CHAPTER 242: CHAPTER 241: NO LESS THAN AN ELF

By the next morning, Lumberling made his way to the old tree in the east. Its wide branches stretched like arms over the clearing, a quiet and fitting place to begin something new.

He spotted them before he reached it, Liraeth, already waiting, her posture straight and composed, and beside her, Jen, chattering away with a bright smile.

As Lumberling drew closer, Liraeth glanced his way, then quickly turned her head with a small huff.

Lumberling raised a brow at her reaction but didn’t press. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Jen, who beamed at him as if nothing was out of place.

"Hehe, nice to see you today, Brother," Jen said with a mischievous grin.

"I thought it would only be Liraeth joining me this morning,"

Jen tilted her head, clasping her hands behind her back. "Can’t I be here too? I’ll just watch. Please, Brother, let me stay? I promise I won’t cause trouble." She leaned closer, eyes wide, giving him her best impression of a pleading pup.

Lumberling sighed, and gave a small, helpless smile. "Alright... you can listen."

"Yay!" Jen cheered softly.

Then he turned to Liraeth, studying her expression. "You don’t look all that excited about learning magic," he said lightly.

"I am excited," she answered, though her voice dropped softer after a pause. "It’s just... I heard you learned magic from someone."

"I did. Is that a problem?" Lumberling tilted his head, curious.

Her lips pressed into a small pout, and she spoke while looking away. "I didn’t know you already had three... beautiful women."

Lumberling blinked.

"Ah, sorry Brother!" Jen blurted out, scratching the back of her head. "My mouth slipped last night when Sister Liraeth got all excited talking about learning magic."

"It’s fine," Lumberling cut her off with a faint chuckle before meeting Liraeth’s eyes again. "I do have three lovers. But you..." His grinned widened. "You’re just as beautiful as them."

Liraeth’s head snapped back toward him. "Are you seriously telling me that?"

"It’s the truth," he said without flinching.

The silence that followed was heavier this time. Liraeth turned away, her hair hiding her cheeks, while Jen, who usually loved teasing kept quiet, sensing the weight in the air.

Then, almost too soft to hear, Liraeth broke the silence. "...What are their names?"

"Aurelya Solflare, Thessalia Corvell, and Vaenyra Syltharien," Lumberling said evenly. "I’ll introduce you to them when they return."

Liraeth’s brows furrowed as she repeated the names in her mind. After a pause, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Those... they’re from the Aetherborn Empire, aren’t they?"

He gave a small nod in confirmation.

"Hmm." She exhaled through her nose, folding her arms. "I would appreciate it if you told me something that important beforehand." Her green eyes flicked to him in a sharp glare.

"You didn’t ask," He replied with a casual shrug.

Her jaw tightened. "And how was I supposed to know that a man who spends his life hidden away in the wilderness would somehow already have lovers?"

"Fair point," he admitted with a lopsided grin.

Before the tension could thicken, Jen suddenly piped up with a mischievous smile. "I agree with you, Sister Liraeth! I always thought Brother would be alone forever, just training, fighting, and talking to himself in the forest."

Lumberling shot her a raised brow.

Liraeth, however, surprised herself by letting out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Honestly... I thought the same. Whenever I’ve seen you, you were either covered in blood or buried in training. Romance never really seemed like something you’d... bother with."

"Right?" Jen nodded quickly. "I was honestly shocked when those three elves suddenly became his lovers."

Liraeth froze at the word. Her brows shot up. "Elves?" She turned sharply toward Lumberling. "Your lovers are elves?"

He rubbed the back of his neck, almost sheepish but not really apologetic. "Yeah. Sorry, I forgot to mention that part. They are from different race."

Her jaw nearly dropped. "Forgot?" she repeated, grinding her teeth. "You conveniently ’forget’ to mention things like this?"

Lumberling couldn’t help but laugh. "Sorry. I didn’t think it was that important."

"This guy..." Liraeth muttered under her breath, pressing her fingers to her temple.

Lumberling shrugged. "Well, it doesn’t change anything. I love them, and they love me. That’s what matters."

"That’s not the..." She stopped herself with a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose before regaining her composure. Finally, she fixed him with a sharp, businesslike stare. "Fine. Tell me everything about them."

Her tone sounded less like a curious woman and more like an inspector demanding a full report.

Lumberling chuckled and gave her a salute. "Roger."

.....

Lumberling, Jen, and Liraeth settled beneath the shade of the old tree. The breeze carried the smell of grass and earth, and the three of them spoke for hours.

Lumberling and Jen took turns telling Liraeth about the elves, stories filled with both admiration and amusement.

Liraeth listened closely, her expression shifting with each revelation. At first, she was surprised to hear of their race, renowned for beauty, though she had never seen them herself.

Her surprise deepened when she learned all three were high-stage mages. But when the truth came out, that they were not only mages but also Knights, her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Knight-mages?" she whispered, almost in disbelief. "That’s... that’s not something you just hear about." She looked at Lumberling, both astonished and thoughtful. "And you’re walking the same path?"

"Something like that," Lumberling said casually, leaning back against the tree.

Her lips parted, a flicker of pride softening her frown. "Unbelievable... though I suppose nothing about you surprises me anymore."

But the surprises didn’t stop there. When she found out the elves were nobles, high nobles, no less, she could only stare at Lumberling, unable to wrap her mind around how he managed to charm such women.

And when the conversation shifted toward their business ventures, her mood darkened slightly. Learning that even in trade they had been his first partners left a subtle sting.

Liraeth, always confident, always competitive, now found herself comparing. With each detail, a quiet unease grew. She tried to hide it, but her proud nature made the contrast feel heavier than she expected. By the time the stories ended, the sharp edge of defeat lingered in her chest.

Lumberling noticed the way her shoulders had dipped, the way her eyes no longer met his so easily. Jen noticed too, nudging him with a meaningful tug at his sleeve.

"Brother," she whispered, leaning close, "you should cheer her up. She’s clearly..."

Flick!

Jen yelped, rubbing her forehead where he had flicked her. "Oww! Why did you do that? I’m helping you!"

"That’s not something you should be worrying about," Lumberling replied calmly, though a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Go on. Play somewhere else. We’ll start lessons tomorrow."

Jen puffed out her cheeks but obeyed. She stood, brushing off her dress, and stuck her tongue out at him before scampering away.

Lumberling shook his head with a quiet chuckle, watching her go, then turned his gaze back to Liraeth.

He sat beside Liraeth, letting the silence stretch between them. The rustle of leaves overhead filled the quiet, soft and steady.

"What’s bothering you, Liraeth?" Lumberling finally asked, his tone calm.

"Nothing..." she murmured, her finger tracing lazy circles into the dirt.

Lumberling shifted closer, resting a hand on her shoulder before gently pulling her against him.

"Ah..!" Liraeth let out a startled yelp and turned a glare his way, cheeks flushed.

"Really? Nothing’s bothering you?" His voice softened as his eyes met hers. "I don’t think so. Tell me."

She froze for a moment, staring into the warmth of his gaze. The stubborn mask on her face slowly crumbled.

"I don’t think I can stand beside you..." Her words slipped out in a whisper.

Lumberling tilted his head, studying her. "Why do you think that?"

"Because... compared to your other lovers, I’m just... ordinary." Her lips pressed into a thin line, her voice tight with frustration.

He let out a quiet breath, not mocking, not dismissive, just steady. "Liraeth. Look at me."

Hesitantly, she raised her eyes.

"I like you for who you are. Not because you’re a noble, not because of status, not even because of strength. It’s you." His hand stayed lightly on her shoulder, steadying her. "No one else can be Liraeth. You don’t need to compare yourself."

Her eyes wavered, still carrying doubt. "But they’re mages... knights... and nobles. I’m none of those things."

He shook his head with a faint smile. "You’re beautiful, strong, stubborn in the best way. You’ve stood with me without fear, even when others would have walked away. That’s not ordinary, Liraeth."

Her lips parted, and for a moment she had no words.

"You matter to me," Lumberling added simply. "That’s enough."

Slowly, her expression softened. She gave the smallest nod before leaning her head against his shoulder.

"...You always know what to say," she whispered, voice muffled against him.

"Not always," Lumberling said, smirking faintly. "But when I do, it seems to work."

A tiny laugh escaped her, light and genuine this time. She let the silence linger for a moment longer before lifting her head, eyes narrowing just slightly.

"Don’t think this means I’ll stay behind them forever," she said, her voice regaining its edge. "I’ll catch up... and when I do, you’ll see I’m no less than any of your elves."

Lumberling raised a brow, amused by the fire returning to her tone. "That’s the Liraeth I know."

Her lips curved into a small, confident smirk. "Good. Don’t forget it."