Audit

"Name?"

Joshua sat behind the long table, resting his chin on one hand as he looked at the High Elf girl before him. Like the other High Elves, she was extremely nervous in the presence of Joshua, an "outsider."

"Wen Naen," she said softly.

"I remember you vaguely. I think you were among the first batch of elves I captured."

"Yes..."

Joshua's words embarrassed her so much that she wanted to cover her ears and hide somewhere. But Elder Queitoan's instructions had made them understand just how perilous Aserkelo's situation was, and the person before her had already proven through Arl that he possessed the ability to save Aserkelo.

"All right, using Arl as an example, what strengths do you have that are better than hers?"

Joshua pointed with the pen in his hand at Arl, who was seated some distance away. He had deliberately not told Arl that "bad people were going to tear down her home," allowing her to remain in her best state before the audience.

"Compared with Arl..."

Wen Naen thought for a while. Arl's strength and magical talent were famously exceptional among the younger High Elves, but she had plenty of flaws as well...

"I'm better than Arl at caring for plants. The last time we went to the orchard, Arl damaged quite a few saplings. It took me a long time to save them," Wen Naen said, with a trace of resentment in her voice. "And archery... Last time Arl used a bow, she shot up the clothes I'd hung out to dry!"

"What is your relationship with Arl?"

"Arl lives next door to me... and also..."

The moment Wen Naen brought up these little incidents, she immediately slipped into complaint mode. Joshua felt as if he were talking to an old woman in