Chapter 2206 Flora’s Mindset <TOC> Chapter 2208 Peter Pan
Translator: SumTLMan
Soon, Angel found an answer.
The battle between the desert hawk and an unknown wind elemental creature ended with the desert hawk’s victory. When the desert hawk, filled with pride, trapped the opponent with a sand cage, Angel finally saw the true form of the adversary.
It was a small, turquoise, inverted triangular spiral-shaped whirlwind, about the length of an adult’s forearm.
It was evident at first glance that this was not a mature wind elemental creature.
This was a wind elemental sprite still in its infancy.
At this moment, the eyes of the wind elemental sprite were spiraled, clearly in a state of fainting, which is why it was caught by the sand cage.
“So it’s a little sprite.” The desert hawk also noticed the captive in the cage, its tone carrying a hint of peculiarity.
Having recently delved into the ecology of elemental creatures, Angel understood the oddity in the desert hawk’s tone.
Previously, the desert hawk must have thought that this wind elemental creature entering the Toothpull Desert was a provocation, or even considered it a spy, much like Angel’s initial encounter with Dangros.
However, upon seeing that the opponent was a little sprite, the desert hawk realized it was all a misunderstanding.
Perhaps the elemental creatures of different domains are at odds with each other, but regardless of the type, they all cherish elemental sprites, as they represent hope.
The attention and care of Sage Kuplatinum towards little sprites are testament to this.
Under such circumstances, no elemental creature from any domain would send a sprite to provoke or spy. After all, ninety percent of sprites are naive and innocent, making them ineffective spies if placed with the opposition.
Even sprites with intelligence, like Dangros, have not fully matured mentally. To mature elemental creatures, they are still considered children.
Therefore, the desert hawk, realizing it had been battling a “naive child,” naturally felt it was not a proud moment.
Moreover, it’s normal for a “child” to be unaware of the no-fly rules of the Toothpull Desert. After all, that’s a matter for adults.
While the desert hawk was examining the little sprite in the sand cage, Angel maneuvered the Gondola to fly over.
“Why would this wind elemental sprite venture into the Toothpull Desert?” Angel curiously asked. Generally, the nature of elemental sprites would make them subconsciously gravitate towards their comfort zones. For a wind elemental sprite, that would undoubtedly be the heartland of White Cloud Hamlet. The Toothpull Desert, filled with strong earth elemental energy, would be an unlikely place for a wind elemental sprite to enter.
The desert hawk shook its head: “I don’t know, perhaps it ran away from home?”
The chance of accidentally wandering in is low, as wind elemental sprites, even if lost, wouldn’t likely head into the territory of other elemental creatures.
The desert hawk also knew that the monarch of White Cloud Hamlet, unlike Highness Sandstorm Sandestorm, is extremely gentle among wind elemental creatures; they wouldn’t drive away a child in its sprite phase.
Therefore, this wind elemental sprite’s entrance into the Toothpull Desert must have been its own choice.
With a subjective intention yet deliberately choosing to leave White Cloud Hamlet for the Toothpull Desert, this seemed illogical.
To the desert hawk, this likely indicated a child running away in a huff. After all, the temperaments of children are often more volatile than adults.
Angel, looking at the little one fainted inside the sand cage, wondered if it was an illusion, but he felt the corners of the little one’s eyes were somewhat moist.
Angel: “Let’s not discuss why it came to the Toothpull Desert. What do you plan to do with it?”
The desert hawk, upon hearing this question, also found itself in a dilemma.
In the end, this was but a sprite, lacking in strength and immature in thought, most likely a runaway from home, certainly unaware of the myriad regulations established by Highness Sandstorm. Imposing a series of accusations upon it seemed excessively harsh in the eyes of the desert hawk.
Yet, the sprite had indeed erred. To simply let it go seemed too lenient. Such an action, if known, might undermine Highness Sandstorm’ authority.
Amidst this conflict of emotions, the desert hawk was uncertain of the best course of action.
“Here’s what we’ll do. Sir, please watch over it for a moment while I seek counsel from the sage.”
With Angel’s agreement, the desert hawk temporarily placed the sand cage on the Gondola and dove down from the hundred-meter-high skies, plunging into the earth to seek the wise elder’s advice.
During the desert hawk’s absence, Dangros hopped onto the table, circling the sand-made cage, scrutinizing the minor sprite inside.
The more Dangros observed, the brighter its eyes shone.
Unnoticed by Angel, Dangros sneakily extended a finger into the cage, only to cry out in pain and retreat several steps back.
Turning, Angel saw Dangros hopping on the table, cradling its index finger.
Upon closer examination, Angel noticed residual sand on Dangros’ finger, corroding its “skin.” Observing the shifting sands of the cage, he surmised the cause.
Dangros had foolishly touched the sand cage.
Although Dangros was under his care, and despite its cries of pain, Angel felt compelled to intervene.
Picking up Dangros, Angel inspected its finger closely under its pained gaze.
The remaining sand appeared to be draining elemental energy, continuously consuming Dangros’ flame.
The sand’s elemental absorption capacity likely had limits, and it would soon become saturated. However, by that time, Dangros’ finger would likely be severely damaged.
Angel was inclined to let Dangros learn a harsh lesson but remembered his responsibility to Magu. Sighing, he scolded Dangros for its recklessness while his fingertip gently tapped the table, sending a barely visible ripple spreading slowly.
As the ripple passed Dangros’ finger, the sand shook off abruptly.
Angel used vibration to dislodge the sand.
“If you act recklessly again, you’ll suffer the consequences alone,” he warned after rescuing Dangros’ finger.
Dangros pouted, muttering, “I just wanted to try if I could make it my underling…” If it could recruit a non-fire elemental underling, it would be quite impressive back in the Fire Domain.
Angel was taken aback by Dangros’ ambition to recruit underlings and scolded it, “Instead of resorting to sneaky methods, you should focus on improving yourself. If you truly want to recruit underlings, win them over with strength. Like this——”
Mid-sentence, Angel summoned a Magic Hand, pinning Dangros firmly against the table.
After a brief struggle, Dangros gave up, realizing Angel wouldn’t harm it and had previously saved it. It begrudgingly accepted the scolding, acknowledging Angel’s point.
Winning over underlings with strength seemed appealing.
However, being in its sprite stage, Dangros knew it had to mature before gaining strength, a process that could take years.
It wondered if there might be a quicker way to mature.
Dangros’ thoughts began to run wild.
Angel was well aware that a mere magic spell couldn’t subdue Dangros. He had planned to take advantage of Dangros’ struggle to teach it a lesson with an iron fist, making it take it to heart. Unexpectedly, like a salted fish, Dangros simply spread its hand, gave up resisting, and stopped struggling. It seemed as though it had even started to daydream.
Angel’s anger simmered in his chest, finding no outlet for release. In his fury, he used a magic spell to grind Dangros several more times, but the latter was oblivious, allowing itself to be kneaded like dough.
Seeing Dangros’ appearance, indifferent as a dead pig to boiling water, Angel could only let out a deep breath of turbid air and decided to leave it be.
At this moment, the wind elemental sprite in the sand cage, too, began to recover from its dizziness, transitioning from “incense coil eyes” back to normal.
Angel noticed the commotion in the cage.
It seemed that the little guy was about to wake up.
As Angel thought this, the Little Whirlwind opened its eyes. The first thing it did upon waking was to look around. When it saw itself confined within a cage made of quicksand, panic was evident in its gaze.
The little whirlwind attempted to rush out, but the moment it touched the sand, the wind element within it was immediately drained.
Angel was curious about what it would do in this seemingly inescapable situation.
Two seconds later, the disproportionately large eyes of the little whirlwind began to accumulate mist.
Five seconds later, accompanied by a “wah” cry, two streams of tears like fountains sprang from the eyes of the little whirlwind.
Angel: “…”
Leaving aside how a wind elemental sprite could cry tears, Angel had not expected that the first thing it would do upon waking was to burst into loud crying.
This was the first elemental sprite he had encountered that could cry.
Angel suddenly remembered noticing earlier that the little whirlwind’s eyes were slightly moist. Could it be that it had already started brewing tears while unconscious?
The more the little whirlwind cried, the more aggrieved it felt, and the louder it cried, awakening Dangros, who was still in contemplation.
“What’s wrong with it?” Dangros asked in surprise, looking at the little whirlwind in the cage.
Angel shrugged: “Don’t know, maybe it was scared into crying?”
“Scared into crying? What is crying?” Dangros looked at Angel, puzzled.
“It’s an emotional release when one is sad or joyful.”
“Ah? You can cry from sadness and joy?”
Seeing Dangros’ curious face, Angel suddenly didn’t know how to respond. How could he explain the meaning of crying to a fire elemental creature?
“Can you cry when you’re not sad and not happy?”
“…Yes.” Angel could already sense that Dangros’ wrist, if it had one, would be full of question marks.
To help Dangros understand what crying meant, Angel thought for a moment and decided it would be better to present it in the form of a play. So, he lightly tapped Dangros, and a power of Nightmare Illusion rushed into its body.
Dangros instantly froze, entering a world of illusion.
Meanwhile, the desert hawk, which had been sending messages through the gradually solidifying earth, also leaped up from the hardening ground.
Enveloped in dust, the desert hawk soared into the sky, descending directly onto the prow of the Gondola.
Upon settling, the desert hawk heard sobbing sounds and turned its head toward the cage holding the little whirlwind, remarking, “Eh, why has it started to cry?”
Angel responded, “You understand what crying is?”
The desert hawk nodded, “Though I cannot cry myself, I know that the grass in the forest weeps. I’ve also heard that the most tearful are the water elementals, yet their tears garner no sympathy since they are made of water.”
Angel nodded in understanding, recognizing that even elemental beings grasp the concept of crying, it’s just that Dangros, being a fire elemental, lacked this comprehension. Magu, too, must be aware of what it means to cry, but teaching this concept to elemental sprites in the Fire Domain poses a significant challenge.
The desert hawk observed the little whirlwind for a while and softly said, “It’s young, probably frightened into crying. However, this is the first time I’ve witnessed a wind elemental weep.”
Angel silently agreed in his mind: I feel the same.
Ignoring the crying little whirlwind, the desert hawk turned to Angel and said, “I have sought the sage’s counsel.”
“Oh, what has the sage, Kuplatinum, decided?”
“Since Mr. Pat intends to visit White Cloud Hamlet, the sage wishes for you to escort this wind elemental along, handing it over to Highness Gentle Wind.”
Angel pondered for a moment, understanding Kuplatinum’s intention.
After all, the little whirlwind had violated the decrees of Highness Sandstorm, and simply letting it go would be improper. However, the little whirlwind, being a minor sprite, could become a subject of mockery if punished too harshly.
By taking it to White Cloud Hamlet and entrusting it to Gentle Wind Uranos, it serves as a reprimand and also showcases the stance of the Toothpull Desert, while concurrently extending a favor to Highness Gentle Wind.
Furthermore, it also facilitates a connection between Angel and Highness Gentle Wind.
It’s a win-win situation.
Having realized this, Angel naturally wouldn’t refuse: “Alright, I can escort it back to White Cloud Hamlet.”
The moment Angel’s words fell, the little whirlwind within the sand cage heard them and immediately protested, shaking its head and wailing, “I don’t want to go back, let me out, I don’t want to return!”
Given the little whirlwind’s sentience, evidenced by its deliberate departure from White Cloud Hamlet, this verbal outburst didn’t cause much of a stir.
The desert hawk turned sternly to the little whirlwind and said, “Not going back is an option too. You trespassed into the Toothpull Desert and violated Highness Sandstorm’s taboo. I shall take you to Highness Sandstorm, who will imprison you in the Quicksand Dungeon. For your crimes, a mere fifty years of confinement will suffice.”
“Fifty years?!” The little whirlwind froze, tears still in its eyes.
“Yes, so do you choose to be escorted back to White Cloud Hamlet for Highness Gentle Wind to punish you, or should I take you to meet Highness Sandstorm as per the rules?”
The little whirlwind replied, “I…I don’t want to go back, nor do I wish to be locked up for fifty years.”
“There’s no such luxury,” the desert hawk spat, “I’ve made the decision for you, back to White Cloud Hamlet it is! You’ll thank me later.”
Being just a small sprite, the little whirlwind was easily frightened into resuming its tearful sobbing.
The desert hawk, paying it no further mind, produced a glowing grain of golden sand from its mouth and handed it to Angel: “This is from the sage for you to deliver to Highness Gentle Wind, containing the sage’s message to them.”
This golden sand, seemingly the medium for message transmission among desert creatures, similar to the Fire Domain’s sparks, is something Angel would struggle to decipher, but Gentle Wind Uranos should be capable.
Accepting the golden sand, Angel nodded, “Alright, I will deliver it to Highness Gentle Wind.”