Just as the sun passed its zenith, six elves arrived, envoys from the elf chieftain. Although they came without an appointment, their courteous demeanor earned them entry. Upon entering the grand hall, they observed our elite elves training but made no comment, merely casting a brief look of disdain.
Thanks to the Concealment effect of the ear cuffs, the elite elves appeared to outsiders as having darker skin than they actually did… so they were likely mistaken for Dark Elves or Desert Elves, notorious for their poor relations with regular elves, at least in fantasy lore. This misunderstanding worked to our advantage.
The elite elves glanced over at the envoys, but said nothing. Now that they were wearing the ear cuffs, they knew there was no turning back. I led the envoys to my workshop and private quarters, offering them tea gifted by the elven chieftain. I lacked fine furniture, but my chairs made of thread sufficed as seats. Only one envoy, seemingly the spokesperson, actually sat down; the others stood as guards.
The spokesperson broke the silence, confirming my suspicions: the human army had begun its advance along the route I had previously informed the elven chieftain about. The army was substantial, and despite the magic items I had provided to the elves, their current forces felt inadequate. The absence of the elite elves—the ones who were now my subordinates—left a significant gap. Thus, the elves sought our assistance.
Feigning ignorance, I inquired about the elite elves. The spokesperson explained that a capable but difficult prospective clan leader had acted without permission and subsequently disappeared. His whereabouts remained unknown, and given the circumstances, they had little hope of finding him alive. It was clear the elven chieftain had framed the situation this way to simplify matters, which I appreciated.
After the brief exchange of information, we moved on to business.
The task at hand was straightforward: repel or, ideally, annihilate the human army. A strategic retreat would be acceptable, but desertion would not. The difference seemed negligible to me, but the conditions were clear. There would be a substantial reward: forty mithril short swords, round shields, and chainmail, along with ten mithril ingots, two thousand arrows, and various magical items, like light sources. Depending on our performance, there could also be additional rewards, and any plunder would be ours to keep.
The terms were favorable, so I accepted the mission without hesitation. However, I stipulated that we would be operating freely. Our strength lay in guerrilla tactics, and direct confrontation would only be a last resort. To facilitate communication, I provided the elven envoy with wristbands equipped with communication functions, instructing them to deliver them to their chieftain. I was sure such a precaution would prove worthwhile.
After seeing the envoys off, I immediately dispatched some of the miniature self-replicas I had created out of my blood as scouts. Gathering information and assessing the situation will be crucial. This will be the first task for our mercenary group, Parabellum.