CHAPTER 650

【 SOPHIA’S PROPOSAL 】

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As the two elegant-looking and beautiful elves appeared before her, a flicker of surprise crossed Sophia’s proud eyes.

Lifting her chin slightly, she swept her gaze over both of them with an air of superiority, scrutinizing the two from head to toe.

Standing off to the side, Demacia noticed the girl’s somewhat brazen look and let out a soft chuckle.

With an amused smirk, he stepped back to stand beside Li Mu.

Catching sight of Demacia’s almost gloating expression, Li Mu’s face turned a little strange.

“What are you staring at?” he typed.

“Hey, Brother Mu, this NPC named Sophia is way too annoying! Seriously, the dev who designed her must have had issues. Her mouth is foul as hell! If she weren’t a character integral to the storyline, I would’ve already torn that mouth of hers a long time ago!”

“But now that Big Sister is here, I can’t wait to see how this arrogant brat gets put in her place! With a personality like that, she’s bound to get humbled soon enough!”

Demacia grumbled bitterly through the party chat.

Li Mu : “…”

“You punk… You really still have the gall to say that? If you hadn’t taken advantage of her by kissing her under the excuse of ‘artificial resuscitation’ after we pulled her out of the river, then she probably wouldn’t be so hostile toward us, don’t you think? Plus, you did that right after eating that garlic fruit, remember? Even I would’ve been disgusted if I were in her position, being kissed by someone who reeks of garlic.”

Demacia: “…”

“Hey now, how was I supposed to know she was only pretending to be unconscious? I was just trying to save her!”

“Lmao, yeah right. Sure you did, buddy. I’m sure you only had the purest intentions and didn’t want to take advantage of the situation at all…”

“Brother Mu… you gotta believe me! I really didn’t mean anything when I did that!”

“Lol, no. I don’t believe you.”

“Uh… fiiiine, maybe subconsciously I was having a bit of wicked thoughts. I mean, she really matches my type. I’ve always liked characters with flaxen hair in the animes I watched, and she looks exactly like one of my favorite characters. But seriously, my only main thought at that time was to save her! I didn’t have time to think about anything else back then…”

“Even so, the reason she’s so hostile toward us is probably still your fault. Dōngdōng was there with us on the boat too when we saved Miss Sophia, so you could’ve just asked her to do it instead.”

“Alright, alright, Bro, I admit I was wrong… But I’ve apologized so many times already! I couldn’t be any humbler at this point, and she still refuses to let it go. Not to mention, her mouth’s so damn sharp, and she constantly looks down on everyone. I have no idea why she despises elves so much. She’s been nitpicking even on the smallest things the entire trip as if she’s some hotshot.”

“Well, she’s a noble, and they’re always a bit prideful. Try seeing things from her perspective.”

“Yeah, but there’s pride and then there’s arrogance, you know? Just wait. You’ll see, Bro, she’s about to say something arrogant to Big Sister any second now. Hehe, I can’t wait to see how this haughty girl gets knocked down a peg!”

Demacia’s tone was full of anticipation as he ranted in the chat.

“That’s not necessarily the case. Miss Sophia doesn’t seem that foolish to me. From what I’ve seen, you’re the only one she’s mostly been cross with.”

Demacia snorted.

“Oh yeah? Just watch, Bro.”

Their exchange lasted only a moment.

When Demacia looked up again at the proud half-elven girl, his jaw nearly dropped.

The same Sophia who had been relentlessly hostile toward him was now gazing at Zero and Alice with visible surprise, her expression softening from haughty disdain into genuine respect. The shift was so sudden that even Li Mu blinked in disbelief.

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, she gracefully lifted the hem of her skirt and curtsied in perfect noble fashion. Her movements were practiced and refined, revealing the grace of someone raised in an aristocratic household.

“Sophia von Wells greets Lady Zero Moonlight, Envoy of the Goddess of Life, and the Saintess of the Church of Life, Alice Galewind.”

After speaking, she straightened her posture, calm and composed, her demeanor neither servile nor arrogant.

“…What the? Is this really the same foul-mouthed brat who spent the entire time belittling me?” Demacia muttered, dumbfounded.

“Told you so,” Li Mu said, giving him a light elbow.

༺⟐༻

Evé was slightly surprised by the girl’s respectful yet wary expression.

She had decided to accompany Alice to meet this half-blood noble lass out of curiosity and had not expected to encounter such an interesting child.

Of course, the main reason was simply that she had been bored out of her mind lately and wanted something to occupy her time.

“You know who we are?” Evé asked gently.

The girl arched an eyebrow, then replied with respectful composure.

“Of course, Lady Zero Moonlight, I certainly do. After all, who doesn’t know of the Elven Godwarden who single-handedly fought a legendary-rank shadow dragon and was blessed by the Goddess of Life? And Miss Alice Galewind, the Saintess instrumental in rebuilding the Church of Life—both your names are widely spoken of throughout the Maple Leaf Territory.”

Her words were delivered with elegance and precision, yet beneath the surface, Evé could sense a faint tension, as if the girl were carefully measuring every word she said.

Meanwhile, Alice, who was standing by her side, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and remark, “Then what do you think of us? Do you still think elves are fragile creatures with nothing but ornamental bloodlines who couldn’t even defeat the orcs?”

Hearing Alice’s words, a rare flicker of embarrassment appeared on Sophia’s face.

However, the noble girl quickly composed herself, straightened her posture, and replied with calm dignity.

“No, you and Lady Zero are both high-ranking experts, whose strength and renown place you among the top powerhouses in the world. Your achievements speak for themselves, and no one in their right mind would dare to underestimate you. However, it is also true that the elves have long carried the reputation of being fragile and passive, a race more inclined toward peace and beauty than war.”

“Of course, I am referring only to the past. Under your leadership, the elvenkind has undergone a remarkable transformation. The rise of your new faith, the unification of your scattered kin, and your astonishing victory over both the Dark City-State Alliance and the orcs have proven that the elves are no longer the same weak race, but a force capable of contending with the greatest powers of the continent.”

Standing on the side, Evé watched as Demacia froze in place, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and confusion. Beside him, Li Mu gave a faint, knowing smile, the kind that silently said, See? I told you.

After hearing the girl’s words, Evé’s curiosity deepened.

Her gaze lingered briefly on the cross-shaped crystal pendant hanging around the lass’s neck, which clearly bore traces of divine power, before shifting to the faint, fading aura of faith surrounding her body—a light so weak it was barely that of a shallow believer.

With a faint smile, Evé asked,

“Is that what you truly believe? But doesn’t that contradict what you said earlier? Even from afar, we could hear you insulting the elves from the other side of the room.”

Her smile gradually faded as she deliberately released a wave of pressure belonging to a high-ranking expert. It rolled through the air like an invisible weight, pressing down on Sophia with tangible force.

Immediately, the noble girl’s face paled under the pressure, but the pendant around her neck flickered faintly with divine light, and her expression soon steadied once more.

Taking a deep breath, Sophia met their gaze and spoke clearly.

“Pardon me, but there are three reasons why I said those words earlier.”

“First, just as a great forest will always harbor all kinds of trees, even if the elvenkind as a whole has shed its old ways, there are still inevitably some among you who remain rotten. They are like a single grain of moldy rye that spoils an entire loaf of bread. No, that comparison is far too generous. They are more like filthy rats scurrying through the sewers.”

As she said this, Sophia cast a disdainful glance at Demacia, causing his expression to stiffen and darken visibly.

“Second,” she continued, her tone firm and resolute, “while I admit that the elves of the Elven Forest have far exceeded everyone’s expectations, that does not mean all elves are the same. In my experience, many still remain weak and servile, possessing nothing but a naïve, pitiful, and laughably gullible heart.”

For a moment, her expression shifted as if she had recalled something unpleasant, but the flicker of emotion vanished quickly, before her gaze hardened once more.

“Third of all,” she said, glancing at Li Mu and Demacia standing behind Evé, “although these gentlemen and their fine band of scallywags are quite capable, they are still far from being true high-ranking experts. Moreover, they have been deceiving me from the very beginning, so I could not bring myself to trust them at all. In light of that, I was left with no other choice but to create a commotion, ensuring that I would eventually be brought before the true decision-makers of the elves—that is, the two of you.”

Alice blinked in surprise, while Eve’s interest in the girl only grew stronger.

“What is it that you want exactly?” Evé asked calmly.

At that, Sophia’s expression grew solemn, the pride in her eyes tempered by determination.

“Lady Zero,” she began steadily, “my request is not excessive. I only ask that you escort me safely into the Empire so that I may seek an audience with Duke Lawson.”

She paused briefly, then straightened her posture, her voice gaining conviction.

“Of course, I do not expect your help for nothing. Once the Empire defeats the Borderlord, I will use the full influence and resources of the Wells Household to free every elven and half-elven slave within Maple Leaf City and across the entire southwestern territories, and return them all to you, the Elves.”

Evé’s brows lifted slightly in surprise, her expression betraying a rare flicker of intrigue.

“To return every elf and half-blooded elves from the Empire’s southwestern territory to us?” she said. “That is no simple task.”

“Indeed,” Sophia replied with quiet confidence. “But it will be within my reach once I reclaim my rightful title as Viscountess of House Wells—or better yet, when I rise to become the new Borderlord entrusted with overseeing the Empire’s southern lands.”

Her words hung in the air for a moment, heavy with conviction.

“The Borderlord?” Demacia muttered under his breath, unable to stop himself. “Do you think a noble title is something you can just claim at will? Do you take the Empire’s nobility for a children’s game?”

Sophia, however, paid him no mind. Her attention remained fixed on Evé and Alice, her tone turning resolute.

“The House of Wells is second only to the Cappadocian Household within the Maple Leaf Territory. According to imperial law, when a Borderlord rebels, any noble house that aids in quelling the insurrection is entitled to inherit the title legitimately.”

She paused briefly, her eyes gleaming with an almost calculating light.

“Furthermore, the House of Wells is a branch of the Lawson Household. Duke Lawson himself would certainly favor one of his kin rising as the new Borderlord. When that time comes, as the rightful heiress of House Wells, I will hold the authority and the influence necessary to fulfill my promise—to return every elf to their homeland.”

“And what about you?” Alice asked quietly. “You are a half-blooded elf yourself.”

“…Me?” Sophia smiled faintly. “Mayhaps. But I was born and raised in Zelouan City, and the blood of House Wells flows through my veins. Before anything else, I am an Imperial noble.”

“My mentor once taught me that to inherit a territory is not merely to rule, but to bear the duty of a true lord—to build a land where people can live in peace, dignity, and happiness. That has always been my lifelong aspiration.”

Her tone was proud, but as she finished, a trace of sadness clouded her expression.

“If not for my half-brother Karl, that illegitimate scumbag seizing the title after our father’s death, it should have been mine to inherit. I suspect he colluded with the Borderlord and gained strength from an Evil God to murder our father.”

Evil god?

Eve’s thoughts stirred.

“Has another evil god appeared in Maple Leaf Territory?”

“Again…?” Sophia repeated softly, a flicker of confusion crossing her brow.

The noble girl quickly seemed to understand and spoke in a measured tone.

“Oh, you must be referring to the Cult of Despair incident from four years ago. The Eternal Church has already eradicated that cult, but there are rumors that the Borderlord encountered a new evil god within an ancient ruin and offered up his soul in exchange for power. Therefore… I suspect my despicable half-brother may have done something similar.”

“Ruin?” Alice immediately caught on to the key word.

“Yes.” Sophia nodded, then looked at both Evé and Alice as she continued.

“After the orcs were defeated, the concentration of mana within Maple Leaf Territory rose once more. Around that time, the Borderlord discovered a new ruin near Maple Leaf City. Of course, he kept it highly secret. If not for the Wells House’s intelligence group situated nearby, then perhaps we would never have learned of it in the first place.”

A ruin near Maple Leaf City? A evil god hidden within?

Li Mu and Demacia exchanged startled glances.

“Bro, do you think this could be the ruin the Goddess told us to find?” Demacia typed.

“I don’t know, but it might be possible.” Li Mu replied.

Alice, too, was taken aback. She instinctively glanced toward Evé, only to find her as calm and composed as ever.

Reassured, she steadied her own thoughts and asked,

“Where exactly is this ruin located?”

Sophia shook her head.

“My apologies, Lady Alice. That information is a secret of the Wells Household.”

After a brief pause, she glanced at the two young men standing behind Evé and continued,

“However, if your people are willing to help me locate Duke Lawson and perhaps send some elven mercenaries to assist in reclaiming control of my Household and defeating the Borderlord’s forces, I would gladly share the ruin’s location and I would also extend my friendship to your people.”

Li Mu and Demacia exchanged another look.

This girl… might actually be the real deal!

Even putting aside the fact that this was part of the game’s storyline, her proposal was tempting enough to make them both interested.

Even Alice seemed visibly intrigued. She could not help but glance at Evé, who was still disguised as Zero.

Evé, however, remained calm.

She observed the half-elven girl with a steady gaze, her eyes so sharp that Sophia felt as if she were being seen through entirely, both in mind and soul.

“Miss Sophia,” Evé said softly.

“Yes, Lady Zero?” the noble girl replied.

Evé met her eyes for a long moment, then asked,

“You must not have left your family’s castle often, have you?”

The girl seemed to hesitate briefly before answering.

“While it is true that I haven’t left the castle, I’ve studied extensively. Through books, I’ve come to understand how the world works. I’m confident I have learned much, perhaps even more than those who travel blindly without knowledge.”

Then, tilting her head slightly, she added with curiosity,

“Lady Zero, why do you ask? Are you dissatisfied with my proposal?”

Evé’s lips curved into a faint smile.

“No,” she replied. “On the contrary, I’m quite interested in you.” Her tone softened, though her eyes remained keen. “But I wonder if you will still hold that same confidence once you finally meet Duke Lawson.”

With that, Evé turned toward Li Mu and instructed calmly,

“Li Mu, go to the temple and bring back a summoning statue. Present it to Miss Sophia.”

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