Sylvia's scream was filled with endless anger and anxiety.
She could accept defeat in battle, but she could not accept her sister and her clansmen falling into the hands of that demon and suffering unimaginable humiliation.
Just as she was burning with anxiety and almost ready to launch another desperate attack...
"Whoosh—Boom!"
A cannonball whistled through the air from the direction of Tiee Fortress, landing not far in front of the Elven camp and blowing a large crater in the ground.
A letter was tied to the cannonball.
Sylvia opened the letter with trembling hands; on it was that familiar, arrogant handwriting.
"Your Majesty, don't get so excited. Your sister is doing fine right now, completely unharmed, though I haven't decided what to do with her next."
"How about this? Tomorrow at noon, in front of our two armies, I'll wait for you to come alone so we can have a proper talk."
"Remember, you must come alone. If you don't show up, or if you try any tricks..."
"Then I'll just have to let your sister and legion commander Lina personally experience our Black Rock Tribe's'special services.' Believe me, it will be quite a show."
At the end of the letter, a smiley face was drawn.
Sylvia gripped the letter tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.
She knew this would be no friendly feast.
But she had no choice.
She had to go.
She took a deep breath, a flash of determination in her eyes.
She was, after all, a powerhouse at the Demigod rank. She was confident that even if negotiations broke down, her strength would be enough to retreat safely from the midst of ten thousand troops.
That man underestimated the true power of an Elf Queen.
The next day, at high noon.
On the vast open ground between Tiee Fortress and the Elven camp, an extremely bizarre scene appeared.
A long table was placed right in the center, covered with a pristine white tablecloth.
On the table were exquisite silver cutlery, two wine glasses, a bottle of red wine that looked expensive at a glance, and two portions of grilled steak that were still sizzling and emitting a tempting aroma.
This Western-style dining setup, full of the air of civilization, seemed completely out of place with the tense, sword-drawn atmosphere of the battlefield.
Wu Liang sat on one side of the long table.
He wasn't wearing armor today; instead, he had changed into a sharp, well-tailored black military dress uniform specially designed by Annia.
Gold sashes and shiny epaulettes made him look exceptionally heroic and martial, a far cry from the rogue who had been shouting through a megaphone on the city walls yesterday.
He was waiting for his guest.
From the distant Elven camp, a figure slowly walked out.
Sylvia Moonshadow.
She had also changed out of her military attire today, wearing a moon-white robe representing her status as Queen, embroidered with complex and magnificent patterns in gold thread.
Holding the Scepter of Nature, her long golden hair shined with a holy radiance under the sun. As she walked forward step by step, she was breathtakingly beautiful, as if the entire world had become her backdrop.
She was alone, her face wearing a frost-like indifference, her powerful aura causing the surrounding air to stagnate.
She wanted to overwhelm this despicable human with her presence.
However, when she reached the long table, Wu Liang made a move that caught her off guard.
Wu Liang stood up with an impeccable smile on his face, walked over to her like a perfect gentleman, bowed slightly, and then pulled out the chair opposite him for her.
"Welcome, beautiful Queen. Please, have a seat."
His manners were elegant and proper, his voice gentle and magnetic—a world of difference from the butcher on the battlefield yesterday and the villain in the letter.
This massive contrast caused Sylvia's prepared anger and interrogations to instantly get stuck in her throat, leaving her in a state of bewilderment.
She gave a cold snort, not accepting the gesture, and instead walked around the chair to stand at the other end of the table, facing Wu Liang from a distance.
"Wu Liang, where are my sister and my legion commander?"
Her voice was icy, getting straight to the point.
"Release them! I can act as if nothing happened and leave with my army immediately!"
"Don't be in such a hurry, Your Majesty."
Wu Liang didn't mind; he sat back down on his own, picked up his knife and fork, and began to slowly cut the steak in front of him.
"It's a rare occasion for us to meet. Let's eat something first and talk while we eat."
He put a small piece of tender, juicy beef into his mouth, chewing with enjoyment.
"Try it. This is Kodo beast tenderloin from the Black Rock Tribe's best stock, grilled personally by me for you."
"You elves eat fruit and drink dew every day; you surely haven't tasted such worldly delicacies."
Seeing his leisurely and comfortable manner, the fire of anger in Sylvia's heart was ignited once more.
"I didn't come here to eat with you! I'll say it again: release them!"
"Your Majesty, do you know what the biggest problem with the Elven race is?"
Wu Liang put down his knife and fork, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and suddenly asked a completely unrelated question.
Sylvia was stunned.
Wu Liang continued on his own, "It's arrogance and isolation. You guard that patch of forest, thinking yourselves noble and elegant, transcending worldly affairs, yet you don't realize the outside world changed long ago."
"Although you are long-lived, have your social structure, productivity, or population seen any progress in thousands of years? No."
"You are like a group of antiques living in the past, clutching your pitiful magic and archery with self-satisfaction. It's laughable, and pathetic."
"You..."
Sylvia was so angry she was trembling all over.
"What right do you have to critique the Elven race!"
"Right?"
Wu Liang laughed and snapped his fingers.
In the open space behind him, a massive magical light screen suddenly lit up.
The scene of a room clearly emerged on the screen.
In the room, Lina and Irene were sitting at a table.
The table was covered with various delicacies: roasted chicken, bread, fruit... it was even more bountiful than what they ate in the Elven Palace.
Lina was holding a piece of bread, taking small bites. Though her expression was still somewhat numb, she at least didn't look like she had been mistreated.
Irene, on the other hand, appeared very resistant; she turned her head away with a stubborn look.
Then, in the image, Lina picked up a bunch of grapes and held them to Irene's lips, seemingly trying to persuade her.
Irene hesitated for a moment but eventually opened her mouth and ate one.
"Do you see?"
Wu Liang's voice rang out leisurely.
"They are my captives now, but they're living much better than your soldiers out there chewing on tree bark."
"As long as they are obedient, I guarantee they can eat and drink the best every day, and even have hot baths."
Seeing her sister on the light screen, half of the weight in Sylvia's heart dropped, but what rose immediately after was a deeper sense of humiliation.
Wu Liang was showing off to her, flaunting his absolute control over his captives.
"What exactly do you want?"
Sylvia asked through gritted teeth.
"It's simple."
Wu Liang stood up, walked around the long table, and approached Sylvia step by step.
"I'm a person who doesn't like trouble. How about we make a bet?"