Chapter 491: The Elven Corps
In the magical forest, countless fantastical creatures danced as if welcoming the arriving guests.
Butterflies and flower petals fluttered in unison.
Fairies and glowing lights twirled and hovered.
Even the surrounding trees seemed to come alive, swaying gently as if rejoicing.
Melika stood amidst this scene, a natural smile on her face, more beautiful than ever.
Shien felt that Melika’s charm had increased dramatically after returning here.
To use his previous words, this 99-point elven beauty had evolved into a perfect 100.
If noble sons like Magray or Edel were here and saw Melika like this, they would definitely be ecstatic.
Unfortunately, only Shien could enjoy this visual feast.
Well, not just Shien, but also Airi, Lucy, and the others.
Lilith was completely captivated by the butterflies and fairies flying around. She curiously reached out her small hand, trying to catch them, but couldn’t. In the end, she simply broke free from Shien’s arms and chased after them.
Airi also seemed eager to join the chase, her gaze following the butterflies and fairies, but she held back and pretended to be calm.
Lasha, as always, remained expressionless and unmoved.
“Roar!”
Finally, Yulin, standing behind them like a guardian deity, couldn’t help but roar, startling everyone.
“Whoosh!”
All the fairies and butterflies scattered as if frightened.
“Rustle!”
The surrounding trees, which had seemed to be cheering, trembled and shuddered.
The magical scenery was instantly broken, and the glowing lights hid in the bushes, disappearing from sight.
“Ah!”
Lilith stopped chasing them with a cry of dismay, her eyes filled with reluctance.
“Oh dear!”
Melika also cried out, as if her family had been frightened.
“Yulin!”
Shien turned his head and glared at Yulin.
The girls also turned their gazes to Yulin, glaring at her, gritting their teeth.
“Mmm…”
Yulin immediately closed her mouth and lowered her head, looking wronged.
But they didn’t let her off the hook.
“Why did you suddenly roar?”
“Look, you scared them all away.”
“Look what you did.”
Shien, Lucy, and Airi scolded the black dragon of Atlus, making Yulin’s big eyes fill with grievance.
She couldn’t help it!
It wasn’t that she wanted to scare them, but she was also excited.
Couldn’t a dragon be happy? Wasn’t she a girl too?
Why could they cheer and exclaim, but she couldn’t?
She felt wronged and wanted to cry.
However, they didn’t continue to scold Yulin. After a few words, they let it go.
Shien scratched his head and came to Melika.
“Are those all monsters?”
Shien tried to change the subject, also genuinely curious.
“Some are, some aren’t.” Melika smiled at Shien, either because she was too happy to be home, suppressing her usual shyness and nervousness, or because she had gotten used to it. She said naturally, “There are many harmless monsters in the Elven Homeland, like glow-butterflies and unicorns. They usually don’t actively harm others and are herbivores, so the Elven Homeland accepts them, letting them live within the barrier, protected from the ferocious monsters outside.”
“There are also some fantasy creatures. Those aren’t monsters, but beings created with magic, similar to magical lifeforms, created by our elven ancestors to guard the Elven Homeland. They will drive away any intruders who don’t enter through proper channels. Those glowing trees around us are one such existence.”
“As for the fairies, they’re not monsters or fantasy creatures, but our kin.”
Melika’s words stunned Shien.
“Kin?”
Shien was surprised.
“Yes.” Melika nodded and explained patiently, “As I said before, elves don’t have babies. When we elves are born, we’re in a very special state.”
Hearing this, Shien seemed to understand.
“Could it be that those fairies are the special state you mentioned?”
Shien realized.
“That’s right.”
Melika smiled brightly and nodded, explaining,
“We elves all start out like this, as small fairies.”
“Nature nurtures us, letting us be born from forests, rivers, lakes, and even the earth itself, dancing in this world in the form of fairies.”
“In this state, fairies have no intelligence or wisdom, only the instincts of newborn animals, playing in the world and absorbing the magic power of nature.”
“After decades, centuries, or even millennia of growth, if fairies successfully develop intelligence and wisdom, they will use the magic power they’ve absorbed to transform into human form, becoming elves.”
Melika became more talkative after returning home, speaking eloquently.
Such a Melika was truly rare, making Shien look at her a few more times.
Melika didn’t seem to notice and continued to speak enthusiastically.
“After becoming elves, we are taken away by the elders of the Elven Homeland and officially become members of the Elven Race, living with everyone.”
“Although we’re not blood relatives, we all have a common mother, and that is nature, which nurtured us.”
“And nature is something created by Nadue, the Goddess of Nature. It’s her embodiment, another manifestation of her.”
“Therefore, Goddess Nadue is not only the highest deity of our Elven Race, but also a mother-like existence to us, especially the elven royalty. They are special, all of them are…”
Melika, who had been speaking enthusiastically, suddenly noticed Shien looking at her with a gentle smile.
Not only Shien, but even Lucy was doing the same, retracting her gaze, which had been shining as she looked at the surroundings, and looking at Melika with a gentle expression, as if she was looking at a younger sister who had finally opened her heart.
Finally, even Airi and Lasha looked at Melika, and Lilith also blinked her big eyes curiously.
“Poof!”
Melika’s face instantly flushed red, as if about to explode.
“L-let’s go inside…!”
The blushing elf girl mumbled these words, seemingly embarrassed, making everyone chuckle good-naturedly.
However, this only made Melika even more embarrassed.
“L-let’s go inside quickly!”
Melika raised her voice, pushing Shien’s back, her head lowered, her pointed ears red, and headed towards the Elven Homeland.
“Alright, alright, we’re going, don’t push me.”
Shien smiled wryly.
“Haha…”
The girls chuckled again.
Until…
“Hmm?”
Shien suddenly paused and looked up, his gaze forward.
“Oh?”
Airi and Lucy also seemed to notice something and looked up.
“Roar!”
Yulin, as if finally having found an opportunity, roared.
Then, figures flashed out from the depths of the forest ahead, as if riding the wind, rushing towards them.
These figures landed on the surrounding glowing trees, surrounding Shien and his group.
The glowing trees seemed to sense something and swayed continuously, like bullied children finally having their mother stand up for them.
Shien and his group looked around.
On the surrounding glowing trees, elves appeared, wearing robes and holding staffs.
“Who are you?”
The elven magician at the forefront asked warily.
She wore an emerald green robe with mysterious runes and spells carved on the sleeves, and held a staff inlaid with a striking magic crystal. She had delicate features and a charming appearance, drawing people’s attention.
This elven magician seemed to be the leader.
The surrounding elves stared at Shien and his group with wary and serious gazes.
Especially at Yulin. Almost all the elves focused their attention on her, their hands tightening on their staffs as they looked at the black dragon emanating a ferocious aura.
Powerful magic power fluctuated around these elves.
This scene told everyone that these elves were all incredibly powerful magicians.
It was true.
“Good heavens, none of them are below level eighty.”
Shien was surprised.
Indeed.
None of the elves who appeared here were below level eighty.
And there were nearly a hundred of them.
What did this mean?
It meant that this elven team’s strength completely surpassed that of the Kingdom’s Royal Knights.
However, the Royal Knights had Aldia, a legendary knight at level ninety-eight, while this elven team didn’t.
The elven magician who spoke was at level eighty-nine, just one step away from the legendary level.
Even so, the appearance of nearly a hundred elven magicians above level eighty still made Shien’s eyes flash.
Not only Shien, but even Lucy’s expression changed.
“I see. So this is the Elven Corps that the Elven Race is so proud of.”
Lucy’s expression was serious.
“Elven Corps?”
Shien turned to Lucy, as if asking a question.
Lucy, without looking at Shien, looked around at the elven magicians and said,
“The Elven Corps, a magician corps composed of all the high-level magicians of the Elven Race, is also the strongest magician corps in the world, unmatched.”