“Hehe, don’t you know what I want, William? Just open a few ‘Elf Classes’ in your Imperial Royal Magic Academy. How about it? Isn’t that a good deal?”
Funiweiya’s seemingly light words gave William Reinhardt an immense headache.
Opening the Imperial Royal Academy—that simple request—was essentially handing the Empire’s most elite future seeds into the elven race’s “bed of roses” for them to pick and choose.
“…Funiweiya, you know what the Royal Academy means. I can’t let your people come in as they please.”
William Reinhardt’s voice was very serious.
After all, the Imperial Royal Magic Academy was the cradle of the Empire’s future generals, scholars, and magic masters.
If he let those elves, who were only one ‘feeding method’ away from succubi, run wild, he dared not think of the consequences.
“Hehe, William. Of course I know what the Imperial Royal Magic Academy represents. But you’re the one asking me for a favor now, aren’t you?”
Funiweiya shifted her posture, propping her chin on one hand as she continued to stare at William Reinhardt’s expression with interest.
“My request is very reasonable. You don’t think the sacred relic of our elven race is some common trash, do you?”
William Reinhardt fell silent, his fingers tapping unconsciously against the windowsill.
His daughter—and the most important Hero to the human empire—Amivy, was still in unknown danger.
The later they opened the passage, the more dangerous it became.
With the Demon King about to revive, losing a Hero was a price humanity could not accept.
Though Funiweiya’s conditions might shake the Empire’s foundation, it probably wouldn’t be a big problem in the short term.
After weighing the two, William Reinhardt finally sighed and spoke:
“Alright, Funiweiya, you win. I can open the entrance for you. But there must be restrictions—quota, time, activity area, and so on. Also, all elves participating in the exchange must publicly reveal their identities, accept academy supervision, and are strictly forbidden from using any form of magic, drugs, or mental influence. That’s the bottom line.”
“Mmm… very reasonable.”
Funiweiya nodded with pleasure, as if she had expected his agreement.
“We can let the subordinates handle the details. Well then, the first matter is settled.”
William’s heart sank slightly.
‘Borrowing something is really troublesome.’
Funiweiya elegantly sat up straight, her lazy expression still intact.
“Then, the second matter. William, you need to find me a marriage partner…”
“Huh?”
Even after being king for so long, William Reinhardt couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise after hearing Funiweiya’s second condition.
“What? Is it that surprising? I’m only a maiden over 200 years old~.”
“Ahem, Funiweiya, are you sure? You’re the Empress of the Elven race. Is it necessary to go this far?”
Having seen many storms, William Reinhardt quickly regained his composure, frowning slightly.
“Those old fossils say the sacred relic can’t be lent to outsiders, right? So I just have to make you all family, don’t I?”
Funiweiya turned over again, lying completely gracelessly on her throne, speaking nonchalantly.
“This… well, if you, as the person involved, have no objection, then I have no objection either.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“By the way, you’d better pick my ‘husband’ carefully. He must be one of the most outstanding, most excellent, and most promising young men in your human race. He needs to be good enough—good enough to make those old fossils believe that lending the ‘Branch of the World Tree’ in exchange for such a potential member of the royal court and the possible blood fusion and long-term stability it brings is worth it.”
William Reinhardt: “…”
‘No wonder that “old hag” Funiweiya Yekaterina agreed so readily—her demands were all waiting here.’
Accepting Funiweiya’s request meant he would personally send away a young man who could become a pillar of the Empire.
“Funiweiya, you’re draining the Empire’s future ‘hero.’”
“Or I could be cultivating a bridge that will closely connect humans and elves for centuries to come, Little William.”
Funiweiya’s voice softened.
“Think about it, Little William. The birth of a descendant who carries both elven and human noble blood will surely become a symbol of long-term peace between the two races. Then, when you humans fight against the Demon King’s army, he will be a reason the elven race cannot refuse to help. What do you think? Isn’t this deal a bargain?”
After Funiweiya Yekaterina finished speaking, William Reinhardt’s bedchamber fell into a long silence.
William Reinhardt turned his back to the crystal ball projection, staring at the empire’s territorial map hanging on the wall, where several spots on the border between the Chester Empire and the Demon Realm were already lit with flames of war.
He knew Funiweiya was right.
Given the current progress of the ‘Demon King’s’ revival, humans would inevitably seek help from outside.
After a long time, he turned around.
“Alright… I agree…”
“Hehe, a wise choice, Little William.”
Funiweiya revealed a smile truly worthy of being called breathtaking, like dawn piercing through the morning mist in the forest.
“Then, the agreement is reached, William. I’ll immediately prepare the sacred relic and the envoy. As for the specific candidate for the marriage and the ceremony details… I think we can sit down and talk slowly after your ‘Hero’ returns safely.”
The crystal ball’s light began to flicker, and Funiweiya’s figure gradually faded, with only her last words echoing softly:
“I look forward to your choice, Little William~”
The communication cut off.
William Reinhardt stood alone in the empty bedchamber, slowly sat back in his chair, and raised a hand to press hard on his throbbing temples.
“I hope… this deal is ultimately worth it.”
The king’s sigh dissipated into the cold air of the bedchamber.
Back in the Imperial Capital, just as everything was settled, on the ninety-ninth floor of the ‘Abyss Corridor,’ Amivy and Ian were in a life-or-death race.
“Kevin! Didn’t you say about 50 stones would be enough?! Why is it still bouncing around?!”
“How was I supposed to know this thing was a hermaphrodite?! 50 stones was just for one of them—the other half is chasing us now!”
“Damn it! Can’t you investigate before jumping to conclusions?!”
After narrowly dodging a boulder thrown by the male worm, Amivy couldn’t help cursing with the profanity she had learned from Ian.
“Damn it! How could I possibly investigate something so absurd in such a short time?!”
Ian had just finished saying that when he made a big leap, dodging the female’s tail slam that used the unconscious male as a weapon.
Only then did the two finally see the full picture of the hermaphroditic Giant Worm.
It was like two snakes tied together at the tail—one male, one female.
The larger male had eaten Ian’s special ‘fruit salad’ and was already unconscious.
If not for the male slowing down the female, Ian and the others would have been caught long ago in its territory.
“No choice, Prince Arthur—let’s head up the mountain!”