Chapter 228 Ultimatum
Klaus and his crew continued their journey through the radiant forest. Even though he was among his friends, his mind was far away. The last night's moment still revolved in his mind, especially Sylvia's response. Klaus couldn't understand how Sylvia still wanted to chase him even after she had been rejected before she could confess her feelings.
He wondered if Sylvia would truly pursue him or if she was just talking without thinking it through. These questions kept swirling in his mind.
Meanwhile, Sylvia acted as usual. She smiled, talked to other crew members, and behaved as if nothing had changed after that night. However, the sharp eyes of the other crew members couldn't be easily deceived.
They knew something had happened between Klaus and Sylvia, and they wondered about its impact on their future relationships. This situation created creeping tension among the crew members, making the situation even more complicated.
"Hey, do you think they're okay?" Justin whispered with curiosity.
"It's clear as crystal. Klaus rejected her, and you still owe me money," Akio replied.
Justin furrowed his brow. "How do you know Klaus rejected her?"
Akio turned to Justin, his eyes narrowed. "Seriously? Are you still a virgin?"
Hearing that question, Justin started to panic. "Of course not. I used to be an idol, you know! I just can't have a girlfriend. My fans would be mad if I had one."
"Okay, okay, I believe you." Akio chuckled as he said so.
Justin huffed. "So how do you know he rejected her?"
"Look at them, Justin. Last night, they went into the woods, and now they're not talking and walking separately."
"So?" Justin raised his eyebrows.
"You're brain-dead. It means they're not together. If they were, they would have walked together this morning."
"Ah, I get it."
Klaus heard the entire conversation of his crew, but he pretended not to. If he confronted it, he'd only make the problem worse. Sometimes, letting muddy water settle is the best way to clear it.
In the middle of their journey through the quiet forest, an arrow suddenly shot and landed in front of Klaus's feet. At that moment, all the crew members immediately became alert, reaching for their weapons.
Then, three silver-haired elves appeared from behind the foliage of the trees. Their sudden appearance made the crew members even readier for a fight, but Klaus stopped them.
"Lower your weapons. They're not a threat."
Although Klaus had given the order, his crew still seemed hesitant. They remembered how these elves had attacked them a few days ago.
One of the elves, a woman with sharp eyes and shimmering silver hair, spoke calmly, "We've been waiting, Klaus. Your friends are safe."
"Thank you, Arwen," Klaus replied gently.
Of course, the conversation between the two of them quickly shocked the crew. They wondered how this elf knew Klaus and why she seemed to want their visit.
Justin drew close to Klaus, his voice trembling. "What's going on here?"
Klaus simply said, "I'll explain later."
All the crew members remained on high alert as they followed the elves to their village. They cautiously explored the forest, observing every movement and sound around them.
However, the weirdest part was that even though they were walking with the elves, no monsters dared to attack them. It seemed the monsters knew they shouldn't disturb this visit.
After about an hour of walking, they arrived at an elf village nestled beautifully in the forest. The silver-haired elves gathered in front of their houses, looking at Klaus and his crew with genuine curiosity.
Seeing the number of elves, the crew grew even more cautious. Joanna hugged Sylvia's arm tightly, Akio held his weapon tensely, and Justin swallowed nervously. Only Klaus seemed to remain calm.
As they walked toward the village center, Arwen instructed them to stay calm and not to draw their weapons.
"Calm yourselves. They won't hurt you," she said in a cold tone.
The crew members breathed a slight sigh of relief when they realized the elves were only curious and didn't seem to have any intention of killing. They entered the elf village, curious about what would happen next, although a sense of unease lingered in their chests.
Arwen led them to a large tree with a small lake surrounding it. They had to cross a bridge made of stones that seemed to float on the water's surface. Joanna was amazed as she walked on it.
"Wow, Klaus! Look at this, it's so cool! Cooler than what we have at home!"
Klaus smiled as he saw his little sister's excitement. At the same time, he realized that it wasn't just Joanna who felt that way. Sylvia had the same expression as she stepped on the small stones. For some reason, seeing her smile made Klaus feel calm.
<My liege, have you fallen for her?>
Suddenly, Laplace's voice echoed in his head. It disrupted his state of mind.
"Lately, you've been so chatty, Laplace."
<I apologize, my liege.>
Klaus sighed when he heard Laplace's giggle.
At the base of a giant tree, there was a grand gate guarded by two elf sentinels. They gently opened the gate and ushered the humans into the Tree of Life. As they entered the gate, the entire crew was left stunned. From the outside, they had only seen a mere tree, but on the inside, it was like a palace.
The walls were made of natural white stone that glistened like pearls. Along the corridors, there were several doors with unique carvings. Tree root and blue fire lamps hung from the ceilings. The floors of the palace were made of smooth black stone. In some rooms, the floors were decorated with mosaics depicting nature, such as images of flowers and trees.
This was an extraordinary experience for the crew. They hadn't expected to find such a beautiful tree palace inside the dungeon. It was almost as if they had entered a fairyland.
They finally arrived at a massive gate that was as big as a tree and surrounded by statues of forest animals. An elf in iron armor stood there, as if he had been waiting for their arrival.
This elf had a scar that ran across his face from his eyebrow to his eye, adding a mysterious touch to his appearance. His sharp elf eyes stared at Klaus with a mix of wariness and curiosity.
Arwen and two other elves bowed their heads in respect.
"Lord Aymon, may we be granted an audience with the High Queen," she said.
"Please, High Queen is waiting for you inside."
The gate creaked as it opened, revealing a chamber with a red carpet. As Klaus and his crew entered the room, their eyes were quickly drawn to a beautiful woman with golden hair seated on a wooden throne. A magical and serene aura radiated from her, indicating that she was the High Queen.
While they were mesmerized by the High Queen's beauty, their gaze shifted to three figures standing next to her. Gavin, Olivia, and Michael, dressed in the traditional elf attire, smiled warmly. The crew was confused to see their friends standing there.
Observing the crew's confusion, Arwen silently smiled. Meanwhile, Justin approached Klaus and asked with curiosity, "Klaus, for some reason, I feel like there's something strange about them."
However, Klaus only responded with silence, but his face showed signs of anger. At the same time, worry consumed Akio as he looked at his two friends, Michael and Olivia, standing next to the High Queen's throne. They all looked like mannequins displayed in a store window.
"You are in the presence of the High Queen, the Ruler of Radiant Forest, and the Guardian of the Tree of Life. Show your respect, humans!" Arwen exclaimed loudly. Each word carried firmness as it escaped her mouth.
Naturally, the crew members were bewildered. They looked at each other, wondering what they should do now. At the same time, they felt a strong energy pressuring them. The High Queen gazed at them, giving them a look of authority that made their courage wane.
"Hey, do we have to kneel?"
"Aren't they monsters? Why should we kneel to them?"
"Shh! Be quiet, dipshit! No monster is speaking. We're in the presence of a queen."
Klaus could hear his crew's whispers. Just by listening, he knew they were being manipulated by the elves' game. Klaus felt disappointed in them.
"What are you doing!" shouted Arwen. "You're in the presence of our queen! Don't you appreciate our hospitality!"
The crew members became even more confused. Even Akio, who was always calm in various situations, fell for it. Eventually, they succumbed to the confusion. Justin, Akio, Joanna, Sylvia, and the others—slowly fell to their knees.
And that made Arwen and the elves smile in triumph.
However, it didn't last long.
"What are you doing?! Why are you still standing?" Arwen yelled angrily.
Klaus remained standing tall while his crew knelt. This made the crew members furrow their brows and wonder if their decision was wrong. Meanwhile, Arwen continued to berate Klaus to kneel, but he didn't budge. Instead, he stared directly into the High Queen's eyes.
"Enough, Arwen," said the High Queen gently. "This man has his own principles. You can't do anything about it."
"Very well, your grace." Arwen gritted her teeth as she lowered her head.
"So, human, what is your purpose for coming here?" the High Queen asked Klaus.
"I've come to deliver a warning to the elves."
Arwen was triggered when Klaus spoke with an informal tone to the High Queen, but the golden-haired elf told Arwen to be silent.
"I am speaking, Arwen. Don't disrupt our conversation."
"Yes, your grace. I apologize." Arwen lowered her head in embarrassment.
The High Queen rolled her eyes at Klaus.
"So, what is the warning?" she inquired.
Klaus smirked. "Kneel before me now, or I'll wipe you out."
Naturally, his statement left everyone shocked.
This chapt𝒆r is updated by free(w)ebnovel(.)com