The invitation from the Elf Queen drew a great deal of attention.
Some were strongly opposed, fearing that the Elves harbored ill intentions, while others agreed, believing it was an opportunity to ease tensions.
Regardless, Aililan had already set out. Accompanying her was an elite army. While 5,000 men was not an overwhelming number, it was not small either, and it was sufficient to serve as a deterrent.
A few days later, the massive procession arrived at the border. Since this was a formal meeting, the diplomats from both sides first engaged in negotiations.
The Elven side extended an invitation. “We welcome your arrival. Our Queen has been waiting for a long time.”
The Atester side responded, “In light of the friendly exchange between our two sides, we also sincerely invite the Elven Princess to visit us as a guest.”
“What? You want our Princess to go to your side? Isn’t that just a veiled threat?”
“Then what do you call putting our Saintess in danger? If you won’t agree, then forget it.”
“The Princess’s status is special. We can send several Elders to accompany her instead.”
“Bullshit! You think only your Princess’s status is special? Our Saintess is the spiritual symbol of Atester; her noble status is even higher than your Princess’s.”
“We cannot agree to this.”
“If you won’t agree, then forget it.”
After a round of fierce negotiations, the two sides finally reached a compromise.
The Elves agreed to send the Princess as an exchange condition, while the Atester side withdrew their army 10 miles as a gesture of sincerity to avoid unnecessary suspicion.
When Aililan received the news, she merely gave a faint critique. “Truly… quite boring.”
But this was the procedure of diplomacy.
If she bypassed these processes, her subordinates would never allow her to attend the meeting alone.
At the midpoint between the two sides, an Elven Elder planted a seed. Driven by nature magic, the seed grew rapidly, its vines intertwining to quickly form an elegant vine hut.
“Interesting.”
After her subordinates inspected it and confirmed there were no issues, Aililan stepped inside. She found that even the tables and chairs were woven from vines.
*patter*
The sound of light footsteps approached.
Aililan looked up to see an Elven woman wearing a crown entering. Her appearance was 70% or 80% similar to Eleanorice’s, but she appeared more mature.
It was difficult to discern an Elf’s age by their appearance; she gave off a feeling that combined the clarity of a young girl with a certain maternal softness.
The Elf Queen walked into the room carrying a clay pot.
“My name is Terili.”
“Aililan.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Saintess of the humans.”
“It is a pleasure to meet you as well. The beauty of the Elf Queen is even more dazzling than I imagined.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries…
“The weather is lovely today.”
“Yes.”
“Would the Saintess like some tea?”
“I would.”
The Elf Queen opened the clay pot, then took out charcoal and a kettle from a space scroll, slowly beginning to brew tea.
This scene did not look like a meeting between two great powers; it looked more like an ordinary social visit.
Before long, the tea was ready.
The tea was a clear emerald green.
Aililan picked up the cup and took a light sip, nodding in praise. “The flavor is excellent — sweet and refreshing. Moreover, it seems to nourish the spirit… a soul-replenishing effect? In the human world, it would be difficult to find a better tea.”
Terili chuckled softly. “I am glad you like it. This tea comes from a tea tree growing beside the Mother Tree. It is 2,000 years old, and its annual yield is very small. If the Saintess likes it, I can give you some.”
Aililan set down her teacup and said meaningfully, “So, did the Queen call me here just to treat me to tea?”
Terili’s expression gradually turned serious.
After a moment of silence, she sighed softly. “With the Saintess’s intelligence, you must already know my reason for coming.”
Aililan shook her head. “Even if I know, so what? I cannot help you.”
“You must have a way.”
“Queen, you are mistaken,” Aililan said in a calm tone. “The solution has never been in my hands; it has always been in yours. It is just that you lack the courage to take that step.”
“Courage…”
Terili repeated the word in a low voice.
“It is easy to say,” she said bitterly. “If it were your Church, would you have such courage?”
Aililan responded flatly, “Why wouldn’t we? My Sister — the Saint of Temperance — once said that if a day comes when the Church’s existence no longer conforms to the laws of development, then it should be allowed to perish.”
Terili opened her mouth, stunned. “I… do not have that kind of courage. Then what should we do?”
Aililan stood up and looked in the direction of the Elven lands.
It was as if she could see the Mother Tree that blotted out the sun.
“In truth, your Mother Tree has never given you a choice.”
“If I haven’t guessed wrong, in a few decades, or perhaps 100 or 200 years, it will completely lose its ability to reproduce.”
Terili nodded bitterly. “That is correct.”
Aililan took a deep breath. “We humans have a saying — to follow the trend is wise; to go against it is never a smart move.”
“This world has no savior, and no one will take responsibility for your future in your stead.”
Terili asked in a low voice, “Then what exactly is this ‘trend’ you speak of?”
Aililan looked at her. “The so-called trend is that your Gestation Elves already make up over 90% of your population, yet the power and wealth of the Elven race are held by the less than 10% who are Pure-blood Elves.”
“Therefore, to them, your survival and the survival of the Mother Tree are simply not important.”
Terili’s voice trembled slightly. “Then… what is important?”
Aililan said indifferently, “That you no longer exist is what is most important.”
Terili’s body swayed slightly.
She knew the internal conflicts of the Elven race all too well.
The number of Gestation Elves continued to increase, yet the upper class, in order to maintain the number of Pure-blood Elves, constantly overexploited the Mother Tree’s reproductive capacity — this was no different from drinking poison to quench a thirst.
The final end had long been decided.
Aililan stepped forward to steady her.
The two had a brief moment of contact before separating.
Terili steadied herself, her eyes filled with sorrow. “Is there really… no way at all?”
Aililan narrowed her eyes slightly. “A way… well, it’s not like there isn’t one.”
Terili immediately became excited. “What is the way?”
Aililan smiled faintly, her tone flat.
“Why should I tell you?”
Her gaze was deeply meaningful.
That little trick from just now was not enough to make her yield so easily.
Between the two of them, neither was clean.
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