You are very strong, but my painting style is better than yours!

"Yes, but no one has ever seen it before."

"Why?" Iori frowned. "Doesn't the lord use it to cure illnesses?"

"Yes, it's available, but it's very expensive, and no one except nobles and wealthy merchants can afford it. So, for minor illnesses and ailments, people usually find a doctor themselves or go to church."

However, the cane's power was genuine; otherwise, nobles wouldn't have traveled all the way from the capital to seek treatment.

It is said that the holy magic wielded by the staff differs from that of ordinary clergy, possessing many special blessings. Anyone attempting to slay the monster must first appease the lord and obtain the staff's blessing before challenging the poisonous beast.

The signboard girl looked Iori up and down and asked, "Are you also an adventurer who took on a mission to hunt monsters?"

"That's it."

Iori smiled slightly, recalling the mission name on the memo—

Mythical-level Monster: Undying Serpent - Poison Flame Dragon

At first, I thought the name was a bit exaggerated, but if the story is true, then this dragon is at least capable of destroying a city.

"However, it's impossible to verify whether the current venomous beast is the same one from the story."

“That’s just a story, don’t take it too seriously… So, are you going to the lord’s manor next, sir?” The shopkeeper thought for a moment, her tone tinged with worry, “Then you’ve come at a bad time.”

"Ok?"

"The lord was originally happy to do this kind of business, after all, he could earn gold coins from wealthy adventurers like you... However, something may have gone wrong recently. A few days ago, someone came to the lord to buy a blessing, but for some reason, they were unsuccessful."

"Are there other adventurers who have taken on this quest?"

Iori looked surprised, not expecting that so many people would choose such a thankless task... Even if they succeeded, the reward would only be money, which was not very attractive to high-level adventurers.

"Yes, and that person is actually... Look, she's going to the lord's manor again."

"Ok?"

Iori turned around in the direction the sign girl was pointing. A warm orange color caught his attention in the bustling crowd, but what he saw next was a pair of emerald eyes with a completely different atmosphere, full of tenacity and aloofness.

However, what attracted Iori even more was that beneath that head of smooth, long orange hair were a pair of pointed ears twice the length of an average person's—

An elf! The first elf he saw after arriving in this world!

At the same time, Iori noticed a subtle change in the atmosphere on the street... it seemed to have quieted down a bit.

Intentionally or unintentionally, everyone slowed down their movements, their attention involuntarily drawn to that capable and dashing figure.

While not exactly glamorous, her attire was practical and appropriate, devoid of any sentimental design. She wore a close-fitting black top and trousers over an orange slip, with a long sword hanging at her waist and a gemstone ornament on her forehead that exuded understated elegance.

Although she didn't have the exaggerated spectacle of being the center of attention like in novels, at this moment she was undoubtedly the protagonist on the street, and even the passing crowd unconsciously parted to make way for her to pass quickly.

Perhaps accustomed to being watched, the aloof and elfin girl walked through the block with a mixture of helplessness and indifference, without lingering for a moment among the shops and stalls on either side.

As they passed the fruit and vegetable stall, Iori brushed past her. The fairy-like girl subconsciously and inexplicably turned her head to look at Iori, only to meet Iori's eyes as she looked back at her.

Without stopping, the beautiful elf walked straight past Iori.

Chapter 260: Who doesn't love a big-breasted elf sister? (5.5K)

Unbelievable! How can there be such an unreasonable person in the world!

—The elf is very angry now.

Her full name is "Sutriluchira Zegarunerlureya Agranzeerga Elga", which is an exaggeratedly long name. If translated into common language, it would be even more exaggerated, like reading a Western heroic epic, full of strong words expressing praise and narcissism.

However, those familiar with elven customs would be filled with awe upon hearing this, because this naming method is unique to the elven royal family "Elgar," and the more exaggerated it is, the higher her status within the royal family.

In an era when elves and humans have almost no contact, it is astonishing to even see a real elf in human society, let alone a noble royal.

The reason she left her homeland and abandoned her privileged royal life to enter the human kingdom as an adventurer is that, as an elf, she highly values ​​ancient culture and is currently embarking on an adventure aimed at collecting ancient magical artifacts scattered around the world.

Although being royalty would have allowed her to achieve her goals in a way more befitting her status, a sense of honor or confidence in her own abilities led her to choose to embark on a solo journey.

She encountered various setbacks along the way, but with her outstanding combat power and extensive knowledge, she always managed to overcome difficulties. So far, she has collected or rescued quite a few ancient magical artifacts and protected them well.

But this time she encountered trouble, a trouble that she couldn't solve no matter how hard she tried—

That wretched lord is impossible to communicate with!

She heard that the lord here possessed a staff imbued with divine power, which piqued her interest. She had no intention of possessing it, but rather wanted to satisfy her curiosity and see what the legendary artifact looked like.

She should have arrived here much earlier, but she heard along the way that a certain labyrinth had been completely conquered by two novice adventurers who had unearthed many ancient artifacts. In order not to miss the magical artifacts that might be inside, she changed her route and went to the Adventurers' Guild to buy them at a high price, which delayed her by a few days.

Incidentally, judging from the value of those ancient artifacts, if they were truly unearthed from a labyrinth, the difficulty of navigating it must be quite high. Therefore, Miss Elf was very skeptical of the authenticity of the "novice adventurer," guessing that the guild had accepted some items of dubious origin and fabricated a reason... Of course, that was none of her business, and she had no interest in investigating.

When the elf lady finished arranging everything and came here to make her request to the lord, it was rejected.

This surprised her, because the rumors suggested that this lord was extremely greedy and could be easily swayed by enough money. However, this time, faced with the priceless, high-purity magic stone offered by the elf lady, he firmly refused, instead making another inexplicable request—

"Don't be so angry, Miss Elf. I didn't make any unreasonable demands. It was just about having a meal and going for a walk. I was just trying to kindly introduce you to the local customs and culture."

The blond man with the fluffy mushroom haircut looked to be in his early twenties, but he was clearly neglecting his physique, as his belly had already bulged out like melted butter, stretching his expensive suit out of shape.

What's most striking about him is the colorful rings on his hands and the various jewels he wears, almost like an exhibition... In short, he's the epitome of a "nouveau riche."

If a game enthusiast is here, they will definitely feel a sense of familiarity, because similar unscrupulous businessmen were ubiquitous in games from the 80s and 90s.

Despite their young age, their demeanor and behavior exuded a greasy aura, which was truly unpleasant, especially for elves who generally prefer milder tastes.

So Princess Elgar didn't even bother to hide her disgust, directly revealing an expression of extreme disgust: "Don't talk such nonsense anymore. Similar conversations have happened many times these days."

I am making this request very seriously, so please answer me seriously, Lord.

The cost is no problem; I can accept anything as long as it's not too outrageous. But other than that, forget it—my time is very valuable.

"Oh my, what a cold beauty... But I'm very serious, Miss Elf."

Elgar didn't even give his real name, so the lord could only address him as such.

"I'm not short of money. If you think I'm just using this as an excuse to raise prices, you're underestimating me. The big shots in the capital are practically begging to give me money, and sometimes I'm too lazy to even accept it."

"Miss Elf, I've truly fallen for you. I wouldn't dare make any unreasonable demands; it's just a one-day date, you won't lose anything, will you?"

Elgar's eyes darkened after hearing this: "Since that's the case..."

The lord became excited: "In that case—"

"Then I'll go and slay the Demon Poison Dragon!"

"what?"

"If I'm not mistaken, this staff is a family heirloom passed down through generations. You have an obligation to assist adventurers who are hunting the Demon Poison Dragon!"

The elf lady declared proudly, "To protect this land, I am about to embark on a perilous journey to vanquish the Demonic Poison Dragon. Therefore, I humbly request the blessing of the [Sacred Serpent Staff]!"

"..." The lord's face immediately darkened.

He never expected that Miss Elf would go to such lengths to refuse a date with him. He really didn't understand why she was so resistant... He was young, rich, and dashing. Everyone he knew said he was as handsome as an elf. Although that was partly flattery, it was at least seven or eight parts true.

He's not that bad!

In truth, as a wealthy nobleman, he had no shortage of women. The reason he made things difficult for Elga, besides the superficial excuse, lay in a deeper reason:

Elevate your style.

Although he was wealthy, he was merely a newly rich man in the upper class. The bigwigs in the capital would only pay lip service to him on the surface to use the serpent staff, but in essence, they looked down on him as a country bumpkin.

The best way to elevate his family's status would be to marry a countess from a once-wealthy but now impoverished family, but such a thing depends on luck, and he has never been able to find a suitable match.

In addition, having an elf as a wife or lover is a very prestigious thing in high society, because very few people in history have achieved this – the elves in this world are an extremely closed-off and proud race, and generally look down on humans.

When he saw the elf lady who came to see him, a thought naturally arose in his mind... Of course, it would be difficult to marry her, and he did not have such a wish.

His plan was to sign a "one-day date" contract with the elf lady, then exploit a loophole in the rules to postpone that day for half a month, at which point he would take the elf lady to a noble banquet in the capital.

If he appears at the banquet hand in hand with the elf, he will surely attract everyone's attention and become a hot topic among the upper class!

That way, wherever he goes in the future, he won't be openly or subtly mocked as a nouveau riche...

Unfortunately, what he considered a perfectly reasonable request was unacceptable to the fairy, and the two were destined never to reach an agreement.

With his plans falling through and being manipulated by others using family traditions, the lord couldn't help but lose his temper.

“I acknowledge that our ancestors left us this mission… but how can you prove that you are worthy to receive this blessing?”

"What do you mean?" The elf frowned, instinctively sensing something was wrong.

"Hmph! So many years have passed, and there have been countless adventurers who have come to challenge the Poison Dragon, but not a single one has succeeded. In fact, many of them are just using this as a pretext to enjoy free treatment and blessings."

"You adventurers are all the same as scoundrels. My ancestors have been swindled countless times. How do I know you're not a swindler?"

"!"

The elf lady raised her eyebrows, and her emerald eyes exuded an air of authority, causing the lord to subconsciously take a half step back.

"You... not only question my credibility, but also betray the oath of our ancestors?"

"...Gu!"

The lord swallowed hard, suddenly realizing that his previous thoughts had been somewhat naive. This elf lady was not only beautiful on the outside, and he shouldn't have offended her so badly.

But there's no going back now. In any case, she hasn't left any evidence against herself, and the other party can't use force against her just because they won't lend her the snake staff.

Thinking of this, the lord straightened his back a third: "It's not that I doubt you, it's just that there are too many examples of what's to be done before. Blame those worthless adventurers who break their promises."

"……it is good!"

The elf girl narrowed her eyes, glared at the lord with disgust, and said with extraordinary courage, "I have nothing to say to a villain who has abandoned the honor of his family, but I will not give up. You want me to prove my worth? Then open your eyes and watch!"

Even without the Serpent Staff, I can still defeat the Demon Poison Dragon!

Once she threw the monster's head in front of the lord, he had nothing to say!

Without waiting for the lord's reaction, the elf turned and left, not wanting to stay a second longer.

As the servants opened the door to the drawing room, the elf saw the butler and the new guest standing outside. She glanced at their faces instinctively, then her eyes widened in surprise:

The familiar face... it was someone I'd met on the street.

At the time, she didn't know why she paid some attention to this passerby, but upon closer inspection, she didn't notice anything special about him—putting aside his appearance, she didn't take him to heart. She never expected to run into him again so soon.

Is he also here to see the lord?

Judging from his demeanor and attire... could he be a nobleman's son who ran away to become an adventurer?

Without giving it much thought, the elf girl turned slightly and walked past the two of them.

Iori glanced at her again, but didn't pay any attention, and followed the butler into the living room.

"Sebastian, who is he?" The lord, in a bad mood, sat on the sofa and asked with a long face.

"Master, this gentleman is carrying the guild's honor badge. He is an A-rank adventurer and wants to go to slay the Demon Poison Dragon. He has come here to purchase... and discuss with you the matter of the Serpent Staff Blessing."

“That’s right. I heard that the lord has a legendary sacred artifact. I came here specifically to broaden my horizons.” Iori calmly sat down opposite the lord. “If possible, it would be best to see it for yourself. If you agree, after we defeat the Demon Poison Dragon, its body material can be sold to this territory first.”

He immediately raised the stakes, which can be described as straightforward and direct, without any intention of testing each other or playing mind games.

"As for the cost of using the serpent staff, just name your price."

Iori's request was simple and clear, and in the past, the lord would have thought it was a good deal, but today it sounded particularly jarring.

"Does everyone think I just want money?!"

The lord laughed in anger: "I'm not short of money at all! Don't think that just because you pay me you can mess with my family heirloom—I'm not a prostitute!"

"Ok?"

Iori was taken aback, and the butler beside her was also surprised, wondering why the lord had suddenly become angry.

"Listen up! The Serpent Staff is such a precious treasure that it is not something you adventurers can use as you please. Do not even think of using money to tarnish the noble name. You should head home!"

"..."

Iori frowned slightly, then raised his head and squinted at the lord for a moment:

What an impolite guy.

The Staff of the Serpent is said to have been a gift from the gods, and its original owner must have been a transferee. Whether to satisfy curiosity or to conduct in-depth investigation, one needs to have close contact with the Staff of the Serpent...

Iori is having a great time on this adventure in another world. Unless something serious happens, she doesn't mind following the rules here—but they're not mandatory.