Chapter 200: A Letter from the Elven Kingdom?
“It all boils down to one thing—the absence of the figure who was pivotal in humanity’s previous victories against the Demon Race: the sword hero, Leon Kruger.”
Upon hearing this, Arhsley was stunned for a moment. Her eyes slowly narrowed as she looked at Edward and asked, “Are you saying that the current suppression of humanity’s forces is because my brother, Leon Kruger, is absent? Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?”
“I mean, humanity’s forces have two other heroes who are just as strong as my brother: Valen and Luna. In addition, they have Natasya, the undefeated female general, and Rain Violet, the Great Mage, whose abilities and talents surpass those of our Great Mage, Victor. This should allow them to easily hold their ground or at least draw against the Demon race’s forces, right?”
“Furthermore, the war planning is under the command of Jim Terra, renowned for his cunning and unexpected tactics.”
After she said this, a mixture of confusion and astonishment crossed her face—emotions she could not hide.
As a Holy Orthodox ruler and saint, she recognized that the Holy Empire of Elysium was somewhat stronger than her own Holy Orthodox.
After all, the Holy Empire of Elysium had been fighting the Demon Race for 7,000 years, and naturally, their strength was slightly superior to that of the Holy Orthodox.
So, how could the mere absence of her brother, Leon Kruger, change the Holy Empire of Elysium’s invincibility against the Demon Race, maintained for 7,000 years, in an instant?
Listening to Arhsley’s question and sensing her confusion, Edward simply smiled and shook his head.
“Saint, you truly underestimate the Demon Race,” Edward remarked lightly, then continued in a more serious tone. “The Demon Race has a very different government structure from ours. They are united under a single empire and an absolute leader—the Demon Empire, ruled by the Demon Emperor.
“Unlike us, divided into two factions—the Holy Empire of Elysium and the Holy Orthodox—they are far more unified and easier to mobilize. Moreover, records I’ve read suggest that the Demon Emperor of each era holds absolute control over the life and death of every Demon, eliminating any worries about rebellions.”
Edward paused to take a sip of his tea and sighed before continuing, “In addition, they have powerful Demons known as Archdemons under the command of the Demon Emperor. While their exact strength is not clearly detailed in some records, it is said they possess power just below that of the Demon Emperor. Saint, you understand now, don’t you?”
Edward’s explanation left Arshley completely speechless. She had previously looked down on the Demon Race due to their repeated defeats against the Holy Empire of Elysium. However, Edward’s words struck her, making her realize that it wasn’t the case.
‘How could I have overlooked this?’ Arshley took a small breath and shook her head in mild annoyance.
As a saint, underestimating the demon race was a grave mistake. Thankfully, Edward was there to enlighten her, leaving her feeling relieved.
With a grateful look towards Edward, Arshley asked once more, “So, can you explain how my brother Leon’s absence led to humanity’s forces being suppressed by the Demon Race?”
Edward gave a small nod and explained, “In the 7,000-year war, the Holy Empire of Elysium’s ability to triumph over the Demon race was inseparable from the presence of the Three Heroes of Humanity. They were the pillars and foundation of the Holy Empire of Elysium’s dominance over the Demons, an indisputable fact. Without them, could the Holy Empire of Elysium have maintained its dominance over the Demon Race for 7,000 years? The answer is unequivocally no.”
“Now, with one of these foundational pillars gone, Saint, do you believe the Holy Empire of Elysium can still prevail against the Demon race as effortlessly as in past wars?” Edward paused, looking at Arshley with a slight smile.
Arshley absorbed Edward’s words and couldn’t help but release a small sigh.
“Of course not, Edward,” Arshley replied, a slight smile forming on her lips.
With Edward’s concise explanation, she had fully grasped every aspect of the matter, leaving her in awe of Edward’s intelligence.
Taking a sip of her tea, Arshley paused, as if pondering something that had stuck in her mind, before looking up at Edward and asking, “Then, do you think Jim and Velix have realized this issue?”
“They should have,” Edward replied curtly.
“So why are they still pushing for war?” Arshley inquired again, her tone curious. “Isn’t this a suicidal move?”
Edward shook his head and replied, “Regarding this matter, Saint, I don’t fully grasp it yet. However, based on what I know of Jim, he should be well aware of the situation. With his cunning demeanor and uncanny intuition, he likely has a plan in place.”
If there was anyone he considered a threat to him in this world, it was undoubtedly Jim Terra. His abilities and cunning defied common sense, as he consistently employed unexpected methods that others could never anticipate.
Had the Holy Orthodox and the Holy Empire of Elysium gone to war, Edward would have had only 50% confidence in winning, solely because his opponent was Jim, the Four-Eyed Devil!
Arshley nodded slightly and refrained from asking any further questions, satisfied with the information she had gathered.
“In that case, monitor the battlefield and inform me immediately if my brother appears,” Arshley stated calmly, her tone nonchalant.
“Yes, Saint,” Edward replied firmly.
They continued their conversation until Edward eventually requested permission to depart.
However, just a few steps from exiting the garden, Edward paused and glanced back at Arshley.
“By the way, Saint, I forgot to mention some news. The Second Guardian, Lucas, will return to Holy Orthodoxy in seven days, and he asked me to let you know,” Edward stated calmly and casually.
“Lucas? Has he finally decided to return to us? Didn’t he mention traveling the world in search of something very important, vowing not to return until he found it?” Arshley asked, surprised and skeptical.
Lucas, the Second Guardian of the Holy Orthodox, was an extraordinarily powerful and invincible swordsman.
However, he exhibited peculiar behavior—frequently embarking on journeys in search of something whose nature and purpose remained unclear to Arshley and the other Guardians, as Lucas never provided any explanation.
Thus, over the years, Lucas never returned, leaving Holy Orthodoxy with only four Guardians, despite the fact that it should have had five.
Edward shook his head at Arshley’s question and replied, “I don’t fully understand it myself, Saint. However, his decision to return home means he has found what he was looking for. Additionally, his return is beneficial for us and Holy Orthodoxy.”
Arshley nodded in agreement. Lucas’s return would restore the Holy Orthodox to having five Guardians, thereby enhancing their security.
“Thank you for this news, Edward,” Arshley said gently.
Edward nodded and smiled before finally walking out of the garden.
As she watched him leave, Arshley shook her head and took a sip of her tea to soothe her rather sore head.
Feeling calmer, Arshley was about to rise to her feet but stopped when she noticed the green letter on the table. She sat back down, a puzzled expression on her face.
“Should I read this letter or just ignore it?” Arshley muttered, pondering the decision.
She couldn’t shake her curiosity about the mysterious green letter addressed specifically to her.
However, she was also somewhat wary, fearing it might be a trap or something similar, especially considering the possibility of poison being sent through letters.
After pondering for a while, Arshley finally decided to read it and discover its contents.
“Perhaps this is not a trap but something that will be useful to me.” Arshley whispered and guessed.
Taking the letter and examining it once more, Arshley slowly opened it. Inside the letter, she found none of the threats or poison she had feared; instead, it contained ordinary sentences that appeared stiff and difficult to read, leaving her with a sense of strangeness. However, she said nothing and decided to read it carefully.
After a few minutes of reading, her eyes widened, and her hands froze, gripping the letter tightly.
“What? A letter from the Elven Kingdom? How can that be possible!?”
Arshley was visibly stunned with astonishment and disbelief.
The Elven race is an ancient race that vanished from this world thousands of years ago. However, according to some ancient records, they did not vanish but rather chose to conceal themselves from the outside world.
The reasons for their seclusion remain vague in ancient records, but one certainty is that their location has remained entirely hidden, known to no one.
Right now, having received a letter from them, how could she not feel surprised and astonished?
“The Elven race? Could this really be true, or is it some kind of prank?” Arshley whispered, her tone reflecting confusion and uncertainty.
However, no matter how much she wanted to deny it, the contents of this letter immediately dispelled any disbelief.
They detailed the Holy Orthodox extensively, from the name of the first saint to certain governing structures. Moreover, they revealed secrets known only to her and the five guardians!
Confronted with these undeniable facts, how could she continue to doubt?
“It seems I need to discuss this with Edward and the other guardians,” Arshley said with narrowed eyes before rising to her feet and striding out of the garden with hurried steps.
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