Chapter 16: Escort Mission, One Truth

“Let go of me.”

Noli struggled free from Lucas’s grip.

“Why can’t I go back? And how do you even know my name?”

Only then did Lucas realize that, in the heat of the moment, he had unwittingly called out the elf girl’s name.

“Well…”

Lucas genuinely found it impossible to explain the truth to her now.

If he told her everything, Noli would definitely think he was crazy.

“What exactly do you want?”

Noli stepped back and questioned him.

“You’re really strange. What is your purpose here?”

The air around them grew colder, and Noli’s eyes were filled with hostility.

This was bad.

Noli definitely wouldn’t listen to any explanations now.

If things went wrong, getting beaten was the least of his worries—if Noli died, there would be serious consequences.

“All right, I’ll handle this.”

Ivena’s voice sounded from behind Lucas, and the heavy weight in his heart finally lifted at the sound.

“I heard you two arguing, so I came to see what was going on. Let me talk with her.”

Ivena stepped forward, casually wrapping an arm around Noli’s shoulders and leading her to a secluded corner.

What they discussed there was something Lucas didn’t know.

About ten minutes later, Ivena returned with Noli.

The hostility in Noli’s eyes was gone, but the suspicion remained unchanged.

“Is what you said true?”

Noli kept asking Ivena for confirmation.

“Trust him. He won’t do anything to you.”

Ivena approached Lucas and gently patted his shoulder, signaling him to follow her.

“You, you…”

She pulled Lucas into a quiet corner and began scolding him.

“Do you expect her not to be suspicious after behaving like that?”

“Sorry, I was being rash.”

“Noli just told me you won’t let her return to her original tribe. Is that true?”

Lucas nodded.

He absolutely couldn’t let her go back. Noli was someone from his memories—he couldn’t allow the fate of death that occurred there to happen to her again.

“Noli is someone from your memories, right?”

“Yes. If she goes back, she’ll die.”

“Seems like you know something. Why not tell me?”

Lucas recounted everything he remembered about Noli.

The Slave Traders appeared to place great importance on these missing elves.

After Noli and the others were abducted, the Slave Traders quickly regrouped and returned to the elf tribe from which Noli had been taken, attempting to capture more.

Though it was a gamble, they succeeded in capturing Noli after she returned to her original tribe.

Afterwards, Noli was imprisoned somewhere until, finally, she was sacrificed.

“Wait, say it again—how did Noli die?”

Ivena was surprised by Noli’s fate after hearing Lucas’s story.

“Sacrificed, I think. In the memory, she was tied up in a place that looked like an altar, and her blood was drained. Who did it, why, and to whom she was sacrificed—I don’t know.”

Ivena’s expression grew serious.

“A sacrifice? That doesn’t sound right. All the races of Morovira only have one faith—that is the Creator God. Live sacrifices for the Creator God? I’ve never heard of such a ritual in Morovira’s native religion.”

“Should we investigate this?”

“Yes, but for now, you need to protect Noli. Since she exists in your memory, you must make sure she doesn’t die.”

“Do you think she’ll trust me in this state?”

Lucas smiled bitterly.

“Gaining her trust won’t happen overnight. She’s not a bad person. Earn her trust with your actions. And about how you knew her name—I came up with a reason to cover for you.”

Ivena had really helped him this time.

“I asked Noli just now. She wants to return to her original tribe,” Ivena said, looking toward Noli.

“Let’s go with her wishes first. As for what comes next, you should know. This mission is your responsibility—see it through.”

“I understand. I’ll ensure her safety.”

“The other elves’ questioning will take some time—probably until tonight. Then we’ll arrange for those who want to go back to return. The escort will be your job.”

Ivena spoke casually, but whether Noli would accept Lucas as her escort was still a problem.

Lucas was not foolish; he could see Noli’s guard hadn’t been completely lowered.

The days ahead wouldn’t be easy.

By the time the Knights’ inquiries ended, it was already noon the next day.

Some elves eager to return home were sent off promptly by carriage, arranged by the Knights.

Those unwilling to return stayed with the Knights for now.

Naturally, Lucas was the one escorting the elves back.

“I never thought it would be you escorting us back…”

The carriage rattled down the road.

Inside, Noli hugged her knees, watching Lucas as he drove the horses.

“What, don’t like me?”

Lucas called without turning his head.

“Who doesn’t like you?”

Noli pouted and turned her head away.

Lucas smiled bitterly in his heart and didn’t respond, focusing on driving.

Until someone sat beside him on the driver’s seat.

“Thanks—for saving us yesterday… and for escorting us back.”

It was naturally Noli who sat down beside Lucas.

“What’s wrong? I thought you disliked me?”

Lucas asked without turning his head.

“That’s a different matter. I still have to thank you,” Noli muttered, looking away.

“Noli, there’s something I’ve been curious about. Mind talking?”

“Nothing else to do on the road, ask away.”

“Elves should live in isolated places, right? How did you get captured?”

Lucas had been wondering this since yesterday.

Now that Noli’s suspicion toward him had somewhat eased, he seized the opportunity to get to the bottom of it.

“I find it strange too. Our tribe’s elf space barrier was well-maintained, but those people suddenly broke in,” Noli shrugged.

“I happened to be close to them and wanted to resist…”

“But were driven back by their muskets?”

“Hmph, if it weren’t for those things, I wouldn’t have lost.”

Noli lightly tapped the carriage seat, looking defiant.

“Were you the first ones captured?”

“Yes, one of the earliest groups. The carriage was full, then they left. I don’t really know how the tribe is doing now.”

“I heard elves live in a space called the Elf Barrier?”

“Yes. Elves create these barriers, and you need an Elf Mark to enter. Only elves can imprint these marks…”

Noli’s words suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Lucas looked at her and found her eyes wide with disbelief, her fists clenched tightly, body trembling violently, her face filled with shock.

“Impossible… Could it be…”

Hearing Noli’s description, Lucas also pieced together why she reacted so strongly.

The Elf Mark can only be imprinted by elves.

The Elf Barrier can only be accessed with such a mark.

That’s right—a traitor had appeared within the elf race.