Sometimes, it’s true that you can be more direct.
There’s no need to talk too much about favors and social conventions.
But this was a bit too direct.
Elder Romery, and the other Elder Vicki, were both stunned.
Even the little assistant, Sofia, didn’t react at all.
“Miss Ayla, can you explain in detail?”
A few minutes later, in the courtyard of fluorescent green plants, within this new council venue, the pink-haired, lightning-girl who had come from afar, explained her grand plan to the Elves.
Since the fall of the Demon Clan’s former Emperor Aio, tribalism had flourished among the demons, and the court was filled with insects, powerless to unite the entire race as one.
As the saying goes, a bundle of chopsticks is hard to break, but a single chopstick breaks easily.
The Blood Demon Tribe, charging brainlessly in the forest, was the best proof.
At such an opportune moment, the Blood Demon Tribe was severely weakened after the war, leaderless, and at its weakest.
Given the current state of the demons, if one side was in trouble, would the other tribes just watch as the Blood Demon Tribe was beaten?
They would.
“The Human Kingdom is in a similar situation. I’ve already made contact with the frontier troops on the Northern Frontier Line. Another allied army will set out from there to counterattack the Wolfhead Tribe that once conquered Lilburg.”
Ayla said seriously.
“We were already prepared on our side, but I suddenly thought of bringing you all along, so I came over to ask.”
Simply put, Lala had started the engine and was ready to speed up.
The two elders exchanged glances, communicating with their eyes.
This battle had clear benefits—it would be a way to vent anger, help the grieving Elves find an outlet, and boost racial confidence.
But were there more benefits?
So Elder Romery asked,
“Miss Ayla, what is your ultimate goal for the joint operation? What will you do after attacking the Demon Clan’s territory?”
“Simple. I know some demons—different from those crazy tribes—most importantly, they will obey my orders completely. So, after occupying the city, the goal is to put them in charge, establish a new government, but in reality, this government will listen to me.”
Whoa.
Goodness.
Elder Romery was stunned.
“You intend to be the Shadow King of the demons?”
“How could that be? Listen to yourself.”
Ayla waved her small hand, smiling.
“The new demon government is just a subordinate body. It must obey the Alliance above—our three-way Alliance.”
Lala wanted to be the Alliance Leader.
That’s the highest official leader in the open.
Being a Shadow King is like wearing a brocade robe at night, too aggrieving.
But this way, Romery understood.
“So, in the newly established government, we will also have a say?”
“Yes. As long as the plan succeeds, you will no longer need to worry about threats from the north.”
That was a tangible benefit, and quite tempting.
“Miss Ayla, please wait a moment.”
Romery pulled Vicki back to the treehouse to discuss.
Sofia wanted to follow but was left behind to prepare food and drinks for the respected pink-haired lightning Miss.
It was late, so there was no meat—just fresh, crisp vegetables and small drinks.
Fortunately, Ayla had brought some roasted meat from the Northern Frontier Line’s cafeteria and invited Sofia to sit and eat together.
“Thank you, but I can’t…”
“Eat, it’s fine, we’re all friends. How have you been lately?”
“I’m fine. The Elders take good care of me, and I’ve adapted well to the work. I just miss my old companions sometimes.”
“It’s alright. If I have time, I’ll call them back so you can reunite.”
“…Ah?”
After a while, the two elders returned.
Their expressions were peaceful but tinged with seriousness.
“We agree to form an Alliance,”
Elder Romery said,
“But the specific terms of the Alliance Pact need to be discussed in detail.”
“No problem, as it should be.”
Ayla blinked.
“But in the end, it will be settled tonight.”
Because tomorrow, the vanguard from this route would arrive.
The elders wanted to clarify a few points.
First, the organizational structure of the Alliance: the Elves would have a share, the Human Kingdom another, and the yet-to-be-established government a third.
“I alone will represent that side.”
Ayla said confidently.
“There are currently five thousand elite soldiers, several high-ranking generals, and strong combat power.”
Elder Romery wiped away sweat.
What a forceful girl.
What’s going on?
Isn’t the ‘Sky Knight’ praised among the Elf people supposed to be a gentle and kind, fragile woman?
Sure enough, legends are always a bit off.
“Alright, then may I ask, Miss Ayla, in the counterattack plan, how many troops should we dispatch?”
“That depends on the quality of your soldiers. My troops on the western route number two thousand elites, and there’s also the Priests’ Group from the Church of Light accompanying us. For you, your overall combat power should be at least half of ours.”
A reasonable allocation.
Elder Vicki nodded in agreement.
“Then let’s discuss the preparations before battle.”
Romery said.
“Sending troops externally is something the Elves haven’t done in a very long time. I don’t know how the people will react, so we might need to hold a mobilization rally.”
“Then just hold one.”
To Ayla, if it could be solved with words, it wasn’t a problem.
But Romery quickly explained their difficulty.
The challenge of a mobilization rally lies in the choice of speaker.
Put simply, the last person to lead a mobilization was Cuiniya—not only a highly respected elder, but also known for her firm and convincing manner.
After the Westsa incident, most suitable candidates had died.
Now, the two elders didn’t quite fit, and the newly promoted ones lacked prestige.
At this point, Ayla took the initiative to suggest,
“Let a War Hero lead the rally—how about that?”
“War Hero?”
Romery frowned slightly.
“That might not work. The final battle against the Blood Demon Tribe was one-sided, not impressive enough…”
“I’m not talking about the battle against the Blood Demon Tribe, but the one against Westsa.”
Ayla waved her small hand.
“The Final Battle!”
The little assistant, Sofia, sitting nearby, looked up in surprise.
Romery also looked at her.
“Do you mean Su…?”
“That’s right. Her—the fallen companion.”
Ayla said the name.
“Silitya!”
The two elders’ expressions froze.
“Ah?”
***
The next morning marked the fifth day since Ayla and Seles had left.
In Harbor City, the Light Modification was seventy to eighty percent complete.
Of the four thousand soldiers about to depart, all had been modified.
The remaining nearly one thousand would stay in the city as garrison, so there was no rush.
They could take their time.
Each of the four generals would lead a thousand troops and prepare to depart.
Of them, Yanpo and Bouer—who looked more human—would go east to join the Human side’s allied forces, while the other two, who looked less human, would seek out the Elves.
Leah, Vina, and Zero—three girls—also mounted Dragon Hawks, ready to set off and reunite with their two advance companions.
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