Elves were a large and influential race in the world of the gods. They lived together on a massive island, leading isolated lives, though many branches of their kind also existed scattered across the mainland.
Under the protection of the elven gods, most of these elves enjoyed comfortable lives. Their extraordinary talent and long lifespans meant that many of them had achieved remarkable accomplishments in the arts.
Of course, elf slaves were also the most sought-after commodity. Even though the elves issued warnings and protests on several occasions—even resorting to bloodshed—it only served to drive the price of elf slaves even higher, attracting wave after wave of opportunistic adventurers.
Compared to pure-blooded elves, half-elves were far more common. They still inherited the beauty and elegance of their elven bloodline, and most were strikingly attractive in appearance—which was, ironically, the source of certain misfortunes.
In the Pirate's Port, it wasn't unusual to find half-elf serving girls and courtesans, but Leilin's expression shifted slightly.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Karen, young master!" The half-elf forced a smile, but it was clearly practiced and clumsy, unable to properly display the assets she had.
"I can tell you haven't been doing this long. How much for a night?"
Leilin asked directly.
The humiliation made Karen clench her teeth, but she quickly suppressed it and produced a pitiful, sorrowful smile: "One Damberis gold coin..."
The price was steep, but Leilin nodded. "A fair price, especially for a half-Drow..."
The moment the word "half-Drow" left his lips, Karen's entire demeanor changed—like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, she practically exploded.
"How did you know?!"
Karen blurted out, then immediately clapped a hand over her mouth, clearly realizing she had just admitted it through her own slip.
"The color of your pupils—even though you've used dye, you can't fool me. Then there's the proportion of your ears: 12.4% higher than a typical half-elf, with a slightly concave curve..." Leilin calmly pointed out several of her flaws, and his sharp observation made Karen unconsciously take several steps back.
Leilin's lips curled into a smile as he looked at Karen's data:
【Name: Karen — Fifth-rank Assassin. Race: Half-Drow. Strength: 1 (3). Agility: 2 (5). Constitution: 0.5 (2). Spirit: 3. Innate Talents: 1. Darkvision — Drow elves possess the ability to see in darkness. 2. Shadow Sensitivity — Drow elves have a high sensitivity to shadow-system energy particles, granting them a natural aptitude for assassination and thievery. Condition: Under the influence of an unknown toxin. Strength reduced; Constitution and Agility suppressed!】
Her physical data still surprised Leilin somewhat. Karen actually possessed fifth-rank assassin abilities, yet she appeared to have been controlled through some kind of toxin, losing most of her power.
But it was obvious that whoever was pulling the strings behind her only considered Karen a common half-elf—otherwise, they wouldn't have sent her here.
As for whether she might have been sent to assassinate him?
Leilin smiled faintly. A fifth-rank assassin couldn't so much as touch a hair on his body.
"Drow elves are supposed to live underground, aren't they? How did you end up here? And in this line of work?"
Drow elves were a branch of the elven race. Legend held that they craved darkness, awakening the dark nature dormant in their bloodline. They became savage and cruel, devoted to violence, enamored with blood and chaos. They separated from the rest of elvenkind and migrated underground en masse.
According to certain rumors, their talents in bed could bring any male to heights of ecstasy, rivaling succubi and incubi.
And because of the rarity of Drow elves overseas, every one of them commanded an astonishing price as slaves—half-Drow included.
"I am indeed a half-Drow. I migrated out of the underground with my clan, but we were separated during an attack... When I woke up, I was on a merchant ship. Then we were raided by barbarian pirates..."
Leilin's eyes seemed to hold some kind of enchantment, drawing Karen into telling her story of hardship.
"No wonder... A half-Drow is actually quite similar to a regular half-elf. Without specialized scholarly knowledge, most people can't tell the difference. And as a fifth-rank assassin facing an entire barbarian pirate crew, she had no way to fight back—let alone while under the effects of a toxin... Of course, an assassin's disguise skills also helped her fool everyone else. They truly believed she was just a half-elf..."
Leilin's eyes lit up with understanding. "And then you fell under their control and were forced into this profession?"
"Yes..."
Karen nodded. A sudden spark of hope flickered in her eyes. She dropped to her knees, looking up at Leilin: "Sir! Please, I beg you—rescue me from this nightmare!"
"Rescue you?"
Leilin wore a dark, amused smile as he sat down. "Why should I rescue you? Give me one reason!"
Even Leilin had to admit she was a rare beauty—especially those eyes, shimmering like water, carrying a unique natural charm that instinctively drew one's sympathy.
Her half-Drow identity added a layer of hidden, wild allure.
"I..." Karen bit her lip. "I am a fifth-rank assassin. If you can rescue me, I swear to serve you for one hundred years, in the name of the Dark Maiden!"
The Dark Maiden was a deity inclined toward benevolence—fundamentally at odds with the gods worshipped by other Drow elves. If Karen's faith was truly in this goddess, then it was entirely possible she had been forced out of the underground.