Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 671: A Father’s Shoulder Stays Heavy

Elowen Arth’Hathor, an ascended high elf, now lived in the city of Eclanor. As a cartographer, he worked in an ill-illuminated shop. His daughter lived with him but mostly remained in the house on the backside of the establishment. Connected with a door, the shop and their house were the only places she ever visited. It wasn’t she who was afraid, but her protective father.

As the last memento left by his late wife, he cherished her to a fault. But did he know what he was doing? What he was taking away from her by snipping her connection to the outside world? Of course, he did, but that didn’t matter as the dark elves, at least one of them, still remained in this city. He’d lost his people to them long ago and his wife to the caution of the giants, and so he wanted to take no chances when it came to protecting his daughter.

Fiddling with an emerald necklace as bright as his own gaze in the dark, his eyes remained set on the door, for he already knew someone was coming over. His ears perked to the sound of footsteps and the hint of two dark elves that lingered on the many coming guests; he could sense it all from a distance.

”What do you want?” He asked as soon as the party entered the posh yet dimly lit shop.

Although somewhat caught off guard by the sudden question, Raven looked around at the interior of the establishment a little. Even in the darkness, he could see as clearly as day thanks to his ancestry. The walls were patched with a velvety green cloth with many fine strands striking out like a cotton blanket. Shimmering in the warm light of the many lanterns hung on the wall, they gave an illusion of expanse to the place to anyone incapable of seeing in the dark.

Lowering his head a little, Raven’s eyes wandered through the many shelves holding folded documents, labels books, and fresh parchment ready to be inked.

”Quite a fascinating shop, you’ve got here.” Finally facing the man behind the counter, he matched the high elf’s glowing gaze. Squinting a little, Raven noticed him wearing a long, brown cloth with red embellishment and stitches that formed symmetric patterns around the sharp collar.

”Raven ’Phorite and group, is that right?” Getting up with a swift tap of his feet, the elf moved around the counter and began walking closer. His eyes scanned everything the party had on hand, but eventually, as he focused on the hint of dark elves, he couldn’t help but ask while standing right in front of the group leader. ”I smell two different dark elves on you. Assuming one is your companion barbarian, the other...”

Furrowing his brows, his head moved closer to the hero. Trying to read by expression instead of trusting a stranger’s words, he concluded for himself.

”Dandelion, that weird girl–you’ve been to her shop then.”

With a curious hum, Raven glanced right ahead into the man’s eyes. For a moment, they were hollow until the elf noticed the fae staring at him. Straightening himself up, he decided to turn around and get back to the counter. But before he could move a step, Raven asked.

”We heard you sell maps and information, and judging from the fact that you know us all, I’m assuming I’ve heard right.” With a twitch in his left eye, the elf took a step back. However, his gaze remained glued to the hero, and there was no ounce of fear in his eyes.

”And I’ve heard that the royals wanted to strike a deal with an outsider about the property dispute that we’re having with our demonic neighbor.” Glancing over to Liliyana quickly, he added. ”No offence to you, I meant the demon lord’s general.”

Nodding right back with a weak smile, Lily responded in a gentle voice.

”I’m a devil, not a demon, but yes, I get your point.”

”Again, we’re wasting time...” Impatient still, Regalia was the first to walk forward and confront the elf with why they’d arrived at his shop. ”We need a map of the territory the demon has taken and any information that you may have on him. Lay it out and we’ll be out of your hair as quickly as we can.”

Elowen’s eyes lingered on the wolf for just a second before swiftly moving back to the rest of the group. His ears and eyes were already inside the castle, and so he knew that there was no point in talking with Regalia, not at the moment. Besides, looking right at the other ascended elf, his vision narrowed and his mind honed in on one thing and one thing alone.

”Melicia, a traditional dark elf name.” His mouth soured to his own words, even though he knew that his instincts were driving him the wrong way. And despite not being threatened by such a man, something within Mel stirred up a sense of disgust towards herself.

With the click of the tongue, Elowen told her.

”Any fair elf would kill you the moment they hear that name–you should try to hide it if you can...” Biting his tongue and swallowing that anger simmering within, the man let out a heavy breath and glanced back at Raven. ”Give me a moment, I’ll give you a map now, but for the information, you’ll have to wait at least three days. Send someone to get it, I already know that you’re going away for a week to prepare.”

Even Monty was surprised by how much the elf already knew about them, but what the party failed to realise was that this was his territory, and within it and around it, he was the man to go to know about anything and everything.

”Dad? Are you there? What’s the ruckus about?” The voice of his daughter echoing from beyond the door that connected the shop and their house broke the silence and the tension within everyone. Somehow, just knowing that Elowen was a father set everyone’s mind at slight ease.

Glancing back at the door, the elf stared at the door for a moment before he turned to face Raven again.

”I’ll be back, you all stay here. The map should be in the storage anyway.” And with that, he left the party alone for the moment. Comforting his young daughter for a while, he would soon return with the map of Eclanor territory, along with the area being usurped by the demon general.

Past that, it was time to get Aria and head back to prepare the soldiers for a war once more.