Chapter 13: The Royal Palace Guards of Dual Martial Arts
Just after Airael left the Elven Royal City, the long-dormant war machine of the Elven Race finally roared back to life.
However, none of this concerned Airael any longer.
Besides, even if she wanted to participate, she had no idea what exactly to do.
Her current task was to fulfill the mission given to her by Linis—find the Treemen and persuade them to help the elves deal with the humans.
“Teacher Hela, can you tell me the story of the Treemen?”
After enjoying the surrounding scenery, Airael turned to Hela, who was riding a proud elven warhorse beside her.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I don’t know much about the Treemen,” Hela replied apologetically.
“Well, just tell me what you do know,” Airael urged with enthusiasm.
Knowing oneself and knowing the enemy leads to countless victories.
She thought this could help her accomplish her upcoming mission.
Her knowledge of the Treemen was limited to what had been taught in class.
In a limited classroom setting, teachers typically only skimmed the surface, focusing on the key points and glossing over the less important details.
While the Treemen were allies of the Elven Race, they had long been forgotten, merely mentioned in passing.
Hela, unable to refuse Airael’s request, began to explain about the Treemen as she remembered.
In Hela’s impression, the Treemen were guardians of nature.
They detested creatures that harmed the natural world.
Destroying nature, you say!
Airael’s lips curled into a smirk at the thought.
Indeed, one could argue that humans were prime examples of such destruction.
However, humans in this world shouldn’t be as overboard as in her past life.
After all, this was a world dominated by magic, and technology had yet to rise.
As Airael pondered these thoughts, the advancing party suddenly came to a halt.
They had encountered a pack of wolves.
The wolves sprang from the thickets and bushes on either side of the road, launching their surprise attack.
Their blood-red eyes shimmered with a savage glint.
“It’s a pack of Magic Wolves!” Hela exclaimed in shock.
“Quick, protect Your Majesty!”
There was no need for further orders; the Royal Palace Guards swiftly formed a spiky circle with their shields and spears, enveloping Airael and the others.
The first wave of the ten-odd Magic Wolves crashed straight into the shields wielded by the guards.
The tremendous force nearly sent the guards staggering backward, but thanks to their comrades at the rear, they managed to hold their ground.
Once stabilized, the Royal Palace Guards began to counterattack.
Their sharp spears thrust viciously towards the wolves’ midsections.
“Tofu-waisted, copper-headed, iron-tailed” perfectly described the wolves’ vulnerability.
Even as Magic Wolves, that flaw remained.
The trained guards targeted the wolves’ weak points directly.
The wolves, cunning as ever, quickly retreated after their initial ambush failed.
However, a few were slower to react and received painful stabs from the guards’ spears, leaving them with gaping wounds.
These injured wolves, filled with ferocity, prepared to fight back.
“Awrooo!”
A wolf howl echoed from the forest, reluctantly calling them back.
“It’s the leader wolf,” Hela said, her expression grave.
Actually, what worried her most during the journey was encountering such a pack of Magic Wolves.
As a collective, these cunning beasts were challenging to deal with.
Airael, however, was not too concerned.
Although she had initially been startled, the Royal Guards’ brave performance encouraged her.
She and the guards kept their eyes glued to the now calm woods and thickets on either side.
The pack wouldn’t simply let this go.
Suddenly, magical fluctuations rippled through the trees.
They were about to release magic!
At that moment, six-pointed star magic circles appeared underneath the feet of the Royal Palace Guards.
The colors of the magic circles varied, but each guard was surrounded by a white glow.
This white light swiftly coalesced into a protective white shield.
Seeing this spectacle, Airael felt a significant increase in her sense of safety.
It turned out these Royal Guards were not just warriors, but mages as well.
And whether as warriors or mages, they could work together seamlessly.
The howling winds slashed through the grasslands on either side, striking the white barrier that surrounded the guards.
Despite rippling upon impact, the barrier held firm.
This also revealed the silhouettes of the wolves lurking in the woods.
Seeing their impending defeat, the pack quickly retreated under their leader’s orders.
They moved with remarkable speed, vanishing in the blink of an eye.
Before departing, a few injured wolves howled bitterly at Airael and the others.
“What a sly pack of wolves!” Airael sighed as she observed the scene.
“Your Majesty, we must be cautious; this pack of Magic Wolves may return,” Hela warned.
Upon hearing this, Airael frowned slightly: “Can’t we find a way to eliminate them?”
“They’re too cunning; it’s challenging to get rid of them.”
Recalling the events of their previous skirmish, Airael found no rebuttal.
These Magic Wolves were indeed crafty, first ambushing when least expected, and upon failing, retreating to use magic.
If the magic attack also failed, they would simply withdraw.
Moreover, they were remarkably quick.
Yet, Airael soon pushed these thoughts aside.
Despite the wolves’ cunning, with the Royal Guards protecting her, she had no worries for her life.
Her priority now wasn’t to chase after that pack of Magic Wolves but to seek out the Treemen.
The group quickly resumed their journey.
Due to the earlier attack from the wolves, their pace had noticeably slowed.
They occasionally sent out scouts to investigate the situation ahead on the complicated path.
While this slowed their march, it ensured safety.
Therefore, for the sake of their lives, it was better to take it slow, especially in complex areas.
Soon, night fell.
Airael and her group had no choice but to camp outdoors.
During the setup, Airael merely observed.
Hela directed Celia and Aurora to erect a makeshift tent.
Meanwhile, the Royal Guards patrolled the vicinity, ensuring their safety.
“Your Majesty, you can hold up here for the night,” Hela said apologetically after they completed the tent.
“Teacher Hela, it’s fine! When Linis and I stayed in the wild before, we even lacked a proper tent,” Airael waved off her concern casually.
