Arad walked in front of the carriage across the dirt road, looking around at the trees. He could feel that magic was stronger here, probably since elves use it more than humans.

He stopped, staring forward. DING! DING!

A monk was approaching them on the road. He wore a red and golden robe, ringing a silver bell as two women stood by his side. One was a dryad with wooden skin, and Arad could barely look at the second one’s face.

DING! Ding! He could feel heat rushing toward his face from his neck. And he could hear the carriage stopping behind him.

“You’re far more beautiful than I expected,” The second woman said, her face shaking like hazy mist.

BA-dump! BA-dump! Arad’s heartbeat accelerated, and he could feel a stinging pain in his chest. BOOM! In the blink of an eye. He lunged forward, swinging a kick at the woman’s face.

CLANG! The monk stopped the attack with his bell, “She saved you,” The monk said with a smile, his eyes closed. “Rare are the people who could resist the allure of a nymph, let alone react after seeing her,”

DRIP! Blood dripped from Arad’s back. An arrow rested just on his shoulder. Arad looked back, seeing Aella staring down with saliva dripping from her lips, her bow resting by her side.

“Aella!” He growled and noticed that everyone else was the same, enthralled by the beauty of Nymph.

“She noticed my friend and acted before she could be fully affected by the charm. A strong-willed woman, where did you find someone like her.” The monk looked at the angry Arad.

“Hey,” The Dryad by his side whispered, “Grant, she’s a Deianira. A volatile pact with the wind spirits protects her, albeit not enough to fully negate the effect.”

Grant looked at the Dryad, “I see. You can tell?”

“The hell are you talking about? You’re the one commanding the spirits. Look for yourself!” She growled.

Grant smiled, “Even if I command the spirits, I don’t control their actions. I have no power over the wind spirit if she chose to support someone else,” He pointed at Arad, “You two are here fighting by my side of your own will, this is a spirit pact,”

Crack! Arad rushed forward, swinging his fist with zeal. Clang! Grant stopped the punch with his bell, “You’re attacking out of nowhere, aren’t you?”

“Why is your friend here charming everyone?” Arad looked at Grant in the eyes.

“Please do forgive her. Nymphs are the natural born spirits of beauty.” Grant looked at the Nymph beside him, “Her face and body are of an otherworldly beauty that only I can comprehend her.”

Arad moved his fist away, “A power she can’t control?”

“No, she can control it. It’s just that it can run rampage from time to time,” Grant shook his head. “Arethusa here is my companion, the spirit of Beaty.” He then turned toward the Dryad, “And she’s Atlanteia, the spirit of the great forest.”

Arad, don’t fight the spirits. They are rules of nature, and beating them is almost impossible with normal means.

“Mom is right. To kill the Nymph, you must find the natural spot of beauty she was born from and destroy it. That place could be on the other side of the world for all we know. And to kill the Spirit of the forest, you must find which forest she’s linked with and burn it down.”

^So those aren’t their real bodies?^ Arad thought, ^How about the weird monk?^

I don’t know anything about him. We better avoid any fight,

“Don’t fight him, that’s the second-ranked adventurer. Grant, the world tree herald and spirit king. He’s mostly a fake pacifist that rarely fights directly, but controls spirits to fight for him. You have no chance to beat him now.”

Arad sighed, “So it’s a misunderstanding. Sorry for the sudden attack.” He looked at Grant, “Do you mind releasing them in the back? We still have a long way to go,”

“Releasing them?” Grant scratched his head, “I wasn’t the one who charmed them.” He smiled, “But what do you seek?”

Arad pointed back with his thumb, “We saved the elves that were captured by the goblins, and we’re guarding them to the capital,”

“Really? I thought you were trying to attack the kingdom for a second,” Grant laughed, smiling, “It’s rare to see a vampire walking in the daylight. Do you by any chance have Scarlett’s blood?” He glared at Arad, his eyes glowing with a deep green light.

Arad stopped, staring back, “You know a lot,”

“I lived for over three centuries and faced many dangers. Of course, I would hear of the vampire lord Scarlett. “Glad we two won’t need to kill each other. I will take the elves from your hand and deliver them to the queen.”

Arad scratched his head as the Nymph released everyone from her charm, “Sorry, but we need to be the ones delivering them to the queen. It’s a diplomatic matter between the humans and elves.”

“But I won’t be able to suck on her toes then,” Grant stared at Arad with a sad face, “What will you do about that?”

“Excuse me, what?” Arad gasped, confused at what he just heard, “Suck on what?”

“It’s what you heard,” Grant nodded with a serious face, “What why I can’t let you take them to her? I will be the one sucking on them, and not you.”

“Listen, do what you like. I only need to deliver the elves to the capital, let the princess in the back meet the queen and then leave. What does this have to do with what you want?” Arad tried to wrap his head around the nonsense the monk was spitting.

^Something is off,^

Grant smiled, lifting his hands, “Due to that, I can’t allow you to take the elves to the capital.”

“Arad, he’s a pacifist and won’t attack first. He wants you make the first move,” 𝒃𝙚𝙤𝙫𝒆𝒍．𝙘𝒐𝙢

She’s right. Monks usually walk by vows, and he should have the vow of peace.

^Something is off,^