Hanni let out a sigh of relief, then signaled for the Dark Elf ahead to lead the way. Charles asked Hattie to take the Dark Angels and go on ahead, while he and Nymeria went with Hanni to find her mother.
Just as Hanni said, it wasn't a long journey. Before long, they saw a striking sight—a mature Dark Elf woman, clad in magically shimmering, form-fitting studded leather armor. She radiated an air of strength, precision, and beauty. At her side stood twelve fully armed Dark Elf warriors, waiting quietly.
Compared to the slim, frail Hanni, her mother had a shapely figure—curves and a toned body that stood out, even if she couldn't quite compare to Hattie or Theresa. Among elves, though, Zora Harren's physique was certainly exceptional.
And her sculpted waist only added to her powerful presence. Even beneath leather armor, the sinuous curve of her waist, hips, and thighs hinted at the wild energy and charisma she contained.
This was, clearly, the Harren family's matriarch—Hanni's mother, Madam Zora Harren.
The moment Hanni caught sight of her, she broke into a run, flinging herself into her mother's arms, sobbing in Elvish, "Mom, I missed you so much…"
Zora Harren embraced Hanni, her expression easing as if a great weight was lifted. Then, narrowing her eyes, she gave Charles a searching, cautious look.
Charles, wary in turn, watched the group ahead. But then Hanni squeezed her mother's hand three times and traced a circle on her palm.
In response, Zora's whole expression changed. She turned a grateful, respectful smile to Charles and Nymeria, switching to flawless Common. "Thank you so much for your kindness. Hanni's an impulsive girl—I'm sure she caused plenty of trouble along the way!"
"The debt I owe for saving her is beyond words. As a small token of thanks, please, accept these gifts from our family."
With that, she pulled Hanni behind her, and unfastened a Bag of Holding from her hip, presenting it to Charles.
Charles narrowed his eyes slightly, chuckling to himself—he guessed Hanni had just given her mother a heads-up. Putting on a polite expression, he replied with a smile, "Really, it was our duty to help. You're too generous, there's no need for all this."
Zora's expression turned firm. "You must accept. Otherwise, all the surface races will keep thinking we Dark Elves are ungrateful and treacherous. If any of our kin get captured again, no one would bother to help."
Her righteous declaration caught Charles by surprise. He couldn't help but laugh softly and return, "I always thought the Dark Elves of Menzoberranzan were all like the ones you see in legends—exactly the typical stories. But meeting you… I see you're a true exception. Truly eye-opening."
Zora gave a bitter grin. "Even in Menzoberranzan, not all of us worship Lolth. Sometimes we just have no choice but to live that way."
"Who doesn't know that unity within and honesty without is the key for us long-lived elves to maintain reputation and trust? We all know it. We're just not allowed to do it."
Her words were marked by the resignation of someone trapped by circumstance. Charles watched her, smiling, but made no comment.
He knew, after all, that even in the games there were guideable Dark Elf girls. Whether Zora was telling the truth or lying, however, he couldn't be sure.
Especially since Hanni had acted like the model daughter in front of her mother… yet behind the scenes, she was plotting, always scheming over Menzoberranzan's power struggles and dreaming of outwitting the Baenre family.
With that in mind, Charles stopped being polite and accepted the Bag of Holding, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then took Nymeria with him, saying his farewells.
Nymeria still looked a bit reluctant, waving goodbye to Hanni until she finally disappeared, then turned away with a hint of sadness. "Sigh. There really are some good people among the Dark Elves. Honestly, Priest, I never imagined I'd make a Dark Elf friend."
"I wonder how long it'll be before we meet again…"
She lingered in her melancholy, but Charles glanced at her, thinking, That's only because you and I are strong enough not to see those people's real faces.
Still, he didn't shatter the girl's fond impressions of Hanni. Thinking for a bit, he said, "Actually, I think there's a good chance we'll see them again soon."
Nymeria blinked, "Huh? Why? Priest, are you planning to do business in the Underdark?"
"Not quite." Charles glanced over his shoulder. "It's just, well, Liberl Port is the economic center of the world, after all…"
"So I figure her and her mother will probably seek us out again sooner or later."
As he said this, Charles shook his head and smiled. "Of course, elves have a different sense of time than we humans do—so who knows how long 'soon' really means."
"Anyway, don't dwell on it. Let's head back. Once we're on the surface, I'll treat you to roast wild boar."
Nymeria's eyes lit up, and she grabbed his arm, her earlier sadness forgotten. "Yeah, yeah! Thanks, Priest! Gosh, I've been dying for that—eating Goodberries every day on the ship, my taste buds have gone numb…"
The two of them wandered off together, while behind them, the Harren mother and daughter were still watching Charles and Nymeria as they left. Only after they were sure Charles and Nymeria were out of earshot did Zora Harren take Hanni back to their secret room, her expression equal parts anxious and stern. "Hanni, just who was that man back there? Why did you give him so much?"
Earlier, Hanni had signaled with her hand—three squeezes for the highest priority, a circle for a gratitude gift. If she'd traced a straight line, Zora would have attacked on the spot.
But this time, Hanni drew a circle, so Zora handed over her highest-value gifts—a rare Purple Worm egg, and a stash of the family's refined Purple Worm venom. All were items of almost immeasurable worth.
Of course, handing over so much in one go gave Zora quite a pang. So, once Charles was gone, she couldn't help but press her daughter: Who was that man, really?
Facing her mother's stern, bewildered gaze, Hanni's throat worked. At last, she sighed. "Mom… does our surface network really amount to nothing? You mean you seriously don't recognize him?"
Zora, hearing this, wore an awkward look. "Well… things really haven't been running smoothly lately. We're trying to build new channels, but it's all still touch-and-go… Just tell me straight, who is he, anyway?"
Hanni put a hand to her forehead. "Ah… whatever. We'll figure it out later. That man you just met is the hero from Liberl Port who banished the Abyssal Lord Montport—Nigel Charles."
"I saw his combat skills with my own eyes—honestly, I'd estimate he alone could wipe us all out. So we need to be friendly, Mom. Whatever you do, never, ever get on his bad side!"
Zora's expression went a bit blank, as if digging through her memory. Hanni, exasperated, added, "Mom, don't tell me you seriously don't know about Liberl Port?"
Zora quickly shook her head in denial. "No, I know Liberl Port, of course. But, uh… who's Montport?"
Hanni covered her face. "Ah, Mom, can you please use your brain, and not just your… chest? Ugh, whatever, just remember he's way out of our league, and we can't afford to cross him."
"And for the record… I think I left a really good impression. If that little lamb ends up crawling into his bed someday—cough, well, anyway, I think he's a solid connection for us. Don't be stingy, Mom, that investment was worth every coin."
Zora's expression turned grave. "Understood!"
With that, she no longer dwelled on the gifts, and turned instead to business. "So? Is everything going smoothly? Did the Baenre family really do as you foresaw—defying the Spider Queen herself?"
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