Chapter 05:Elf Race

The Central Region of the Continent

The area is largely covered by dense trees, forming a vast, lush forest. However, despite being a sprawling woodland, only a few monsters inhabit it.The forest's inhabitants have also placed a barrier in the form of illusions to prevent outsiders from entering their territory.

These inhabitants rarely leave the protection of the barrier, let alone their forest, except to hunt monsters—or as they call it, 'cleaning the forest'—and occasionally buying equipment from the dwarves.Behind the illusionary barrier lies a place filled with... trees. Yes, there are trees, houses made from trees, and a giant tree towering about 1000 meters high. So, essentially, it's just trees.

The people who built the barrier and the houses possess extraordinary and unmatched appearances. Their beauty and handsomeness are so captivating that men and women from other races often fall in love with them, as their looks seem out of this world. Ah, back to the topic.

They also have long, pointed ears, are skilled in archery, and of course, are capable of using magic, unlike poor humans.

Additionally, they are blessed with long lifespans. Imagine seeing a child who appears to be around 10 years old, but is actually over 50! (Is this what people call a 'legal loli'? Ehm, I'm not a pedophile!)

They are the Elves.

By the way, elven magic differs from the 'mantra's' used by giants and beastkin or the 'Runes' used by dwarves. Their magic is more about borrowing power from beings in higher dimensions—let's call them Spirits.

The elves believe that everything they have been given is a gift from the gods, and their duty is to protect the World Tree, the massive 1000-meter tree mentioned earlier.

Unlike ordinary trees, the photosynthesis process of the World Tree doesn't produce starch and oxygen, but rather Mana or magical energy, as well as substances that enrich the soil such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium—even capable of altering the soil composition to make it fertile.

This is what makes the area around the World Tree a fertile forest, rich in natural resources.

[For those who don't know what starch and the other substances are, maybe it's better to go back to school—eh, just kidding! Keep reading.]

Nearly all the nutrients needed by the World Tree to grow come from mana, and the excess mana is released into the surrounding environment. This makes the mana around the World Tree denser, which in turn strengthens the creatures living nearby as they absorb the released mana.

And standing under the shade of the World Tree is the nation and city where the elves live—Alfheim.

Alfheim follows a parliamentary monarchy system, where power is held by the king and the members of parliament, known as the Alfheim Council.

Elves deeply value knowledge. They have a long tradition in philosophy, magic, and science. Additionally, they greatly appreciate strength, especially in terms of magic, and take pride in their race, though this sometimes makes them 'almost' look down on other races.

Nearly all council members and the royal family hold power by demonstrating their magical abilities. As mentioned earlier, elven magic comes from contracts with spirits; the stronger the spirit, the more powerful the magic they can use.

The number of contracts an elf can make varies, depending on their talent and lineage.

•••

The Palace of Alfheim

Under the shade of the World Tree, the elves live in peace and prosperity. In the largest house located before the World Tree, a woman stood gazing out of the window.

She had silvery-white hair, emerald green eyes, and skin as white as milk. The tunic she wore—a combination of green, white, and gold—radiated majesty and highlighted the beauty of her figure.

With long, pointed ears typical of an elf, the woman appeared to be around 40 years old. However, the age of an elf cannot be measured by appearance; she was the elf queen, Elferia, who this year had reached the age of 406.

Elferia gazed silently out of the window until the sound of a door opening and a man whispering something interrupted her thoughts.

"ꦲꦺꦴꦃ꧈ꦫꦺꦴꦃꦏꦸꦮꦲꦺꦴꦱ꧀ꦕꦲꦪ꧈ꦥꦥꦤ꧀ꦥꦸꦤꦶꦏꦠꦺꦫꦔꦶꦭ"

In an instant, the room brightened.

Aware of his presence, Elferia turned and smiled broadly at the man.The man had long green hair and golden eyes that exuded wisdom.

"What took you so long?" asked Elferia, puffing out her cheeks. The man smiled and shook his head at his wife's antics.

Yes, the man was the king of the elves—Avalon.

"You know how excited our child gets when learning swordplay," he replied.

"Well then, hurry up! I've already prepared your clothes," Elferia said, pulling Avalon's hand.

After Elferia finished helping him dress, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his forehead.

"Wait, what are you doing? It's still midday, and we have a meeting," Elferia said, her cheeks starting to flush.

"We need to convince Lady Uriel and the council members if we want this plan to succeed," Avalon said with a serious and worried tone.

Hearing this, Elferia caressed her husband's cheek and replied, "It's alright. As long as we explain it well, they'll surely agree. Besides, this is for the good of all our races."

"Yes, but I feel like kissing you now," Avalon replied, laughing as Elferia's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of pink.

"Well, whatever the outcome, we must keep trying. For now, let's go," he continued, extending his hand to Elferia.

With a small "uhm," Elferia took his hand, and together they walked out of the room.