Wading through the murky waters of the river, following the apparition called "Leon", Elle and I came to the center of the river, a pale yellow sandbar.

The campfire crawling on the ground seemed to be peering over us through mysterious magic, like some kind of evil monster.

But even worse was the female elf standing across the campfire.

Deeply hunched back, dressed in a coarse coat with dirty faces, his hair tied up with strings of trinkets, looked like a clump of untrimmed weeds.

Pointed jaws and protruding eyes, long ears nailed with metal of different colors.

The wrinkles on his face bulged like sand dunes in the desert, and it seemed that they could no longer be dissolved.

The wizened hands were as shriveled as mummies.

For this 'sacrifice' and 'lord of the city', I can only use the word 'witch' to describe her appearance.

"I'm not like those elves out there"

Her voice was hoarse like wind and sand.

"In order not to scare you, I can only ask Leon to meet you"

"It just so happens that he is happy to see you, too"

As she spoke, the witch nodded at Leon's apparition and grinned as if thanking him.

The elf, who claimed to be the Apparition and the Echo, did not respond.

His gaze had dimmed, and he stood there hollow like a toy model that had run out of batteries, as if there was nothing.

"I don't see any difference between you and the other elves, you are as powerful as they are, and more than them"

In place of Ellie, I cheekily praised the witch first.

It's not just for sycophancy, but to analyze what kind of person this guy is.

"That's what sets me apart from them"

The witch lifted her shriveled hand, pointed it at me with a finger that looked like a spider's leg, lifted her chin slightly, and looked at me with a look that bordered on contempt.

"I am stronger than them, more than a hundred times"

With that, the corners of her mouth curved up, revealing a row of golden teeth.

"Haga, haga, quack"

Her laughter was like a wolf howl in the middle of the night, sending chills down her spine.

"Pas"

Ellie's voice sounded a little stiff, not as calm as she did when facing monarchs of other races.

The little one got up from my shoulders and made himself a lot bigger than the witch in front of me.

"Have you seen Sluka Sna, please?"

Hey——!

'Ellie, what are you doing?'

'Where is the etiquette?' Respect for the lord of the city, and what about the diplomacy you have always used to be good at?'

'It's noisy, little ghost!'

The princess pursed her lips in the soul link, and she looked unmotivated.

'I don't like this old woman'

Call......

Of course, I don't like this weird-looking guy with a weird temper, but she's the lord of Bladetooth City!?

"Shhhh

Instead of answering Ellie's question, the witch put her twig-like fingers to her lips and motioned for us not to speak.

"The only reason you're in front of this campfire"

"And the only reason I didn't kick you out"

"It's not for you to talk nonsense here"

The old elf spread out his hands, as if embracing this dark space.

"It's because — someone wants to see you"

The witch grinned again, her golden teeth bared, her eyes blinked, and her face wrinkled like waves.

It looked like a fox about to have dinner.

Could it be!?

Could this be another Sluka trap?

I was so frightened that I took a step back.

"Don't panic my friend"

Like a voice from the void.

Far ahead, in the dark, empty space, a figure walked up the river.

The tall figure, with its silver robes, looks like an elf's physique, but it is a little more burly than an ordinary elf.

Like Leon's apparition, this person is also made up of pure colored mist, but unlike Leon, it is-

His eyes were full of spirituality.

It is like a soul, full of courage and self-confidence.

The elves walked steadily, step by step, in front of us, standing opposite the campfire.

"My name is Suresagade"

Thunder.

Although Elle can't remember it herself, I can find the meaning of the name in Elle's memory.

The character represented by these words, and the deeds that this character has experienced, transcends all other beautiful stories, and is as mysterious and great in the history of the elves as myths and legends.

"Oooh!"

That's when Elle reacted.

"Elven King!"

The Elven King who was buried in the Black Fire Mountains.

After Skyfire fell to the ground, he led the surviving elves to migrate westward, and it was he who led the elven warriors to besiege Skyfire.

His magic inflicted heavy damage on the Heavenly Fire Elf, which directly led to the destruction of the Heavenly Fire, and it was he who saved the entire Aurora World.

"But is it true?"

I set my eyes on the lord of Bladefang, not convinced that the phantom in front of us was the legendary elf itself.

"Hehe, hagaga"

As if satisfying his vanity, the lord of the castle replied to me with a laugh.

Probably in her opinion, the confusion and disbelief on my face now must have looked very silly and funny.

"A strong soul will leave a strong impression and traces in the torrent"

"Even after their death"

"It can still survive in the torrent"

Instead of using the word 'survive,' the witch uses the word remnant.

Either way, the lives of these apparitions have passed away.

"And precisely, the center of Bladetooth City is the junction between the torrent and the aurora world."

"Oh!"

Elle had stars shining in both eyes, and she was already excited.

"Will they be able to get out of here?"

The witch's eyes narrowed slightly, and she didn't seem to expect Elle to ask the question as soon as she came up.

After a few seconds, the lord of Bladefang City shook his head slightly.

Although she didn't show any expression, a strong regret could be seen in the depths of her gaze.

It's also said that if these souls can go outside, why should this city lord hide in this dark space all day.

"I asked Judith to let you in."

The ancient soul began to continue.

Although his physical body has long since been destroyed, here, River Mist perfectly reconstructs his image.

Unlike ordinary elves, they have an angular square face, and their pale cyan hair is combed into a braid and hangs down at the back of their heads.

He was not wearing armor, but he was still wearing a silver robe.

The gray boots still seemed to be stained with the dirt of the Black Fire Mountains.

In other words, without this person's will, then Bladetooth City would never have opened its doors to me and Ellie.

Did that guy from Meispear think of this in the first place?

No, I recognize his strength, but I don't believe he can act like a god.

The reason why Elle and I were able to go deep into Bladetooth City and meet this strange city lord was completely by chance.

"It's not all like that"

The sudden sound almost scared Ellie and me half to death.

Another phantom stepped out of the darkness of the night into the firelight.

"My name is Erestal"

An old elf, who looked as strong as a god in Greek mythology, was covered with sinew that had been trained to the extreme.

With curly white hair and beard, jewel-like eyes, and a broad chin, although not as large as Suresagade, he was more muscular than the former.

The blue-gray robe like a washed cloth magnified his heaviness.

This is another great elf who has influenced the history of elves-

It was he who created the soul link.