After a slight sigh, Ighet raised his head, preparing to explain. Although Elder Beltran should know his relationship with Verafia, Ighet still didn’t want to be branded as pedophilic.
“Haha, Great Elder, actually Vera and I…”
“Waa… It was this guy, he was bullying me.”
However, before Ighet could speak, the girl’s tender voice, laced with a slight sob and tremor, echoed.
Her slender fingertips tightly clutched the corner of her skirt. The little blonde girl beside her pouted slightly, lifting her wronged little face. Her reddened eyes were filled with misty, moist gold, and to anyone, she appeared as a pitiful girl who was severely bullied but pretended to be strong, exceptionally evoking pity.
Ighet almost couldn’t suppress a smile.
“Hmm, this little lass always liked to act like a proud and willful young lady, but when did her acting become so superb?”
“Is that so?”
The elven elder was invited into the house. His slightly clouded eyes gazed at the black-haired youth and the girl before him. His palm was covered in wrinkles like a withered tree, marks of time, smoothed down from his pale beard:
“Ighet, you are a human, but in our elven customs, bullying girls is not a glorious matter. Let alone, to a little girl like Miss Verafia.”
“You are right.”
Ighet bowed his head respectfully. Although he said this, Ighet knew that the elven Great Elder was likely just playing along to coax the little lass, as he could hear the suppressed laughter in his voice.
However, Beltran, being the Great Elder of the Wood Elves, and an exceptionally rare legendary powerhouse, actually stooped to coax this little lass. Could it be that because of Ain, this Great Elder treated this little one like his granddaughter?
A faint smile tugged at Ighet’s lips as he thought with amusement.
Verafia before him was still trying hard to maintain her wronged expression, but her tender lips couldn’t help but curve slightly, revealing the girl’s smugness in her pure little heart on her fair, youthful face.
Sensing Ighet’s gaze on her body, Verafia decided to stop acting. She hugged her small chest with her little hands, her big golden eyes lifted high in a commanding manner.
“Hmph, idiot Ighet, you dare to bully the young lady!”
“Mhm, Vera is right… How could you bully the young lady? If anyone bullies Vera, I will never let them off.”
Ighet walked closer, gazing at the doll-like exquisite and flawless snowy cheeks of the girl, saying with feigned seriousness.
In fact, he had no intention of actually spanking Verafia’s little bottom. Verafia was his beloved girl; not to mention, if he really hurt this little lass, Ighet would likely feel pained himself… Moreover, he wouldn’t dare to bet whether Verafia would hold a grudge and protect him in the future.
What just happened was just Ighet scaring this little girl.
Young lady, little princess… or perhaps, his future little wife, only requires pampering. Furthermore, unlike children who grew up spoiled, Ighet didn’t need to worry about Verafia truly becoming a haughty and willful bad child.
A faint smile appeared on his face. Ighet gently stroked the girl’s little head. The touch of her silky soft golden hair, like satin, felt exceptionally good, carrying the girl’s gentle warmth in Ighet’s palm.
Even though such actions were habitual, Ighet still felt as if this was the first time the girl had implicitly allowed it. He indulged in touching her soft golden strands and stroking her little head, reluctant to let go.
“Mm…”
Her golden eyes trembled slightly, and she let out a soft moan.
To Verafia, being petted on the head by Ighet like this was not unpleasant; rather, she found it very comfortable and pleasant. However, in front of an outsider like Beltran, she felt a hint of shyness, and a blush of bashfulness crept back onto her fair face.
She quickly shifted her golden eyes, looking at the elven elder before her, who was stroking his beard and smiling at them.
“By the way, Beltran… why are you here to see this young lady?”
Her delicate eyelashes fluttered, and curiosity flashed in Verafia’s golden eyes.
After arriving in Holy Spring Town Ebroral, apart from Ain who visited them daily and Lorintha who occasionally checked in, Verafia hadn’t seen Beltran, who had initially welcomed them, again.
Of course, Verafia understood. After all, Beltran’s identity was the Great Elder of the entire Wood Elf race, and she had heard from Ain that Beltran had been working hard these past few days to allow her to use the Holy Spring.
Thinking of this, Verafia couldn’t help but scrutinize him more carefully. Soon, a hint of surprise appeared on the girl’s youthful, snowy face.
Before her stood undoubtedly the legendary powerhouse who had welcomed them a few days ago. Although aged, as an elf and as a legend, Beltran still possessed incredibly vigorous vitality.
However, in just a few short days, Verafia sensed a heavy twilight aura from him, shrouding the elven elder’s body… This was a sign of approaching the end of his lifespan, of his life force being depleted.
One must know that for legendary powerhouses, with their endless power, destroying a city was not difficult. Even in historical records, the incarnation of deities on earth was no different. What kind of matter could cause a legendary powerhouse to exhaust his life in such a short period?
“You noticed, Miss Verafia?”
Verafia nodded her little head.
As a legend of thousands of years, if Beltran wanted to conceal it, even a Saint Domain like Lorintha would not be able to perceive it… However, for Verafia, it was not difficult.
“The power of life was bestowed upon me by the Goddess. If I can reawaken our Goddess Princess, it may be this old man’s honor.”
The elven elder’s face showed a smile, spoken very calmly.
Gently pulling at her slender fingers, Verafia and Ighet exchanged a look. Beltran’s words were not hidden and were already very clear.
However, Verafia only wanted to borrow the Holy Spring, and if possible, she was not unwilling to help the elves awaken their goddess… But, for the Holy Spring of Life, it required a legendary being to sacrifice his life?
Fingers pinching the corner of her skirt, Verafia hesitated for a moment, then gently lifted her face: “Then, the Holy Spring of Life…?”
“To tell you the truth, a few old fellows in the Tree House Council have some objections. However, this old man can still suppress them.”
A smile blossomed on the elven elder’s aged face. He suddenly lowered his head and invited, “Miss Verafia, would you be willing to stroll around with this old man?”
