Chapter 99: Territory

Whether it was creating hybrids or using the undead, every attempt had ended in failure.

So what other choices did the elves have?

Ethan shook his head with a bitter smile.

’Why not just turn humans into slaves and force them to farm?’

With their lifespans and power, the elves were more than capable of waging that kind of war, and yet, they hadn’t.

Why?

"What are you thinking about, meow?"

"Nothing..."

He let the question rest, the elves must have had their own reasons, their own difficulties. Once they reached the kingdom, everything would come to light.

The carriage rolled on, clearing the forest’s edge and emerging onto a wide, open plain.

"Let’s eat some Wind Bananas."

"Meow~"

They each peeled one and bit in, the wind-resistance effect took hold immediately. When the razor gales at the border of the Great Forest blasted toward them, the invisible knives of wind passed over their skin without harm.

"You’re here!"

A voice cut through the howling wind, Ethan looked ahead and spotted a group of elves. Leon, wearing a robe of elven silk, stepped forward with a broad smile. His eyes widened when he noticed Ethan and Pearl sitting comfortably amid the knife-sharp gales.

Then he spotted the banana peels.

"So it really works, Elven silk is expensive — if Wind Bananas can block wind-attribute attacks, far more people will be able to enter regions like this one."

"Are there other places with razor gales?"

"Yes, some dungeons have them."

"In that case, Frost Fruits and Wind Bananas should be quite popular."

"Very much so. I’ve heard Frost Fruits are a huge help to explorers. Speaking of which — leave the cargo on your carriage. My people will transfer everything, you and Pearl, please get in."

Ethan’s mana wasn’t infinite; the Blood Jade Ox couldn’t stay summoned forever. Under Leon’s arrangement, he dismissed the beast and watched the elves move his goods to a new, gorgeously decorated carriage.

He and Pearl climbed in, the interior was polished wood and embroidered cushions — a far cry from the handcart back home. Pearl sniffed every corner while Ethan settled into his seat.

Leon sat across from them. "We’ll head to my territory first, rest for the night, and depart for the royal capital tomorrow."

"I’d like to visit Eric’s family along the way..."

"Eric lives right here." Leon unfolded a map and pointed to a spot near their route.

"We’ll pass by it on the way. He already started preparing the moment he heard you were coming — if he doesn’t get to host you, he’ll be upset."

"Haha... is he doing well?"

"Couldn’t be better, just a touch too energetic, it would be nice if he matured a bit." Leon chuckled, then opened a drawer beside him, inside lay a cluster of small black fruits.

Ethan frowned at the unfamiliar things.

Pearl’s ears shot straight up. "It’s a Chocolate Fruit, meow~"

"Huh?"

"A fruit that’s sweet with a hint of bitterness, meow, I ate them when I came here with Lady Witch, meow~"

’They must not grow inside the Great Forest.’ Ethan had never seen them during his time there, and none of the beastmen had mentioned anything like this.

Ethan accepted the fruit Leon offered and took a careful bite, the dark skin gave way to soft flesh. Just as Pearl had said — sweet, with a lingering bitterness at the back of the palate, and a complexity unlike anything he’d tasted before. He chewed thoughtfully, spat out the smooth pit, and looked at Leon.

"Is this exclusively supplied to the royal family?"

Leon smiled. "I originally planned to give them to you the next time we met. This fruit only grows in the royal forest. After I presented your porcelain last time, the royal family rewarded me with these. I figured you would like them, so I saved them."

"Thank you for your kindness. But since it’s a royal exclusive — would they let me plant it?"

"I imagine the royal family wouldn’t refuse your request."

If humans cultivated Chocolate Fruit, the yield would far outstrip what natural growth produced, the elves could only let the trees grow on their own, so the output was limited. Most of the time, even the royal family barely had enough for personal consumption, let alone rewarding others.

Leon smiled wryly. "Besides Chocolate Fruits, the royal forest has many other specialties. You might be able to apply for cultivation rights during your visit."

"If I can get permission, that would be wonderful."

’Help the elves with their food supply, and asking for World Tree fragments gets a lot easier.’

They chatted the hours away, and the carriage sped through open countryside. Finally it slowed to a halt. Ethan opened the window, and a vast plain stretched before him.

"Is this the place?"

"Yes. My territory. Let’s walk from here."

He stepped down, greeted by a gentle breeze. The razor gales were behind them.

"Hmm?"

He turned toward the distance, a sea of white spread across the grassland — too far to make out at first, it resolved into an enormous flock of sheep.

"If agriculture is the blessing bestowed upon humanity by the gods, then animal husbandry is the glory of our elven race." Leon pointed at the flock with quiet pride.

Two elves waved their staffs, and the sheep obediently moved as one.

"Wool, sheep’s milk, and mutton are all specialties of this territory, to welcome your arrival, I’ve prepared a whole roasted sheep. I hope you’ll like it."

"That’s wonderful. I’ve actually been wanting to develop animal husbandry in the Great Forest..."

"Really? We elves possess the power to control animals, but humans don’t seem to..."

Even without that power, Ethan figured a small herd was manageable. As long as the numbers stayed reasonable, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Seeing his serious expression, Leon nodded. "If you’d like to try, I can gift you some sheep and goats."

"Then thank you very much."

"I should be the one thanking you. Come — let’s head inside."

The grasslands felt like a different world from the dense forest. On the way, they encountered quite a few elves. They observed Ethan with open curiosity but didn’t approach to strike up conversation.

"Mr. Leon, you’re the lord of this territory?"