In truth, he had already visited Violet’s Tree Spirit Territory much earlier. His current identity was merely a disguise, allowing him to see the kingdom built by the Slimes with his own eyes, learn about the new Slime Sage, and recruit fresh blood for the Forest Sages’ Association.
"Violet certainly didn’t go into these details with me..." Oldes muttered.
"What was that, sir?" Turk hadn’t quite heard his whisper and asked in confusion.
"Ahem... It’s nothing, nothing at all," Oldes said, quickly covering his tracks. "I’m just a little surprised... Well then, I’ll be in your care. May nature bless you."
After all, with Elder Shaman Shazak’s "revelation" as a pretext, Turk had no reason to doubt him. He ordered the convoy to set off once more, advancing toward the Royal Capital along the hardened road, which was dotted with golden autumn leaves.
Along the way, having been rehydrated, Oldes seemed to "recover" a good deal of his energy. He took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Turk and Salaman. It appeared to be casual small talk, but in reality, he was observing and gathering information.
"Lads, judging by your attire... are you also subjects of the Slime Kingdom?" Oldes’s gaze fell on the brand-new animal-hide coat Salaman was wearing, and on his powerful, well-built frame.
Salaman proudly puffed out his chest and slapped his solid pecs, which produced a dull thud. "Absolutely! His Majesty mercifully took in our Rot Moss Tribe and treats every single Lizardman as an equal."
"The Kingdom provides us with plenty of food, has built us warm homes, and even has special training grounds and instructors to help us grow stronger. We no longer have to worry about starving or freezing to death in the winter."
His eyes shone with sincere gratitude. "Our King is the greatest, most benevolent King!"
Oldes nodded to himself. He had been carefully observing Salaman and the other Lizardmen in the convoy.
It was true. These Lizardmen were robust and well-built, their scales had a healthy sheen, and their eyes were bright and full of life. They were a stark contrast to the emaciated, cowering Lizardmen he had seen elsewhere, who were clearly suffering from a lack of food.
This was clearly the result of a stable life with sufficient nourishment.
’It seems... at least in how he treats his subjects, this Slime King is doing quite well.’ The worry in Oldes’s heart eased slightly.
’A wise king who treats intelligent beings with kindness and provides a stable life would, at the very least, not be a tyrant or a Demon in disguise who rules purely through violence and fear.’
But he did not let his guard down completely.
The reason the Forest Sages’ Association had dispatched a Sage like him to secretly investigate this new "Sage" was rooted in a bitter lesson learned over three hundred years ago.
Back then, a Great Demon who excelled at deception and disguise had somehow bypassed the Sages’ Association’s preliminary screening. It successfully infiltrated their ranks and even, for a time, attained a position of considerable influence.
While undercover, it secretly assassinated several Sages, dealing a nearly devastating blow to the Sages’ Association.
Ever since that incident, the organizational structure of the Sages’ Association had become more decentralized and clandestine. Its members mostly referred to one another by codenames or aliases, rarely revealing their true identities or locations.
At the same time, the requirements for admitting new members became extremely high, with a screening process that was both strict and lengthy.
The Sages’ Association had sent him to evaluate this Slime Sage and his Kingdom as just one step in that screening process.
Of course, such evaluations were typically conducted in secret.
For one, if the subject of the evaluation knew of the Sages’ Association’s intentions beforehand, they would likely put on a deliberate facade, rendering the evaluation meaningless.
For another, the Sages’ Association itself was aware that its organization had grown too ancient and was in desperate need of fresh blood. They couldn’t afford to have promising new Sages see the Association as arrogant and unapproachable.
They weren’t like those hidebound old fossils from the Ancient Tree Council, who spent their days clinging to and reciting ancient dogma. Sages also needed to keep up with the times and adapt to a changing world. Only then could they better combat their enemies, who were growing ever more cunning and skilled at deception.
Their enemies were many and varied; any enemy of nature was an enemy of theirs.
This included, but was not limited to: the Demon Legions that left scorched earth in their wake; malevolent Demon Lords who indiscriminately slaughtered living creatures; and human nobles and merchants who recklessly clear-cut and burned forests for profit. Even the Elves of the Ancient Tree Council were regarded by the Sages’ Association as rivals to be watched with caution.
For this very reason, they had to proceed with caution and could not easily reveal their identities or purpose.
On his journey, Oldes hadn’t just been listening to the Slime Kingdom’s official propaganda. Through various clandestine channels, he had also heard other, more "unconventional" rumors about the Slime.
Some said it was a "Demon King" disguised as a Sage, one who colluded with vampires and used evil magic to control its subjects. Others claimed it was actually a monster possessed by an ancient Evil God, currently brewing a terrible conspiracy deep within the swamps...
These rumors were a mix of truth and falsehood, impossible to distinguish. But they forced Oldes to be on high alert once more. He needed to see with his own eyes and experience it for himself before he could make his own judgment.