The Village Chief presented the fruits, scrutinizing Seig and Evadne's reactions. "Are these the fruits you are talking about?" he asked.
Seig's initial scepticism melted into a furrowed brow. He was on the verge of dismissing the idea that such a valuable fruit could originate from this place, but his words halted as he scrutinized the fruits in the Village Chief's hands.
"Captain," Evadne interjected, her tone tinged with disbelief.
She followed Seig's gaze, noting his intense scrutiny of the fruits before returning her attention to them.
Seig turned his focus back to the Village Chief. "Where did you get these fruits?" he demanded, his gaze piercing.
Though a suspicion had begun to form in his mind, he was reluctant to entertain it.
The Village Chief scoffed at Seig's question. "These are the Kalna fruit and the Lipry fruit, grown here in my village," he responded.
Seig directed his attention to the Village Chief. "Are these genuine?" he questioned.
"Check for yourself and see," the Village Chief said. He tossed the fruits through the cell, observing as Seig caught them.
Seig examined them closely, scrutinizing their appearance and aroma.
"You can taste them to verify," the Village Chief suggested, urging Seig to confirm their authenticity firsthand.
Without hesitation, Seig brought the fruits to his mouth and took a bite.
Seig felt a surge of satisfaction over his stomach as a piece of the apple-shaped fruit entered his mouth, filling him with incredible strength.
"This…" Seig began, his eyes widening in shock.
Evadne, frozen in disbelief since the appearance of the fruits, reached for the Lipry fruit.
Upon tasting it, she was instantly overwhelmed by an indescribable sensation, causing her to stare at the fruit in astonishment. "Captain, this…" she started, but her words trailed off as Seig looked up at the Village Chief, who observed them expressionlessly.
"Now it makes sense. No wonder the Leader of the 'Four-eared Lone Rabbit' Runaway City left everything behind when his Runaway City fell just to come here. This Sanctuary is the source of the special fruits that the Four-eared elves used to trade," Seig said, a look of realization dawning on his face as he swallowed hard.
The Village Chief nodded in agreement. "Yes, Patriarch Rylan has been trading with us for these fruits and other items for a while now," he confirmed. "Although it's clear that Patriarch Rylan hasn't been entirely truthful in his dealings, our agreement was made under certain conditions. So, it wouldn't be fair to say it's unfair, considering we've both profited in our own ways."
However, he kept it in mind to speak with Patriarch afterwards to clarify everything Seig had mentioned and discuss what contribution the Four-eared elves were planning to make to the City, as their unexpected arrival would undoubtedly impact the farm's and the Garden's production.
Hearing the Village Chief's response, Seig and Evadne suddenly felt their bodies tremble as a shiver ran down their spines.
Initially, they had thought this was an unknown sanctuary where the Leader of the 'Four-eared Lone Rabbit' Runaway City sought aid. However, after learning that this was the Sanctuary that provided Patriarch Rylan with 'The Fruit of Complete Fulfillment,' they were immediately dumbfounded.
Seig's mind raced, searching for the best way to express his thoughts, but he found himself unable to articulate them after several attempts.
BAMM!!
A resounding sound suddenly echoed from within the cell.
Everyone observed as Seig stood up and immediately dropped to the ground on one knee, his fists clenched as he bowed his head towards the direction of the Village Chief and the others.
"Village Chief Brane, Leader of the..." Seig furrowed his brows, realizing he still didn't know the name of this Sanctuary; nonetheless, he continued, "Please, grant us the privilege to help protect this sanctuary."
After this revelation, he understood there was no longer a need to stall. If he wanted the opportunity to stay in this Sanctuary, he needed to be proactive, or else he might lose it.
Once Sieg finished speaking, Evadne immediately followed suit. "Please, Village Chief Brane, grant us the privilege to help protect this sanctuary," she said firmly, her eyes focused intently on the Village Chief.
However, after witnessing this scene, the Village Chief, Stronghold Leader Zogar, and Stronghold Leader Seth couldn't help but frown deeply in response.
"What are you doing?" The Village Chief asked, his questioning eyes fixated on Seig and Evadne.
"We are pledging our allegiance to you and this Sanctuary," Seig responded with a wry smile.
"Your allegiance? Why would I need your allegiance after you attempted to attack our City?" The Village Chief's chilling voice spread through the cell as he looked at Seth.
"We only did that to test whether the Sanctuary before us was real. I can assure you that such a thing will never happen again," Seig responded, his wry smile faltering.
By observing the Village Chief's expression, Seig understood that the chances of the Village Chief accepting them into the Sanctuary were almost nonexistent. However, there was no harm in trying.
"I know it's hard for you to believe our words, but as I mentioned before, necessities like food, water, or other essentials are scarce. Runaway Cities have to rely on each other to survive, leading to endless conflicts that span generations," Seig said with a sigh, "And now we find ourselves in a Sanctuary with enough strength to stand alone, a place even the Leader of the 'Four-eared Lone Rabbit' Runaway City relies on for survival. Even if the chance of acceptance into this Sanctuary is slim, wouldn't I be foolish not to try?" he added.
And as expected, the Village Chief shook his head in response.
"Even if I were foolish enough to believe your words, I cannot overlook your attack on our City. Moreover, I am certain that the Four-eared elves will not easily forget your responsibility for the deaths and near-extinction of their race. You drove them from their homes and seized control of what little remained. As Village Chief, I must prioritize the well-being of our citizens, making decisions that benefit everyone."
