Shane looked at Elon and found that there wasn't much doubt in his eyes; instead, there was a hint of playfulness.
Knowing that the druid mentor did not suspect him, Shane shook his head and said, “Meeting you all was just an accident. Besides, I have no reason to do such a thing.”
Elon nodded slightly, accepting Shane's explanation. He then glanced at the skeletal remains scattered across the sand and asked, “Then what do you think happened? Is there another necromancer here?”
Shane fell silent for a moment. After some thought, he decided to tell the truth. “That skeleton was indeed summoned by me.”
“You...”
Hearing Shane's words, Elon's brow furrowed instantly. Just as he was about to speak, Shane interrupted him, “But my connection to it was severed before it attacked the attendant.”
Upon hearing this, Elon's expression suddenly turned grave. A thought flashed through his mind, though he was still somewhat uncertain.
Thus, he could only listen as Shane continued to explain, “As you have seen, the skeletons I summon are only used to water plants and plant trees. They execute the simplest repetitive commands, requiring no continuous expenditure of my mental energy to control.”
“But that thing—it had already ignited its soul fire, which means it had gained a mind of its own.”
Indeed, just as Shane said, the soul fire in the skeleton's eyes earlier had been exceptionally striking. Having fought against necromancers for years, Elon naturally knew what that signified.
But then, Elon thought of something and looked at Shane. “Isn't soul fire something only you necromancers can bestow?”
Shane did not deny it. Instead, he said, “Normally, yes. But there are a few rare circumstances where a soul fire can be ignited without a necromancer's involvement.”
This statement made Elon's eyelid twitch. If a skeleton's soul fire could be ignited without a necromancer, did that not mean someone else could do it?
Considering everything that had happened over the past few days, he could easily draw a conclusion: there was a mole in their party.
When did they slip in? Did they want to take Her Highness's life?
In an instant, Elon's breathing grew heavy. He forced down the urge to turn and scan the attendants and guards, quickly regaining his composure.
No, if they wanted to take Her Highness's life, they had countless opportunities along the way.
But why?
After pondering for a moment and finding no answer, Elon looked at Shane and asked, “Do you know who it is?”
Shane nodded and replied, “I do have a suspect, but I need your help.”
...
Night fell, and a campfire crackled in the center of the camp.
Alicia sat by the campfire, cradling a bowl of warm bean soup in her hands, her eyes staring blankly at the dancing flames.
“Did he just leave like that?”
Her voice was low, as if she were talking to herself, or perhaps asking Elon beside her.
Elon stood by her side, expressionless, his voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation. “Yes, Your Highness.”
“Shane Leynas was willing to leave this place on his own accord and promised never to appear before you again. That was my condition for sparing his life.”
Alicia's gaze drifted from the flames to Elon, her violet eyes carrying a trace of clear dissatisfaction.
Though she didn't say it aloud, her meaning was clear: You should know he was framed, right?
Elon could naturally read that look, but he offered no defense. He simply said in a calm tone, “Your Highness, no matter what, he is still a necromancer.”
“Since his undead creation slipped from his control and attacked our people without restraint, he is a threat.”
“I cannot allow someone who could threaten your life at any moment to remain by your side.”
Elon's reasoning was sound, leaving Alicia with no room for rebuttal. She could only purse her lips slightly and continue to watch the fire in silence.
Yet, a wave of regret still welled up irrepressibly in her heart.
Then, taking a deep breath, she suppressed her emotions.
As a leader, she knew better than to dwell on someone with whom cooperation was no longer possible.
Let the past be the past.
So she looked up at Elon once more, her voice returning to its usual calm and decisiveness. “Then what should we do next?”
“Now that Shane is gone, this oasis will probably revert to a barren wasteland soon. In that case, there is no need for us to stay here either.”
However, Elon shook his head. “Your Highness, quite the contrary.”
“Although Shane Leynas has left, the foundation he established remains. Those shrubs have taken root, and the pool's water source is stable enough. This oasis will not wither away immediately just because he left.”
“Therefore, it would be a pity to let this place go to waste.”
It sounded reasonable, and Alicia nodded in agreement. However, she had absolutely no experience with greening projects, so she could only ask, “Then, what do you mean...”
“We can continue to stay here and expand the size of the oasis.”
Elon's voice suddenly grew louder, sounding incredibly firm, which instinctively drew curious glances from the surrounding attendants. “We will continue to use this oasis as a starting point, turning it into an important transit point for the Empire to enter the Golden Sea, preparing the groundwork for future development.”
“Your Highness, even if you have been exiled here, do not lose heart. As long as we can establish a foothold here and transform this desert into an oasis, the achievements we make will surely allow you to return to the heart of the Empire.”
“By then, you will no longer be an exile in the eyes of the world, but the greatest lord in the western region of the Empire—the Lord of the Golden Sea.”
Elon's words were powerful and crystal clear, allowing everyone present to hear them.
For a moment, the guards' faces flushed with excitement as they looked at Elon, and the attendants' eyes lit up with joy at his speech.
Only Alicia looked at her mentor with a strange expression. Recalling the words her mentor had just spoken, her gaze gradually sharpened, staring at him for several seconds as if trying to see right through him.
However, Elon remained completely unfazed.
After a long pause, Alicia withdrew her gaze. The corners of her mouth slowly curled up into a meaningful smile. “In that case...”
She stood up, brushing the sand off her clothes, her voice rising slightly just like Elon's. “Let us proceed according to Mentor's plan. We will continue to stay here, establish a stronghold, and expand the oasis. We will only leave once all the construction is complete.”
In the next second, a smile appeared on Elon's face. He bowed to Alicia and said, “Your Highness is wise.”
“It is because Mentor's suggestion was excellent,” Alicia replied simply as she looked at Elon, then turned her gaze toward the pitch-black night in the distance.
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