Free Web Novel“In our elven race, there’s a saying: when an elf reaches the end of their lifespan, they can sense their own death in advance. Elves who are far from home will return to their homeland. Those who never left will, one day, head to the Guardian Forest, sit beneath a tree, and merge with the forest itself.”
Sul spoke with fervor. “Every pure-blood elf only begins to physically decline after living for ten thousand years. But for elves, decline doesn’t mean death is imminent—it just means the return journey back to the forest has officially begun... I’ll tell you a little secret.” Sul lowered her voice. “There are quite a few old elves living in seclusion in our Elf Forest who are tens of thousands of years old.”
“Tens of thousands?” Vieya was startled.
“Hehe. Most outsiders think elves only live a thousand years at most.” Sul planted her hands on her hips and sold out all of the elves’ secrets to Vieya.
“But humans have a saying that’s pretty apt: ‘The morning fungus knows nothing of dusk and dawn; the cicada knows nothing of spring and autumn!’ How could a short-lived race possibly live longer than us elves? Even the youngest elf is a living history book.”
“So that means you know a lot too?” Vieya propped her chin up, looking at this imposing yet yellow-haired idiot elf.
She more or less understood now. The Elf Forest was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers—many old monsters who had stopped showing themselves hundreds or even thousands of years ago, quietly hiding in the corners of the forest.
As for the current Elf Queen, she was only a few thousand years old. Among elves, that was the prime of life—the peak of both experience and strength. But it seemed she had suffered serious hidden injuries more than twenty years ago, leaving her mentally exhausted now and eager to cultivate and elect a successor as soon as possible.
Once she sorted out these relationships, Vieya’s thoughts suddenly became clear—but along with it came an inexplicable sadness.
If Aislin had just completed the coronation ceremony today and was happily wrapping dumplings for everyone, only to wake up the next morning and find the Elf Queen had passed away in the Guardian Forest... a beautiful dream turning straight into a nightmare.
Looks like I’ll have to find another chance to capture the Elf Queen and interrogate her properly, Vieya thought.
“Of course I understand.” Sul widened her eyes and looked at Vieya seriously. “Sister, you’re an outsider, so you might not know how hard it is for an elf like Aislin—someone who once abandoned her responsibilities—to earn everyone’s trust again! Tsk. That said, she really has performed amazingly over the past few years. It’s just that her decision to bring you back caused quite a few elves to have thoughts and objections.”
“Me...?” Vieya pursed her lips, suddenly feeling that the wine in her hand wasn’t fragrant anymore.
“Of course it’s you.” Sul said gloomily. “Aislin is the chosen daughter of fate. She goes out into the world once, breaks her heart demon, and comes back even stronger. But we grassroots elves can’t do that. Once bitten by a snake, you fear the rope for ten years!”
Vieya fell silent. It wasn’t guilt—Sul was clearly trying to PUA her. But she suddenly recalled what the Elf Queen had said: to activate the World Tree, one must obtain the blood of the direct lineages of the Four Great Clans; to initiate the reincarnation ritual beneath the World Tree, one must gain the approval of all elves... the conditions were extremely harsh.
Could it be that the couple who stole heaven and swapped the sun back then, using the World Tree, had also fulfilled all these conditions?
Like gathering seven dragon balls before making a wish—missing even one wouldn’t work.
But then again, what was there for her to worry about? So many years had passed; she wasn’t in a rush for a day or two. If that couple could pull it off back then, was Vieya really incapable of doing the same?
If that couple were placed in front of her right now, she’d just go bang bang with two punches and knock them all down on the spot.
“What about the World Tree?” Vieya asked. “How much do you know about it?”
“That’s something only each generation’s queen gets to face directly.” Sul shook her head. “What I know is just surface-level hearsay. And I don’t trust you, so I won’t tell you.”
But she immediately changed her tone. “Of course, if you leave Aislin and defect to my side, then these things I could—”
Suddenly, her voice cut off.
Vieya looked at Sul curiously, only to find her gaze ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) fixed above her head... no, not above—behind her!
A shadow enveloped the slime girl. Then a pleasant voice sounded from behind her.
“Sul, if you dare set your sights on her, I don’t mind using strength to bully the weak and challenging you to a life-and-death duel.”
Aislin stood behind Vieya, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked at Sul—like a tiger ready to pounce. It was completely different from her earlier 모습 in the side hall, where she’d blushed bright red at the word ‘mate’ and turned into a steaming elf.
“Y-you think I’m afraid of you?”
Sul swallowed, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared back unwilling to back down. “A life-and-death duel isn’t necessary. That kind of crude thing doesn’t suit noble me. Tsk—looks like you picked up all those barbaric human habits while you were wandering outside. In any case, I don’t want to waste my energy on meaningless fights. Come talk to me after you beat all us competitors and take the throne!”
“...Hmph.”
Aislin snorted lightly, feeling it was pointless to say more to Sul. She turned to Vieya and warned her, “This elf has no idea how many young girls she’s tricked and coaxed within the clan. She changes partners every few days and never repeats one over several years. Don’t be fooled by her appearance.”
“It’s fine.” Vieya smiled. Sul was just a small fry—she couldn’t stir up much trouble.
She organized her words, then turned back to Aislin and asked curiously,
“You were kept in the main hall by the Elf Queen just now. What did you talk about?”
“That...” Aislin paused. “It concerns you as well, but it’s not convenient to talk about it in the tavern.” She cast a subtle glance at the yellow-haired elf across from them. “There are too many irrelevant elves around. I’ll look for you tonight.”
“Hey! Don’t ignore me!” Sul stomped angrily.
“Tonight?” Vieya was stunned. “Do you still have other things to do now?”
“More or less.” Aislin sighed. “Remember to go check on the maid you bought at the infirmary later, and bring Jasmine along to have a nutritionist examine her. Also, help me keep an eye on Elliti... The elders have notified me to go handle the smelting and re-forging of the Blood-Jade Stone into a stabilizer. I’m sorry—I won’t have time to accompany you this afternoon.”
“It’s fine. Then I’ll see you tonight.”
With Aislin’s reminder, the slime girl also remembered her own situation—and the daughter at home who was waiting to be fed. She finished the wine in her wooden cup in two gulps and hurriedly left the tavern.
“...Heh.”
Inside the tavern, the yellow-haired elf stood before the empty seat, utterly disheveled in the wind, her silver teeth grinding audibly.
“You say I’m not allowed to set my sights on her? Treat me like air and ignore me?” She sneered, stroking her hair and gritting her teeth. “Aislin, you’re really something... Just wait—when the time comes, I’ll steal away every woman you’ve taken a fancy to!”
...
On the other side, after Aislin left the side hall, the Elf Queen followed her out. freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
At the same time, several great elves emerged from the darkness next to the side hall. They were the eight elders who, aside from the Elf Queen, were responsible for maintaining the operation of the entire Elf Royal Court.
The eight elders took their places, and the highest leaders of the Elf Royal Court gathered together. They all knew what had just happened in the side hall.
“Next, everyone may disperse.”
The Elf Queen walked past the eight elders and said calmly, “That little slime brat probably isn’t very willing. And my daughter is foolish too—so many opportunities, yet she’d rather miss them all. Not like me at all. Since that’s the case, I’ll just have to help them a bit, as her mother.”
“Your Majesty, how do you plan to help?”
“Spread the news that the foreign race Aislin brought back is actually the mate she has chosen. Let every elf know.”
“Your Majesty, doing so may cause a certain degree of unrest in the Elf Forest.”
“Unrest? Perfect—deal with it all at once. Consider it paving the road in advance for the next queen. The future of the elven race will rise like the blazing sun, radiating to the four directions. These petty objections—just crush them.”
Standing before the magnificent white-jade grand hall, the Elf Queen narrowed her eyes and looked toward the azure sky, as if gazing upon the elven race’s imminent, glorious future.
Then she suddenly froze.
A fiery red great bird streaked across the blue sky like a meteor, diving straight into the Elf Forest.
...
Elf Royal Court, guest suite.
Vieya was rushing back in a panic. She’d had too much fun outside and, without realizing it, had forgotten she still had a daughter!
She hoped there were still some flower cakes left from last night. Otherwise—running off to drink morning wine with other women while leaving her daughter alone in the room to go hungry...
Tsk. That would be way too irresponsible!
And if Jasmine found out that she’d almost gotten her a new little mom this morning—an elf sister she liked, no less...
What would Jasmine think?
Vieya didn’t know. In any case, she didn’t dare think about it.
