“Absurd!” An elf clad in dark green robes was first to break the silence, his silvery eyebrows trembling slightly with anger. “The Hazy Moon is the Elven King’s sword—how could it possibly be entrusted to an outsider like you?”
Another female elf wearing golden leaf shoulder ornaments also mocked: “The Sword Saint certainly has quite the reputation—sends a disciple over, opens his mouth with a single casual sentence, and expects us to hand over the former king’s sword with both hands?”
The other elves didn’t say much, but only because they couldn’t be bothered—the Hazy Moon could not possibly be lent out.
“My master was ambushed by a Blood Clan prince and severely wounded. The blood poison is difficult to remove—only the power of the Hazy Moon can purify it!” Fifteen raised his head, gazing toward the figure on the throne. “If my master falls and Threehill City is lost, the demons will march straight through. The kingdom will be reduced to ashes—is this truly the future you all wish to see?”
The demon threat…
The elves exchanged uncertain glances, and the previously opposing voices gradually subsided.
No one noticed that when she heard the Sword Saint was severely wounded, Galadriel’s movements froze for an instant.
A relatively young elf asked somewhat puzzled: “How does this human know the Hazy Moon’s abilities? The King shouldn’t have used the Hazy Moon in front of outsiders for hundreds of years, right?”
A more experienced companion beside him leaned in and whispered: “That human swordsman once came here to study swordsmanship. The former king saw he had some talent and made an exception to teach him, allowing him to practice swords together with Lady Galadriel. He probably learned about it during that time.”
“He wasn’t a Sword Saint back then, right? What gave him the right to enter the forest?”
“Supposedly he happened to save Lady Galadriel, and back then the two of them…”
Galadriel’s gloomy gaze turned toward them. The two elves immediately bowed their heads and held their breath, their whispers abruptly ceasing.
The debate in the hall still hadn’t stopped.
After a brief silence, voices of doubt rose again: “It’s just blood poison—there are so many detoxification methods. Must the Hazy Moon be borrowed? This excuse is far too flimsy!”
Indeed, blood poison might be a lethal threat to ordinary adventurers and civilians, but the Sword Saint obviously couldn’t lack anti-life potions worth a mere fifty gold coins. Moreover, the Church also possessed corresponding purification methods—at most it would just take more effort.
However, Fifteen explained: “That Blood Clan prince’s blood poison is extraordinary. Those methods can only barely suppress it, not eliminate it! If it could be easily removed, why would he use such poison in an ambush? If there were any other way, why would I leave the battlefield at such a time to come here seeking the sword?”
The Sword Saint had previously brought Fifteen to the elves’ side to participate in negotiations. Whether Fifteen’s mind had become more clever was hard to say, but his eloquence had certainly improved considerably.
But even so, there was still opposition.
After all, it was the previous Elven King’s relic, now in Galadriel’s hands, carrying some sense of inheritance—lending it casually to humans really couldn’t be justified.
Even if everything Fifteen said was true, what if the Sword Saint didn’t return the sword afterward?
Or what if the Sword Saint simply died there and the Hazy Moon fell into demon hands—wouldn’t that be even worse?
Therefore, even those who didn’t oppose chose to remain silent rather than support.
Galadriel’s gaze wandered, suddenly stopping on Eko, who was playing with the short legs of the Puchi on his head: “Captain of the Guard, what’s your view on this matter concerning the Sword Saint?”
Eko didn’t raise his head: “I’ve already resigned from the position of Captain of the Guard, and besides, we agreed I wouldn’t participate in these affairs anymore.”
“Since you’re the one who brought him,” Galadriel insisted, “I’d like to hear your opinion.”
Eko squinted his eyes, staring at Galadriel for a good while until the latter felt somewhat guilty, then leisurely said: “It’s just a sword. Having it won’t make the royal city safer, lacking it won’t make the royal city more dangerous. Give it or don’t—either is fine.”
Galadriel nodded with slight gratitude, then also inquired about Salian’s opinion.
As the current person in charge of the forest’s surveillance array, Salian’s words now carried some weight.
Salian thought for a moment and seriously gave his reply: “I think we should give it. If humanity is completely defeated, it would be extremely unfavorable for us too. Even if the demons need several years to digest human territory, that time passes in the blink of an eye for us. The threat is imminent. I understand everyone’s opposition to direct involvement in the war, but where we can help humanity, we should still help.”
Galadriel nodded with satisfaction—Salian’s answer was indeed consistent with her expectations.
She asked no more, raising her jade hand lightly: “In that case, the matter of lending the sword is settled.”
After making the decision, Galadriel didn’t linger. Under the somewhat doubtful gazes of the elves, she hurriedly departed.
The Hazy Moon that Galadriel left behind was handed to Fifteen by Salian.
Fifteen didn’t notice the unusual atmosphere around him, only secretly rejoicing that borrowing the Hazy Moon had gone much more smoothly than imagined.
After repeatedly assuring that he would immediately return the Hazy Moon as soon as the war ended, Fifteen politely declined Salian’s suggestion that he rest for a day.
Accompanied by Eko, he hurriedly departed.
However, strangely, on the road leaving the Elven Forest, a Puchi kept following unhurriedly behind Fifteen.
The little fellow’s short legs moved rapidly, appearing and disappearing in the forest’s light and shadow.
“Is this some elf’s familiar?” Fifteen couldn’t help but turn back to ask.
Eko glanced at it: “Most Puchis in the forest are free. See how it doesn’t have a green cloth strip tied to its foot—it should be wild.”
“Your Puchis are all this… vigorous? Why is it following me?”
“Perhaps it has taken a liking to you. Occasionally Puchis do actively take to certain elves.” Eko’s tone was flat. “It’s not unusual in the forest.”
“So it’s actually normal…” Fifteen said incredulously.
Their pace wasn’t slow, but this Puchi behind them was agile and actually kept up!
However, seeing such an agile Puchi always made Fifteen recall unpleasant memories.
Until he parted with Eko at the forest boundary, that Puchi still persistently followed behind.
Though somewhat puzzled, thinking that the return journey required crossing the treacherous Scarecrow Abyss again, and that Eko had indeed said the Elven Forest’s Puchis all possessed the “no-fall” characteristic, Fifteen ultimately acquiesced to this follower.
What he didn’t expect was that when he woke the next morning, this Puchi had brazenly climbed atop his head…
What concerned Fifteen even more was that unlike other dull Puchis that only obeyed their Puchi master’s commands, this little fellow was particularly active, occasionally using its mycelial tentacles to fiddle with his hair or ears, giving Fifteen the feeling that its intelligence wasn’t low.
Fortunately, this Puchi indeed also possessed the “no-fall” characteristic. Fifteen relied on it to smoothly cross the Scarecrow Abyss, incomparably easier than his journey here.
And when passing through the settlement on the human territory side, Fifteen delayed slightly.
When the swindler who sold fake Puchis saw Fifteen walking straight toward him with a sinister smile, his eyes were full of disbelief.
Then he suddenly shoved aside the pedestrian beside him, fleeing in panic without choosing his path.
But how could he possibly be faster than Fifteen? He hadn’t run two steps before his head fell to the ground.
(End of Chapter)
