Chapter 138 - The Human Queen and the Elven King

  Agnes Asalon:

  I was sitting in the academy's waiting room with my family, feeling the tension rise as we waited. Charles sat in a er, muttering under his breath about the dey, his fingers drumming impatiently oable, while I tried to tain my growing irritation as I spoke with the High Elf.

  "What do you mean my daughter won’t be giving the speech alongside the other top students from the kingdoms?" My voice was firm, but ced with increasing frustration. I kept my tone trolled, but inside, I was seething with the implied disrespect.

  The High Elf, Adrihna, looked at me with an impassive expression, her silver hair refleg the soft lights in the room. "Lady Aghe decision was made by the academic examiners' pahey chose audent. It’s a long-standing tradition at the academy, something I ot simply override."

  "She possesses the rare purple fme and even bi with the wind element! Is there anyone more talehan her?" I shot her a sharp look, indignant. "Even my son Dun gave the speech st year, and now my daughter is being overlooked?"

  Adrihna sighed lightly, whily fueled my frustration. Her calm demeanor in the face of this matter was infuriating. "I would love to remove that student from the spotlight if it were possible, but this tradition is beyond my trol."

  I felt a vein pulse in my forehead.

  How dare she sigh at me?

  "My daughter is the princess of the Teresia Kingdom, not just anyone. If this happens, it will be a disgrace to our family!"

  "Mother, it’s fine..." murmured Melina beside me. "I didn’t even want to give that speech... I don’t want all the attention o the school. All the udents will be watg."

  "Melina, that’s exactly why you o be up there!" I snapped, growing impatient. "All the students and their parents will be present. You have to stand out!"

  Time passed, and I kept trying to vince Adrihna, but her patient and trolled expression showed that my efforts were in vain. Her rigid posture, as if carved from marble, was starting to irritate me even more.

  "Who do I o talk to in order to ge this?" I finally burst out, my voice louder than intended.

  "That would be me." A firm voice responded.

  I turned abruptly, and a striking proached us. Her dark hair fell haphazardly over her shoulders, while she wore a pristine suit and ach that highlighted her wolf-like ears.

  "Headmistress Victoria?" Adrihna asked, surprised.

  I took in the woman standing before me. Victoria, known as the ‘Bck Hound,’ legendary for her strength and mastery over elemental mud fusion.

  Finally, someone who solve this.

  "Good," I said, regaining my posure. "I have an issue, and I expect you to ha."

  Victoria raised a hand, stopping me before I could tinue.

  "I have excellent hearing, Lady Agnes. I heard your... s from down the hall."

  s? How dare she...

  "However, you are right," Headmistress Victoria begaone firm yet respectful. "We promote unity and cooperation among the races. Having the two princesses from different kingdoms give a joint speech at our academy would indeed be historic. It would send a powerful message to future geions. But don’t think this makes us subservient. We are simply sidering the significe of the occasion."

  I let out a tained ugh, allowing myself a brief moment of satisfa, but I allowed the woman to tinue.

  "Fortunately, we have a unique case here: the chosen student and their family prefer to remain discreet," Victoria said, casting a g the High Elf, who silently nodded in agreement.

  "Are you kidding me?" I couldn't hide my disbelief. "Who would give up the ce to have their name listed as one of the top three most taleudents of the exam?"

  The High Elf hesitated, clearly pig her words carefully, but said nothing.

  "Acc to Adrihna, there's a high ce this student will dee the honor and pass the title to your daughter," Victoria added.

  I narrowed my eyes, sidering her words. "Now it sounds like we're begging for charity..." I muttered.

  "Mother!" Melina protested.

  "Fine, I won’t make a fuss," I sighed, trying to remain calm. "I just find it odd that someone shows up out of nowhere and steals my daughter's glory."

  Charles approached us, wearing the expression of a man who just wao end the discussion. "In the end, it’s been resolved, and we move forward."

  "Not quite," Victoria corrected. "The student and their family still have the final say. While I’m fairly certain they’ll dee, I still need firmation."

  "Whatever," Charles grumbled, already walking back to his seat with a dismissive wave.

  I looked at the headmistress and the High Elf, accepting the situation with a nod.

  "He’ll still have the right to meet with the two royal families. Any problem with that?" Adrihna asked.

  "None..." I said, with a slightly disdainful tone. "I imagi’s an honor for him to be in our presence." Sitting down, I added with a touch of irony, "And this student, if he’s as talented as they say, will iably end up w in our army anyway."

  The High Elf averted her gaze, appearing unfortable with my st remark, but said nothing.

  Suddenly, the door to the room opehe moment Adrihna saw who entered, she quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.

  It’s them...

  "My king and queen," Adrihna said, her voice filled with reverence. "It’s an honor to see you again."

  The queen smiled softly. "Adrihna, you may simply call me Siofna."

  The High Elf shook her head vigorously. "I would never it such disrespect, my dy."

  So you do know how to show respect when you want to...

  "Haiten!? You've aged, brat!" Victoria excimed, walking boldly toward the Elven King.

  "And you're still the same thick-headed fool," he replied, grinning as he pulled her into a hug.

  I watched the exge, taking advantage of the distra to pull my daughter, Melina, clo ahead, dear. You o joiher future students," I whispered in her ear.

  I had seen the Elven king and queen at social events over the years, but we had never had the opportunity to speak in private. We were always surrounded by diplomats and nobles, which limited any personal versation. King Haiten had light blond hair, while Queen Siofna's strands had a shade of blohat bordered on green, creating a fasating trast.

  As Melina passed by them, she gave a respectful bow to the royal couple before leaving the room, leaving me aloh the monarchs.

  "Is the boy here?" Haiten asked the High Elf.

  "Yes, my lord," she responded promptly.

  "Good," he murmured. "I've waited 10 years to meet him... and his mother."

  Meet who?

  "My friends!" Haiten excimed warmly. "After exging nothing but letters for so long, we finally have some time alone, without that army of b people to bother us, haha!" He greeted us with genuiement.

  "Queen Siofna, King Haiten, it's a pleasure to see you again," Charles said, extending his hand in a formal greeting, which I quickly followed.

  "It will be historic, the first time so many members of royalty study together in the same css. With the Grand Duke's daughter and our daughters, there will be three royals in total," I erying to strike a diplomatie.

  "In my time," Haiten began with a ugh, "Charles was older and more popur, so I hardly had any iion with him."

  "Ah, those were fun times," my husband replied, reminisg with a nostalgic smile.

  We chatted for a few minutes, sharing stories about our children, but the friendly atmosphere was suddenly interrupted by a kno the door.

  'Knock, knock.'

  An elven guard ehe room, bowing respectfully.

  "Sir, there are two women outside saying Lady Adrihna called for them."

  The High Elf hurried toward the door.

  "It’s the other family, my lord," she expined, addressing King Haiten, who exged curious gnces with the queen.

  Charles and I exged puzzled looks, as this wasn’t on the schedule.

  The door opened, revealing the arrival of two women.

  The moment they ehe room’s attention was entirely ohe Duchess Evenhart, regal and poised as ever, was apanied by a strikingly beautiful oner woman with long brown hair. I immediately reized the oner—her beauty had been a topic of versation even among the women in my ente.

  I g Charles, recalling an unpleasant memory: Dun’s 12th birthday. He had drunk too much that night and embarrassed us in front of all the nobles. It was an importa where we showcased Dun’s elemental talents. Of course, Charles barely remembered the i, but I would never fet the deep shame I felt. Still, I had fiven him, uanding that he was celebrating our son's promising future.

  As we watched the se unfold, the elven royals approached the two women. The king and queen stopped in front of them, their gazes fixed. The oner woman seemed unsure, clearly unfortable, while Duchess Evenhart greeted them with her usual grad formality.

  It was then I noticed something odd. Lady Adrihna, the High Elf, was watg ily, her eyes dartiween the royals and the oner woman, as if trying to pieething together or recall a fotteail.

  The oner woman tried to speak, her voice barely a whisper, strained with nerves. "Lord... king," she began, but Haiten quickly interrupted her with a soft smile, his tone kind.

  "Just Haiten. You call me by my name."

  He looked at her with unusual iy, as if searg for something. Then, his gaze shifted to Lady Adrihna, his expression a mix of surprise and curiosity.

  "She really does resemble..." the king murmured, but before he could finish his thought, Adrih out a brief, cryptic ugh.

  "You should see the boy," Adrihna said, still chug softly. "You’ll be amazed by his physical features."

  What is going on here?