Chapter 28: Pieces of the Puzzle


    "Stop right there human!" Sylph said, raising her bow towards Zeke.


    "You elves have got a funny way of expressing your gratitude don''t you?" Zeke answered, staying at a safe distance away from the group of elves.


    Allesiah is currently healing de while, Sylph have just stood up, ready to engage.


    "Did you not even see what happened? Do you really think I can''t just beat all of you by sheer force?" Zeke answered, a bit irritated at the princess who kept resisting.


    "de, get Allesiah. We''re getting out of here." She continued.


    Zeke looked at the whole situation. As far as he can tell, de won''t even be walking anytime soon.


    "This is just irrational Miss Windsprite." Zeke continued and at this, Sylph fired arrows at him.


    Zeke activated [Quick Step] immediately closing the gap between them. Sylph used her bow''s des to try and hit him but, Zeke simply slid his arm inside her bow  holding the elf close to him. He then used the same arm to reach out for her quiver, grabbing hold of an arrow and, pointing it at her nape. All while stopping her other hand from moving.


    "Any more than this and I''ll really kill you." Zeke said, making his enemy il even more. At this point he really would''ve wanted to kill her but, the Sub Quest''s [10 Skill Point] reward is too tempting to pass out on.


    With all that''s happening, de entered the scene and used a skill called [Somnus] which suddenly made Sylph lose consciousness. Zeke ced the sleeping elf on the ground, thanking the male elf for being more rational than his mistress.


    "I''m terribly sorry for her behavior. She has a deep-rooted hatred for humans you see, especially those that decide to take her sisters." de said in a joking tone.


    Allesiah responded with a nervousughter. Zeke did take her after all but, not as a girlfriend nor a wife but instead, as a ve.


    "Hey sister, I willingly let a human turn me into his ve. Right now I move to his every bidding." The words itself terrified her as she thought of telling them to Sylph. They are considered to be higher life forms than humans after all.


    "It''s fine. Thanks for helping me out with the situation." Zeke replied.


    "You are wee sir" de leaded, wanting to know the name of the human who can summon a ton of monsters all by himself.


    "Zeke. Just call me Zeke." He replied, sitting next to the two and watching the wounds heal little by little.


    "So when is your mistress going to wake up?'' He continued.


    "Usually the effect of [Somnus] takes half a day to wear off."


    "Half a day huh." Zeke repeated, thinking of what should be done next.


    "Okay. Here''s the deal de." Zeke said, taking out a letter.


    Earlier on, as the fight ended. Zeke walked through the dead bodies of the Wood Scouts. During this time, his [Analysis] feature chanced upon a letter tucked inside the body of one of the Wood Scouts. His brain immediately registered its contents as he opened it, using the same skill that made him finish all the books in the library. The contents of which surprised Zeke but, gave him a good reason to make Sylph and dee with them.


    "This thing was inside one of the Wood Scouts. With what just happened, I''m sure that you are aware that some really influential people want your mistress dead." Zeke said.


    This much is obvious because nobody can simplymand the Wood Scouts. Furthermore, these elves cannot be bribed easily as, they have chosen to live their lives maintaining the bnce in the forest.


    "I can''t believe this. How could they!" de answered, making Zeke smile as he knows that he now has the male elf''s full and undivided attention.


    "So what exactly is it that could shift their loyalty?" Zeke said as he read the letter to everyone.


    Clearly stated on the first line is, ''your families will be murdered if you choose to disobey''. With this starting statement, Zeke knew that the deal is already done. After all, the elves value their family and their kin over anything else. This means that, even without the reason being stated in the memory piece, Zeke knows that arge part of Sylvia''s decision to run away with Hark is for the safety of her own siblings.


    Going back, the Wood Scouts are affected by threats to their kin. This is because, noble as they are, they are still elves.


    "Who would''ve plotted such a thing?" Allesiah asked, cing her sleeping sister''s head in herp as she finished healing de.


    "I don''t know but, whoever it is has got this whole thing in a grand order." Zeke continued.


    The plot in itself isn''t something easy to pull off. The more Zeke thought about it, the more he is lead to believe that, everything going on is being manipted by arger evil. All these pieces moving at the same time and, even providing a hundred [D] ranked monsters isn''t a job for anymon nobleman.


    "What do you mean?" de asked.


    "Well, at thetter part of the letterthere is another thing written." Zeke read the next part, word per word.


    "When the task ispleted, burry the body immediately. We''ve also provided you with summoning crystals that can create a hundred Shadow Wolves. You cannot and, should not fail. Because there are high people watching over all thesecloser to you than you think." Zeke then went on to the final paragraph.


    "On the next town, Sylvia and Hark are currently staying on a worn-down house owned by an old human. Get there after finishing off the Windsprite because, as the full moon rises, we will capture them both."


    "The full moon? But that''s" Allesiah said.


    "Yes. It''s two days from now." de finished as her words drifted off.


    "We''ll make it there in time." Zeke assured the two of them as he took the clothing of a dead Wood Scout.


    "What are you doing sir?" de asked, curious as to why a fully-grown man would suddenly strip in front of him and two mature women without any hint of embarrassment.


    It must be remembered that, Zeke is a person who focuses on getting things done. Even if he gets angry or infuriated at some point, the emotions would just magically vanish if there is a task before him. This includes the removal of things such as shame if it would just be a bother to what he needs to aplish.


    "With the number of Wood Scouts here, I''m guessing there are still someing our way correct?" Zeke said, putting on the clothes worn by the Wood Scouts.


    de smiled at this  answering back:


    "Yes, there is actually one more group that will arrive at around midnight. They should''ve arrived at noon but, they got dyed because there seem to be furious monster that invaded that area."


    "Okay." Zeke said, finally finished getting dressed.


    "The two of you should focus on exining the whole situation to that hot blooded Windsprite." Zeke pointed at Sylph who is still sleeping.


    "I''d probably return at this spot tomorrow morning. Then, we''ll go on our way to the next town."


    "How are you so sure that, my mistress and I won''t just abandon you and take Mistress Allesiah by force?" de replied.


    "You won''t. As far as I can tell, you''d need my services." Zeke said, already having everything perfectly calcte di his mind.


    "You may just be the only human on Elysium whom I don''t want to be on the bad side of." de answered, confirming Zeke''s assumption of the male elfplying to his orders.


    "I''m off." Zeke continued, activating [Quick Step] and immediately rushing toward his next prey.