Aeldara composed herself, carefully choosing her words before continuing:
"Upon discovering the Magic Tome was missing, Her Majesty the Queen immediately dispatched envoys."
"She approached the Human Royal Family with a gentle and private request for its return, promising to offer a certain... compensation in exchange."
"Then why didn't the Human King return it?" Lin Xiyue finally couldn't contain herself, peeking her small head out from behind her sister and voicing the question on everyone's mind.
Aeldara's gaze swept over her, her crimson eyes now brimming with an unprecedented complexity of emotions.
"Because the Human King had also read the tome."
"And then?" Lin Xiyue pressed.
"He vehemently denounced our race for attempting to sully the reputation of his ancestors through 'despicable forgeries.'"
"He further declared that we intended to use this to blackmail him and interfere in the Human Kingdom's internal affairs."
Aeldara's tone remained utterly detached, as if recounting a historical event that had nothing to do with her personally.
"Therefore, they refused to return the Magic Tome, using it as a pretext to launch a full-scale war, declaring they were 'defending human dignity.'"
She paused, then added, "At the same time, His Majesty the King seems deeply troubled and enraged by the... generational relationships revealed in the images."
Lin Qingyue held back for as long as she could, but finally, she couldn't contain it any longer.
Pfft.
The corners of her mouth twitched uncontrollably upward, nearly erupting into laughter.
This is some epic-level family drama bullshit!
Translation: "My ancestor banged your queen? According to this family tree, I have to call you Great-Grandmother? Bullshit! This damn album is clearly fabricated by you elves! You scheming bastards!"
"So," Lin Qingyue forced herself to calm down, trying to unravel this tangled mess, "the situation now is that the Elf Queen wants to discreetly retrieve her 'Youth Album'."
"But the Human King refuses to acknowledge its existence and insists you're insulting his ancestors, while simultaneously panicking over suddenly being demoted N generations in the family tree?"
"And that's how both sides have reached this stalemate?"
Aeldara nodded slightly.
"Essentially, yes."
"Her Majesty the Queen does not deny that past incident. It is simply a chapter in her long life. However, she wishes to resolve this matter with minimal bloodshed, not escalate it into war."
Lin Qingyue felt a surge of solemn respect.
Wow!
Her Majesty not only had a wild youth, but she's still willing to take responsibility now!
Respect!
"The Human King's reaction... has been excessively volatile and irrational," Su Wan finally found her voice, though it sounded a bit dry.
"So, your massive army pressing at our borders is actually to... exert pressure, forcing the Human King to return the Magic Tome?"
"To demonstrate our resolve, not to wage war," Aeldara corrected.
"The Silent Watch's mission is to ensure Her Majesty the Queen's will is conveyed and to eliminate any... disruptive factors that might lead to unnecessary bloodshed."
Her gaze swept pointedly over the wreckage of undead creatures scattered across the canyon floor.
"Such as these scum attempting to profit from the chaos or exploit the tension for their own vile purposes."
Lin Qingyue stroked her chin, her mind finally crystal clear.
On the Elven side, they didn't want a war; they just wanted to scare the humans into returning their embarrassing "black history."
The humans, on the other hand, didn't dare to fight, but for the sake of their pride and seniority, they stubbornly refused to back down.
One side pretended to be about to flip the table, while the other pretended not to fear having the table flipped.
And so they remained locked in this awkward stalemate.
Meanwhile, the undead and other such entities sought to exploit the border chaos and mutual standoff to their own advantage.
Lin Qingyue exchanged a glance with Su Wan, instantly reaching a silent consensus.
They hadn't come here to babysit the Human King and fight in this "battle to protect the family tree."
What business was it of hers, an Earthling, that the ancestors of the Human King of the Dungeon World had once had an affair with the Elf Queen?
She didn't even know what the King looked like.
Finding the Dungeon Core and purifying the "Shattered Alliance" Dungeon remained their top priority.
Getting dragged into this "international dispute sparked by ancestral scandals" was simply a waste of time.
Suppressing a strong urge to laugh, Lin Qingyue adopted a serious expression and addressed Aeldara:
"I understand. Thank you for sharing this confidential information. We have no intention of interfering in your internal affairs."
Seriously, whoever wants to meddle can meddle. I just want to find the Dungeon Core, purify it, and go home.
Aeldara seemed pleased by Lin Qingyue's tact, her oppressive aura softening slightly.
"However," Lin Qingyue's tone shifted, her gaze burning with sincerity as she met Aeldara's eyes. "Since we've been inadvertently drawn into this conflict, remaining neutral may no longer be an option. Perhaps, as outsiders with no ties to either side, we could offer some modest assistance."
"What do you mean?" Aeldara's crimson eyes narrowed slightly, as if re-evaluating the human before her.
"We wish to meet the Elf Queen," Lin Qingyue stated firmly, her eyes locked on Aeldara's ruby-like gaze. "We have a matter of utmost importance that must be confirmed with her personally."
Aeldara fell silent.
The wind stirred again in the canyon, rustling through the tips of her silver hair.
"Very well," she finally agreed, gracefully and swiftly mounting her Skeletal Warhorse.
The warhorse let out a low, guttural neigh as it turned.
"Follow me," her icy voice carried from the saddle. "I will take you to the nearest Elven Outpost. Whether you will be granted an audience with Her Majesty the Queen depends on her will and the weight of your claims."
Lin Qingyue secretly exhaled in relief, glancing back at the caravan. The Burly Captain and his men were still reeling from the shock of the revelation, their faces frozen in stunned disbelief.
Lin Qingyue clasped her hands in a formal farewell to the caravan. "Gentlemen, may you journey safely on your remaining path. Our paths diverge here."
With that, she beckoned her sister and teammates to join her, and they fell into step behind the silent Death Knight squad.
The rhythmic clatter of the Skeletal Warhorses' iron hooves echoed crisply across the canyon, now heading toward the Elven Controlled Area at the other end of the ravine.
Su Wan hurried to Lin Qingyue's side, lowering her voice: "Do you think the Elf Queen might be connected to the Dungeon Core?"
"I'm not sure," Lin Qingyue replied, shaking her head, her gaze fixed on the tall, silver-clad figure striding ahead.
"But she's one of the key figures in the Shattered Alliance and the supreme leader of the Elven side. She's our best chance of finding clues about the true nature of this Dungeon."
Xia Lian hurried to catch up, her voice trembling with barely concealed anxiety. "Sister Qingyue, are we really going to Elven territory? Won't it be dangerous?"
Lin Qingyue watched Aeldara's retreating back and smiled.
"Of course there will be danger."
"But compared to staying with the humans and being inexplicably dragged into a war sparked by some ridiculous 'ancestral romance movie'..."
She paused, her tone turning remarkably casual.
"I'd much rather see for myself what kind of legendary figure this Elf Queen—the one who 'had quite a wild youth'—truly is."
Lin Xiyue nodded vigorously, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Sis, do you think we might get a chance to see that Magic Tome?"
Lin Qingyue: "..."
Su Wan: "..."
Xia Lian's cheeks flushed crimson as she gently tugged at the hem of Lin Xiyue's robe, signaling her to lower her voice.
Aeldara, leading the group in heavy armor, seemed to stiffen almost imperceptibly.
[Ding! Host has successfully guided the party toward a more amusing route with a higher chance of reaching the Core, while also developing an inappropriate curiosity about "The Elf Queen's Youth Album"! Elation Value +233!]
Lin Qingyue gazed heavenward, feeling utterly drained.
From its very foundation, not a single corner of this Dungeon possessed any semblance of propriety.
Fine.
Since chaos reigned, why not amplify it?
Let's go meet this "Great-Grandmother" who drives the current Human King into a maddened rage. Who knows? Maybe the Elation Value will surge again!