Chapter 96 Heated Meeting
The building is a square-shaped place. It is white like most of the buildings in this palace.
However, if the building in this palace generally has some kind of decoration such as paintings or mosaics that symbolize nature and the glory of the Elves, this building is just plain white. Very different from the others.
Erend looked at the plain outer walls and felt a strange feeling of depression. The Elf guards stood around the room with stiff faces. They don't even communicate with each other.
Erend immediately felt that whatever was in the room was not something good. Remembering Billy and Lt. Boartusk wasn't in his room when he came back, Erend felt a suspicion that the two of them might be in the room and going through whatever bad event Aerchon organized.
Erend glanced at Aerchon who was walking in front of him with suspicious eyes. He was sure that even if he asked the Elf now, he would not get any answers.
The thing that Erend regretted greatly in this kind of situation was that he had very little MP left. He felt like he would need MP for whatever happened in the building later.
Although it is not clear that what will happen is a bad thing. But Erend had a bad feeling.
'Slime,' Erend called Slime from inside his head. Yes, if he really can't defend himself, Erend still has Slime, his loyal and reliable companion.
[ "Yes?" ] The slime replied in its usual cheerful tone.
'Be prepared if I call you.'
[ "Yes!" ]
Slime answered with the same thing but with a different intonation. Erend thought that was cute.
Everyone will think Slimes are cute until they find out what these transparent pink creatures can do.
The two of them passed the line of Elf guards. Aerchon didn't even knock on the door to go inside. Erend followed closely behind.
"I brought your friends," Aerchon said. "Now the humans who are the strongest suspects have all gathered."
Erend's brow furrowed deeply when he heard Aerchon's words. 'Suspect?'
Inside the building, Elis, Billy, and Lt. Boartusk were already in their seats. There were also Aurdis, Saeldir, and several other Elves.
Erend turned to Aurdis and saw Aurdis shaking her head. The look on her face seemed to give a picture of sadness, disappointment, and anger.
But when she caught Erend's gaze, the look on her face and eyes conveyed a very clear sense of guilt.
Aerchon is about to do something horrible. Erend had already guessed that.
"Sit," Aerchon said curtly.
Erend didn't say anything and sat down on the remaining chair. The chair is located to the right of Lt. Boartusk. Billy himself was to the Lieutenant's left.
"What happened?" Erend asked Lt. Boartusk with a soft tone.
Lt. Boartusk took a deep breath. "You'll find out for yourself."
Right after Lt. Boartusk gave that answer, Aerchon spoke in a loud voice.
"The four of you are the prime suspects as traitors in the Ogre Kingdom raid," Aerchon said.
Erend blinked his eyes a few times quickly. Aerchon's words sounded like something so bizarre that Erend had a hard time believing he actually said it.
"What?" Erend asked, dumbfounded.
"You heard what I said," Aerchon looked at Erend with his usual arrogant eyes. "Someone destroyed the magic shield core. There's no way anyone can do that other than the party inside the palace."
"Don't you think your accusations are very weird and insane?" Erend asked. "How can you think that we are traitors for those Ogres?"
"You are strangers who have nothing to do with the Elves. I don't know how, but it's possible that you made a pact with the Ogre Kingdom and then destroyed the Magic shield core from within," Aerchon explained at length.
Erend shook his head. He even let out a small laugh because he couldn't believe all the nonsense that came out of Aerchon's mouth.
Erend couldn't believe that this damn Elf could have such thoughts.
"That's really absurd, man," Erend said after stopping from his chuckle. "So you think the three of us, humans from another world, allied with those Ogres to attack you?"
Aerchon didn't answer and just gave Erend his annoying look. But those eyes looked unwavering. It was as if he really felt that what he said made sense and could be true.
"Wow," Erend said. "Just, Wow. I didn't think you could be this stupid and crazy."
Elis, Billy, and Lt. Boartusk threw a shocking look at Erend. They were amazed and scared.
What Erend said was what they had wanted to say since they first heard Aerchon's words.
But they didn't dare say that in the midst of the group of the other Elves. They knew what the Elves could do.
On the other hand, Aurdis was also looking at Erend with wide eyes. But there was a smile on her lips. Aurdis looked as if she was giving Erend a proud expression.
But then Saeldir who was sitting next to her nudged her arm with a warning look.
Aurdis immediately wiped the look on her face.
Saeldir was also shocked to hear the words that came out of Erend's mouth. He didn't expect the human to dare to say such a thing.
When he saw that someone had finally dared to say something like that to Aerchon, Saeldir also almost let out a chuckle.
But he managed to control himself before anyone saw him.
Suddenly, Aerchon pulled Arrondite from its sheath. The blade of the Magic sword emitted white light and thin smoke.
Erend who saw that immediately stood up from his chair. Despite seeing Aerchon who looked ready to swing the sword, Erend didn't seem afraid.
Instead, he stood up and gave Aerchon a stern look. As if ready to accept whatever he will strike at him and return it instantly.
"What? You don't like it because I said you were stupid?" Erend said.
"You've escaped too many times, filthy human. But you won't escape after hurling insults at me," Aerchon replied through gritted teeth.
"I said that because what you said was too stupid and unreasonable, Elf Prince," Erend replied with a fearless look on his face. "Try to think about what you said without being accompanied by hatred for us. That way, you can at least say a decent enough accusation."
Erend saw Aerchon's hand start to move to raise his sword.
'Slime!' So Erend immediately summoned the Slime.
Something thick, pink, and transparent suddenly appeared and instantly wrapped around the blade of Aerchon's sword.
Aerchon who was in shock widened his eyes at the blade of his sword which was covered in something pink.
Arrondite's light dimmed and the thin white smoke dissipated. Not only Aerchon, but everyone there was in shock.
Saeldir stared at the blade of Arrondite with furrowed brow eyes.
'Is that... a Slime?' Saeldir wondered. 'How did it appear here?'
"Back off, Elf Prince," Erend said coldly. "Let's think things through properly. Without being fueled by your hatred for us."
Aerchon tightened his jaw while looking at Erend with hateful eyes. But then he saw the blade of Arrondite which was still covered in something pink.
Whatever it was, this pink thing was able to dissipate Arrondite's Magic energy and turn it into an ordinary sword.
It was even possible that Arrondite could no longer be used to slash while the pink thing was still covering it.
Aerchon didn't know how Erend could get this power. But Aerchon felt that having a direct confrontation and fighting him here would not end well.
Aerchon felt confident in his strength. He was sure he could kill this human. But Aerchon thought that it wouldn't end without a big price to pay as well.
"Fine," Aerchon said. "Let's talk."
Erend nodded his head. He tried to stop himself from breathing a sigh of relief and made an expression as cold as possible.
"Good. Let's learn to be civilized," Erend said. "When I remove my Slime from your sword. You must promise not to do anything."
Aerchon didn't say anything and just stared at Erend.
"Say it," Erend said.
Aerchon tightened his jaw and then said. "Yes."
Erend pulled the Slime from the blade of Aerchon's sword.
The Slime shrank and jumped onto his shoulder. As soon as the Slime was no longer covering the sword, the white light and thin smoke of the sword immediately returned.
Aerchon put Arrondite back into its sheath. Erend threw himself back into the chair he was sitting in.
"So," Erend said. "Let's get things started. Shall we?"
Aerchon sat in his own chair. Even though his jaw was still tightened and his eyes were sharp, but Aerchon didn't say anything more. Instead, he looked at Saeldir who was sitting next to Aurdis.
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