I reign supreme in the Western fantasy world for eternity.

Lilith, clearly still not quite understanding, asked indistinctly while biting into her honey pancake, "Elwindel... isn't that the name of the royal capital?"

"Yes. The name of the capital comes from that seedling, which grew into an ancient tree, and the consciousness of the ancient tree grew into the High Priest."

He is the oldest inhabitant of this royal court; He has witnessed the establishment and growth of the Elven royal court, and He has also witnessed every crisis it has faced…”

Ji Tian wasn't surprised that the so-called "High Priest" was a tree person. After all, since He could sense His own spiritual power emanating from within the capital city, He either had assimilated the entire capital city like other elven demigods, or He represented the ancient tree itself in some sense.

The Queen then directed the white porcelain teapot to refill Ji Tian's teacup, her tone naturally shifting:

"Since the High Priest has personally received you, he must have seen something he needs to confirm. However, I do not intend to ask you what you saw in that door; that was left to you by the goddess and has nothing to do with the royal court."

Ji Tian was somewhat surprised to hear this. He really didn't expect that the Elf Queen, who was known for her aloof nature, would be so understanding.

As the saying goes, one doesn't hit a smiling face, so Ji Tian casually asked:

"His Majesty waited for us to come out, surely it wasn't just about the High Priest?"

Serenetil chuckled at her words, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear with an expression that said, "You've finally gotten to the point." She placed the teacup back on the saucer, sat up straighter, and her light blue dress shimmered softly in the crystal lamplight.

"There is indeed one more thing, or rather, one request."

"Please feel free to speak."

"The Spring Festival in three days is a grand event held every three years in the Elven Royal Court. At that time, the five great noble clans will bring their children to hold a sacrificial ceremony in front of the core area of ​​the Ancient Tree of Life, praying for the goddess's blessing for a bountiful harvest and peace in the next three years."

She poured some more tea into her cup, looked at Ji Tian, ​​and her expression became more serious: "I would like to invite you to stay for a couple more days and attend the Spring Festival as the Hero Squad. This is not just a formality."

Her gaze lingered on Ophelia for a moment before shifting away, and she said meaningfully:

"Moreover, the Spring Festival is a rare time for the great nobles to gather together. Compared to the usual days when everyone is busy with their own things, this is actually a better time to deal with some...personal matters."

Lilith paused in her chewing of the honey pancake, looked at the Queen with a puzzled expression, and then at her second senior sister beside her.

Ophelia remained silent.

Ji Tian glanced at Ophelia's lowered profile, then said, "Then let's stay for two more days."

Elena gently touched the tip of his boot under the table. Ji Tian didn't turn around, but his hand made a "reassuring" gesture on the table almost imperceptibly.

The Queen smiled, not venturing into further conversation, and instead asked a more casual question: "Where do you plan to go after you leave the capital?"

"First, we'll go to the South China Sea to settle some of the affairs left behind by the first hero, and then we'll head to the Northern Snowfield."

Serintil seemed thoughtful upon hearing this: "The snowfields of the North... that's a place rarely visited by the elves, and it's said that even the local dwarves don't venture there in the dead of winter. But since the hero wants to go, he probably has his reasons."

"The southern border... there have indeed been some unusual developments in that sea area lately. If you're looking for something, I suggest you travel by sea. The Elven Royal Court has several ports along the South Sea coast; you can arrange a ship there."

Lilith chimed in from the side, "Would that be faster than walking?"

The Queen smiled and replied, "Much faster than walking."

Elena turned her head to look at Ji Tian, ​​her eyes filled with a question—she wanted to know how he planned to respond to the Queen's overture.

Ji Tian pondered for a moment, then put down his teacup: "A ship is fine. But what records do your elves have of that area in the Southern Territory?"

The Queen was not offended by the other party's caution, and after thinking for a moment:

"Most records of the southern region focus on trade routes along the coast and supply depots on the islands. There are indeed few records of going further afield—the elves are not as interested in the sea as they are in the forest."

She then took out a roll of yellowed parchment from her sleeve, unfolded it, and saw a hand-drawn nautical chart. The lines had faded somewhat, but the key landmarks and routes were still clearly visible.

"This nautical chart was drawn more than three hundred years ago by an elven explorer who traveled along the southern coastline for over half a year, recording the reefs and ocean currents along the way. If you are going to that area, this scroll will be very useful."

Ji Tian took the nautical chart, his eyes quickly scanning the areas marked "undercurrents," "shoals," and "old shipping lanes," before carefully putting it away and sincerely thanking him.

The Queen waved her hand, as if the matter was insignificant.

She turned to the side and picked up a thin booklet from the table. The cover was dark green, with no title, only an embossed silver-white leaf pattern.

"There are several abandoned mines left by the dwarves near those ports in the southern border. It's said that there's still some ore left inside. If you happen to be passing by, could you keep an eye out for me—you don't need to bring it back, just let me know if there's anything left inside?"

She emphasized the word "things" but didn't explain further, as if she had already finished speaking.

The twilight outside the window had completely sunk into night, and silvery-blue light seeped through the tree canopy, enveloping the entire government building in a soft, cool glow.

The Queen stood up, which meant the conversation was over.

"It's getting late, and you've all had a long day. Go back and get some rest. I'll have someone arrange the boat, and someone will pick you up from the embassy in three days."

Ji Tian also stood up and nodded slightly: "Thank you."

As the group walked out of the government affairs hall, the night breeze, carrying the unique crisp scent of ancient tree branches and leaves, blew in and made the warm yellow lights in the corridor sway gently.

As they parted, Serenetil stood at the entrance of the government hall, watching Ji Tian and his entourage walk away down the corridor.

Her gaze lingered on Ophelia's retreating figure for a moment, as if recalling something, before watching them disappear into the twilight at the end of the corridor.

Arwin stepped out from the side of the door and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, have you asked?"

"I didn't ask. It's better to observe her directly when the time comes... Also, help me find out who Ophelia's birth mother is."

"Yes."

……

Lilith took out and gripped the wooden stick, her voice more spirited than before: "Master, are we really going to take a boat to the Southern Territory?"

"Um."

"Then, how long will it take?"

"It will take two or three days if the markings on the nautical chart are accurate."

"Two or three days! That goes by pretty fast! I've never been on a boat before—I've only ever seen the ocean in books!"

Elena walked beside her: "Don't cry if you get seasick."

"I don't get seasick! I'm a demon... I can adapt to anything!"

She stopped mid-sentence, glancing around to make sure no one noticed her slip of the tongue, before quietly letting out a sigh of relief.