Chapter Bonanza (6/10)

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Prompted by the butler’s reminder, the two seemed to actually recall something.

The Duchess said hesitantly, “Because Clarissa likes them, we’ve had people search for many storybooks over the past few years. The Golden Desert, the Golden Desert…”

She couldn’t shake the feeling that the name sounded very familiar, as if she’d heard it somewhere before.

It was the Duke who remembered first: “Last month, I heard Count Rena mention something—that an obscure little trading company held an auction related to elves in the capital of the Ora Empire.” 

The Ora Empire and the Kaila Empire, as the two largest human empires on the continent, are very far apart.

The auction’s schedule was very tight, and it took some time for news of it to reach the Kaila Empire. So even though many nobles in the Kaila Empire were interested, they could only watch from the sidelines, unable to participate.

The duke had usually taken a keen interest in such matters, but recently, due to his youngest daughter’s health, he had grown indifferent to everything. However, since this particular event was the talk of the town, he did have some recollection of it.

He stated with certainty, “If I recall correctly, the elven items at that auction were from the Star Forest!”

He asked the butler, “Are you sure those two said they were from the Star Forest?”

The butler replied, “Yes, Your Grace.”

Just then, the Duchess also recalled, “The Golden Desert—isn’t that a place from a children’s adventure story?” 

*The Adventures of Andrew* is a children’s fantasy adventure novel that has been wildly popular across the continent for over a century.

The book tells the story of a ten-year-old boy named Andrew who, after receiving a strange letter, unexpectedly falls into a magical world. In that world, he encounters talking trees, mountains that spew fire and then extinguish the flames with water, and a bird with a human face…

The Golden Desert is one of the places he passes through.

The book says that the Golden Desert is very mysterious, and only a select few are fortunate enough to find it at sunset.

Rumor has it that the sand in the Golden Desert glitters just like gold, and that beneath the desert lie countless treasures of gold and pearls—for ten thousand years ago, the Golden Desert was an underwater city. 

The duchess was surprised: “I thought that was just a world of the author’s imagination. Is there really a place called the Golden Desert?” The couple exchanged glances.

This was all too strange.

He had just figured out a way to let Clarissa “see” the elf when a stranger claiming to be from the Star Forest approached.

It was too much of a coincidence—it actually raised suspicions.

The Duke finally asked, “Where is he?”

Dan Xingyu and Qiyu were enjoying black tea and pastries at the Duke’s mansion.

Dan Xingyu noticed that Qiyu really did love to eat. Even though what had most captivated him upon entering was the Duke’s mansion’s lavish and elegant decor, the moment the maidservant brought out the food, he forgot everything else. 

He watched him with amusement, thinking to himself, “He’s actually older than me, yet he acts just like a little kid.” 

Footsteps grew louder as they drew nearer.

Qiyu set down his teacup and sat up straight.

A man and a woman, both dressed in elaborate finery, walked in, followed by the butler he had just met.

The duke was a pale-faced middle-aged man. In Qiyu’s eyes, he was neither tall nor short, neither fat nor thin—a very average-looking man.

It was the Duchess, however, who caught his attention—not because she looked particularly striking, but because Qiyu sensed a familiar, surging magical power emanating from her.

The Duchess was, in fact, a mage—and judging by the magic he sensed, she was likely quite high-ranking.

“The butler told me that the two of you specifically asked to see me.” Since he didn’t know who these two were, and Qiyu was dressed in a mage’s robe, the Duke’s tone remained fairly polite. Qiyu had never been one for beating around the bush; he cut straight to the point: “There is a new guest and he wants to see your daughter.” 

Duke/Duchess: ???

The Duchess instinctively objected, “That’s impossible. Clarissa hasn’t been feeling well lately and hasn’t left the house in ages—it’s even less likely she’d meet with a stranger.”

Qiyu: “Hmm, that’s right. The commission I just received states that the Duke’s youngest daughter is nearing the end of her life, and she wishes to see an elf.” He asked in return, “Is that not the case?”

The room fell into silence for a moment.

Dan Xingyu, sitting nearby, was utterly amazed.

This local really is as straightforward as ever.

Today, he’d shown up at her door out of the blue. Following standard procedure, the first thing he should have done was prove his identity. But Qiyu’s words were so natural, direct, and candid: “I just received a new request—you want to meet an elf, so I’m here.”

There was no unnecessary explanation.

The Duke looked skeptical: “Are you saying you’re an… elf?”

Qiyu wasn’t actually quite sure whether his disguise was up to par.

He mentally replayed Aegnor’s posture and expression from their first meeting. “Sorry, Aegnor, I’ll have to borrow you again.”

He raised his hand and pulled down the hood covering his head.

The silver strands of hair hidden beneath the hood cascaded down.

The elf with silver hair and silver eyes sat there with a cool, aloof air, like a soft streak of moonlight. As soon as his friend pulled down the hood, Dan Xingyu immediately observed the expressions of the three people across from him.

Seeing that they were undeniably stunned, he felt thoroughly satisfied. 

Sure enough, these local kids really go all out when it comes to cosplay. 

Being captivated by that otherworldly radiance was definitely not his fault! 

Of the five people present, only Qiyu himself was still striving to emulate the elven teacher’s demeanor. He asked calmly, “When are we going to see her?” 

After a moment of silence, the Duchess spoke decisively: “Thank you for agreeing to come and fulfill Clarissa’s wish. So, what reward do you require?”

The Duke was taken aback: “My lady…”

She shot him a glare, and he dared not say another word.

The Duchess was usually very good-natured and rarely lost her temper. But once she made a decision, the Duke knew there was no changing her mind. Qiyu maintained the same expression—or rather, he didn’t need to make any additional facial expressions, which was something he was quite good at. 

“No payment is needed,” Qiyu said. “I’ve already received payment for taking on this new commission and coming here.”

Exploring this royal city called Ophelia, illuminating this area—and knowing I can return another time—is reward enough.

The wide sleeve resting on his knee suddenly twitched. A tiny figure struggled to lift the fabric—which was far too heavy for it—then flapped its wings and took flight. 

“My Lord,” the bluebell elf asked in a soft voice, curiously eyeing the three silent humans, “Is this the human world?” 

Upon seeing this tiny, shimmering figure with wings, Dan Xingyu was also stunned. 

First reaction: Holy crap! What is this guy? A flower fairy?

Second reaction: It seems this local’s identity as an elf has been completely confirmed. Even if he stepped forward now and claimed he was just pretending, the two people in front of him probably wouldn’t believe him. 

Sure enough, after their initial stunned silence, the Duke and Duchess broke into smiles, and their attitude toward Qiyu visibly grew warmer.

“This… elf gentleman,” the Duke said, looking at the bluebell elf. “And this is?”

True to its reputation as the boldest in its kind, the Bluebell Fairy—meeting an outsider for the first time—was brimming with curiosity and answered on its own: “My name is Bluebell. Hello, human.” 

“H-hello,” the Duke said, looking at the tiny creature. Aside from his amazement, he thought to himself that Clarissa would surely be delighted now.

When she wakes up in a little while, not only will she get to see the fairy she’s been longing for, but she’ll also get to see this pretty little flower fairy! Star Forest, Star Forest.

At that moment, whether it was the duke and his wife or the butler standing behind him, all they could think about was that once they got back, they absolutely had to ask more questions and look up as much information as possible about this place. 

There really are elves!

The Duchess told the two that Clarissa had just received healing magic and was now asleep.

No one would have the heart to wake a young patient who had finally fallen asleep.

She asked if they’d like to take a tour of the estate, noting that she had a garden renowned throughout the royal capital. Qiyu shook his head: “We’ll just wait here for Miss Clarissa to wake up.”

The Duke and Duchess’s moods had gone from the depths of despair to the heights of joy—the very thing that had worried them the most had been resolved so easily. Regardless of whether Qiyu was truly an elf, his appearance, his demeanor, and the fact that he was accompanied by a plant sprite…

Even if the Duchess had offered a hefty reward to find someone to impersonate him, no one could have done a better job.

She preferred to believe this was a gift from heaven—an act of mercy toward Clarissa. 

Such an important guest, who had come specifically for Clarissa—as the host, he naturally could not treat him with anything less than the utmost respect.

However, the elf appeared to be aloof and detached from worldly affairs at first glance, and he didn’t even know how to strike up a conversation. The two turned their attention to his companion.

“If I may ask, you mentioned that you come from the Golden Desert,” the Duchess said, looking at the handsome young man before her. “I once read about the Golden Desert in a book. I wonder if the Golden Desert you’re from has any connection to the one described in the book?”

A story background! Dan Xingyu and Qiyu immediately pricked up their ears. Dan Xingyu didn’t know a thing! 

But he could find out. 

He flashed a hearty smile: “I have always lived in the Golden Desert and have never been outside before. Why don’t you tell us about it first, so I can compare the two?” The Duchess immediately mentioned what she had read and asked the butler to fetch a copy of *The Adventures of Andrew* for the two of them to look at.

Qiyu and Dan Xingyu exchanged glances; neither of them had expected such a pleasant surprise on this trip. The Duke clearly took a greater interest in Qiyu.

He asked curiously, “You said you were commissioned to fulfill my daughter’s wish. But we have never posted any such commissions.”

Could it really be the mercy of some divine being?

Qiyu replied calmly, “I’m not sure either. Perhaps it was the guidance of the ‘Drifting Fate Bottle.’”

With that, the Duke didn’t press the matter further.

“In any case, thank you for being willing to make this trip.” The Duke thought to himself that even if there had been a commission, the other party wasn’t obligated to accept it.

The fact that he was willing to come for a young human girl he’d never met before clearly showed that he was a kind and gentle elf. He couldn’t help but ask, “I know very little about the Star Forest. I wonder if you could tell me a bit about it.”

Qiyu’s knowledge of the Star Forest was no greater than Dan Xingyu’s knowledge of the Golden Desert.

He certainly couldn’t say that he’d only been here a month; that spring in the Star Forest was quite mysterious—it had rained for an entire month last month, and this month had started off with freezing cold and snow. 

As he hesitated, a sudden inspiration struck, and he recalled a scene he’d seen in the “Adventure Fragments.”