Chapter 156 - 37: Return (4) (Second Update)
The wheels of history rolled forward, kicked along by the Lich.
In the blink of an eye, another December had arrived. It had only been a year since Gray first came to Lion King City. However, to the people of Lion King City, it felt like a century had passed. The entire world had undergone earth-shattering changes.
After the turmoil, people’s lives returned to order. But peace was impossible. Due to Holy Knight Gray residing here, various delegations visited frequently, making this place the center of the Southern Continent. After all, unlike the previous papacy which was unwilling to excessively interfere in secular matters, Holy Knight Gray was very willing to use his power to intervene in worldly affairs whenever he felt something was unjust. This made him the go-to person for almost everyone in the Southern Continent.
And the agreements with the Angels and the Demon Lord became his greatest protection before a crisis arrived, creating a channel for unconventional forces to be invested in the world, thus forging a walking "Holy Spirit."
Gray was busy every day, handling various matters. Now he understood the weight of his identity, no longer making hasty decisions like before. When encountering uncertain issues, he would seek more opinions from others.
"What is the elf trade about?"
"Elf trade has always been prohibited," Count Gruglu replied, "Elves, regardless of gender, are exceptionally beautiful and have lifespans exceeding those of ordinary people by more than ten times. This has led many nobles to want an elf as a slave, offering especially high prices. As a result, many adventurers would sneak into the Elf Forest to abduct elves and then sell them to nobles. These sold elves could serve them for generations before gradually aging. Due to the desire for elves, various countries even attempted to conquer the Elf Clan but failed, suffering a crushing defeat. After that, the Elf Clan and humans forged an agreement requiring humans to prohibit elf trade and impose severe penalties on kidnappers and buyers. This situation has become rare now, not because of the agreement but because the Elf Clan has taken strict precautions, making abductions difficult. The agreement was signed by the Pope representing humans and the Elf Clan, with every Pope reaffirming its validity. I think they are trying to test your attitude."*
"Why only the Wood Elves make this request, not the Blood Elves? Are Blood Elves not beautiful enough?"
"No, that’s not it. Mainly because the Blood Elves have always harbored hostility towards humans, adopting more extreme measures. Adventurers typically target the relatively ’gentler’ Wood Elves. Perhaps the Blood Elves find the agreement redundant now."
"Hostility towards humans? Then why do they seek my support in excavating the Krimasha Relics?"