Sensing the biting frost on his face, Losandel was drowning in desperation.He didn’t know why the human Mage was attacking him, but the man was obviously not a friend.

He even thought of suicide, but his limbs had each been restrained by a blue Hand of Magic, making it impossible for him to struggle.

He could only manage to raise his head and watch the human Mage approach him from the dark.

He was both angry and frightened.

What would the man do? Torture him, or kill him instantly?

Losandel had always been fond of moonlight. He suddenly found it romantic to be killed on such a night when the moon was shining brilliantly.

It was every elf’s wish to die next to their favorite things.

That way, their withering would be beautiful too.

Observing the half-elf’s face, Roland found that he was scared first, relieved later, and even somehow delighted in the end. He couldn’t help but wonder if something was wrong with the half-elf’s head.

He sighed and asked, “May I ask if you are Losandel?”

“Why bother asking my name? Just kill me if you want.” Losandel, like a drama queen, scoffed. “I will never betray my people.”

Roland raised his eyebrow and heaved a sigh.

There was obviously a misunderstanding, but he didn’t have a choice. The half-elf would’ve fled if Roland hadn’t caught him.

Next to the road were trees, and the elves were in the woods what fish were in a deep lake. It would be barely possible for Roland to find him, so Roland could only capture him, albeit more roughly than he should’ve.

“I don’t want to do anything to you.” Squatting before him, Roland said, “Betta recommended I come here. I need you to help me contact Ans for something important.”

“Betta.” Losandel looked at the stranger in surprise. “Wait. What’s your name?”

“Roland.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” Losandel cried pitifully.

Roland smiled awkwardly. “You would’ve fled if I hadn’t caught you, and I might not be able to find you again.”

“Can you let go of me now?” Losandel stared at Roland, not very happily.

Roland shrugged in embarrassment.

Half a minute later, Losandel patted his clothes and said, “Both Betta and Elder Ans mentioned your name before. You must be of some significance to Elder Ans. I can deliver a message for you, but it’s not up to me whether or not you will be received.”

“Of course. Thank you very much.” Roland thought for a moment and said, “Why don’t I buy you dinner as compensation?”

“Dinner sounds good.” Losandel’s eyes glittered.

Then, Roland led Losandel to the inn and ordered a lot of food for him, which cost Roland almost one gold coin.

Losandel quite enjoyed himself, and Roland elicited a lot of intelligence on elves from him.

Though the intelligence was not very important, it helped Roland understand the elves better.

Losandel left when it was almost dawn.

Soon enough, Susie came to Roland.

She seemed rather angry. “You followed me.”

Roland pointed at the other cup of fruit wine on the table and smiled. “It seems that Losandel has talked to you. Yes, I followed you.”

“Do you want to die?” Susie sat opposite Roland and glared at him. Her furrowed brow, like sharp sabers, was quite intimidating. “You dared to follow me on my turf?”

“How could I have found Losandel without following you? You told him to leave town.”

That did make sense, but Susie was still angry.

She was a Sword Dancer, a special hidden class that was a combination of Warrior and Rogue.

The class boasted remarkable stealth and anti-stealth abilities, and could fight head-on battles as skillfully as traditional Warriors.

It was beyond her imagination that, as a Sword Dancer, she had been tailed by a Mage.

She was quite pissed.

“That was very rude of you. I want you to apologize.”

“I’m sorry,” said Roland casually.

Susie almost burst into fury. Roland’s prompt apology made her feel that he didn’t mean it.

It was like an adult teasing a child.

But she couldn’t throw a tantrum at Roland, because Losandel had told her that Roland seemed to be an important person, and that Elder Ans thought highly of him.

“Okay, I’ll remember you.” Susie stormed out and slammed the door.

Roland found that both Losandel and Susie were slightly childish.

In the following three days, Roland waited for updates in the inn. Of course, he spent most of his spare time on the forum and with his magic studies.

Three days later, Ans came to this inn.

Asking the waiter to serve fruit wine and cakes to Ans, Roland said with a smile, “I’m surprised that a big shot like you would visit me in person. I thought you would ask me to meet you in the Elf Forest.”

Ans was as handsome as before, but with more exhaustion in his eyes.

“I dare not let the lawless Golden Sons come to my home.” He had a mouthful of the fruit wine and observed Roland for a while. Then he said, “Besides, you’re growing too fast, which discourages me from inviting you into the forest. I remember that you were barely an Elite a year ago, but you’re on your path to mastership now. Are all the Golden Sons as good as you?”

“I’m just lucky.” Roland finished his cup and refilled it. Then he continued, “I’m here because I need to ask you a favor.”

“What is it?” Ans said with a smile, “I hope it’s not too outrageous.”

“I want the sap of the world tree. One drop will be enough.”

Crack!

Ans squeezed the silver cup in his hand into twisted metal. The fruit wine splashed all over the place, including toward Ans and Roland, but it was blocked by their magic shields.

Ans glared at Roland scarily. “Do you know what you just said?”

“I do.” Roland nodded.

“Do you know how important the Mother Tree is to us?”

“Yes.” Roland nodded again.

“Then how dare you propose such a request?” Ans smashed the deformed cup on Roland’s face, but it was blocked by Roland’s magic shield. “Do you want to die?”

“Of course not.” Roland shook his head and said, “But I’m not asking for too much. Just one drop.”

Ans rose and was about to leave.

Roland shouted, “I’m not asking for it for nothing. I can help you do something that you’re not willing to do, as long as it’s not anything evil.”

“I will never hurt my mother or my kins.”

His eyes slightly widened, Roland asked back, “Really? Then how did your teacher, the green Druid, die?”