After agreeing on the departure time, Lin Yan and Maurice parted ways.
Upon returning to the inn, before Sir Will and the others had returned, Lin Yan went back to her bedroom and began to read the parchment scrolls she had brought.
Parchment occupied a large area and did not contain much writing. It was also difficult to preserve, coupled with the complexity of its production process, which blocked the path to literacy for most people in this world.
Just like the maids around Lin Yan, not all of them were literate, and among those who were, only two or three could write.
Lin Yan had not brought many parchment scrolls with her this time due to her banishment. As for magic scrolls that could carry magical skills and formations, they were even more expensive.
However, the original owner was not foolish. Upon learning of her banishment, she had packed all her belongings into her spatial ring.
Lin Yan was grateful that the original owner was very interested in crafting magic scrolls, so she had stored many blank scrolls and some of her own Light scrolls in her spatial ring.
It was just that the original owner had also kept a secret. A month ago, she had already broken through to become a seventh-tier mage, her power rivaling that of a Cardinal. It was known that only three out of five Cardinals had reached the eighth tier.
To reach the seventh tier at the original owner's age, there was a high probability of her eventually becoming Pope.
But who could have imagined that someone who had grown up with her would suddenly betray her, and the Pope, without listening to her defense, would directly banish her?
This action had caught her completely off guard. She could only set off with this hastily formed team.
What happened later, with the original owner being assassinated, poisoned, and finally sold to slave traders, was a story in itself. She had simply experienced too little hardship and thought too naively of people.
Take, for instance, her poisoning. She should have considered that a poison capable of incapacitating a seventh-tier Light Mage could not be easily obtained.
If it weren't for the fact that the poison had triggered a deeply buried toxicity within her body, how could it have directly rendered her unable to resist, leaving her to watch helplessly as her servants and knights were killed one by one?
Lin Yan took out a blank magic scroll. This scroll was tanned from the skin of a fifth-tier magical beast and could carry fifth-tier magical skills.
Then, she took out her tools for crafting magic scrolls. She had never crafted a magic scroll before.
She had only obtained the original owner's memories, not actual practice. However, she had drawn talismans in other worlds, and these two should have some commonalities. Lin Yan decided to give it a try.
Although this blank magic scroll was of high grade, and it was somewhat wasteful for her to use it now, after the original owner's skill in crafting magic scrolls improved, she had not stored any low-grade blank scrolls in her spatial ring.
While Lin Yan was fully engrossed in crafting magic scrolls, Sir Will had also recruited a few people he was quite satisfied with.
He did not mind recruiting people who were somewhat greedy. Although Lady Angelina was banished, she could still afford to hire these individuals.
Although he had not followed Angelina for very long, he knew how much she possessed.
Setting aside her status as a Marquis's daughter, the resources she had enjoyed during her years as a saintess were already beyond the reach of many.
Not to mention her popularity with the common people. The gifts that nobles sent her on her birthdays could be sold for a considerable sum.
However, it was only when faced with utter destitution that a noble would sell their jewelry.
Therefore, he was not too concerned about the conditions they proposed when recruiting. As long as the person possessed sufficient strength and could ensure Lady Angelina's safety, it would suffice.
He did, however, have their reputations investigated, primarily to see if they possessed a sense of commitment. After all, their opponent was that person. If they were to betray them for a higher offer, it would not be good.
To Will's delight, these individuals had good reputations.
Among those who applied this time, there was one sixth-tier, two fifth-tier, and the rest were fourth-tier.
Although there was no seventh-tier, which disappointed Will somewhat. Recruiting a seventh-tier mage in such a remote town was ultimately asking too much.
He would wait and see tomorrow, just in case.
After ruining three blank scrolls, Lin Yan finally managed to complete one.
It couldn't be helped. Although she had integrated the memories, she was still very familiar with drawing talismans, so the very first stroke of the first scroll resulted in it being ruined.
The second one made it halfway through before she realized there was a problem. It wasn't until she was working on the third one that she discovered the root of the issue.
Fortunately, the fourth one was successful. Although it had some flaws, it was successful nonetheless.
It was a fourth-tier Light magic scroll, primarily offensive. Lin Yan examined it briefly and then put it into her spatial ring.
It seemed there was still a gap between theory and practice. Lin Yan crafted a few more scrolls until a maid reminded her that it was time to rest, at which point she stopped.
After washing up, Lin Yan lay on her bed. She chose not to sleep. Crafting magic scrolls had depleted her magic power, so this was a good time to meditate and recover it.
Feeling the lively magical elements, she slowly entered meditation.
Starlight bathed the exquisite Elven Forest, and the flowers on the ground also emitted faint, shimmering lights.
A troop of elven archers patrolled the forest, their longbows slung over their shoulders.
Their movements disturbed some fireflies. The yellow fireflies, in conjunction with the starlight, made the forest even more dreamlike.
A pair of delicate feet stepped onto the soft grass, a string of exquisite anklets adorning her ankles.
She slowly approached a giant tree, so tall it almost obscured the sky. Yet, this tree did not block the light; instead, it emitted it.
Compared to the immensity of this tree, the fruits hanging from it were rather small.
This tree was the heart of the Elven Forest, the object of the elves' faith – the Mother Tree of the Elves.
However, in recent years, the fruits on the Mother Tree had become fewer and fewer, and the newly born elves were growing weaker.
The Elven King gazed at the Mother Tree, revered as their mother, with great concern.
"What is wrong with you? How can I save you?"
Though the elves lived in seclusion, they did not wish to be confined to one place. The young elves were very curious; in the past, every elf would venture out to explore the continent upon reaching adulthood.
However, in recent years, due to the Mother Tree, no elf had gone out for a long time. Furthermore, coupled with the covetousness of greedy humans towards elves, they dared not let their innocent children venture out.
For many years, they had been confined to the Elven Forest. Outsiders could not enter, and they did not go out.
The elves had not had contact with the outside world for a very long time.