It was because Hill saw the hard days ahead for the Elves that he decided to set out on his travels early.
Everyone knew he had bought up vast quantities of supplies, but Hill had no reason to shoulder the pressure humanity was putting on the Elves of Evermeet.
This was different from what had happened before. It would not threaten the survival of the Elves as a whole, nor were humans attacking them directly. Whether they succeeded or failed, their lives were not at stake.
Humans were not fools. Corellon, who was still on Faerûn, might not care if they pressured the Elves trying to found a kingdom, but he would never stand by and watch them die.
If they could use a hard blade, why go to the trouble of using a soft one?
As long as Hill was away, no Elf could threaten Lynn into betraying Hill's interests right in front of Corellon.
If Hill stayed, on the other hand, Lynn would face enormous pressure.
Someone would inevitably try to persuade Lynn to discuss the Elves' future with Hill, hoping Hill would make the sacrifices expected of him for their survival.
Hill was not imagining things. Among humans and Elves alike, there was no shortage of people eager to be generous with someone else's resources.
Even if Hill refused, they would brand him as someone who cared nothing for the Elves' future.
Hill had always hated trouble, and he was not foolish enough to make himself part of Toril.
But he understood Lynn's unease. His friend had only just realized how much power he held. The futures of Elves who had once looked down on him now lay in his hands.
Even the so-called great nobles of Evermeet had to swallow their pride and live under Lynn's