"After causing such a huge incident, you actually dare to swagger around here? That's truly astonishing."
"Could you be clearer? What exactly did I do?"
On the tall building where they had met that day, Luna stood facing the mysterious Elf. Hearing Luna's words, the Elf was clearly stunned, then asked, completely bewildered.
"Huh? The attack the day before yesterday afternoon wasn't carried out by you?" Luna was also taken aback. The Elf's reaction didn't seem faked. Could she really have found the wrong person?
But that doesn't make sense. This person's target is also Eriko, and the attacker is almost certainly from the Elf Race. It's impossible for two separate groups of Elves with no communication to be simultaneously targeting Eriko, right?
"The day before yesterday afternoon? I'd like to ask why you think I did it?" the Elf asked, somewhat displeased. She had been quite obedient these past few days, darting around various parts of the Central City, trying to find a single clue about that person.
But she couldn't find anything.
When Luna came looking for her today, she thought the matter she had entrusted to Luna a few days ago had yielded results. She never expected Luna to immediately hit her with such an accusation the moment they met.
This made the Elf Miss feel tremendously wronged. When had she ever suffered such slander?
She wanted to turn around and leave right then and there.
"Because the attacker was clearly from the Elf Race, and their strength wasn't weak." Luna realized she might have approached the wrong person and explained awkwardly, "Don't the experts in your Elf Race share information?"
"We do share information. I'm just the diplomat for our action squad; the other members are searching the city for our target." The Elf didn't mind telling Luna that she wasn't alone. "But you say an Elf attacked—what evidence do you have?"
"A passing girl was poisoned by an Elf Race toxin. Isn't that evidence enough?"
"What does that have to do with you, a Demon Race member? Besides, poison is something anyone can use once they get their hands on it," the Elf countered.
Elf Race poisons aren't some mysterious item restricted by bloodline; the poison is just a poison, a weapon anyone can use with the same effect.
The Elf Race and humans conduct quite a few private transactions. Poisons, which are a specialty of the Elf Race, are often secretly sold by some bold Elves into the human world.
Therefore, while the quantity of Elf Race poisons in the human world isn't large, it's absolutely impossible to say there are none.
"Regarding your previous question, you know I have many employers and many friends." Luna indicated she was acting on behalf of someone else. "A certain Important Figure is connected to the poisoned Miss, and they entrusted me to ask you, the 'Culprit,' if you have a cure."
"That depends on the type of poison. I can neutralize common ones, but the question is, what benefit do I get?" The Elf hugged her underdeveloped chest and said coldly, "You haven't given me an answer regarding the favor I asked of you previously, yet now you've approached me for someone else's request. Don't you think you're showing favoritism?"
"Quite the opposite. I already have some clues, and those clues point directly to that Important Figure." Luna extended her slender index finger and shook it twice in front of her. "I'm just a middleman."
The Elf frowned. If Luna was telling the truth, then perhaps she really needed to meet that Important Figure.
But before that, she needed to confirm whether the Important Figure was deceiving her.
"I need proof," the Elf said. "Proof that what you're saying is true."
"Alright, I'll go ask." Luna nodded, pulled out her phone, and dialed Melanie's number.
Over the phone, she told Melanie everything in detail, and then waited for Melanie to make a decision.
Melanie was also caught in a slight dilemma. Right beside her was the unconscious Miss Xi, and Candice was sitting next to the sickbed, sustaining the life of the comatose girl.
The Songstress wasn't here; she had been running around for the past two days, searching for a detoxification method.
As the Guardian of the Human Race, she had to protect humanity. Melanie quickly made a decision: "You can tell her that Eriko is here."
If everything Luna said was true, then letting the two different factions of the Elf Race clash first wouldn't be a bad thing.
If the Elf was deceiving Luna, then letting her know Eriko's location was even less of a concern.
Because she would have known already.
One outcome was a gain, the other was not a loss, and before any of that, Miss Xi's poison could at least be neutralized. This deal was quite worthwhile.
It was essentially getting something for nothing.
"Okay, I understand." Luna nodded. Her thoughts were similar to Melanie's. If the Elf in front of her and the attacking Elf weren't working together, then letting them clash first would be highly advantageous for their side.
As for whether the two might unite to snatch the person?
Luna thought the possibility was low. The faction that launched the attack was clearly superior in intelligence compared to the Elf standing before her. If they were going to unite, they would have done so long ago.
Would this Elf still need to ask her where the Half-Elf was?
"I can take you there," Luna told the Elf. "After that, you'll need to discuss things with that Important Figure."
"Oh, that quick?" The Elf was slightly surprised. She had expected some haggling, yet Luna agreed so easily.
"After all, I couldn't see anything special about that Half-Elf that would make her worth chasing. Chances are, you'll be returning empty-handed this time." Luna suggested that Eriko didn't seem special at all and was probably not the person the Elf was looking for.
Of course, she was just saying that out loud.
Internally, Luna had basically confirmed that Eriko was the Half-Elf the Elf before her was searching for.
Escorting the Elf all the way to Melanie's location, Luna quietly said to the Elf, "Prepare yourself mentally first. That person's pressure is quite intense."
The Elf responded that she was an elite of the Elf Race, no matter what. Could the pressure be greater than that of the Elf Grand Elder?
She was an elite Elf capable of remaining standing under the Grand Elder's pressure. A mere human was nothing worth mentioning.
A few seconds later, she kneeled.
"Huh? What happened to her?" Melanie, who had come to open the door after receiving Luna's message, looked confusedly at the Elf prostrating herself, her mind momentarily unable to process the sight.
"It's nothing. She probably just wasn't mentally prepared and was caught completely off guard."
"Ahem, ahem, that was an accident, an accident." The Elf, who had gotten up from the ground with Luna's help, coughed twice, looking embarrassed.
She hadn't expected this White-Haired Person's pressure to be even greater than the Grand Elder's. This truly astonished the Elf.
A powerhouse like this was definitely a unique existence among humans. If she didn't know the Sword Saint was male, the Elf might have suspected this white-haired girl was the legendary Ominous Star who cut down the leaders of all races in a single day.
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"You should know why I asked you to come here, right?" Melanie asked, crossing her arms, her expression unreadable—neither happy nor angry.
"Of course, Akira has already informed me." The Elf answered immediately. In front of such a powerful expert, she was still quite nervous.
"That's good." Melanie winked at Luna. "I know your demands. I am indeed harboring a Half-Elf here. If you can cure the poisoned girl, I can arrange for her to meet you."
Melanie had just discussed this matter with Eriko. Although she seemed a little unnatural about it, Eriko still agreed to Melanie's request.
"If merely meeting someone can save that girl, what reason do I have to refuse?" Eriko had replied.
"Just a meeting?" the Elf asked quietly.
Generally, shouldn't it be a life for a life—she takes the Half-Elf away, and then cures the poisoned girl?
Regarding the Elf's flight of fancy, Melanie said, "You're dreaming too beautifully. If you want to take her away, you'll need more than that."
"Alright, alright, the two of you should go inside to talk. The doorway isn't a good place for conversation." Luna clapped her hands, mediating. "First, let our Elf Miss examine whether the poison can be neutralized. If it can, we'll trouble Elf Miss."
"Hmm, alright then." The Elf thought for a moment. She was currently meat on the chopping block; the best outcome of refusing would be leaving empty-handed.
If she agreed, she could at least see if the Half-Elf here was the one she was looking for.
Originally, she thought she could escape even if the negotiation failed, but now, she knew that was impossible.
Melanie's pressure was simply too strong. The Elf had no doubt that the moment she showed the slightest lack of cooperation, her head would part ways with her body.
"In that case, I'll proceed."
Following Melanie into the room, the Elf immediately saw a beautiful girl situated within a Magic Array the length of a person.
The girl was completely exposed, her face pale, and green lines resembling tree roots spread out from her heart, now covering her entire torso.
If observed closely, one could also see the green lines slowly spreading towards her limbs and head.
"This poison... belongs to our Elf Race." The Elf Miss squatted down, placed her hand on the girl's chest, and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, she looked up and spoke to the three people in the room.
"Of course it's from your Elf Race. Could such a signature color belong to anyone else?" Candice, who had been waiting in the room, stated that what the Elf said was nonsense.
That vibrant green color was clearly an Elf creation.
"Can it be cured?" Melanie was more concerned about the other matter.
"Yes, and it's not too troublesome." The Elf rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a small green bottle. "Although I didn't bring the specialized antidote, this General-Purpose Detoxifier should be sufficient."
Saying this, she opened the bottle and poured out a small, round pill.
"I'm feeding it to her now." Before administering the medicine, she loudly announced it, lest she be misunderstood later.
After confirming Melanie agreed to the action, the Elf pried open the girl's mouth and delivered the medicine.
As the pill entered her mouth, the girl's complexion immediately improved. The green lines retreated toward the girl's heart at an extremely fast pace, as if encountering something terrifying.
After only about a minute, the vibrant green substance condensed into a tiny, circular green dot.
"Huh?" The Elf looked at the small dot with surprise. "How could this happen?"
Candice walked over to the Elf, frowning as she looked at the green dot on Miss Xi's chest. "It didn't completely neutralize it?"
"No, I should say, it didn't neutralize it at all." The Elf shook her head, knowing this was not the time to lie. "My antidote can only suppress its toxicity, but it has no way to eliminate it."
As she spoke, the Elf placed her hand on Miss Xi's chest again.
After a moment, she looked up and said, "One pill can suppress the poison for three days. I have four more here."
"Is there a method for complete eradication?" Melanie asked. Although it was a pity they couldn't finish the job in one go, she was satisfied that they could extend the time period so significantly.
"Yes," the Elf nodded. "However, the level of difficulty for this matter increases by several grades. Just a meeting can no longer match the effort we would have to expend."
In other words, the price Melanie offered was too low.
"You mean you want more compensation? I am very wealthy, just name your price." Melanie had no dissatisfaction with the Elf's request.
She knew that you get what you pay for.
"I don't need human money." The Elf stated that Melanie's wealth was worthless in her eyes. "If the Half-Elf you are harboring is the one I am looking for, I hope you can hand her over to me. If she is not, I hope you can assist me in finding that Half-Elf."
"I need to…" Melanie was about to say she needed to consider it, but Luna poked her waist with her elbow.
Melanie looked at Luna in confusion, only to see Luna mouthing the words, "Agree to her terms."
"Why?" Melanie was puzzled.
Luna pointed outside, signaling Melanie to wait for her out there first.
Scratching her head, Melanie obediently left the room. After Melanie left, Luna gave the Elf Miss an apologetic smile. "Sorry, could you wait for us for a moment?"
"Of course. I also need some time to properly observe this poison." The Elf readily agreed.
She knew the other party needed time to think, and moreover, she believed the chances of them agreeing were very high.
Isn't it obvious which is more important in the eyes of one human: the life of another human, or a Half-Elf?
Half-Elves aren't humans, you know.
They are the children of humans and Elves, outcasts rejected by both races. Humans protect humans, but when humans encounter Half-Elves, they won't protect them.
The Elves are the same way.
Therefore, the Elf Miss was certain that Melanie would ultimately agree to her demands.