Chapter 245: Shushu being interrogated.

The ancient books preserved in human libraries contained detailed descriptions of Fairies and Elves, accompanied by exquisite illustrations.

Both Fairies and Elves possessed long, pointed ears, breathtaking beauty, and an elegant bearing. Their bodies radiated an abundance of the power of light, making them children of the Light God in every sense.

There were, however, certain differences in their appearances.

Elves were similar in size to humans, while Fairies were tiny creatures no bigger than a human palm. A pair of beautiful, translucent wings grew from their backs, shimmering with a faint glow. When they fluttered among the grass, they looked like fireflies from a distance, creating an almost dreamlike spectacle.

It was precisely because of this that certain unscrupulous human nobles were always eager to capture Little Fairies and keep them as pets.

Mercenary bands and adventurers consequently risked their lives venturing into the Faerie Forest to hunt Fairies.

Fortunately, Fairies were extraordinarily gifted and immensely powerful. Mercenaries and adventurers who entered the Faerie Forest seldom returned. Even those who managed to capture a Fairy and bring it back to the Human World soon found their captive reclaimed.

Fairies were fiercely protective of their own and never forgot a grudge.

Anyone who dared capture a Fairy and keep it as a pet had better be prepared to spend the rest of their life being hunted!

Furthermore, Fairies and Elves were both races created by the Light God. They were brother races, and both revered the Elven King as their sovereign. If a Fairy fell into danger, the Elves would never stand idly by.

Over the countless millennia, every human who had dared lay a hand on a Fairy had long since turned to dust.

After the War of the Gods, the Elven King sealed off the Faerie Forest and the Elven Kingdom, severing their connections with the outside world.

Today, Fairies and Elves had become legendary races. Their stories survived only in poems and songs passed down through generations of wandering bards.

Drawing on his experiences as a young man, along with what he had learned from the Mage Sovereign, Seriu knew that Elves and Fairies sometimes disguised themselves as humans and traveled across the continent to gain experience.

As long as they didn't reveal their identities voluntarily, no one would discover who they really were.

Naturally, their appearances must have been altered considerably, making them very different from the descriptions in the ancient books.

But while Fairies could conceal their wings and ears, how did they manage to change their size?

Seriu had asked his question directly, and Shu Li felt uncomfortable lying to him.

"Yes, we're wearing disguises," he admitted openly.

Having received a straightforward answer, Seriu nodded and asked nothing further.

Cindy, however, was nowhere near as willing to leave the matter alone.

Rubbing her hands together, she asked eagerly, "Um... could I see what you really look like?"

"Sorry, but no," Kumandi refused firmly.

The rejection came as no surprise.

Cindy stuck out her tongue, then turned toward Amanda, her eyes shining with anticipation.

"You're a dragon... Hehe... I wonder if I might have the honor of seeing your..."

"No, no!"

Before she could finish, Amanda hurriedly shook his head and waved both hands.

"I... I can't just transform into my dragon form in front of humans! If my older brother finds out, I'll definitely get beaten when I go home."

Actually, he might not even have to wait until he returned to Dragon Island. Uncle Zephyr could very well give him a spanking right there at the academy.

"All right!"

Cindy lowered her head in disappointment.

Hector and Nasha also sighed inwardly at the missed opportunity. Still, both knew where to draw the line. If the others were unwilling, they certainly couldn't force them.

The Little Fairies and the young dragon all breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Efit had been quietly observing them for some time. Seeing how readily the Little Fairies had revealed their true identities in front of humans, he frowned slightly.

"Sperien, are you sure this is all right?" he asked in a low voice. "I have a potion that can erase memories. If you need it, I can give you some."

Humans were complicated creatures.

One moment, they might be willing to risk their lives for one another. The next, they could betray each other without hesitation.

Even blood relatives could become bitter enemies. What chance did mere friendships have?

There was no guarantee that, after returning home, one of these humans wouldn't succumb to greed and do something to harm the Little Fairies.

Erasing their memories of today was therefore the safest solution.

Hector, Cindy, and Nasha were stunned by the Dark Elf's suggestion.

They immediately looked to Shu Li for help.

Everything they had experienced today had been so extraordinary! How could they possibly bear to lose those memories?

Seriu frowned deeply and instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword.

Shu Li blinked, looking rather troubled.

"Wouldn't that be going too far?"

Memories were precious and irreplaceable. They held a person's past and traced the course of their life.

How could anyone simply erase them at will?

He had no right to do such a thing.

Then again, Efit truly deserved his reputation as the finest potion maker among the Dark Elves. To think he even possessed a potion like that!

Ace calmly made a solemn promise.

"By the Light God, I swear upon the name of Estel that I will never reveal your true identities to outsiders."

Hector and the others exchanged glances.

Seeing the same determination reflected in one another's eyes, they raised their right hands and likewise swore oaths before the Light God.

Efit watched Shu Li calmly, leaving the decision to him.

Shu Li raised his bright, clear eyes and spoke with quiet conviction.

"I trust you."

They were all members of the Light Squad, companions who would embark on adventures together in the future.

They had just survived a life-or-death ordeal side by side.

Faced with an overwhelmingly powerful monster, not one of them had backed down. Even those whose strength was limited had been willing to stand together and share the danger.

Teammates like these were hard to come by.

How could he abandon them so easily?

Shu Li had once been human himself. He knew perfectly well that most humans were kind, courageous, sincere, and honorable.

Some even possessed noble spirits and magnificent ideals, pursuing their convictions with unwavering determination, charging forward without hesitation or regard for their own safety.

He trusted his own judgment.

And he trusted his ability to recognize good people.

"Thank you!" Nasha said sincerely.

Her violet eyes shone with genuine emotion.

She was delighted that Amo had placed his trust in her.

Seeing this, Efit did not raise the matter again.

The more time he spent with Sperien, the more he discovered qualities that set this Little Fairy apart from others.

The fact that Sperien had dared venture into Vanaku alone while still a cub was proof enough of his extraordinary courage.

As for whether these humans would betray the Little Fairies in the future, only time would tell.

With the Demon Lord dead and the danger over, it was time for them to return.

Efit glanced at the magical sword in Shu Li's hand, then bid him farewell.

Shu Li knew that Efit was a meticulous, conscientious Dark Elf. He had already lost an entire week of work searching for the two young cubs, so it was perfectly understandable that he wanted to get back as soon as possible.

"Wait!"

Shu Li called out to him.

He retrieved a bag of medicinal herbs from his storage ring and handed it over.

"These are the herbs you wanted."

They hadn't managed to meet in Vanaku a few days earlier. Now that they had run into each other, he might as well hand over the herbs and save them both the trouble of arranging another meeting.

Efit accepted the bag of herbs and handed him a heavy pouch of gold coins along with a box containing materials.

Shu Li beamed as he accepted both, promptly tucking them into his storage ring.

"Goodbye," Efit said.

He departed with the two young Dark Elves.

Lanno and Luca waved to the group before skipping happily along beside him.

Once the Dark Elves had disappeared into the distance, everyone turned to stare intently at Shu Li.

Shu Li froze.

"Why... are you all looking at me like that?"

"You seem very familiar with that Dark Elf named Efit," Kumandi said.

It was a statement, not a question.

"Well..."

Shu Li groaned inwardly.

He had never told Kumandi about his trip to Vanaku to purify the Mother Tree's offshoot, much less his dealings with Efit.

Dixio, Angel, and Budno only knew because he had accidentally exposed his secret when he went to the desert in search of the Fire Spirit, and they had caught him red-handed.

"Sperien, what's the story with Falm?" Dixio asked. "He's not a baby magical beast? He's actually the Fire God's mount?"

Angel stroked his smooth chin.

"So what else have you been keeping from us?"

Budno chimed in, "You can summon the Fire Spirit just like the Wood Spirit!"

Amanda asked enthusiastically, "Brave Sperien, does this mean there's a new story to tell?"

Cindy looked thoroughly envious.

"You actually formed a contract with the Fire God's mount! That's incredible!"

Hector stared at him in amazement.

"Are you really an Intermediate Grand Mage? That's amazing! How did you manage it?"

Nasha knitted her delicate brows and asked softly, "Eight years ago, when you and Mr. Al went to Adilan to see the queen... what was that about?"

Seriu's gaze settled on the magical sword in Shu Li's hand.

After a moment's thought, he asked, "May I have a look at the Sword of Viona?"

Bombarded by questions from every direction, Shu Li felt his head spinning.

He didn't even know which one to answer first!

Then he noticed Ace standing off to one side, smiling as though he were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

Shu Li gave up trying to maintain his composure.

"Don't you... have anything you want to ask me?"

There were already so many questions. One more wouldn't make any difference.

Ace thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"No."

Shu Li was deeply moved.

His eyes sparkled as he gazed at Ace's handsome face.

"You're the best!"

"Sperien, stop avoiding my question!" Dixio complained, poking him in the arm.

"One at a time! There's no rush."

Shu Li cleared his throat and pointed toward the sky, where only the last glow of sunset remained.

"Do we really have to stand here and talk?"

It was almost dark.

They needed to return to town as quickly as possible. If another monster suddenly appeared, they would be in no condition to fight it.

They also needed to report what had happened in Woba Grand Canyon to Mage Sovereign Danlov as soon as possible.

He could send several Saint Mages to investigate.

If more monsters were lurking deep within the canyon, they posed a serious threat and needed to be eliminated before they could cause further harm.

Seeing how late it had become, the others agreed with Shu Li's suggestion.

The group hurried along and managed to return to Put Town before nightfall.

The residents of Put Town were astonished to see all ten magic students return safely.

That afternoon, terrifying roars had echoed faintly from the direction of the canyon.

The townspeople had been so frightened that they had hidden inside their homes, trembling with fear.

Although a Saint Mage had established a defensive magical formation around the town, it had done little to ease their anxiety.

Ever since accidents had become frequent in the grand canyon, fewer adventuring parties and mercenary bands had visited Put Town.

The decline had directly affected local businesses.

Some residents had already chosen to leave and seek a living in other cities.

After all, who could say whether a horde of magical beasts might emerge from the canyon one day, break through the defensive formation, and threaten their lives?

Only after the roars had been silent for a long time did the residents finally dare venture outdoors again.

And then they saw Shu Li and the other magic students returning without so much as a scratch.

How could they not be astonished?

They were the only adventuring party in recent memory to return with every member alive.

It was almost impossible to believe.

The Light Squad found the townspeople's strange stares thoroughly unnerving.

After purchasing some food they could take on the road, they hired a carriage and hurriedly left Put Town.

Only after the carriage had been traveling for fifteen minutes did Shu Li and the others finally relax.

"Why were they looking at us like that?" Angel asked in confusion.

"Who knows?" Budno spread his hands. "Forget about them. Let's have dinner first."

They had been busy all afternoon, and his stomach had been growling for ages.

Amanda took out the food they had just purchased and arranged everything on the table.

Licking his lips eagerly, he suggested, "Let's eat while Sperien tells us his story!"

The corners of Shu Li's mouth twitched.

Are you sure you want a story and not an interrogation?!