Chapter 56: Race Growth Potential

Ailaira Green did not overlook Kabellin Gana’s sudden, hurried breathing. With great interest, she set down her teacup, her deep eyes fixed on her.

“Oh? You’ve heard of my name?”

Kabellin took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, a strained smile appearing at the corners of her lips.

“Of course. Ms. Green, you also know that we Elves have always been adept at potion-making techniques. For a potion genius among Humanity like you, it’s only natural that we pay special attention.”

The information received from the royal princess, as well as her own investigation on the way here, all indicated that the Water Silver Witch, aside from her unfathomable strength, also possessed formidable talent in potion research and development.

It could be said that the advantage she herself had as an Elf was utterly meaningless in the presence of this woman.

She no longer expected to profit from the business Ailaira mentioned—she only hoped she could produce a bargaining chip that might satisfy the other’s appetite.

Doing her best to maintain a friendly and polite attitude, she forced a smile and shifted the topic.

“The Elf race has always loved peace and often does business with other races of the outside world. I wonder, Ms. Green, what kind of business would you like to discuss with us?”

“It’s very simple.”

Ailaira pulled out a list of potion ingredients and handed it to Kabellin.

“I have great faith in the Elves’ cultivation and planting techniques, so I wish to rent a plot of land in the Elf Forest and commission your people to cultivate the herbs listed here for me.”

Kabellin was surprised by Ailaira’s wording. Why ‘rent’? She buried her doubts, carefully studying the ingredients on the list.

Although her own potion-making skills weren’t top-tier among the Elves, her fundamental knowledge was still solid. In an instant, she could tell what kind of potion Ailaira intended to make with these herbs.

“Awakening Flower, Lightfruit, Life Morning Dew… Forgive my frankness, but such high-grade materials containing the essence of life require vast amounts of life force during their maturation. That is to say, an entire area’s vitality must be drawn to supply the energy needed for a single plant to fully mature. In natural conditions, this process would take centuries.”

“Unfortunately, the currently preserved stock of these materials is nowhere near enough to meet my needs. That’s why I came to the Elves for help with cultivation and accelerated growth. With your connection to the Nature Ancient Tree, you possess endless life energy and are perfectly suited for the task.”

Hearing Ailaira’s matter-of-fact words, Kabellin instinctively wanted to refuse. What kind of joke was this? If she agreed to such a condition, it would mean diverting a portion of the Nature Ancient Tree’s magical power solely to support that planting area.

At the same time, the Elves’ own cultivation and magical growth—upon which their survival depended—would inevitably be affected.

“I’m sorry, I can’t make that decision, and I don’t think the Queen would…”

“Don’t be in such a hurry. I’ll offer you a condition you won’t be able to refuse.”

Ailaira’s unreserved gaze lingered on Kabellin’s voluptuous figure. Kabellin instantly felt a chill run down her back, and her slightly parted legs snapped nervously together. Panic surged inside her.

Why is she looking at me with such a predatory gaze?!

Don’t tell me—since her plan isn’t working out, she’s planning to keep me here?! Then she’ll subject me to endless demands, using evil magic to control my body until she turns me into a plaything who can’t live without her!

“Ms. Gena, you’ve already passed adulthood, haven’t you?”

So as long as I’m an adult, you’ll be able to do whatever you want, is that it?!

Kabellin desperately wanted to lie and claim she’d just turned eighteen, but clearly her mature body couldn’t be faked. For the first time, she felt anxious about her figure, and could only steel herself and admit, “Yes, I reached adulthood about a hundred years ago.”

“Long-lived races naturally have delayed physical maturity. An underdeveloped body can’t bear greater magical power, and a race’s characteristics usually only fully manifest after adulthood. This is a universal principle for all long-lived races except Humanity.”

Hearing this, Kabellin looked across at the human, bitterness flickering in her eyes. In truth, Humanity’s rise had come from this difference.

Unlike other races that needed centuries to mature, most humans lived less than a hundred years but required little waiting. With just basic guidance, they could realize their potential and step onto the Magic Long Staircase.

As for the Elves, it took a hundred years of growth to fully realize their racial talent.

Of course, the exceptionally gifted could shorten this period, but compared to Humanity, the gap remained vast.

Kabellin was already among the more talented of the Elf race, but even so, she had spent eighty years to reach true adulthood. Some of her peers still looked like children to this day.

In terms of heritage, Humanity couldn’t compare to any single major race on the continent.

The problem was their overwhelming numbers and sheer strength at the middle and lower levels—so much so that in times of war, it required multiple races allied together to oppose them.

Though those wars were long gone, to the long-lived Elves, it all seemed like it was just yesterday.

Pulled from her memories, Kabellin gathered her thoughts and continued her conversation with Ailaira. She was deeply curious—since the other had brought up this well-known racial gap, what could be the irresistible condition she would propose?

“Miss Ailaira, you’ve truly piqued my curiosity. Why not just come out with it?”

Ailaira withdrew her gaze, looking down at her slender fingertips. Who knew what she was recalling, but a faint smile appeared on her face as she nonchalantly dropped a bomb into Kabellin’s heart.

“I have a way to greatly shorten the time it takes for Elves to reach adulthood.”

Kabellin froze on the spot, unable to believe what she had just heard, especially from a human! She could no longer maintain her composure; in the face of such a possibility for her race, all etiquette was thrown aside.

By the time she came to her senses, she was already half-kneeling on the tea table, her head nearly touching Ailaira’s face, her dry lips trembling as she spoke:

“Really? You’re not joking?”

Seeing her so overwhelmed with excitement, Ailaira, completely in control, replied,

“Of course.”

Their conversation lasted until midnight.

Only then did Kabellin, on shaky legs, leave the guest room. Her face was slightly pale with exhaustion, but the excitement in her eyes could not be concealed.

Supporting herself against the wall, she rushed to the bathroom in her room.

A short while later, Ailaira emerged, stretching her body lazily. Looking at the night outside the window, she estimated the time.

“It’s about time to visit Her Highness, the Princess.”

She followed the steps down, all the way to the basement, and looked at the woman whose limbs were bound by chains atop a bed forged from Sealing Magic Stone. Ailaira lightly knocked on the iron door and teased,

“Your Highness, the Princess, how was your rest?”