Woodworth’s respectful tone towards the queen changed abruptly as he turned to Gawain and growled.
"You needn’t sortie, I have already called up troops from Oxford, and we will soon pursue the Prophesied Child!"
Woodworth bared his teeth at his fellow clansman Knight, who intended to take the mission from him.
"There is no chance for you to step in here! Stand back!"
The clan leader of Woodworth’s rebuke did not intimidate Gawain, an Elf of the Tusk Clan.
"Whether I have a chance to step in is not for you to decide, but for Her Majesty to decide," Gawain replied with a calmness that contrasted with Woodworth, "I suggest an offensive not to steal your task, but to ensure absolute success."
"After all, you let the target get away, didn’t you?"
At that, Woodworth couldn’t help but flare up.
"Cool down, Woodworth," Aurora intervened at just the right moment, "I understand your feelings very well, but Gawain is right. The decision is up to Her Majesty, not you."
"...I know that, Aurora," Woodworth grudgingly calmed himself and said, "I just want to say that I, who have been loyal to Her Majesty for many years, am more trustworthy than these inexplicable Elf Knights. I believe I am capable of killing the Prophesied Child."
The first to object to Woodworth’s words wasn’t one of the two Elf Knights present but the clan leader of the Wing Clan, Mourine.
"Is it really necessary to kill? What a shame!" Mourine suggested with seemingly good intentions, "How about sending the Prophesied Child to me? I think he can become a fine commodity."
"No, it should be my New Dalington who takes him!" Tristan licked his lips, thinking of some clever plan and said, "I want to send him to the ’theater,’ where the screams of the Prophesied Child would surely sound wonderful, wouldn’t they?"
"If that’s the case, I would also like to meet this Prophesied Child," Spurgen crossed his arms and with a meaningful expression, said, "Calling himself the Prophesied Child of humans, that is something I find quite interesting."
"You..." Woodworth almost lost his composure again.
The Prophesied Child is a grand enemy of Her Majesty, a rebel trying to overthrow the rule of Britannia, one who should be torn limb from limb, beheaded, and butchered on the spot to eradicate this threat entirely.
These detestable beings were taking the whole matter lightly, treating it as some amusing event or just an interesting person, which was infuriating.
Woodworth forgot that before this, he also treated the so-called Prophesied Child with disdain.
Like the other Elves, he didn’t believe in prophecies or that anyone could overthrow the Queen’s reign. Had the Queen not ordered him to seek the Prophesied Child, Woodworth would have also dismissed the Prophesied Child, just like the Elves present.
Woodworth’s shift in perspective was all due to the power Reiger had displayed.
That power, in Woodworth’s eyes, was now a threat to the Queen, and with his own subordinates slaughtered, a furious Woodworth wanted nothing more than to tear Reiger apart and eradicate the supposed Prophesied Child.
The Elves who hadn’t had the same experience as Woodworth naturally shared the same view as the unacquainted Woodworth: they regarded the so-called Prophesied Child as a mere joke, not a threat at all.
No, except for Gawain.
While the other Elves discussed how to deal with Reiger, as if the Prophesied Child was already their possession, only she took one thing seriously.
"To slay a troop of Tusk Clan Elves right under Woodworth’s nose in an instant, this man, whether or not he is the Prophesied Child, possesses formidable power."
Being an Elf of the Tusk Clan herself, Gawain realized the gravity of the situation.
Thus, Gawain spoke up again.
"I am currently pursuing the Round Table army near Salisbury, not far from Tintagel. Presumably, the Prophesied Child is also not far from where my troops are stationed," Gawain said solemnly to the Queen, "With just a command from Your Majesty, Elf Knight Gawain will immediately lead the team to encircle and suppress the Prophesied Child."
Gawain turned a deaf ear.
The rest of the Elves looked like they had something to say, ready to stir up the atmosphere.
It was then that the Queen on the throne spoke again, calming the room.
The Queen closed her eyes and, after a moment, suddenly opened them and asked Woodworth an odd question.
"What did the self-proclaimed human Prophesied Child actually look like?"
Caught off guard by the sudden query, many Elves exchanged glances.
"Appearance?" Woodworth also hesitated, then replied, "I remember him having black hair and black eyes, looking about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a knife on his waist."
Woodworth thought for a moment, then continued with his description.
"He does not resemble the Elves of the Earth Clan, nor does he look much like those of the Tusk Clan. He does bear a resemblance to the Wind Clan Elves, but without wings or pointed ears. If I must make a comparison, his appearance is most akin to a member of the Northern Kingdom Clan."