The second-rank Wizard respectfully received his orders and departed, and a few minutes later, a second-rank dark elf matron dressed in tight-fitting leather clothing walked in.
Her features were exquisitely refined, her skin fair and delicate—clearly the beauty of a rare sort—yet her face was filled with apprehension and unease.
"Alesha! So it really is you!" Lei Lin chuckled.
Among the dark elves, this matron—the one who had opposed him in Duolun City for over a decade—was the closest thing he had to an acquaintance.
"Alesha greets the Guardian of the Realm!"
Dark elf matron Alesha bit her lip, then dropped to one knee, pressing her forehead respectfully against the cold floor.
In her heart, Alesha still felt somewhat dazed. This young Wizard who had tangled with her in Duolun City for over a decade had long since risen to the pinnacle of the Wizard world, leaving her far behind. Now she even had to kowtow whenever she met him. This filled her with an overwhelming sense of unwillingness, but she dared not let it show in the slightest.
From Lei Lin's vantage point, the seductive dark matron's smooth, delicate back, her round, taut buttocks, and her long, firm thighs were all laid bare before his eyes.
As if sensing Lei Lin's gaze, Alesha's face flushed with shyness, yet she subtly shifted her body a few times, projecting a silent, alluring charm.
Meanwhile, deep in her heart, a fierce sense of humiliation lingered, refusing to dissipate.
The dark elves were notoriously open when it came to matters of sex—indeed, one could say they had descended into debauchery—and they had no shortage of male pets from other races. But in those encounters, it was always the dark elves who held the psychological advantage, bestowing their favor from a position of lofty superiority.
But now? Being packaged as a gift and presented to someone, while fearing he might refuse the offering—this experience was something Alesha, who had been a matron for less than two hundred years and was still psychologically immature, could hardly stomach.
"So, what exactly brings you here?"
Lei Lin withdrew his gaze. When it came to serious matters, he had always exercised great restraint.
Moreover, ever since his promotion to third-rank Warlock and his appointment as Guardian of the Realm, there had been no shortage of women eager to climb into his bed. He had even sampled dark elves many times—after the dark elves' crushing defeat, the price of dark elf slaves on the slave market had plummeted, and numerous dark nobility had been sold off! It had to be said that with their exceptional looks and outstanding magical talent, dark elves made ideal slave candidates for Wizards.
Lei Lin didn't even need to show interest; there were always Wizards who would read his unspoken desires and present the finest dark elf captives for his enjoyment.
"I come on behalf of the dark elf race to submit to my lord! I beg you, spare my people!"
Alesha's voice carried a note of grief, and still kneeling, she extended an ornate crown and a black crystal.
"This is our symbol of authority—the Dark Elf Crown—along with the complete text of the 'Life Siphon' high-grade Meditation Method! We dark elves are willing to fully withdraw from the Northern Dark Region, even retreating north of the Underground River. We will provide my lord with top-quality exclusive slaves and abundant rare resources every year! Please, spare us!"
Alesha kowtowed once more, pleading.
"Hmm!" Lei Lin fell into contemplation, his fingers tapping in slow, deliberate circles, producing a rhythmic beat.
Alesha nearly held her breath, waiting in terror and hope for the verdict of fate.
"Very well!"
Lei Lin nodded in agreement.
The current human allied forces, after recapturing the Northern Territory, actually no longer possessed the ability to push further north.
Moreover, Lei Lin had other considerations.
Absolute power inevitably bred absolute corruption. If, with his help, humanity completely exterminated the Dark Elves and even races like the Goblins and Dwarves, then with every external threat eliminated, humanity would very likely decline rapidly amid internal strife and corruption. That was not something Lei Lin wished to see.
Maintaining a certain degree of external threat clearly served as a spur and incentive for all of humanity.
"Thank you, My Lord!" Aleisha was nearly moved to tears with joy.
Although Lei Lin could have enjoyed the devoted service of the Dark Elf Matron right then and there with just a word, he still sent her away.
Obviously, Aleisha's value in his eyes was still far inferior to that of the Dark Elf Crown and the high-level Meditation Method.
"Magical Treasure — the Crown of the Dark Elves!"
Lei Lin reached out and stroked the surface of the Magical Treasure. Since the last great battle had consumed its most recent usage opportunity, the crown's surface had dimmed considerably, making it appear thoroughly unremarkable.
Had he not known beforehand, Lei Lin might very well have been deceived by its appearance and missed out on this Magical Treasure entirely.
In the world of Wizards, Magical Treasures existed on an entirely different level above Magical Items, possessing mysterious and formidable power. Generally, only Wizards of the third tier or above could even come into contact with one.