Nesser lowered his eyes, not answering Harlan's question, but instead asking a question with a half-smile.
“I remember, Maggie didn’t seem to like you very much, Commander Knight.”
The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere froze instantly. Sparks seemed to fly between the two of them, and the pressure around Harlan dropped several degrees.
After a long pause, Harlan chuckled softly, finally raising his eyes to look at Nesser, his tone ambiguous.
“Maggie doesn’t seem to like people who deceive her, oh no, it’s the elves who deceive her.”
His smile didn't reach his eyes; although the corners of his mouth were upturned, it only gave people a cold feeling.
Suddenly, the atmosphere became tense. Nesser dropped his feigned innocence, and the vines hidden in the shade of the trees around him stirred restlessly, even his pale red eyes seemed to glow.
The tips of the vines all pointed towards Harun, exuding a murderous aura.
"The Knight Commander is meddling too much; this is a matter between Maggie and me."
With a 'clang', Harun's sword was drawn at the same time. Although it was not yet fully drawn, his gaze was already locked on Nesser, and the Holy Ring was faintly glowing, ready to strike.
Beneath the seemingly calm surface, undercurrents are surging.
“I am her paladin. Whether we have a relationship or not is none of the business of outsiders to judge.”
Harlan's eyes narrowed slightly; he was still smiling, but he exuded a dangerous aura.
"If you want to argue, go outside, don't do it here."
Finally, Perkin, who had been hiding in the shadows, appeared. His snake-like eyes merely swept over the two who were locked in a fierce confrontation. His voice was indifferent, as if he didn't care about the farce that had just happened and was afraid of disturbing the people inside the house.
Maggie is actually very averse to trouble, so Perkin thinks it's best to keep all sorts of messy things out of her sight.
However, Perkin's words interrupted the standoff between the two. Harlan looked away and put his sword back in its sheath, probably agreeing with Perkin's words.
Nesser also withdrew all the vines, and peace returned to the forest.
Perkin was too lazy to talk or make any expressions, so when he saw that the two of them had stopped causing trouble, he simply disappeared from the spot.
Harun turned and left, but left Nesser with a final remark.
“Maggie is a saintess of the Temple of Light, a saintess of the human race, not someone an elf like you can even dream of.”
Nesser's face darkened instantly, and he spoke coldly to Harun's retreating figure.
"Then you have no idea what Maggie really wants."
Having been by Maggie's side for so long, he knew best how much Maggie hated the hustle and bustle, how she disliked socializing and hypocrisy, and how what she truly wanted was a peaceful life, to simply be alive.
Nesser was quite certain of this.
"I will stay in the Green Forest, and so will she."
He continued, his tone very serious.
Harlan paused, his ever-present smile fading slightly, his thin lips pursed, and he tightened his grip on his sword. Without a reply, he disappeared into the woods.
Finally, Nesser glanced at Maggie's treehouse with reluctance before turning and leaving.
Perkin, who witnessed the entire horrific event, remained remarkably calm.
Because no matter whether Maggie returns to the Temple of Light or stays in the Green Forest, he will always be Maggie's slave.
He didn't believe Maggie would abandon him for no reason. Besides, Maggie had many external matters to resolve, and he was the most suitable candidate.
Perkin stood on the tree, lost in thought, and silently closed his eyes.
Inside the house, Maggie was still pondering her relationship with the Elf Mother Tree, completely unaware that a battle had almost broken out outside because of her.
...
Time flies. Maggie only stayed in the Green Forest for a little over ten days before the battle for the Forest Spirit positions was about to begin.
Maggie stood calmly in the center of the elven square with a group of high-ranking elves. All the elves coming and going were staring at her, whether with awe, worship, or other obscure glances, she could receive them all.
Before she came, she thought that her identity as the Holy Maiden of Light was of little use in the elven territory, and that no one would pay too much attention to her, so she could experience the life of an ordinary person.
This turn of events was completely unexpected, once again thrusting her into the spotlight.
It's likely that after the coming-of-age ceremony, the higher-ups of the Elven race had already informed them of her importance, and now in the Green Forest, no one dares to show her the slightest disrespect.
At least that's how it appears on the surface.
As for what happens behind the scenes, Maggie doesn't care.
As long as a living being has feelings, it will have all sorts of dark emotions.
Even when she was the Holy Maiden of Light, there were still people who looked down on her or even were hostile towards her, which is normal.
As Maggie thought about it, the elves around the Elf Square had begun to gather. Looking in the direction from which the commotion was coming, she could see a group of elves wearing forest robes walking towards her.
Even if Maggie didn't intentionally look, she would spot Nesser at first glance. Even among the elves, whose members are generally handsome, Nesser's appearance is exceptionally striking.
It's like finding a diamond mixed in with a bunch of zircon and moissanite, so dazzling that you can spot it at a glance.
Perhaps sensing that Maggie was looking at him, Nesser immediately revealed a big smile, exactly the same as when he was a child, only less cute and more handsome.
"..."
Maggie silently shifted her gaze, feeling that something was off.
She has been avoiding Nesser these past few days, and even when Nesser comes looking for her, she refuses to see him.
Of course, she wasn't worried about Nesser getting hurt. After all, this was the Green Forest, and he was surrounded by his own kind, so he wouldn't get depressed no matter what.
As Maggie was thinking this, she had no idea that when Nesser realized she was no longer looking at him, the smile on his lips vanished instantly, and even his eyes darkened.
At the same time, the Elf chieftain began to release the rules for the battle for the Forest Spirit Seats, which drew Maggie's attention.
"Elves who have successfully reached the Green Forest and grown up, you are all the best among your peers. But you must never be arrogant because of this. Forest spirits are messengers and relatives bestowed by the Forest God."
"If you can secure a seat among the forest spirits, you will be able to personally follow the Forest God in the future and have the opportunity to become his divine messengers. Therefore, young elves, please strive to prove your strength before the gods, and may you gain their approval."
"There are a total of twenty seats in the Forest Spirit Seats. Those who can win a seat will remain in the Green Wilderness Forest and await the arrangement of the gods."
"And the most prestigious first seat will receive the blessing of the mother tree and win the sacred fruit of the forest spirit."
The clan chief's aged voice recounted the rules, sounding more like an elder's admonition than a referee's, or a blessing from the forest. It didn't annoy anyone; instead, it was as refreshing as the morning dew.
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