Silitya had used up her allotted number of statements to outsiders for the day, and Isadora had returned as well.
“Hello. Did you sleep well last night? Was breakfast to your liking?”
“It was good. Thank you for your hospitality.”
The other party sounded friendly, but Celes still chose to keep things formal.
After her journey to Harbor City, she had become more cautious outside.
Isadora looked at the girls and smiled.
“If you’re ready, follow me.”
Let’s take a look at the so-called Holy Spring Seal.
A few minutes later, Silitya returned alone to her treehouse.
The other young elves were waiting there.
Not just members of the envoy group, but another dozen or so as well.
When they saw her return, they all came forward.
“Why did you come back alone?”
“Where are the others?”
The elf loli made a bitter face.
“The elder took them to the Sacred Spring and wouldn’t let me follow.”
Unbelievable! Not even allowed to see a place in your own home, while only outsiders get to go.
The dozen or so young elves couldn’t stand it.
They were indignant on the spot, wishing there was a table in front of them to slam their hands on.
“Let’s go find another elder and get justice!”
***
On the other side, after following Isadora through the forest for nearly an hour, their pace finally slowed a bit.
To keep up her role, Ella even pretended to be tired, grumbling twice.
But before she could complain further, Leah immediately granted her a Blessing, leaving her no reason to whine.
“Ella, you really need to train more.”
The Saintess spoke righteously.
“Because I won’t always help you. Sometimes, when you’re tired, you have to push through yourself.”
After speaking, she couldn’t help puffing out her chest.
How great! This feeling of saying embarrassing things in front of your companions, yet they all think it’s normal conversation.
Hehehe.
Leah thought to herself, completely unaware that someone behind her had glanced at her.
“Hiss, I feel a chill on my back. Do you all need to keep warm?”
“No need.”
“I’m fine.”
“I don’t feel any wind.”
The companions declined the Saintess’s offer.
She granted herself a Blessing, instantly warming up her body.
Now she didn’t feel cold anymore.
After a few more minutes at a slower pace, they arrived at their destination.
Before them was a desolate Old Field—bare and empty—an abrupt sight in the dense forest, like a bald patch in a head of thick hair.
But looking closer, the grass and plants on the field were neatly arranged.
Several unfamiliar plants circled the entire area like a formation.
There was no spring, but there was a seal.
“I’d like to ask something.”
Isadora turned to the pink-haired Human girl.
“How did you learn about this?”
Ella hesitated for a moment, then pulled two pages from her pocket.
They were from .
Before leaving, Rolls had torn this story from a book of parables and handed it to her.
Well, maybe not ‘torn’—the book was so old it came apart with a light pull.
“Over a hundred years ago, during the Alliance Period, a Human envoy group came here for an exchange.”
Celes explained.
“Among them, a bard gathered local stories and compiled them upon returning.”
“Unfortunately, at your request, the books were never widely published, and only a few copies remain.”
“Fortunately, my mentor had one and allowed us to see it.”
She was happy to say this, as it proved she and Ella acted together—making them the closer pair in the five-person team.
No one noticed her little pride.
Celes snuck a glance at her companions.
Everyone was focused on the patterns on the ground, not paying attention to her.
“So it was them. I still remember a few of them.”
A hint of nostalgia flickered in Isadora’s eyes.
“Unknowingly, more than a hundred years have passed.”
Yes.
Generations had changed in the Human Kingdom, and the Highborn Alliance was now a thing of the past.
But for the Elves, it hadn’t been long.
“Back to the main point, the events are mostly as described in the book.”
“Her name was Xisha, an ordinary Elf living here—one of many children of the forest.”
“But she was smart from a young age. If it were now, she might have joined the envoy group visiting other races.”
Isadora used this description to give them a more direct comparison.
But the issue was—was she referring to the Human envoy group, or the Elven envoy group?
There was quite a difference.
Vina wanted to ask, but Celes quickly pulled her arm.
Don’t ask—that would be rude.
“I have a question.”
Ella took back the pages and pointed to the title.
“The name Yiselis—how did you come to know it?”
If the girl’s name was Xisha, why use this name in the title?
“I’m not sure, either.”
Isadora shook her head.
“It seems that, back then, someone heard Xisha muttering ‘It’s all Yiselis’s fault’ as she walked out of a sea of fire.”
Ella and Celes exchanged a glance.
This little understanding made the Sword Saint Maiden even happier.
Back to business.
No doubt about it.
It was the same Evil God as in Harbor City.
A thousand years ago, causing trouble among the Elves—now doing it by the sea.
Truly wicked.
To show sincerity, Ella summarized the information.
“We have evidence that Yiselis is an Evil God from beyond this world.”
“Though its true form is far away, it has always sought to invade our world using the power of phases.”
“If that’s the case, then we face a grave crisis.”
Isadora’s expression turned serious.
She turned to the field, taking in the plant patterns like sigils.
“Based on our estimates, Xisha will awaken in about half a month, then break through the earth and attempt something terrible.”
“If the Evil God is involved, and she succeeds, disaster could follow.”
Half a month, huh.
Hearing this, Ella grew curious.
“Let me ask—if we hadn’t sent an invitation a few days ago, would you have tried to resolve this yourselves?”
The Elves were really too relaxed—only worrying with half a month left.
Isadora was about to speak when suddenly, hurried hoofbeats echoed ahead.
A dozen Dilu burst from the dense woods, each ridden by an Elf.
A dozen or so—male and female—small and agile, probably scouts or recon units.
True scouts.
Not those like Zero, who was called a ‘scout’ in formal settings because ‘assassin’ sounded bad.
“Elder, something’s wrong!”
The leading male Elf jumped off his Dilu and ran over.
“There’s a Demon Race invasion to the north!”