Chapter 1028

Chapter 1028: Act 200 – Dawn’s Flame I

Although Brendel did not understand why the Elven Queen emphasized this point with him, it was indeed a troublesome matter. In Vaunte, for the offspring of the nobility, losing the ability to bear children was considered quite serious: as they enjoyed the power of their families, they also bore the obligation to reproduce and prosper their lineage. For unmarried noblewomen, the issue of infertility was even more severe, as it could render them incapable of political marriages.

Though Brendel, who possessed a soul that was half modern, might think that losing the ability for political marriage was not a bad thing, he had to acknowledge that in the noble system of Vaunte, this was almost the greatest value of a woman’s existence. Many noble daughters placed great importance on this, as it related directly to their future status.

He did not know what Dierphir thought about this, but he had a vague feeling that as the future heir of the Yanshan Castle, she would likely not accept the first condition: she had paid such a high price to study demonic magic, in order to revive her family, so how could she be willing to become a useless person?

However, there was no need to refuse this gift outright. At the very least, even if others could not use the spring water, the Centaur Lamia would have no problem with it. Yilian, as a card creature, did not draw her power from her own being, but from rules, so it was likely that this contaminated spring water would not harm her, and for card creatures, the ability to bear children was even less relevant.

Moreover, he had confirmed with the Elven Queen that the minerals in the spring water were without issue; for the sake of the Singing Silver, he had to accept this gift.

Additionally, he always felt that the Elven Queen’s final reminder was not without purpose, but at the moment he could not think of a reason. When he asked her again, she only indicated that it was merely a reminder. In the end, he could only conclude that he had grown overly suspicious after experiencing several battles.

The Elven Queen quickly transferred the Fountain of Youth — although the spatial magic of the Wild Elves was far less profound than that of the Temple of Fire and did not have legendary teleportation spells like the Flame Gate, it was still capable of transferring some small objects through brief spatial shifts.

The Fountain of Youth’s size varied; the larger ones were said to cover hundreds of meters, but this one from the Wild Elves was quite ‘slim,’ measuring only a few meters long and wide, and no taller than a person and a half, making it effortless to move with spatial magic.

As soon as the Fountain of Youth landed, Brendel noticed it indeed differed significantly from a typical Fountain of Youth — the water was crystal clear and devoid of impurities; even in dim light, it shimmered with silver glimmers, looking exceptionally pure and holy. However, this fountain’s water had a faint, peculiar dark red hue, shrouded in a light red mist while emitting a strong fragrance reminiscent of laurel.

Can this thing be drunk? Brendel could not help but doubt it; the water looked like something stirred by demons, and who knew what consequences drinking it might bring.

But the Elven Queen assured him that apart from the defects she had previously mentioned, this spring water was no different from a true Fountain of Youth and would not lead one astray or drive one mad — even though it did appear extremely eerie. As for the evil aura emanating from the water, it was due to the dragons having purified the demonic power through this fountain, but the corrupted aura had been thoroughly evaporated during that purification. The side effects of the spring water had nothing to do with the demons; they were a result of the fountain being severely damaged during that ritual.

The Wild Elves maintained neutrality most of the time in Vaunte, and this generation’s queen and the future Saintly White Princess had a historically excellent reputation, so Brendel believed there was no need for her to deceive him.

He noticed glimmers of silver flashing within the depths of the water, realizing it was the Singing Silver minerals. This magical metal did not solely exist in the Fountain of Singing; in fact, they were also by-products of the magically rich Dragon’s bl**d Gem. However, Dragon’s bl**d Gem was even rarer than Singing Silver, making this method of acquiring Singing Silver practically nonexistent. After being refined from the minerals, Singing Silver took on a silver-white color, with natural magical patterns; when placed in water, it naturally emitted beautiful music, thus earning its name.

However, Brendel was puzzled as to why it seemed the elves had not touched the minerals in the spring water for decades. Were they merely waiting for a day to return the water to its rightful owner?

He posed this question to the Elven Queen, but she merely smiled and did not answer, stating that the fountain held more commemorative value in Erlandta than practical value, and that he would understand the reason one day.

Brendel felt this answer was not as helpful as saying nothing at all, as it only piqued his curiosity without providing real understanding, leaving him feeling quite unsettled.

He faintly sensed that this Elven Queen might not be as benevolent as she appeared and exuded an air of cunning.

The Dragon Bane Pearl had been carried by the Elven Queen all along — it looked like a transparent crystal ball, with its edges coated in a peculiar green glow. When Brendel took it from her hand, he felt a coldness and realized it was actually liquid. Balancing it in his hand, its surface tension was enough to maintain a spherical shape, but with a little force, the liquid would disperse, spreading over the user’s body.

The Elven Queen explained that this was the correct way to use this treasure: spread it into a thin layer, and it could hide any person within, shielding them from all detection methods by dragons.

Soon, under her guidance, Brendel recognized the pearl as his own and experimented with it a few times, discovering that the dispersed liquid could fully envelop a person without hindering their breathing. It would be a little uncomfortable at first, but one would quickly get used to it. However, Brendel always felt that the Elven Queen had intentionally not warned him during his first use, leading him to nearly embarrass himself before everyone by coughing up water several times.

Yet when he looked at her, she merely smiled gently at him.

Now, Brendel faintly understood where the sprite’s bear-like demeanor originated — it was a family trait.

After thanking the elves, his subsequent negotiations with the dragons were surprisingly smooth. However, the sight of several dragons surrounding each other and shirking responsibility left everyone stunned. It seemed that from then on, the noble image of these elegant, powerful, and mysterious beings crumbled in most people’s eyes, reduced to a pile of shattered fragments. Brendel, however, was already well acquainted with the temperament of these flying lizards.

After spending much of the afternoon, the dragons finally confirmed who would pay for Brendel’s ‘heroic act.’ Their unanimous decision was — whoever benefited, whoever would pay. In the end, the dragon clan would cover half, while the silver dragon lady Mistral, who had received Brendel’s benefaction, would have to pay the other half.

Mistral did not expect to sh**t herself in the foot, her mood darkening throughout the afternoon. Fortunately, she did not make things difficult for Brendel; she merely cursed quietly, “Those damned old fossils!”

It was evident that her sister was not excluded from this.

Brendel had a very good impression of the silver dragon lady. He privately suggested that she might quietly forgo that half, but Mistral, very generously, shook her head: “I won’t rob your money, young one; after all, you are my lifesaver. I’m not so poor as to that extent.”

Then she added: “Don’t worry; my wealth and my sister’s are split evenly.”

Brendel couldn’t shake the feeling that this pair of dragon sisters might end up in conflict, and his heart felt very guilty.

As for the portion the dragon clan was responsible for, the remaining dragons engaged in another round of disputes. Finally, before nightfall, the eldest two-headed dragon, Blaze, reached a conclusion — they would advance the payment first and continue to argue later.

In short, they could not lose face in front of their human friend.

Brendel found these stingy beings utterly confounding. The so-called ‘dragon treasures’ were unlikely to be retrieved. He took the opportunity to request a portion of the river gold from the dragon clan, hoping they could also give him a batch of Windsteed. Upon hearing this request, the dragons obviously sighed in relief; the river gold, also known as the Witches’ Gold, while of noble origin, was not considered rare, at least cheaper than the rare treasures in their collection.

Blaze regarded Brendel with an expression of ‘not bad, you know the greater context,’ after complimenting him, agreed to his request, offering him five hundred pounds of river gold. As for the Windsteed, the dragons straightforwardly told him — none!

Because dragons could fly themselves, they did not need mounts and naturally did not raise such creatures. However, they did arrange for him an additional reward worth several hundred thousand gold coins, so he was not left at a loss.

Brendel, however, did not much care for those hundreds of thousands of gold coins; he had been so overwhelmed by this unexpected windfall that he failed to react for a while. He had never dreamed the dragons would so willingly give him five hundred pounds of river gold — he instantly felt a sense of luxury surrounding him, and could not help but feel somewhat inferior. His original expectation had been a mere fifty pounds.

He was simultaneously relieved he had not asked for anything himself while pondering: by Martha, how wealthy are these damned big lizards?

If he were not well-aware of how fearsome the Golden People were, he might have entertained the wild idea of robbing the dragons.

By the deep of night, several dragons finally beat their wings and departed to the north, while the Elven Queen took the somewhat tearful young sprite with her. Before leaving, QiYala solemnly promised to the sprite that she would definitely come to see her, but Brendel suspected that this statement was purely a blatant lie — once back in Erluin, how would she find the opportunity to leave Siphai?

After consulting with Dierphir, she indeed unhesitatingly rejected the Wild Elves’ Fountain of Youth.

“Lord, thank you for your kindness, but as the heir to Yanshan Castle, I cannot become a useless person. Moreover, as a noble offspring, being infertile will tarnish the family’s reputation.”

After hearing about the side effects of the spring water, Dierphir calmed down. Since over-drawing her vitality in the battle against Ampere Seale, her health had deteriorated, and she had been bedridden for several days. Even during her mission to Cruz, she had spent most of the time in a coach; even the most spoiled one, Ydini, had fared better than her.

But to her, if it meant giving up all her previous efforts to comfortably become a powerless noble lady, she would never accept.

The heir to Yanshan Castle could be dead but not useless; otherwise, it would bring shame to the family —

Brendel understood that she placed Yanshan’s honor above all else and sighed without further persuading.

“You don’t need to worry; one day I will help you find the true Fountain of Youth, Miss Dierphir.”

Dierphir was momentarily taken aback. She looked up at Brendel but did not refuse. Instead, she gave him a slight bow: “Then I will trouble you, Lord.”

After sending Dierphir away, Brendel discovered that the Chancellor’s Daughter of the Empire had come to visit.

Delphine, supported by the silver dragon lady Mistral — who had just had a quarrel with her sister and decided to stay for a while — sat calmly in a wheelchair, quietly saying to him: “Lord, I do not mind.”

Brendel was slightly stunned. He could not help but look at the Chancellor’s Daughter in the wheelchair. Delphine wore a purple evening gown, and the black stockings visible beneath her long skirt outlined her perfectly proportioned, slender legs. However, the ugly scars crisscrossing her otherwise fair skin could not be concealed, and only her graceful figure and the fullness in front could testify to the charm the girl once possessed.

Her elongated neck concealed part of her face with long hair, yet the horror beneath it still showed clearly; she had almost only half of her original human face remaining. That terrible disaster had stripped her of all past pride, and now she could hardly stand up from her wheelchair, with her legs showing signs of atrophy. Her left hand was completely immobile, and her right could only make limited movements, while her neck could barely turn half its angle.

At this moment, she was essentially equivalent to a useless person.

Although they had a history of grievances, Brendel could not help but feel his heart race upon seeing her; however, he saw no hint of despair on her face. Her deep purple eyes seemed to reflect only calmness.

Delphine quietly pursed her lips, waiting for his reply.

Brendel hesitated; he certainly knew what this Chancellor’s Daughter was referring to.

“Miss Delphine, I will not give you the spring water.”

“Why not?”

“You should understand.”

Delphine shook her head: “Lord, having power or not is irrelevant to me. I pursue another kind of power — wisdom and power; it does not necessarily require personal strength. As for the other side, after Ailman’s d*ath, what significance does fertility hold for me?”

Mentioning Ailman made Brendel furrow his brows; that was the root of everything. At that time, the Chancellor’s Daughter had been hysterical, almost like a madwoman.

Without a doubt, love itself wasn’t at fault.

After hesitating for a moment, he replied, “Miss Delphine, regarding Ailman’s d*ath…”

“I know—” Delphine coldly interrupted Brendel. “Lord, I have said I will no longer dwell on this.”

Brendel looked at her, frowning. It was difficult for him to penetrate the thoughts swirling within this woman’s heart. Frankly speaking, he was not completely at ease with her; after all, the fluctuations in her attitude were too drastic — he simply could not fathom her intentions. If she truly had set aside all hatred, she could quietly leave without needing to help the former ‘enemy.’

As for her claim about wanting to use his hand to rescue her family, it also felt somewhat forced. Had he not been previously unaware of the wisdom of this Chancellor’s Daughter, he might still have harbored some doubts; yet her demonstrated abilities suggested she need not attach herself to him.

At least emotionally, he believed he was not the best choice for her; while he did not consider himself particularly sensitive to human hearts, he was not a fool either.

However, the most perplexing detail was, up to this point, she had indeed been wholeheartedly helping him, without laying any traps. Reflecting on this, he could not help but respond: “Miss Delphine, although I do not fully understand your thoughts or your intent, and perhaps we aren’t traveling the same path. However, as long as you’re willing to trust me, I have promised to find the true Fountain of Youth for Dierphir, I will also ensure you return to your original state—”

“…even as a form of compensation.”

A deep light flickered in Delphine’s gaze.

“You do not owe me anything, Lord; if anything, I owe you all a great deal of trouble.” She replied calmly. “I also wish to believe that you will honor your words; to speak honestly, you are the most unique noble I have ever seen — just not necessary, Lord.”

“Miss Delphine.”

“Lord, thank you for your kindness, but my mind is made up.”

Brendel looked at her and finally nodded silently.

After receiving Brendel’s approval, Delphine let out a slight sigh of relief, her expression displaying an ambiguous smile. The evening breeze gently lifted her hair, and for a moment, even her scarred face did not appear so ugly. The Chancellor’s Daughter quietly gazed at the horizon for a long while before finally speaking:

“Lord, this battle has come to a segment’s conclusion, and basically achieved its expected objectives. Once Miss Medisa clears away the remaining undead at the Valarch mountain pass, the Queen’s layout in Eastern Meiz is essentially declared a total failure.”

Brendel nodded. This entire plan was not solely his own; he had merely initiated it. The follow-up plans were basically crafted by the girl before him, along with revisions and improvements made by Medisa and the Senior Sister, ultimately leading to today’s Evergreen Great Victory. Delphine’s sudden mention of this matter was clearly not without purpose; he awaited her next words.

“And then?”

“After the White Legion and the allied forces of Jotungrund and Toquinin are defeated, it will be very difficult for the Silver Queen to settle matters swiftly in Meiz,” Delphine paused. “I believe that under such circumstances, she may attack you directly.”

“Attack me?”

“Yes, in my view, compared to the Crown Prince, you may pose an even greater threat in the Silver Queen’s eyes. The war between the Crown Prince and Her Majesty is merely a civil war among the Cruz people, but your situation involves the core issue of who inherits the Dark Dragon’s legacy. As one who shares the power of the Dark Dragon, with the Witches’ support, you may well have the ability to challenge her current power.”

“But that isn’t what I want.”

“I understand,” Delphine replied. “The others around you understand as well, but Her Majesty does not; or rather, she understands, but it does not matter to her.”

“—Not to mention that Lord is even a descendant of the Sword Saint Darus, among the few who have witnessed the truth behind the dark curtain. Your origins and background are on par with Her Majesty; should you raise your voice, there may not be fewer who respond than to Her Majesty.”

Brendel felt he did not have that capability; at least the Jotungrund and the Lionmen would not heed him. Not to mention, he had yet to sort out his own affairs back in Erluin.

Nevertheless, he continued listening to Delphine’s analysis, asking further: “So, Miss Delphine, what do you think the Silver Queen will do next? Don’t forget, she has invaded us directly before.”

He referred to the prior clash with the witches, which had been a face-to-face confrontation that resulted in their defeat.

“Yes, but if I were Her Majesty, this time I would do it differently. After prior attempts at assassination or mobilizing troops to encircle us have failed, this time, I’d have you fight on her home turf.”

“Am I that foolish?”