Julius looked around the clearing, his lips curving faintly as he drank in the sight of the frightened elves.
They stood stiff, whispering in uneasy voices, eyes darting between him and Luca as though afraid even to breathe.
Luna and Lulu were the only ones who hadn't stepped away, though even they were frowning, unsure what to think.
'Checkmate.' Julius thought.
Everything had gone exactly as planned.
In only a few minutes, he had flipped the atmosphere entirely.
The elves who had once cheered for the 'Hero' were now pale and trembling, unable to meet Luca's eyes.
Fear, disgust, and confusion filled the air like smoke.
They wouldn't dare trust him now.
They would whisper behind his back, call him a monster, and shun him.
And that was precisely the plan.
Julius knew perfectly well that he could never defeat the hero in combat.
Luca was not like any being of this world.
He was summoned, blessed, absurdly powerful.
No sword or arrow could reach him.
