Chapter 115: Rescuing Lady Elwita

“Master, you are truly incredible!”

Inside the ancient castle, the werewolves gazed in awe at the lord’s wife, bound and unconscious on the floor, utterly admiring Lin Lei. Earlier, when Lin Lei had asked them to gather intelligence on the Dwarf Lord, they had been puzzled. Yet, after learning the information, Lin Lei had gone and returned with the lord’s wife kidnapped.

“Hahaha!” Lin Lei sat proudly in the grand hall of the castle. What kind of challenge could possibly defeat him? He had kidnapped the lord’s wife—let’s see if the lord dared to withdraw his troops.

“But Master, why didn’t you kidnap his daughter instead?”

“Kidnapping the daughter is too unimaginative.”

“...”

The werewolves didn’t quite understand why creativity mattered in kidnapping, but they were more concerned about something else.

“Master, will the lord really retreat his army?”

“What if he doesn’t?”

“Impossible, impossible!” Lin Lei waved his hand dismissively. “If he doesn’t withdraw, I have a next move.”

“Next move?” The werewolves were alarmed, then looked at the burly and stout lord’s wife. “M-Master... are you really going to have us mate with her to create wolf-dwarf hybrids?”

The lord’s wife was short and rough-hewn, with thighs thick enough to crush a man—none of the werewolves found the idea appealing. Yet, if their master insisted, they might endure it through tears...

“Fools! How could Master do such a thing!” A female werewolf scolded loudly. “Master is the embodiment of kindness. Kidnapping the lord’s wife was a last resort. There’s no way he’d harm her... Am I right, Master?”

She looked at Lin Lei with reverence, treating him like an idol.

Lin Lei felt a pang of unease. It seemed his plan to create a ‘wolf-dwarf’ race was off the table.

“Ahem... yes...” Lin Lei nodded theatrically. “Kidnapping is only a desperate measure. If the lord doesn’t pull back his troops, I’ll continue kidnapping others—eventually, he’ll have no choice but to retreat!”

The werewolves all nodded approvingly. What a brilliant plan.

“Alright, lads, carry the lord’s wife downstairs and report any news outside immediately.” Lin Lei waved his hand grandly. “Now let’s see how that lord will respond!”

“Yes, Master.”

The werewolves carried the lord’s wife away.

Meanwhile, in the dwarf lord’s mansion, Lord Gerald was burning with rage.

“Supreme King? I don’t believe it!” He glared at the two humans in the hall. “He kidnapped my wife and left a recording to threaten me. Let me play what he said!”

Gerald motioned for his servant to bring forth a recording gem.

Vivian and Reinhardt looked at the gem as the servant activated it, releasing an eerie, sinister laughter.

“Heh heh heh... Foolish mortal, your beautiful wife has fallen into my hands...”

That was only the beginning, yet Reinhardt and Vivian shivered. The voice was unmistakably that of a malevolent demon lord. No wonder the lord refused to believe it.

“Lord, there must be some misunderstanding!” Reinhardt hurried to explain.

Gerald snatched back the gem. “Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? That evil demon lord forbids me from using my army. If I don’t use them, then so be it—I have other plans!”

At dusk, in the town square, a crowd of dwarves gathered around the bulletin board.

“The lord’s mansion summons the finest adventurers. Anyone who rescues the lady shall be rewarded five thousand gold coins, and their deeds shall be immortalized in a book for all to know their heroism.”

Someone read the notice aloud, catching the attention of a nearby group of black-clad figures.

“Hey, did you hear? The lord is looking for adventurers!”

“And there are two rewards!”

The young primal elves grew excited. Five thousand gold coins was no small sum—and having their adventures chronicled in a book was even more enticing.

“This is our chance for fame! Why don’t we join the adventure?”

“If we save the lord’s wife, the whole world will know our names!”

The primal elves, who had never left the Skies Continent, yearned to prove themselves. The prospect of being written into a book made them restless.

“I want to join the quest!”

“If we get written into the book, just imagine how envious our tribe will be!”

The druids were thrilled, but Syvi dampened their enthusiasm. “Don’t forget, we still have to assist the demigod. And can you really defeat that Supreme King?”

“No fighting necessary!” The druids turned back. “We’ll transform and sneak in to rescue the lord’s wife.”

Syvi considered this logical—though she doubted the young master would allow such a stealthy approach. It was too naive.

“Forget it, let’s stick to helping the demigod…”

“The demigod has already agreed.”

Syvi was startled as the nearby elf woman, clutching a communication gem, beamed with excitement. “The demigod said the Azure Dragon kidnapped the lord’s wife. Rescuing her would prove the Azure Dragon’s guilt.”

“...”

Syvi glanced at the dwarves gathered by the bulletin board. None of them seemed so eager; why was her side stirring up trouble?

Just then, a commotion erupted in the street.

“Look! A gem is falling from the sky!”

Syvi looked up. Indeed, a gem descended and crashed onto a rooftop.

“The dwarves…”

The gem suddenly emitted a voice. The dwarves froze—was that the voice of their lord’s wife?

“Demon lord... he wants me to...”

Pain laced the lady’s voice. The demon lord was forcing her to do things against her will. She had threatened suicide and finally won seven days’ reprieve.

“I begged him countless times, and he agreed to grant everyone a chance to challenge him, following the ‘Adventurer’s Guide.’”

“Please, come save me. If no one rescues me within seven days, I will have no choice but to abide by the book’s terms and...”

The lady’s pitiful plea stirred the dwarves’ hearts to fury. How despicable! They longed to rescue her immediately.

The ‘Adventurer’s Guide’ was a masterpiece, officially titled ‘The Code of Conduct for Adventurers and Demon Lords.’ It was a tome that regulated the rules between demon lords and adventurers.

Appearing mysteriously a few years ago, it quickly became the world’s fifth bestselling book, especially beloved in the exploration-hungry dwarf kingdom.

Many dwarf adventurers revered it as a classic. Even some malevolent creatures claimed to be demon lords, using the book’s rules to set traps and challenge adventurers, rather than acting blindly.

Those demon lords who followed the Guide behaved with a wicked elegance, strictly adhering to its rules and avoiding direct assaults on adventurers, earning respect from many.

If the demon lord of the Wolf Castle abided by the Guide, the dwarves would at least have a chance to confront him.

Yet demon lords were fearsome beings; who could say if he would suddenly betray the rules? After all, it was just a book, offering no real guarantee.

“If someone rescues me, I will divorce the lord and marry him instead…”

The lady’s words electrified the dwarves. Their faces flushed with passion, their spirits ignited.

“Monster!”

“How dare that demon lord be so cruel!”

“I will save Lady Eluvita no matter how tough the challenge!”

“No, I’ll save Miss Eluvita!”

For the lord’s wife, no matter how daunting the trial, they vowed to try.