Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 630 - 583: The Dream of Zhumuwood

City of Wandering, Light Five District, Elf Zone.

Mr. Scholar walked through the verdant woods, looking worriedly at the Green Dragon Priestess in front of him who was supervising a group of white-haired elves packing up their belongings. Irason planned to take this opportunity to bring the Withering Druids back to their homeland. Under the "majesty" of the Green Dragon Priestess, the elves with stiff faces agreed to her request.

"Are you really sure it’s okay, Irason, if you go alone? I’m still worried about you."

The Blue Dragon Priest expressed his concern, or rather, his panic, which was kindly rejected by Irason with a smile.

"Brother! I was once the leader of our clan; this little thing is nothing to worry about! Don’t you also have your demanding work in harvesting the tribe’s power? Neglecting your duties is not becoming of a competent Dragon Priest," said Irason, who had wanted for a long time to try advising Mr. Scholar, seemingly omnipotent in his high position.

"That, ah, the work of harvesting the tribe’s power, I’ve already completed."

Mr. Scholar casually took out a glowing diamond palm-sized from under his robe, which was the fully charged core of the City of Wandering’s teleportation matrix, filled with the power of the Arcanists’ clan.

"How is that possible!!! Haven’t we just returned three hours ago? Don’t you need to discuss and debate the plan with the Secret Pivot Council, winning by a narrow margin after much argument, and then spend a lot of time conducting the harvesting ritual? How come, my brother Morocoy, you collect the tribe’s power as easily as breathing!! It’s such a troublesome task!!!" Irason let out a despairing dragon roar, thinking of the troubles she would face. The scholar in front of her was an insurmountable mountain, and she couldn’t help but kneel down.

The scholar felt a bit helpless and pulled out a scroll to unveil his schedule.

"Upon returning, I immediately started discussions with my children, the royal Arcanists. Both my son and grandson declined my overtures with the excuse of heavy academic burdens and handed over the leading role. The Secret Pivot Council has acted like a vassal to my authority since I’ve been back. Although I appreciate their trust, I somewhat wish they’d be more independent. As for the materials, the City of Wandering can no longer move, and its matrix core happens to be suitable for storing energy. For me, its master, removing it is as easy as flipping my hand. As for the source of power... because I am Morocoy, and my magic can supplement the clan’s power, reducing the loss of Arcanists’ strength to zero. They had no complaints about an arrangement without losses."

Hearing Mr. Scholar’s somewhat boastful statement, Irason shed tears of shame.

"For the next month, I don’t want to talk to the Great Elder Brother, so please don’t come looking for me."

"What nonsense are you talking? Aren’t you going back to the Dream Forest? If I come to you, it could turn into a diplomatic incident. If my magic replenishment didn’t add the essence of the Blue Dragon, I would also wish to help you, my sister. But, do you really not need my help? The City of Wandering does have some business dealings with the Dream Elves; perhaps I have some influence among the Dream Elves’ leadership."

Irason dismissed the scholar’s offer.

"Although you seem quite omnipotent, brother, this is something you simply cannot do. The power structure of the Dream Elves consists of the Queen and the Elders’ Council governing jointly. We will not allow trade partners to interfere with our sovereignty. Besides, the Light Five District has mostly Withering Druids, who were the Dream Elves expelled at first and already on the fringes of Elven Society. Perhaps the City of Wandering is also being ostracized by association."

"Then as the one who initially sheltered the Withering Druids, your situation must be quite bad. In the eyes of those Dream Elves, you are probably seen as the main culprit who betrayed them and caused the split of their clan."

"But at that time, I really didn’t think that much, I just felt sorry for those who were excluded!" Irason clutched the scholar’s collar, shook him back and forth, and pleaded with all her might to explain that she was a good child. "I wanted to find them a home, and then the City of Wandering really seemed suitable."

"And then I took you in, the runaway from home, for decades... You really don’t miss home at all, huh..."

"Hehehe..."

"I’m not praising you."

"...Sorry. But I recently went back to the Dream Forest and reconciled with my daughter Tiffany! I can still do it!"

Someone who reconciles with their daughter after decades must leave the Elf Queen feeling quite powerless.

The scholar sighed. Back in the days when the Sleeper was sealed, the Green Dragon Priestess fused her own dreams with the dark thoughts of the gods and dragged them deep into the dream realm, allowing the Dragon Priest to escape the evil whispers. But Irason paid a price, her mental state became unstable, and she even began to confuse reality with the dream world, often appearing clueless and naively foolish. One could not stay angry with such a companion for long.

"Though that may be, the Dream Elves thrived under your leadership without crumbling. The Elf Race is indeed resilient."

Irason pouted her lips.

"How rude of me! I’ve also worked hard in the past!"

"And then the Elf Race came up with the Senate to balance the Queen’s power..."

The Green Dragon Priest jumped up, and several passing Dream Elf girls covered their mouths and giggled, looking affectionately at their own community leader.

"That wasn’t because of me, it was a system established by the Regent I appointed!" 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Regent? Weren’t you the Regent Queen at the time? Why set up another Regent?"

"Because I was too busy with my regular job! I had to find a good friend to help out!"

"You left the regency on the side, what other regular job could you possibly have?"

The Green Dragon Priest swung her flower wand and spun in place.

"The mission of the Green Dragon Priest, of course, is to guard the Dream Forest and dispel the erosion of nightmares!"

Off to sleep, this guy abandoned the Queen’s work to go to sleep.

"That Regent must have been quite capable, given that the development of the Dream Elves is considered quite good, compared to other dragon devotees." Mr. Scholar didn’t want to confirm the limits of Irason any longer.

When mentioned the Regent, Irason’s eyes lit up as if showing off a treasured possession.

"That’s right! She’s my most reliable friend! Susanna was the Regent I appointed, Tiffany’s godmother, and the founder of the Senate! Super impressive!"

Susanna? Mr. Scholar thought for a moment. He had never heard Irason mention her name before. Had their relationship faded?

No, that wasn’t it.

"With such a distinguished status, compared to you, she practically seems like the behind-the-scenes manager of the Dream Elves. With such strong support, and you’re still struggling for power among the Dream Elves. I get it now... You were ousted from power, weren’t you? That once reliable lady doesn’t seem so reliable anymore. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have only recalled that name now, would you?"

Irason’s face turned bright red, her gaze shifting from side to side, her index fingers touching in front of her chest.

"Actually... actually..."

"Actually?"

"Actually, I forgot. Susanna has probably been asleep in the realm of dreams for decades now, she might still be waiting for me to wake her up. After all, like me, she belongs to the Long-Lived Species and has a rather loose sense of time... dear brother..."

Mr. Scholar slapped his palm against his mask, tremulously as if he were growling.

"You forgot your dear friend... for decades..."

Irason hunched her head and pulled down the nearest branch, hiding her face behind the leaves.

"...decades... it’s not that long, right..."