief, the assassins have arrived. Should they set off now?”


  Elliot smirked coldly. “That old fool, Vincent, doesn’t know what’s good for him. Don’t blame me for being ruthless since he’s not willing to cancel the betrothal. Since his son has appeared, then let’s kill them. A dead man will not be able to marry our princess.”


  “Yes,” that elf acknowledged, and turned to walk out.

  “Chief, a secret missive from High Priestess Helena.” Right then, an elf jogged in, and presented a missive with a starry sky seal.

  All the elves in the secret chamber looked at the secret missive in Elliot’s hands.

  “Hmm?” The starry sky magic seal on the envelope was automatically disarmed when Elliot received the missive. A black letter paper fell into Elliot’s hands.

  Elliot lowered his head to read the letter with an unreadable expression. Finally, he crushed the letter angrily, and turned the letter into dust in his hands.

  All the elves stared at one another consciously. They didn’t know anything, nor did they dare to ask about anything.

  “The plan is canceled. Let’s keep him alive for a while longer,” Elliot said in a low voice with indignation.

  ***

  “About this Nezha, we have to first talk about the Chaos Pearl that was born out of Heaven and Earth……”


  Before Mag could finish the story of Nezha, the two little ones were already fast asleep in his arms. Ugly Duckling was also sleeping soundly, hugging his leg.

  Mag smiled with resignation as he got up carefully. He put the two little ones on the bed, covered them with a blanket, and tossed Ugly Duckling in between them. Then, he heaved a breath of relief.

  “Come to my room,” Irina said at her room’s door before she turned around and walked in right away.