Chapter 49: God(s)

“Well, I’m sorry, little sister Astraea. Although you are one of our kin, we still have to follow the proper procedures.”

After confirming Astraea’s age, the two elves of the Holy Land Guard no longer held any hostility.

On the contrary, they were now filled with concern for the little elf.

But regardless, the crime of trespassing into the Holy Land was unavoidable.

However, considering little Astraea’s age, the Elf Court would at most sentence her to a few years of imprisonment, and then send her to kindergarten for re-education.

As for that human in a tin can… to avoid provoking Astraea, it would be better to execute him while she was locked up.

Thinking this, the slightly more composed elf reached out to take Astraea’s hand.

A cold glint flashed in the little elf’s eyes.

After more than two years away, she had honed a set of powerful combat skills (relative to elven toddlers).

Although these skills couldn’t match the Holy Land Guard head-on—one needed at least forty years of training to become a common spearman—sneak attacks were completely within her ability!

Astraea’s straight sword shot out like lightning.

The elf who reached out had his pupils contract sharply, and he pulled his body to the left, dodging the little elf’s thrust at the last possible moment.

But this was already within Astraea’s expectations.

She didn’t put much strength into the thrust; instead, while thrusting the sword, she used her left hand to deliver a fierce elbow strike.

A twenty-year-old elf was indeed still a toddler, but with basic development complete, they already had enough strength to fight.

The guard elf, unable to react to Astraea’s true killing move, could only watch as the elbow in his vision grew larger, then blacked out.

Strengthen!

Having taken down one elf, Astraea didn’t waste time.

She immediately cast a strengthening magic on herself, then used the heightened reflexes from the spell to duck and avoid a sweeping spear.

The remaining Holy Land Guard elf clearly had a high level of professional discipline.

The tip of the spear stopped just before hitting the tree trunk that Luo En was leaning against—these trees were also part of the Holy Land, and he couldn’t damage them.

Despite the terrain restrictions, the highly skilled Holy Land Guard wouldn’t be afraid of an underage elven toddler like Astraea.

He used the spear as a staff and lashed out at Astraea with rapid strikes.

Although the little elf’s body, boosted by strengthening magic, could match an adult elf in strength, she couldn’t compare in skill and experience.

Now Astraea could only retreat step by step, wielding her straight sword, with no chance to counterattack.

Only when the opponent was distracted by wanting to spear Luo En to death could Astraea find a moment to counter.

But that only ensured Luo En wouldn’t be carelessly stabbed to death in the elven Holy Land.

Now Astraea’s only chance was for Luo En to wake up, or for the Elven Goddess who had also screwed her over to show up again.

‘Didn’t that big white-haired guy say that gods wouldn’t harm their own believers?’

Holding her sword with both hands to barely block a staff strike, Astraea cursed the pointy-eared god who liked to wear disguises in her mind.

‘If you don’t show up soon, your believer is going to get beaten to death with a stick!’

As if hearing the little elf’s call, a faint green divine light suddenly radiated from Luo En, who was unconscious against the tree trunk.

The light was so bright that the Holy Land Guard who had been striking Astraea with his spear couldn’t help but turn around to look.

“Holy crap!”

The poor elf who hadn’t seen a divine manifestation in over a decade saw the goddess’s power emanating from a human today!

He froze, unsure whether to hold his spear or put it down.

Goddess above!

No, wait, maybe the goddess was right in front of him.

That turn of the head was astonishing.

This Holy Land Guard elf, who had diligently guarded the sacred ground for over twenty years, suddenly felt as if his wife had been stolen from him.

However, a hundred years of faith ultimately overcame racial prejudice against humans.

He gritted his teeth, knelt on one knee before Luo En, and said in a respectful tone, “Welcome, Goddess!”

On the other side, Astraea also sighed in relief when she saw the divine light that instinctively made her feel close.

But she still held her sword, pointing its tip at the half-kneeling Holy Land Guard.

Though usually no elf would dare to take action in the presence of the goddess.

Walking slowly toward Luo En, Astraea curiously extended a thread of mana to probe his current condition.

The half-kneeling Holy Land Guard elf also looked at the clueless elven brat with a constipated expression.

How dare she disturb the descending goddess?

Where did this brat come from?!

“Luo En… Luo En…”

Luo En seemed to hear someone calling him.

He opened his eyes in confusion and saw a forest that didn’t seem real.

Why unreal?

Because there wasn’t even a single bug in this forest!

Cough, just kidding.

The lack of bugs was one thing, but more importantly, in Luo En’s eyes, the trees in this forest were entirely made of pure energy.

He instinctively wanted to reach out and touch these energy-formed trees, but found that the hand he extended was transparent.

He looked down at his body and realized he was entirely transparent.

“Am I… am I dead?”

But his life force was still there; he could feel the vigorous vitality from the little elf.

That meant Astraea was healthy, and he wasn’t dead.

He couldn’t help muttering to himself, but the call from the guardian contract rooted in his soul became clearer.

No, to be precise—

Luo En turned around and saw an extremely beautiful figure.

That figure had snow-white hair like Lucius, and pointed ears and a graceful figure like Astraea.

Of course, this figure was much taller than Astraea.

“Luo En, my dear child.”

Her face, too beautiful for words, showed a gentle expression.

“Come here quickly.”

It was she who was calling Luo En.

Luo En asked in confusion, “Are you… the Elven Goddess?”

Although he still didn’t understand the specifics, whoever appeared before him now couldn’t be a simple figure.

Seeing the pointed ears and beauty beyond words, Luo En guessed and got the answer.

But why would he see the Elven Goddess instead of the All-Father?

Was he actually an elf disguised as a human?

After acknowledging her identity, the Elven Goddess continued to coax him in a gentle tone, but this time she seemed a bit urgent.

“Of course, dear child. Come here quickly~”

Luo En was a bit dazed.

Looking directly at a god was not a good experience, even though his mind had been strengthened twice.

He stood there dumbfounded, not moving.

This really worried the Elven Goddess.

The great Mother of Elves waved her hand, and her body instantly grew enormous.

She grabbed the transparent Luo En and said, “Get over here!”

Her presence descended upon the place, and the forest-like space immediately became unstable.

Almost the moment she grabbed Luo En, four equally majestic divine powers struck out.

These divine powers scattered, trying to stabilize the surrounding space.

But it was futile.

How could the Elven Goddess’s divine power alone compare to four opponents?

Luo En, who had finally come to his senses, sadly realized that he seemed to have been caught up in something terrible.

But if he died here without knowing why, Astraea would be sad, right?

The guardian contract allowed both parties to sense each other’s state.

If he got into trouble here, Astraea would definitely know.

Just like he could sense that the little elf was perfectly healthy now.

A crack opened in the ground, and a ray of golden light shot out.

Luo En looked toward it and felt a very familiar aura.

It was the All-Father!

Tears streamed down Luo En’s face.

He knew his god would not abandon him.

“You, don’t come over here!”

Unlike Luo En’s relief, the Elven Goddess was now panicked enough to be called desperate.

Although only that guy’s golden light had appeared, he was sure that the other three were lurking behind!

If he showed even a single opening, the other three outside would definitely slip in and cause a big ruckus.

Under Luo En’s expectant gaze, a weasel crawled out from the crack in the ground.

This weasel also had a head of pitch-black hair and spoke human words: “Hmph, I told you, give me this little one.”

“No! Absolutely not!”

The Elven Goddess was tough.

She hid Luo En behind her, as if that would prevent the golden glowing robber from seeing him.

She treated him like a precious treasure.

The weasel said nothing, just stared at the Elven Goddess.

At the same time, the golden light on his body grew even brighter, and the trees made of divine power in the space began to burn with golden flames.

The Elven Goddess also emitted a faint green light, but this light was completely overshadowed by the golden light.

“Elves only have a few hundred thousand, but humans number over a hundred million,” the weasel said with a mischievous smile.

“So I said, give me the little one.”

“Not unless you return Little Xi’aofula to me!” The Elven Goddess took a step back, shielding Luo En in her arms.

A faint pink glow radiated from her body.

It seemed she couldn’t monopolize Luo En, but at least she had to save her chosen one from that despicable human god.

But this time, Luo En saw a strange expression on that weasel’s face.

“Your chosen one… she’s quite… smooth.”