Chapter 142 - Nathahe Elven Royal Family

  Agnes Asalon:

  I watched the iioween the Elven King and the oner, while Charles tio discreetly admire the high elf and the oner woman from afar. A slight movement from me made him stop immediately.

  ‘Sm!’ The door swung open with force, and Victoria strode in.

  "I’ve taken care of the problem," she announced fidently, causing the two Evenhart women to let out a sigh of relief.

  They had been anxious about the ihat could have disrupted the ceremony, and while they wao ensure my daughter’s honor, they knew how crucial the event was for everyone involved.

  I've been waiting for this moment for four long years, carefully pnning every detail to ensure everything unfolds acc to my pns. This will be the first major step in bringing the Asalon and Rhiannon families closer. And now, with the opportunity te ties betweewo princesses, I just o move the pieces cautiously so that Dun get closer to the elven princess. Nothing g!

  Oheir retionship blossomed, I would advao the stage.

  I only need an elven heir from Dun and the elven princess. These elves are devoted to the royal family, practically blind in their idotry. I will raise the child acc to my ideals, and then... we will take the step.

  The submission of the dukes would be iable, and I would take whatever was valuable to solidate the power of the Asalon family. With trol over the winged cavalry and most of the Inquisitors under my influence, and the elven kingdom falling into my hands through marriage, the third kingdom would be my arget.

  Ohat happened, half the ti would be ours…

  They wouldn’t be able to fend off the forces at the border a our rising power at the same time.

  A small smile escaped as I fanned myself, masking my true iions from those arou was almost ical to see how oblivious the nobility was to my pns, coexisting with assassins in pin sight.

  The clever know how to seize chaos… the wise… they create it, I recalled the a words of our Assassin anization, the Night Killers, founded by the Emperor Founder himself. We had acted patiently for so long, waiting for the right moment to fulfill his a dream. That moment had finally arrived, and I felt that my son was worthy of being called Emperor.

  The growing chaos at the borders was blinding everyone, and most of the kingdoms and duchies were still rec from the damage of the st war. More and more, the realms were relying on cooperatioween us… it was the perfeent.

  As I gazed around the room, my smile widened.

  Melina Asalon:

  I had arrived in the waiting room, where I saw the other students. The magic I possessed was a rare form of purple fire, much more powerful than ordinary fmes. My older half-sister had a variation in pink and was an excellent knight—some even said she could bee an Inquisitor one day. When my mother discovered I had ied this magic too, she was overjoyed. She always said that Dun and I were blessed ained freat things.

  My family is vast and plex. My father has three wives, which means I have a mother and two stepmothers. Since my mother is the primary queen, Dun and I are the heirs to the throne, while my father's other children are destio bee future Grand Dukes or Royal Knights. They form the branch of the family meant to act as our protectors. From a young age, I've been taught to be the perfect example, someone who represents the greatness of our lineage. However, the opportunity to study at Apsalon gives me a brief escape from the pressures of nobility, allowio be just a student—almost normal.

  "Did you actually memorize all of that? What an idiot," a boy scoffed.

  Syvis, the elf, blushed with embarrassment. "It’s not idiotic! It’s the history of the old empire, and this academy is part of something much bigger."

  Thyra, the demi-human, burst out ughing. "To me, it’s all just tools for killing," she replied indifferently.

  Despite her violent nature, I realized that Thyra didn’t act out of malice. It was just the way she was.

  "And what about you, human?" she asked, spping me on the back hard, catg me off guard.

  "I… I prefer spells and magic," I mumbled, feeling everyone’s eyes turn toward me, making me nervous.

  "Who doesn’t?" the boy eurning his attention back to the sword on dispy.

  Knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door, interrupting the moment.

  "I’ll be taking you to see the majesties. From there, you’ll be escorted to the stage," said a staff member as he opehe door.

  I sighed internally.

  I just came from there… and now I have to go back. I deserve this…

  Nathan Evenhart:

  We were walking down the long corridor, following the guide to where the kings and queens of both kingdoms were waiting. Syvis, still visibly upset, couldn't stop muttering.

  "I still 't believe what you did..."

  Does she not realize the person I gave up the spot for is right behind her?

  The elves who mahe entrance exam had chosen Princess Melina because of her rare trol over purple fire and her powerful spell, but when I used my thuhe destru was so impressive that there was no choice. There was no possible interference from the nobility or royalty, sihe academy is ral territory, and the final say always beloo the examiners. Even my teacher, Adrihna, couldn’t intervene—denying my reendation would have drawn even more attention than I already had.

  "We’ve arrived," the guide announced.

  I noticed several guards stationed by the door.

  "Remember to show proper respect to the majesties," he said before opening it.

  As we entered, my eyes quickly caught familiar figures. Besides Adrihna and Director Victoria, there they were…

  "Mother?" I asked, surprised, seeianding beside my Aunt Margie. What were they doing here?

  The kings and queens approached to greet us.

  "gratutions on standing out in the exam. We expect great things from you iure," Queen Agnes said, extending her hand with a serene smile.

  I greeted the queen politely, maintaining my posure, while notig Thyra approag with her usual enthusiasm. She was smiling, but knowing her, I sensed danger. She extended her hand to greet the queen.

  Oh no… she's going to crush the queen’s hand, isn’t she?

  "Ouch!" Thyra yelped as Director Victoria yanked her ear hard.

  "ing people's strength," the director scolded, giving her a stern look.

  Right after, the human king approached me, extending his hand.

  "gratutions, young man," he said formally.

  I kept a polite smile, despite the growing disfort inside me.

  "It is an honor, sir," I replied, shaking his hand carefully, gathering all my strength to trol myself and not crush his hand.

  Drunken king, damn you. I haven't fotten what you did!

  I finished greeting the human king and moved toward the elven majesties. The elven king approached, shaking my hand with a cordial smile.

  "It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man," he said, in a friendly tone.

  His wife, the elven queen, also smiled as she greeted me. Adrihna stood nearby, clearly pleased with the situation, while the elven king gnced between me, my mother, and then Adrihna.

  Why are they looking at me like that?

  "Father," Syvis said, and I quickly turned, surprised.

  Wait… father? Does that mean I called a princess an idiot earlier?

  The king began to respond, "My dear..." but before he could tinue, Director Victoria stepped in, cutting the moment short.

  "Everyone, I need your attention. The event is about to start, and I’ve got students and parents getting impatient. I he stars of the evening to get ready for their speeches," Victoria announced with a sense ency.

  "Finally," Queen Agnes muttered, clearly eager for the event to move forward.

  The director called for the other chosen students, and I returo my mother’s side.

  " we joiher parents now? Ryan must be going crazy with all this waiting, puy has work tomorrow," King Charles ughed.

  "You’re free to go, majesties. We’ve arranged a special table for you. The attendants will guide you," Victoria replied, bidding them farewell.

  I watched the royals leave, but my mother pulled me to stao her and Aunt Margie. Now, it was just me, my family, Adrihna, and the two elven majesties. Adrihna quickly went to the door and locked it, which seemed odd, but her my mother nor my aunt looked surprised.

  "Nathan, we don’t have much time, and I need your cooperation," Adrihna said, her tone serious.

  Aunt Margie crouched slightly, looking me directly in the eye with a firm expression.

  "My dear, getting all of you together here like this is almost impossible without raising suspi. We have the perfect opportunity, and we need you to work with us," she said, urgency clear in her voice.

  "We have little time before this draws attention," Adrihna added, turning toward the elven king.

  I gnced around, fused by the sudden seriousness in the room.

  "Nathan," Adrihna began again, "these people here are the highest authorities in the elven kingdom. You and your mother are part of us, and you're in a very delicate position because of the atus you hold in the human realm. We alut our people first, and that’s why we ot leave you and Katherine unprotected."

  She paused, making sure to meet my gaze to ensure I uood the gravity of the situation.

  "If anything happens iure, you will have our support, and it was important for you to officially meet the authorities of our kingdom."

  I looked at the elven king, who was studying me closely. His eyes were carefully assessing every detail of my face.

  "You are from the lineage of a high elf," the queen said. "You and your mother are desdants of a high elf who, turies ago, fell in love with a human. These elves are all nobility in our kingdom, and that means you too are part of our nobility. There are few of them left alive, and you desd from a lineage… of someone who was very important among us."

  So, it’s true. My high-elf aor wasn’t just anyone. He art of elven nobility, and I had ied that lineage.

  He wasn’t just regur nobility... he was definitely part of the political elite.

  I uand this is signifit, but what is the true purpose of this meeting? Does it have something to do with my sed citizenship?

  Adrihna was the only person outside of my family who knew about my Special Eyes and the power they granted me. If she brought me here, introdug me directly to the king and queen of her realm, then this was an important opportunity I had to seize. Perhaps they could offer support if something happened iure.

  I began to grasp their dilemma. Which citizenship should I truly embrace? By birthright, I beloo the human kingdom. However, the elves valued their race above all. Even on elves, born from the union of high elves and humans, preferred to remain in the elven kingdom.

  I have these Special Eyes, just like Adrihna, who possesses a single Special Eye. I wasn’t sure what the sequences would be if the human kingdom found out about my eyes, but ohing was certain: in the elven kingdom, this didn’t seem to be a problem.

  And then there was Cyl, along with the secret of my Celestial Eyes.

  The king tio observe me with silent curiosity.

  “You have... maures of a high elf. Your face carries the subtle traits of the race, and you’re even a bit paler than your mother,” the king ented, scrutinizing every detail of my appearance.

  The queeepped forward, her gaze more pierg.

  “May I see your eyes up close?” she asked, her tole, but the curiosity in her was undeniable.

  I froze. I didn’t know what to say.

  How did she know? No one would ask to see someone’s eyes up close without reason… What should I do now?

  Revealing my eyes, especially to someoside my family, was something I had always avoided. The queen awaited my response, and I found myself frozen, unsure of what to say.