Chapter 98: Giving the elves a taste of the "hardcore" life in another world...
Led by Lorian, they followed the glowing moonstone path to a treehouse suspended in mid-air, woven from the branches of enormous living trees.
“This is one of our outpost camps,” Lorian said to Lin Yue and the others, pointing to the treehouse that blended perfectly with its surroundings. “You can rest here for now. I’ve arranged for people to take care of your food and lodging.”
He faced the treehouse and whispered two words in Elvish.
Soon, two young female elves, dressed in light green dresses, with long golden hair and pointed ears, descended from the vine suspension bridge above the treehouse.
They bowed to Lorian, then curiously sized up Lin Yue and the other outsiders.
“Lina, Vera,” Lorian instructed them, “These are Her Majesty the Queen’s distinguished guests, so be sure to treat them well. It’s almost noon, so prepare plenty of food and let them rest well.”
He then turned to Lin Yue and added, “Mayor Lin, you can walk around here for a bit and familiarize yourselves with the environment. But please don’t go too far. There are many ancient defensive formations and traps we’ve set in the forest. It would be very dangerous for unfamiliar people to wander in by mistake. It could also cause misunderstandings among other unsuspecting members of the tribe.”
"Understood, thank you for the reminder, Captain Lorian." Lin Yue nodded.
After giving his instructions, Lorian led his squad of rangers back into the shadows of the forest and disappeared from sight.
The treehouse arranged by the elves was even more spacious and comfortable than Lin Yue had imagined. The interior was sparsely decorated, containing only a few pieces of furniture carved from single pieces of wood. The air was filled with a fresh, clean scent, like grass after rain.
Lin Yue and the others put down their luggage and went to the stream next to the treehouse to wash away the mud and fatigue they had accumulated from their days of trekking. They felt much refreshed.
Elder Farador and the two young Silent Ones, upon entering this environment filled with pure energy, were like fish returning to water. They couldn't wait to sit cross-legged and begin meditating, seizing every minute to repair their bodies and minds eroded by the impure energy.
Lin Yue looked at their "cultivation fanatic" appearance and shook his head helplessly. He himself knew nothing about advanced things like meditation, so he simply decided to take the equally idle Little Black on his shoulder and wander around the neighborhood to observe the elves' community building and cultural customs.
"Little Black, let's not just sit around. Come on, let me show you the world."
He wandered aimlessly along the Moonstone Path.
Along the way, they encountered many other elves. Most of the adult elves, like Ilandir, had cold and aloof expressions. When they saw Lin Yue, this human, they only glanced at him from afar. Although there was no malice in their eyes, their wariness and guardedness, keeping him at arm's length, were obvious.
Occasionally, Lin Yue would see one or two young elves. They were full of curiosity about Lin Yue, this outsider. They would hide behind tree trunks, secretly peek out their little heads, and curiously look at him, before being pulled away quickly by the hands of their elders who rushed over.
"Tsk tsk, it seems that elves have strict education too, they don't even let their children talk to strangers."
He wandered around for a bit, not daring to go too far. Although the place looked primitive and natural, it was actually very well-organized. The different treehouses seemed to serve different functions, some like storage rooms, others like schools... He even saw several elves sitting around a huge ancient tree, listening to an elder elf telling a story in a song-like tone.
Just as he was about to turn back, a series of suppressed, small gasps came from not far ahead.
He looked in the direction of the sound with curiosity, and the scene before him made him pause for a moment, then a warm smile appeared on his face.
In a clearing in the woods not far away, a team of more than a dozen elven rangers was carefully bringing over the elderly and children who had been relocated from Hope Town in batches.
Their mode of transport was a huge hanging basket hastily woven from tough vines. The basket could easily carry four or five children, or two elderly people with mobility issues, at a time. Two agile elven rangers carried it, one in front and one behind, their steps light and effortless as if walking on flat ground, traversing the dense woodland without feeling any bumps.
The elderly and children who were led there all stared wide-eyed, gazing with curiosity and awe at the mythical and beautiful world around them, and at the elves with pointed ears who were so beautiful they seemed unreal. They wanted to marvel, but because of their nervousness and restraint, they dared not make a sound, and could only cover their mouths with their hands and let out gasps like kittens.
Ilandil stood in the center of the open space, directing the elves to lead the old man and the children toward several treehouses in another direction.
"Lord Ilandil," Lin Yue quickly stepped forward to greet him.
When Elandil saw him, a gentle smile appeared on his face, and he explained, "Mayor Lin, I have reported your situation in detail to the Council of Elders and Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty the Queen has ordered me to bring the elderly and children in immediately. After all, it is still dangerous for them to stay on the outskirts of the forest."
He added, “Regarding your shelter, in principle, the Queen and the Council of Elders have already agreed. However, there are still some details that need to be discussed with you in person. We in Silvermoon Forest never give alms without a price, nor do we mistreat our friends.”
“I understand.” Lin Yue nodded solemnly. “Thank you for Your Majesty’s kindness and your help.”
Ilandil led everyone to another area adjacent to Lin Yue and his group. There were also several treehouses there, but unlike the suspended treehouses where Lin Yue and his group lived, these treehouses grew directly from the ground, were lower and more spacious, and were connected to each other by gentle wooden ramps.
“This is where we used to occasionally entertain human merchants,” Elandil explained. “After all, many of you are still afraid of heights, and it’s not very convenient to go up and down trees. So we specially built this row of treehouses on the ground.”
He also told Lin Yue that he had sent druids to bring their giant rock-walking lizard and Hope No. 1 heavy truck into the forest via a wider ancient road specifically used for transporting large supplies, but the journey would be slower, so Lin Yue didn't need to worry.
Lin Yue was filled with gratitude. Although these elves appeared aloof, they were so thoughtful and considerate.
Finally, Ilandil told Lin Yue that Her Majesty the Queen would formally summon him to the Temple of the Moon early the next morning.
It was midday when Lina and Vera, the two female elves who had previously entertained Lin Yue and his companions, arrived with several younger elves, carrying a sumptuous lunch on a large leaf tray. Ilandil had specifically instructed them to prepare extra, including portions for the elderly and children.
The elves' lunch was exquisite and light.
There's a mushroom porridge made with moonlight rice and various mushrooms, the rice grains glistening, soft and sticky, bursting with natural umami. There's also a flower petal salad made with morning dew-kissed petals and tender leaves, paired with sweet and sour berries, and drizzled with a touch of honey—a vibrant and pleasing sight. And then there's a gum cake, made with a special tree sap, baked to a bread-like softness, with a subtle woody fragrance.
Although there are no fancy dishes, the natural freshness of the ingredients is just as tempting.
After the elves brought the food, they politely withdrew, leaving the space to the elves.
Without the fairies around, the children's true nature was immediately unleashed. They sat around a tablecloth made of giant leaves, excitedly savoring the artful dishes they had never seen before, chattering excitedly about their wonderful experience.
"Brother Tiger, did you see that? The elf brother who carried me just now, his hair is golden, even brighter than our Starlight Wheat!" A little girl with pigtails said indistinctly, her mouth full of sweet gum cake.
“I saw it, I saw it!” The boy, nicknamed Tiger, was holding a ceramic bowl bigger than his face and drinking mushroom porridge. He proudly boasted, “The fairy sister who carried me is so pretty! Her eyes are like the stars in the sky, and she even smiled at me.”
“No, she was smiling at me!” another little girl retorted, unconvinced.
"Let me tell you, I just secretly touched that flying magic carpet made of vines. It was soft and warm, just like Xiaofen's belly."
"Really? I want to touch it too..."
Meanwhile, the elderly were comforting the excited children while quietly discussing every plant and tree, their eyes filled with anticipation for the future and a touch of awe.
"I've lived most of my life and never imagined I'd be living in a place where elves live," an elderly woman said, looking at the treehouses around her that were like works of art.
“Yes,” the old man next to him nodded, pointing to a peculiar plant not far away that emitted a faint halo, “Look at that tree, I feel much more comfortable just being next to it. The air here, just one breath makes me feel like I can live several more years.”
"I just don't know if we'll really have to live here forever," another elderly woman said worriedly, her words causing a pang of anxiety in all the adults present.
Yes, no matter how good this place is, it's not their home. Their home is hundreds of miles away, facing a life-or-death test.
Lin Yue shared lunch with them, then accompanied the children to familiarize themselves with the surroundings. After calming everyone down, he returned to his treehouse. By then, Elder Farador and the others had already finished lunch and entered meditation again.
In the evening, Lin Yue found Lina and asked her if he could borrow their kitchen.
"The kitchen?" Lina tilted her head, her sapphire-like eyes filled with confusion. "Mayor Lin, do you think our food doesn't suit your taste?"
"No, no, no, of course not." Lin Yue quickly waved his hand and explained with a smile, "Your food is very delicious and full of the wisdom of nature. However, we humans also have our own ways of expressing gratitude. I am grateful for your hospitality today, so I would like to cook a dinner from my hometown as a return gift, which can also be considered a small cultural exchange."
After listening, Lina smiled kindly. She gladly led Lin Yue to a nearby semi-open kitchen, which was also constructed from living trees.
The kitchen was well-equipped, with pots and pans mostly made of wood or stone. Lina told Lin Yue that these were mostly left behind by human merchants who had visited in the past.
Lin Yue thanked them, and then, together with the two Silent Youths brought by Elder Farador, took out some of the Hope Town specialties they were carrying.
There are thinly sliced smoked meats, finely ground starlight wheat and cornmeal, and their most prized condiments—snow salt, fire pepper powder, exotic pine needles, and numbing herb seeds…
Lin Yue decided that tonight he would give these otherworldly elves a little taste sensation from another world.
He sliced the smoked meat into thin slices, put it into a stone pot along with some crisp vegetables from the Elf Kitchen and soaked potato noodles, added water, sprinkled on various secret spices, and simmered it.
Many passing elves instinctively stopped in their tracks, twitching their sensitive noses and curiously looking towards the kitchen, their faces showing an expression of both confusion and longing.
Lin Yue divided the first pot of stewed spicy and sour smoked pork with vermicelli into several large earthenware pots and had the two Silent Youths deliver them to the elderly and children living on the other side. Then, he carried the remaining large pot, along with the pot itself, directly to Lina and Vera.
"Lina, Vera, and all my elf friends," Lin Yue said with a smile, "this is a small token of our appreciation from Hope Town. Everyone has had a long day, so please try it and see if it suits your taste."
After saying that, without waiting for the elves to refuse, he turned around and gracefully returned to his treehouse with Little Black.
Night was falling.
In addition to the cool fragrance of grass and trees, there was also a faint, alluring spicy aroma wafting in the air.
Occasionally, you can hear a few small hissing sounds as people can't suppress the spiciness.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
