At that moment, inside the royal city, Xing En stood in a spacious hall with a woman facing him.
"I never expected you to come looking for me." Xing En smiled at the woman. "So, what is it you need?"
"I'd like to ask you for a favor," the woman said, looking at Xing En.
"Is there really something in this world that even you can't handle?" Xing En said. "If so, then our Elzeran Continent is about to fall."
"I know you're about to return to the underground world, so I can only reserve your time in advance. Put Alustriel's matter aside for now," the woman said with a smile.
"So you even know I'm investigating Alustriel's affairs." Xing En chuckled. "What do you want me to do, if you're reserving me in advance?"
"Just go to the pine forest three days from now." With that, the woman vanished before Xing En's eyes.
"She really is a woman who's hard to refuse." Xing En shook his head.
Uchiha Madara and Belaque had already packed up in Winterfort. When Madara opened the door, he found Carter Binda waiting outside.
"You're really slow." Carter Binda said to Madara, "The city lord, the city lord's aunt, and I have all been waiting for you. You're a grown man, yet it takes you this long to pack."
"I've been wondering about that too." Madara smiled at Carter Binda. "You seem unusually obsessed with celebrating."
"You don't understand Winterfort's situation." Carter Binda said with a smile. "The environment here is too cold, and we have to patrol every day. Celebrations are the only time the city lord cuts us some slack."
"And we get roasted meat and hot wine. Isn't that the happiest thing there is?" Carter Binda said with a grin.
"Your definition