Secrets

Three carriages were parked outside the inn, a group of Elven Guard were waiting on horseback, and a group of silver moon Elf Archer stood on the outermost edge.

There were many elves watching the spectacle around them, all pointing and whispering about Roy and his companions, though no one knew what they were saying.

The instructors boarded a carriage, Elven Guard stood outside the carriage and closed the door.

A squad of Elven Guard led the procession, with Elf Archer flanking the three carriages.

The instructors' faces all turned very grim, especially Instructor Virgil, who sat in the carriage and asked nervously:

"Instructor Nora, what exactly is going on? Didn't we help them destroy a Slave Traders's hideout? Now how come we're being accused of trespassing into Apple Orchard and arresting Apple Orchard without permission? Isn't Jones Slave Traders?"

Instructor Nora lowered her head, looking extremely frustrated, and said, "It seems we've fallen into someone's trap. These Elven Guard are colluding with Jones to trick us."

Instructor Eleanor sat down next to Instructor Nora, glanced at the rear window of the carriage, and said, "Now these Elven Guard have even brought in officials from the inquisition, trying to take us to the scene at the Apple Orchard and convict us."

When Instructor Virgil heard Instructor Eleanor say this, he became somewhat anxious and whispered:

"Then why should we go with them?"

"A whole squad of Elven Guard is waiting outside the inn, and there's a regiment of archers outside too. Where can we run to?" Instructor Eleanor asked in a low voice. "Besides, how will we know who has such power to get the Elven Guard of Padesto City and the Slave Traders to collude if we don't go to the scene?"

"But what should we do next?" Instructor Virgil complained in a low voice.

Instructor Eleanor said nonchalantly, "You're Silver Moon Elf, what's there to worry about? I reckon what they're hoping for right now is for us to resist so they can arrest us on the grounds of resisting arrest."

Instructor Gru muttered to himself, "I now wish the Elder Council of Padesto City would know about this."

"It looks like those court officials are also on the carriage behind," Instructor Nora said, her face growing even more somber.

"We really shouldn't have trusted those Elven Guard..."

Instructor Virgil said with great frustration.

The group quickly left the city and arrived at the Apple Orchard, where the wooden house by the river still bore the marks of the fight from the previous night.

The only difference was that the entrance was hidden in the basement behind the stairwell. The basement, which was originally filled with stinking iron cages, was the evidence of their slave trade.

But now...

Overnight, the prison-like basement miraculously transformed into a wine cellar, a cellar filled with oak barrels of Apple Wine.

There wasn't even a trace of odor inside; all that could be smelled was a faint aroma of wine.

Even the walls were different from last night; some black pebbles were neatly arranged together, and the gaps were filled with mortar.

The bodies of the five Slave Traders were still lying in the living room, but they were no longer wrapped in blankets. Their leather armor and swords had disappeared, and they were only wearing thin linen clothes. These dead Slave Traders had transformed into farmers in the Apple Orchard.

After the Elven Guard led all members of the Adventure Group into the cabin, the three officials of the court also entered the dilapidated cabin, surrounded by the Elven Guard.

Instructor Nora's face turned grim, and the other instructors were also dumbfounded. They had originally thought that even if the Slave Traders cleaned up once they arrived at the scene, the basement would not be able to be completely cleaned up, and some clues would always be left behind!

They also plan to search for any escaped Half-Elf around the Apple Orchard.

When everyone arrived at the Apple Orchard, they discovered that... clearly, none of this could be done.

The three court officials walked around the Riverside Cabin, looking at Instructor Nora with questioning eyes.

They wore the judges' uniforms of the courthouse, with the emblem of the Elder Council on their chests, scrutinizing each member of the Adventure Group.

An elven Guard Captain stood before Instructor Nora, his face stern, and said to her:

"We now suspect that you have murdered five farmers in the Apple Orchard without cause, so... please come with us back to the Guard Squad for questioning."

Instructor Eleanor stepped forward. Silver Moon Elf, she calmly stood in front of Instructor Nora, took out her Elf Academy badge, pinned it to her chest, and said to the elven Guard Captain:

"We are instructors at the Castleton Elf Academy and have the right to refuse any unfair investigation by the Padesto Guard Squad."

Yesterday we handed over two Slave Traders to you, one is this Mr. Jones, and the other is the human magician Benjamin from the Golden Tangerine. Now... please return this Benjamin the Mage to us, as we are preparing to return to Castleton.

Where is the Benjamin the Mage now?

He'll be facing trial before the Castleton Elder Council; shouldn't he still be in the Guard Post?

After speaking, Instructor Eleanor looked sharply at the elven Guard Captain.

The elven Guard Captain was a bit confused. After the other party revealed his identity, he didn't know what to do for a moment.

In the Elven Kingdom Elf Academy are considered a special class with a certain social status.

The elven Guard Captain could only grit his teeth and say, "In fact... we have no evidence to suggest that this Benjamin the Mage, is a Slave Traders, so we have already released him without charge."

Seeing that the Guard Captain had lost his previous aggressive demeanor, Instructor Eleanor glanced at the three inquisition officials, then fixed her gaze on the Guard Captain, continuing relentlessly:

"In Castleton City, the wanted poster for this Benjamin the Mage was practically plastered on the bulletin board outside every Guard Squad. As the Elven Guard of Padesto City, how could you release him without conducting an investigation?"

At this moment, Instructor Virgil stepped out from behind, patted Elinore on the shoulder, and said, "Alright, Elinore, let's go."

As the two instructors turned to leave the cabin, a group of Elven Guard outside immediately surrounded them, pointing their longswords at Instructor Virgil and Instructor Eleanor.

The Elf Archer around them also raised their longbows, nocked an arrow, but did not draw them.

The scene suddenly became tense...

Roy even saw Instructor Nora secretly giving him, Sabrina, and Miss Christine the signal to prepare for their breakout.

But just then, Miss Christine stepped out from behind Instructor Nora.

She adopted an extremely haughty posture, glanced at the officials of the inquisition inside the wooden hut, then walked up to the Elven Guard, pinned a silver moon Elven Nobles's badge to her chest, and said expressionlessly to the Elven Guard before her:

"I am Christine Swynborne. You are now... pointing your weapons at a member of the Swynborne Family. Are you sure you want to do this?"

Her voice was calm and gentle, but it caused the three court officials behind her to change their expressions drastically.

A court official rushed out, glanced at the silver badge on Christine's chest, and immediately called out:

"Put down your weapons! All of you, put down your weapons! This is a young lady from the Swynborne Family, put down your weapons now..."

As expected, the Elven Guard all laid down their weapons, and the Elf Archer around them also took the opportunity to put down their longbows.

Miss Christine then turned to Instructor Nora and respectfully asked, "Instructor Nora, shall we leave here?"

Instructor Nora looked up, composed herself, and said to the Adventure Group, "Let's go back to Castleton..."

They boarded the same carriage they had come in and then left the Apple Orchard.

An unusual silence fell over the Apple Orchard.

The court official walked alone into the depths of the Apple Orchard with a cold face, and expressionlessly boarded the carriage parked under the apple trees.

Lord Alvis sat in his carriage, coldly staring at the Deputy Inquisitor of the court before him, and said in a chilling voice, "Didn't we agree that after bringing them here, the Elven Guard would take them all into custody? Lord Raphael, why did you let them go?"

His words were full of skepticism.

Vice Inquisitor Raphael let out a dry chuckle, then his smiling face instantly turned cold as he said to Alvis:

"Alvis, I promised you that within my authority I could turn a blind eye and let you do whatever you wanted in Padesto City, but that doesn't mean you can provoke the Elven Nobles of the Elf Continent! I hope you can handle all the trouble your people have caused properly before the Investigation Team sent from above arrives in Padesto, and don't let the elves on the Investigation Team catch you doing anything wrong."

Alvis was somewhat surprised. "I've offended Elven Nobles? Aren't they a group of instructors from the Elf Academy?"

Vice Inquisitor Raphael coughed again, as if he coughed every time he spoke.

"Among them is a young Silver Moon Elf, a young lady from the Swynborne Family. I think you should know that the Swynborne Family currently controls at least three Silver Pegasus Legions. I also believe you wouldn't want those Silver Pegasus Warrior to conduct military exercises in the Pattington Plane ..." said Vice Inquisitor Raphael.

Alvis, still somewhat unconvinced, said, "We should have kept them all here!"

Vice Inquisitor Raphael coughed violently a few more times, took out a handkerchief to wipe his purple lips, and snorted before speaking:

"Don't dream. Guard Squad Elven Guard and your archers can't hold these instructors back. If even one of them manages to escape, we'll all be implicated. If the Seventeenth Army's Silver Pegasus Legion enters Pattington Plane, none of us will escape unscathed."

Alvis stared intently at Vice Inquisitor Raphael's face and said:

"So you let them go and left me to clean up this mess?"

Vice Inquisitor Raphael chuckled twice more and said:

"This is a mess you created. Clean it up quickly and don't cause us any unnecessary trouble. Padesto City can't withstand any major upheavals..."

Alvis rubbed his face with a hint of helplessness, his voice softening slightly. "I know, this is such a hassle."