Free Web NovelChapter 97: The Fenagors Patriarch
The forest stretches far ahead, looking as though it spans thousands of miles. There’s also a tiled path leading into the forest, but most of it has been covered by fallen leaves, making it barely noticeable. Some sections have even been destroyed by roots protruding from the trees.
I look to the side and see everyone beside me, but for some reason, Theodore is bent over in one corner, seemingly vomiting, while Aleena and Tiriana tend to him.
"What’s wrong?" I ask, moving closer.
"It’s Mana sickness caused by his Mana deficiency. He’s always like this whenever he’s enveloped by a strong wave of Mana," Tiriana reveals while Theodore continues gagging uncontrollably.
After about a minute, he finally stops and wipes the corner of his mouth with a face towel.
"I am sorry for making you witness such an unpleasant scene, but this is my curse. Fighting against it would only shorten my lifespan," Theodore says, but I stop him by raising my palm.
"It’s fine, father-in-law. You don’t have to explain it again. I understand everything," I say, and he nods. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
A thought suddenly comes to mind. Would the purification spell Edrel gave me be able to work on Theodore? I doubt it would, considering many mages had tried breaking the curse in the past and only made it worse. If I could somehow upgrade the spell into an advanced spell and tweak it to specifically target the curse, I might be able to help him, but I haven’t reached that level yet. Besides, one would need to know exactly what type of curse it is before attempting to target it.
If I could partner with Aleena and work on this spell, it would be a major breakthrough in her career and a win for me as well, allowing me to expand my knowledge of magic.
"Alright, let’s go," Theodore’s voice snaps me back to reality, and we head into the forest, following the path.
We meet a few other elves along the way, but they simply pass by without greeting us as everyone seems occupied with their own business. One thing I notice is that everyone is walking here. Not a single bicycle is in sight, and all the houses are built atop trees. Some even use the trees themselves as houses by hollowing out the massive trunks.
Hollowing out these giant trees doesn’t seem to affect them in the slightest. Some are wider than skyscrapers, so carving out a home is little more than a pinch to them.
As we walk, I somehow feel like we are being watched, but whenever I look around, I see nothing but greenery.
I move closer to Aleena, taking her hand and interlocking our fingers.
"Why does it feel like we’re being watched?" I ask in a low voice.
"Oh, you felt that too? That’s the sensation you get when being spied on through magic. Since they do things the old-fashioned way here, guards monitor every nook and cranny using magic arrays instead of the cameras used in the city," Aleena explains.
My mind eases after hearing her explanation, and I continue walking for what feels like an eternity.
After about an hour of walking, we arrive in front of a huge tree that looks completely ordinary. Tiriana steps forward and places her palm against the bark. Immediately, a wooden door appears.
She pushes it open, revealing a small corridor that leads to a staircase, all neatly carved into the tree.
"This is Grandpa’s house," Aleena says as she follows her mother inside. I trail behind her while Theodore remains behind to close the door.
The moment he does, the corridor is illuminated by several glowing yellow orbs placed at strategic points. I barely have time to appreciate the flawless beauty of the home carved within the tree trunk before everyone begins climbing the stairs, forcing me to follow.
With each step we take, the next stair lights up with a gentle glow.
Soon, we reach what appears to be a waiting room. The walls and ceiling are covered with smooth wooden boards, and a large yellow orb hangs overhead, illuminating the entire room.
While I am still taking it all in, someone emerges from a hallway wearing a black-and-white dress—a maid’s uniform. She stands around five foot five, with sharp elongated ears and emerald-green eyes. Her expression is cold, almost as though she has been programmed to look that way.
Stopping before us, she bows deeply and turns to Theodore.
"Welcome, Young Master. Master has been expecting you. Allow me to lead the way," the elf says with another bow, glancing at me and Aleena from the corner of her eyes.
"Hahaha, stop calling me Young Master, Ilana. It’s been over a hundred years. I’m no longer that little brat," Theodore laughs, rubbing the back of his head with a red face.
I’m slightly shocked because, judging by the way Theodore addresses this maid, she seems older than him and has been serving his father for more than a century, despite appearing to be in her early twenties.
This leads me to conclude that, like every other race, an elf’s aging depends on their genetics.
We follow Ilana through the hallway, passing several living rooms and encountering other maids who bow to both us and Ilana, who appears to be the head maid here.
This makes me wonder—if Theodore’s father, a former commander, can live this lavishly, why is Theodore, a former general, living in a bungalow? It only confirms that both his curse and his betrayal by the kingdom run far deeper than I initially thought.
Soon, we arrive in a large room filled with numerous light orbs. At the center stands a large rectangular table overflowing with food and drinks. Seated around it is a man with white hair, a curly moustache, and sharp elongated ears.
Ilana bows to the man, and Theodore immediately steps forward to embrace him. The man appears middle-aged.
"Dad! Are you holding a banquet for us?" Theodore asks after breaking the hug.
"Father-in-law!" Tiriana walks forward and greets the old man.
"Hehe, welcome, my sweet daughter-in-law, unlike my unfilial son. Hmph," he snorts before his eyes settle on me and Aleena.
I step forward and bow alongside Aleena, who looks visibly nervous.
"I greet you, Grandfather," I say in a courteous voice.
"Aleena greets you too, Grandfather," Aleena quickly adds.
"Haa, come on, old man. Now the kids are scared of you. That’s why Maya didn’t come," Theodore grumbles, and the old man looks genuinely confused.
"Am I really that bad?" he asks with a sigh before patting both Aleena and me on the back and gesturing for us to sit.
"Kid, let me introduce myself. I am Zane Fenagors. Theodore told me about you, Jacob, but I wanted to see you for myself. Thankfully, you passed the first test—being handsome. The Fenagors won’t appreciate an ugly son-in-law," Zane says, stroking his curled moustache.
