—
39. No way, no way, no way
Don’t look at me with such a fierce threat; in reality, even if Aidefu insists on disagreeing, I can only… I can only go along with her wishes, at most solving it myself. However, this little elf girl’s “nature” lies right here; she will refuse ordinary requests, but once her attitude becomes firm, she… she will yield.
“W-what if I agree? Please, don’t act here; the other elves outside will hear us… If we must go, let’s go to my…”
“Not going there, as long as you, Aidefu, have agreed, that’s enough.”
I hurriedly stopped the M-like aura that was beginning to spread within this elf, putting an end to Aidefu’s decision to prevent it from evolving into a special play.
For me, dealing with this little elf girl was that simple. After all, perhaps having been the hard-nosed king of the Prulus Kingdom for too long, Aidefu’s nature was a bit strange to the point of “perverse.” To put it nicely, she was the type that “responds to firmness but not softness”; to put it bluntly…
Forget it, anyway… Aidefu has already agreed, so it’s better not to overthink it.
After this, Aidefu, as if coerced into confession, told me a lot… of “detailed information” that I found hard to believe—whether it was about the identity of the elder elf collaborating with Louis the Ninety-Ninth to sell the citizens of the Prulus Kingdom, their trading methods, the quantities involved, and even… she clearly stated the time and methods they planned to deceive next.
Were these things something the Prulus Kingdom could investigate in such a short time!? Although my confusion deepened, I had no time to think more; after all… time was tight, and if I didn’t set off for the “countryside” of Prulus soon, it would be too late to stop them!
Afterward.
Days later, in the countryside of the Prulus Kingdom, although this was also part of the Prulus Kingdom’s territory, the elf residents here actually obeyed the elder elves in charge. Unlike the majority who had fled the forest to the “prosperous areas” of the Prulus Kingdom, the elves who remained here mostly stayed for various reasons, maintaining the traditional ways of the elf clan, treating Aidefu, who had completely deviated from the elf clan’s customs, as an enemy.
Although no one could quite articulate how Aidefu, who had established a kingdom for the elves, had betrayed their traditions, since the high-ranking elders within the clan, especially the esteemed Elder Feng, vehemently opposed and scorned Aidefu, it was… better to trust the elders.
However, unlike the bustling life of the capital of the Prulus Kingdom, the completely calm and leisurely life here was shattered today at noon, which seemed no different from any other peaceful day, by Elder Feng and a… human man following him.
It was big news that the elder, who usually stayed in his grand mansion, would actually appear. Before long, word spread, and many clan members gathered in the streets, waiting for Elder Feng to speak.
“Everyone! The reason you’ve gathered here today is that a noble from the human realm has come to bring opportunities for our young elf ladies to go out and have fun while earning money, and they can also experience the human empire!”
Going out to have fun and… earn money?
Just thinking about it sounds wonderful! But why can only the young elf ladies go? Could it be a scam?
Just as everyone was puzzled, the seemingly very young human man had already taken over Elder Feng’s words. Everyone’s eyes were sharp; this person was dressed like Elder Feng, clearly in the attire of a “wealthy person.” If I remember correctly, such humans also held a certain status and position in the human empire, known as “nobles.”
“Ladies of the elf clan, I am a noble from the human empire, representing the Great Ying Empire, here to request your assistance.”
Enduring the bewildered gazes of the majority, Louis the Ninety-Ninth suppressed his inner amusement and, with a serious demeanor he had long prepared, took over the elder’s words.
To be honest, if it weren’t for the fact that Louis the Ninety-Ninth had become quite experienced in this line of work, having seen all sorts of naive fools, he would have almost laughed out loud just now. After all, these elf ladies, despite their age, were indeed as the elder had mockingly told him—at most, just a bunch of foolish commoners.
As long as the elder stood there, anything he said would make them
—
“What are we supposed to do to get there!?”
“How much is the reward, really?”
The other elves, who knew they were out of the running, had already left in disappointment. The remaining ones were all quite capable elven maidens, eagerly asking questions. Louis Ninety-Nine was very pleased with this.
Even if they couldn’t filter out the “talents” deemed suitable by the “higher-ups,” the rest could still rely on their elven qualities to fetch a good price in the underground market of the Great Yng Empire, selling to the big shots and elevating their noble status, making it easier to do this kind of thing in the future. Using the pretext of “helping the big shots select talents” to line one’s own pockets was practically a risk-free, bloodless profit!
With this thought in mind, Louis Ninety-Nine hurriedly prepared for the next step!
“Don’t rush! Don’t rush! Those of you who want to come can go to your elders for protection. Once we have enough people, the Great Yng Empire will send someone to take you all away! First, go and say your goodbyes to your family and friends. After all, this journey will take some time, so don’t let your families worry~”
Finally, to preempt any “leaks” or similar issues, cutting off the source of trouble! As for what would happen to these elves once they were taken away and discovered the truth? Hmph? By then, who would dare to resist!?
This was a huge harvest!
Louis Ninety-Nine was practically bursting with joy. Glancing to the side, Elder Feng of the elves wore a face that said, “We’re making money, how delightful.” This was a win-win situation for both him and Elder Feng!
However, just as Louis Ninety-Nine was about to shake hands with Elder Feng and watch these valuable elven maidens jump into the trap one by one, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowded space—a voice that was… quite discordant!
“What’s this about singing and dancing, ladies? Isn’t this just a trick to lure everyone into playing, when in reality, it’s a scheme to sell them off to humans?”
Louis Ninety-Nine immediately felt displeased.
Tch! Just a moment ago, he had found an excuse to send the excess people away, and now, at such a critical juncture, a fool was here to ruin his good fortune!?