Chapter 138: Chapter 120 Eve of the Banquet_1
Elissara let out a sigh as she returned to her room, collapsing onto the bed. She reached out to touch her chest, feeling her heart beating wildly within.
It was… terribly thrilling.
As an elf, an Eternal Kin, Elissara had seen many long years. For elves, time was both their best friend and their worst enemy. They lived longer than any other creature, but as they endured through the long lifespan, even the most worldly of elves’ once vibrant, passionate hearts slowly calmed, becoming as tranquil as a calm lake.
Living through year after year, day after day, many elves would become numb, inspiring some of them to seek out intense excitement, just to confirm they were still alive.
Why else would their homelands originally have been invaded by the God of Lust?
There was a logic to it.
Elissara was no different. Her days were largely a repetition of the one before until the day she was abducted by Manfred. It was then that she felt something truly thrilling for the first time, but that was the extent of it. She didn’t mind the abduction, and, if she were honest, she harbored a slight hope that it could end her boring life. Perhaps, she mused, it was even a good thing.
However, she was rescued.
For Elissara, it signified a new beginning.
To tell the truth, when he suddenly appeared in front of her, merely glancing at the fierce face of that man rendered her breathless. His overwhelming aura, his ferocity and savagery that appeared to devour everything, caused her tranquil lake of a heart to surge and roil — it was as if a mountain, not a mere stone, had been cast into it!
She vividly remembered the nervousness of her first battle as a child, her unease and fear when facing the enemy, even the dread of the prospect of death — never had she felt the beauty of her life, the pulsation of her life’s flame, as intensely as in that moment. Her vision, which had been clouded over by the fog of countless years, had cleared once more.
As the saying goes, after a brush with death, one cherishes life even more. Now, whenever Elissara remembered Duanmu Huai descending like a Demon God, tearing off her clothes without a care, and manipulating her limbs at his will, a mixture of shame, despair, and fear surged in her heart like heavy fuel, reigniting her dulled flame of life, and she once again began to appreciate the beauty and hope in the world.
For precisely this reason, at this moment, some secret desires began to emerge in the depths of Elissara’s heart.
She wished to acquire more fear and dread from him, for him to treat her more roughly — as one would a pet or an animal, as a slave. Not intertwined with love and hope but entangled in terror and despair. The feeling was incredibly addictive.
Simply put, to Elissara, looking at Duanmu Huai was like watching a horrifying movie — it may be frightening during viewing, but upon its completion, the feeling of relief was tangible.
But… until when could this last?
Thinking about this, Elissara began to worry. As a high elf, it would be difficult for her to leave Osus. As an Eternal Kin, the restrictions were even more stringent. She traveled to the continent this time as a diplomatic envoy to negotiate with the dwarves. If not for that, she would not have left Osus. Moreover, after such an incident, it would be more difficult to leave Osus in future.
It was predictable that when the envoy mission of Osus came to pick her up, it would be her time to leave.
Could she… take him to Osus?
If she made him her husband… although there might be political issues, what Elissara worried about was different.
In Osus, there were too many elves like herself. Ordinary pleasures were insufficient to satisfy their tranquil minds. But if Duanmu Huai came before them, he would be a great source of excitement. There would be no shortage of elves drawn to him.
More importantly, Elissara believed that Duanmu Huai was not an ordinary human that could be manipulated at will. Although his aura was fierce, the way he looked at her was quite calm, lacking the lust and passion often seen in human males.
Given this, even if she made a suggestion, it was highly likely he would refuse…
Laying on the bed, Elissara turned and twisted, consumed with worry. But she did not mind this trivial problem. Having such worries was itself an experience she’d not felt in a long time.
“The Elf Princess has definitely fallen for you, Sir Knight.”
On the other side, Ann was still pestering Duanmu Huai about this matter, incessantly discussing the topic.
“While I was with her, the questions she asked were all about you, Sir Knight. Like what you usually do, what you like, where you’ve been… I can guarantee that the Elf Princess has definitely, definitely fallen for you.”
“Enough, enough. Why are you so hung up on this?”
Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes, hearing Ann’s words.
“Even assuming that’s true, I have no intention of starting anything with her. Besides…”
At that, Duanmu Huai glanced at Ann.
“You seem to have forgotten that, technically, you’re my fiancée.”
On hearing this, Ann blushed, grinning awkwardly and averting her gaze.
“Well… I haven’t completely forgotten, it’s just, I’m not used to it yet…”
“Just stop causing trouble.”
Duanmu Huai rolled his eyes again.
“So, tomorrow, we go as planned. The banquet is in the evening. I suspect those fools wouldn’t be dumb enough to make a move before the banquet. We need to find the location of the Dimension Stones and have you absorb their power to neutralize them… anything else you want to add?”
“Ugh… I wish Greiya could come too…”
“Not right now; we’ll think about it later.”
Duanmu Huai cut off Ann’s chatter, raising his hand to pat her head.
“So? Is there anything else you need to add?”
Hearing Ann’s response, Duanmu Huai nodded in satisfaction.
“So, tomorrow, let’s have a grand celebration at the banquet!”
With that, he spoke out loud.