Chapter 144 - Nathan, the High Half-Elf
Nathan Evenhart:
I had decided to reveal my High Elf elements, fully understanding Aunt Margie's intentions in exposing my silver hair and my Special Eyes. She was thinking about the family’s future. My aunt was concerned about what lay ahead. So, I gave a gentle nudge... I just didn’t expect it to shake the Elven majesties so much.
The look of shock on the king and queen's faces was unmistakable. It seemed like every revelation I made threw them further off balance. First, my hair, and now the plant and light elements that I so casually showed them.
All for the sake of my family. What’s the point of power if I end up with an entire human kingdom as an enemy? So... I’m securing the support of the Elven kingdom.
Haiten Rhiannon:
This went far beyond my expectations.
The boy standing before me wasn’t just a prodigy; he was breaking boundaries no mage should be able to overcome. How was this possible? Nathan was bypassing elemental restrictions in a way that should be utterly impossible.
“How? This can’t be real!” Siofna exclaimed, approaching him with evident surprise.
I sat back in the armchair, trying to process all the options I had.
Do I take the boy with me? That would solve part of the problem but create others. Nathan Evenhart Rhiannon Nemesia... that would be his name if he were officially recognized as a member of the royal family.
But this was much bigger than I had imagined.
Nathan isn’t just a distant relative. He’s a true high elf, gifted with the powers of the race. This is far beyond what I anticipated. He’s not just a descendant of high elves, he carries the blood of the first elven king. The lineage that only stayed within high elves, while I am from the branch of the family that began to mix with common elves over millennia. His lineage places him above me and any other living elf.
His silver hair... more than just an aesthetic trait, it’s a sacred symbol. Even high elves don’t have such a clear tone. The white-silver color is exclusive only to the royal high elven family. If this gets out, the chaos would be inevitable. He is the last of his lineage, and the sacred color of his hair is living proof of his descent from the oldest high elves. I can’t even imagine what would happen if the council found out.
And then there’s his magic. His eyes... and now this elemental power. What should I do? His diplomatic situation is complicated. Should I take the boy away?
I looked at his mother. She was clearly nervous, apprehensive, as if she could feel the weight of my considerations. She and Nathan’s aunt understand what’s at stake. They’ve kept him protected until now, not just because of his eyes, but because of everything he represents.
I can’t just take him. That would break the trust his family has placed in me and in elven traditions. Moreover, it would be seen as a hostile move, and a feud with the Evenhart family or human nobility would be disastrous. If I remove Nathan from his life here, it could generate enmity that I might never be able to fix. Even with the best of intentions, that’s not how they would see it.
I also can’t ignore the danger he faces. The sacred color of his hair, his eyes, his magic... all of it makes him a unique figure.
He is the last of the original high elven lineage of the royal family, and any threat to him would be considered a grave crime in our culture. If the humans did anything to him, the elven kingdom would override any treaty or alliance to protect him... they’d even go over my head.
He belongs to two different noble lines, a unique and incredibly delicate situation. The implications are enormous.
Now, what should I do to ensure Nathan’s safety and avoid an international crisis?
I looked at my wife, who observed silently as the boy manipulated rare elements with a disturbing ease, as if breaking elemental restrictions was trivial.
He’s a true high elf. The high elves give more importance to silver hair than to the pointed ears that we, common elves, also have. White-silver hair is the true symbol of their lineage. It’s even hard to know how to classify him. Would he be considered a High Half-Elf?
I observed him for a moment longer and sighed.
Grandfather... looks like I’ll have to work a little harder, I thought, chuckling in my mind.
I’ll have to solve this diplomatic situation without raising suspicion. If the human kingdom finds out he’s of the royal family before the right time, it could complicate everything.
Nathan Evenhart:
Queen Siofna remained absorbed, her hand emitting a soft green mana glow as she passed it over the flower I had created. It was as if she was searching for something deeper within the plant.
“High elf magic…” she murmured, visibly shaken. Next to me, Professor Adrihna adjusted her monocle, also analyzing the flower with great interest. The king stayed seated, immersed in his thoughts, clearly trying to process what he had just witnessed.
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“He’s inherited a bit of the magic…” my mother commented, trying to ease the tension.
“A bit?” the queen laughed, barely concealing her shock. “Katherine, you and Kinue were a remarkable find, but what Nathan has done… it surpasses anything that should be possible.”
She glanced at the flower as if it were an impossible anomaly. “A plant... an actual, living plant,” she said, her gaze shifting back to me and my mother, still struggling to comprehend it all.
“Katherine is the first in our people to be a summoner with the plant element,” she continued. “The only one with a living mana gem of that element. And now, Nathan... you possess both of the high elven elements. This is… astonishing.”
“Nathan, activate your light magic,” Adrihna requested, her voice filled with anticipation.
With a simple thought, I summoned a golden shield of light in my hand, shining brightly.
Adrihna seemed a little embarrassed as she noticed the king’s questioning look. “I... trained him over the years,” she explained, as if feeling the need to justify what he was seeing.
The queen, however, was more focused on her own thoughts, running her green light over my shield just as she had done with the flower. She murmured to herself, as if trying to make sense of what it all meant.
“This is what my eyes have given me,” I said, breaking the silence.
“You alone…” the queen spoke, looking directly at me. “You are the only one in the world to possess both elements exclusive to the high elves.”
I actually possess all the elements, but I’ll keep that to myself for now. If even Adrihna chose not to mention it, trusting me to reveal it when the time is right, I’ll follow her lead...
“No one can know about this,” the king finally spoke, his deep voice cutting through the air.
“Don’t worry,” Adrihna said firmly. “I was the only one who knew this, aside from the family.”
The king nodded, but he still seemed lost in his own thoughts, clearly understanding the broader implications of everything that had just been revealed.
Queen Siofna stepped closer, placing her hand on my shoulder with a serene yet concerned expression.
“Nathan, you’ve been blessed with the mana of our race, just like your mother and Kinue. However, you’ve surpassed limits we thought were unbreakable, acquiring more than one rare element. When I learned you had the thunder element, I already thought it was extraordinary, since few humans ever awaken it. But now, seeing that you also possess two of our rare elven elements… this is dangerous, Nathan. Letting people know could attract the wrong kind of attention.”
She glanced at the king, who nodded and rose again, his expression grave.
“You can’t tell anyone about these powers,” he said firmly. “Kinue and your mother already draw attention for possessing rare elements, but you… having two high elven elements would attract far more attention than is safe. It’s better to keep this secret.”
I looked at my mother and my aunt. It had already been my plan to keep my abilities hidden, but I appreciated their concern. It was clear they were trying to protect me.
“Adrihna, I need you to watch over him at the academy,” the king said, placing his trust in the professor.
“That was already my plan, sire,” Adrihna responded with determination.
My mother, visibly anxious, stepped forward. “You’re not going to take him away, are you?” she asked, fearing the worst.
Queen Siofna approached her with a gentle smile. "We wouldn't do that, Katherine. Apsalon is a safe place, a neutral territory. As long as Nathan doesn't use his elements, he will go unnoticed. As for his hair, although I disagree with the dye solution, it is the best option for now."
Aunt Margie and my mother both sighed in relief, and I felt more at ease too. At least for now, the plan was to keep things as they were, without any drastic interference.
"My daughter will also be studying here," the queen continued, "so he will be protected by the neutral territory laws for the next five years. Until he graduates, we'll find a diplomatic solution to the issue of Nathan being part of two nobilities in different kingdoms."
I knew the situation was complicated. Officially, my mother was a commoner, elevated to nobility only through marriage. She didn’t hold a political title, but I did, which put me in a delicate position, especially given my ties to the high elves.
"Queen Agnes has been seeking closer ties with our kingdom in recent years," Siofna added. "She even mentioned the possibility of sharing more magical technologies and strengthening bonds. Perhaps, with this growing friendship, we can handle Nathan’s situation without sparking a diplomatic incident."
The conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. ‘Knock, knock.’
Adrihna glanced at the door and then at me, signaling that our conversation was coming to an end.
“Unfortunately, the discussion is over for now. It’s best if you step out, Nathan. We have to go over a few more details... and it would be odd to keep you here,” she said softly.
I got the message. It was time to let the adults handle the political and diplomatic intricacies tied to my name. I had enough information to realize that my life had just gotten a little more complicated, but at least I wouldn’t have to deal with it all alone.
Haiten Rhiannon:
‘Knock, knock.’
The soft sound was the signal that someone was approaching. The conversation had to come to an end.
"The matter is concluded, unfortunately. Nathan, it's better if you leave now. We need to continue discussing some details... and it would be odd to keep you here," Adrihna said gently.
The boy seemed to ponder for a moment before agreeing. “Alright, I’ll head to the party,” he replied lightly, preparing to leave.
Just before he crossed the door, Queen Siofna called out to him. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Nathan. May I keep this flower?” She was holding the delicate plant he had created with his magic.
Nathan nodded. “Of course, you can keep it.”
I watched him closely. “Nathan, if you need any help, speak with Adrihna. She will always be available for you.”
He smiled faintly. “I’m counting on that, sir.”
“Just call me Haiten,” I replied, trying to show a more personal approach. He nodded, then left the room, the door closing silently behind him.
As soon as Nathan left, the atmosphere in the room shifted. Siofna, who had seemed enchanted by the boy’s abilities, now questioned thoughtfully,
“Why didn’t we tell him that we are his family? You and I, Haiten, we’re like his uncles or cousins. His existence is, indeed, a diplomatic crime... but maybe we should’ve told him.”
Katherine, Nathan’s mother, opened her mouth to speak, but I already knew what she was going to say. Nathan’s situation was too delicate.
“For now, until we resolve the diplomatic issues completely, it’s better to keep it this way,” I explained, looking around the room. “I’ll proceed with my plan to meet with the other kingdoms’ rulers. I’ll need to personally explain that Nathan Evenhart isn’t allying with humans to subjugate the demi-human kingdom, nor with elves to subjugate the humans.”
The diplomatic treaties, the delicate balance of power between the realms—everything had been shaken just by Nathan’s mere existence. And for some time now, we had been in the complicated process of trying to redeem his status and protect his life.
His very existence breaks the millennia-old pact of the three kingdoms, forged two thousand years ago.
Duchess Margaery, always observant and cautious, expressed a sense of relief. “I’m glad to know that you elves value family so highly. I was concerned about how you would handle all of this.”
Siofna smiled, her calm demeanor reflecting centuries of tradition. “Our people believe that if one branch of the tree falls ill, the whole tree suffers. We value family above all else.”