After running a considerable distance, guided by the golden-haired elf, the two finally stopped at a safe spot.

“Why?”

The silver-haired elf, usually silent like a doll, spoke for the first time, her voice soft but audible enough for her companion.

Rick III didn’t turn to look at her, still trying to sense the other elves’ positions. “Why what?”

“Rick II—your father—will die.”

“Why did we leave him behind?”

Rick II was the leader of this elven tribe, and Rick III, his son, shared the same golden hair. While the weaker elves had fled under Rick II’s orders, which Eresia understood, she couldn’t fathom why the powerful Rick III had also left, even dragging her along.

Leaving Rick II alone to face the dragon was a certain death sentence, wasn’t it?

“In our tribe, there are three who absolutely must survive—Father, you, and me.”

Rick III finally turned, his refined face icy and devoid of any visible pain or sorrow over abandoning his family and homeland.

“In this disaster, keeping two of us alive is a blessing. Father decided we should survive, so we follow his command.

If we hesitate and all three of us die here, what would become of our tribe?”

Though his words were cold, Eresia couldn’t come up with any counterargument.

“If the three of us fought together, we might…” She lowered her head, still filled with reluctance.

“Eresia, you’re the strongest in the tribe, but you lack experience. I’m far older than you, and Father is far older than me. Trust our judgment, alright?”

The young-looking, golden-haired elf regarded Eresia with a stern gaze, his body subtly trembling.

“That thing is not an opponent we can defeat.”

It was as though he were both informing Eresia and mumbling to himself, his tone laced with frustration and pain.

Abandoning their home and leaving his father to die—it was a devastating choice, even for elves, who were known for their emotional reserve.

Yet, as the next chieftain, Rick III couldn’t afford to show any weakness.

As long as they survived, hope remained—especially for the elves.

“Our race possesses near-infinite lifespans, and I will never forget the dragon’s form in both its true and human shapes. Someday, we will have our revenge.

Especially you, Eresia. Your magical talent far surpasses anyone in our tribe. Your potential is limitless.”

Rick III sighed, reaching out to gently ruffle her silver hair, his voice softer as he tried to console her.

Meanwhile, Aino had finally managed to start a conversation with the elves after deflecting their ambush, enduring a direct confrontation, and watching them flee.

Aino knew several languages, but unfortunately, Elvish wasn’t among them.

Elves were rare in this world and were inherently distant, rarely mingling with outsiders. With the language barrier, Aino had to resort to telepathic communication magic.

However, this magic was quite complicated, involving one’s soul and thoughts. During the battle, there had been no time to attempt it, but now, facing the golden-haired elf alone, she could give it a try.

“So, you’re saying you mean no harm and are merely passing through?” Rick II asked skeptically, though his guard remained up.

“You’ve said quite a bit, but Black Dragon, your aura reeks of resentment and bloodshed. We elves can’t be deceived by that!

You are not a benevolent creature!”

As he spoke, his magic surged again.

Indeed, misunderstandings were inevitable. Everyone’s perspectives and experiences shaped how they viewed things differently. Thankfully, power could resolve almost anything.

After Aino displayed her overwhelming strength and pointed out that if she’d wanted to harm them, she could have done so already, the golden-haired elf had no counterargument.

For the elves, this was a small relief, forcing him to accept her words.

Following some negotiation, Aino succeeded in explaining that they had merely stumbled upon the elven tribe while wandering around and had no malicious intent.

The elven race was notoriously proud and reclusive. That Aino and her group could persuade him that their trespassing was accidental relied solely on Aino’s sheer power.

Finally, Rick II led them to an empty hut and went to call back the other elves who had fled.

“Oh, chieftain, one question,” Aino called after Rick II before he left.

“Do you know of Dingzhen?”

“No.”

Receiving the chieftain’s cold reply, Aino awkwardly waved her hand. She had briefly wondered, given the chieftain’s name, if he might have been a fellow “transmigrator.”

After Rick II left, Alea and Parker immediately began examining the hut.

“This is my first time seeing an intelligent race’s dwelling up close. It’s so different from human homes,” Alea remarked, marveling at the hut’s unique design.

While Alea was absorbed in the cultural differences, Parker was more practical. “I heard that elves are very xenophobic. We’ve caused a lot of trouble by barging in here; it’s best if we don’t overstay our welcome.”

Aino nodded, recognizing the awkwardness of the situation. The three discussed briefly and decided to leave immediately.

It was a pity, really. Since elves conformed to human aesthetics, they were all curious to see more of their village life. But now, given the misunderstanding…

After causing such a commotion, staying on their territory would indeed be presumptuous.

“No worries. We’ll encounter other races along the way. They shouldn’t be as sensitive to my presence… hopefully.”

Aino was uncertain; her mana felt like an alarm system. Along the journey, any creature with the strength to sense her mana had either hidden or fled, while the weaker, less intelligent creatures had simply ignored her.

“Parker, I’m a bit envious of you.”

“?”

“If only my mana level were as low as yours. Then I wouldn’t have to keep suppressing it and scaring everyone off.”

“...”

Parker gave her a blank stare, glancing sideways at Alea, who had her hand over her mouth trying—and failing—not to laugh.

“Master, why not envy Alea instead? She doesn’t have any mana at all; she’s even more discreet than I am.”

“You’d better not say that out loud…”

Alea, now fuming, raised her fist and chased after Parker.

“Those two…”

Aino strolled on with a calm demeanor, letting the two quarrel ahead of her. Their antics didn’t disrupt the forest’s serene atmosphere but added a bit of liveliness.

“Stop chasing me, Alea. Look at those trees up ahead; don’t they seem odd?”

“What’s so odd about them? They’re just a bit taller. And you—how dare you say that to a ‘fallen witch’? I won’t let you off easily!”

Alea casually replied, grabbing Parker, but as she looked ahead at the forest, her expression turned uncertain.

“There’s a dense concentration of powerful mana up ahead. This area isn’t simple.”

Lagging behind, Aino slowly caught up. The terrain, which had been flat and open, suddenly changed, giving way to a dark, towering forest with trees so massive that light barely penetrated.

It didn’t look like the kind of place humans would willingly venture into…

“We’re just traveling, no need to go into such an ominous place unless—”

Before Aino could finish, a piercing scream echoed from the dark forest.

“Help me!”

“Save me!”

“Please, someone help!”

The forest was utterly silent otherwise, without even the sound of birds. The eerie cries continued to echo, chilling them to the bone.

Instinctively, the two moved closer to Aino, feeling a cold sweat trickle down their foreheads.