Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 210

The people sent from the Imperial Capital arrived a day later than Duke Dwight. When Sher appeared at the camp with the Nawen envoy, they could see the newly raised Imperial flag.

The Nawen envoy felt a bit conflicted. To his knowledge, the capital hadn’t dispatched any troops due to the Nawen tribe’s honesty. Only the enraged Duke personally went to the south with the famed Brandenburg Knights by his side. However, he didn’t expect Lemena’s military force to be so vast. As soon as they stepped out of the forest’s edge, they saw a dense array of tents and a sprawling temporary camp on the hillside.

This was a scale for a siege battle. Even though he understood the Duke’s concern for his son, this sight exceeded expectations, making his expression somewhat unnatural.

Duke Dwight waited for them in the main tent. Although they were about to enter the forest, the envoy brought out the jug containing the waterfall scene again. It showed Arnie sitting in a chair, eating, looking rosy, and in good spirits.

This made the Duchess relax a little.

For the first time, she used her status to severely punish Alger and his family, reclaiming some businesses that had developed thanks to her influence. Although this weakened her family’s power locally, no one dared to plead with her at this time. Emma, gentle by nature since childhood, made her fury even more terrifying. Even her two biological sisters dared not speak a word about it.

She insisted on personally entering the forest to retrieve Arnie.

Duke Dwight knew she was under great stress lately and didn’t put much effort into persuading her otherwise. After roughly confirming Arnie’s safety, the envoy from the capital reassured the Nawen tribe. The capital had returned Alger’s opportunistic tribute and candidly informed them that His Majesty the Emperor knew the true origin of the Nawen tribe’s treasure. This put the Nawen tribe, who had feared losing their heritage to greed, at ease.

“This is the gem of the elf elder, right? Even though the seal isolates its aura, the Grand Magus can still sense the power within it,” the Imperial envoy said.

The Nawen envoy remained silent.

The Imperial envoy, with a hint of undisguised sarcasm, said, “There’s no need to be so cautious. Despite knowing the potential power it holds, His Majesty the Emperor returned it, proving that the Empire does not covet such things—at least, His Majesty the Emperor does not.”

Only then did Duke Dwight focus on the matter. “What is the power of the elf gem?”

“An existence often mentioned in legends—the Fountain of Youth.” The Imperial envoy showed much more respect towards the Duke. “Elves believe that water is the source of life. All the water sources in their territory are optimized by them, and this gem is likely one of their means.”

“It doesn’t have the power of immortality.” The Nawen envoy finally spoke.

The Fountain of Youth, the Fountain of Immortality, or other names, is the most common description in forest tales. But in reality, such a thing didn’t exist. Not even the long-lived elves could create it.

This elf gem was a gift the Nawen tribe received years ago. When placed in water, it gave the water magical properties. Plants watered with it grew quickly and well. People who drank it daily would see small ailments heal. The various magical plants the Nawen tribe used daily could only be cultivated with this water. If replaced with ordinary spring water, their inherent power would quickly fade.

To the Empire, possessing this gem would merely enhance physical strength and beauty, but to the Nawen tribe, who have lived in the deep forest for generations, it is the foundation of their existence.

Duke Dwight glanced at the Nawen envoy.

“Alger’s wrongdoing should be accounted for, not by thoughtlessly harming Lemena,” he said coldly.

People often said that, compared to the proud and dignified old Duke, the current Duke Dwight was too gentle and unassuming. But when he was truly angered, the authoritative aura of a long-standing ruler was no longer concealed, and the Nawen envoy dared not meet his gaze.

“It’s our fault,” he said carefully. “The Nawen tribe is willing to compensate. The chieftain is ready to meet at any time.”

……

“What do you think Father and the Imperial Capital will demand from the Nawen tribe?” Arnie asked Alfred.

He was overjoyed. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw his father’s knight commander sitting by his bed, telling him that his parents had come to get him! This made Arnie, who was not yet adept at maintaining his demeanor, quite lively, talking to Alfred non-stop.

Alfred was also very happy to see Arnie safe and sound. The knight, now greatly relieved, finally washed his face, shaved his beard, and looked cheerful and handsome again.

“They don’t have much value,” Alfred said indifferently. “Even if they took everyone to the capital as servants, it wouldn’t amount to much.”

Seeing Arnie’s expression, he added, “But His Majesty the Emperor and the Duke wouldn’t do that—they do have some interesting things. Even if the elven plants can’t leave the forest, the prepared rare herbs are still valuable.”

“They have more than just herbs,” Arnie said. “They have elven ruins, and the seer said I could go.”

“When I fought in Arkan City, I also saw giant ruins. There’s nothing fun about them. All the valuable things were taken, leaving behind immovable houses and statues—nothing interesting.” Alfred frowned, trying to dissuade Arnie.

“Elves are different,” Charlie said. “Their magic is powerful, and they are the favored of the gods. Even after leaving, the plants they left behind have protected the Nawen tribe for hundreds of years. There might still be things in the ruins. Even if not, seeing the famous elven craftsmanship and architecture is worthwhile.”

“Very worthwhile,” Arnie echoed.

Alfred flicked his forehead. “Stop thinking about playing. Your parents are very worried about you and are already selecting knights for you.”

Arnie blinked. “But I’m only five.” According to tradition, the heir to Brandenburg starts formally training their knight regiment at nine.

“They’re too worried about you,” Alfred said softly. “Do you understand what I mean? Start by selecting a few early to observe…”

He lifted his eyelids and saw Charlie winking at him.

“You met their seer. Tell him to bring back the boy named Night who got lost last night,” Alfred instructed. “He has good potential.”

He didn’t elaborate, but Arnie understood that Alfred’s words meant he believed that boy had the potential to become the next Brandenburg Knight.

“Oh,” Arnie drawled. “Is he really that good?”

Alfred hugged him tightly. “Don’t be jealous. Arnie is still my favorite.”

Charlie smiled, watching Arnie struggle in Alfred’s embrace, but his mind was on something else.

Regarding his conversation with the seer, he hadn’t fully explained to Arnie and felt Arnie didn’t need to know all the details.

“Do you remember the magic formula?” the seer had asked him.

Charlie had indeed paid attention. During the confrontation in the basement, he had been silently observing all the doors, whether they were successfully used or bizarre failures.

His intuition had always been sharp. Though he didn’t know he would later become the “user” of that door, he instinctively felt it was necessary to understand this evil magic.

Even if he could replicate the magic formula, Charlie couldn’t bring himself to sacrifice an innocent life to activate it. This was why he had stayed passively for so long. Without an alternative solution, he preferred to do nothing.

He left the magic principle copied for the seer, whose magical talent might surpass his own. A few hours later, while Arnie was asleep last night, Charlie received a response.

The elven ruins weren’t all dilapidated as people imagined. In fact, the wealthy elves hadn’t taken everything with them. They had left behind considerable wealth—both gold and silver treasures and magical structures.

This was why they had closed off the elven territory and entrusted the reliable Nawen tribe to guard the entrance.

Each generation’s Nawen seer was the only one able to open the ruins. The current seer was very old. He had taken all the newborns under his wing, hoping to find the next child who would awaken the seer’s powers, but he had never found one.

“So this might be the last time,” the seer said. “The secret treasure returned by the capital can only sustain the plants and trees in the settlement because it’s not in its original place.”

It was a silver gem, initially placed in the elven king’s garden—a garden with a magnificent fountain, its base, and railings made of glittering jade, with the gem embedded in the statue at the water outlet.

“I plan to return it to its original place and then permanently seal the ruins, unless the elves return,” the seer said. “The mission of the Nawen tribe is complete. The next generation need not be confined to the forest, and the chieftain understands his duty.”

“Before that, the gem’s power can be lent to you once—to help you return to where you came from. This is not for you but for Dwight’s son.”

The seer hadn’t been very explicit but being able to open the time rift without a sacrifice made Charlie think that perhaps, the elven king who lived in this forest centuries ago truly possessed the legendary Fountain of Youth.

But the elves had left it behind.

Centuries later, the Emperor of the Empire also refused it.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 209

Wind was the first to find Alfred and his group.

The Nawen warriors split into several small teams to search for the missing children overnight. Having lived in the forest for generations, and with their own children missing, they naturally had effective methods.

Their speed was faster than Alfred had anticipated. The magical devices had failed, but their mechanical watches were still ticking. It was just past midnight when they encountered each other.

Alfred, already brimming with anger, drew his sword without a word. Wind knew that the people of Brandenburg harbored significant hostility towards them and didn’t speak. He scanned the firelight for the two children.

The red-haired one was naughty Bee, who was curled up and seemingly asleep. The black-haired one was Night, who had quickly sat up when the Brandenburg Knights stirred, apparently uninjured.

Wind felt a sense of relief, but before he could exhale, a cold blade was at his face.

“Wind!” His companion warned, and Wind stepped back hastily. A lock of his hair, lifted by his retreat, was sliced off. He watched the knight charge forward, his heart tightening.

Such speed!

Even the child who had sat up was startled by Alfred’s ferocity. He nudged his companion, Bee, who was still dreaming and groggy as he woke.

“Night?”

The clash of metal rang out, and Bee looked towards the sound. In the limited firelight, he squinted for a while before his eyes widened.

“Ah!”

He looked excited. “The tribe has come to save us!”

Night, with a stern face, knocked him on the head. Bee saw the two adult men by the fire and realized their “hostage” status.

Spin and Shel were sitting by them. In the flickering firelight, their expressions were somewhat strange—half-smiling, half-expressionless.

Bee, a child who couldn’t hide his thoughts, held back for a while before blurting out, “Aren’t you going to help him?”

Their companion was fighting two on one, yet these two acted indifferent?

“Alfred is very strong,” Shel said kindly, tossing a branch into the fire, which crackled loudly.

Though his tone was kind, his words weren’t.

Bee was provoked. “Our warriors are stronger!”

Spin drawled, “Oh—”

Bee clenched his fists, but Night poked him in the side.

He turned back. The black-haired boy seemed oblivious to the conversation by the fire, staring intently at the fight.

“He’s really strong,” Night said.

Bee: What’s wrong with you?!

He angrily turned to watch. The Nawen warriors, stronger and more enduring than average people, were indeed fierce. But he soon understood why Night said what he did—because that knight… was truly formidable.

Wind and Willow, the warriors searching with him, were both exceptionally strong, especially Wind. Yet, despite their strength, they seemed unable to handle this knight.

As time passed, the knight gradually gained the upper hand. His long sword, like a fierce silver dragon, was unstoppable. Bee saw Willow’s sword knocked from his hand in one move.

“Willow…!” He gripped Night’s clothes, sweat beading on his forehead, then watched in shock as the fierce man threw away his own sword and charged at Willow barehanded.

Spin clicked his tongue.

Unarmed combat usually wasn’t as brutal, but Bee was still terrified. The fight ended as abruptly as it had started—at least, that’s how it seemed to him.

All three were injured, but Wind and Willow more so. Willow remained silent with a cold expression, while Wind tied up his scattered hair as he approached the fire.

Spin retrieved Alfred’s sword, crossing his arms without speaking.

“Your master is unharmed,” Wind said. “We treated him as a guest.”

Shel replied, “What else? Did you plan to throw a five-year-old into a dungeon?”

Willow: “You—”

Wind shook his head at Willow, who then glared at them but didn’t approach further, standing some distance away.

“He didn’t use lethal force,” Wind told Willow.

Spin said, “And you didn’t call for reinforcements.” Otherwise, he and Shel would have had to intervene.

“Taking Dwight’s son was our fault. The chieftain has punished the reckless tribe members. We would have returned him to make amends even if you hadn’t come.”

That sounded reasonable.

Alfred, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. “Where is Young Master Arnie?”

Wind glanced at the children, watching the adults anxiously. “We’ll take you to him.”

The situation had taken a strange turn. Bee didn’t understand, trying to move inconspicuously closer to Wind and Willow. Seeing no objection from the strangers, he quickly ran behind Willow.

Alfred and his men didn’t fully trust the Nawen tribe just because they had taken a beating. But since they had lost their way, Wind and Willow were the quickest route to finding Arnie, so they cautiously gambled.

Willow, bruised and battered, wasn’t pleased with Bee, questioning the boys about what had happened. The more he asked, the darker his expression grew.

Bee, distracted by a squirrel, had accidentally strayed from the group—normally not a problem, as adults would always come back for them if they stayed put.

But after getting separated, Bee saw Spin and the others. The Nawen tribe were the only ones active in the forest after the elves left, and the knights’ appearance was unlike the southern people. Even children had heard about recent troubles caused by bad people infringing on the Nawen tribe. Bee, in a fit of heroism, decided to follow these suspicious men.

Night had been in the same group as Bee and was the first to notice his absence, following and getting caught up in the situation.

Luckily, both children were unharmed. Wind truly led Alfred and his men back to the settlement. After correspondence with the Imperial Capital, the informed tribesmen weren’t overly hostile to the knights. After consulting the chieftain, they led Alfred to see Arnie.

It was already the latter half of the night, and Arnie had long fallen asleep, as had Charlie, though he remained alert. Hearing some noise, he immediately opened his eyes. Since coming here, the Nawen tribe hadn’t disturbed them at night, so he was cautious as he got out of bed. He heard faint conversation outside. Though the voices were hushed, they didn’t sound furtive.

A glowing fruit always hung by the door of the wooden house. Charlie, barefoot, crossed the living room and opened the door, surprised to see a weary Alfred.

“Alfred?” Charlie tilted his head, then smiled.

The tall knight stepped into the house. Perhaps because he had just fought, his presence clashed with the fairy-tale-like cabin. “Where’s Arnie?”

Charlie led him into the bedroom, where the small boy lay peacefully asleep.

Alfred’s violent demeanor vanished. He gently lifted the blanket, carefully examining Arnie. Satisfied that the child was unharmed, he nodded, his tension easing.

They quietly exited the bedroom and talked in the small living room.

Charlie knew Brandenburg must have been frantic, so he detailed their journey and the fact that the “kidnappers” were actually just children themselves.

“Wind was right. Aside from restricting our freedom, the Nawen tribe treated us quite well,” Charlie said softly. “And I never left Young Master Arnie’s side.”

Alfred nodded. He knew Arnie liked Oscar’s stories, and with Oscar around, Arnie wouldn’t be too scared or lonely. From a quick glance, the boy hadn’t lost weight and was still clean and adorable, clearly well cared for.

“You’ve had a hard time,” Alfred said, considering Oscar a fellow victim. He scratched his head. “I don’t know what punishment awaits me, but the Duke will surely reward you when we return.”

Charlie didn’t respond to this and instead asked about the situation outside the forest.

“The Duke and Duchess should be here,” Alfred said after some thought. “We wasted a few days because of this settlement’s tricks. The magic here is blocked. Otherwise, we’d have found you sooner.”

“Magic blocked?” Charlie blinked.

Alfred was about to nod when he saw a small ball of light coming out of Charlie’s fingertips. Although it was harmless, it was definitely magic.

“I haven’t felt any restriction on magic here.” He extinguished the light. “But that doesn’t matter.”

With the Duke and Duchess here, the emissaries from the capital should soon arrive with the Nawen tribe’s treasure among the tributes.

“I’ll meet with their chieftain later,” Alfred said. “They plan to send an emissary to meet the Duke tomorrow. But we should take Arnie out first.”

“But if Arnie sees you, he might not want to leave immediately.” Charlie smiled. “He wants to go somewhere, but only if Alfred is there to protect him.”

Charlie explained the elven bloodline to Alfred.

Alfred was literate enough to understand the significance of elven relics. After some consideration, he said, “No.”

Charlie raised an eyebrow.

“We can’t let him have his way. No one knows if the hidden realm really exists. If he insists, we must ask the Duke’s permission. And the Duchess—doesn’t she also have elven blood?” Alfred said firmly. “Since you’re safe, waiting a couple more days doesn’t matter. With this news, the Duchess will surely want to come. We can discuss it then.”

Alfred’s caution was understandable. Having finally found the abducted young master, no one wanted complications. Charlie didn’t pursue the topic further and asked about the details of the magic failures.

Alfred took out the magical box meant to sync with Arnie’s earrings. “Look. It suddenly…”

He stopped because the device suddenly worked again, clearly pointing towards the bedroom.

Charlie looked thoughtfully at the device, sensing the deep magic within it. This wasn’t something an ordinary mage could make.

For such an item to lose its way…

“Alfred, did it stop working as soon as you entered the forest, or did it suddenly stop?”

“It malfunctioned midway. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have stumbled here.”

“Was there anything unusual when it failed?” Charlie pressed.

“No, it was still the three of us with the same items. It worked fine in the morning and failed in the afternoon. But now it’s fine again?” Alfred was puzzled.

Charlie thought for a long time, repeatedly asking about their day, then confirmed, “Did it fail around the time you encountered those two Nawen kids?”

“Maybe?” Alfred didn’t quite understand his point.

Charlie asked about the kids’ appearance and behavior, then smiled.

“You might end up confirming the Nawen tribe’s theft accusation,” he said.

Alfred: “?”

“There’s another treasure here besides the one the emissaries have,” Charlie said. “Be ready to negotiate with the Nawen tribe—that treasure is very important to Arnie.”

The author has something to say:

Readers have already guessed: the skilled archer Hasting came from the forest.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 208

“The sun is setting,” Shel said as he crushed a large, poisonous beetle underfoot. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go home?”

The two boys, about six or seven years old, looked at him warily without speaking.

“If you don’t want to talk, that’s fine. It’s not bad to have someone keep watch for us,” Alfred said deliberately. His sharp features and strong presence, coupled with his role as a commander in the knight order, made him look very intimidating—especially to children.

Spin felt a bit uncomfortable watching Alfred scare the kids, who looked only a bit older than Young Master Arnie. Although they were almost certain these children were from the Nawen tribe, Spin found it hard to be stern with children of such an age.

But he knew Alfred was doing it on purpose. These two kids had been trailing them since the afternoon, thinking they were being stealthy. However, even in unfamiliar territory, well-trained knights wouldn’t be easily followed by children. They had initially planned to lose the kids and then follow them back to the Nawen tribe’s settlement, but it seemed the kids had wandered too far and lost their way. After some chaotic wandering and almost falling into a bear’s den, they had been “captured” by the knights.

Now that it was getting dark, it was impossible to let them wander off in the forest, so they kept them.

The two kids were quite brave, surrounded by three strangers. They didn’t cry or speak, but their expressions of heroic martyrdom were exaggerated, as if they were about to be cooked in a witch’s cauldron.

Shel, unfazed by the lack of response, helped Alfred set up a tent suspended between several trees to avoid the dampness and bugs of the night forest, while Spin tended the fire to keep wild animals at bay.

The magical device they used to find Young Master Arnie had been malfunctioning since they entered a certain distance into the forest. It was easy to guess that the magic was being interfered with. If it wasn’t a large-scale magical barrier, then the Nawen tribe must have a mage more powerful than the creator of their magical device to block its sensing capabilities.

However, this also indicated that they were likely heading in the right direction and that Young Master Arnie wasn’t far away. It just required more patience and time to find him.

But…

“Do you think they’ll come looking for them?” Shel asked Alfred in the local Lemena dialect.

Whether it was a reclusive tribe like the Nawen or the citizens of the Empire, the next generation, who represented the future, was highly valued. In this era, population was almost synonymous with wealth and power. Losing two children would surely alarm the Nawen tribe.

“Most likely.” Alfred grinned.

Their magical indicator had failed, but with these two kids, the Nawen tribe would come to them. In the dark forest, their fire would be a beacon, easy to find even in the pitch black.

“Should we give them some bread? Their stomachs have been growling.”

“We can try, but they probably won’t eat it. They might think we’ve poisoned it.”

Spin, closest to the kids by the fire, felt like laughing at his companions’ blatant conversation. The boy sitting cross-legged by the fire looked expressionless, but his stomach was rumbling loudly, sounding like a boiling kettle. Yet, he remained unfazed, which Spin found amusing.

“When you’re done, check if ‘that’ has recovered,” Spin called out. “We can’t keep wandering around here forever.”

The two boys couldn’t understand their conversation but exchanged a glance and curled up to lie down—they were actually very tired.

While keeping an eye out for snakes and other bugs, Spin rummaged through his pockets. Lemena was wealthy, and few Brandenburg Knights were poor. Even on this rushed trip, they had brought many things. Spin remembered having an auto-igniting magical pipe in his pocket. It was a trivial item, but Spin liked it because it didn’t require a flame to light up.

However, this time, the pipe didn’t work. No matter how much Spin shook it, the tobacco wouldn’t light. He pondered for a moment and called Shel over.

“Shel, don’t you have a small multi-tool that turns into a knife and fork?”

Shel was puzzled. “That’s my utility cutlery. Why?”

“Take it out and try it.”

“Are you interested in buying one? It’s from the old man with the beard.”

“Just try it.”

Shel shrugged and took out the tool. “You’ve never been this interested before… Huh?”

He found that no matter how he manipulated it, the cutlery wouldn’t transform.

Alfred noticed and walked over, making the two pretending-to-sleep boys tense up. “What’s going on?”

“We didn’t notice earlier,” Shel whispered. “It seems all our magical items have stopped working.”

Alfred raised an eyebrow. “What?”

He looked up at the now fully darkened forest. One magical item failing was understandable, but nearly all of them? He doubted any mage could achieve that, not even the grand magus in the palace.

And since they had worked fine the previous day but failed today, this change likely wasn’t due to the forest. Besides, who had ever heard of an elf-chosen forest that naturally blocked magic? Not even a fool would believe that joke!

The three men fell silent, with only the crackling of the firewood breaking the silence.

“These little gadgets are trivial,” Alfred finally said. “Stay alert—if we’re lucky, we might catch a big one tonight.”

……

Charlie sat by the window, teaching Arnie some basic elvish. He knew Arnie had a natural talent for languages. While he wasn’t certain how many languages the grown-up Dwight knew, he had seen books written in elvish among the Duke’s unnecessary luggage at the beginning of their journey.

But the first elvish word young Arnie learned was from him, and this thought made Charlie a little proud.

“Weird pronunciation,” Arnie commented.

“It’s related to their magic system. Elvish language and spell words are the same, so it feels a bit odd for ordinary humans to use,” Charlie explained. “If you study magic, it will feel more natural.”

“The Dwight family isn’t particularly talented in magic.” Arnie shook his head. “I prefer swordsmanship—but Priscilla likes magic. Mother said she was sad for a while because she had no magical talent. The steward knows magic but didn’t join the Mages Association. He said it wasn’t necessary, as Brandenburg also employs long-term mages.”

Charlie smiled and flicked his fingers, making a small light float out, fluttering like a little butterfly in front of Arnie.

“Only girls like this,” Arnie said stubbornly, though his eyes were wide with interest.

“You’re right.” Charlie was about to teach him the elvish word for “butterfly” when there was a knock on the door.

A young Nawen tribe member had brought up a late-night snack.

“Where’s Wind?” Charlie asked.

The boy looked into the room but couldn’t see Arnie clearly since his chair was far from the door. He could only see a small pair of legs swinging rhythmically, suggesting a good mood.

“He has other matters,” the boy replied, neither warm nor cold, handing over the snack before jumping down the steps. The night was so dark that it was unclear how he navigated the small landing spots.

“Wind isn’t here,” Charlie said to Arnie. “Maybe many people are looking for the missing children.”

“Will Alfred fight them?” Arnie stood on the chair, waving his fists. He would never do this in Brandenburg because nobles had to “maintain their dignity at all times”. But without the steward and Elaby around, and since Oscar never imposed such rules, Arnie had gradually become more carefree, refusing to sit properly.

“They have many people,” Charlie said objectively. “And the Nawen warriors are strong. It’s better not to fight.”

“Alfred is also very strong!” Arnie retorted. “Did I ever tell you the story of how he killed a lion alone?”

“But the Nawen are people—do you really want to see Alfred fighting and bleeding against Wind or Green?” Charlie asked patiently.

Bleeding… That wouldn’t be necessary.

Arnie calmed down, climbed off the chair, and looked a bit deflated. “When will he come to rescue me? Is Father already here? I want to go home.”

“Not interested in seeing the elven relics anymore?”

“I want to go home,” Arnie said, lowering his head. Charlie felt that if he weren’t there, the little guy might have started to cry. He sighed and hugged Arnie.

“You’ll be able to go home soon,” Charlie said.

Arnie pouted, saying nothing. He felt Oscar was just trying to comfort him and didn’t notice that Charlie said “you” instead of “we”.

“Really,” Charlie assured him. “Don’t you want to know what the seer told me privately? It was this. He promised on behalf of the Nawen tribe that they wouldn’t harm you and would safely return you to your family.”

“But they said my father is a thief.” Arnie still couldn’t let it go.

“They’ve been communicating with the Imperial Capital. The treasure isn’t in Brandenburg. Alger lied. He deceived the Nawen tribe into thinking the Duke had it to mislead them. In reality, he planned to present it alone to earn a title.”

Since the unification of Pennigra, there hadn’t been much change in the ranks of the Empire’s nobility. A branch member like Alger had no hope of inheriting a title, and his wealth would only decrease over time. But his vanity wouldn’t let him settle for being an ordinary person, especially with more successful examples in the family—the Duchess, his sister Emma, was his primary object of envy and jealousy.

“The Emperor is both just and generous. He agreed to return the treasure on the condition of your safety. There were probably other terms as well, which the seer didn’t detail, but it seems the Nawen tribe accepted them.” Charlie patted his cheek. “So don’t be sad. Cheer up a bit.”

Arnie looked up from his embrace. “What about the hidden realm?”

Recovered quickly, didn’t you? Charlie teased him with a smile. “Didn’t you say you didn’t want to go?”

“I can’t go alone,” Arnie said seriously. “But if Father or the knights go with me, it’s fine.”

Then, looking a bit smug, he added, “If you want to go too—then I’ll consider it.”

Charlie pinched his cheek. “Consider! After everything we’ve been through together, you need to consider? Am I good to you or not? Am I?”

Arnie’s cheeks were pulled into a funny shape, and he laughed. “Then you can come too.”

Charlie hugged him tightly, ruffling his soft, light blond hair.

Arnie couldn’t see his expression but could still hear the smile in his voice.

“That’s better,” Oscar said.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 冬瓜茶仙人 / Winter Melon Tea Immortal

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 207

Arnie knew what this meant. It was something that many scholars would give anything just to catch a glimpse of—an actual elven relic. Though he had inherited his mother’s elven bloodline, such an intangible thing couldn’t compare to real relics.

But…

He took two steps back and grabbed the hem of Charlie’s coat.

“I didn’t come here by choice,” Arnie said seriously. “I’m not an elf. I’d rather know when I can go home than see the ruins.”

Charlie’s hand, which had been resting on Arnie’s shoulder, remained there, but his gaze never left Spring.

Spring’s expression showed no emotion. Despite Arnie’s blunt reply, he wasn’t angered but looked at them thoughtfully.

“Do you trust him?” he asked Arnie, though the person he was referring to was clear.

This time, Arnie didn’t respond, moving halfway behind Charlie.

Charlie understood the deeper meaning behind Spring’s question.

Spring might have sensed that his existence was “unnatural”. If Arnie placed his trust and affection in someone like him, it could be seen as futile.

So Charlie crouched down and asked Arnie, “Can I talk to him alone for a moment?”

Arnie asked cautiously, “About what?”

He was sure that Oscar and Spring were meeting for the first time today, and their conversation had been minimal, but he still felt uneasy about their interaction.

“Is that okay?” Charlie asked again.

After spending time with Arnie, he had figured out how to deal with the young Dwight. Arnie could be stubborn and headstrong but was also very understanding and didn’t like forcing others to do things against their will.

As long as he expressed his wishes sincerely, Arnie usually didn’t have the heart to refuse.

“Does it have to be this way?” Arnie grumbled but didn’t outright refuse, showing reluctance.

Charlie patted his head. “Ten minutes.”

He promised Arnie that he would only be alone in the living room for ten minutes and handed him his pocket watch to play with its little mechanisms.

That pocket watch was one of the few items not washed away by the river, and although it had been soaked, it still kept accurate time.

Spring didn’t interfere in Charlie and Arnie’s exchange. He quietly watched Charlie coax Arnie out of the room and shut the door to the partition.

“This isn’t your true form,” Spring said, his tone less gentle without Arnie present. “Why are you hiding?”

Charlie sat on the floor but kept a slight distance from Spring.

“It’s unavoidable,” Charlie said honestly.

“Approaching the Dwight boy was also unavoidable?” Spring retorted softly. “He sees us as kidnappers but doesn’t know that the person beside him is the truly suspicious one.”

Charlie understood where Spring’s subtle hostility came from.

As someone who had close ties with the elves and guarded their home, Spring’s power also came from perception. His ability to sense things far surpassed Arnie’s and had revealed to him that Charlie didn’t belong to this world.

“I would never harm Arnie,” Charlie said. “In this regard, we stand together. You should sense that.”

“But you’re not honest,” Spring said. “He doesn’t know your true identity or where you come from.”

“He will know one day,” Charlie said.

Spring pressed, “When is ‘one day’?”

Charlie thought for a moment. “In twelve years… His birthday is in May, so in twelve years, five months, and eight days.”

Spring’s expression finally changed. He scrutinized Charlie’s face for a while before saying, “Is that where you come from?”

“No, it’s a bit further than that.” Charlie briefly summarized Khalif’s ambitions and magic. Even without mentioning the Holy Grail, what he described was enough to unsettle Spring. He leaned forward slightly, his brows furrowed.

“Foolish,” he muttered. “Utterly foolish.”

“Khalif should be dead by now, but affected by the magic, I am still searching for the right path back,” Charlie said.

“Your magic waves are strong. I knew as soon as you entered the forest,” Spring said. “Time magic is dangerous. Since you aren’t malevolent, you can stay here.”

Charlie suspected Spring said this for Arnie’s sake—the Nawen tribe seemed to extend their goodwill towards the elves to Arnie.

“I have reasons I must return,” Charlie said.

Spring looked up at him.

Charlie glanced at the partition door. On the other side, Arnie was sitting in the living room.

“He’s waiting for me,” Charlie said.

Spring also looked at the partition door, then back at Charlie, seeming to understand something from Charlie’s precise talk about the timing of their meeting. His gaze turned scrutinizing.

“What about the boy’s future?” Spring asked. Though a seer, his inspirations only came during key events. He didn’t know everything, especially about the unknown future.

Spring loved all children. Even though he had only known of Arnie’s existence for a few days, it didn’t stop him from caring for him as an elder.

Though Arnie might never know this.

“He… does not have a smooth path, but he becomes an outstanding person. I miss him dearly.”

As Charlie said this, he remembered the grown-up Dwight. Despite spending all this time with young Arnie, he hadn’t forgotten his memories of adult Dwight. His longing only grew stronger.

Spring was silent for a while, then suddenly asked an unrelated question, “Do you know what the treasure that was taken from the Nawen tribe is?”

Charlie truly didn’t know. Such tribal secrets wouldn’t be revealed to an outsider, and although he had speculated, he had no leads about this secluded tribe.

But Spring brought it up now, causing Charlie’s heart to skip a beat.

……

Arnie absentmindedly played with the pocket watch for a while, then got distracted by the sounds outside. He pushed a chair over, stood on it, and looked out the window.

Outside, there was a group of children around his age, each carrying a small bag, talking loudly and excitedly as they walked. At the front, a person who looked like their leader was talking to Wind and Green. Halfway through their conversation, they seemed to glance towards the seer’s house, and Arnie quickly ducked back inside.

There were many children in Lemena too, but Arnie didn’t like playing with his peers. He found them illogical and emotionally erratic, which he thought was troublesome.

He knelt on the chair and looked at the partition—Oscar hadn’t come out yet, so Arnie checked the time on the pocket watch again.

Three minutes left.

Arnie peeked out the window again. The group was getting closer, and he could see that none of them looked particularly happy or relaxed, especially the adults, who seemed both serious and anxious.

The one who knocked on the door was Green.

Arnie didn’t go to open the door but dragged the chair back to its original place—it was especially difficult on the carpeted floor. Just as he finished, the partition door opened.

Charlie peeked out, saw someone was knocking, and came out.

“Time’s up,” Arnie said, standing by the chair.

Charlie took his hand, and they went to open the door. Green stood very close to the door and entered as soon as it opened.

“Where’s the seer?” she asked, though it seemed she was familiar with the house as she walked straight to the partition without pausing.

Wind followed her in, his face full of worry.

“What’s wrong?” Charlie stepped aside to let them in.

“Are you finished talking?” Wind asked.

Charlie nodded, then asked again, “What’s happened?”

Wind glanced outside, where several children were peeking in curiously, apparently very interested in Arnie.

“A child is missing,” Wind said. “Today was their outing day… but this is very unusual. We always strictly teach the children not to leave the group. They wouldn’t act on their own. The seer can communicate with the forest. We must report to him immediately.”

Charlie could sense a change in Wind’s attitude towards them, perhaps due to learning about Arnie’s lineage, but more likely because of the seer’s attitude. Wind had clearly let down his guard significantly. Two days ago, he would have avoided such questions.

Whatever the seer had told Green, she came out of the partition looking somewhat strange.

Charlie and Arnie soon understood her expression.

“Your people have kidnapped a child,” she said sternly. “They have infiltrated the forest.”

Alfred?

Both Charlie and Arnie thought of the name simultaneously.

But Alfred would never harm a child. Charlie knew, and so did Arnie.

“Do you have any evidence?” Arnie asked angrily.

“You—”

“Green,” Wind interrupted her, then turned to Charlie. “It seems the Duke isn’t far from the forest… Let’s go back for now.”

Charlie picked up Arnie and nodded.

Arnie felt a bit relieved. He didn’t believe Alfred would harm the Nawen tribe’s children—Brandenburg Knights were nothing like the green-eyed man who had kidnapped him!

But since Green said so, it meant his knights had indeed entered the forest, with the only goal being to find him.

Wind’s guess was also correct. Alfred wouldn’t act alone. One Brandenburg Knight appearing here meant the entire knight order was approaching, and Duke Dwight would certainly come personally for his child.

Unless the Nawen tribe wanted to risk their entire tribe and forest, they would choose to return him. Arnie understood the logic, but he wouldn’t feel truly at ease until he saw his father. Now, he felt a bit relieved.

This happiness even made him temporarily forget the unpleasantness of the seer talking to Oscar alone.

“Alfred wouldn’t kidnap a child,” Arnie reiterated seriously to Charlie.

“I know,” Charlie said equally seriously. “‘Kidnap’ is just Green’s interpretation. I believe the seer’s original words weren’t like that.”

Otherwise, the Nawen warriors wouldn’t have remained so calm. When Wind brought them back to the treehouse, the Nawen people they saw were either unaware and relaxed or serious but not extremely angry. This made Charlie think the seer’s message was more like, “The missing child is currently with the visitors from Lemena.”

Green, however, interpreted it as the Brandenburg Knights taking the child out of revenge or to leverage against the Nawen tribe—after all, the “outsiders” had stolen the tribe’s treasure first. This girl, having spent a long time with the seer, likely took care of the children regularly, so her excessive worry and misinterpretation were understandable.

“They don’t understand. If the missing child is with Alfred, that’s a good thing,” Arnie said angrily. “It’s almost dark.”

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