Vol 2 Chapter 7 (1/2)

Chapter 7: Number, 7, Halfleaf – translated by Raylight

The half-elf slowly opened his eyes. He was slightly at a loss as to where he was at the moment, but he could smell an extremely savory aroma that made him feel a pang of hunger.

When he got up, he realized that he was inside a tent, and the wounds on his body had already been bandaged properly. He first lifted open the tent flap slightly, surveying the situation outside. About five steps away, there was a campfire, and there were three people sitting beside it. Judging from their appearances, they didn’t seem to be the ones that had been trying to capture him.

At this moment, one of the people there seemed to notice that something was odd and turned around to look in his direction.

The half-elf shrunk back for a moment and then put the tent flap back in place. However, he knew that he couldn’t possibly continue to hide and, with gritted teeth, he opened the tent and walked out.

“Oh my!” One of them gave a smile as he shouted, “You’re awake? We can eat now! Hurry and come over!”

The half-elf looked at them silently, refusing to say a word. His eyes were full of caution. He was currently pondering whether he should make a dash into the forest, for once he entered, there were few who could catch up with him…

At this moment, Carol suddenly spoke in the Elven language, saying, “I am Dancingblade. Have you heard of this name?”

The half-elf froze for a moment and stared at Carol with disbelief. At first, he was shocked as to how that person could actually speak in the Elven tongue, and then, when he realized what Carol had said, he was even more shocked to hear this name.

At one side, Cale’s eyes widened while Silvie was instead beside himself with excitement. Ever since he had learned that Carol had some ties with the elves, he had desired to ask about the matter. However, Carol was never willing to speak of anything related to elves.

“Dancingblade? I have heard of your name! But I don’t know much. The elves from the north call you their friend,” the half-elf exclaimed in surprise. His voice was soft and light, and even when he was speaking excitedly it was not shrill in the least.

“It’s good that you know me.” Carol was clear-cut as she said, “Come over and sit down.”

The half-elf hesitated for a moment, but he was unable to refuse the invitation of a friend of the elves. Thus, he went over to sit down by the campfire.

Once he sat down, a bowl of savory, hot, steaming soup was shoved in to his hands. Only at this point did he realize that he was indeed very hungry. Not caring about being cautious, he started to drink the soup sip by sip.

The soup cooked with bread, eggs, and cheese, together with hunger, made the half-elf drink three whole bowls of it in a row, despite him not having a big appet.i.te.

Only after the half-elf put down his bowl did Carol start to ask, “What are you doing here instead of obediently staying in the elves’ territory?”

This time, she was using the human language. Though elves do not make contact with other races, the pa.s.sing of time over many long years had made them all into masters of language. Their main objective was actually studying the poems and songs of every race.

The reputation of Dancingblade let the half-elf lower most of his guard, and he explained miserably, “I came to attend my mother’s funeral, but I was captured by my other relatives. T-They…”

“Wanted to capture you to sell you,” Carol continued coldly. Just as expected, the half-elf nodded his head. She growled, “Leaving the Elven Forest was an action of extreme foolishness on your part!”

The half-elf was so frightened by this growl that his whole body went rigid.

“Don’t be afraid!” Silvie immediately comforted him, saying, “Carol has a loud voice but wouldn’t hurt you.”

Seeing Silvie’s radiant smile, the half-elf finally managed to calm down a little. He was unused to someone showing intense negative emotions like anger and so on, for the elves rarely showed any negative emotions at all.

“Tomorrow, I’ll bring you back to the elven territory,” Carol straightforwardly said.

The half-elf exclaimed, “No! No way! My little brother, he is still in the hands of the Ardiniz family. If I don’t go back, it’s very likely that they will hurt him!”

“The Ardiniz family?” Cale exclaimed and then asked in doubt, “It can’t be that your mother was Leisha?”

The half-elf seemed dazed for a moment, and then he nodded.

Silvie asked in curiosity, “Cale, are you acquainted with his mother?”

Being somewhat at a loss as to what to do, Cale answered, “Leisha was my paternal grandfather’s little sister. The fact that she had a relations.h.i.+p with an elf before is still rather famous…”

Silvie looked at Cale and then looked back at the half-elf and said happily, “So the two of you are relatives!”

The two relatives that didn’t know each other but landed into trouble at the same time and were moreover picked up by the same person, looked at one another at a loss.

“Then, all things considered, you are Cale’s senior!” Silvie added on without much tact.

Senior… Looking at the half-elf who looked to be around the same age as him, Cale couldn’t treat him as a senior no matter how he tried, even though according to the time stated in the rumors, this half-elf was about thirty-something years old.

The half-elf looked at Cale with curiosity and said, “My relative? Nice to meet you, I am Halfleaf, Halfleaf Ardiniz. May I inquire as to what your name is?”

“Cale. I don’t usually use my family name. I’m an illegitimate child.”

After Cale said it so indifferently, he abruptly remembered something. Isn’t this elf in front of me also an illegitimate child?