The carriage ride took about five or six hours. It was quite fast, with some slight jolting along the way. The natural scenery around them flowed by like water, always different from moment to moment, yet somehow feeling unchanging.

  Gradually, Lux could see some wooden huts nestled against large trees and some other elves. In the distance, she could even make out a small town, where elves and those working plant people (Lux later learned these plant people were called Acriders) lived.

  The road gradually widened and became smoother. Lux felt they were close.

  Then Lux saw a green city wall covered in climbing red flowers (Sylvie said the city wall was made of indigo wood, which, despite being wood, was fireproof, rot-proof, and moisture-proof, and even much harder than iron. The flowers on it were magical items that would trigger an alarm if touched: the flowers on that section of the wall would emit an especially bright light).

  After that, the Acrider driver dropped Lux and Sylvie off at the city gate. Six elves wearing shining green armor, both male and female, stopped them at the gate. They looked at Lux with a strange curiosity, then confirmed the letter and Sylvie's crystal disk (which could also be used to verify identity) and let them pass.

  Lux and Sylvie walked through the deep red city gate, which was the color of a refined wine cask, and the city, like a meticulously carved 'wood sculpture art piece,' came into view—

  —It was a city where countless giant trees lay like elegant and dignified ladies on a carpet made of lush greenery. The roads were paved evenly with light red bricks, and rows of wooden posts lined both sides of the roads, decorated with wind chimes that made pleasant sounds as if kissed by the wind.

  The reclining trees, though seemingly varying in height, were arranged very neatly, and houses were nestled within them, as if the houses had grown out of the giant trees themselves.

  And the houses were very exquisite, with flower patterns carved into them like blooming wooden blossoms. Real flowers were placed on the balconies and windowsills, and flower fields were interspersed among the crisscrossing roads, these fragrant flower fields adorning the city like musical notes in an elegant wooden symphony.

  What made this place even more 'fantastical' to Lux were the elves walking on the streets. They wore clothes that weren't particularly extravagant but were all unique and distinctive. Some wore light green dresses with the airy feel of spring, adorned with light silks that fluttered in the wind. Others wore pants made of interwoven strips of cloth, the many square gaps in the cloth-strip pants revealing glimpses of the elf's slender, fair legs, the pants clinging to their long legs like a phantom. And one male elf was wearing a dress with all the colors of a rainbow...

  Compared to them, Sylvie was dressed quite plainly, like a beautiful country girl who had arrived at a noble gathering where everyone was competing to wear the strangest and most elaborate outfits. As for Lux, she looked like a thief who had come to steal something.

  Many purple-clad Acriders stood around. One Acrider stood by the roadside every so often, and some Acriders were cleaning the streets, sweeping up leaves. Of course, compared to the elves, the Acriders were dressed very simply, in black pants, jackets, and white shirts, looking like servants and waiters.

  "Short ears, what are you spacing out about?" Just as Lux was standing there, stunned and looking around, a voice like a gust of wind came from behind her, cold, but this coldness wasn't harsh. Instead, it was a magical and tenacious presence that wrapped around Lux's ears, lingering for a long time.

  Lux turned her head and saw two female elves standing behind her. One of them seemed to be the leader. She had long, gradually green hair that reached her shoulders. The color was a dark green from her scalp to her eyebrows, then gradually faded into an olive green, like long willow leaves stretching out from the dim treetops to bask in the sunlight. She had hazel-colored pupils, like hazelnuts gathered by squirrels and hidden like treasures within the green willow leaves. This green-haired elf wore a milky-white top with a blue-green shawl, a tightly woven light brown corset around her waist (Lux couldn't tell what material the corset was made of, but it looked like leather), light blue shorts, and purple boots. Light green half-skirts were sewn onto the back of the shorts at the waist, and five white ribbons swayed from the edges, like a proud bird displaying and shaking its tail feathers.

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  Standing beside her was a striking elf with blonde hair and blue eyes. Her attire was very unique: she wore a silver, sleeveless cuirass, intricately carved with many patterns. Underneath the silver armor was a dark brown top, the cuffs of which were adorned with iron rings. She also wore shorts, but with a very distinctive design—the sides of the shorts were open, and the openings were connected by iron chains, like the windows of a prison, revealing her thighs. Additionally, her arms and calves were decorated with iron chains, giving her a very distinctive style.

  But Lux had the feeling that the green-haired elf was the leader.

  "Sylvie, is this the assistant mercenary you wanted me to bring? A human who looks both rustic and dull-witted?" the green-haired elf spoke.

  "Emily, it's been a while," Sylvie said with a smile, then explained, "Her name is Lux. She's a very capable person, and I believe she'll surprise you."

  Lux was quite moved by Sylvie's words, but she had never shown Sylvie her fighting skills, so she felt a bit embarrassed by Sylvie's praise.

  "Captain Emily, letting this human be your attendant will be a disgrace to you, with those clothes and that unfashionable look," the blonde elf beside her said. "Besides, I've heard that humans are very uncouth. They barely understand art and music, not to mention that they eat meat." When she said the words "eat meat," the blonde elf emphasized each syllable.

  "Sabrina, I'll be the judge of that. If she's unsuitable, I'll send her packing," Emily said to the elf named Sabrina, but she didn't turn her head. Instead, she continued to look at Sylvie. "How long will you be staying? Or are you this human's nanny?"

  "Emily, thank you," Sylvie said to Emily one last time before waving goodbye to Lux and leaving.

  Though Lux disliked the tone and attitude of both Emily and Sabrina, Sylvie had been so kind to her lately that Lux felt too indebted to her to say anything back to the green-haired elf.

  "That rustic and dull elf, if she wasn't childhood friends with Captain Emily, how could a border guard like her ever get to meet Captain Emily?" the blonde elf, Sabrina, said angrily in the direction Sylvie had left. "Captain Emily, why did you agree to her request? How could such a lowly elf be worthy of your attention, especially to the point of you acting as a guarantor to command a human? By the Life God, Captain Emily, you're too concerned with these pointless personal favors."

  "Alright, Sabrina. I didn't directly agree to her request. And you, human, introduce yourself," Emily said to Lux.

  "My name is Lux. Nice to meet you, Captain Emily, and... I'm sorry, I forgot your name. But your outfit looks like prison garb. Are you fresh out of jail?" Lux replied to the two elves, seemingly very politely.

  "What did you say? You impudent human!" Sabrina said angrily, pointing at Lux and turning to Emily. "If this one causes any trouble later, it will negatively affect your evaluation, Captain Emily. Especially since the celebration is in three months, which is very important for your career."

  "I wouldn't directly make this human my assistant mercenary," Emily replied. "Especially not a human who only has magic power but doesn't know any magic—"

  "—or even any combat techniques," Emily added with a sarcastic expression, as if mocking Lux.

  "What? Only magic power?" Sabrina was taken aback, then started laughing at Lux. "Hahaha, human, how did you manage that? Did you find a magic training manual when you were a kid? That's too ridiculous, too funny."

  "So for a useless one like you, I demand that you master the techniques of magic emission and magic wrapping within one day. If you can't, then leave Radiant Glade," Emily said sternly and coldly.

  "One day?" Sabrina was surprised by this statement. Then she continued to mock Lux. "It only took Captain Emily one day to master magic emission and magic wrapping, but Captain Emily is the number one genius of the elves alive today, second only to the current Envoy! And what are you? You're just a destined loser."

  Then Sabrina waved her hand at Lux. "You'd better leave tonight, so we don't waste our time."

  "Take this paper. It has your lodging address and proof of identity. And be at the Green Training Field tomorrow morning before the sun is a quarter of the way up the sky. If you're late, you automatically fail," Emily said immediately after Sabrina's taunts, not even giving Lux a chance to speak. "If you don't understand the address, ask the Acriders standing on the street." With that, she immediately turned and left, and Sabrina glanced at Lux with schadenfreude before following Emily.

  Lux felt a bit speechless. She turned her head to look in the direction Sylvie had just left. She now deeply realized how special Sylvie was among elves.

  And Sylvie had been gone for less than ten minutes, and Lux already missed her—