The elves were more like a collection of clans living together as a tribe rather than a single nation.
Their lifespans were far superior to humans, living easily up to 1,000 years, and those who lived for 3,000 years were only then considered to have had a long life.
Considering that the average human lifespan ranged between 50 and 70 years, elves were essentially an entirely different species, sharing only a superficial resemblance to humans.
With such lengthy lifespans compared to humans, elves were generally relaxed and not particularly eager about reproducing.
Because of this, any two elves chosen at random from the Great Forest would likely trace their lineage back to the same ancestors, making them feel almost like one big extended family.
As a result, there were hardly any notions among elves about someone being noble or lowly.
Instead, they all considered themselves equally great and noble.
However, there was one exception.
Among the elves, there were those considered truly noble: the royal family chosen by the World Tree.
The myth that the World Tree selected a representative for the elves laid the foundation for the royal bloodline, which had been revered as the rulers of the elves for over ten millennia in the Great Forest.
Even the elves accepted this lineage as the World Tree’s decree, resulting in little resistance and a relatively peaceful coexistence without any rebellions to date.
“And now, you’re saying the third princess of this royal bloodline, born after 500 years, is the one who created this symbol?”
“Yes! Slurp. That’s why Roy and I were ordered to scout out a suitable location among the human territories. Ah, but this soup is absolutely delicious! It’s so hard to find meat or milk in the forest, and this is such a treat!”
“I see… Well, let’s continue this conversation after we finish eating.”
“Sure! Slurp. Can I have another bowl of this?”
Freya, who had momentarily paused her intimidation of Dariann with Tene at the forefront, suggested offering food to calm the situation.
As a result, Shalle, who had been trembling moments ago, was now engrossed in the food before her, speaking with her mouth full.
Freya decided it was best to talk after everyone had eaten.
“By the way, don’t elves only eat plants? That soup looks like it has milk and butter in it.”
Rosaria, observing Shalle’s enthusiastic eating, quietly remarked to Felix, who was sitting beside her.
Tene, who had been startled by the presence of the two elves, was now sulking alone in another room.
“There’s actually a scene in the original story where the protagonist asks an elf about this. It turns out they’re not strict vegetarians. They mainly eat forest fruits because they live in the woods, and since elves are blessed by the forest, they could survive on dew alone if they stayed there.”
Felix explained to Rosaria, sharing knowledge from “Starlight of Dawn.”
“Hah, how does a mere human know such things? Quite impressive.”
“Oh, could you hear us just now?”
“Don’t underestimate an elf’s hearing, human.”
At that moment, Rio, who had been disapprovingly watching Shalle stuff herself with food, twitched his long ears and interjected into the siblings’ quiet conversation.
“Unlike humans, noble elves like us don’t have to worry about food, thanks to the miracles granted by the World Tree. There’s no need to barbarically destroy beautiful nature, raise animals, or cause reckless damage.”
“That’s why the food isn’t tasty. But seriously, how do humans make such delicious meals? We should learn from them…”
“Shalle! Don’t you have any pride as an elf?”
The moment Tene disappeared, Rio, who had been bowing and scraping, immediately began boasting arrogantly.
However, Shalle, who was already scraping the last bits of soup with bread, retorted, making Rio raise his voice in frustration.
“Pride, schmide. I plan to leave the forest one day, explore the human world, and try all sorts of foods! That’s why I volunteered for this mission in the first place!”
“…Tsk. I really can’t stand it. Even if she’s a princess, she’s been using her power to break traditions on her own terms… How did she even convince the Elder Council?”
“Exactly. I’m curious about that too. How did she sway those old geezers?”
“Does the Elder Council have more power than the royal family?”
“Yes, even royalty can’t completely disregard the opinions of those old folks.”
As Shalle finished her meal and replied to Rio, Freya naturally joined the conversation and asked about the Elder Council.
The Elder Council, while not royal, held significant authority that even the royal family couldn’t ignore.
Rather than wielding power tyrannically, the council preserved traditions and culture while advising the monarchs who ascended to the throne.
They were considered the living witnesses of the elves’ history and were extremely conservative.
Yet, the fact that this council had allowed direct interactions with the human world meant the third princess must be someone extraordinary, even beyond their understanding.
After finishing their meal and completing a brief investigation, Freya guided the elves to a guest room and then gathered with her family for a discussion.
“The third princess… everything seems to connect back to her.”
“What do you plan to do?”
“I want to approach her first. The theory that someone unrelated to Hansung Corporation possessed this ability… it’s plausible, but something keeps nagging at me.”
Freya was known for her logical and rational approach, gathering data and evidence before making decisions.
The fact that she was relying on an unscientific hunch this time signaled how unusual this situation was.
“Are you planning to meet her in person?”
“That’s the dilemma. From what those two said, the elves are trying to establish their own influence in the human world while keeping their identity a secret. Even if we confronted them, they’d likely deny it or respond defensively.”
“Exactly. If handled poorly, this could escalate into a political conflict between humans and elves, and things could get out of hand.”
“Ugh…! We’re so close to figuring this out, but it’s so frustrating!”
“Is there no way around this?”
The family struggled, knowing the key to unraveling their questions lay with the elven princess at the heart of the Great Forest.
It was as if they had found a key ring to unlock a door but couldn’t determine which key was the right one.
Then.
“Why don’t we just take Tene with us? What can they possibly do against a dragon?”
Rosaria smirked while munching on a buttery cookie.
“If we shove a nuclear bomb in their faces and demand to see their boss, they’ll have to come out, won’t they?”
“I’d rather be treated as a noble and revered dragon, thank you very much!”
“Dream on. Didn’t you see how those two reacted? Just flying over the Great Forest in your true form would probably make them all foam at the mouth and faint.”
“Ugh…”
Rosaria’s offhand comment, made as she teased Tene and munched on cookies beside her, inadvertently sparked a new idea.
“…Maybe a straightforward approach isn’t such a bad idea?”
“Oh…? I like this idea too. Isn’t it easier to just charge straight in?”
“Hmm… Based on how dragons are treated in the original story and here, it seems like a good approach. After all, it’s extremely rare for elves to invite humans to their village, so there’s no other option anyway.”
“Then, how will we go about it?”
“I’ve been studying light-element magic recently, so it’ll take some time, but if I can craft a proper magic circle, we can go while remaining hidden. Since we can use Tene as a medium, mana consumption won’t be an issue… We’ll make Tene invisible and ride on her to fly there.”
“Uh… excuse me?”
“That way, we can conceal the dragon’s identity while traveling quickly. However, since we’ll be leaving the mansion empty, we’ll need to wrap up all the important matters here first. It’s going to be a busy few days.”
“We’ll also need a secluded location to draw the massive magic circle needed for her size, so no one notices.”
“Then how about the forest where Tene camped out? There are fewer people around, so we should be able to set it up without revealing her identity.”
“Wait, are you serious? We’re really doing this?”
“So… we’re actually talking about riding that big dragon head? Is it safe?”
“At high altitudes, we’ll face extreme cold, low pressure, and a lack of oxygen. I’ll prepare a barrier spell to stabilize the interior environment.”
“It’s not too difficult. Flight magic has been developed steadily over the years, so I can quickly adapt a few references and set it up.”
“Really? Then there shouldn’t be any issues.”
“Wait, excuse me?! Is this conversation moving a little too fast?”
Rosaria, who had tossed out the idea as a joke, and Tene, who had sulked with a pout, both widened their eyes in shock as the others rapidly developed the plan.
They watched, dumbfounded, as the discussion spiraled forward.
“This isn’t the time to hesitate. We need to persuade them to guide us immediately. Let’s go together!”
“Wait, hold on…! Huh?!”
At that moment, Dariann suddenly stood up, grabbed Tene, and carried her out of the room.
Dangling in mid-air, Tene kicked her legs and looked at Rosaria in confusion, clearly unable to grasp what was happening.
A short moment later…
Screams loud enough to pierce the distance between the guest room and their location echoed through the air.
“All set. They’ve agreed to guide us through the Great Forest or whatever they call it, and they’re taking full responsibility for it.”
“Is… is this really the right way?”
Dariann returned with a smug grin, proudly giving a thumbs-up while Tene dangled from his grasp.
“Great. In that case, I’ll quickly delegate my tasks to Gordon, Kerman, and my knight, Sir Penril, for the time I’ll be away.”
“I’ll check the spells and set up the necessary techniques.”
“Well, I have nothing better to do, so I guess I’ll go train.”
With that, the three quickly left the room to carry out their respective tasks.
“Are… are you okay?”
“Brother… I didn’t want to know that elves start walking like dragons when they’re too scared…”
“Brother. Your family. They’re terrifying.”
“They terrify me too.”
Tene, looking utterly drained as though her soul had been sucked out, approached the others with a hollow expression.
Rosaria, sharing the same worn-out look, handed her a piece of cookie in consolation.
In a village of cyclopes, it seems having two eyes makes you the odd one out.