Two Ranger teams had already assembled at this campsite.
The atmosphere of these two teams was much more serious than the one led by Reiya…
Their quivers and longbows were uniformly worn on the left side of their bodies, and they stood in neat formation, waiting for orders from their superior.
“Leiji, you’re late.”
An Elf team leader stepped forward. Her gaze toward Reiya was cold and indifferent… her tone full of reproach.
“Even if you had to deal with humans, it shouldn’t have taken that long. What if it delayed the Captain General’s schedule?”
“It won’t cause a delay. Se La, you’re always so serious, why do you have to keep such a stern face—”
Leiji paid no mind to her colleague’s coldness, smiling brightly as she moved closer… only to have her cheek pinched and pushed away by the team leader named Se La.
“I have no interest in fooling around with you. Is this girl the human you arrested?”
Her gaze moved past Leiji’s shoulder, landing on Lian… and then on Iyue.
Her previously flat voice gained a hint of shock.
“Haha. You didn’t expect me to run into her, did you? She is our Elf race’s great hero… mmmph!”
“Instructor… it’s been a long time.”
Clamping shut the mouth of the smugly grinning Leiji, Team Leader Se La bowed toward Iyue.
“You too, Se La. I didn’t expect you to become a Ranger Team leader either.”
Iyue patted her shoulder and smiled at her.
“Wow… you really have students everywhere.”
Lian jumped down from her horse, teasing Iyue.
“Reiya, you didn’t restrain this human?”
Looking at the freely moving Lian, Se La frowned. She let go of Leiji’s cheek and questioned her.
“Well… she’s the instructor’s companion! We were late because we were accompanying the instructor along the forest path. They were on horseback… we met them in that village called Jingye Village…”
With a tearful face, Leiji recounted her experience in the village. After hearing her story, Se La’s frown deepened.
“So you didn’t even find out why they fired their guns? You just returned without confirming any documents or asking any questions… simply because the instructor knows them?”
“But… the instructor was there. If those humans were bad people, the instructor would have definitely dealt with them already…”
“…You’ve really wasted these hundred-plus years. Go tell the Captain General and see if she accepts your way of handling things!”
“Se La, forgive her.” Seeing Se La’s furious expression, Iyue hurriedly tried to smooth things over.
“Those humans really aren’t bad people. They fired their guns to protect themselves… because there was a misunderstanding with me. They also have legal documents for development.”
“Instructor… she didn’t tell me any of that just now. She’s treating the Ranger Corps’ duties as a complete joke—”
“Enough.”
A clear, cold voice cut through the commotion… an Elf walked over from the center of the camp.
Her figure was very slender, her pale golden hair tied up in a rather traditional style at the back of her head.
She wasn’t carrying a longbow or quiver… instead, she wore an ornate scabbard at her waist holding a longsword.
Moreover, her cloak was different from those of the team members and leaders—only her cloak was embroidered with golden leaf patterns.
“Captain General.”
Seeing her approach, Leiji and Se La immediately suppressed all emotion and expression, bowing to her.
In Lian’s eyes, the feeling she gave off was somewhat similar to Vera’s—and even more dignified and solemn.
‘Her apparent age doesn’t look much different from Iyue’s… so she’s also a four-hundred-plus-year-old old mon—’
Just as Lian was having this disrespectful thought, the Captain General’s gaze suddenly fell on her, giving her a cold glare.
“Haha… hello. My name is Lian Asius…”
‘What’s wrong with these Elves? Are they really that sensitive about age?’
Lian quickly averted her scrutinizing gaze and greeted her.
“I am Alexis Nairf. Captain General of the Jingfeng Forest Region Ranger Corps.”
Captain General Alexis gave her a slight nod, then said to Reiya:
“Your handling was indeed not in accordance with regulations. As punishment, you will be the ‘Target’ in the next training session.”
“Ah…! Captain General, I know I was wrong… can we change it…”
“And the session after that as well.”
The mercilessly accumulating punishment made Reiya shut her mouth immediately. She retreated tearfully to her team members, who gave her sympathetic looks.
“Sorry, Captain.”
“I’ll shoot lightly.”
“Hey… what kind of punishment is ‘Target’? Look at how miserable that girl looks.”
Lian leaned close to Iyue’s ear and asked curiously.
“Ah… that’s one of our Elf methods for training archery.” Looking at her former student, Iyue gave a bitter smile. “One person wears an archery target. They have to run around… while the others try to hit the target on them as much as possible.”
“That… that’s too brutal, isn’t it? It’s even worse than when you practiced with me before…”
“Not really. They use arrows without arrowheads, and they hold back on the force… so getting hit just leaves some bruises.”
“…But when you made me balance an apple, you used real arrows, right?”
“That… that was a test back then… to see if you were sincere…”
Iyue awkwardly averted her gaze.
“…You long-eared monster!”
Lian grabbed Iyue’s collar and shook her back and forth.
“Iyue Nailmei… it’s been a long time. How many years has it been?”
While the two were fooling around, Captain General Alexis finished dealing with her subordinates and walked over.
Her gaze fell on Iyue, examining her attire from head to toe. That gaze lingered for a moment on the pistol at Iyue’s waist, her vest, and her cloak, before slowly moving to her face.
She slightly furrowed her brows. It wasn’t hostility, but an unmistakable, unconcealable dissatisfaction.
“…I don’t remember.”
Seeing Iyue’s expression turn serious, Lian let go of Iyue’s collar and stepped aside.
“Truly, the important have short memories… Sixteen years ago, at the Triumphal Grand Festival in Fenglin City, I was the one guarding you by your side—as a member of the family.”
Alexis placed emphasis on the last few words… which made Iyue’s expression turn grim.
“I have nothing to do with the family. Isn’t that what you all decided in the past?”
“How could that be? You have long since proven with your actions that you are worthy of the family name. You are the hero who saved the continent… a legend of our race.”
“I didn’t fight the Demon King to earn the right to be worthy of this surname.”
Iyue said with a cold laugh.
“Your motivation is not important. As long as your blood still flows… then you will forever be a member of our family.” Alexis raised her hand and placed it over her chest, bowing to her.
“I’ve heard everything from Leiji. I welcome you to join our team, wandering hero. Although this journey together will not be long… I hope we can get along pleasantly.”
This Ranger Corps Captain General finally smiled for the first time… but this smile made Iyue feel a wave of nausea.