411: The Fairy Goddess's Confusion

Avila suddenly looked up. "My followers?"

"Exactly. Kailanthos, Ilena, and that old fellow Arathmir are all here." Chen Yu stood up and patted her skirt. "Come on, I'll take you to see them so you can 'work' with a peace of mind."

Avila took a deep breath, suppressing her complicated emotions. She rose and straightened her slightly disheveled divine robes, regaining the cold and elegant posture befitting the Elf Goddess.

"I appreciate the trouble."

Chen Yu led Avila through layers of palaces until they reached a courtyard named "Quietude Court."

The layout of the courtyard was elegant, featuring simulated light and plants. Although it couldn't compare to the Everlasting Song Forest, every effort had been made to create an environment suitable for elves to live in.

Some elves were active in the courtyard, either practicing archery or tending to the flora.

Seeing Chen Yu enter, they all stopped what they were doing and bowed. "Lord Prefectural City God."

When their gazes fell upon Avila behind Chen Yu, all the elves froze, followed by an irrepressible explosion of excitement.

"Mother Goddess!"

"It is Her Excellency the Mother Goddess!!!"

Kailanthos and Ilena rushed out of the house. Upon seeing Avila, their eyes instantly turned red. They did not step forward immediately; instead, along with the other elves, they pressed their hands to their chests, bowed deeply, and chanted the elven prayer in unison, their voices pious and trembling:

"Witnessed by the emerald hues of the Everlasting Song Forest,

Guided by the clear brilliance of the flowing Moon Spring.

We, your humble children, gaze upon the radiance of the Emerald Holy Crown.

Source of Life, Lord of Nature,

Your will is the wind through the woods; Your protection reaches as far as the roots.

May the holy light dispel the mist, and may Your kingdom remain forever green."

The Elf Goddess stood still, accepting the worship of her followers. No joy or anger could be seen on her cold face; only in the depths of her emerald eyes did a flicker of solace pass through.

She raised her hand, and faint emerald points of light flowed from her fingertips like new buds in early spring, gently brushing over the heads of every elf.

Divine Blessing +1... Those points of light carried a soothing magic, dispelling most of the gloom from the elves' brows.

"Rise, my children," Avila's voice was ethereal and peaceful, containing the special benevolence of a nature deity.

"As long as the elf mother tree has not fallen, hope shall endure forever."

Kailanthos looked up, her pretty face full of grief. "Mother Goddess, it was the incompetence of the Royal Family. We failed to protect the Everlasting Song Forest, causing Your divine body to suffer this calamity."

Ilena was even more tearful, sobbing uncontrollably, "Mother Goddess, Ilena missed you so much."

The elderly Arathmir stepped forward with the support of an elf, bowed deeply, and said hoarsely, "Your Excellency, your servant is unworthy of the gods' trust. I failed to ensure the safety of the Elf Race, leading to Your Excellency being trapped."

Avila's divine sense slowly swept over the remaining followers, pausing briefly on Kailanthos, Ilena, and Arathmir.

"The fall of the Eternal Song Fortress was not the fault of the elves. The madness and filth of the mother of flesh and blood exceeded all estimations."

"To survive is to keep the spark of the Elf Race alive. Seeing you all safe, my heart is at peace."

She looked at Chen Yu, her emerald eyes filled with a settled calm. "Thank you for bringing me here, Your Excellency."

"It seems the Underworld has not mistreated my followers."

Chen Yu spread her hands. "We in the Underworld always do business fairly. As long as you follow the rules, everything is negotiable."

Avila nodded slightly.

Having seen with her own eyes that her followers were well, the last sliver of a thought of fighting to the death dissipated.

Her divinity was intact, the elves were safe, she had only lost her freedom... and needed to fulfill that humiliating contract.

For a deity with a long lifespan, five thousand years was not unbearable.

As for what that 'Abyssal Sovereign' and the Netherworld Empress actually wanted from her... Avila's eyes flickered slightly.

As long as it wasn't destroying her divinity or the foundations of the Elf Race, everything else... could perhaps be discussed.

She even had a faint feeling that this Netherworld Empress didn't seem to have much killing intent toward the elves.

Instead, there was a kind of... different interest???

Seeing how quickly Avila regained her composure and began weighing the pros and cons, Chen Yu inwardly praised her. As expected of an old-school deity who had lived for tens of thousands of years, her adaptability was strong.

She crooked her finger.

A clerical ghost messenger walked over carrying several sets of clothes and a thick booklet.

"Here, this is Your Excellency's Underworld work uniform and the 'Underworld Newbie Guide (Deity Special Edition).' Take them back and look through them carefully."

Chen Yu pointed at the clothes. One set was a modified battle robe that was both heroic and slightly sexy.

"Also, considering your... well, external conditions and potential talents, the Cultural Promotion Department has made a preliminary career plan for you."

Avila took the clothes and the guide. When she heard "career plan," a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.

Chen Yu chuckled and explained, "Simply put, they think Your Excellency is beautiful and has a unique temperament, so you might be suitable for participating in some of the Underworld's... cultural activities."

"For example, the 'Underworld Idol Project' involves selecting potential members to perform singing and dancing to attract attention, as part of the Underworld's external promotion and cultural output."

"Then there's the 'Special Guest of the Song and Dance Troupe,' which involves inviting you to occasionally appear in our performances to elevate the class of the show."

Avila listened to these completely foreign terms.

【(๑•̌.•̑๑)??】

"Idol," "song and dance performance," "guest," "class"—her emerald eyes were filled with bewilderment.

She had lived for tens of thousands of years, ruling over nature and life, chanting sacred prayers and ancient elven epics. Concepts like "singing and dancing to attract attention" were truly difficult for her to grasp.

Chen Yu couldn't help but laugh seeing the rare look of ignorance on the Elf Goddess's cold face. "Uh, I can't explain it all at once. How about this, I'll give you something good."

As if by magic, she produced a palm-sized jade tablet that felt warm to the touch and pressed it into Avila's hand.

"This is called a 'Mobile Phone,' the latest Underworld model. It comes pre-installed with the Underworld APP. I've already topped up your account with one hundred thousand incense points, which should last you a while."

"Explore it yourself. Check out the live streams, forums, and shopping sections. You'll probably start to understand our Underworld's 'local customs' and cultural activities."

Chen Yu patted Avila on the shoulder. "Don't worry, it's easy to use. Just bind it with your divine sense."

Avila gripped the small, cool "Mobile Phone" and looked at the thick Newbie Guide and the strangely styled "work uniform" in her arms.

She fell silent.

A 'god' under someone else's roof has no choice but to bow their head.