Chapter 224: Moon Pavilion (2/2)

The Elven Queen appeared to have learned of the Players’ visit thanks to her Iris Macaw as well, and didn’t hesitate to lead Marni to a place called the Moon Pavilion—a secret place of the elves.

Although it was called a Moon Pavilion, it was basically the fretwork of a massive tree made up of interweaved vines.

A mysterious pool lay beneath the roots. Even though the dense weaves of vines kept it hidden, moonlight would always shine into it every night, with faint rays of silver sinking to its depths.

In the thousand years following the War of Gods and Demons, the entire pool had become a bright silver.

And now, the Elven Queen took the deathly-gray Selene from Marni’s arms and gently put her in the pool.

The elven girl seemed to sink beneath the silver, even as she vanished within the pool.

“Will she be alright?” Marni asked worriedly.

“She will be fine.” The Elven Queen spoke softly. “The Silver Moonwell is said to heal all wood elf wounds and placate all hate. It is the entrance to the homeworld of my kind… to distant Fairyland. Though our race’s bloodline had been sullied and we had lost the right to return to Fairyland because of our impurity, the Moonwell is still benevolent to all wood elves and would heal all our maladies.

Then, she turned her ravishing face to Marni with a smile. “But it is your actions that surprise me. Though Selene may be my precious kinsfolk, she is nothing less than a wood elf who holds you in disdain. Why would you go so far for her?”

“Hmmm… If I have to say it…”

Distressed, Marni scratched his head before answering. “Because I might have caused all this. If I hadn’t mentioned that I’m going to the arcanum at the Trinia Forests, she wouldn’t have led me to it in Jamie’s place. She also had the chance to flee but didn’t do so, and instead stayed beside me, ending up being caught in the devil’s assault.

Pausing, Marni then smiled, seemingly realizing his conscience. “I probably wouldn’t be free of guilt for the rest of my life if I ignore a kid like this.”

In other words, he wasn’t lusting after elven beauty, just as there was neither sentiment nor attraction in the brief few hours they shared in each other’s company.

What Marni wanted was simple: a clear conscience, and despite how easy it was, only merchants like Marni who traveled across most of the continent knew how hard it was to do that despite the blemished ways of the world.

At first, he wouldn’t greed for such a thing. There were only too many occasions where circumstances were not up for him—a mere traveling trader—to decide, not to mention how easily some blackguard could easily take his life.

It was only after he became a Player—the believer of the God of Games that his life was no longer first priority. Now, Marni had the chance to seek his conscience so that he wouldn’t have to do things against his own will, and to carry guilt with him for life.

“Is that so?”

There was no telling if the Elven Queen understood Marni. She merely nodded at him and smiled elegantly. “I understand. Whatever the case may be, I thank you for your help. From this day forth, the gates of Trinia would be always open for you… may the day come that you would bridge the friendship between wood elves and humans.”