"...And, we present to you the two heroes of today. Aradon and Andarel! Even though they are still young, their heroism in confronting the mock hostile combat situation to save our city is commendable. Everyone, please give a big cheer."
I react with a smirk look and walk up to the stand to receive a medal. It seems Aradon's mom has really got everything under control.
The explosion of the barrack was lady Elanna Caemfaere 'testing' the city's defense. Somehow nobody was hurt.
If I have to guess, before everything happens, one of the mage laid down an area of effect field of timestop. It happens plenty of time, however, in game that ability can only be used on hostile enemy unit.
Time stand still. The apex prowess of the elven archmage. Hell to deal with in a small scale battle. At the maximum upgrade, an elven archmage can freeze a group of enemies in time, turning them into chrono statue, however, the enemies can't be hurt while frozen in time. It has little utility in large group battle, however it is hell to deal with in small skirmish. I like to relentless extend a single campaign forever against small orc warband in the game with this ability. With two archmage in the game, the orcish warband is constantly phased out of time. For them, time has truly stand still.
Lady Caemfaere is a genius!
I can't believe she manages to 'test' the city defense in this manner! I only suggest making a scene so that Aradon can actually meet princess Aelene in my anonymous letter. However, she has gone and done it. Now, not only does Aradon gets to meet princess Aelene, we are treated as heroes.
"Let's go Aradon." I gesture with my left hand while striding forward. However, not hearing footstep behind me, I pause and look behind me.
"Aradon?"
If I have to describe him right now, Aradon is spaghetti. His entire character crumbles. He is sweating a lot with his eyes glancing nervously at the crowd every once a while. He looks like spaghetti. His muscle is as soft as spaghetti. He is spaghetti.
In the high seat, a woman was watching the entire situation with excitement. Sometime she claps while seeing her son on the podium with her three students standing behind her.
A certain student, let's call him A, can see the two elves in the podium shaking like a leaf in the wind. Slowly, he shakes his head. Truly, it is hard being the Archmage Elanna Caemfaere's son.
Destroying the city as a way to test the city's defenses she said, in truth, when they all went to the westward ranger corp and teacher Caemfaere did not find her son, she was actually pissed. Seeing imminent disaster, a certain student, let's call him A has to phase everyone of the civilians out of time before teacher Caemfaere's anger takes it out on them. IT has truly pushed him to the limit, extending the range of his space time prison that far.
It is hard being the High Elven Archmage Elanna Caemfaere's personal students...
"I can't believe it. The anonymous friend of Aradon is truly a genius! By telling me to go to the west section of the city and destroy it, he makes Aradon into a hero. Finally, now my boy has all the opportunities in the world to meet princess Aelene. May be he will be like his dad and take her on a trip through the forest hmm?"
Two students, let call them A and C act increasingly uncomfortable. For a certain female elf disciple part, she has never experienced a love life, so it has no meaning on her.
Suddenly, in that situation, a certain student C pokes A.
"Hey senior brother, isn't princess Aelene your great grand niece?"
Looking at their excitedly clapping teacher, a certain student, let's call him A acts even more uncomfortable.
Yes, even if it is teacher's son, there is no way some punk is touching his precious niece. He has to sabotage this love story somehow!
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"And, may I introduce, the jewel of our kingdom, her highness princess Aelene Lunari herself will be the one handing our heroes their medals."
"FOR THE PRINCESS!" The crowd explodes into cheer. The sound is extremely loud. The elves take pride in their royal family.
This is the perfect opportunity for a romance development.
However, under the gaze of his mother and the person he simps the most for in this world, Aradon crumbles.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
"What are you doing Aradon. Get yourself together!" I try to urge him, even having to drag him to make him walk forward, however Aradon is unresponsive.
As the princess approached, her demeanor was demure, however, I know better. Princess Aelene Lunari only acts demure when she is bored at hell doing administrative work. However, the actual person is a lunatic adrenaline junkie. I even have a careful scheme planned out to have Aradon takes her out on an exciting trip through the jungle to tickle her sense of adventure with the big damn hero, however...
"Andarel! Hey! Look this way Andarel!"
My eyes are explicably drawn toward where my name was called.
Shit. Damn. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. This is not good. Not as planned. Not as planned. Not as planned.
In the crowd, I saw a couple of human women. The women do not know eachother, however, they all know me.
This is a failure in the planning department! How could I have known that if I stand on the podium, the women I two-timed o- I mean, my friends who do not know eachother would recognize me. Right now, the sound is large enough that their voice is suppressed by the crowd. However, sooner or later, the women are going to recognize something was wrong and that they are cheering on the same guy. Think, think Andarel!
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"What day is today?" A certain bored looking elf of royalty was reading a book on human culture.
Last night, when the High Elven Archmage Elanna Caemfaere visited the city and test the city defense to see how the capital city has fared since the High Archmage left, a certain bored looking elf of royalty was in fact not bored. In fact, she was excited. She even put on her 'night elven empress' suit last night to go and fight with the anomaly in the city. However, she was caught and sent back to her bedroom.
"Today, we are honoring the heroic ranger recruits that performed extraordinarily well last night princess. The High Archmage personally complimented them, so the crowd, your mother has decided to reward them."
A certain bored looking royal elf yawn and then falls back on her bed.
"Those rangers guy? I heard they are all boring."
"Princess! Please don't let anyone hear this. The rangers have served the crown for millenia and have produced countless heroes."
"Yeah yeah. But like Hisu, they are always like 'Tradition is tradition', 'A ranger needs to be as silent as the wind', mister I'm-too-good-to-talk-to-you-outside-of-business. They are boring!
Tell you what, if I had gone out last night, I would be the one being honored today not those guy. I'm telling you!"
"Princess..."
The handmaid of the princess, Hisu, does not know what to do. Last night, when the princess put on a black suit and then took out a bow and sword while screaming "I'm going to defend my city", Hisu was almost scared to death.
"Princess, please get out bed." The princess is a beautiful woman, with long blond hair that cause many women to be envious, however in her room, she always ties her beautiful hair up in a ponytail. While other ladies of her age recite poetry and learn the art, princess Aelene insists on learning archery and the sword.
She even refuses to learn magic, which many elven monarchs have used to quell countless war because "Magic is unmanly", even though she is a woman herself! And currently, because she went to bed late last night, the princess clothes and hair are a mess even though it is already 10 in the morning. The award ceremony happens at 11.
"Princess..." Hisu pleads while the princess closes her eyes, falling asleep again.
"Alright. I promise, I would cover for you this afternoon." Suddenly, Hisu's princess pops out of bed.
"Alright, I will go take a bath now. See you later Hisu, remember, you promised. I'm going out to play this afternoon."
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On the stage, outside of the master of ceremonies, there are currently two spaghetti elves, and one yawning princess.
All the while, the most powerful archmage of the kingdom is in the stadium, clapping excitedly.