The El-Vul-Or Tournament, even after the embarrassing circumstances brought by the representatives of humanity, continued to proceed as usual, seemingly forgetting for a moment the four straight match defaults as Russell and company prioritized their mission entrusted to them by Ayleen, which was commissioned by Artorious. However, there were two Elves, feeling infuriated inwardly as they won without putting any effort but only sitting together with the audience, waiting for their next fights scheduled for the next day.
"Ilsevel… I'm going to crush that coward woman when I transferred to a human academy!"
An elf around sixteen to seventeen years old, truly young considering the Elves were a long live race with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin whispered, enough for the one named Ilsevel to hear and feel his boiling rage inside.
"Me, too! Although we were told to study in a human academy to learn the ways of them, for us to pursue knowledge and understanding, I'll never forget this! Fighting is sacred and yet the one meant for me to fight just ran away?!"
This time, it was an elf around eighteen to nineteen years old, with long dark orange hair, light yellow eyes, and snow white skin firmly said as her right hand formed a fist, showing her resolve to encounter sooner the one she should be fighting earlier.
"Both of you, what did I tell you? Do you want to be assigned to do some chores again? Sigh. I can't blame you, but lingering senseless feelings will only eat the two of you away, making you lose focus on training and becoming stronger!"
A striking elf with long greyish white hair, greenish eyes, lithe body with fair skin, sitting in the middle between the two chattering Elves as they continued to watch the spectacle happening in the arena, warned about the dangers of harboring unsatisfied emotions.
"B-but, Ilsevel! We were taught that running in a battle like this brings dishonor!"
"H-he's right, Ilsevel!"
The two younger Elves pressed on the matter, but the elf woman, named Ilsevel shook her head without shifting her gaze to either of them. Pondering for a moment, Ilsevel whispered in a serious tone.
"It would bring only dishonor among ourselves, but it's our culture, a tradition I may say, but they're humans. They're different from us; in their love of nature, and their lifestyles. We shouldn't enforce our ways on them, especially when the Student Exchange begins."
One of the Elven traditions was that if an elf was assigned to have a match with another elf, it must be pushed forward and one couldn't back down unless there was a valid reason. This mostly happened within the Elven academies, when there were mock battles, or when an elf was in service in an Elf Army.
They had this saying, "Strayed blood is heresy, but nature's will is eternal." In other words, it simply meant that an elf must never go against the will of nature. That, whatever it willed, must be upheld between them. At least, it's their interpretation of the second phrase as the first phrase was about the vampire's desire or nature of drinking blood, which was considered heresy for the Elves against nature's will.
"...Is that clear to both of you, Tsarra? Elkhazel?"
This time, with a somewhat compressed intimidating pressure, Ilvesel glanced to her right side, where the young Elf woman named Tsarra was sitting. Tsarra gritted her teeth, but she realized her mistake as she nodded in agreement. It's the same for the young Elf man named Elkhazel. And before any of the two managed to say what was in their minds, Ilvesel continued, getting the attention of the two to remain at her.
"Tsarra, your opponent should be the one named Amelie Rose Merveil, right? And it's Freya Moon against Elkhazel?"
"Yes, Miss Ilvesel-."
Speaking their tongue, Elvish, the two of them almost responded, in agreement, at the same time in a polite manner.
"I am not degrading the two of you, but I have this intuition of nature that both of you would have lost if the match continued.
"It's the same with the woman I should have fought, the daughter of the considered strongest human, Samantha Hall."
Tsarra and Elkhazel looked at Ilvesel in disbelief. Considering the identity of Ilvesel, her words seemed to have shaken up their pride, but also sent them into deep contemplation.
With curiosity enveloping her mind, Tsarra asked.
"W-why do you think so…? I mean – what do you see in them?"
"I don't know, but I feel they're not your normal students in the human academy. I would understand if it's the daughter of the strongest human since bloodline affects the connection to a Star, depending on certain factors though. But the two inconspicuous women that should have fought with each of you was something else, something ominous I may say. So be careful around them."
The Elves' terminology when it came to Constellations, Gods, or Goddesses was simply "Star,'' because of the notion that these higher beings were seeing them from above the sky and the glistening lights were considered as their eyes or presence. Of course, there's an exception to this: The Elven Goddess, which they addressed by saying the words itself, not just as "Star."
The two younger Elves glanced at each other for a moment before they nodded, taking note of Ilvesel's warning.
***
The average time of a match in the El-Vul-Or Tournament was between ten to fifteen minutes considering the prohibition of usage of any kind of potions that could aid the participants during the battle.
It was around 2:30 in the afternoon at this moment, more than an hour since Russell, Samantha, and company left for the mission entrusted to them by Ayleen, which was commissioned by Artorious.
With Samantha, Freya, Amelie, and Ken not attending the matches they were scheduled for at least an hour was saved for today's hours of matches.
And currently, after leaving their respective opponent hanging, they proceeded to take the journey to the outskirts of the border of the Northern Elnira, where a forest with an ominous atmosphere could be located.
The Orion Continent was situated in the Eastern part of the world, while the Elnira Kingdom was founded thousands of kilometers away outside of the Orion Continent, which then could be located further Northwest, while the Vulcan Kingdom of the Dwarves was established on the far North outside of the Orion Continent, where rocky, volcanic mountain ranges were blazing and raging.
"I wonder what's in South or West? I mean — I don't even know what's on the East outside of Orion Continent."
Amelie, the most talkative in this group, randomly struck a question as they traversed the entrance of the high walls made of unordinary, unknown thick branches where Elven soldiers were stationed every second, by shifts.
"Halt-!
"What are some kids, dressed but in ordinary human clothes, doing here?"
"We are the Umbra Mercenary and were sent here to fulfill a mission under the commission of our superiors.
"In addition, we received the permission of Your Majesty, the honorable Queen of Elves."
Russell, the leader of the Umbra Mercenary, took out a letter signed by the Queen of Elnira and handed it to one of the Elven soldiers that were guarding the entrance of the high walls.
The Elven soldier read it with piercing eyes as he alternatively glanced at the letter and the group, seemingly finding the current circumstances fascinating and hilarious.
"I thought I'll rot in here by guarding this restricted area, but to think some kids that may be under twenty years old were sent to capture vampire scouts, and with Your Majesty's approval at that...
"This is getting interesting...
"Alright. You may pass!"
The Elven soldier didn't doubt the letter even by a second because of the familiar Mana of the Queen that was lingering on the piece of paper, which was being spread in the air as a form of blessing when Elven festivities were transpiring, specifically in the time of harvest.
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, we've been told to lie low, but now, the Queen, with the cooperation of the strongest human and the Dwarven King, has given us a mission!
"These human folks are mercenaries and were sent here to capture a vampire for whatever purpose it may be.
"Your Majesty, through her own words, has given this mercenary group a right to hire some of us.
"Is there any objection!?"
"No, Sir-!"
The numerous Elven soldiers, around hundreds in this front line, lined up after being called by the Elven Commander, didn't dare to object, but rather answered as loyal soldiers.
<Hey, do you think he's crazy? Why act as a guard at the entrance when he's the commander?>
Amelie asked through telepathy after discovering that the man at the entrance of this fortified fortress was the Elven Commander, not just a normal soldier.
<Focus on the mission, will ya?!>
Freya shot glares at Amelie on the side, causing the latter to scoff, but agreed thereon.
"Mister Russell, how many men do you need?"
Hearing the Elven Commander, Russell's gaze scanned the Elven soldiers with his profound vision before activating the filtered, due to Nihility, Skill: Gaze of the Abyss.
[Activating the Skill: Gaze of the Abyss]
[Assessing the Hidden Nature of the Elven Soldier named...]
[Assessing...]
[...Elven Soldier...]
'These folks are all faithful to their country, huh? Something impossible for humanity to achieve even if the world burns to death.'
Russell thought before telling the commander, according to his judgment, the ones he'd ask for assistance in their journey.
The original plan was to fulfill the mission with their own power and Russell's knowledge of the vampire's behaviors, but upon contemplating the purpose of this mission, which Russell knew even if Ayleen didn't tell them directly, he thought that they should at least catch a big fish, perhaps the one's giving orders to the vampire scouts hanging outside of this border.
"You have good eyes, young mercenary."
The Elven Commander revealed a smile, realizing the identities of the Elven soldiers Russell had asked for.
***
"Iefyr, Kerym, Thessalia, Lusha. The four of you, step forward!"
The Elven Commander, in a firm voice, had given the order based on Russell's judgment.
Iefyr and Keryn were both Elven men soldiers, while the other two, Thessalia and Lusha were Elven women soldiers. All were talented in their specialization, which was necessary to fulfill this mission.
Apart from the Hidden Nature that Russell had considered in choosing these four, as per the Queen of Elnira's decree of providing limited manpower, he also thought of their skills as he checked their Status Windows.
"I repeat, according to Your Majesty's orders, the four of you will assist them in the mission entrusted to them, which means that whatever order this young mercenary, their leader, gives must be followed at all costs.
"Any objections?! If there's not, swear in the name of our Elven Goddess!"
The Elven Commander's voice had a hint of patriotism as the four chosen addition of manpower spoke at the same time.
"For my life belongs to the Elven Goddess, in her name, I swear of whatever the future holds, the nature's will remains."
Russell and company listened, their thoughts were different.
"Alright. We'll be watching from afar.
"May the Elven Goddess guides you on your arduous path."
The Elven Commander said to them before Russell said a few words of encouragement and informed the newly, temporary manpower of the plan.
***
A few hundred meters away from the impenetrable fortress of the Elves in the Northern Elnira.
"Oi, oi! Ain't getting a race's blood?"
A vampire scout sitting on a thick branch of a tree within this wide forest glanced at his partner on this job.
"We're nothing but cannon fodder in this mess. Well, I'd like to taste Elven blood, though even before I die.
"Also, stop saying it as if you've been getting proper and not animal blood. Haha! After all, we're the sa-"
"Of course, you're the same."
A womanly voice was heard behind the vampire, but his sight was momentarily set on his partner a few meters away, whose head left its rightful place.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺