While Liam was thinking about his next steps in this new world, he heard some noises nearby. He quickly pulled his hood forward covering his face as a few figures stumbled and walked out from behind a huge tree.
"Ahh… my head hurts…"
It was a group of elves who looked dazed and disoriented. Finally one of them remembered what had happened.
"It's those dreadful frogs!"
Their gaze fell on Liam who was standing amidst the bits and pieces of frog corpses and green blood scattered everywhere.
The elves looked from Liam to the frogs, then back at him, visibly relaxing when they saw the frog remains. "You did this?" asked one, his eyes widening.
"I did," Liam nodded. "They were troublesome creatures."
A collective sigh of relief seemed to pass through the group of elves. "Then we are in your debt, my lord," said another elf, who looked to be a leader among them.
"I am Thingol, and these are members of my clan. Those frogs have been plaguing us for weeks with their vile magic, causing all manner of chaos."
"We came here to take care of these frogs but we failed and even got ourselves trapped in their illusion magic," continued Thingol, a tinge of embarrassment coloring his tone.
"Please, my lord. Our clan dwelling is nearby. You must allow us to repay your kindness in some way. We would be honored to have you as our guest," The elf offered, bowing his head slightly in deference.
Liam considered the offer. The elves in front of him were no more than Level 300. While they might have been strong enough to intimidate him previously, currently they could only be seen as low-leveled. Not enough for him to take them as a threat.
Also, they were clearly not even strong enough to detect that he was a human being. There was always a chance of them acting this way while already having figured out everything but the possibility of that was very low.
Liam did not want to overthink and miss a good opportunity. He needed to know more about this world and for that, these elves could be very useful.
"Very well, lead the way then," Liam agreed, still covering himself.
As the group left, silently one of the lizardmen soul minions appeared behind in the glade. If at any point, he sensed some strong opponent then he could disappear before they could get to him.
The elves led Liam through the forest with a sense of ease and familiarity that only native inhabitants could possess.
Their feet seemed to barely touch the ground, and their movements were fluid, as if they were extensions of the forest itself. Liam followed cautiously, his senses alert.
Soon, they reached an elven settlement built into the trees, a blend of natural and magical architecture that was both beautiful and practical.
Bridges made of interwoven vines connected the various platforms, and the air was filled with the soft glow of luminescent plants.
It was a haven of peace and natural harmony, a stark contrast to the chaotic world Liam was used to. It was quite similar to the elven world back inside the tutorial.
As they arrived, elven children curiously peered from behind their elders, who welcomed Liam with reserved but polite smiles. However, soon everything settled down as Liam was served with some fresh fruits inside one of the dwellings.
Each of the fruits was ripe with mana and they could be considered treasures back on earth. But here he was being served these things in this random elven village.
The whole settlement was quite small and when Liam surveyed the surroundings he couldn't find a single higher level elf. All of them were around 300, the highest being the clan leader Thingol.
Liam did not rush and slowly ate the fruits one after the other.
[Ding! You have gained +2 Agility]
[Ding! You have gained +2 Strength]
Though the effects were small, they were still gains at the end of the day. He remained calm and ate the fruits, completely indifferent to all the top-ups he was receiving.
Thingol, noticing Liam's apparent satisfaction with the meal, couldn't help but feel pleased. "These fruits are nurtured by our clan, a small token of the land's bounty. We are glad you find them to your liking."
"They are good," Liam replied without elaborating further. The elf respectfully nodded. Then after dinner, he took Liam for a tour of the settlement.
Liam made sure to remain aloof while he observed all the details of the settlement. It was rather small just like the leader had informed him before. It was essentially a village where a small elven clan resided along with their clan leader.
They passed by a series of training grounds, markets, farms, and gardens, and finally arrived at the clan leader's residence.
"My Lord, please do me the honor of staying in my humble abode during your visit." Thingol offered, gesturing toward a beautifully furnished chamber that overlooked the village.
The room was adorned with carved wooden designs, ethereal luminescent plants, and soft, elegant fabrics that exuded an air of tranquility.
"Thank you, Thingol," Liam replied curtly, taking in the surroundings.
"If there's anything else you require, do not hesitate to ask," the elf leader added before excusing himself.
Left alone in the chamber, Liam finally had a chance to breathe. He sat down and cradled his head in his arms, thinking about everything.
So far his day had been a mixed one with both positive and negative outcomes.
The positive being that he had successfully entered an elven settlement and the negative being that the elven settlement had absolutely nothing to offer with respect to information that he needed the most.
Shockingly, there was not even a system shop in the settlement. This was a huge setback because Liam had planned everything keeping in mind his access to one.
A poor world like Earth had several shops across the lands, who would have thought that this B-ranked world, full of riches and resources would have just as few?
While Liam was thinking about this huge issue that was nagging him and basically standing as the biggest obstacle in his path, an elf walked in carrying another tray of fruits, dishes made of various herbs and vegetables, and some wine.
The elven woman looked extremely beautiful and was dressed elegantly. She politely nodded at Liam and bowed to him after serving the tray.
"My Lord, I am here to serve you."
Hmmm? Liam looked at the elf questioningly and understood her intentions.
He did not think that the elven settlement would provide these kinds of services, but perhaps they were bending over backward for him unaware of his real strength.
Irrespective, this was a good thing. Liam could use someone right about now.
"I need you to do something for me first." He looked at the elven woman. "Show me everything."
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