Wizard: My magic facility can be upgraded!

Chapter 247 Eve, Chosen as a Living Sacrifice

Chapter 247 Eve, Chosen as a Living Sacrifice

A brief silence fell over the council chamber after these words. Sherry remained standing with her hands at her sides, her expression unchanged, while Lillian seemed somewhat uneasy.

Finally, the Great Cave Master let out a very soft sigh, and he slowly raised his hand to grasp the edge of the mask.

"Because," he said, lifting his mask upwards.

"Suspending the ceremony is exactly what I requested."

The metal mask was completely removed, revealing a face that stood out from the surrounding beastmen.

His skin was the kind of white that elves had, a porcelain white that seemed to shimmer with the delicate glow of moonlight. His features were handsome and deep, and his long silver hair was like flowing mercury, still shining brightly in the dim indoor light.

A pair of light blue eyes were calmly watching Li Ang. As the mask was removed, his originally hoarse voice became clear and magnetic.

"Let's get to know each other again. August Starseeker, the second son of the current Elven King of Avalon."

He nodded slightly. "In terms of seniority, I am Eve's cousin."

"An elf prince?!" Lillian exclaimed in shock, instinctively taking a half-step back, her pale golden eyes filled with disbelief and panic. She looked at Sherry, then at August, her arms trembling slightly. The Great Cave Master, revered as the leader of all the outcasts, was actually an elf? This shattered her understanding.

"Lillian, calm down," Sherry said promptly to comfort Lillian.

"His Highness August, the Lord of the Cave, is different from other elves. If it weren't for his protection and guidance, these countless underground nests, including your Leaf Nest, would probably have been wiped out by the elven guards long ago. He provided us with shelter and scarce resources, and even tacitly allowed us to resist to a limited extent to rescue our brethren. He is our true guardian."

Sherry's words brought Lillian back to her senses from the extreme shock and hostility. Her violently heaving chest gradually calmed down, but the wariness in her eyes had not completely disappeared. She looked at August with a very complicated expression.

Li Ang was no less shocked than Lillian, but he didn't show it on the surface and quickly accepted the fact.

August's eyes lacked the indifference and disdain that elves typically showed when looking at orcs; instead, they held a deep-seated weariness and—

determination.

"Did you pause the ceremony?" Li Ang asked, seizing the key point.

August nodded, a cold glint in his aquamarine eyes. "Yes, I've temporarily delayed the process, citing the need to reconfirm the sacrifice's qualifications and ritual details to avoid angering the Titans. But Reihart, my brother, the first in line to the throne, won't wait long. I can buy him at most a month. A month later, once he's officially crowned king, Eve's purification and admonition will be complete, and then—"

He paused, his tone becoming even lower, "She will be a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice?!" Li Ang's heart sank again, the ominous premonition turning into a cold reality.

"What do you mean? What sacrifice? Didn't you bring her back to save her from her doom?"

He recalled the possible underlying hope that Carlos's words, "She went back," implied a desire for his daughter to be safe.

August let out a very soft chuckle, tinged with a hint of mockery: "Avoiding the end? Leon, do you think the noble pure-blooded elf royal family would care about the life or death of a half-elf? A bastard daughter who has been wandering outside for a hundred years, with 'impure' blood?"

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife: "So, why do you think the royal family went to such lengths, even resorting to clandestine methods, to bring her back from the mortal world?"

Li Ang shook his head; he had previously thought it was just the elves' obsessive recall of their bloodline.

August continued, "Have you ever heard of the 'Fountain of Wisdom' and the 'Blood of the Gods'?"

Li Ang's heart stirred, and he nodded, saying, "I have heard that the former is said to grant the drinker endless wisdom, while the latter is the catalyst for all legendary potions. Both are the foundation upon which the elven race has survived and grown strong."

“That’s not just a legend,” August’s voice was firm. “They really exist; they are a gift bestowed upon the elven ancestors by the ancient Titans.”

However, the Titans' gifts are not eternal. Every so often, the Elven royal family must appease or "communicate" with the Titans through specific rituals to ensure the continued flow of the Well of Wisdom and to prevent the blood of the gods from drying up.

He looked at Li Ang with a deep gaze, "And the core of this ritual—requires a sacrifice. It must be a living sacrifice with royal blood."

Leon felt a chill run down his spine: "Eve—was the chosen sacrifice?"

"The original sacrifice was my sister, Alicia." A rare hint of suppressed pain appeared in August's voice, but it vanished in an instant.

"But ten years ago, they discovered Eve's existence through Flora, Eve's mother. A half-elf with royal blood who had been living abroad was the perfect replacement."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. "So, do you understand now? The so-called 'purification' and 'admonition' are not only to restore her to purity, but also to ensure that the sacrifice's physical and mental state meets the requirements before the ritual, and to deprive her of any will or power to resist."

Leon's fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. The stinging pain kept him clinging to his last shred of sanity: "What kind of evil ritual is this? Why must there be human sacrifice? Isn't there any other way to sustain the Titans' bounty?"

August slowly shook his head: "I don't know. The specific details of the ritual, why a human sacrifice is needed, and whether there is an alternative—these core secrets can only be passed down from the previous Elf King to his successor during the coronation ceremony."

"That is the deepest secret of the monarchy, and Leigh Hart—he can't wait any longer."

"Once he ascends the throne, the first thing he'll probably do is hold a ceremony to exchange Eve for a new 'gift.'"

"So," Li Ang forced himself to calm down, his brain racing.

"The key to saving Eve isn't forcibly entering the Divine Court, but rather—preventing Reihart's coronation, or changing the successor?"

A hint of admiration flashed in August's eyes: "You're very perceptive. The simplest and most direct method is for me to become the new Elf King. At that time, I will use my royal authority to end the ritual for Eve and grant her her freedom. Of course, that's not all."

He looked at Li Ang, his gaze becoming solemn: "I promise that if I can take control of Avalon, the Elven Kingdom will no longer be a closed refuge, but a place where we are willing to stand hand in hand with you all to face the inevitable 'End'."

"Together we fight against the end!" This sentence undoubtedly struck a chord with Li Ang's deepest desire.