Chapter 634: Elves Setting Out in a Group

"My Lord Saint Durance, this is the current usage report for the newly established mystical training realms across various regions." A priest bowed deeply, presenting a document to Durance.

Had this been the past, Durance would not have even deigned to glance at such a report, secure in his unwavering confidence that the training realms produced by the Durance Workshop stood at the absolute pinnacle of the world.

But circumstances had shifted; he had witnessed with his own eyes the bitter defeat their new realm had suffered at the hands of the elves.

Scanning the written accounts, he breathed a faint, gradual sigh of relief upon seeing that the incident seemed to have cast no discernible shadow over the reputation of the Durance Workshop's realms.

Clearly, the standard currents of mere word-of-mouth were incapable of traveling with such sweeping velocity.

Yet his countenance remained heavily clouded; he had played his own part in Saint Heinz's grand design, and anyone would feel a surging, bitter fury to see a meticulously crafted plan, harbored for so long, utterly shattered by two obscure assassins.

Perhaps he would have to reconfigure certain arrangements, yet one conviction remained absolute: "We must uncover the truth. Who exactly is responsible for ruining everything?"

"Understood!"

"Wait!" Just as the priest was about to bow and take his leave, Durance spoke again. "The names of those two assassins have never been heard of before. However, looking at the testimony of that young elven girl, she did not appear to be fabricating a falsehood. Which means... such names are highly likely to be aliases, or perhaps code names utilized within the Underground Council."

He dismissed him with a sharp wave of his hand. "Go investigate the origins of this 'Altaïr'. Furthermore, interrogate the assassins we currently have imprisoned. See if you can wring any sort of clue or trace from them!"

...

It was another morning bathed in brilliant, golden sunlight.

Joseph, Ron, and a few of the other young men had just concluded their early training. Stealing a glance down the broad, bustling expanse of the central street, they suddenly gasped in sheer astonishment. "Why are those elves back again?!"

The thoroughfare was completely dominated by a grand, sweeping procession of elves, dozens of them arriving together in a magnificent display as they marched into the City of Canglan.

"My goodness, look at all those elves!" a passing mercenary muttered, his eyes wide and jaw dropped in utter disbelief.

"By the ancestors! I have never seen so many elves assembled in all my days!" a passing mage exclaimed, completely dumbfounded by the sight.

"Alright, alright! Little Sera, it is merely a somewhat competent establishment that operates a mystical training realm. Is it truly as wonderful as you claim?" Elder Xiewei, having endured the young elf's non-stop, excited chatter all along the journey, was evidently harbored by deep skepticism.

Granted, the stories were splendid stories and the realms were splendid realms, but surely the praise was exaggerated beyond all reason. What on earth was this... spicy gluten strip with a flavor profile more uniquely distinct than a Qiwei fruit? What was this iced red tea that supposedly tasted superior to pure spring water steeped with the Leaves of Life? And what of this instant noodle dish, rumored to be more filling and delectable than the fruit of the Earth Tree? Or a beverage called cola... that could instantly lift one's spirits with a single sip?

One had to remember this was a training realm establishment! It was hardly a confectioner's shop! Furthermore, even if it were a purveyor of delicacies, it could never hope to surpass the pure, untamed delicacies the elves harvested directly from the bosom of nature.

To suggest such things... it sounded as though these items could entice an elf even more than the Fountain of Life itself!

Elder Xiewei maintained a profoundly dismissive attitude toward the entire affair. She had only journeyed here to observe the current state of human advancements regarding mystical training realms, certainly not to indulge in these trivial snacks.

The elves of the Elder's Guard who accompanied her shared this utter disdain. Walking near the rear was a guard elf clad in light armor of exquisitely fine and delicate craftsmanship. His long, brown hair was elegantly bound behind his head, lending him an air of supreme refinement. "The human approach to culinary preparation has always focused solely on superficial flavor while entirely neglecting the intrinsic value of the ingredients. In truth, the taste itself is quite dreadful."

"I once chanced to sample a dish prepared by a celebrated human master, and I genuinely questioned whether that overly salty, fiercely spicy substance was even fit for consumption," the elf remarked, a faint, condescending smile playing upon his lips.

"Hahaha..." An elf beside him laughed, retrieving a crisp, green fruit from an undisclosed pocket. "Fortunate indeed that I came well-prepared."

Taking a blissful bite, a crisp and juicy fragrance immediately wafted from the fruit.

A ripple of lighthearted laughter and cheerful banter echoed through the elven ranks.

...

Meanwhile, greeting the early morning rays, Owner Fang offered a long stretch and finally swung the grand doors open.

Irina and her fellow assassins chose this exact moment to step into the shop, while Captain Helen, Evan, and a large contingent of the Golden Gryphon Knight Order arrived in accordance with their usual habit, intending to enjoy a spot of morning tea before heading off to their training grounds.

Concurrently, the patrons of the old shop were beginning to trickle in by twos and threes, arriving on the earlier side of the day.

"Hi! Morning, Boss!" a young girl clad in a black academy magic robe greeted him casually as she strolled inside.

"Morning..." Owner Fang muttered in a slight daze. It seemed... he did not recognize absolutely everyone, though a few familiar faces certainly stood out.

Come to think of it, those few elves who practically lived in the shop every day had not shown up for a good number of days now.

Just as Owner Fang was pondering this and preparing to turn back inside, he suddenly rubbed his eyes, terrified that his vision was playing tricks on him.

"Boss!" Sera called out. The small handful of elves who had vanished for days had returned, but today, they were trailed by an absolute multitude of their kin!

The massive crowd poured into the establishment in a grand, overwhelming wave, making for a truly spectacular sight.

"Why are there so many?!" Where on earth did you abduct all of them from?!

"Hmph, hmph!" Sera declared with immense pride. "I brought the Elders along with me this time. Impressive, isn't it?"

Owner Fang could safely swear he had never seen so many elves in his entire life, let alone an entire tour group of them!

Of course, though a tempest of shock raged within his mind, his outward demeanor remained as steady as an unyielding cliff, and he offered a perfectly calm, composed nod.

"This proprietor keeps his gaze steady and his aura entirely undisturbed..." Elder Xiewei noted silently to herself, offering a nod of approval. "He does seem to possess the bearing of a true, hidden master."

"Could he perhaps be the grand creator capable of forging something like 'Assassin's Creed'?"

At that moment, several people were already gathered around the front counter. "Boss, what exactly is this 'Cappuccino' item?"

A fair number of patrons were also crowding around the menu over at the original side of the shop.

The names grew stranger by the day, and it was clear that none of them had ever encountered such terms before.

"Oh? Has the boss introduced something new again?" The young elven girl, Sera, hastily hurried over to inspect the counter as well.

"It appears to be some sort of food item," Helen answered casually. Turning to see that Sera had finally returned, Helen was initially startled, but as she glanced past her, she froze in absolute bewilderment: Where in the world did all these elves come from?!

Did elves now travel exclusively in massive, organized battalions?!

"A delicacy?" Sera's eyes illuminated instantly. "Has the shop released a new treat?"

"Indeed," Helen replied. "I intend to purchase one and try it. I wonder if it will prove to be as utterly delicious as the instant noodles."

"If it possesses a flavor even half as wonderful as the spicy gluten strips, I vow to purchase it every single day," Irina remarked, already blending into the queue behind them.

"Would any of you care for a portion?" Several of the elves began to line up as well, turning to consult the rest of their companions.

"I shall pass. I would sooner starve to death than partake in such human concoctions." The elf who had previously disparaged human cuisine spoke with an unmistakable air of lofty pride. Just as a phoenix perches only upon the parasol tree and drinks only from sweet springs, how could an elegant, refined elf stoop to consuming such things? "During my past travels across the continent, I preferred to merely purchase a few wild fruits by the wayside."

"I happen to have a few Earth Tree fruits right here!" another elf chimed in, retrieving his fruit, giving it a quick, gentle wipe, and taking a thoroughly satisfied bite. "Master Jinze, would you care for one?"

With those words, he retrieved another fruit and extended it toward the proud guard elf who had just declared he would rather starve.