Naria woke up from her dream.

Viorita's almost poignant accusation seemed to echo in her ears, causing her to shiver and her gaze drift subconsciously to the bed to the right.

-- The bed is empty.

Her heart sank, and Nari jumped up, looked around in a panic, and shouted, "Tess......"

The small wooden window creaked softly in the wind, as if in response to her call.

Naria threw her head out of the window, and in the twilight she couldn't see the red-haired girl...... How long did she sleep? She didn't even know when Tess ran away!

She opened the door, and the wind rushed through the hallway, nearly knocking Rosa over as she was climbing the stairs.

“...... Did she run away?" Rosa immediately realized what had happened at the sight of her face.

Naria bit her lip and nodded, almost crying with self-blame: "I fell asleep...... How could I fall asleep!"

Rosa shook her head: "Tess has a hundred ways to get you to sleep without knowing it if she wants...... It was us who was too careless, she looked so quiet......"

Ever since she learned that Norway had been killed, Tess felt like she had been petrified. She curled herself into a small ball, her eyes open, not moving, and not speaking, and Rosa and Naria could only take turns looking at her, unable to find any words to comfort her.

It wasn't Tess's fault of course - but everyone knew what it meant to her to lose Norvi.

Tess Shepard had many friends, but only one of them, Norvi. Naria couldn't imagine losing Eren at all, let alone how Norway was for Tess...... Far more than an "adoptive father".

She should have known that Tess couldn't just give up...... The news of Norvi's death probably made everyone lose their usual judgment in shock.

"Where is she going?" she wrenched her hands anxiously. "She shouldn't really assassinate the Elf King, right?

Rosa sighed slightly, "I don't think she cares about the 'impossible' at all now." ”

“...... We've got to chase her back!" said Naria. Despite knowing that there is little hope...... She can't let Tess die anymore!

Rosa nodded silently.

They lived on the edge of the vast forest that belonged to the Elven Kingdom, from where it would take at least half a day to ride to the center of Grivar. Maybe they'll be in time.

Most of Grivar is not off-limits to humans, but the guards in the forest are so ubiquitous that few people can escape their eyes. But those familiar with the forest and the elves will know that night is the more appropriate time to avoid them and sneak into the heart of the elven kingdom. Although elves have a much sharper sense of darkness than humans, this natural ability makes them more careless in the night, often immersed in the starlight, singing and dancing. and forgot his duty.

Tess had been to Grival and knew the elves. To catch up with her, Rosa and Naria definitely need an elf to lead the way - but Cesyana can't step into the woods.

The sword dancer's tense face could not hide his sadness and loss. Narya, of course, couldn't ask him to break the sentence against him for the sake of Tess. If caught, even he will die for it.

The anxious Naria thumped her head, and suddenly had an idea: "Actually...... There's more than one elf here...... She's not gone yet, is she?"

Norvi's sister, Violetta. And did not return to Grivar. Instead, stay at the edge of the forest. Rosa had crept up a few times, and she sat under a big tree in a daze, just like Tess, and hadn't even lit a bonfire last night

"Probably not...... But do you think she'll say yes?" asked Rosa with a wry smile.

"Gotta try!" Naria grabbed her and rushed down the stairs.

Violita stayed where she was, but as Rosa expected, the elf's face seemed to be frozen when she heard them coming.

"What's the matter with me?" she asked coldly.

She had regained her composure at the moment, albeit with a gloomy face. There was a slight puffiness under her eyes, which did not detract from her pride and beauty.

"You know. It's not Tess's fault at all!" Naria spoke indignantly, and the plea unwittingly turned into accusation, "Wouldn't one more death make you feel better?!"

Rosa's tone was much softer, "Violetta, you should know that Norway raised Tess, and this won't be the ...... he wants."

"'What does he want?'" anger burned in Viorita's bright green eyes again, "when did he care about what I wanted, I wanted him to go home, I wanted him to stop going on those pointless adventures...... He only went so far as to pick up a human girl in the sewers of Stonebugch and leave his real family aside...... It was the ones he wanted that killed him, so stop telling me what he wanted, I don't care!"

"If you really don't care, you won't be here. Rosa couldn't help but sigh. It may be easier to replace unbearable sadness with anger...... But it doesn't solve anything.

"That's enough!" Naria stepped forward and glared at Viorita, "I don't know what's wrong with you...... But Norway is your brother, and the human girl he picked up from the sewers...... At least have the courage to avenge him!".

As night falls, the silver leaves slowly walk through the forest, and a few jacarandas that have migrated farther south are in full bloom, dense lilac flowers like a light smoke in the starlight.

Lance Sunchaser followed him in silence, unbent on admiring the beauty that always enchanted him, not even the voice of the Silver Leaf King reaching his ears.

"Lance...... Lance?"

He looked up in surprise and met the elven king's thoughtful eyes.

“...... Maybe it's time for you to go back and rest. Payne spoke gently.

Lance quickly shook his head: "I'm fine...... What are you going to do with that human girl?"

"Tess?" Payne sighed softly, "what to do...... Norway is dead, and she's no longer a big deal, so it's probably best to leave it alone. ”

Lance stopped talking. Based on what he knew about the human girl along the way...... She's definitely not just "just leaving it alone". Perhaps because they have lived too long, most elves are extremely indifferent, but humans ...... The girl's fiery emotions were like her fiery red hair, and no one could have predicted what crazy things she would do.

He only hoped he could stop it in time.

The night breeze was blowing, the shadows of the trees were swaying, and the fragrance of jacarandas filled the air, but Lance suddenly felt something strange in the silence.

He cautiously moved his hand to the hilt of his sword, staring intently into the darkness. On starlit nights, the elves rarely lit up their lamps unless they needed to read, but it didn't affect him to easily distinguish the small figure that was slowly walking towards them.

Lance's eyes widened in disbelief.

Even if he had just worried about Tess's madness...... He didn't expect her to be so crazy. Moreover, how the hell did she get in?!The place where the Silver Leaf King lived was located in the center of Grivar, and was called the "Empty Court" because most of the buildings were in mid-air, and there were no high walls of the human palace, and there were no soldiers patrolling back and forth, seemingly unguarded, but the best warriors - the Sword Dancers guarded it in the shadows, and it was absolutely impossible for them not to see this human who obviously did not hide much of himself!

"Stop!" he had to press his sword forward, "Tess ...... This is not the place you should be. ”

Tess stopped.

"Really? But it doesn't seem like you're trying to stop me very seriously. She said, her tone unexpectedly calm, "Otherwise, I would have been shot through the chest by the time I jumped from that fragrant tree in the back." ”

The Silver Leaf King chuckled lowly, "I did tell them that you don't need to stop you, but only for the guards of the Empty Court, it is not easy for you to come here." ”

Lance silently lowered his hand holding the sword—so he knew that Tess was coming here but didn't tell him......

"Maybe it's just because I'm too small, and the elves don't like to bow their heads very much. Tess shrugged disapprovingly, staring directly at the king of the elves without fear, "So...... Where is he?"

Lance's heart tightened.

"If you're asking Norwe, the Sunstrider......" Payne looked at the daring human girl with no hint of displeasure on his face, "I think his sister has told you he's dead." ”

"Oh, yes, that's what she said, and she thought it was true—just because you sent someone to get Norvi's weapons into her hands? because in your hellish tradition, that means Novi died for 'some dishonorable crime'?" said Tess, holding her head high.

But Lance could hear the trembling in it.

"The king never lies. Payne's voice was still as calm as water.

Tess scoffed, "Know what the Stonebugs would say?" ”

Lance felt a tendon on his forehead leap - he had never heard anyone before...... How dare any race speak to the Elven King like that. The dwarves may have the guts, but they haven't been seen in Grivar for hundreds of years......

"I don't have a crown. Payne said lightly, "I'm not the king of your human race either. ”

Tess finally lost her patience, and suddenly raised her voice with anger and fear that was pressing down in her heart: "Then can you stop going around in circles like this, and tell me bluntly - is he dead or alive?!"

The light smile on the Elven King's face disappeared little by little, and he quietly looked at the petite but unflinching girl under the starlight, and sighed softly: "I'm sorry to tell you this, but he's dead, Tess...... The Sunchaser no longer exists in this world. ”.

(To be continued......)