Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 1025 - 140 Ika

Chapter 1025: Chapter 140 Ika

In the sanctuary personally built by Flare, there weren’t only members of the adventure team and the demigods escorting them, but also seven or eight royal guards who had followed on the outskirts clearing obstacles also took shelter there. According to Flare, other squads would build their own sanctuaries nearby, so there was no need for anyone to worry. These highly trained rangers were accustomed to maintaining a taciturn demeanor during their missions and would not interact with others unless absolutely necessary. Thus, they were very unobtrusive within the sanctuary. Eventually, they were utterly ignored by everyone until Flare raised a question that reminded everyone that these few individuals were indeed present.

"It really is you." Faced with the frustrating answer from the questioned one, Flare pressed her hand against her forehead in an uncharacteristic display of distress, groaning, "I had my suspicions earlier, but to think I actually guessed right. What are you doing here at a time like this?"

"Eh? Should I not have come?" The person being questioned spoke in a dull tone, his voice filled with confusion, "Didn’t you earlier summon the royal guards? So, I came."

"But you are not a royal guard at all." Flare nearly collapsed, "You weren’t before, you aren’t now, and you never will be in the future. What does my summoning the royal guards have to do with you at all?"

After watching the Thunder Element forage in the rain, a group that included Flare had returned to the temporary sanctuary. Pannis pulled out a flask from his backpack and poured hot water for the girls and himself. Drinking a large cup of hot water to warm the body after getting wet in the rain was a crucial piece of knowledge for any adventurer, even in the steamy, humid Forest of Death. Having done all this, Pannis then sat on a log Flare had found somewhere, curiously watching Flare’s rare questioning demeanor.

"Right, I really am not a royal guard." The person being questioned suddenly slapped his palm as if just realizing it, exclaimed in sudden realization, "Then why did I come when you summoned the guards?"

"This is something I’ve wanted to know from the beginning. Don’t brush me off by answering a question with another question," Flare said with a headache, "What exactly are you here for? There has to be a purpose."

"Does there have to be a purpose?" the questioned one asked innocently, "Then wait a moment, let me come up with a purpose."

"Hey, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?" Flare finally understood, speaking angrily, "Don’t grin at me like that. Just answer my question, and if there’s nothing else, you might as well go back."

"Is it really not okay to come?" the questioned elf scratched his head through the black cloak and said dejectedly, "But I feel I must come and see. Someone argued all day at the Elder Council, forcing everyone to agree to her lending out the Hunting Arrow secretly. How could I not come and check on this?"

"Pft," Pannis spat the hot water directly onto the ground as, at the same time, the Winged people twins and the scorpion-tailed lion Dillie also surveyed back and forth among Flare, Pannis, and the young girls with peculiar gazes. Those who had participated in the expedition to the Realm of the Dead a hundred years ago could guess that the so-called Hunting Arrow was subtly referred to as the Arrow of the Hunting Goddess, a divine artifact personally crafted by Artemis for the children of her forest, which would inevitably hit disregarding all defenses, a secret weapon hidden by the elves for thousands of years. Any being beneath the Deities had to bow before the Arrow of the Hunting Goddess.

A hundred years ago, at Kyle’s request, Flare had once taken out an arrow, but without precedent, no one knew that this arrow wouldn’t work on intangible targets, so the shot Arrow of the Hunting Goddess had no effect on the Soul of Danacus. Although it was a one-time artifact, since it didn’t work, it wasn’t consumed. Therefore, after the battle, this arrow was taken back and returned to the Elven Forest by Flare. Unexpectedly, this arrow had been taken out of the Elven Royal Court by Flare again, and without needing to think, everyone could guess why she did it. Thus, those who understood the situation looked at them with teasing eyes as though watching a spectacle; even those who did not understand, seeing their reactions, realized something and looked at them in the same way, bringing terrifying pressure to Pannis’ heart.

"Well, I’m not an elf," Pannis scratched his head like the one being questioned and coughed before saying, "Even if I were given the Hunting Arrow, I couldn’t use it, so it definitely has nothing to do with me."

"But what if the Bow of Release was also lent out with it?" the questioned turned around, her face concealed by black cloth so her appearance couldn’t be seen, but in her pale green eyes, Pannis always felt a wisdom that saw through everything in the world. Unfortunately, this wise look was accompanied by a rather silly tone, "With the Bow of Release, even a non-elf could shoot the Hunting Arrow."

"Hey, hey, my actions are approved by the Elder Council, it’s not like it was secretly lent out." Flare said discontentedly, "Moreover, I am the Elf Queen. I don’t need to face your accusations, nor do you have a stance to accuse me."

"I’m not accusing you. I said from the beginning, I just came to see," the questioned elf tilted her head, "And besides, even though you are the Queen, I am your mother, the Queen, how could I not have a stance?"

"Pft," this time it wasn’t Pannis, several young girls’ hot water almost sprayed out simultaneously; their mouths agape but unable to utter a word, only staring blankly at this woman who claimed to be Flare’s mother. No one present had ever seen this former Queen; barely more than two hundred years ago, shortly after Flare had come of age, the Queen had relinquished her throne and priestess position to her daughter and retired to indulge in life within the Elder Council. Since Empress Ika’s power was only legendary, she rarely represented her race outside the Elven Royal Court. However, everyone present had heard of Empress Ika. When Neutral Land was established, it was she who first extended a hand of friendship, supported the Zeus Declaration, and established diplomatic relations with Neutral Land, earning the elves the deep friendship of Neutral Land.

"As a mother, I must come and see," Ika removed the black cloth from her face, revealing a visage strikingly similar to Flare’s, and stared at Pannis while cupping her cheek, "Knowing that my own daughter, for the sake of someone, was willing to abdicate in favor of her sister and wanted to lose half of her lifespan in a Life Sharing Ceremony, and now even willing to risk her life on an expedition to the Realm of the Dead, I must come and see what kind of person this human really is."