After a chaotic commotion, having finally managed to stop the two sides from throwing landmines at each other, I slumped into the chairs surrounding the round table. Looking up at the other elf, whom I had just been calming down, I happened to see him also looking in my direction, and I couldn't help but give a wry smile.
"Ahem, I apologize, it seems we have been negligent in our etiquette."
The elf quietly got up, tidying his messy leaf robes and emerald hair, his gaze wandering as he touched the back of his head. He had heard the guide refer to him as an elder, clearly someone who could make decisions in this settlement, but until now he had been surprisingly weak in presence, only slightly better than the shadowy butterflies that drifted like smoke.
Earlier, when another sword demon clashed with the one we had sent outside to get some fresh air and calm down, he was also in this space. But if he hadn't stepped forward to stop the elven elder from going mad, we probably wouldn't have noticed his presence at all.
Still seemingly a little guilty, he beckoned to the forest ranger who was leading the way and whispered something in his ear. Soon after, he quickly left the hall and returned a moment later with a handful of colorful wild fruits wrapped in leaves, which he gently placed in front of us.
Since we were on someone else's turf, neither Sheng nor I had any intention of eating. However, the furry ball that had been nestled on my shoulder jumped up and turned its head to look at me, clearly trying to get a request.
I thought about it for a moment and nodded slightly.
With a cheerful cry, the little creature immediately flapped its wings, glided excitedly to the table, picked up a bunch of small fruits from the vine, and shook its head from side to side. A few streams of heat shot out from the fledgling's throat, but did not damage the fruit itself; it merely seemed to heat it appropriately, causing it to melt into juice and slide into its mouth.
"I would like to express my gratitude and apologies once again."
After confirming several times that there would be no adverse effects, I shifted my gaze from Feifei, who was playing around in the center of the table, and looked across at the other side.
The elven elder, with a reserved expression and a faint smile, nodded in greeting: "There have been many things happening lately, and most of them have been quite sudden, so everyone is on edge. The search for the culprit has been fruitless, and with outsiders frequently appearing around the settlement, it's natural to subconsciously assume that the culprit might be among you, leading to this misplaced anger."
He stopped talking and cautiously began to scrutinize us, as if he were waiting for a reasonable explanation.
I exchanged a glance with Sheng beside me and shook my head: "Unfortunately, we can't offer any more help on this matter. My team and I just happened to venture here and, by some chance, received an invitation to visit this settlement."
"As for the situation you mentioned, where other outsiders have been appearing nearby... I suspect it might be related to the other small teams we encountered when we set off. Coincidentally, they were also making preparations before setting off, and soon stepped into the woods in front of us. But what happened after that was quickly forgotten because we were heading in different directions."
It's okay to temporarily conceal the requests related to the mission and objectives. Overly aggressive words are more likely to arouse suspicion, while saying that you know nothing about everything will also seem very suspicious. It's better to reveal a little information in exchange for temporary trust.
Of course, this is based on the premise that everything is true. Cutting out information can create subtle misleading information, but this does not affect the veracity of the statement.
The elf opposite pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly.
He quickly raised another question: "So, may I ask why you've come? The settlement is currently in a special period and may not be able to properly entertain our guests. Please forgive us."
"We just happened to run into him, and after hearing so many rumors, we came to visit out of curiosity." Sheng shook his head and smiled. "You don't need to worry about us at all. We came here just because we heard that the guy who came with us might be here, and we were worried that his straightforward personality might annoy people, so we came to confirm."
"Well, thankfully they've arrived."
I glanced at the guy who was still smiling, and I felt that his peaceful words just now seemed to contain a hidden threat. I subconsciously rubbed my hairy arms.
I don't know who she learned it from, but these days Sheng's tone of voice has become increasingly unpredictable, and she even often makes threatening gestures with a smile. Although she is still the same when she is with her teammates, she often makes people feel uneasy when it comes to external negotiations. It's not as comfortable as her original innocent appearance.
However, the other party did not seem to fully understand, and only nodded repeatedly. After the words were spoken, a blank look appeared on their face.
I noticed that his index finger, which was on the table, flicked slightly, then curled up. His body also subconsciously turned to the side, seemingly preparing to consult with others or seek their conclusions. However, he quickly froze for a moment because he realized that he was the only one who could take charge here, and ultimately did not make any further moves.
This is most likely an elven elder with very little combat experience, or rather, most of his work was taken over by others with stronger personalities, so he didn't accumulate much experience.
The forest rangers who hadn't left yet also looked helpless.
Fortunately, his age advantage prevented him from being at a loss in the face of the current situation. After calming down a bit, he spoke again as if nothing had happened, changing the subject: "In any case, it is true that you all helped our compatriots, and we deserve our sincere gratitude. If it weren't for your willingness to lend a helping hand, it might have been much longer before we could see them again."
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