Once he was done, he approached Elara, “There you have it. They total up to 6,549,360 kg for enchanted tomatoes and 1,980,000 kg for the enchanted potatoes.”
No one seemed to notice him, for they were utterly captivated by the sight of the enchanted veggies before them. It was a spectacle to behold.
Clearing his throat, Theo tried to catch Elara’s attention. At the sound, she seemed to jerk back to the present out of her reverie.
Collecting herself with grace, she inquired, “Pardon my distraction. What were you saying, Mister Theo?”
He clarified, "They total up to 6,549,360 kg for enchanted tomatoes and 1,980,000 kg for the enchanted potatoes."
"Please give me a moment…" She approached Haldir, whispering some words to him.
He nodded and replied, “Very well, Princess Elara.” With a salute, he then proceeded to exit through the grand gate of the arena.
In the meantime, other soldiers busied themselves, storing the enchanted veggies into various spatial rings.
Once her arrangements were complete, she addressed Theo, “It might sound ridiculous, but I must admit I do not presently possess sufficient funds at hand. For the time being, please accept this Elysian Bracelet which contains approximately seven million gold coins and has an enormous storage capacity. The bracelet itself is worth a million gold coins, but this is just a token of our gratitude.” She offered it to him.
Upon receiving the bracelet, which felt cool and crystalline to his touch, he channeled a bit of his energy into it. He saw piles of gold within and large space still available, he had no cause to doubt the Princess’s word about the gold's quantity. After all, he was their only supplier of these special enchanted vegetables.
With a thought, the bracelet vanished into his golden vault. Patiently, he waited for Princess Elara to continue.
“Would you accompany us to the city center? There, we can await Commander Haldir's return with the necessary funds,” she asked, tucking her hair behind her pointy ears.
“Alright,” Theo agreed with a nod, and they made their way back to the city center, the very place they had been earlier.
A luxurious carriage, accompanied by six others, pulled up beside a large wooden house nestled under a broad canopy of a tree. The structure was embraced by vines, giving it an ethereal feel. The front was widen open, shielded only by the shade of the tree's canopy.
Stepping down from the carriage, Theo glanced at the signboard: ‘Laeloria's Leafy Lounge.’
Aerin quickly took a seat for herself, while Elara gestured for Theo to join her.
The place was void of other people as if seemingly reserved for them. Even the usual elven crowd seemed to be using other paths, leaving the vicinity exclusively for them. This spot was situated a fair distance from Elmswood Inn as he could see the familiar places from there.
Just as they settled into their seats, the sound of another approaching carriage caught their attention. As their gazes shifted, they watched as it halted behind the six other carriages. Four soldiers disembarked, but one in particular began moving towards them.
Upon recognizing him, Aerin rose and made her way towards him. As she did so, Elara continued conversing with Theo, keeping the atmosphere light by discussing other topics.
The man halted before her and saluted, "Princess, we've discovered a lead regarding the recent kidnappings. Fourteen children have been taken, all relocated to a nearby village. We've learned they consistently change their whereabouts, traversing the wilderness to evade inspections."
“Limen, Any findings who could be behind these kidnappings from the known organizations?” Aerin questioned.
He shook his head, "No Princess. They've left no trace. However, we suspect the latest incident occurred just a few hours ago, so they can't be far." He hesitated before adding, "We have someone who might have witnessed it."
Her eyebrows knitted together, "Why do you only say 'might'?"
In response, Limen turned and beckoned, "Bring the boy forward."
Following Limen's command, a cyan-haired boy, escorted by soldiers, approached. His expression was gloomy yet cold.
Limen explained, “We've tried questioning him repeatedly, but he refuses to speak, saying he doesn’t trust us.”
The boy remained silent, his expression as cold as stone.
Aerin asked, “Why won't he speak?”
Before Limen could answer, the boy suddenly darted forward, bypassing them all.
“Hey! Where are you going?” Limen cried out, but the boy halted only when he reached Elara and a young human man.
Theo, catching the sound of hurried footsteps, turned. He was taken aback when the cyan-haired boy’s eyes welled with tears. “Brother Theo,” the boy choked out.
Theo immediately rose from the chair, his face filled with concern. He hadn’t expected Lorian to be in this condition, who had always been so strong, especially given his role in looking after his sister. Yet here he was, tears streaming down his face. Worrisome thoughts came to Theo as he wondered what could have caused such emotion.
“What happened, Lorian? Why the tears? ” Theo asked gently.
Through his sobs, Lorian managed, "They've taken her... they've taken Neria."
Theo's demeanor shifted to one of cold fury at the revelation.
Aerin, Limen, Elara, and the surrounding soldiers all watched in shock. They were dumbfounded by Lorian's trust in the unfamiliar human, especially when Princess Aerin herself had tried to speak with him. It was surprising that the elven boy chose to ask a human for help rather than Elven royalty.
"Please save her," Lorian pleaded, hands clasped in desperation.
Intrigued and somewhat stupefied, Aerin asked, "How do you know him?"
Ignoring her, Theo gently guided Lorian to the chair, wiping away the boy's tears. From his golden vault, he took out a bottle of water. Unsealing the cap, he offered it to the saddened boy. "First, calm yourself."
Lorian took the bottle. Once he'd taken a few sips and regained some composure, Theo firm yet gentle voice resounded, "Now, tell me everything."
Lorian began recounting, “Today, Lady Marisa and several others came. They held me back and took Neria away. When I tried to protect my sister, they beat me, demanding the inn's ownership papers. I took the documents to their location, but the building was deserted. I was returning to you when these soldiers intercepted me and wouldn't allow me to leave,” he cast a disdainful glance at the elven soldiers.
Theo's eyes followed Lorian's gaze. The soldiers, sensing his cold stare, grew visibly uneasy, fidgeting and adjusting their uniforms.
Elara and Aerin raised eyebrows in astonishment, seeing the visible respect Lorian showed Theo over Elven royalty.
“Why was he detained?” Theo inquired with an impassive expression.
Aerin stepped forward, explaining, “There have been recent kidnappings in the vicinity. This is partly why Teacher was dispatched here. He called me to join him. Limen brought Lorian in, hoping he might provide insight into his sister's disappearance, but he says he doesn’t trust us.” She finished with a hint of bitterness.
Their way of talking had changed; from being at each other’s throats, they were now speaking normally because they recognized that it was a matter of utmost seriousness.
“Do you have any leads on their whereabouts?” Theo inquired.
Aerin hesitated briefly before replying, “That information is confidential.”
Not discouraged, Theo’s focus returned to Lorian, “I will find Neria, but you need to stay at the inn.”
Lorian stood, protesting, “No, I have to come. I can’t sit idle. Please, Brother Theo, take me with you.”
“It's too dangerous,” Theo declined.
Realizing the depth of Lorian's determination, Aerin interrupted, “You shouldn't go with him, Lorian. Instead, come with us to identify the culprits.”
The boy retorted defiantly, “I won't go with these corrupted people.”
Aerin's eyes flashed with anger, but before she could retort, Elara intervened, “Why not allow Mister Theo to accompany? Lorian would be more comfortable, and it could facilitate the investigation.”
After a brief, contemplative pause, Aerin conceded, “Fine, he can join us.”
Seeking clarity, Theo asked, “Are you certain about your lead? I won’t compromise Neria’s safety.”
Aerin looked him in the eye, “Yes. They are most likely in a nearby village. Adjacent to it, Teacher is also hunting for the mastermind, who is behind all of this.” Her face was solemn.
Theo nodded, “Alright, I'll join you.”
“We'll depart in forty-five minutes. Be ready by then,” Aerin stated as she turned to leave, while Elara remained seated behind along with Lorian.
Facing Elara, Theo spoke, “I'll be back in forty minutes. I have some matters to attend. Please take care of him.”
Elara's lips curved into a warm smile, “Take your time.”
Theo hastened toward the Elmswood inn, reaching out via telepathy to call Lilith. As he neared the inn, the air slightly shifted and a figure appeared beside him.
“Who upset you?” Lilith's voice had a slightly sharp edge, noticing he was not happy as usual.
Theo recounted the situation to her, detailing the story about Neria’s Kidnapping.
“But why risk yourself for them? It’s dangerous” Lilith pursued him.
Once he was done, he approached Elara, “There you have it. They total up to 6,549,360 kg for enchanted tomatoes and 1,980,000 kg for the enchanted potatoes.”
No one seemed to notice him, for they were utterly captivated by the sight of the enchanted veggies before them. It was a spectacle to behold.
Clearing his throat, Theo tried to catch Elara’s attention. At the sound, she seemed to jerk back to the present out of her reverie.
Collecting herself with grace, she inquired, “Pardon my distraction. What were you saying, Mister Theo?”
He clarified, "They total up to 6,549,360 kg for enchanted tomatoes and 1,980,000 kg for the enchanted potatoes."
"Please give me a moment…" She approached Haldir, whispering some words to him.
He nodded and replied, “Very well, Princess Elara.” With a salute, he then proceeded to exit through the grand gate of the arena.
In the meantime, other soldiers busied themselves, storing the enchanted veggies into various spatial rings.
Once her arrangements were complete, she addressed Theo, “It might sound ridiculous, but I must admit I do not presently possess sufficient funds at hand. For the time being, please accept this Elysian Bracelet which contains approximately seven million gold coins and has an enormous storage capacity. The bracelet itself is worth a million gold coins, but this is just a token of our gratitude.” She offered it to him.
Upon receiving the bracelet, which felt cool and crystalline to his touch, he channeled a bit of his energy into it. He saw piles of gold within and large space still available, he had no cause to doubt the Princess’s word about the gold's quantity. After all, he was their only supplier of these special enchanted vegetables.
With a thought, the bracelet vanished into his golden vault. Patiently, he waited for Princess Elara to continue.
“Would you accompany us to the city center? There, we can await Commander Haldir's return with the necessary funds,” she asked, tucking her hair behind her pointy ears.
“Alright,” Theo agreed with a nod, and they made their way back to the city center, the very place they had been earlier.
A luxurious carriage, accompanied by six others, pulled up beside a large wooden house nestled under a broad canopy of a tree. The structure was embraced by vines, giving it an ethereal feel. The front was widen open, shielded only by the shade of the tree's canopy.
Stepping down from the carriage, Theo glanced at the signboard: ‘Laeloria's Leafy Lounge.’
Aerin quickly took a seat for herself, while Elara gestured for Theo to join her.
The place was void of other people as if seemingly reserved for them. Even the usual elven crowd seemed to be using other paths, leaving the vicinity exclusively for them. This spot was situated a fair distance from Elmswood Inn as he could see the familiar places from there.
Just as they settled into their seats, the sound of another approaching carriage caught their attention. As their gazes shifted, they watched as it halted behind the six other carriages. Four soldiers disembarked, but one in particular began moving towards them.
Upon recognizing him, Aerin rose and made her way towards him. As she did so, Elara continued conversing with Theo, keeping the atmosphere light by discussing other topics.
The man halted before her and saluted, "Princess, we've discovered a lead regarding the recent kidnappings. Fourteen children have been taken, all relocated to a nearby village. We've learned they consistently change their whereabouts, traversing the wilderness to evade inspections."
“Limen, Any findings who could be behind these kidnappings from the known organizations?” Aerin questioned.
He shook his head, "No Princess. They've left no trace. However, we suspect the latest incident occurred just a few hours ago, so they can't be far." He hesitated before adding, "We have someone who might have witnessed it."
Her eyebrows knitted together, "Why do you only say 'might'?"
In response, Limen turned and beckoned, "Bring the boy forward."
Following Limen's command, a cyan-haired boy, escorted by soldiers, approached. His expression was gloomy yet cold.
Limen explained, “We've tried questioning him repeatedly, but he refuses to speak, saying he doesn’t trust us.”
The boy remained silent, his expression as cold as stone.
Aerin asked, “Why won't he speak?”
Before Limen could answer, the boy suddenly darted forward, bypassing them all.
“Hey! Where are you going?” Limen cried out, but the boy halted only when he reached Elara and a young human man.
Theo, catching the sound of hurried footsteps, turned. He was taken aback when the cyan-haired boy’s eyes welled with tears. “Brother Theo,” the boy choked out.
Theo immediately rose from the chair, his face filled with concern. He hadn’t expected Lorian to be in this condition, who had always been so strong, especially given his role in looking after his sister. Yet here he was, tears streaming down his face. Worrisome thoughts came to Theo as he wondered what could have caused such emotion.
“What happened, Lorian? Why the tears? ” Theo asked gently.
Through his sobs, Lorian managed, "They've taken her... they've taken Neria."
Theo's demeanor shifted to one of cold fury at the revelation.
Aerin, Limen, Elara, and the surrounding soldiers all watched in shock. They were dumbfounded by Lorian's trust in the unfamiliar human, especially when Princess Aerin herself had tried to speak with him. It was surprising that the elven boy chose to ask a human for help rather than Elven royalty.
"Please save her," Lorian pleaded, hands clasped in desperation.
Intrigued and somewhat stupefied, Aerin asked, "How do you know him?"
Ignoring her, Theo gently guided Lorian to the chair, wiping away the boy's tears. From his golden vault, he took out a bottle of water. Unsealing the cap, he offered it to the saddened boy. "First, calm yourself."
Lorian took the bottle. Once he'd taken a few sips and regained some composure, Theo firm yet gentle voice resounded, "Now, tell me everything."
Lorian began recounting, “Today, Lady Marisa and several others came. They held me back and took Neria away. When I tried to protect my sister, they beat me, demanding the inn's ownership papers. I took the documents to their location, but the building was deserted. I was returning to you when these soldiers intercepted me and wouldn't allow me to leave,” he cast a disdainful glance at the elven soldiers.
Theo's eyes followed Lorian's gaze. The soldiers, sensing his cold stare, grew visibly uneasy, fidgeting and adjusting their uniforms.
Elara and Aerin raised eyebrows in astonishment, seeing the visible respect Lorian showed Theo over Elven royalty.
“Why was he detained?” Theo inquired with an impassive expression.
Aerin stepped forward, explaining, “There have been recent kidnappings in the vicinity. This is partly why Teacher was dispatched here. He called me to join him. Limen brought Lorian in, hoping he might provide insight into his sister's disappearance, but he says he doesn’t trust us.” She finished with a hint of bitterness.
Their way of talking had changed; from being at each other’s throats, they were now speaking normally because they recognized that it was a matter of utmost seriousness.
“Do you have any leads on their whereabouts?” Theo inquired.
Aerin hesitated briefly before replying, “That information is confidential.”
Not discouraged, Theo’s focus returned to Lorian, “I will find Neria, but you need to stay at the inn.”
Lorian stood, protesting, “No, I have to come. I can’t sit idle. Please, Brother Theo, take me with you.”
“It's too dangerous,” Theo declined.
Realizing the depth of Lorian's determination, Aerin interrupted, “You shouldn't go with him, Lorian. Instead, come with us to identify the culprits.”
The boy retorted defiantly, “I won't go with these corrupted people.”
Aerin's eyes flashed with anger, but before she could retort, Elara intervened, “Why not allow Mister Theo to accompany? Lorian would be more comfortable, and it could facilitate the investigation.”
After a brief, contemplative pause, Aerin conceded, “Fine, he can join us.”
Seeking clarity, Theo asked, “Are you certain about your lead? I won’t compromise Neria’s safety.”
Aerin looked him in the eye, “Yes. They are most likely in a nearby village. Adjacent to it, Teacher is also hunting for the mastermind, who is behind all of this.” Her face was solemn.
Theo nodded, “Alright, I'll join you.”
“We'll depart in forty-five minutes. Be ready by then,” Aerin stated as she turned to leave, while Elara remained seated behind along with Lorian.
Facing Elara, Theo spoke, “I'll be back in forty minutes. I have some matters to attend. Please take care of him.”
Elara's lips curved into a warm smile, “Take your time.”
Theo hastened toward the Elmswood inn, reaching out via telepathy to call Lilith. As he neared the inn, the air slightly shifted and a figure appeared beside him.
“Who upset you?” Lilith's voice had a slightly sharp edge, noticing he was not happy as usual.
Theo recounted the situation to her, detailing the story about Neria’s Kidnapping.
“But why risk yourself for them? It’s dangerous” Lilith pursued him.
