Little Elves are considered one of the greatest creations in the Wizarding World over the past five hundred years.
They free the Wizards' hands, acting as their assistants. Wizards can use their free minds and hands to do more meaningful things, instead of carefully watching flames or tremblingly holding glassware.
According to Xiao Xiao's explanation, Little Elves are magical Alchemy creatures produced in groups, and there are no two completely identical groups of Little Elves in the world.
For example, the planting-type Little Elves. When they are still seeds, the planter must prepare a suitable potion for them according to his own thoughts and wishes. Until they sprout and grow, these Little Elves can only survive on these potions.
Their lives are closely linked to Wizards; if the Wizard who planted them dies, the Little Elves, deprived of their potion supply, will also perish.
Zheng Qing felt this was a very unfair thing.
“They are also intelligent beings. Wouldn't doing this be unethical?” Zheng Qing racked his brains, trying to find some suitable words.
“What is intelligence? What is life? Are they intelligent beings? Whose ethics does it conform to?” Xiao Xiao posed a series of rhetorical questions. With each question, he picked a grilled scallop for his plate.
Zheng Qing was speechless. He could only silently pick some calamari rings for his plate.
“This is a very profound philosophical question, difficult to explain in a few words.” Xiao Xiao finally picked up a glass of juice, took a sip, and concluded, “But according to the general consensus of the Wizarding World, Little Elves are Alchemy products that exist between intelligence and Chaos. They cannot be treated as intelligent beings. And Wizard ethics do not apply to them.”
Zheng Qing disconsolately ladled a bowl of corn chowder.
He looked at the Little Elves flying around and always felt that Xiao Xiao’s explanation was incorrect.
“Over here!” Not far away, Li Meng waved her small hand, claiming a large table, and called them over.
Little Monk Shiyuan was silently sitting beside her, with only a bowl of white rice and a plate of boiled bok choy in front of him.
The dining table was not far from the large floor-to-ceiling window. Sitting at the table, Zheng Qing could clearly see the rolling sea of clouds and the dazzling sunlight outside the window.
Putting down his tray, Zheng Qing leaned lazily back on the soft leather sofa.
A strong scent wafted over from behind him.
“What is that smell?” He sniffed, feeling that the scent seemed familiar.
“Curly-haired Wizard,” Xiao Xiao explained expressionlessly, sitting opposite him.
Li Meng spurted the juice in her mouth onto the floor with a puff, bending over and laughing breathlessly. Several Little Elves rushed over in alarm, bringing Li Meng a stack of wet wipes and quickly cleaning up the stain on the floor.
Little Monk Shiyuan finished chewing his rice and uttered, “Amitabha.”
Zheng Qing turned his head to look and couldn't help but laugh.
Behind him sat a tall, thin male student, precisely the one Xiao Xiao had previously deemed unqualified in perfume usage, and whom Li Meng had described as smelling like a Curly-haired Wizard.
This male student was dining with four or five companions at a table. Hearing the laughter, he looked over in confusion. Then, frowning, he quickly withdrew his gaze.
...
Although there was a small lump of potato not mashed in the mashed potatoes, the calamari rings' sauce was a bit spicy, and the quail eggs' aroma was a bit strong, he had to admit that the ingredients in this buffet restaurant were quite delicious. Zheng Qing took a big gulp of corn chowder and stuck out his tongue.
He looked up; Li Meng's small mouth across from him was bulging, stuffed with food, looking very much like the Hamster at home. Xiao Xiao leisurely chewed his grilled scallop, his gaze fixed on the patterns on the shell, as if he could see a New World there.
From behind, the Curly-haired Wizard's arrogant voice came:
“Do you know about the attack on Four Seasons Square some time ago by Wild Demons?”
Zheng Qing raised his eyebrows and sat up a little straighter.
His encounter in Daming Ward could be considered the most thrilling experience of his eighteen years. Both the Thunder Spell released by Thomas and the pig demon transformed by the fat man appeared in his dreams more than once.
As a firsthand witness, he was very interested in how other Wizards viewed this matter.
The conversation behind him came through clearly.
“I know, I know. The newspapers are going crazy about it. It’s said that nine of the marketplaces under Four Seasons Square were attacked by unknown Wild Demons, and all the leaders of the management committee received reprimand letters from the Wizard Council. It seems many people died.” The speaker’s voice was hurried and a bit leaky, his mouth likely full of food.
“The Beta Town Post’s statistics show eight dead and twenty-one seriously injured.” A sharp voice sneered, “As if no one can see through their word games. Is there still a chance of survival after being injured by a Wild Demon attack?”
“The Gentlemen and Ladies’ report is very accurate; their count of fatalities is twenty-nine.” Another voice seemed a bit lacking in confidence, weakly adding, “The newspaper says the Wizard Alliance has already dispatched nine investigation teams to inspect Four Seasons Square’s security measures and procedures, and related reports will be submitted and released by October.”
“I’m also very curious. It’s said that those causing trouble in the marketplaces were Wild Demons, and their numbers were very small; most marketplaces only had one Wild Demon.” The last voice spoke slowly, with a tone full of doubt, “According to regulations, a Wizard Alliance security squad should be stationed in the marketplaces. The security team shouldn’t be unable to even suppress a single Wild Demon.”
“The security team was transferred.” The leaky voice, full of food, resumed: “My uncle is a captain in the security team at Jinling Ward. They were transferred to assist in the New World a month ago. The order came down very urgently; he only sent a message home. My aunt is always worried something will happen and has been crying in front of my mother recently.”
“Did the natives in the New World launch a major counterattack?” The slow voice seemed very interested, asking in return, “Logically, the situation there should be very stable; there shouldn’t be a shortage of manpower.”
“No, no.” The leaky voice resumed, and Zheng Qing seemed to see the owner of the voice shaking his head in a panic: “My old man inquired a bit, and it seems First University had some kind of mission, recalling many Advanced Wizards stationed in the New World. So, there wasn’t enough manpower there. No native attacks.”
The topic drifted further and further, and the Curly-haired Wizard who started the topic cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention back.
“Do you know that among these attacked marketplaces, there’s one where no Wizards were injured or killed?” The Curly-haired Wizard drew out the end of his sentence, leaving a lingering impression.
“Isn’t that Daming Ward!” The sharp voice was still full of sarcasm: “A few days ago, Daming Ward’s management committee was even awarded a collective honor by the Wizard Council—it was about this matter.”
“Shameless!” Someone immediately cursed beside him: “It was Trident Sword who captured the Wild Demon. It’s said that the management committee members never stepped forward from beginning to end, so how dare they accept this honor!”
“Trident Sword only took away the Wild Demon; the one who suppressed the Wild Demon in Daming Ward is said to be a freshman from First University this year.” Someone added, “My neighbor’s child works in an office at Trident Sword and said that freshman is a Publicly Funded Student from Nine Provinces College.”
“I heard that too! It seems that Publicly Funded Student cast a Thunder Spell! His Spell directly destroyed half a street!”
“And Talismans! I heard that freshman also used a very powerful suppression Talisman. The Wild Demon in Daming Ward was directly knocked out!”
“Publicly Funded Students are just amazing!” Everyone around exclaimed in admiration.
Zheng Qing lowered his head and coughed violently.