Chapter 133: It Just Collapsed
Not only did the pass explode, and not only did Jima explode, but the dwarves also exploded. Outside the narrow window, bursts of dwarven roars could be heard, and Eve Frostleaf had to cover her long ears tightly while mumbling a few phrases.
Jima, whose mindset had exploded, raised her head and asked, “What happened?”
Eve Frostleaf replied, “The little dwarves are fragile and feel like they’ve been tricked by the ratmen, harboring resentment.”
Jima wanted to retort that if the dwarves were so fragile, then why was the Elven King’s crown still lying in the dwarven treasury. But today she was emotionally intelligent, and besides, she and Eve Frostleaf were on the same team.
It’s better not to rub salt in her wounds.
She understood the implication of Eve Frostleaf’s words, reminding her to be cautious and not to be discovered by the dwarves regarding last night’s events.
“Since we can’t go out for the time being,” Jima stood up and threw Eve Frostleaf a flirtatious glance, “we might as well make the best use of our time and do something that makes everyone happy.”
George immediately grabbed Jima’s wrist and said, “Watch your occasion; look at the time, don’t keep thinking about those kinds of things.”
“It’s just an hour anyway, and there’s nothing else to do right now,” Jima shrugged. “Who knows, a few might die in a few days, so it’s better to have a lovely memory together before they kick the bucket.”
George still wouldn’t let go and said, “You’re being too pessimistic.”
“You know too little about the military.” Jima was a bit anxious. “Besides, Frostleaf, do you agree?”
Eve Frostleaf turned her head slightly and nodded.
“You see, what we two consenting adults do is none of your business, dear.” Jima said, “I won’t put a green hat on you.”
“You’re not even three years old.”
“Then you should be in a cell by now.”
Saint Jenna widened her eyes, looking at Jima. She knew of demons’ wickedness, but this was too blatant. Last night’s situation had been explosive enough; it could be said that it was nighttime when everyone gathered to do something joyful, but now it was daytime.
She also realized that the current large family was completely different from what she had imagined. How did things come to this? With that thought, Saint Jenna looked reproachfully at the culprit—Jima.
“Jima,” Saint Jenna said, “please be more mindful.”
Jima ignored Saint Jenna, stepping on a chair and straining to pull her hand out of George’s grasp:
“Let go, you overly controlling guy, even managing your fiancée’s interests. I’m just purely lecherous, open and honest, never shying away… I want some fun!”
Just as the words left her mouth.
The stone door was pushed open, and a dozen warriors clad in fine gold armor, their entire bodies covered except for a pair of eyes, filed in.
This military action immediately put the four on alert. George hefted his great sword, blocking the front, Eve Frostleaf picked up her bow and backed against the stone wall, preparing to create a hole, Jenna raised her tower shield, and Jima held a branch axe spear.
The shattered iron warriors made no further movements; they set down their axes and formed a half-circle around the four, remaining motionless.
The clan chief personally stepped into the room, lifting his dark-rimmed eyes and said:
“Guests, don’t panic. We need to ask an important question for the dwarves.”
Jima sarcastically responded:
“They say if you fight monsters long enough, you’ll become a monster yourself. Have the promise-keeping dwarves learned cunning schemes from the greenskins and ratmen?”
The clan chief replied, “This is a serious grudge; I have to take extraordinary measures.”
Before he finished speaking, a murmur came from outside the door:
“Little brat! How can you treat heroes this way? It’s a generation that’s worse than the one before. Even to ask a question, you have to surround them…”
The clan chief’s face darkened.
In walked a long-bearded dwarf with a ram-horned helmet. The shattered iron warriors attempted to block him, but he glared, shouting:
“Kid! When your grandfather was nursing, I was changing his diapers!”
The shattered iron warriors immediately withdrew.
An old soldier who survived the Great Beard War commanded respect, even from the clan chief.
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf chastised the clan chief, “They’re all heroes, slaughtering the ratman army, and yet you have everyone point their axes at them…”
The clan chief explained, “The situation is too suspicious; the only lost treasure is a high elf artifact.”
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf pointed at George and said, “The iron shell of the Temple can’t lie; just ask him!”
George lowered his sword slightly and asked, “Are you suspecting we colluded with the ratmen?”
“No, no, no, I don’t think that, my friend.” The clan chief pointed at Eve Frostleaf, “But I suspect her.”
Jima’s heart skipped; she looked at George with irritation. If it weren’t for this guy forbidding her from having fun, she would have already succeeded in getting together with Eve Frostleaf under the guise of fun.
Eve Frostleaf frowned in disgust, “Me?”
“I’m accusing you of colluding with the ratmen to secure the treasure.”
George said, “Respected sir, I believe this accusation is entirely based on discrimination and has no validity.”
Actually, it made complete sense.
Jima was contemplating how to save Eve Frostleaf.
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf snorted and said:
“I fought in the Great Beard War; I can reliably tell you that long-ears are albino high goblins, capable of any unscrupulous conspiracy.”
Eve Frostleaf remained expressionless.
George looked at the ram-horned long-bearded dwarf, visibly angry.
Jima took the opportunity to stoke the fire, “Of course, when people feel incapable, they enjoy blaming others, especially ancient enemies.”
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf jumped up and said, “Demon brat, you might be involved in wrongdoing too.”
“Alright.” The clan chief waved his hand, “Dragon-slaying George, I trust your character and honesty, but you might not know if your comrade has been deceiving you. I’ve heard you can distinguish lies, so I’d like to ask a few questions. How about it?”
“How about not?” Jima interjected, “You’re treating us like prisoners.”
But George raised his hand and said, “Alright, we’ll cooperate with the investigation, hoping to prove our innocence.”
Damned lawful good.
“Good.” The clan chief pointed at Eve Frostleaf and said, “You take out the interdimensional space bag, and we dwarves will search through it. After that, Dragon-slaying George, you can search her, alright?”
George replied, “I agree.”
Jima’s mind was racing; she truly wanted the situation to spiral into chaos, but the clan chief’s request was not excessive, and George and Jenna were lawful good.
George approached Eve Frostleaf, who stared coldly at him. George said:
“I don’t distrust you, but a fair investigation can prove our innocence.”
Eve Frostleaf unfastened the interdimensional space bag and forcefully tossed it towards the dwarves, raising her hands, looking expressionless at George.
If Jima didn’t know that Eve Frostleaf was actually the mastermind behind the theft of the dwarven treasury, she might have thought Eve was just an aggrieved woman hurt by her lover’s suspicions.
The interdimensional space bag of Eve Frostleaf opened wide, and everything fell to the ground. The dwarves swiftly moved forward to search, silver bows landing on the floor.
One of the dwarves couldn’t help but say, “Why are there so many magical bows?”
The clan chief kept at it, asking, “Did you high elves steal treasures from the dwarf treasury?”
Jima’s heart sank.
Eve Frostleaf’s cold voice rang out: “I didn’t steal.”
George paused his actions, turned his head and said, “Not a lie.”
“Then did you instruct someone else to steal back the treasure?”
Still in a cold voice: “No.”
George shook his head, saying, “Not a lie. I hope you will apologize for your actions.”
What’s going on? Does Frostleaf have a way to evade George’s lie detection?
Jima eyed Eve Frostleaf; she stood tall and elegant, with a flawless complexion, gently raising her smooth chin, looking down disdainfully at all the dwarves. Like a white swan scornfully regarding a pile of toads.
Frostleaf was proud—proud to the point of distortion—wait, I understand.
Jima suddenly figured it out.
The truth of truth isn’t an objective reality; it’s what one believes to be true. For Eve Frostleaf, the elven treasures had always belonged to the elves; she wasn’t stealing but merely reclaiming what was hers.
Thus, George’s lie detection was of no use to her.
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf was already shamefaced, covering his face, shouting:
“I actually underestimated a long-ear; what an embarrassment! This can’t be allowed in my lifetime! Kid, make the young ones stand down; you’re wronging her.”
The clan chief reluctantly ordered the dwarves to stop, putting everything back into the interdimensional space bag. He personally handed it back to Eve Frostleaf, and she continued to look down at him.
The clan chief seemed to have a vague thought and raised his head, saying, “Is the music box on you?”
Eve Frostleaf lightly bit her faintly red lips and, after a moment, replied:
“No.”
Jima let out a sigh of relief. Luckily, Frostleaf had moved the music box to her beforehand. She had stuffed the music box to her cat maid Lianxi to take back to the real world, while the cat maid Lianxi herself was far away in the White City.
The ram-horned long-bearded dwarf covered his face and shook his hand, “Don’t make a fool of yourself; I can’t face people anymore.”
George’s face showed some anger as he said, “Even though you’re the executor of the law, it doesn’t mean you can trample on fairness and justice.”
“I’m sorry,” the clan chief said, “but I thought of a possibility: could it be in the eyes of the proud elves, she is just taking back what belongs to her?”
“Elves, I have one last question for you.
“Did you see the music box with your own eyes yesterday or today?”
George shook his head, saying, “Impossible; she was with us all last night.”
The clan chief’s eyes were fixed on Eve Frostleaf: “I want the elf’s answer.”
Jima felt her heart sink to the ice gorge; she really shouldn’t have called that troublemaker Arcanis over. No, it wasn’t the reason. If she hadn’t been so lecherous, she wouldn’t have agreed to Eve.
Eve Frostleaf snorted, about to answer.
A bell rang from nearby, and all the extraordinary beings present could feel the magical wave brought by the bell.
The entire building began to tremble.
A booming sound of collapse echoed, sounding like rocks crumbling, and Jima rushed to the window, only to see the tall, ancient city walls of Dragon Castle unexpectedly collapsing on their own.
Those walls had once withstood the doomsday army, and they crumbled right before her eyes.
