Chapter 235: Executing the Mission

In the town, everyone had to be registered. Helag and his group were listed under the Ruby Chamber of Commerce, so they wouldn’t be questioned.

However, if they weren’t under the Ruby Chamber’s name, they would become suspicious, and the elves would certainly take notice.

Normally, if three adventurers finished escorting a caravan and didn’t leave, it would raise questions—what were they still doing here?

Most likely, they’d be hiding something.

When Helag returned to the Ruby Chamber’s inn, he found Reese tidying up the room.

At her request, the Ruby Chamber had only provided two rooms.

David had one room to himself, while Reese and Helag shared the other.

After spending an entire month in a cramped wagon, they hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep.

Now, with a spacious, soft bed, they were ready to get some real rest.

Of course, a little pre-sleep exercise was inevitable—it was going to be a long night.

Helag, being experienced, had asked the staff for extra blankets, mainly to cover the bed for… convenience.

By dusk, the three of them had finished dinner and returned to their rooms.

Reese, holding onto Helag, was ready to make her move when Helag said, “Wait here for a bit. I need to go finish the mission.”

“The mission? Now?” Reese was surprised.

She had observed the area earlier and thought it was nearly impossible to sneak through the fence and into the forest unnoticed.

The elves were excellent spellcasters, and their defensive spells were undoubtedly formidable.

Reese had assumed they’d need to plan carefully and discuss how to complete the mission.

She hadn’t expected Helag to be ready to go so soon, especially since it was nearly nightfall.

Attempting to sneak in and place the teleportation coordinates now seemed far too dangerous.

From what they had seen, the elves’ defenses in Strange Valley were tight.

The fence alone was likely enchanted with numerous spells, making it difficult even for first-level wizards like them to pass through.

And doing so without alerting the elves inside? Nearly impossible.

“Yes, I’m heading out now. I might be back late,” Helag said, stroking the back of Reese’s head.

Reese instinctively tightened her grip on his clothes, feeling nervous.

“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. I wouldn’t attempt something if I wasn’t confident,” Helag reassured her with a confident smile.

Reese remained silent, then stood on her toes to kiss him.

***

After leaving the inn, Helag made his way to the courtyard on the northern side of town.

The courtyard was surrounded by tall walls, with a heavy iron gate tightly shut.

Helag walked up and knocked on the gate.

“Who are you? What do you want?” asked an elf who opened the gate, appearing to be in his thirties.

“I’m here to see Bain,” Helag replied.

“What business do you have with Bain?” The elf eyed Helag warily.

Helag handed over ten gold coins, smiling, “Please tell Bain I have something important to discuss with him.”

The elf hesitated but then nodded, “Wait here.”

He closed the gate and went to inform Bain.

A short while later, the gate reopened, and Bain appeared, flipping the ten gold coins in his hand, looking at Helag suspiciously, “Who are you?”

Helag smiled without answering and subtly activated his bloodline mark, releasing a strange aura.

To ordinary people, this aura would be almost imperceptible, but to elves, it was a different story. Their sensitivity to such bloodlines was acute.

Bain’s eyes immediately locked onto Helag, his expression freezing.

Just as he was about to speak, Helag raised his hand, “Let’s talk inside.”

“Of course… of course,” Bain stammered, unsure but not daring to show any disrespect.

At the back of the courtyard stood a three-story wooden house, Bain’s personal residence.

He led Helag inside and even brewed a pot of the local specialty fruit tea.

Once inside, Helag fully activated his bloodline mark, his appearance changing instantly.

“This… this… Lord Bain greets the esteemed one,” Bain stammered, immediately dropping to his knees in reverence.

A royal elf!

The aura of a royal elf!

There was no mistaking it—Bain could feel it in his bones.

This was a fundamental difference in bloodline, something Bain could sense clearly.

Elves ruled the Elven Plane, and royal elves ruled the elves.

Only those who lived under the World Tree possessed the royal elf bloodline.

The elves in Strange Valley were from a remote tribe, one of many scattered across the Elven Plane.

To Bain, it was as if a lowly peasant had encountered a member of the imperial family.

The difference in status was too vast.

Even the chieftain of the elves in Strange Valley couldn’t compare to Helag.

That’s why Bain had knelt so quickly and smoothly, as if he had rehearsed it many times.

Though Bain didn’t know how Helag had hidden his true form as a human, or why he had concealed his identity, those were questions far beyond his station.

Bain knelt on the ground, feeling a mix of fear and awe.

He had no idea why Helag had come here.

I’m just a lowly steward. I’ve only skimmed a little money. Surely that’s not enough to draw the attention of a royal elf?

Bain was panicking, his hands and feet trembling slightly.

“Bain,” Helag said.

“Yes… yes, my lord,” Bain stammered, his body shaking.

“Take me to your chieftain,” Helag commanded.

He wasn’t just here to complete the mission; he had other personal goals as well.

“Of course, my lord. I’ll take you right away.”

Bain, relieved that it wasn’t about him, quickly led the way.

Normally, protocol required informing the chieftain and getting approval before bringing anyone in.

But this was a royal elf. Bain wouldn’t dare make Helag wait.

He led Helag through the back gate of the courtyard, which opened to the fence.

Bain placed his hand on the wooden gate, and after a moment, it opened automatically.

“Please, follow me, my lord,” Bain said, bowing deeply.

Beyond the gate lay a dense, sprawling forest.

A narrow path wound its way forward, disappearing into the depths of the forest.

Every few meters along the path, there were plants resembling street lamps, with two leaves and a white crystalline center.

These plants emitted a soft glow, illuminating the path in the dim forest.

Helag glanced at the forest, sensing the presence of various magical energies hidden throughout.