How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

“Rough night, everyone?” Seeing that the elf guards downstairs had stood watch over him all night, Vinny even gave them a wave and joked, “I slept great, so thanks for your dedication.”

The elf soldiers stood there with cold expressions, weapons in hand. Hearing him, they gave no reply, and their faces did not change in the slightest.

Yawning, Vinny got dressed, made sure he had everything with him, picked up his luggage, and headed downstairs.

“Good morning, honored sir. Please come this way for breakfast.” The Golden Elf girl at the front desk gave a slight bow, one hand resting over her chest, then indicated the direction for him.

There was something meaningful in the way she looked at him, as if she wanted to say something but could not, not with others present.

“A pleasure to meet you, Lord Vinny.” Just as Vinny stepped into the hall, a Golden Elf soldier in crystal armor walked up to him. He looked Vinny over, courteous but carrying a chill that kept others at a distance. “By order of the elders, we have come to escort you. We are the Sacred Tree guards assigned to ensure your safety.”

“Oh, I see.” Vinny put on an exaggerated look of realization. “So even in the Golden Elves’ holy land, public safety is still impossible to fully guarantee.”

He sounded as though he were making a casual observation, but in truth he was mocking the excuse. Saying they had sent guards to protect him from harm in the elves’ sacred capital either meant the capital had bad security, or it was a very direct way of telling him they were here to watch him and make sure he did not run.

Honestly, where exactly was he supposed to run?

Ever since entering elf lands, escape had already stopped being a real option. It was hard enough getting in; getting out was probably even harder. Entry and exit both required a golden leaf. The elves could confiscate his at any moment. If they took it away, leaving would be nothing more than a dream.

But Vinny was curious too.

Why were the elves going to such lengths?

What exactly did they want by luring him into elf lands?

And was any of this connected to the elf queen’s inexplicable hatred for Vinny in the previous story?

“Please do not fall behind.” The Golden Elf soldier ignored the barb in Vinny’s words. As one of the elite armed forces of elf lands, his only concern was carrying out the mission given to him from above.

“Captain, there’s no need to rush, is there? At the very least, it wouldn’t hurt to let this gentleman finish breakfast first.” The Golden Elf girl at the front desk could not help speaking up.

“You haven’t had breakfast yet?” the Golden Elf soldier asked, glancing at her.

“Do I look like someone who’s already had breakfast?” Vinny shot back with a strange look. He had only just come downstairs after getting dressed. It was not as though they had failed to see that, yet they were still asking whether he had eaten.

“My apologies. I was being hasty. Please, go ahead.” The soldier moved to the doorway and stood there waiting calmly.

“This way, sir.”

“Alright. Thank you.” Vinny nodded politely to the Golden Elf girl.

It was rare enough to meet an elf in elf lands who treated him this kindly. No matter how unwilling he usually was to eat elf food, this time he had to.

Perhaps because this was the sacred capital, the local elves cared about more than just how the food looked. They apparently cared about flavor too. To his surprise, it actually tasted fairly good.

“Good luck, sir,” the Golden Elf girl said to him after the meal while she cleared away the dishes.

“I’ll take that blessing.” Vinny nodded to her, then rose to leave.

“Are you finished eating?” As soon as Vinny stepped out of the dining room, the Golden Elf guard came up to him with the distinct air of someone who had been impatiently waiting.

“Yeah, I’m done. Sorry to trouble you all to lead the way,” Vinny said.

“Please follow us.”

The Golden Elf guard gave him a nod, stepped out of the hall, and signaled to the subordinates outside.

The Golden Elf guards immediately understood. They formed up in an orderly line and enclosed Vinny in the middle.

They called it escorting him, but Vinny could not shake the feeling that he was a prisoner being marched to the execution grounds. It was a very strange sensation.

By daylight, the City of the Golden Tree felt warm and magnificent, carrying a completely different kind of beauty from the one it had at night.

But Vinny was in no mood to appreciate it now.

He noticed they were heading toward the Sacred Tree.

They were getting closer and closer to it.

Escorted by the elf guards, they arrived before a long hall enclosed by an exquisite deep-violet railing. Green thorn-vines climbed the fence, their spiked branches drooping down like an emerald barrier.

As soon as they reached the place, the elf soldiers split into two ranks by the main gate. The Golden Elf captain went forward alone to open it. He stopped before the gate, took out a golden leaf from his pocket, and held it up. The instant the gate lock sensed the golden leaf, magic patterns appeared across it, spreading over the whole gate in a web-like lattice. A moment later, accompanied by the groan of turning hinges, the garden gate opened.

Vinny stepped into the garden.

“Honored guest, please come with us. The elder has been waiting for you for some time.”

Vinny followed behind the captain, looking around at this palace-like complex full of flowers. They walked along a small path in the middle of a sea of blossoms while petals drifted toward them on the wind.

After passing several flower gardens, the splendid Sacred Tree palace finally came into view.

Behind it was a massive waterfall that poured down along the roots of the Sacred Tree.

This was the place closest to the Sacred Tree itself. The entire palace had been built around it. The upper portion of the palace was even constructed directly upon the tree, and the queen’s bedchamber was at the very top, on those branches that vanished into the clouds.

Vinny could not even see that high.

From a vantage point like that, with elven eyesight, the entire holy city could probably be taken in at a glance.

Led by the elf guards, Vinny arrived before this palace, built with deep-blue energy crystals as ornament and foundation, and the Golden Sacred Tree as its frame. Backed by mountain and water, fused into the Sacred Tree itself, it perfectly combined nature’s impossible craftsmanship with the supreme refinement of skilled hands.

CLACK, CLACK.

As they reached the great hall, the doors let out the sound of turning hinges. The door panels, painted in blue crystal with the image of a deep-blue giant butterfly, slowly opened.

“Please, my lord.” The elf soldiers stepped to either side and said no more.

Vinny took in the whole scene within the hall, drew a breath, and walked in.

Inside, the energy crystals lining both sides illuminated the chamber brilliantly, while the golden wood of the Sacred Tree shone with dazzling radiance beneath their light.

How to put it?

It was so gorgeous it resembled a concert hall—lavish, yet at the same time carrying a flawless and distinctive sense of artistry.

On the platform of the second floor, a golden figure sat on a velvet couch.

She seemed to have been waiting there for quite a while.

Vinny knew that person.

It was Ronilei.

Ronilei noticed him, then pointed toward where she sat, signaling for him to come up.

Vinny saw the staircase leading to the second floor, carpeted in gold-trimmed velvet, and started up.

The hall was enormous, so it took him some time to reach the top. Ronilei, seated on the high platform where she could overlook the main doors below, appeared very patient, calmly sipping tea with perfect elegance.

“Ronilei, classmate. Or should I call you Miss Ronilei?” Vinny stopped beside her.

“Whichever pleases you, Vinny.” Ronilei gestured toward the seat in front of her. “Please, sit. You arrived here much sooner than I expected.”

“This is the second floor of the Sanctum of the Sacred Tree,” Ronilei explained. “Above this are the elders’ council hall and the elders’ living quarters. Above that is the queen’s bedchamber.”

“You are the first human in a hundred years to enter the Sanctum of the Sacred Tree.”

“Should I look honored, then?” Vinny frowned. “Ronilei, if I remember correctly, the person I was supposed to meet today was an elf elder.”

“That’s right. Don’t worry. The elf elder who wished to see you will be here very soon.” Ronilei took another sip of tea. “You know her too.”

“I know her?” Vinny frowned in confusion, wondering when exactly he had become acquainted with an elf elder.

The moment Ronilei finished speaking, the sound of approaching footsteps rose from behind him.

Vinny turned instinctively toward the sound and saw a beautiful Golden Elf woman walking toward them, graceful and full-figured.

He had seen her before.

It was Vera, the very one who had accompanied him these past few days on the journey to the City of the Golden Tree.

“Miss Vera?” Vinny stared, then looked toward Ronilei. “You’re saying the elf elder who wanted to see me... is Miss Vera?”

“That’s correct. But Lady Vera’s identity is somewhat special,” Ronilei said calmly.

“Special?” Vinny turned back to Vera, even more confused now, waiting for her to continue.

“Miss Ronilei, thank you for your trouble,” Vera said with a small nod.

“Not at all. Being of service to you is my honor,” Ronilei replied respectfully.

“I’m sorry, what exactly is this supposed to mean?” Vinny’s brows drew tighter and tighter as he watched the two of them interact. “I think I deserve an explanation.”

“What explanation would Lord Vinny like?” Vera asked.

“Who are you?” Vinny asked directly.

“My name is Vera. I am an elven priestess from the Sanctum of the Sacred Tree.” Vera’s expression remained utterly calm as she gave her introduction.

“Miss Vera, you know perfectly well that isn’t what I’m asking.” Vinny glanced at Ronilei. “Ronilei, classmate, am I allowed to interpret this as deceiving a fellow student?”

“Vinny, don’t get agitated. We won’t do anything against your interests.” Ronilei looked at him steadily. “Or rather, no one will do anything against your interests. But whether you might do something against others... against us... that’s harder to say.”

“What?” Vinny frowned. “Could you try saying that in language a human being can actually understand? I do something against you? Are you out of your minds? This is your territory. I’m a nobody with no power, no influence, and not even a family I can rely on. And you’re saying I could threaten the elves, a race with vast holdings, deep roots, and thousands of years of history? Are you insane?”

“What exactly would I even use to threaten you?”

“In that case, Lord Vinny, would you be willing to answer a few questions seriously?”

“Miss Vera, what exactly do you want to ask that you had to ‘invite’ me all the way here first?” Vinny demanded. “What kind of shady business is this, that it couldn’t be discussed at the Academy?”

“So you do realize it involves things not fit to be seen,” Vera said softly.

“What does that mean? And besides, the two of you—right now I don’t want to talk about any of that. The way you’re acting is strange, and it’s making me angry. Since you’re this so-called elf elder, then you should know already, shouldn’t you? Your princess is in trouble—serious trouble. Instead of dealing with that first, you’re here picking a fight with me. Even if you want trouble, you’ve picked the wrong person.”

“Please rest assured. Milian’s matter has already been settled. Otherwise, I would not be standing here so calmly handling yours.”

“What are you talking about?” Vinny hesitated, then took out Milian’s Soul-Heart. “Milian’s matter has been settled? Her Soul-Heart is still right here with me. Are you making things up as you go?”

“Look at it carefully. Is that really an elf’s Soul-Heart?”

“...?”

At Vera’s reminder, Vinny finally focused on the Soul-Heart in his hand and examined it carefully. Only then did he realize that something about it was strange.

But he could not quite say what.

Right.

Milian had not contacted him in a long time. She had still responded when he first entered the forest, but after entering elf lands, why had she gone completely silent?

Vinny suddenly understood.

“I had already reclaimed Milian’s Soul-Heart the moment we met.” Vera spoke slowly and clearly, each word distinct.

“You have the authority to do that?” Vinny narrowed his eyes at Vera. “And you called Milian ‘that child.’ So you are...”

“The elf queen, Selivlin?”

“If that is what you wish to ask, then I will answer properly.” Vera met his gaze. “Yes, and no.”

“Yes and no? What does that even mean?” Vinny understood even less now.

“I am the elf queen, but I am not Selivlin. More precisely, I am not a complete Selivlin,” Vera said calmly.

“Not a complete Selivlin?”

“My memories and personality are incomplete. But I am a fragment that split off from her. That much is true.”

“...???” Vinny stared in shock. He felt as if he could barely understand what she was saying anymore.

“A fragment? Then the real Selivlin...?”

“Her Majesty is currently unable to appear in public due to certain circumstances,” Ronilei said.

That much, Vinny understood.

Which meant that if Selivlin had not run into trouble, then she had almost certainly run into trouble.

“Now then, we have answered your questions truthfully. So it is your turn to answer ours, Lord Vinny.”

Vera looked at him quietly.

“Between the Camella Kingdom, the Tyrel Empire, and the tribes... which one is backing you?”