Chapter 216 - The Secret Capital of the Elven Kingdom

My recent days had been peaceful and calm. With the holidays approaching, I was beginning to miss the peculiar, chaotic routine back in my duchy. There, my days were spent working on farms—either in my own territory or those surrounding the castle—and by night, I hunted criminals when there were missions to be done. When I wasn't out on a mission, I trained in spells or practiced my swordsmanship.

But even the routine here at the academy has its own charm...

“Hahahahaha!” My peace was abruptly interrupted by the boisterous laughter of a wolf-girl.

Oh right... I’d forgotten that Thyra exists here.

She couldn’t stop laughing, recalling the earlier class when the professor had drawn a weather map on the board, marking the path of seasonal rain clouds. So far, so normal. The problem was that the drawing... well, you know. The shape he’d drawn looked like, well, let’s just say it resembled a very large male organ. While the rest of us ignored it, you couldn’t expect that kind of maturity from a wolf-girl.

“Hahahahahahaha!” She kept laughing, giving me a hearty slap on the back.

"I got it; it was funny the first 50 times you laughed about it..." I muttered, trying to hold back my own laughter.

Thyra was recounting the story for the umpteenth time while we ate in the dining hall.

Did she forget that we were in the same class?

I looked at the wolf-girl in disbelief.

“Hahahahahahaha!” There she went, laughing uncontrollably again.

She’s just… a little bit of an idiot, isn’t she?

Thyra laughed so hard that tears streamed down her cheeks, and the worst part was that her infectious laughter was actually starting to get to me, making me laugh involuntarily.

“We’d better change the subject, or we’ll get stuck in Thyra’s endless laugh loop…” suggested Syvis.

We all agreed and continued eating.

At the table sat Chloe, Syvis, Edmund, myself, and, of course… Thyra.

“Are you all heading straight home from the academy, or will you spend a few days in the Capital?” Edmund asked.

I tried to focus on the conversation, ignoring the wolf-girl, who was still fighting to contain her laughter.

“Hmm... I think we’re going straight home. It’s a three-day journey by underground transport. You’re lucky your duchy is just a day away,” Chloe replied.

“I’m going to the Elven Kingdom, but I might stay in your Capital for a day,” Syvis said.

I’d always had some curiosity about the other kingdoms, and I recalled the research I’d done. The three major kingdoms are located in the central half of the continent, all bordered by a shared wall. A river connects these kingdoms to the edge of each region, forming a crucial trade route. The wild lands that serve as natural borders are far too dangerous for anyone sensible to traverse. The forests are filled with deadly creatures. At the entrance to each kingdom, where the river ends, a large city has risen around the ports.

“I’ll be taking the underground transport between kingdoms. It’s a five-day trip,” Syvis explained.

“Are people free to enter the Elven Kingdom?” Edmund asked curiously. “Professor Adrihna doesn’t go into much detail on this. I read in books that people visit, but then some sources say hardly anyone actually gets inside.”

Syvis smiled; she loved explaining the peculiarities of her homeland.

A natural-born queen...

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“Humans or demi-humans can only enter the border city,” she explained. “It’s a huge trade center where we receive goods from other kingdoms and organize shipments back through the underground transport system. The rest of the kingdom is restricted—only elves and those with royal permission are allowed beyond that point. Outsiders are strictly prohibited.”

I'd like to know more about what the elven kingdom is like on the inside. The only images we have are from the border city or a few rare glimpses from within the elven kingdom.

"On our wall, there's a special enchantment that only allows an elf to open the gate," Syvis explained. "Even then, the guards don’t let anyone enter without an inspection, not even other elves. My people live exclusively within our kingdom, and the farthest they go is to the border city, which is still part of the elven realm. The elves you see outside the kingdom are mostly from Apsalon, descended from noble families with homes both here and in the Elven Kingdom, or who married someone from here and chose to live outside."

Now things are starting to make sense. Even with the mix of three races in Apsalon, most of the population is still human. Professor Adrihna was right: elves prefer to live secluded in their own kingdom.

One of the things Adrihna taught me, which the academy also confirmed, is that the Elven Kingdom is a massive forest. But there’s a fascinating detail: the trees are gigantic, with a minimum height of 30 meters. Branches and bridges connect the higher parts of the trees where the elves build their homes. Using their mastery over the plant element, they shape the environment without harming nature, creating structures that, while similar to human buildings at the base of the trees, are seamlessly integrated into the trunks and branches.

I learned these details from Professor Adrihna, as the academy books barely touched on this aspect. The trees are so tall they can be seen from afar when you’re at the border, but only the top canopy, forming a kind of natural wall that hides the kingdom from view.

At the center of this vast forest lies the Capital, located in a large clearing. From this point on, information becomes highly restricted to anyone who isn't an elf. Professor Adrihna could only share these secrets with me and my mother, although Kinue obviously knew as well. According to Adrihna, at the heart of the kingdom stands an enormous tree over a chasm, with its bottom filled with water. This tree houses the high-elven society, the common elven nobility, and the royal palace. Even common elves cannot cross the bridge to the Capital without permission.

Professor Adrihna, trusting me because of my elven heritage, shared these secrets with me and even gave me a house next to hers in this secret city. However, I still have no idea how I’d actually get there.

“Want to do something together before the holidays? Alice suggested we all go out to eat somewhere,” Edmund said.

“Sounds good, but what day?” Syvis asked.

Edmund thought for a moment.

“The last day of school. It’s the Day of Chocolate, so things might get busy at the academy. We could go out to lunch at a restaurant,” he suggested.

“Ch-chocolate Day…” Chloe murmured.

Oh, right… that day.

In the city, there's the cultural tradition of Pink Chocolate Day, when women give chocolates to their friends, and Blue Chocolate Day, when men return the favor. I heard that, at the academy, some people even use the day to confess their feelings.

I’ve never tried this so-called chocolate… wonder if it’s any good?

***

My cousin was in the apartment’s living room, studying. When I saw her, I decided to slip past quietly and head to the kitchen for something to eat.

"Nate," I heard her call my name.

"Do you need something?" I asked, opening the cabinet. Everything was perfectly organized.

Kinue is way too organized, I thought. Everything was separated by type, even by color.

"It’s not that. I want to know if you’re okay."

"Of course, I am. After all this time thinking some assassin was going to get me, I think he’s finally given up," I said, reflecting on the past months.

I’ve wandered through this city so much I’m almost sick of going downtown. But at least it’s worth it when I need to order hair dye or pick up a delivery.

"I’m not talking about that... I mean you. Lately, you’ve seemed a bit off, kind of distant."

I thought about how I’d been acting lately, and she was right. I really haven’t been myself recently, to the point that even Athena stopped teasing me. My mind’s been a mess, plagued by my own thoughts, and I think even that troublemaker noticed.

"Don’t worry. Whatever was bothering me is starting to pass."

"You know you can always count on me," Chloe said, giving me a smile.

It felt good to hear that.

"You’re free to have your secrets," she continued, " but if you're hiding the fact that you're seeing some girl... I'll be upset.

"What?!" That caught me off guard.

She got up from her chair and came closer, squinting at me.

"I swear I’m not seeing anyone."

Cylla watches me every time I leave the academy and go downtown… there's no way I could be doing something like that.

"What girl? What are you talking about?" Kinue emerged from the bedroom, curious.

"Wait! You heard?" Chloe asked, surprised.

This is getting weird.

"Of course I heard; my ears are excellent. I’m keeping an eye out in case anyone tries to make a move on Nathan. There are way too many pretty girls in this dorm," Kinue said.

Good thing I always seal my room with a wind barrier so she doesn’t overhear.

"Wait, make a move on me doing what?" I asked, completely lost.

"NOTHING!" both of them answered in unison.

I sighed, still clueless about what was going on.

"Why are they talking about other girls with you?" Cylla appeared, rushing out of the bedroom and staring at me.

What’s happening? Why are all three of them looking at me like I did something wrong?