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Bonus: Aelene's nightmare

One day, princess Aelene suddenly realizes that she has no allies.

Not one in the human kingdom, they are her friends, however, they cannot affect the matter of the elven kingdom.

Not one in the elven kingdom, because the people who would support her slowly disappear after her journey as an adventurer through the human land.

"Look at her, how shameful, the last of the Lunarii spending her time 'playing' with the human instead of returning to her country that needs her."

"I heard that the princess found a human that she likes. Then the human left her too."

"The girl who is not there for her home should not be surprised that her home is not there for her."

"Isn't she too friendly with the human?"

The voices of politicians, merchants, nobilities and people in power increasingly grow hostile every passing moment she is in Hafthor. Aelene pretends to not hear them even though her first thought is to drop them with a kick.

However, Aelene knows better now, she knows nothing about politic.

Suddenly, the image of her half-elf friend, smiling flashes in her mind. Hisu has always been trying to make her learn social cue and etiquette. She never learns. When the catastrophe happens at the capital city, she doesn't have a chance to learn anymore, being evacuated to the human land. And yet, while in the human land, with so much freedom, she forgot for a moment that she was still royalty. She didn't learn either.

Only now does those lessons become important in her mind.

'However, I didn't need to learn those lesson, because us elves- US ELVES were better than this damn it!'

Aelene slams her hands on the wall.

The maids passing by whisper derisively at the 'fallen' princess.

Elves were not supposed to turn to factionalism like this. Elves are supposed to be free, to be close to nature, to have an open-mind, to be kind.

When did politic creeps its way into the court? When did nationalism become the religion that the rich and powerful live by?

An image flashes in her mind. It is an elf that declares his undying loyalty to her. It all started when he leads an army to the capital city.

No, she shakes her head. She can't blame him.

The 'fallen' princess decides to make her way to find general Aradon Gaethlock, the greatest hero of the elven race, her only political ally in this new system.

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"What is this? What is the meaning of this? Sent to the Badland. On whose authority? On whose authority did you send the greatest general of our generation to the Badland?"

Princess Aelene demanded.

An image of a wood elf with brown hair accompanying Aradon likes a shadow flashes in Aelene's mind. She remembers him being a very suspicious person in a funny way.

However, she shakes her head. That Andarel is long gone.

Senator Andarel regards her with a cool gaze. He sat in the shadow with the window behind him, casting a large shadow on her. In the last few days, Aelene's personal business has become increasingly difficult. Andarel's hair has grown longer. His dark brown hair has turned white. People say it is due to his thinking.

"You did princess."

The wood-elf answers curtly. The first wood-elf in power at the capital city. The youngest person in power in the history of Hafthor. Andarel was not like any wood elf. She suddenly remembers that once upon a time, her maid and best friend Hisu has told her to be careful.

In some of her last letters, Hisu has been travelling to the Senator's hometown in search of something. However, the half-elf never finishes the journey, she was attacked by bandits on the way and perished.

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In one of the letter from Hafthor, Hisu's siblings have blamed her. They blamed her for the instability of the country being her faults being away from home as the last of the royal line, they blamed her for Hisu's dedication to her cause that caused her fateful journey and death.

That was 5 years ago.

She is home now.

"I don't know if it were you, or were it your human 'friends' and 'comrades'? Anyway, I am not sure about the writer of the letter, but since you are so determined that it was somebody else, princess, it must not be you. Anyway, the writer of the letter, who perfectly mimic your handwriting, seal and signature I'm sure, shamelessly demanded that Hafthor spent it dwindling military asset after the last great war to guard the Badland because some foolhardy dwarves and human adventure party come there to die. It were completely unreasonable, it was stupid, it was just sabotage sent by a neferious party I'm sure, however, Aradon, that fool believed it. Even though I told him no, even though I told him I need him here, he believed you princess. He believed in such an idiotic order. And my brother left me for the Badland. I'm sure he is still alive, because I know Aradon.

At first, I wanted to leave with him, however, after that reward for a hero, being forced to go on a permanent trip to the Badland, I realize that Hafthor will perish if it continue to receive order with interest that does not collide with Hafthor's well being in mind, I stayed. And here we are today, 20 years later after Aradon left.

Now, you come to me asking for war effort. War effort on foreign land, during one of the human's civil war.

I get it. You must be joking princess. After coming home from the human land, you have inherited their sense of humors."

Suddenly, Aelene remembers.

It indeed did happens.

20 years ago, an adventurer party, the Bronze Hammer perishes in the Badland. They were her good friends during adventuring, she was angry and wrote a thoughtless letter.

However, Aelene didn't know what ramification a letter from the last of the elven royal line would have.

To the people of that time, it must have been seen as an order.

And it leads to this.

Andarel still looks at her coolly.

Aelene feels disgusted by the man, however, she also feels guilt.

All the xenophobic drivel in the last 20 years were caused by this man, her friends have told her. However, she is the one who leads to his rise to power.

If only she has studied more. If only she was home. If only she has listened to Hisu. If only she thought things through.

But it is over now.

"People are dying out there Andarel. Human. They are our allies."

"We are in no position to join in their war, princess. As you know Elves do not repopulate as fast as human. 25 years is not enough for our a new generation to appear. Let's say we have a mighty bulkward in the form of our grand army from 25 years ago guarding our nation, we can send some help. However, we currently don't.

Fine. In the next referendum, I will add your opinion for our people to vote on. However remember that it is your opinion and your only. I regretfully decline such proposal."

"But-"

Princess Aelene looks down at the floor, knowing that the party agrees to Andarel, and Andarel only.

Even if she wanted to find royalist loyalist, she doesn't know where to look.

She has lost. She has lost completely.

And human will die.