This Lich Requests More Remuneration

Chapter 95 - 95 92 The Elf Tribes Relocation Operation

?Chapter 95: Chapter 92 The Elf Tribe’s Relocation Operation Chapter 95: Chapter 92 The Elf Tribe’s Relocation Operation The pureblood elf with blond hair and blue eyes is quite rare in the Nine Great Kingdoms.

Elves have a long lifespan, are naturally agile and possess strong magical talents, and most have handsome appearances, which is why one could say they are a race favored by deities.

However, they usually live a semi-secluded life in the Silvermoon Tribunal and rarely interact with the outside world.

The most common elves people encounter are Half-Elves or Drow Elves from Gloomyland.

Cicero was a pureblood High Elf, with golden locks of soft hair and a slender body, but his eyes were somewhat too sharp compared to other elves. This lent Cicero an aura with a little less elegance and a bit more aggressive a presence.

At that moment, he sat in front of the Porcupine Knight, his penetrating gaze fixed on the Lord.

Even the Porcupine Knight, who could battle a griffon on his own, found Cicero’s aggressive eyes to be uncomfortable, feeling like prey under the watch of a hawk.

The Porcupine Knight was becoming irritated under his gaze, and if not for recognizing the elf attire from the Silvermoon Tribunal, he would have been ready to order his visitors out.

Now that Alchemy City had been destroyed, these minor Lords had lost their backing, and naturally, they wouldn’t dare offend a powerful kingdom like the Silvermoon Tribunal. So, the Porcupine Knight could only politely invite them to sit down, then ask, “Lord Cicero, what brings you to us in the dead of night?”

Cicero spoke, his voice magnetic, “Lord, I believe you are aware that Alchemy City has been destroyed, and this land has become ownerless. I wonder how you plan to deal with the impending chaos.”

The Porcupine Knight retorted, “What do you mean by ownerless? I am the legitimate Lord of this land.”

Cicero chuckled and said to the Porcupine Knight, “Your legal authority comes from the recognition of Alchemy City, which now lies in ruin. This area will now descend into a purely savage war. You are all like bugs trapped in a jar, forced to kill each other. Perhaps some will be lucky and survive to the end, but do you think you will be that person?”

“That’s my concern. Have you elves from the Silvermoon Tribunal appeared suddenly just to mock me?” the Porcupine Knight said, holding back his anger.

Cicero shook his head, “Of course not, we are here to offer you a chance, a chance to survive. Before this land descends into total warfare, we, the Elf Tribe, hope to prevent the outbreak of war. Perhaps we will find a peaceful way to resolve the dispute.”

“So, the Silvermoon Tribunal intends to rule this crumbling kingdom, and you have come today hoping I will serve the Silvermoon Tribunal?”

The Porcupine Knight was somewhat perplexed and slightly excited. Could these elves be here to persuade him to their side?

Joining the Silvermoon Tribunal? It seemed like a good option.

While knowing little about the Elf Tribe, it appeared that these elves did not carry out too many evil deeds. Anyway, being a minor Lord before, what difference would it make to serve them rather than the alchemists?

If the Elf Tribe truly wanted to recruit him, joining early might bring benefits.

Cicero said with a smile, “Lord, you are a clever man, but not that clever. The Elf Tribe generally does not cooperate with outsiders. So today, I’ve come to discuss with you—if you are willing to withdraw peacefully, we at Silvermoon Tribunal can guarantee the safety of your people.”

The Porcupine Knight thought he must have heard wrong and asked in pursuit, “Withdraw? You mean to say, you want us to give up our own land?!”

“Not to give it up entirely. Perhaps, once we have stabilized the situation, we might reassign a piece of land for your settlement.”

“Settlement…” The Porcupine Knight grasped the longsword at his waist and said to the impudent elf, “Elf, mind your language. I’ve invited you here as a guest, and while you enjoy the privileges of a guest, you must also behave in accordance with the status of a guest, otherwise!”

Politeness was not unconditional. The Porcupine Knight, now the leader of an alliance elected by several nearby lords, had to maintain his dignity at all times. He could not afford to give his allies the impression of being too weak, or this fragile alliance would soon collapse.

“Oh, Lord, your boldness does surprise me. The other lords I’ve met before didn’t even have the courage to look me in the eye. It’s just that bravery and recklessness are sometimes separated by a fine line.”

Cicero stood up, looking down from above at the Porcupine Knight.

“Lord, to assert your rights as a host, you must first possess the necessary strength. Before we begin formal negotiations, we both need to establish our positions in this discussion.”

With a wave of his hand, the Porcupine Knight prompted a chorus of bowstrings being drawn. More than a dozen crossbows were raised, aiming at the arrogantly-behaved elves.

The Porcupine Knight stood up as well, drawing his longsword, and said, “Elf, I can give you a chance to rethink your words. Silvermoon Tribunal may be powerful, but this is not your territory. If arrogance is a cultural habit of yours, I can forget the unpleasantness of just now and start anew with a friendly exchange.”

He spoke with apparent humility, but the Porcupine Knight was gripping his longsword tightly.

As the crossbows were raised, he did not see the slightest fear on any of the elves’ faces, so he was well aware that a battle was inevitable. However, he really didn’t want to clash with the elves at this time, and his words were his final offer.

Cicero ignored the arrows aimed at him, simply saying calmly, “Go ahead. This time, do not kill anyone.”

The Porcupine Knight could not concern himself with much else and immediately ordered, “Fire!”

The arrows shot out toward the elves, each elf targeted by several arrows. At such a short distance, it was impossible to miss. However, a Magic Shield suddenly lit up around each elf. The arrows struck the shields and were instantly deflected.

What Cicero did next was even more outrageous. The three arrows flying toward him were plucked from the air with one hand, as if he were picking leaves effortlessly.

Soon after, a fog emerged, enveloping the entire hall.

In an environment where not even an arm’s length could be seen, crossbows became pointless.

The Porcupine Knight had already raised his longsword, slashing towards Cicero in front of him. His sword was fast, clearly that of a well-trained warrior. But his blade met nothing but air. Cicero seemed to have anticipated his move and had dodged in advance.

Through the fog, the Porcupine Knight swung his longsword from memory. His movements were as smooth and swift as the tide, delivering three strikes in mere seconds.

Vertical chop, horizontal sweep, upward thrust—despite deliberately calculating his opponent’s evasive maneuvers, his blade only cut through the thick fog, inflicting no damage.

When the Porcupine Knight was slightly exhausted, a dagger thrust out, pressing against his waist.

The blade was sharp, carving a deep mark in his armor, nearly penetrating it. Had the Porcupine Knight not dodged swiftly, his waist might have been severely wounded.

The opponent was not only agile but also wielded an enchanted weapon.

Although the Porcupine Knight’s armor was only made of ordinary steel, it was genuine and well-crafted; yet it was almost pierced by a light stab. If the armor could not provide protection, the Porcupine Knight would undoubtedly die in this fight.

In just a single exchange, the Porcupine Knight realized he was facing an invincible enemy.

As he prepared to create distance and regroup, he found the fog rapidly dissipating, and the only ones left standing in the hall were the Porcupine Knight and these Elves. All other guards had fallen.

Seeing this, the Porcupine Knight knew he had lost.

This group of Elves were likely high-ranking Adventurers; powerful and well-coordinated, he stood no chance of victory.

“Now, can we sit down and talk?” Cicero asked the Porcupine Knight.

The Porcupine Knight still clutched his longsword tightly; although resistance seemed futile, simply surrendering would mean entrusting his life to these Elves, wouldn’t it?

“Still not convinced?”

With a flick of his finger, Cicero sent an orange light flashing from his fingertips. He chanted a spell too quickly for the Porcupine Knight to catch more than a few syllables, and before he knew what had happened, his longsword began to overheat.

The metal longsword became scorching hot as if just pulled from a furnace, forcing the Porcupine Knight to scream and drop it.

The second-tier spell, Searing Metal, heats any metal on the target to extreme temperatures; it’s most effective against warriors clad in full armor like the Porcupine Knight.

With his longsword dropped, the Porcupine Knight was essentially stripped of his ability to resist.

“You’re a qualified warrior, but you’re up against the Silvermoon Tribunal. Human, we come with good intentions this time, merely as a reminder. However, if you’re not willing to give up your territory peacefully, then when we arrive next time, we will bring death,” Cicero told the Porcupine Knight.

The Porcupine Knight looked at his scorched hands, understanding the disparity between them.

“Is this how you express goodwill all along the way?” the Porcupine Knight asked Cicero.

Cicero nodded, “Yes, many Lords have already agreed to our peaceful relocation plan. So, please consider it carefully. We, the Elf Tribe, do not relish pointless slaughter.”

The Porcupine Knight’s expression turned very ugly.

His territory was on the outskirts of Alchemy City, a core area of the kingdom far from the border with the Silvermoon Tribunal. And yet, Elves had already sent their vanguard here?

Had the border areas already completely fallen to the Elves? How had he not heard anything?

The Porcupine Knight now felt nothing but despair. Was he really going to abandon this land, won at the cost of blood?

Back then, to make a name for himself, he led the charge in the war against the Magic Beasts and singlehandedly slew a massive Griffon, earning the title of Knight. And now, these Elves wanted to reduce him back to a commoner with just a few words?

But if he disagreed, could they, a few minor Lords, withstand the Elves’ assault? Even if they managed to rally ample troops, with the Elves’ capabilities, they could simply sneak in for assassinations without ever taking to the battlefield.

With countless questions flooding his mind, the Porcupine Knight eventually bowed his head and said to the group of Elves, “If you can provide us with enough resources and time, we will leave.”

Wood cannot block the sword’s edge; no matter how stubborn, strength ultimately dictates the outcome. The Porcupine Knight had no choice but to accept the Elves’ terms.

“Very good, more composed and willing to compromise than I expected,” Cicero took out a contract shimmering with magical light and placed it in front of the Porcupine Knight, “Sign your name, and by the Deity’s name, we swear to ensure your basic personal safety.”

The Porcupine Knight took the contract, glanced over it, and then signed the agreement.

As he set down the quill, he seemed to age a decade, slumping back into his chair as if all his strength had left him.

Just then, the doors of the hall were flung open once more, and a terrifying presence spread throughout, changing everyone’s complexion.

Cicero turned his head solemnly to see a young Mage with black hair and dark eyes standing at the entrance, the source of the dreadful pressure emanating from him.

This sudden arrival was none other than Amberser, who had transformed into a human figure. Unfamiliar with the local Lords, he first sought out the Porcupine Knight to revisit the unresolved issue of ransom.

But upon entering, he found a group of Elves bullying the Porcupine Knight.

The High Elves’ reach had already extended this far?

The Porcupine Knight was even more shocked; no matter how this person had appeared here, why couldn’t he have come a few minutes earlier?