This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 414 - 386: If the Enemy is that Lich

Chapter 414: Chapter 386: If the Enemy is that Lich

Within the verdant Elven Palace of the Silvermoon Tribunal, the young Elf King Aldarian sat on an oak chair, staring blankly at the Magic Mirror before him.

Having witnessed hundreds of meteors falling from the sky and effortlessly annihilating the Githyanki army, Aldarian didn’t know what to say.

He suspected it might be an illusion technique at first.

Unfortunately, based on what he knew about this Lich, his lies were never obvious.

Everything he presented with a guarantee was true. The real deceptions were well hidden, so much so that you wouldn’t even realize you had been fooled after the fact.

If this Lich wasn’t intentionally defying logic, then it meant that the Elf Tribe had severely underestimated him before.

Aldarian looked around; the hall was filled with the upper echelons of the Elf Tribe; essentially all the elite of the entire tribe were here.

"Gentlemen, the Lich intended for us to see this. What are your thoughts?" he asked.

Everyone was silent; the image of hundreds of meteors plummeting was too shocking. Elves lived long lives, but even those who had not experienced the Magic Dragon war had never seen such a spectacle.

But now that the Elven King had posed a question, they had no choice but to answer, no matter how reluctantly.

"Perhaps we can give him more magical materials than we give him every year. That way, we could foster a better relationship," someone suggested.

Aldarian looked at the Elf who had spoken, who appeared middle-aged but was actually eight or nine hundred years old. This Elf was essentially the Silvermoon Tribunal’s finance minister, responsible for the ten million magical materials provided to Amberser every year. Now, with the first batch of materials having been sent halfway, it would be reasonable to offer a bit more.

Eyeing this Elf, Aldarian asked, "Your thought is to bribe the Lich with more money? Have we Elves become so feeble that we need to ingratiate ourselves this way?"

"This..." The elderly Elf could not help but say, "Your Majesty, most of our tribe’s strong and able have had their magic power sealed. We are at our weakest."

Aldarian huffed coldly and counter-asked, "Do you think I don’t know that? On my first day in office, I went over the list of these magic addicts hundreds of times. I am well aware of who they are, how old they are, and how they are distributed throughout the Silvermoon Tribunal. But their magic power has only been sealed, not lost forever. They can live normally without using magic. Are you treating them all as bedridden patients?"

Agitated, Aldarian stood up and exclaimed, "I have been inspecting every corner of the Silvermoon Tribunal during this period, and I have noticed a serious problem. How exactly have you been comforting these magic addicts? Besides letting them rest, do you know anything else?

"Elves are naturally sensitive and sentimental. These magic-addicted Elves feel handicapped; you let them rest as if worried they wouldn’t have enough time for idle thoughts. They wallow in self-pity over the loss of their magic power, considering themselves crippled, and you are actually treating them like invalids, letting them stay at home? Has the Silvermoon Tribunal run out of work to do?"

The high-level Elves were scolded so fiercely they couldn’t raise their heads, not expecting to anger the Elven King in such a manner. What a great sin this Lich had committed!

Under the intense glare of Aldarian’s angry eyes, most Elves bowed their heads and did not dare to speak. Despite his youth and relatively low seniority, the Elven King had established his own prestige, based on his previous accomplishments. Now these old-timers had no standing to show off their age.

Nevertheless, Elves are ultimately a race that maintains good morals. They did not hold any grudge against Aldarian because what he said was reasonable. Under his guidance, they began to think anew.

Soon, someone suggested, "We can assign work that doesn’t require magic power to those Elves whose magic has been sealed. The Magic Forge may not be usable, but ordinary forges can still achieve the desired effect. The same applies to alchemy and the cultivation of magical materials; most of it doesn’t require magic."

"Good, even though it will take a lot of time, it’s better than letting those Elves become invalids. We Elves can become warriors even without magic power," said another.

One person started speaking, and soon various suggestions were proposed.

This time Aldarian did not interject. Though he felt many proposals were wild fantasies and completely unrealistic, it was still better than the previously morose atmosphere.

Elf Tribe has never feared crises; with the strongest Elven Gods as their backing, no dead ends could hinder them as long as they retained their pride. What they truly feared was giving up themselves, forcing the Gods to inflict punishment.

Once the discussion was nearly over, Aldarian said, "These suggestions can be discussed in detail later. Let’s return to the original question: how should we respond to what this Lich has shown us?"

This time there was no need for silence; an immediate response came: "Your Majesty, there’s actually no need for excessive worry. These few hundred Starbursts are insignificant; the Silvermoon Tribunal equally wields a vast amount of such high-grade spells."

Aldarian replied, "The Lich has only been at sea for a few days, whereas how many years did it take for the Silvermoon Tribunal to build its Magic Array?"

"Well, our offensive capabilities may be insufficient, but we have ample defense. As long as the Silvermoon Tribunal stands, the Elf Tribe will have enough time to change everything."

Well pleased Aldarian said, "Very well, at last you show some true Elven spirit. But don’t forget this detail, no matter how formidable the Lich is, he cannot possibly wield such powerful magic alone. Take a closer look at the accuracy of those Meteor Bursts; it’s frighteningly high. That must be the work of a Diviner Mage."

"What is it that sustains him to wield such immense magic power? Have none of you thought of anything?"

Someone immediately responded, "Your Majesty, are you talking about... the Magic Web?"

Every Elf Tribe member possesses strong innate casting talents, and they are naturally adept at mastering one or several tricks, making it extremely easy for them to become Mages. Those present were all elites, and naturally, they could discover many things.

Although Amberser tried hard to conceal it, when the Hundredfold Starburst appeared, the massive flow of magic power still left noticeable traces.

Undoubtedly, there was some special thing allowing him to control those magic powers, forming a system similar to the Magic Web.

The Magic Web is a grand system created by the Magic Goddess to calm the wild magic and facilitate Mages in casting their spells.

This Lich seems to have mastered a Magic Web of his own.

This is consistent with the conclusion the Elf Tribe reached when they attempted reverse-engineering previously; the seals on those suffering from magic addiction are very much like a miniature Magic Web, allowing the afflicted to balance the uncontrollable magic powers.

However, the reverse-engineering efforts have always been stagnant; they know that the Sealing Scrolls utilize this principle, but as for the specific details and how it is applied, the Elf Tribe is still completely in the dark.

Aldarian said, "I am certain that this Lich must have acquired some forbidden knowledge from somewhere, likely from one of the Deities. And given the nature of this Lich, as long as there is enough Gold Coin, he would even package and sell himself. Gentlemen, prepare well. The continent will soon face a war, and no matter in what form it comes, we must all protect the Elf Tribe."

All the Elves stood up and pledged in unison.

Aldarian waved his hand to dismiss the meeting and then began to close his eyes to rest.

Soon after, a white-haired elderly man walked in. This was Aldarian’s grandfather, the former Elven King, Hildas.

"Well done; you are better suited to be the king of the Elf Tribe than either me or Katherine," Hildas remarked with emotion.

However, Aldarian didn’t open his eyes, speaking wearily instead, "It’s of no use being suitable; it’s ultimately difficult. Grandfather, we do not know what kind of future we will face; the Gods are unwilling to give me the slightest hint.

"I can’t understand it; since the Lich has dealt with the Githyanki, it stands to reason that the Overseas Dragon Clan won’t be a problem either. So, where lies the issue? What else in this world could lead to its complete collapse, despite the presence of a Lich who keeps saving it? Grandfather, if we can’t find the true cause, the Elf Tribe will be in grave danger."

Aldarian’s approach was unlike the previous two Elven Kings. His grandfather was a distinguished hero who took part in the Magic Dragon War and became a hero alongside Arthur Laine before he ascended to the throne. Katherine was deemed the next Elf Queen by the Elven Gods, and her ascension faced no difficulties whatsoever.

To put it bluntly, neither of them was leadership material, as far as Aldarian was concerned.

Only because the Elf Tribe had extensive resources and businesses could they withstand the turmoil caused by two Elven Kings. Aldarian might not be able to defeat these two in battle, but he was a true politician and a competent king.

Aldarian saw farther than all the other Elves.

The world was inevitably going to plunge into war; that was a future set in stone. But where the fire of war would ignite and how it would spread, Aldarian knew nothing.

Hildas consoled him, "When war descends, all our Elf Tribe can do is try our best to prepare. Didn’t you just handle things well? Don’t overexert yourself. You are our king of Elves; you need to take care of your health."

Aldarian opened his eyes and looked at his grandfather, saying with a wry smile, "If it were any other situation, I believe I could manage. But grandfather, have you ever considered the possibility that this great war might be instigated and driven by the Lich?

"If this Lich seeks the destruction of everything, how can our Elf Tribe stand against it?"

Hildas would have liked to say that the Elf Tribe’s strength remains formidable and that they fear no enemies. But this Lich... Hildas couldn’t confidently declare that the Elf Tribe could withstand him.

The Lich’s displayed strength was not so much about power, but rather that he always strikes where others least expect it.

Like with those Githyanki, they surely couldn’t have anticipated encountering hundreds of meteors on their way, each one hitting its target without fail.

How to withstand an enemy whose movements defy all logic?

The only thing that could bring Hildas comfort now was Amberser’s recent behavior; it seemed that he genuinely enjoyed saving the world.