My Love Debts Are Everywhere!-Chapter 609: The Tension in the Morning

Morning...

The sun slowly rose, spreading light and warmth across every corner of the world.

What should have been a calm and peaceful morning was instead filled with tension in the territory of the Elven race.

The cause was a single announcement—an official declaration from Queen Zelda of the Elves: war against the Dark Elves was now inevitable.

Beneath the great tree that supported the Emerald Palace, tens of thousands of Elven soldiers stood in neat, orderly formation.

Each one wore golden armor crafted from a unique blend of iron and wood fiber.

Although it might not have looked as sturdy as the armor of humans or demons, its strength was more than double.

That was thanks to the fibers, harvested directly from the World Tree—unmatched in both quality and durability.

"Is everything ready!?" freёnovelkiss.com

At the front of the formation, Thalon—his golden armor more radiant than the rest—gazed sharply at the soldiers.

"Ready, Captain!" they answered in unison, their heels clicking together.

"Good!" Thalon nodded in approval. "Then let's head to the border and crush those Dark Elf bastards!"

"Let's go!" the soldiers roared, raising their weapons high.

With that, the army under Thalon's command marched toward the border.

***

"Elina, are we going to be okay?"

Inside Elina's room, Nana sat on the edge of the bed, her face filled with anxiety and unease.

Every so often, her eyes drifted toward the window, watching the soldiers march in neat rows.

Meanwhile, Elina sat on her study chair with her short legs folded up, nodding slowly.

"Don't worry. We'll be safe here in the palace. The soldiers, the three elders, my brother, and the Fated One—they'll take care of everything," Elina said in a calm, reassuring tone.

But her words did little to ease the worry in Nana's eyes.

"Huh..." Nana let out a long sigh. "I didn't expect something like this to happen the moment I woke up."

Just a few hours earlier, Elina had come to her house with a group of soldiers.

At first, Nana had thought Elina was just visiting to play, like she always did. But instead, she came with shocking news—a war between the elven race and the Dark Elves was about to begin.

Upon hearing it, Nana had panicked.

She was only one hundred and twenty years old, and in her entire life, there had never been a major conflict between the Elves and the Dark Elves.

Now, the kind of war she had only read about in history books was turning into reality. No wonder she was terrified.

Seeing the sadness on her friend's face, Elina could only sit in silence.

Truth be told, it all felt too sudden for her as well.

Just yesterday, they had been laughing and talking about the future.

Who would've thought that today, a decisive war between the Elves and the Dark Elves would be knocking at their door?

She was certain this war would claim countless lives on both sides.

And yet, there was nothing she could do. Inevitably, this conflict had to happen. True peace could only come with the fall of one side.

"There's nothing we can do now," Elina said calmly. "What matters most is that your mother and the villagers have made it to safety. And remember—we have the Fated One on our side. There's no reason to worry. You know just how powerful he is, don't you?"

Her words slowly began to ease the heavy anxiety in Nana's heart. Her tense body relaxed, and the gloomy expression on her face gave way to a faint, hopeful smile.

"Yeah... you're right. How could I worry when the Fated One is with us?" she said with a soft giggle.

The memory of Leon saving her from the wolf monster was still vivid in her mind.

It reminded her of the fairy tales she used to love—stories about brave heroes rescuing Elven princesses from fearsome dragons.

But this wasn't just a story. She had seen it with her own eyes—how Leon effortlessly tore through the wolf monsters that attacked them.

So yes, Elina was right. As long as Leon was here, everything would be fine.

Seeing the dreamy smile on Nana's face, Elina rolled her eyes in mild annoyance.

"This girl's seriously in love with the Fated One," she muttered. "The competition just keeps getting tougher... Huft!"

Shaking off her thoughts, Elina stood and smiled. "Well then, let's go play. No point sitting around being bored."

Nana nodded eagerly and hopped off the bed. "Mm! Let's play!"

***

The World Tree was immense and majestic—hundreds of meters tall, with a trunk more than a hundred meters wide.

Standing before it, anyone would feel like a tiny, insignificant ant.

On its southern side, among roots that rose tens of meters high, stood a bright green gate.

The gate was covered in ancient carvings, radiating a mystical aura that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who gazed upon it.

"Is this the gate to the Holy Altar?" Leon asked, staring at it in awe.

Beside him, Zelda nodded slowly, a gentle smile on her lips.

"Yes, this is the gate—or rather, the outer gate. Beyond this, we must pass through a long hallway before reaching the main gate. That one can only be opened with a special key, which was previously broken into several pieces. The last piece is the one you brought when you first arrived at the palace," she explained softly.

Leon nodded in understanding. "Then let's go inside right away."

"Alright."

Zelda stepped forward and placed her right hand on the gate's surface.

*Creeeakk...*

As the gate creaked open, a harsh, grinding noise pierced the air.

Leon instinctively covered his ears, his brow knitting tightly against the unbearable sound.

Moments later, the gate swung fully open, revealing a long, dark, and silent hallway.

*Snap!*

Zelda snapped her fingers, and flames instantly sparked to life in the torches lining the right side of the corridor, casting a warm, flickering glow that chased away the shadows.

"Come in," she said softly.

Without hesitation, they stepped into the hallway.

Moments after they disappeared inside, the massive gate slowly closed behind them, its heavy thud echoing through the towering roots.

***

"What did you say? The elves are guarding the border with so many soldiers... How is that possible?!"

The masked man couldn't hide his shock at the report from the woman beside him.

"Yes," she nodded slightly. "Our spy, Melissa, was caught—and our plan for a surprise attack has been exposed."

The masked man fell silent. Although his face was hidden, the sharp furrow of his brows revealed his frustration.

"Do you think we should still attack... or postpone?" the woman asked cautiously.

"Postpone?" The man's lips twisted into a cold smile. "No way. This is our only chance. If we miss it, there won't be a second."

He shot her a piercing look and ordered, "Gather the Dark Elves at once—we attack now!"