Level Up Legacy Chapter 1397 Warm and Sour

1397  Warm and Sour

Diana stood amidst the running elves, feeling like a sore thumb. The elves wore skirts made of soft silk and armor made of enhanced leather, but she wore simple brown pants and a white shirt. The elves stared at her, whispering to themselves. "Is that the Queen of Wrath?" "There's no such thing! I heard she's Lord Arthur's fiancée." "I doubt she can kill the mutant monsters…" The elves didn't think that Diana would hear them, but she did. Their words didn't offend her. Many people thought of her as the mysterious, gorgeous, but utterly useless partner of the almighty ruler of Runera. No one knew that she built the city herself or that she fought against calamities just like Arthur did. In their eyes, she was gorgeous, but that was the end of it. The elves looked at her with skepticism, and she couldn't blame them. "I will be the one leading this rescue team," Malrik said after he silenced the crowd, who were too busy talking to each other. "Miss Diana will be our vanguard, responsible for clearing out as many monsters as possible. Is that alright?" "And I can also halt the progression of famine," Diana said with a nod. "If we find any wounded along the way, bring them to me. I can use my ice to protect their souls." "Protect their souls?" "Ice?" "That sounds… really useful…" The elves were surprised at her words. Malrik nodded with appreciation as he began dividing the rest of them. A third were responsible for keeping the monsters away, another third responsible for rescuing whoever they found, and the last third tasked with scouting the area. Once they were done, it was time to set foot into the Dark Forest. Diana was a little nervous as she followed the crowd. She wasn't nervous because of the monsters, but because it was her first time working in a team of this size. "Dia!" a voice whispered in her ear, which compelled her to turn in a certain direction. She found Arthur standing atop a spiraling tree's balcony. "Good luck!" Arthur did a little wave with his hand, like a parent sending away their child to school. Diana felt a little flutter in her heart as she blushed and looked away. However, a small smile crept onto her face. "Miss Diana!" shouted a different voice from behind her, bringing her attention toward the woman. It was the same woman that Arthur healed earlier, now looking well and dandy. "I will be your guide!" "My guide?" muttered Diana in confusion as she turned toward Malrik, who was still ordering people around before they left the camp's gate. "Did he ask you to keep me company?" "Ah… you are an insightful person!" said the woman with a grin. "My name is Ranya. I also wanted to thank you in person for helping me rescue my brothers and sisters." "There's no need," Diana said with a smile. "I'm glad you are well." "Thanks to Lord Arthur," said Ranya with a small smile of grat.i.tude. "He is an amazing person." "I know," Diana said with approval. "Is he… you two are…?" Ranya began questioning with hesitation, while Diana looked at her in confusion. She had no idea why the woman was struggling to form sentences. "You can take your time to think about what you want to say before you say it," Diana said in rea.s.surance, but the woman seemed bashful. "Are you asking about my relationship with Arthur?" "Yes!" Ranya said with relief that the demi-human understood her. "Many elves were talking about Lord Arthur and speculating about your relationship. Is it true that you are his fiancée?" "It is," Diana nodded with a smile. "What else are they talking about?" "Um…" Ranya was hesitant and made sure that no one else was listening before whispering to Diana. "Many of them were wondering if Lord Arthur wants more than one wife." Diana was surprised, as she was caught off-guard. Her eyes glanced back toward Arthur, who was talking to Tiara while ascending the giant tree. An unknown feeling bubbled in her heart, warm and sour. It was foreign and unfamiliar, but she experienced it before. At that time, Gala brought her news of the other world about Arthur living a different life. The witch used the Spirits Realm to let her see him laughing next to a woman. Diana felt the same feeling as she did at the moment. Gala teased her and called this feeling jealousy. Diana didn't understand, but she hated this feeling. Jealousy was never a feeling she experienced given her lack of social experience, but it always left her feeling bad. "I'm sorry for bringing up such a topic," Ranya said with haste as she saw Diana grow silent. "The elven women around the camp just like to gossip. Lord Arthur is called the strongest in the world, and his strength attracts most." "I understand," Diana rea.s.sured her as she tried to breathe out. "No worries. I understand the effect that Arthur has on others, and I'm not intimidated. However, I don't like the fact that they look at him in that manner." "Demi-humans have a different mindset about this, huh!" Ranya said as her pointy ears perked up. "Elves are hard to conceive a pregnancy, so multiple wives or husbands are common." Diana was silent again, as she understood that demi-humans had the same thing. Diversity was considered strength when the genetic factors determined your traits. However, she couldn't deny the feeling of wanting Arthur for herself. "Get ready!" shouted Malrik from ahead as he raised his spear. "We are about to enter the Dark Forest!" The gates swung open as the team left the camp. As soon as they entered the Dark Forest, light disappeared from the sky. The blue sky turned grey, and the ground turned yellow. Diana could smell the foul stench of death everywhere she looked. The forest was not only dead, but reeking of a dark substance that spread at a snail's pace. These spots created a maze for them to navigate, and the howling of monsters shook the forest as soon as they walked into the Dark Forest.