Today in the morning, some of the home-going group whose destination isn't too far left after having saved up enough traveling expenses. Of course I prepared some measures to ensure that there will not be any information leakage about us on top of informing them that whatever they will be able to live peacefully or not depends on their sincerity.
After seeing them off, I selected thirty-six of the prisoners of war who have a noble lineage to send home. It's not like I'm taking pity on them, I'm sending them off with the human army which is making a full withdrawal from the forest today for the sole reason of having them work as "Weeds" in both the empire and the kingdom for me, in other words spies. I had Dhammi-chan brainwash them using her [Eyes of Bewitchment].
It's not like I'm particularly keen on opposing either country, it's just that I'm lacking far too much information about this world because of my limited connections to people of importance. Moreover, although they're retreating now, the human army may return to this forest in the future, so having more information on them is never bad.
After that, we trained as usual.
By the afternoon, the human army began their withdrawal and I confirmed that the spies had safely infiltrated their ranks successfully. After that, I contacted Father Elf with the communication tool and confirmed with him the contract's end and the rewards after we had a little chat.
I also received an invitation to [Rutorff's BanquetThe Souls' Banquet] which will be held in « The Elven Village » tonight. [Rutorff's BanquetThe Souls' Banquet] is a mourning ritual performed by the elves. All the elves participate in this ritual to send off their fallen friends and family members and to prevent them from turning into undead, like ghosts.
In the evening, leaving the protection of the base for the newcomers and my clones, I left to « The Elven Village » with a gift. By the way, I brought the elite elves together with me, I'm not so cruel as to prevent them from sending off their dead relatives and comrades. Of course I allowed this only because their appearances are different than before because of [Conceal], that way they wouldn't be identified by the village's elves.
By the time we arrived at the village, the banquet had already begun.
Ignoring the gazes filled with various emotions which landed on us when we entered the village, I walked to the center of the venue where I met Father Elf and handed over the gift I brought with me, the bicorn meat to him.
At the same time, I asked him to ensure the safety of Redhead and the other four women who were looking curiously around. I didn't think that it was a good idea to bring humans here, but they insisted on coming, so I brought them with me. Though knowing that Female Knight and Rusty Iron Knight wouldn't be welcomed here because of their former affiliations, I didn't bring them along.
After we finished the general greetings, I told everyone to disband in the crowd. Though most of them gathered in one place and ate together.
As for me, I chatted in a good mood with Father Elf while Elven Maiden-san poured elven wine for us.
At the end of the feast, on a stage in front of a massive bonfire that had been created in the center of the venue, Elven Maiden-san danced to a song played by an orchestra. Dancing lightly like a breeze, yet somewhat like a storm, attracting both nature and the people's gazes. Eventually the sounds in the surroundings disappeared, and the only thing that remained was the singing sounds of the elves.
Mid-dance, white balls of light appeared around Elven Maiden-san, when the elves saw them they started crying and shedding tears, eventually the white balls rose to the night sky and disappeared.
According to Father Elf, the spirits of the dead elves remaining in this world went to heaven, the hobgoblin shaman also told me that the the spirits of the dead elves remaining in this world disappeared, so it seems to be true.
I offered a prayer to the souls that moved on.