Tia forest killing noise also broke the peace of the green capital, the news of the human invasion into, panic like sewer rats scurrying around.
Druhiria, who had just finished listening to the war meeting, came out of the palace, and Velvet had been waiting for a long time.
"Is there a problem with trade?" The princess was surprised at her friend's agitation.
"Of course not, nothing has started yet. I came to ... forget it, tell us about the state of the war at the meeting, we civilians have no information channels at all."
Basically, this defensive war began and ended equally short, but still brought hurt. The struggle between the slave-catching leaders of the Guild of the Broken Ear and the Rangers was particularly fierce, and the hatred that had accumulated between the two sides for decades was like the falling leaves of the rainforest, covering one layer after another. And this time most of the new leaves are human, unicorns take the credit, just detection spell pressure collapsed the balance of the jungle war, the elven ranger has the overall upper hand.
And healing spells and neutralizing toxins to save a dozen lives, the army now, every ranger to the unicorn to report sincere thanks and friendship. Sadly, some of the battle was still missed due to miscommunication. The rangers were at least able to gesture, but the unicorns struggled to draw graphics with their hooves to make the elves understand, and the process still needs to be honed. Drusillia simultaneously experienced a glorious achievement and a heavy responsibility.
Then again, the second batch of human attacks, a small number of slave catcher hunters led the way as the human army poured into the forest. The slave catching leaders took the usual measures of stealing, infiltrating, ambushing, capturing captives and running, trying not to kill each other if they could avoid the rangers. Thousands of human troops are robbing, locusts roaming through the periphery of the forest rushed to the settlement, whether it is homegrown spices, amateur art or commoners' silk clothing, in short, can take all the things left behind, crazy to the point that even profane clothes and pants are not spared.
Settlement houses were torn apart and then set on fire, although no elves were caught by the human army, but caused the most damage. The enemy came aggressively but well targeted, the forest is not the site of group combat after all. The ranger generals did not have hard contact, the army's shield formation is not easy to break through. But compared to the slave catching squads, the enemy lacked the means to counterattack.
Without five days, dehydration diseases, carnivorous plants and all-night cold arrows made the army struggle. Seekers of wealth are driven by greed and are emboldened when the losses outweigh the gains. After more than 10 percent casualties, the army collapsed, fleeing in a heap out of the forest. Rangers chased them with their tails, and the roots of the trees along the southeast line drank their blood.
"The enemy within the forest is largely purged, and losses are being reported from all over. Although most of the hostages of the slave catching team were rescued, there are still 25 compatriots missing. It is said that the leader of the human team who did it is called 'Dogfish', and the Rangers only found traces of their team. I remember hearing about him when I attended the Ranger Festival thirty years ago, can humans live that long, an age still dare to come."
"You are talking about the father of the current dogfish, that name is inherited." Rameshirai came face to face.
Verity couldn't help but look back, nothing was there.
"What's wrong?" Ranger asked.
"Every time you pick up our conversation you appear from behind like a ghost, it's kinda uncomfortable to see you head on." The elven merchant snickered.
"Then I must change my bad habit of taking the front." Ramesile turned his head, "Leah, has the council of elders passed the subject of rescuing fellow citizens outside the forest yet?"
"Father is working on it, I don't think it will be a big problem."
"Excellent." Ramesirai summed up his desire to kill the slave catchers into a single sentiment.
The Ranger left to report. Villette said hesitantly, "Liya, I don't know what to say ... I'm afraid the pantheon will be cross about the subject of sending troops."
The princess stared in disbelief: "Impossible! That is a fellow countryman, not a foreign dragon. What reason does the pantheon have to oppose, if they dare to say outright that they will not rescue, who will believe in gods who betray their race. Villette are you thinking too much."
"The high priest need not directly oppose, just question the details of the military deployment, and then drag the pace of the meeting into the normal rhythm, the purpose will be achieved."
Drusilla sucked in a breath of cold air, the normal rhythm of the Council of Elders is to drag and drag again, the chicken and egg can be pulled for days. When the issue of sending troops passed, the elves who were held in the slave catching transit fortress outside the forest did not know where to go. "
"What about this ... reason? There has to be a reason for doing something like this to the detriment of Tyria, and the rescue of fellow citizens is in no way incompatible with the teachings of the Lord of Rituals."
"You come with me." Violet pulled the princess towards the Sunseeker's opera theater. Drusilla was surprised to find the theater filled to capacity, and on the stage was an impassioned priest.
"Fellow citizens, I know your sorrow and confusion, just as I did in the past, stumbling through the labyrinth of life until I found the guiding light of the Supreme One."
"I also understand why your turn away from faith. Questioning the reality of the existence of our Lord, fearing the harshness of the way of rituals. Questioning is not a sin, fear is common to all. But now, reality has made proof, and it is the dragon Lysatos who appeared outside the Green Capital!"
"What!" The princess, who was hiding in the audience with her hood, almost fell over, as if she had heard a sparrow singing the praises of a python.
Satisfied with the reaction of the elves, the priest interjected: "Both gods and dragons hide in epic mythology, the latter having appeared to display strange magical powers. So why is the Lord of Rituals not real? I can tell you unequivocally that the gaze of the supreme one is suspended over the green capital, watching over every Tyrian, and that if you adhere to the rituals, you will ascend to the Kingdom of God after death!"
"Fellow countrymen! The weapons and magic of the dragons cost a price, but eternal life in the kingdom of the supreme being does not cost a price! The liturgy is the vector to enter the Kingdom of God, and the door to self-salvation is never closed! Praise be to Nieron of all laws and all understanding!"
"Praise be to Nieron!" The fascinated audience shouted, if not believers, at least symbolically echoed, fearing the invisible Eye of God.
Verity quickly pulled the dazed princess out of the theater, whispering on the way: "Dragons and gods are legends - dragons are real - so are gods. What a simple trilogy, but enough to deal with fellow six-headed people. Due to the destruction of the human army, a large number of refugees poured into the green capital, and such lectures were held twice a day, and the effect was quite amazing, and the line of people asking for baptism in front of the temple lined up several hundred meters."
"The most brilliant thing is that the pantheon only exploited the authenticity of the existence of torch mages, but did not change anything about the determination of the evil nature of the dragon. The faith expanded rapidly during the days you were busy coordinating the relationship between the unicorns and the army. The High Priestess will not allow a 'hero who saves his fellow elves' to disrupt this situation."
Drusillia's mind was scrambled, unwilling to admit reality, and made to think hard to refute Villette's reasoning. Would the pantheon put faith in the overall good of Tyria above all else? It would, the eleven elves who had fallen on the altar flashed into the princess's mind, and their fanaticism would do so.
I expected the pantheon, which had suffered a major blow at the divine birth ceremony, to be honest for a while, but I did not expect the counterattack to be so sharp, pulling the people in with a few words of conceptual replacement.
"I can also give a speech to refute their sophistry."
"It's useless." The businesswoman vetoed, "The people need faith support, if you refute the theories of the pantheon, the terrified believers will not appreciate you for it. There is no reasoning with the mentally confused refugees, they will transfer their suffering to you, thus pushing the royal family against the common people, which is exactly what the high priest expects. It would have been possible to break the situation if only a hero who rescued his countrymen could have appeared, but now, alas ..."
Weapons are available, unicorns are available, why still can't bring back the helpless struggling compatriots? What are the efforts of their own these days? Drusillia sat on the roadside and curled up in pain.
"Only the recipient can read the words of the magic envelope, can you soar the wings! Just a little gem and gold coins, all take home!"
The two ladies followed the sound of the out-of-place hawking that attracted the princess to the fountain square and saw Vlamir holding seven or eight magical items for sale.
"Look at this! Illusionary octave box, open not only music, but also unicorn images dancing, only 200 gold ... this is not Princess Liya, excuse me." The magic eye governor businessman apologized with a smile.
"I am here to discuss the details of trade, have been informed, was waiting to receive when I saw so many potential customers, could not help but ... hehe ..."
"Good day, my name is Villette, happens to be the head of trade, let's talk in the commercial hall." The businesswoman turned back and was about to greet the princess when she went to find Drusilla holding the illusionary octavo box, her eyes bright and frightening.
"Liya?"
A mysterious smile flew onto Drusillia's face, she suddenly had a crazy idea, the pantheon does not allow heroes to appear, then she herself to be a hero! Through magic!
"Let's go and take inventory of my possessions and prepare for a big purchase at the Torch Mage's store." Drusillia smiled and uttered a pun.