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"Lord of Blizzards! What exactly do you intend to do? Did I not make it clear that your itinerary must entirely adhere to my arrangements? Your current actions are a blatant disregard for the entire Council of Elders and a direct provocation to the entire elven race!" Andofeya stood before the stained glass window of the "Hall of Autumn Leaves," her voice ringing out sharply. Though she struggled to maintain the grace so cherished by the high elves, facing this orc who had humiliated her before the Council and the entire elven community, she could not help but let her composure slip, her face contorting and her voice rising in pitch.

"Now, now, Elder Andofeya, calm down and mind your composure," Chen Xuanfeng said, wagging his finger, his disdain for the elder now evident. "I am not under your command, so refrain from addressing me in such a condescending manner. Let me be perfectly clear: my previous agreement to follow your arrangements was not out of any personal respect for you, but because you represented the voice of the elven realm. It was for that reason alone that I entrusted the itinerary to you. Yet, you have failed to uphold my trust. For far too long, you have made no reasonable arrangements. Surely, the Council of Elders, despite their meetings, can spare someone to meet with me? And an audience with the Queen is the most fundamental courtesy, yet you have repeatedly obstructed it. Your actions can only lead me to question either your intentions or your competence, at least one of which falls short of the standards expected of a receptionist. Thus, I have no choice but to take matters into my own hands to fulfill my duties as an envoy. Wouldn’t you agree?"

Andofeya had not anticipated Chen Xuanfeng’s resolve to sever ties so decisively. She hesitated briefly before retorting, "Don’t get too cocky. Do you truly believe there will be no consequences for trespassing into the sacred lands of the elves?"

"Hmph, trespassing? Hardly. I was escorted in by the 'Candidate King' of the high elves, who holds the 'Royal Artifact.' Is that not in accordance with the traditions of the elven race?" Chen Xuanfeng replied with a cold smirk.

"You... you’re spouting nonsense! A hybrid with tainted blood dares to call himself a 'Candidate King'? How absurd!" Andofeya shot back, her anger flaring. Unlike the "Arrow God" Kalinling, who had long been out of touch with intelligence, Andofeya was a powerful figure within the Council of Elders. Even before Chen Xuanfeng’s party had set foot on the island, the Council had already gathered information about them, particularly regarding the half-elven sisters Ye Ge and Xue Li, and their bloodline issues were no secret.

Yet, such questions did not faze Chen Xuanfeng. He set down his cup, rose abruptly, and fixed Andofeya with a cold stare. "Dear Elder, your words are quite perplexing. If you truly cannot recall, allow me to remind you. Four hundred years ago, when the gods cursed the half-elves, the nature goddess was among the primary forces. Do you recall the nature of their curse? 'All descendants of half-elven couples shall be pure-blooded, inheriting either the elven or the human bloodline.' This is a decree established by the nature goddess herself. In other words, Xue Li’s bloodline is as pure as yours. By publicly declaring that the descendants of half-elves are not pure-blooded, are you questioning the divine decree of Her Majesty the Goddess?"

"Ah—" Andofeya was momentarily silenced. The issue of half-elven bloodlines had long been a contentious topic among the high elves. However, their deep-seated hatred for the Twelve Sages, coupled with their racial superiority complex and obsession with purity, led most elves to instinctively reject them. Privately, the high elves tacitly treated half-elves and their descendants as outsiders, though such unspoken agreements could never be openly acknowledged.

While many elven philosophers had devised convoluted logic to justify the rejection of half-elves, bypassing the nature goddess’s curse, Andofeya was not foolish enough to invoke such arguments now. A seasoned debater in the Council of Elders, she knew that shifting the topic to explain herself would only undermine her position and make her appear desperate. At that point, it would no longer be her accusing the werewolf before her, but him denouncing her.

As her mind raced to regain the upper hand, she lost the chance to continue the conversation, for the true ruler of this place had arrived.

The current Queen of the High Elves—Li Ya. Lin. Jialai. Rolandia.

Though her political power had been largely stripped away, her public prestige, religious standing, military influence, and authority in the realm of magic ensured that none of the elders could afford to slight her. Thus, not only was Andofeya, who had hurriedly arrived, alone, but even if all twenty-four ruling elders were present, they would not dare to make a scene in the Queen’s presence and could only step aside respectfully.

Chen Xuanfeng turned to observe the Queen.

Legend held that the Queen of the High Elves possessed beauty second only to that of the nature goddess. Yet, Chen Xuanfeng could not confirm this, as her face was concealed behind a resplendent feathered mask, revealing only the graceful curve of her jaw, her cherry lips, and a pair of luminous, crystal-clear eyes.

That mask was the sole "Royal Artifact" held by the high elves—the "Rainbow Feather Mask."

A masterpiece so exquisite that it could render the colors of the world pale in comparison, and an epic treasure capable of bridging all elemental planes. In its presence, anyone would inevitably be captivated, their composure shattered. Compared to its magnificence, the Queen’s own beauty, her tall and slender figure, and her elegant and noble demeanor seemed almost secondary.

Chen Xuanfeng had to admit that, compared to the "Dream Star Crown" that Xue Li had barely managed to claim, the "Rainbow Feather Mask" truly embodied the grandeur of one of the "Three Royal Artifacts." It was not that the "Dream Star Crown" was inferior, but Xue Li’s power could only activate about forty percent of the magic arrays within it, diminishing its overall visual impact.

"Lord Xuanfeng, Miss Jin Luosha, Miss Li Jia, Miss Xue Li, Miss Ye Ge, my apologies for the long wait."

As if accustomed to the awe the "Rainbow Feather Mask" inspired, Queen Rolandia spoke with a gentle smile, seemingly oblivious to the stunned expressions around her. Her voice was soft and pure, effortlessly putting others at ease. Her tone was calm and friendly, devoid of the imposing air of a monarch, yet it naturally commanded respect. Without any overt displays of grandeur, she became the focal point, guiding the thoughts of all present to follow her rhythm.