The journey to the third location took longer than the previous two. The sun was no longer visible, replaced by the darkness of the night adorned with sparkling stars. They were also accompanied by the beautiful lights from each flower and glowing mushrooms, with fireflies seen flying around.
The beautiful atmosphere made them feel more comfortable even though the day had turned dark. Moreover, no monsters came to attack except for the Forest Spirit earlier, so they lowered their guard. Perhaps, thanks to the elf's gift, the gem, they were safe during the journey because if not, by now they should have been attacked by various monsters.
That's why no one wants to explore the elf forest even during the day. They should at least be accompanied by one elf to be safe, because in the forest, there are so many monsters at the 'Yellow Core' level. It may not be as much as the Golden Core, but with their large numbers, even elite forces choose to avoid them. Not to mention, the forest is their home as well as their battlefield. Plant roots that should be harmless can change the course of battle.
Not all races live in harmony with their nature. Only a few like the elves, for example.
However, Glok didn't stop walking at all; he kept searching and searching. The soldiers didn't mind this because, after all, Glok was their captain. However, even with the illumination from the plants, they still found it difficult to see anything within a 15-meter range. So, finding the last clue would be a bit more challenging.
"Glok, wouldn't it be much better to postpone it for tonight? We can barely see what's ahead there. What if we end up getting lost?" Rako asked, blocking Glok's path because otherwise, he would keep walking.
"We can't. We need to get there before the other races do. We still have the iron Construct that needs to be healed. We can't let other races see it. That's why father gave us this map so we could go through the elf's secret path and arrive there faster," Glok explained, looking around to make sure they weren't on the wrong path.
"I understand that, but on a night like this, it's hard to navigate. It's much better if we're a little late than not getting there at all. There must be a way to hide the iron Construct from others' sight," Rako suggested.
Glok paused for a moment, unsure if they could hide the large iron Construct from the sight of other races. Moreover, they would surely question why Teena kept flowing mana into the cart when the cart doesn't even seem coated by mana. Even the provisions weren't "We can't. There's no other way but to get there quickly. It would cause a big problem if we were caught hiding an iron Construct, and I don't want that kingdom to find out about it. You wouldn't want that either, right?" Glok asked firmly.
Rako knew that once Glok entered 'Captain mode,' he wouldn't back down even when facing significant danger. It was pointless to try to argue further and would only waste more time, so he stepped back, following Glok, hoping they wouldn't get lost or the village will not get the blessings.
In their heavily forested surroundings, it was difficult to cultivate crops. They could only survive through hunting or gathering fruits. If the village were still as small as before, they could still live off of that. However, the village's size had grown after the merging of each tribe into one large village. The village could even be called a town now. They needed more food obtained from farming. Surely, after being blessed, regardless of the soil conditions, they would still have a bountiful harvest thanks to the blessing.
One of the reasons why the day of blessing is significant for every race is that it's a crucial day, especially for those without fertile land. It's also a day for exchanging information. And on a day like this, Glok didn't want news about the iron Construct to spread. Not only could it prompt that kingdom to act, but it could also make other races targeted them to establish good relations.
It's undeniable that when a new power emerges, other forces will follow suit. That's why Glok wanted to keep moving, even if they were all exhausted. The iron Construct - no, the human, needed to be healed before other races arrived.
They continued their journey, hour after hour passing by, through so many fireflies and glowing plants that slowly made them sleepy due to the comfort they provided. Their steps slowed down, making it difficult to stay focused, especially when they hadn't had dinner yet and had only eaten a few snacks at the pond earlier.
Just as Glok was about to stop and take a break, something not far ahead caught his attention. He squinted, making sure he wasn't mistaken, and a wide grin formed on his face as he realized what he was looking at. "I found it! The gate is right ahead!" he exclaimed eagerly.
Hearing this, they were surely re-energized, aware that the journey would soon come to an end. They just needed to pass through the gate, and they would arrive at the elf kingdom they had been eagerly anticipating. The thought of resting in a warm place after enjoying warm food and delicious drinks ignited their spirits, and they hastened their steps toward the gate.
"At last! After so long, we have arrived!"
However, nothing happened as Glok passed through it. He stood in front, still in the same place, feeling puzzled. "Did we forget something?" he asked the others.
"The village head didn't say anything about the three places we needed to find. I think we have to find the entrance ourselves," Teena replied, already starting to search. She was also impatient to arrive at the elf kingdom.
Not only her, but the knights also began searching for various clues they could use to find the entrance. They tried to flow mana into anything they found, intending to find magical seals or anything related to it.
"For some reason, I feel like we're missing something," Glok muttered, then remembered the gem in his pocket. He took out the gem, waiting for any reaction, and one of the knights shouted.
"There's something here!"
They rushed over, observing a hole that had the same shape as the gem in Glok's hand. He approached, placing the gem inside, and then a magical seal appeared, rotating slowly with increasingly bright light.
Above them, the same magical seal formed on a larger scale, and suddenly, they found themselves inside the elf kingdom after hearing a loud buzzing sound.
"We made it... WE MADE IT!" screamed Glok, startling the nearby elves.
They hurried their pace while thinking, 'Why are there crazy goblins here?'
"Hahahaha! Welcome to Veyrain!" responded a deep, charismatic voice from the front. An adult male elf walked towards them in attire more elegant and beautiful than the other elves around them. From how the elves greeted him, it was clear that this figure was important in the kingdom. "I was worried Grako's son wouldn't arrive on time, but it seems I underestimated you. You are even more remarkable than your father described."
"Elder Leynar!" Glok approached him, bowing his head in respect to the elder, who was a friend of his father's. "Thank you for welcoming us with open arms. I, Glok, son of Grako, am forever indebted to you."
"Oho? Not only remarkable but also well-mannered. Grako, is this really your son?" Elder Leynar joked with a soft chuckle. "You bear much resemblance to your mother, Glok. On your father's first day here, he shouted for the elders and still does the same. He even came to each of our houses and dragged us out to prepare for the blessing."
"D-did my father do that?" Glok asked incredulously.
"Oh, certainly. It's one of the reasons we were able to complete the blessing faster. Though embarrassing to admit, your father was like an older brother, not only protecting us and making us move faster but also just as annoying," Elder Leynar replied with laughter.
From the outside, no one would believe that this elder was over 600 years old because even among the elves themselves, he could still be considered young with his energetic yet gentle appearance. It was evident in his proud gaze as he looked at Glok. He never thought, it was time to meet shameless Grako's son. Fortunately, there was Helka to restrain him from doing crazy things. Otherwise, he might already died.
"You must be tired from the journey. Come, I'll take you to the guest house."
"Do we not stay at an inn?" Teena asked, puzzled.
"Ah, you must be the child of Mage Alka and Urna. You fit their descriptions, so beautiful and mature. Of course, you won't stay at an inn; you are special guests. You'll stay at the guest house, especially with the iron Construct your father, Glok, mentioned. We can't let you stay at an inn, where humans might roam. Unfortunately, we can't stop that kingdom from coming here," Elder Leynar explained with regret.
"They will come!?"
Elder Leynar turned to Glok and nodded slowly after sighing. "Yes, Glok. They will come. In fact, they already in front of the kingdom."