Chapter 138: I’m So Jealous (1)
Chapter 138: I’m So Jealous (1)
“I suppose I have no choice.”
As suspicion began to mount against her, Elione reached into her robes and pulled something out.
The expressions of those watching shifted instantly.
“Huh?”
“Ooh….”
It was a small twig, no larger than an infant’s palm.
The onlookers gasped as they realized the identity of the small branch, which was emitting a faint, ethereal glow. There weren't many types of wood an Elf would cherish enough to keep tucked away in their bosom.
The identity of that object was…
“It is a branch of the World Tree.”
As soon as Elione spoke, a chorus of exclamations erupted.
“I knew it….”
“It’s my first time seeing one.”
“Of course it is. Where else would you ever see something like that?”
“I can brag about this until the day I die. I’ve seen something truly magnificent.”
The party stared at the branch of the World Tree as if they were looking at the most wondrous object in existence. None dared to reach out and touch it. If even a speck of it were to break, they wouldn't be able to complain even if the Elves tore them limb from limb.
A branch of the World Tree.
This was an item that only a tiny minority of Elves—those blessed by the World Tree itself—could possess. It was a treasure of the Elven race that enhanced one's communion with spirits just by being held.
Patrick also watched with an interested gaze.
The Natural Qi is incredible. Even the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng wasn't at this level.
In his past life, the highest-valued spiritual medicine Patrick had ever seen was the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng. The energy condensed within that medicine had been immense, but the energy from this tiny twig was even more profound.
While the sheer volume of energy might be smaller than that of the ginseng, Patrick had never felt Natural Qi this pure. He felt that if he kept it by his side while meditating, his efficiency would increase several times over.
I want it.
Unfortunately, Elione tucked the branch back into her robes.
“I hope this serves as sufficient proof of my identity?”
“Well, for now.”
It was a precious artifact more than capable of verifying her status. In the first place, being permitted to carry a branch of the World Tree was a monumental feat.
Having cleared up the misunderstanding, she spoke once more.
“I make this request formally. Please, follow me and visit Evergreen.”
“I’ll start by asking why. Why? For what purpose are you inviting me?”
“I have a favor to ask of you, sir.”
“Right. I figured. You’re probably not calling me just to stare at me because I’m handsome, so there must be a favor involved, right?”
At Patrick’s indifferent reaction, his companions behind him began to whisper.
“Did this punk just call himself handsome?”
“And in front of Elves, no less.”
“He has no conscience.”
“He never had one to begin with, did he?”
“Ah… right.”
Patrick glared at his comrades before turning back to Elione.
“I’ll ask again. Why should I go? What are you trying to make me do?”
“…….”
Elione remained silent, looking troubled. After a moment of agonizing thought, she spoke.
“I am sorry, but I cannot tell you that. It is a secret of the utmost importance to our tribe.”
“So, you can’t tell me the reason, but I should just go anyway. Is that it?”
“Yes. That is correct.”
“Then the answer is easy.”
“Thank you—”
“I’m not going.”
Wait, he was refusing?
Patrick shrugged his shoulders.
“Nothing else to say? Then please, leave.”
“Is there truly no way?” Elione asked desperately.
Her voice was seductive enough to melt any man’s heart. However…
“Yes. No way at all.”
There were people that worked on, and people it didn't.
Patrick spoke in a nonchalant tone.
“You won’t even reveal the reason, yet you want me to come? I can’t accept such a suspicious offer.”
“Unlike humans, we Elves do not craft cunning schemes or traps. We simply, purely, need your help.”
“You’re saying that in a way that’s quite offensive to humans.”
Elione hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
“If you wish, I will provide compensation.”
“Compensation? What kind?”
Seeing Patrick show interest, Elione continued.
“I am aware that the silk, Elven wine, and bows we produce are traded at high prices among humans.”
“That’s true.”
Silk was a bit of a nuanced topic for Patrick, but it was a rare treasure nonetheless.
“I will provide you with as much as you desire on a regular basis. Will you please grant my request?”
“In other words, you’re giving me the right to trade with the Elven race?”
“Exactly.”
“That is… somewhat tempting.”
Actually, it was very tempting. Items produced by Elves were treated as priceless by humans. There were stories of a single bottle of Elven wine being auctioned for more than the annual budget of a small territory.
So, it was tempting, but…
“I still refuse.”
A chorus of shocked screams erupted.
“Gasp!”
“How can this be?”
“This makes no sense!”
For the record, these weren't the Elves speaking. It was Patrick’s companions. They whispered with expressions of pure disbelief.
“Did that guy just turn down a deal that would make him a fortune?”
“What? What did I just witness?”
“This is more shocking than Arcana winning.”
“Is this a dream?”
Even Isabella was pinching her own cheek to check if she was awake.
These idiots, I swear…
Patrick sighed at his companions' reactions. Sure, Patrick liked money. In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he loved it. As a reaction to living in such poverty in his past life, he had developed a habit of going crazy for gold. However…
No matter how you look at it, this is too suspicious.
She couldn't reveal the reason. It was a matter of extreme importance. She would pay any price.
It has all three hallmarks of a trap.
Patrick was a man who had experienced all sorts of things in the Martial World, where conspiracies and schemes were rampant. To survive in the Jianghu, one had to be constantly suspicious and never step into something questionable.
Even the Radiant Dragon Hero, Jincheon, who solved most problems in the world by smashing through them, knew that much. Why would he intentionally walk into a trap that was so obviously suspicious?
Elves are different from humans?
Who cared? They weren't transcendent immortals who had moved past the world; there was no telling what they would do if a truly dire problem arose.
Patrick looked the woman straight in the eye.
“I decline the offer. If you have no other business, please leave.”
A firm rejection. Faced with a refusal that left no room for negotiation, she fell silent for a moment.
Then…
Ssssh.
She reached up and removed the mask that had been covering her face.
And then…
“Ah….”
“…Whoa.”
“My god….”
It was hard to suppress the gasps. Golden hair, flowing more smoothly than the finest silk, cascaded down skin whiter than marble. Her perfectly sculpted features were so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.
And the moment she opened her eyes, her pale green pupils added an enchanting hue, as if the world’s most beautiful jewels had been embedded there.
A race blessed with beauty. Now they understood why the Elves were described that way.
I want her.
I want to possess her.
I want to make her mine.
Even though these people had been selected to represent their nations and had diligently trained their minds and bodies, an impulsive desire surged within them the moment they saw the Elf’s beauty.
Revealing her face, Elione spoke.
“If you come, I can even give myself to you.”
At that moment, the others were on the verge of pushing Patrick’s back and telling him to go. Even though she wasn't saying she would be theirs, the effect of Elven beauty was powerful enough to exert an intense temptation. And Patrick…
“You’re making a fool of me.”
“Ah….”
“Stop the bullshit and get lost.”
He didn't show a single hint of agitation.
“Ah….”
For a moment, Elione was the one who was surprised. She knew how intense the desire humans felt toward beautiful members of the opposite sex could be. An ordinary human, regardless of whether they were good or evil, should have felt a tremor in their heart upon seeing her.
But from Patrick, she felt not even a speck of wavering. To her eyes, Patrick was like a perfectly still, sunken lake.
How can a human be like this?
A piece of knowledge suddenly flashed through her flustered mind.
“Are you… perhaps a Saint?”
“Huh?”
This time, Patrick was the one caught off guard. A Saint? Me?
It was a description he had never heard in either his past or present life, and even the great Patrick was stunned.
Elione continued.
“I have heard that while most humans are driven by greed and desire, there are a very few exceptions—noble individuals who transcend desire, live a life of selflessness, and practice only good deeds.”
“Uh… sure. There are people like that….”
I call those people pushovers.
Elione didn't hide her wonder as she looked at Patrick.
“Are you, perhaps, one of those people?”
“It’s a bit much to say it with my own mouth….”
“Ah, as I thought….”
Elione’s expression brightened. That humble attitude, not elevating himself—he was undoubtedly a Saint, a rarity among humans. If that were the case…
“I will tell you the secret of our tribe. Please, listen to our circumstances and help us.”
“Ahem, well, I can at least listen.”
“I understand. Then, please dismiss the others. Only the Saint must hear my words.”
“Understood. Everyone, get out…. What? What’s with those sour faces?”
Wouldn't your face be sour too?
*
Patrick and Elione were left alone for their private audience.
Once they were by themselves, Patrick thought:
She really is pretty. She’s so pretty it’s almost ridiculous. Is it even legal to be this beautiful? It shouldn't be.
Patrick was busy observing Elione’s beauty. He had thought he was quite used to beautiful women. His wife in his past life had been called the First Flower of Sichuan. April, who attended to him now, was a beauty capable of toppling a kingdom or two. Even his mother, Ava, was a stunning woman.
But Elione’s beauty was different. If human beauty was vibrant and lively, Elven beauty was so pure it felt dreamlike. It was a fleeting beauty that felt as if it would vanish like a phantom if touched, yet it existed right before his eyes.
If he stared blankly, he felt like he would be enchanted. It was the kind of beauty that stimulated a possessive desire the more one looked.
If I weren't a martial arts master, I would have been embarrassed.
Since the start of this negotiation, Patrick had been circulating his internal energy to maintain a focused mind. This was a habit from his past life, intended to control his facial expressions and maintain composure during negotiations. And when a master of Patrick’s caliber focused his mind through internal energy, he wouldn't be shaken by most things.
However, that was only while he was actively focusing….
This is insane. I want to keep looking even though I’m looking right at her. If Diaochan were alive, would she have looked like this?
“Is something the matter?”
“I can see why Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu would grab each other by the throat and fight.”
“…Pardon?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
Patrick cleared his throat and began circulating his internal energy again. The negotiation wasn't over yet.
Once they were alone in the room, Elione spoke with a grave expression.
“You must keep what I am about to say an absolute secret.”
“I will do so.”
Even after receiving his word, Elione bit her lower lip, hesitating. What she was about to reveal was the secret of secrets for her tribe. Normally, it was something she should never tell an outsider, even one presumed to be a Saint. But…
There is no other way.
The Elves were currently in a position where they would grasp at even a straw. Finally, she squeezed her eyes shut and spoke.
“The World Tree’s life is coming to an end.”
“The World Tree’s life…. Wait a minute. The World Tree? Are you talking about the World Tree I know?”
“…Yes.”
“That’s absurd. Isn't the World Tree a being with Divinity? How can it have a lifespan?”
The World Tree. It was the object of the Elves' faith and a being that strictly possessed divinity. Just like Yupinel, the Goddess of Harmony, or Kalaron, the God of Destruction, the World Tree existed as a deity for the Elves.
A god having a lifespan? What kind of nonsense was this?
Elione sighed and said, “We do not know the reason either. However, the World Tree has already stopped blooming, and its leaves are withering.”
“Hmm….”
“We have investigated and researched in many ways, but we cannot find the cause. It simply shows the typical signs of a tree reaching the end of its life.”
Patrick rubbed the back of his stiff neck.
This is a much bigger headache than I thought.