Chapter 337: Lilith's Dinner Party

 "I'm not Caradryan or Imrik, I have no reason to capture you," Tigris responded indifferently, shaking his head. "Since Tamaegh chose to exchange you for Prince Yelian, you are free. Serving Ryan here as a maid is much better than being in Naggaroth."

"Tell Caradryan," the dark elf spoke with loathing, "to stay away from me, or I swear I'll kill him."

"Caradryan spends about ninety-nine out of every hundred years in silence within the Asuryan Sanctuary; it's almost impossible for him to appear before you. As for Imrik, why would the proud Prince of Caledor come to the Old World? I have no interest in your disputes, and I won't mention to anyone that you are here with Ryan," Tigris implied that he would not provoke her, so she should not trouble him either.

Olica wanted to say more, but Ryan, displeased, pulled her behind him and signaled her to stop. The dark elf was about to spit more venom but remained silent seeing Ryan's displeasure.

"It's interesting. When you were exchanged for Yelian, the archmages of the White Tower should have cursed and destroyed your soul, permanently stripping you of your magical abilities. Yet, it seems you have recovered," Tigris said, enduring Olica's hateful gaze as if looking at an insignificant insect. "But even if you were at your peak, what of it? The power of the Pale Queen has long been in decline, and even you were forced to convert to the worship of Khaine."

"Killing you would not require much, just a dagger or a cup of poison," the dark elf retorted, but Ryan, annoyed, shouted, "Olica!"

"Hmph, for the sake of my master, I'll let you go this time," Olica grumbled, leaning against Ryan's back. "Master, I hate him."

"Alright, Olica, stop it," Ryan said as he held Olica back. He felt Morgiana's cold and slightly angry gaze and attempted to change the subject. "Prince Yelian? I don't think I've heard his name before."

"Prince Yelian is the son of Phoenix King Finubar," Tigris led the way and explained. "The prince unfortunately fell into misfortune during an expedition and ended up in Marienburg. The Asur ambassador there, Tamaegh-den-Kab decided to exchange this dark elf for Prince Yelian, obviously believing that the Marienburg merchants would prefer a female dark elf."

"Finubar's son? Born to Queen Alarielle?" Ryan inquired with interest.

"Not exactly. He was born to a princess from the kingdom of Elyrion; King Finubar and Queen Alarielle… apart from major events, they rarely see each other..." Tigris mentioned, his usually impassive face reddening slightly.

Among the high elves, it's well known that Tigris's brother Tyrion and the Everqueen are lovers, having been close before Finubar's ascension.

However, according to high elf law, each generation's Phoenix King and Everqueen must be legal spouses. So Finubar and Alarielle did marry, but after their wedding, Alarielle continued to live with Tyrion and never stayed overnight at the Phoenix Court.

While everyone was acutely aware of this, it was still embarrassing to speak of it, especially for Tigris as the younger brother.

Tigris, unable to lie, glossed over the subject: "Prince Yelian grew up in the Phoenix Court, but he has always been overshadowed by Tyrion. He publicly challenged Finubar's diplomatic policies, believing that the Asur were destined to conquer the world rather than engage in trivial diplomacy with inferior races. Court nobles think this may be due to the influence of the Prince of Caledor's radical views. Under great external expectations and the radical indoctrination by the Dragon Prince, Yelian gradually became resentful and sullen."

"Yelian is still Finubar's eldest son; he first served in Lothren's Sea Guard, studied under the Hoeth Swordmasters and the elders of Caledor, becoming a fine naval general and also formed a bond with a dragon within the volcanoes of Caledor, fighting together."

"The Dragon Prince is always so charismatic; having a dragon mount is every warrior's dream," Ryan commented with a smile, deciding not to probe further. Some topics are better left untouched.

Upon arriving at the Tower of the Lake Fairy, they found Lilith dressed in a chiffon gown of lotus red, her face radiantly smiling: "Dear Tigris, you've arrived? And Ryan, Morgiana, Olica, come in, I've prepared a lavish dinner."

"Praise be to you, Lilith, may

 the light of the moon goddess forever bless Asuryan," Tigris bowed deeply, showing his respect before proceeding with the high elf etiquette: "My guide, my light."

"Such sweet words, Tigris, but they won't help you forge an alliance of order, nor will they grant you greater power. Your compliments will only add joy to this meal. I hope you and Ryan can enjoy this moment; it will be a precious memory for you," Lilith teasingly glanced at Ryan, who remained unresponsive, before turning to lead the way into the tower.

Inside the dining hall of the Tower of the Lake Fairy, a table was set, primarily with high elf cuisine, each dish exquisitely plated in small portions. The table featured seven dishes and one soup, all appealing in color, aroma, and taste.

During the dinner, Lilith addressed her guests: "It's rare for us to meet like this, Tigris. I often see Ryan in the mortal realm, but seldom have the chance with you."

"Until I saw your form, I never fully understood why you chose Ryan as your Chosen Champion," Tigris first looked at Lilith and then at Ryan, amazed: "Ryan is the conduit between the mortal realm and the divine, allowing divine power to flow through him, ensuring your presence is unimpeded in both realms!"

"Indeed, with Ryan, I can move freely between the material world and the divine realms, no longer bound by the Great Guardian or the constraints of the Great Maelstrom," Lilith shared this secret with Tigris, smiling cunningly.

Ryan continued eating, but his thoughts were racing.

Without a doubt, Lilith was most pleased to see him and Tigris getting along, so she eagerly shared her secret of easy descent to Tigris first.

Morgiana was undoubtedly one of Lilith's confidantes. Although she had been ambushed and severely injured, losing the potion grail, she was still Lilith's primary Chosen of the "Lake Fairy," and in some ways, Morgiana had been "gifted" to Ryan by the Lake Fairy, so her presence was also natural.

Then why was the dark elf Olica also allowed by the Lake Fairy to be present?

High elves are notoriously proud and rarely deceive humans, so Olica, used by the high elves to exchange for the Phoenix King's eldest son...

"Master?" Olica, noticing Ryan looking at her, smiled oddly: "What is it?"

"Nothing," Ryan chuckled mysteriously. Olica had willingly accepted the spirit tattoo, making it unlikely for the dark elf to betray him. Everyone has their secrets, and clearly, Olica must have reached some agreement with the Lake Fairy, who was trying to bring her into her inner circle.

As the silverware clinked and the bright candlelight illuminated the dining room, Lilith's personally prepared dinner was certainly delicious. More importantly, Ryan could feel Lilith's sincerity; she truly treated him and Tigris with genuine kindness.

Ryan's path from a White Wolf Knight to the Count of Glamorgan would have been impossible without the Lake Fairy's help. The Empire's hierarchical system is too tough to climb, and it would have taken Ryan another twenty years to reach the core of the White Wolf Knights and earn a noble title of viscount or higher through military achievements.

It would have been too late for everything by then.

Tigris also received sincere treatment from the Lake Fairy. The then chronically ill, emaciated Tigris, who maintained his life on various potions despite his astounding magical talent, was not favored by the elven god of wisdom, Hoeth. It was the Lake Fairy who took Tigris in and even gave him her staff to use.

This highlighted two points: first, the Lake Fairy genuinely cared for her subordinates. Second, the Lake Fairy had limited choices; she could only pick those left behind by others or coax away someone else's cornerstones.

"Ryan? I think you're thinking something very rude," Lilith suddenly interrupted the conversation at the table, her face clouding over as she addressed Ryan. "Are you listening?"

"My lady, I was reflecting. Since both Tigris and I are here, what about 'the Brave' Alaros? He was once your favored champion," Ryan quickly changed the subject.

Lilith's beautiful face showed surprise, wondering why Ryan would bring up Alaros at this time.

"...Alaros has become the chosen champion of the Wood Elf Queen Ariel. He clearly did not understand my intentions and demands. What use is there in seeing him now?" Lilith took a few seconds to think before providing a relatively safe answer.

Alaros was once chosen by Lilith as a potential consort because his bloodline had the potential to ascend to godhood. Unfortunately, Alaros was too enamored with her beauty and failed to grasp her intentions, missing the chance to be with the goddess and instead becoming Ariel's

 chosen champion.

Now, Lilith had shifted her focus. If Alaros had the potential to become a god, then Ryan was essentially divine by nature, and he had grown powerful enough to confront the Chaos Gods. Just the tip of the iceberg of the forces behind Ryan satisfied Lilith; this was what she desired, which is why she did not want to upset Ryan over Alaros, especially during this sensitive time.

Before Ryan could respond, Tigris voiced his disagreement: "Lilith, we can't think like that. Alaros has become Ariel's champion, but if you meet him, he would undoubtedly give everything for you. 'The Brave' Alaros himself is an excellent warrior, having once defeated the Sanctuary Beast 'Shadow Misery' Mogul. He commands a skilled force of Wood Elves! We need such allies."

Tigris was well aware of Alaros's undying affection for Lilith; the Wood Elf hero's story of wandering the woods every new moon night hoping to glimpse the goddess had even spread to Osuan.

Tigris did not care if something happened between Lilith and Alaros; the Supreme Archmage was planning how to win over Alaros and the elite Wood Elves now under his command for the alliance of Order.

Lilith, of course, recognized Tigris's intentions, her feelings mixed. Tigris was such a person, willing to do whatever it took to achieve his goals.

Ryan's slightly amused expression made Lilith even more displeased. She glared at Ryan and also at the dark elf who was looking at her mockingly.

The candlelit feast ended jovially.

The lavish dinner ended without Lilith committing to any position regarding Alaros. She only mentioned that the Wood Elves would likely send the prophetess Lif and Alaros to Ryan's wedding, and they would discuss it then.

...

Leaving the Tower of the Lake Fairy, it was already deep into the night. Ryan and Morgiana saw Tigris out of the castle: "Then, I'll trouble you to tutor my two female court mages during this time. Their names are Teresa Trovick and Veronica Benadotte, currently residing in the Dawn Wizard's Tower."

"Yes, I'll teach them, but it's up to them how much they can learn," Tigris replied, back to his unemotional self. "The highest magical techniques among humans are but the basics to Asuryan."

Emerging from the Tower of the Lake Fairy, Ryan immediately seized the opportunity to ask Tigris to teach magic to the two Garlan witches. The high elf Supreme Archmage agreed readily, stating he would spend time instructing Teresa and Veronica in magic, and would also give lessons to the witch apprentices.

"I truly appreciate it." This was a rare opportunity, and Ryan knew the two witches had sacrificed much to follow him to Bretonnia. With Tigris's visit, he wanted to secure something beneficial for them.

"No trouble," Tigris said, leaning on his staff as he left.

Ryan looked up at the dark sky, shook his head, and returned inside his castle. He asked Morgiana to rest in the prayer room while he took a considerable amount of time to deal with a series of issues brought by the high elf army. Afterward, he bathed with the maid's assistance and prepared for bed.

The count changed into his loose pajamas and opened the door to his master bedroom, which was different from usual. Olica had been kept behind by the Lake Fairy, apparently having something to instruct Ryan's dark elf maid about. Olica was unwilling; normally, she would have spent the night with Ryan, as nothing was more important to a dark elf.

The master bedroom was carpeted with thick Estalian rugs, the wooden floors crafted by Wood Elves, and the walls adorned with luxurious tapestries and landscapes. Shields of the Grail, family crests, and several silver candlesticks burned at one side of the room, casting a warm glow from the magic lamps, illuminating the dim room as cicadas chirped faintly outside.

It was a midsummer night.

Staying in a castle on such days could be quite uncomfortable. As previously mentioned, castles prioritize defense over other features like transportation or regional control, and livability is rarely considered. When Ryan was in Nordland, if there were no battles, many royal nobles spent most of the year in their private residences near the southern border, close to White Wolf City, only returning to the castle in winter when fires could be lit for warmth.

Thanks to the magic provided by Teresa and the technology from the dwarfs, the air conditioning made the environment much more comfortable.

"Hmm?" Ryan immediately noticed something different in the room because a pair of white peep-toe heels was placed at the door.

He knew who owned these heels.

Looking up slightly, the first thing he saw under the marble-white silk nightgown was a pair of feet wrapped in white

 stockings, gently swaying delicate toes painted with red nail polish. The owner of these silky feet sat on Ryan's bed, wearing a floral crown, her golden hair cascading down her shoulders. Morgiana spoke with a cold voice but her gaze was warm: "How about I keep you company tonight? Surprised?"

"Not really surprised," Ryan shrugged and smiled. "I figured you would come since Olica isn't here."

"I just took a bath... there are some things I want to talk about privately..."

Updated! First day of the month, asking for your votes!

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