CA - Chapter 150
Chapter 150
The Elves' territory was at the southernmost tip of the Statu Continent. A boundless forest served as their protective barrier. The Elven lands bordered the Oscarld Sea to the west and some small and medium-sized countries to the east. Far from the Holy See, the Vampires, and the Black Witches, it could truly be considered a world unto itself.
The scroll teleported Tang Qiu and Kama directly into the forest. It was lush and green, with a canopy that blocked out the sun. The trees growing here were not common species on the Statu Continent. They were giant trees, dozens of meters tall, with trunks so wide that ten people holding hands couldn't encircle them. Verdant branches and leaves drooped from the treetops like vines, fresh and tender, exuding a refreshing fragrance that could cleanse a person's soul just by being there.
The giant trees were so tall and large that they made Tang Qiu and Kama seem exceptionally small. Kama had been hiding and fleeing since she was little, so she was no stranger to this kind of forest terrain. She let go of Tang Qiu's hand, turned to a tree, and scrambled up it with nimble movements.
Her small figure was quickly obscured by the dense foliage.
Tang Qiu: "..."
She stood quietly under the tree for a while, and soon Kama climbed back down, a look of disappointment on her face.
She had wanted to climb to the top of the tree to get a look at the terrain and give Tang Qiu directions. However, to Kama's frustration, there were too many trees. Standing at the top, all she could see was a green sea.
Tang Qiu had already known this would be the result. She reached out and patted Kama's head, saying with some amusement, "If you could see where the Elves live, they wouldn't be living in this forest."
Kama scratched her head and looked down, a little embarrassed.
The forest was too vast; if they tried to find the Elves on their own, it would probably take years. Tang Qiu scanned her surroundings, then led Kama to a relatively open area. She took out her staff and began to chant a spell in a low voice.
The Power of Light began to condense at the tip of the staff. A white light, tinged with a hint of gold, started to spread out from Tang Qiu. Aside from dark creatures, all living things in the world were drawn to the Power of Light. The emerald-green leaves trembled slightly under the baptism of light. They stretched out freely, and some even boldly tried to touch Tang Qiu.
However, before these branches could reach Tang Qiu, they were angrily swatted away by Kama, who was standing guard by her side.
Kama stared intently at the swaying branches around them, her small hands itching for action.
In the blink of an eye, the Power of Light had spread for several thousand meters. The sound of Tang Qiu's chanting grew softer and softer until it finally faded away. She lowered her staff, licked her lips, and said to Kama, "Let's sit down and wait for a bit."
With such a large-scale manifestation of the Power of Light suddenly appearing near their territory, the Elves would surely come to investigate.
Tang Qiu pulled Kama down to sit, took out a bottle of Holy Water of Light from her Space Gem, and drank it to replenish the power she had just expended.
They waited patiently for a while. Just as the Power of Light was beginning to dissipate, the sound of something whistling through the air reached their ears. They looked up in the direction of the sound to see three sharp arrows embedded in the tree trunk behind them.
A dozen figures appeared from all directions, approaching them cautiously. One of the Elves, who had previously gone out with Delphine and met Tang Qiu, recognized her. Her eyes lit up, and she said to her companion, "I know her. She's a friend of Her Majesty the Queen."
The older Elf frowned, her face full of doubt. "A friend from the Holy See?"
The young Elf thought for a moment and said, "A very generous friend."
Although the two of them were not speaking loudly, Tang Qiu still heard them. She stood up with Kama, held up the scroll that had teleported them there for the Elves to see, and said with a smile, "It was your Queen who invited me."
Although the scroll had been used, it still carried the aura of the Elf Queen. The Elves slowly lowered their bows. The older Elf took a step forward, sized up Tang Qiu and Kama, then turned slightly to the side, making an inviting gesture. "I will take you to see the Queen."
As she spoke, she glanced at Tang Qiu again, her heart a mixture of conflict, nervousness, and anticipation. "...Are you a priest?"
Tang Qiu was wearing the most common priest's robes, but judging from the light magic she had just performed, the Elf didn't believe she was just a minor priest.
Tang Qiu did not hide her identity and stated generously, "I am the Bishop of the Gosse Church."
The older Elf's eyes brightened. As she led the way, she asked tentatively, "Then, can you use healing magic?"
"Of course. Is an Elf in your clan injured?"
The older Elf's expression dimmed, her worry unconcealed. "It's Her Majesty the Queen. She hasn't been in a good state recently."
Tang Qiu was taken aback. She discreetly scanned the other Elves and noticed that none of them seemed to be in high spirits. The Elf Race could use the wood element, so they knew some simple healing spells.
They just weren't as powerful as light magic.
Could Delphine have been injured by the Power of Darkness? With this doubt in her heart, Tang Qiu followed the Elf, half of her previously relaxed mood already gone.
The Elves' territory was in the deepest part of the forest. The trees within the territory were only half as tall as those on the periphery, and they were dotted with all sorts of treehouses. Soft grass covered the ground, with several small streams of unknown origin and destination flowing through it. Colorful flowers adorned every corner, and their heart-refreshing fragrance permeated the territory.
Hearing the commotion from Tang Qiu's group, some Elves peeked their heads out of their treehouses to look at them curiously. Those who recognized Tang Qiu huddled with their companions, whispering among themselves.
The Elf clan hadn't had an outsider visit in a long time. Some young Elves, about the same age as Kama, hid behind trees, peeking at them but not daring to come out.
There were very few young Elves, and strangely, their skin tones were all a bit dark. They didn't look like ordinary Elves, but rather like Dark Elves.
Tang Qiu glanced at the young Elves and frowned. From the largest treehouse in the center of the territory, Delphine emerged. She wore a light green gauze dress and descended from the treehouse, her bare feet stepping onto the soft grass. The slightly long hem of her dress trailed behind her, blending in with the lawn.
Elves were always known for their beauty, and Delphine was no exception. Here in her own territory, she seemed to have shed all her restraints. Her hair fell naturally down her back, her pointed elven ears exposed. Her face was a little pale, and there was a hint of fatigue under her eyes. Her condition was indeed not good, just as the other Elf had said.
As soon as Delphine appeared, the young Elves who had been hiding out of fear of Tang Qiu and Kama became a little bolder. One little Elf ran up to Delphine's side, handed her the flower wreath she had been holding, and looked at her expectantly.
Delphine bent down to let the little Elf place the wreath on her head, then reached out and patted her head, saying with a smile, "Thank you."
An Elf led the little one away, and Delphine walked over to Tang Qiu. Her light green eyes held a faint smile as she curved her lips and said, "Welcome, Bishop Grace."
Tang Qiu sized her up and said jokingly, "It seems I've come at just the right time."
There were some things she couldn't say in front of her people, so Delphine just smiled, turned slightly to the side, and gestured for Tang Qiu to enter the treehouse with her.
Tang Qiu led Kama and followed Delphine inside. The space inside the treehouse was large. Kama was curious about the treehouse, so after entering, she let go of Tang Qiu's hand and began to look around and touch things, having a great time all by herself.
Delphine had seen Kama once before in the Mentos Desert, but at the time she was preoccupied with the matter of the Godhead, so she hadn't paid much attention to her. Now, looking closely, she realized that Kama's pupils were a rare golden color.
Silver hair and golden eyes, wasn't that... Delphine frowned, her gaze fixed on Kama, even forgetting to ask Tang Qiu to sit down.
"...What is it?" Tang Qiu asked, raising an eyebrow when she saw Delphine staring at Kama.
Delphine came back to her senses. She looked at Tang Qiu and pointed at Kama, asking, "Is she a God Race Descendant?" She paused after speaking, worried that the golden-haired bishop might think she had some ill intentions, and added as an explanation, "I'm just curious. I mean no other harm."
"I found her in the Mentos Desert." Tang Qiu glanced at Delphine, noticing her unusual expression. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she said softly, "Why? Do you know something about the God Race Descendants?"
Delphine's reaction clearly indicated that she knew something.
There was a long wooden table in the center of the room. Delphine gestured for Tang Qiu to sit down, then brought out the Elves' unique flower nectar to serve her. Kama smelled the fragrance and also ran over to sit obediently beside Tang Qiu. She looked at Delphine with an expectant expression; although she didn't speak, her desire was very clear.
Delphine smiled and gave her a cup as well.
"Although the God Race Descendants have always been a legend on this continent," Delphine said, rubbing the cup in her hands as she organized her thoughts, speaking cautiously, "over a thousand years ago, they were a real race."
Tang Qiu observed Delphine's expression and did not interrupt, listening quietly instead.
"I have never seen a God Race Descendant. Everything I know was told to me by the previous Elf Queen." Delphine recalled some unpleasant memories, and her face grew even paler. "The first Pope who established the Holy See was from the God Race. The God Race Descendants were few in number, so they always lived in the nation of the Holy See and didn't have their own territory like the Elves or Werewolves."
"But over a thousand years ago, an internal conflict occurred within the Holy See. The reigning Pope at the time, who was from the God Race, disappeared for some reason. In the ten years following her disappearance, her people also vanished from the Statu Continent."
As Delphine spoke, she glanced at Kama. "I didn't expect the God Race to still have members."
She had thought they were all extinct.
Delphine didn't know that Tang Qiu was already aware of the events that had transpired in the Holy See over a thousand years ago. After she finished speaking, she sighed, about to change the subject, but was interrupted by Tang Qiu.
"So, over a thousand years ago, traitors in the Holy See colluded with the Vampires to ambush the Pope at the time, and to eliminate all future trouble, they even massacred the entire God Race?" Tang Qiu frowned. If that was true, then Kama must never be seen by the people of the Central Church.
Delphine looked at her in surprise. "How do you know all this?"
Tang Qiu shrugged. "I found out by chance." It involved Lucille's identity, so she didn't want to explain too clearly.
Fortunately, Delphine was tactful enough not to press further. Instead, she urged Tang Qiu, "You must never let the current Pope see that a member of the God Race is still alive." She remembered something, and her tone took on a hint of sarcasm. "Otherwise, to secure his position, he wouldn't care if harming a child would damage his glorious reputation or the prestige of the Holy See."
Of course, the current Holy See had no prestige to speak of anyway.
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