CHAPTER 196: ARAVELLE [2]

The path outside was stone-paved and quiet, lined with silvery trees that whispered softly in the wind.

Lanterns floated midair like fireflies, glowing with soft magic.

Akamir didn’t see it when he was here last time, but the kingdom was much more beautiful than anything else.

Yet...

He couldn’t help but notice a difference in the people’s mood.

They all looked like they weren’t having a good time despite the calmness of the place.

Despite the beauty, there was a heaviness in the air.

Akamir looked to his side where Aravelle walked silently.

She kept her hood up, her now-disguised face blending easily with the crowd.

Akamir, with his white mask covering his face, did bring much suspicion.

"You were saying," Akamir prompted.

Aravelle glanced at him before continuing, her voice low and even.

"We Elves didn’t always live here," she began. "This city—Elaren—is only three thousand years old. Before that, we lived deeper, far within a different continent."

Akamir looked at her curiously. "I see..."

He wanted to ask many things, but he asked the important ones.

"And how do you know all that?"

"The members of the council are given this information when they become one," she replied softly. "It’s so we always remember our past and never forget who we are."

Akamir chuckled. "Are you sure you should tell me this?"

"It should be alright," she replied, glancing at the fairy on his shoulder. "Lady Sephrina will not mind about this."

Lili looked at the woman and gave her a slight nod.

"Anyway, as I was saying," she continued as they walked, "when the elves migrated to this continent, they were immediately harassed by the other races."

Akamir raised his eyebrow. "Ah, the elves were bitches before that, right?"

She glared at him but didn’t rebuke his statement.

And how could she?

It was well known how the elves always tried to kill all the other races.

It was also well known how they were racist and always showed themselves superior to others.

"Back then, we weren’t that strong, but we did have some good fighters," she replied softly. "Those were the ones who kept our race alive and fought for a place for us to live."

Aravelle walked slowly beside Akamir, her boots barely making a sound on the polished stone path.

Her voice, though calm, carried the weight of old wounds.

"They fought for every tree, every river. Piece by piece, we carved this place out of a continent that wanted nothing to do with us."

She stopped in her place as she then looked towards the World Tree.

Akamir also looked back at it as he couldn’t help but admire the beauty of it.

"Only after all this were we able to place it and make this land our own," she continued as she began walking. "That’s how we are here now."

Akamir, already too tired from all this, asked, "Why tell me all that?"

"So you can know who you are up against," she replied, looking back at him. "The heroes who fought for us were given the titles of Dukes, and that’s how the four ’main families’ were formed."

Akamir nodded slowly, his eyes still on the massive World Tree in the distance.

He then gave her a nod as he asked, "Who are these four main families?"

Aravelle’s eyes lingered on the towering World Tree for a moment longer before she turned to face him.

"The four families are House Elmaris, House Faelor, House Tyrien, and House Solentha," she said calmly. "Each was founded by a war hero—elves who bled for our survival when we had no homeland."

Akamir folded his arms as they continued walking. "And they still hold power?"

"Of course," Aravelle replied, her tone almost sharp. "Each family oversees a quadrant of the elven kingdom. They answer only to the Council and, in rare cases, to the Empress."

Akamir glanced at her. "And let me guess—House Elmaris is yours?"

She nodded once. "I was born into Elmaris, yes."

That was a wild guess and Akamir was quite surprised that he got it right.

Akamir gave a quiet hum, but said nothing.

The streets were gradually growing narrower as they approached the inner sanctum of the elven city.

The trees were taller here, their trunks wrapped in glowing vines.

"So what about the other families?" he asked.

Aravelle sighed, brushing her cloak aside slightly as she walked. "House Tyrien commands the southern border. They are mostly warriors."

Akamir smirked under his mask. "Sounds boring."

"House Elmaris," she continued, "controls the eastern forests. They are secretive. They rarely speak in Council but always know everything before anyone else does."

Akamir just gave her a soft nod.

"And House Faelor rules the western sea coast," she finished.

"They are diplomats. Merchants. They deal with the outside world more than any of us."

’The house of Lewin.’

Akamir thought as he gave her a nod, still deep in thought.

"What about Sephrina’s family?" Akamir asked, tilting his head.

"They were chosen by the World Tree," she replied, glaring at him. "And show some respect; she is the Empress."

Akamir ignored her as he rubbed his chin. "Who am I up against?"

"Everyone," she replied flatly. "All of them work under Lewin now."

Akamir let out a sigh. "Then why tell me all this?"

"So you are aware of your enemies," she replied with a smirk. "It was your own words."

Akamir clicked his tongue as he began to walk away.

"Hey!" she yelled. "What’s your plan now?"

"To find evidence," Akamir replied without looking back. "I will see you later."

’Lewin is really a pain in the ass.’

Akamir thought as he walked down the streets.

Lewin has everything under him and finding evidence will be hard.

’The problem is that Sephrina can’t do anything without any evidence.’

With how things are, she is nothing more than a name-only Empress.

The real owner of the kingdom is Lewin himself.

’Well, it was partially—no, mostly her fault.’

Being the Empress, how could she let so much power go to his hand?

"Sephrina sees him as her father," Lili suddenly said, snapping him out. "When Velyrian wasn’t here, he was the one who looked after her."

"...I see."

Akamir mumbled softly, nodding his head.

He continued walking through the narrow streets, his hands tucked into his cloak, his white mask hiding the thoughtful expression beneath.

"Still, I need to find a way to look into this matter."

Akamir thought as he glanced at the fairy.

’Saia.’

He thought to himself and the next instant, a fairy appeared in front of him.

The shy fairy queen looked at him. "Yes, Akamir."

"Saia~."

Before Akamir could say anything, she was jumped by Lili.

The fairy hugged her tightly, which made the queen panic immediately.

Akamir smiled. "Mind keeping her company?"

Saia nodded softly. "Okay."

Lili beamed in happiness as she floated closer and placed a kiss on Akamir’s cheek. "You are the best!!"

Akamir gave her a weird look as they both flew away.

’Hmm, wait a minute.’

Suddenly, something clicked in Akamir’s mind.

’Wasn’t Lili connected with Sephrina right now?’

Akamir wasn’t sure, but he felt even more weird now.

’Argh, whatever.’

He thought as he returned back to his building.

---

When Akamir entered the building, he already sensed some new people inside.

Akamir looked in and found a middle-aged man sitting on a chair.

When he noticed Akamir, the man immediately fell to his knees. "My Lord."

"You are late, Nerco," Akamir said as he walked closer. "Didn’t you depart before us?"

"Forgive me, my Lord," he replied softly. "But the bandits attack a large number of people a lot."

Akamir stepped further into the room, removing his cloak with a flick of his hand as the door clicked shut behind him.

The middle-aged man—Nerco—kept his head low, kneeling on the floor like a servant before a king.

Akamir glanced around.

There were two more people in the room—both in dark cloaks, faces half-covered. They stood quietly near the wall, not daring to speak.

Akamir didn’t bother asking who they were.

If Nerco brought them here, they were either skilled or already loyal.

Still, he didn’t trust easily.

"You said there were attacks?" Akamir asked, walking past him and sitting down on the lone chair in the center.

Nerco slowly stood up, brushing the dust off his knees. "Yes, my Lord. But we took care of them."

Akamir nodded silently. "And the items?"

"We have a lot of them prepared this time," he replied. "The elves made a lot of demands for medicines."

Akamir nodded, though he thought something else. ’Sephrina never told me about this.’

Perhaps it wasn’t her who ordered it, but Lewin did it without her permission.

’Hmm, looks like he is well aware of his kingdom’s condition.’

Akamir rubbed the back of his neck as he looked at Nerco. "Are you ready to deal with Lewin?"

"Yes, my Lord," he replied softly. "I will bring out the most profit from the deal."

"When is it?" Akamir asked.

"We were supposed to meet tonight, my Lord," he replied, lowering his gaze.

Akamir stood up. "Very well, then. I will be joining you."