The Ultimate Weapon of Magic and Science

The brief recounting of experiences took some time. The shocking impact, far surpassing the arrival of Nidhogg in the village, fell upon the village in a form of deadly silence.

[Easily annihilating 500 cavalry], [the noble being served by the Black Dragon], [expert in business, alchemy, and negotiation]—— If such words had come from someone else's mouth, the elves would have mistaken it for bragging or rumors. Yet, the testimonies were spoken by Brynhild herself. Everyone knew that she wouldn't lie, and the tacit confirmation from the Dragon Clan could not be ignored. The credibility was beyond doubt, the elder chieftain had to consider the impact and how to respond to this unprecedented event.

As a chieftain, Emil's every decision would impact the village to different extents. This decision, undoubtedly, would have the greatest impact, essentially deciding the fate of the village. Such a decision required ample time for deliberation.

However... Time is not infinite, and Emil has even less of it.

"Miss Brynhild, I don't mean to disturb you. But I must point out that the gentleman has been waiting for quite some time."

With the restrained style characteristic of the Dragon Clan when speaking to other races, Nidhogg's calm pacing and relaxed attitude were impeccable. The phrasing of his words showed no apparent issues on the surface but clearly conveyed his impatience and discontentment.

A sense of dizziness lingered at his forehead, making the future that Emil foresaw seem even darker. The rights and wrongs of the man whom he had yet to meet remained unknown. This noble Dragon Clan member clearly was not easy to dodge.

Emil opened his mouth, attempting to quell the Black Dragon's dissatisfaction. Tyr and Thor, summoned back by the horn, forced their way through the crowd to Emil. With an awkward expression, they relayed the events happening at the outpost of the Valley. They didn't hide the embarrassing details either.

The wrinkles on the chieftain's face seemed to crush into each other. The man probably took into consideration even this delaying tactic, leaving no room for minor tricks -- it's just not fair!!

Being the elder who had led the village through numerous crises, he was now trapped by a youth he hadn't even met!

His current desire was to rage or to wail to vent his internal grief and indignation. But the eyes of many elves were focused on him and the Black Dragon was gazing down at him from above, its icy stare searing Emil's nerves.

If the Chieftain of the Emil Clan, Argentoratum, could empathize with the situation of the count and the archbishop, perhaps he wouldn't be so despondent and furious. After all, they had lost 500 of their elite knights, without gaining anything. Upon learning of this tragic news, they had likely been so distraught they couldn't even cry.

No matter how unwilling, the pale lips eventually uttered the decision most suited to the situation.

"Let us welcome our guest."

The moment these heart-wrenching words left his mouth, the relieved elves failed to notice how Emil tucked his hand inside the linen sleeve, clenching his fist in humiliation and anger, forcefully restraining the muscle tremors.

##############

"So… you are… the one…"

"Li Lin. Sigfried Otto Li Lin. I have heard much about your wisdom and experience, Emil Clan Leader of the Elves of Niflheim Valley, from Miss Brynhild. It's my honor to meet such a sagacious and experienced elder."

"Mr. Li Lin."

Emil scrutinized the young man standing before him, finally deciding to append an honorific to his address. Regardless of how annoyed he was at the youth's tricks, and regardless of the fact they were merely putting on a show at that moment, given that Li Lin had bowed and his tone was sincere, the least Emil could do was to respond accordingly.

Giving a slight bow in return as a reciprocal gesture, he continued in an unperturbed manner.

"Thank you for helping Brynhild in time. We are indebted to your righteous deeds."

"I'm ashamed of your praise. I was merely caught up in the situation. I assure you, I didn't go out of my way to help. Furthermore, Brynhild's excellent ability to adapt to circumstances and her strong will also played a crucial role in resolving this unpleasant incident. Honestly, there are very few women who can hold up in such a crisis. I admire her greatly."

Ordinary people, or those with at least some reverence for the Mother Goddess Mafa, and the devout ones, would certainly praise the Mother Goddess at the beginning of their speech, declaring her miracles and expressing gratitude for her omnipotence and mercy at the end.

Li Lin, who didn't mention the Mother Goddess at all, could be classed as an unorthodox, or an extreme non-believer.

[An arrogant boy.]

While not a devout believer, the elder chieftain, who couldn't overlook such behavior, took note of this insignificant yet slightly off-putting detail. He furrowed his brows in displeasure, branding Li Lin with a new negative label.

On the road to Niflheim, Brynhild had already experienced Li Lin's disrespectful attitude towards the gods and tried to kindly counsel him about his lack of faith. However, Li Lin had no intention of changing—convincing a materialist atheist to embrace devout faith was very difficult. Instead, having a general outline for the solution to the monotheistic religions widely embraced, including the elves, what he needed was for the religions to serve that plan, not to be manipulated or controlled by the religions. So, there was no compromising nor endless wrangling on this matter.

"Mr. Li Lin."

The use of respectful language again caused a pang in his stomach, forcefully suppressing the sour taste and nausea welling up in his throat, maintaining the dignity that befits a chieftain, Emil began to speak again:

"I presume my granddaughter has informed you about our village's current situation?"

"If you're referring to a general understanding, then yes, I believe I have a grasp of it. However, without conducting a thorough investigation, I can't claim to completely comprehend the true extent."

The suggestion in his words, the deepening grin on his face, the Elder Chieftain's concept was obviously clear and he was waiting for that "trap".

"It's quite embarrassing for us to admit, but we don't currently have anything good to give you in return... Besides... Ah, Brynhild mentioned that in addition to your high proficiency in alchemy, you're also highly knowledgeable in other areas. Much to my disgrace, I beg your assistance to solve our problems, if possible."

Looking straight at Emil's gentle and kind smile which was mixed with the deceiving eyes of a typical job interviewer, the faltering grin crossed his face momentarily, while the sly happiness in the eyes of his opponent was caught by his red pupils.

"Not at all, it's my duty, no need to be polite. If there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask. I will do my utmost."

"Oh… Really? That's splendid."

The joy that need not be suppressed anymore revealed an open countenance. The Elder Chieftain caressed his silver beard that cascaded down to his waist, and his smile became more captivating.

The gentle grin was converted to a sneer due to the twitching of his lips. The fervent sight that shone through his narrow, half-open eyelids - this bizarre appearance was rarely seen. Unfortunately, the elves standing behind the Elder Chieftain weren't privy to this grotesque sight due to their position.

On the other end, they were fortunate to see the vibrant and confident face of an unfamiliar young boy—Li Lin. His smile, filled with a seeming confidence to take on the superhuman tasks, stirred a light breeze amongst the elves.

All of them were skeptical about this human (suspected) boy. But apart from a handful of individuals, the simple elf clan held a good first impression of this peculiar boy with black hair and red eyes, compared with the impression of villainy the 'Armored Beasts' had previously cast. Li Lin's polite manners and friendly talk left a more likeable impression.

However, the elves' cautiousness wouldn't just disappear. They couldn't overlook the probability of Li Lin being a swindler or a spy. In the days to come, they would keep an eye on this peculiar boy, and every move he makes would be reported to the Emil Clan Leader.

The right measures — Li Lin would act as anticipated by Clan Leader Emil and planned by himself. The fact that nobody objected was truly fortuitous.

During the delightful conversation, some always stood out as rather unaccustomed.

Brynhild's eyebrows slightly furrowed but soon relaxed, her uneasy face turned towards the old chieftain; Tyr was staring at Li Lin in thought, whilst a smile, which was hard to discern, appeared on his determined face. Wali standing by Li Lin was as usual, with his head lowered, and the shadow of his cap hiding his mocking smirk. It's a good thing that no one noticed Nidhogg, who was far away, or else his wide grin and sharp teeth would scare the children and women present.

Except for these unique individuals, no one believed that Li Lin had the capability to sort out the problems of the Elf village.

He was too young. It was his advantage as well as the reason for their doubt.

The young tend to be hot-blooded and impulsive, but that impulse is fleeting and lacks the patience and resilience the elders have developed. Among them, the majority falls into the 'mad' category.

Boiling adrenaline at that age grants them unyielding courage and explosive power, making them capable of achieving feats that are otherwise impossible. The downside is that they often lack calm thinking and a sense of the bigger picture, which ends up turning their accomplishments into ridiculous actions, thus creating many jokes.

Most young adults during adolescence act alike: passionate, rebellious, restless, sensitive, overly self-conscious, believing that the world is at their feet, and they can accomplish anything with their own power. The passage of time will gradually erode their edges, and these once young individuals will eventually realise how childish and laughable their past actions were.

The young black-haired boy shall also experience setbacks. If not somewhere else or at another time, it would be in Niflheim Valley, very soon.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. A path too smooth does not make one truly outstanding. — The majority of the elves held a casual viewpoint.

An outsider. Even though he helped Brynhild, he was still labeled an "outsider" which will not easily fade away. The elves' instinctual isolation is playing out as a self-protection measure. Even if they knew what was going on, their hearts would still lean towards the Elder Chieftain who is "one of them".

Capturing the mentality of the bystanders is simple. Whether this mindset falls under the category of malicious or well-intentioned is still up for debate. The current focus isn't for a moral debate. All Li Lin needs now is an audience.

The stage obstructed with thorns and props, the antagonist preparing tricky questions, side characters settling into their roles, the director who is also the protagonist occupying the center and controlling the pace of the play, they are all ready. But without an audience to witness, even a wonderful play would simply be an inexpensive self-directed and self-acted performance highlighting self-appreciation.

Li Lin needs an audience and the audience needs some entertainment to add a bit of excitement to their mundane life. As for the Elder Chieftain, he wants to get rid of the young boy as soon as possible.

Everyone gets what they need, satisfying everyone.

"Welcome to Niflheim, traveller from afar."

He nodded in satisfaction, Emil the Clan Chieftain bowed, and slowly raised his right hand, indicating towards the entrance of the valley which was slowly becoming visible through the receding white fog, gesturing a 'please enter'.

The stage unknown to the outside world – The village of elves had already opened its curtains for Li Lin, and the black-haired protagonist entered with his signature smile.