Chapter 269: A Standoff [2] Lord Darian looked at Noah with a cold smile spreading across his features. "You are right, I should have ended this conflict much earlier. But I forgot how fundamentally cowardly these light elves truly are." Queen Seraphina’s face flushed with indignation despite her weakened state. "You didn’t dare fight me before consuming that stolen enhancement! Now you act as though your borrowed power represents true strength!" Her accusation carried the bitter sting of someone who recognised that artificial enhancement had tilted their balance of power rather than genuine superiority. Darian scoffed with dismissive arrogance. "Stay cowering in your sanctuary, coward. I’ll simply kill every single light elf in existence while you watch helplessly from behind your human protector." He paused, his expression shifting to a cruel smirk as he delivered his ultimatum. "Unless, of course, you sacrifice yourself for the greater good of your people. Step outside this boundary and face me honourably, and I promise not to slaughter every light elf who surrenders themselves afterwards." Noah frowned at Darian’s first statement, but the second revelation made the dark lord’s strategy clear. He was applying psychological pressure to force the queen from sanctuary, understanding that if she did leave, then he would have killed the strongest light elf, and it would not be difficult to take over, and if she didn’t...that might affect her subordinates’ royalty and morale. The tactic was ruthlessly effective—Queen Seraphina couldn’t remain in neutral territory indefinitely, making this sanctuary merely a temporary reprieve rather than a permanent solution. Darian was also demonstrating strategic intelligence by recognising the queen’s character weaknesses and exploiting them through emotional manipulation rather than direct assault. Turning toward the surviving light elves still engaged in desperate combat, Darian raised his voice with contemptuous authority. "Look at yourselves! Sacrificing your lives for a coward who abandons you to save herself! Truly pathetic display of misplaced loyalty!" But rather than becoming disheartened by Darian’s harsh words, the light elves grew more resolute in their convictions. Their queen’s survival represented hope that their cause could continue despite devastating losses. "Don’t listen to his poisonous lies!" Seraphina called out with renewed strength, her voice carrying across the battlefield. "He spreads the same darkness that has consumed his soul! Everyone, immediately retreat to the safe area—he cannot attack you within the neutral zone!" Her assessment was correct. If her surviving forces could reach Noah’s territorial protection, they could regroup and plan their next moves without facing immediate annihilation. The remaining light elves began forming defensive formations as they attempted organized withdrawal toward sanctuary. There was no strategic purpose in continuing combat now that the luxury smoothie was lost and their forces were being systematically eliminated. "Fall back to Her Majesty!" Elena shouted, rallying the survivors. "Preserve our strength for another day!" The light elves started making their coordinated retreat, but Darian had no intention of allowing such easy escape from consequences. "You think withdrawal will be so simple?" he snarled with malicious satisfaction. "I’ll show you the price of defying the Shadowvale Dominion!" Dark magic began coalescing around Darian’s form as he prepared to demonstrate why retreat without victory carried its own devastating costs. The surviving light elves would need to fight their way to the sanctuary. Seeing that catastrophe was approaching and her kingdom might truly not survive this crisis, Queen Seraphina immediately turned toward Noah with desperation. Her royal dignity as a princess had become something akin to a legend. Standing before Noah, she had become a beggar. "Please, human shopkeeper," she pleaded with a trembling voice. "I’m certain you possess another powerful item like that enhancement the bastard consumed. Please—the light elves would be forever indebted to you; without your involvement, our race might be wiped out by them!" As she moved closer to him, Lola immediately stepped protectively between them with subtle but firm positioning. Her eyes were glaring at Serphina intensely as if saying, ’don’t come near what’s mine.’ Recognising the boundary she had crossed, the queen immediately backed away. "I apologise, I was just—" "It’s fine," Noah interrupted gently before turning to address her directly. "I can sell it to you." Her eyes widened with immediate joy as hope flooded through her battered form. The possibility of survival had materialised when all seemed lost. But Darian’s furious voice cut through her relief like a blade. "What does this mean, human shopkeeper? Are you certain you aren’t taking sides in this conflict? Because your actions keep proving otherwise." Noah’s frown deepened at Darian’s persistent accusations. "For the final time, I’m not taking sides in your war. If you make that insinuation once more, I will seriously consider doing exactly that. You’ve already made multiple unfounded accusations, and I won’t tolerate another." The threat alongside Noah’s tone and facial expressions made even Darian pause to reconsider his approach. Darian studied Noah in tense silence before forcing restraint over his temper. "I apologise, human shopkeeper. This war has truly affected my judgment." But internally, Darian was seething with fury. He wanted to tear this presumptuous human apart for daring to speak with such authority to the leader of the superior dark elf race. The mysterious shopkeeper’s condescending attitude was insufferable. However, Noah’s unknown capabilities made direct confrontation inadvisable for now. The human would face consequences eventually, but timing mattered for successful revenge. Noah addressed both factions. "I previously informed both Kael and Elena that auction items would return to regular inventory at lower prices. Both factions remain free to purchase these items, but you cannot buy more than the other—a one-to-one ratio unless one side declines their allocation." Darian cast Kael a withering glare that sent visible shivers through his subordinate’s spine. Kael immediately distanced himself from Elena before speaking with obvious terror. "Lord Darian... forgive me. The shopkeeper did mention this policy at the auction’s conclusion, but I lacked opportunity to report it. We needed to deliver your item immediately, and with our apparent victory, it seemed unnecessary information." His expression radiated complete contrition as he awaited his leader’s judgment for this oversight.