Chapter 202 Threat
"The elves are making some unusual movements in several small towns outside the forest."

The negotiations between Moralich and the elves ended in a bad mood. Even with Lannia's order, he could not accept being threatened by the elves and had to cede the land belonging to humans to the aliens.

Then soon, the elves took action.

"Those towns closed their doors to external trade at the same time, and all merchants from inside and outside the town were expelled."

The elves no longer sold goods to the outside world, and this alone would reduce a large part of the principality's tax revenue. All caravans passing through the principality's territory and heading to the elf towns had to pay a large amount of special elf tax.

"Also, the surveillance team outside confirmed that the number of elves in the town is increasing rapidly, and they are fully armed."

The elves' threats were not just verbal; they were truly prepared to resort to force.

Although the elves have been hiding in their forests for many years, some fragments about them can still be found in historical records. At least in the records of the Undead Dynasty that have been preserved in human history, there are plans among the Undead to enslave the elves on a large scale.

However, the final result was that the Undead rolled out of the forest in disgrace, and the two sides finally signed a ceasefire agreement, and the Undead were essentially defeated.

"According to Viscount Duke's perception, the weakest of those elves has a strength of more than level eight."

Viscount Duke is the most recently canonized nobleman in Lannia. As a level 10 warrior, if it weren't for his status as a foreigner and his lack of experience, he should have been canonized as an earl.

Everyone knew that as soon as new unowned territory appeared, he would become a new earl.

"Since Viscount Duke said so, then that's probably the case."

Morari looked out the window and saw the bells of the cathedral in the distance ringing. The sunrise prayers had ended and the bells were urging the believers to return to their work.

The elves' envoys now live in the church.

Morari was also deeply impressed by the strength of those envoys. The weakest elf among them, who seemed to be less than an adult, had a strength of about level seven.

"If the elves in the town attack, how long can they hold out?"

"According to Viscount Duke, they can only hold out for three days at most."

In the human army, the vast majority of soldiers are just ordinary people who have been trained. With one or two levels of strength, they can become grassroots non-commissioned officers. When facing those powerful races, the human army can only win through heavy weapons, discipline, and most importantly, numbers.

Individual strength has never been humanity’s advantage.

"In three days, you lost an entire viscount territory?"

The adjutant shook his head.

"No, what Viscount Duke meant was that it was not his fault, but the entire defense line surrounding the elves' forest could only last for three days."

Morari fell silent, thinking, and after a long while, he spoke again.

"How many troops have the elves assembled?"

Since Moralich took office, the Principality has been building a line of defense against the elves. The elves are undoubtedly an unstable factor. Although they rarely leave the forest, due to their unclear relationship with the believers of the God of Nature in the Principality and their funding for the resistance, Moralich has always been very wary of this ancient and mysterious race.

These lines of defense were built just in case. When the elves were plotting something bad, they would delay the speed of their vanguard troops and give the principality enough time to take the next countermeasure according to the strength of the elves.

It just seems that this defense line is not enough to play the role that Morarich expects.

"About four thousand."

An army composed of 4,000 warriors of at least rank eight strength, this force would be difficult for the Principality to resist even with heavy weapons, discipline, and numbers.

There was a knock on the door to the command room.

"My lord, High Priest Laming is waiting for you outside." Morarichi looked at the sky outside. The sound of the bells was still echoing in the air. Laming must have just finished his sunrise prayer and rushed over.

"I spent a long time alone with the elves yesterday."

In the reception room, Laming spoke directly as soon as he sat down.

"Elves are not particularly good at speaking, and we have some small misunderstandings in terms of expression."

Morari also sat down without saying a word, waiting for Laming's next words.

"They don't have any desire to split the principality, or any need for territory. All they really need is a piece of land to spread the faith of the God of Nature."

Moralich shook his head.

"What's the difference between believing in the God of Nature and escaping from human control?"

The god of nature has always been an alien god. The most fanatical believers would go on a "pilgrimage" to the forest of elves, letting the roots and thorns of the forest trees pierce their bodies, allowing themselves to become part of nature.

"The elves don't want to see such fanatics, so faith also needs guidance."

Leiming seemed to have thought of something, shook his head and continued.

"Of course, these arguments are weak."

Laming produced a document.

"The elves have made significant concessions. This is the new clause. In order to avoid new misunderstandings in words, they have entrusted me as their plenipotentiary representative."

Morari picked up the elves' new terms and conditions and quickly scanned the contents.

"The areas where the faith in the God of Nature is spread will be managed by humans. The person can be appointed by the Principality, as long as he is a clergyman of the God of Nature. The Principality enjoys all sovereignty over that area."

"The elves have no right to interfere in management, they can only carry out missionary activities."

"Administration of the elven towns outside the forest will be returned to the principality. The elves retain the right to trade in the towns."

This clause was not unacceptable. The elves offered a very tempting condition. If the principality could take over those elven towns, the related taxes would greatly fill the principality's treasury.

"If an agreement can be reached, the Church is also willing to compensate the Principality."

"What kind of private agreement did the church reach with the elves?"

Morarich's question made Laming stop talking.

"The church needs the elves to help solve some problems."

Morarichi understood the situation before him. It seemed that both the elves and the church had goals that they had to achieve. If the principality tried to stop them, although it would increase the cost for them to achieve their goals, it would not shake their determination to achieve their goals.

"Are they the Skitarii outside the forest?"

Moralichi could certainly see what the church was doing, and he had also read the recent casualty estimate report of the Crusaders.

"grown ups."

A guard hurried into the command room and went straight to Moralich.

"There is a situation."

(End of this chapter)