Chapter 41: Temporary Goodbye
A month later
Inside the big tents outside the Forest of Despair, some of the elf nobles were still monitoring Aldrian's situation. Of course, not all of them stayed there for an entire month just to watch the red dot signifying Aldrian; they had their own duties after all. However, there were always nobles who took turns watching Aldrian and reporting any developments. Emperor Ladwin and the imperial teacher sometimes came to this place, and at this time, they are here to observe as the end of the test approaches.
"I don't know how he did it, but it's an amazing feat. No, it's a miracle he can survive in that place all this time," Emperor Ladwin said.
"Yes, I almost thought I was going crazy when he went to the core section, but how on earth did he do that? The spirits, what about them? And the beasts?" the imperial teacher sighed, but his eyes couldn't hide his amazement.
"Even I have never stepped inside the core section. Sigh, whatever happened inside, he has already won his bet. I can already see their ugly faces from here," Emperor Ladwin said, looking at the nobles from the conservative faction. Their expressions were unsightly, sweat rolling down their foreheads, and one of them, Marquess Andra, gritted his teeth.
"How?! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?!" he screamed inside his head. When he saw Aldrian go to the core section, he thought he had already won the bet. Although Aldrian's long survival in the inner section puzzled him, he was sure Aldrian would be dead once he entered the core section. But reality could not be more cruel, the bracelet on Aldrian's hand that detected his vitality still indicated he was alive and staying in the center of the core section.
He couldn't understand it. He was sure that the plan to send the human to his demise through official means was the most effective and appropriate strategy at the time. There was no way a human could survive in that place, he didn't know if Aldrian could do the same thing like he did in Balin, but the number and cultivation stages of those spirits and beasts would surely take care of that human boy.
While the conservative faction restlessly awaited their fate, one of its members looked at the map with undisguised amazement. It was the leader of this faction, Grand Duke Maelis, who for the first time showed a little expression and sighed at Aldrian's survival. He crossed his arms and looked at Grand Duke Sylvaris, who had returned from Balin some time ago. Grand Duke Sylvaris, sensing his stare, looked back at him and smirked before looking at the map again. The test would conclude in a few hours.
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At the core section of the Forest of Despair, Aldrian sat cross-legged on the hilltop where the cave entrance was located. He could see the vastness of the forest and the path he would take back. From here, he couldn't see the outer section, let alone beyond it, but he couldn't wait to return and watch the breakdown of some elves' faces.
The time he spent here was really advantageous and fruitful. At this time, he was reading his own information: