"Cooperate? How do we cooperate?" Tilly was completely bewildered, and then, in the next second, she saw Ellie pull down her hood, revealing her true face, and charge directly at her. At some point, an Ice Cone-like object had appeared in her hand.
"Everyone, don't move!" Ellie grabbed Tilly and pressed the Ice Cone against Tilly's neck. This sudden turn of events caught Handsome Pan and Ti Du completely off guard.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Tilly, held hostage by Ellie, was also utterly confused.
"Didn't we agree to cooperate?" Ellie whispered very softly into Tilly's ear.
"I asked how we were supposed to cooperate!" Tilly also lowered her voice and said.
"Don't worry about that. Just do as you did yesterday." Ellie couldn't be bothered to explain anything to her and poked Tilly's neck with the Ice Cone.
"You really gave me a lot of trouble! You idiots." Ellie shouted very loudly, as if afraid other passersby hadn't heard her.
"You! You really were deceiving us! You damned human!" Handsome Pan immediately drew his weapon, and his subordinates surrounded them.
"Your Young Lady's life is in my hands! Get out of my way!" Ellie said, gesturing with the Ice Cone at Tilly's neck. The gesture actually left a small cut on Tilly's neck, and it was bleeding.
"You… you all step back… hurry and step back!" Tilly seemed to understand Ellie's intention and obediently played the victim.
"Hey! Can't you be gentler? You don't actually want to cut my throat, do you?! …And it's really uncomfortable the way you're holding me!" Tilly complained in a low, annoyed voice.
"Don't worry! Even if I kill you, I still have a way to revive you. This small injury is no problem!" Ellie was now holding Tilly. There was no other way… Given Ellie's height, holding Tilly, who was much taller, from behind was naturally very strenuous.
"Didn't you hear?! Make way, quickly!" Ti Du also cooperated by shouting loudly at the retainers, then looked at Tilly, held hostage by Ellie, with a very worried expression. The retainers obediently made way.
"Very good… My goal is simple. Take me to see your King! Lead the way, quickly!" Ellie said, poking Tilly's neck again with the Ice Cone in her hand.
"Hey! That really hurts!" Tilly said in a low, dissatisfied voice.
"Bear with it…" What else could Ellie say? Acting naturally had to be convincing.
"You… dream on! You damned human!" Handsome Pan refused to back down at all. In that case, it was up to Ti Du. Ellie gave Ti Du a look, telling her to handle Handsome Pan.
But just then, a group of Elves, who appeared to be regular soldiers, surrounded them. Their movements were quite fast, it seemed the Elf King had prepared in advance. These troops were likely ambushed nearby, intending to capture Handsome Pan and his group all at once after their return. However, what surprised them was that Handsome Pan had brought Tilly back.
"Oh ho! Your Elves react quite quickly, don't you? Did you know I was coming, or were you ambushed nearby for some other purpose?" Ellie said meaningfully.
"…" Handsome Pan seemed to understand the hidden meaning in Ellie's words and said nothing more. The main reason was probably Ti Du. Just as the regular army surrounded them, Ti Du tugged at Handsome Pan and whispered something to him.
"Human! How did you infiltrate the city?! Put down your weapon!" The Elf leading the regular army—also a Handsome guy—pointed at Ellie and shouted.
"I just walked in openly, holding your Young Lady hostage!" Ellie replied with a smile. At this time, many passersby were watching from a distance. As long as those passersby saw Tilly, it would be fine, so as to prevent the Elf King from silencing them.
"Human… what exactly do you want to do?!" The leading Handsome guy Elf asked patiently.
"Take me to see your King! I am an envoy sent by the Slane Theocracy, and I have something to discuss with your King!" Ellie said.
"An envoy from the Slane Theocracy? Is there an envoy who takes hostages like this? Prepare!" The Handsome guy Elf gave an order, and the archers behind the regular army simultaneously drew their bows. Were they planning to silence them in broad daylight? Hey, hey! Elf King, you're going too far!
"Isn't this all the Elf Kingdom's fault?! Every envoy our Theocracy sent was shot dead outside your gates without exception. This time, do you intend to shoot down your minister's granddaughter as well?!" Ellie shouted loudly. This was actually meant for the watching passersby.
This was what Shu'enbeimu had told her yesterday on the way to the military camp: every envoy sent by the Slane Theocracy had been shot dead without exception. Ellie had always wondered why the Slane Theocracy was able to rescue Zesshi Zetsumei back then. Perhaps it was by sending people as envoys and then taking the opportunity to rescue her, otherwise, why would they just kill every single one they saw?
"…" The leading Handsome guy Elf was also stunned. It was clear he was conflicted. Obviously, the Elf King must have given an order that it didn't matter if they were killed, but to shoot their own people, and people of status, in front of so many commoners—this kind of thing would make anyone conflicted.
Although it wouldn't matter even if they all shot arrows at once, the Arrow Flight Defense was still active, and they wouldn't be able to harm her in the slightest. Moreover, as soon as they shot arrows, it would immediately give Handsome Pan a reason to question the Elf King's actions.
"I only ask to see your King. As for this Young Lady… I will naturally release her. If you hadn't attacked us on sight, I wouldn't have resorted to this method!" Ellie said, also giving the Handsome guy leading the team a way out.
"Hey! Are you just going to stand by and watch her die?! That's Lady Tilly!" Handsome Pan also put on a very furious expression and roared at the Handsome guy leading the team.
"Alright! You all! Put away your weapons! I… can only take you to the palace gates!" The Handsome guy leading the team finally relented. That's more like it. It's better to avoid such thankless tasks. If you really shot arrows in this place, the damage to your reputation would be entirely on you alone. The Elf King could wash his hands of it later.
"Gates it is then!" Ellie replied.
Very good, this could be considered a successful plan. However, she still had to be careful that once they reached the so-called palace gates, without the passersby watching, that scoundrel Elf King might try something else. Ellie thought to herself.
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