The red-eyed Science Demon King - Li Lin.
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"Be careful outside, don't eat unclean food, don't talk to shady characters…"
"Be deliberate in what you say and do, don't act rashly."
"Don't look at what you shouldn't, don't speak what you shouldn't…"
"Think about the situation back in the village when you're away, don't disgrace the elves…"
Looking at the parents who were still incessantly lecturing their children, Li Lin determined that the departure time conceived in his mind would have to be postponed again.
[Available free time left: 1 hour and 23 minutes.]
After double-checking the time he had for discretionary use, his black-haired head lowered again. He readjusted the data assessment on the stagnation effect of the parent-child relationship among elves on his plans, changed several details of the subsequent plans, and started assessing whether he should perform a quick self-check. His exquisite face, devoid of expression, as though an inorganic mask, was facing the empty ground as time meaninglessly passed.
"Your Excellency, should I expedite them?"
There was no annoyance in Nidhogg's tone, nor was it a transactional reminder.
It seemed like - he was worried about something.
"You should understand the feelings of a parent, Nidhogg. This is, after all, the children's first of many memorable and worrisome ventures."
"Your Excellency, this isn't a laughing matter."
"Of course not, I'm just griping."
The boy, who was neither fond of nor accustomed to griping, turned his smiling face towards him. The countenance colored with the shades of [daily routine] was no different from what Nidhogg saw every day.
"Are you worried that I will feel neglected because no one came to see me off or said anything to me? Worried that I might lose my composure and be unable to make proper judgment? Is that it, Nidhogg?"
The smile, devoid of prestige and oppression, was directed at a mother tightly hugging her child. The emotional mother couldn't help shedding tears.
Motherly love, Parent-child, Great, Touched - interconnected and intertwined words are condensed in the scene before him. Emotional beings would undoubtedly resonate with the mother's feelings and weep with her.
Such actions are limited to emotional beings.
"How do you perceive the existence known as the [King]?"
Resulting from an observation made from a relatively emotional standpoint, an abrupt and seemingly unrelated question was presented.
"They are ones who transcend the shackles of [the ordinary], ones who ascend to the pinnacle, and reign supreme."
"Well… you could say that is correct, but I can only give 50 points. Peak, supreme... these words indeed correspond to the status and background of a [King]. But if the people do not yearn for someone to ascend and oversee them, the very foundation that constitutes a [King] would not stand."
The people yearn for - the emergence of a [King].
Chewing on the weighty words in silence, before the Black Dragon could discern anything from it, the superior once again spoke faintly:
"On one hand there are outliers with exceptional command, decisiveness, and charisma; on the other, the masses despairing their tragic lives; to the latter, the former are undoubtedly the beacon to free them from their current circumstances. Praise this light, venerate this light - their instincts are screaming so."
Without light, the Wisdom Species and majority others would struggle to survive. Even the dwarves and gnomes who live and work underground year-round use a dim mining lamp to illumine their surroundings. Those Wisdom Species cornered by adversity undoubtedly need something to dispel the darkness encompassing them.
"Having tasted the flavor of thousands of years of misfortune, elves find it increasingly hard to continue to devoutly believe in an intangible Mother Goddess. The existence of the [Extraordinary King], [the Strong who aren't bound by worldly rules], and such, hold more real meaning and allure for them. In order to resist despair, and survive in the cruel, indifferent world, the elves would, sooner rather than later, project all their thoughts, expectations, ideals, speculations, and delusions onto the [King] - regardless of whether it is legitimate or not."
The [King], an extraordinary existence, from the start was destined to be the center of countless gazes. What the people wanted to see was a [King] who aligned with their imagination - a [King] who could deliver hope and bring change.
"Though a king does not always need to put on a lofty air, an amicable king is likewise unlikely to coincide with the era and the myriad expectations. The reason why a king, chosen by the epoch and elected by the populace, can achieve great things admired by all is that he could embrace the thoughts of the masses, react to their cries, and guide his followers onto the right path - the definition of a benevolent and wise ruler is pretty much like that."
Casting aside the [ordinary] amulet of immunity, the king, bearing the responsibility to change the world, also became the vessel bearing the hopes, ideals, and aspirations for justice and happiness of the disenfranchised.
Kings who are aware of this are not allowed to show weakness, let alone reveal any vulnerability or indecisiveness.
A sense of solemn pride welled up in his chest and the young-looking Black Dragon straightened up. Unable to cross the boundaries of authority and status to accompany this adult in bearing the burden of the epoch, he could only appease his worry by dutifully fulfilling his own responsibilities.
A determination for devotion, a solemn demeanor, both appear perfectly. The only flaw in this perfection was the height and appearance of a child, which is hard for the viduals' senses of bystanders to accept.
In the present setting, Li Lin didn't see the necessity to correct such a deviation, nor did he consider how popular Nidhogg was important. He had other work arrangements to discuss.
"Do you remember that training outline? It's time to put it into action."
"I understand, Your Excellency."
With a reverent bow, the Black Dragon acknowledged his understanding of Li Lin's previous instructions and corresponding tasks, a fierce smile slightly curling at the corner of his mouth.
——Somebody was going to have a hard time.
"Avoid killing as much as possible, we're not in the position to afford unnecessary losses yet. Emphasizing strength training is the main principle, but flexibility is also necessary. Remember, the physical strength of humans is on a completely different level to yours."
The reminder, containing a hint of warning, prompted Nidhogg to abandon his mischievous plans, seriously nodding his head, keenly awaiting further instructions.
"Remain vigilant. The loss of 500 cavalrymen is not a minor number, they must've realized something by now considering all this time that's passed. Although they don't have the strength to organize another major mobile strike force in the short term, remain on guard. While I'm gone, you're responsible for the village's safety, can you handle that?"
"Rest assured, no invader will ever leave alive."
"I look forward to your performance, I believe in the promise of the Black Dragon Nidhogg."
A flexible hand rest on the young boy's shoulder, Li Lin didn't make eye contact with the straight-backed Black Dragon. The touching scene in front of him was drawing to a close; the reluctant parents had issued nearly all the necessary instructions, and the parent-child farewell ceremony was about to end.
It was time to set off.
Getting up from the leaning carriage, he walked towards the driver's position steadfastly. The Black Dragon stood solemnly behind him, silently saluting the vague silhouette of the young man under the morning sun.
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The same old carriage driven by a pair of old horses jogged along the abandoned rough road. The carefree young driver was still the same, his dark blue hair ruffled by the breeze just as it had been on the journey there.
The biggest and most noticeable change from the previous journey was that another carriage now followed behind. Both carriages were filled with eye-catching young men and women. Several boxes, lined with straw and secured tightly with ropes in the carriage, looked ordinary. But this was likely limited to this uninhabited area.
The young people seemed to be hurrying to go to a fair, a common sight in the countryside. To young people who love excitement and fun, there's almost nothing more attractive than a fair, apart from a big city. Going to the fair in groups is quite common.
But the young people in the carriage sat unnaturally straight and their determined faces suggested they were more likely preparing to pick up swords and shields for a charge into battle, rather than heading out for a fun time. If a curious observer were to continue watching, they would notice that there seemed to be no villages or settlements at either end of the direction in which the carriage was going.
If even a single person on this road were to spot this group of suspicious-looking young men and women, their clumsily assembled disguise would be easily pierced.
[Unnecessary and unrequired.]
Without turning his head, he could tell that the young Elves were sitting solemnly. His harsh criticism was aimed at the farewell ceremony earlier.
Clearly, the overly anxious parents had instilled too many unnecessary cautions into their children, coupled with their curiosity about the world they knew nothing about. The interaction between these two factors had made these naive youngsters both excited and nervous. If they spoke, just about everyone would likely stutter, drawing wary and suspicious looks long before they arrived at the Black Market trading post.
What was intended as well-meaning caution had instead stirred up the complete opposite effect.
The solemn atmosphere lingered and dominated the two carriages. The passengers seemed highly motivated but also lacked drive. This delicate status showed no signs of changing as the journey and time continued to unfold.
It wouldn't last long. Li Lin was prepared to handle this kind of situation and would deal with this problem before the rigid Elves caused any trouble.
"Um...I'm really sorry."
What he heard was a girl's shy voice.
Brynhild's voice was timid, but actually, no one should have been able to hear it except for her.
"Don't be so hard on yourself. I don't think you have anything to apologize for. It might have had some adverse effects, but it's natural for parents to be overly concerned about their children, especially when they are going out with strangers. I have plenty of time, and all you have to do is enjoy the scenery of the journey."
Whether it was worry about Old Emir's procrastinating decisions causing opposition, or suspicion about the side effects caused by the farewell ceremony that troubled Li Lin, Brynhild's apology seemed excessive. A few discordant notes within his anticipation wouldn't pose the slightest problem to Li Lin, and he wouldn't be bothered by it.
She was thinking too much, even minding issues that had nothing to do with her.
"No, what I meant was...uh...everyone is too tense, so...about the atmosphere..."
It was evident that Brynhild should have adjusted her state before she began to speak.
"It's probably the nervousness of being out for the first time, it's okay, you'll get used to it."
"AHHHHHHHHHHH! I CAN'T STAND IT! YOU TWO STOOGES!!"
A shrill scream came from the luggage box, and the rapid rhythm of beating against the wooden board accelerated the already high heartbeat of young Elves. Their reflexes kicked in, pulling out their weapons and taking a defensive stance before even processing what happened. The blades reflecting the cold metallic sheen under the sun were all pointed towards the wooden box with an unknown passenger inside, then the passengers who regained their senses turned their eyes towards the driver who seemed just as startled, busy pulling the reins to stop the carriage.
The planned measure had finally activated itself, albeit with inexpedient timing and method.
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PS: Thanks to the Baidu [The Ultimate Weapon of Magic and Science] bar guest [Dead Deceased] for providing the picture, it's almost identical to Li Lin in my imagination.
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