Science/Magic 187 Elven Council

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Elves.

Together with the humans, beastmen, demons, and beasts, are one of the five races inhabiting the continent.

The children of nature, as many call them, are known by their powerful mana and extraordinary beauty. They live in the elven forests, and seldomly leave their territories. Moreover, they have little contact with other races.

But the elven forests does not consist of a forest alone. Instead, they are several forest and jungles scattered through the continent where the elves live.

One of them is the Boerner Elven Forest, home of the Boerner Elves.

And today, an important meeting was being conducted inside the sacred tree in the center of the forest.

"… That concludes my report." Elwha Aerin said after explaining what happened in The Great Savanna.

"Well done, priestess." A middle-aged elf seated in a tree throne nodded. "We are satisfied with your work."

He was the Boerner Elven King, Eani Aerin. The highest authority in the Boerner Elven forest.

Several other elves were seated around him. Each one of them was a powerful elf in wielding great authority. They were the elves belonging to the elven council.

Strangely, though, the elders seemed eerily respectful of Elwha.

It was not because Elwha was a princess. Elven kings were not decided by bloodline. Instead, the wisest and most talented elf in a generation was chosen as king by the elder council.

Moreover, elves don't care much for social positions. A princess was the same as other elves, just with some extra responsibilities and privileges.

Thus, the reason the elders were respectful towards Elwha was due to her other t.i.tle.

Priestess of the Boerner Tree.

The sacred tree in the center of the Boerner Forest, protector of the elves.

For the elves, their sacred trees were like their guardian deities. They were even more important than their G.o.ds.

Each sacred tree was respected and protected by the elves. Each elf had the duty to protect the sacred trees with their lives.

And the priests and priestesses that served and talked to these trees were like divine servants.

Elwha looked around at the elders with a solemn look. When she realized none of them was going to say something, she spoke up.

"Have the five elves that will accompany me for the mission been decided?"

"Not yet." One of the elders said. "We need to choose the best of the best. We can't take any risk during this mission."

"However, the fact that the teams will be made of six people is troublesome." Another elder said. "I'm sure The Great Savannah will ask for the support of the other four beastmen countries and Moonlight Glow. We can expect strong enemies coming from them."

"It's already a good result." The elf king sighed. "We elves are innately more talented than the other races. Even if they send the best geniuses of five countries, they will be unable to be compared to the geniuses of our forest."

"Even so, it's better not to underestimate them or we can end suffering at the hands of the beastmen." An elder commented.

Another elder sighed. "Fellow elders, remember that our mission is not to win but to get the heart hidden in these mountains. Moreover, we must avoid being discovered by the humans or the beastmen at any cost."

"Sigh, how unlucky. Who would have expected the humans to discover a mine there at this kind of time? Fortunately, they did not find the heart."

"But we can't take it out easily now either. The humans and beastmen will definitively realize that something is wrong if we make any strange movement."

"Yes, so this battle is perhaps our last opportunity to take the heart unnoticed. Otherwise, we will have to face a bloodbath before attaining our goals."

The elf king heard the opinions of the elders silently. Meanwhile, he stared at his daughter with a profound gaze.

Then, he seemed to have thought of something.

"Priestess Elwha, tell me something."

"Do ask, your majesty."

"… The human prince… Why did he accede to The Great Savannah's king terms so easily?"

"Huh?" Elwha was startled. But then, a brief expression of panic appeared on her face.

The king was observant enough to notice her small change.

"So you used it, huh."

"… I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

King Eani's expression turned cold.

"Elwha, I can understand the reason you did that, but it was too risky! Manipulating a prince of another nation is foolis.h.!.+ If the humans of the beastmen would have noticed something, all our efforts would have gone down the drain! Besides, what if the prince realizes that something is wrong after the effects of your manipulation fade out!?"

"But your majesty! n.o.body noticed! Plus, I didn't manipulate him! I just used the arrogance inside him to guide his thoughts in a certain direction! He will definitively not notice anything!"

"… Perhaps." The king shook his head and sighed. "But the risk you took was not necessary, there were better ways to go about it. Elwha, I know that your intentions were good, but sometimes being overeager will instead be detrimental. Fortunately, everything went alright this time, but if your little trick would have been discovered, the goal of our forest would have been jeopardized. I hope you reflect on that."

"… Yes, your majesty." Elwha bit her lips and nodded.

"Very well, you can go now. Get ready for the mission. In one week, you will meet the other five elves that will accompany you."

"Understood."

After saying that, Elwha bowed slightly and left the sacred tree.

"… Your Majesty, don't you think you are being too harsh with her? In the end, she did a good job."

King Eani sighed. "You are right, but she took an unnecessary risk. Elders, Elwha is very talented, but due to that, she is very arrogant and rash too. As her father, it's my duty to correct her when she errs. It's my duty to turn her into a good leader for our race."

The elder that spoke before shook his head and said nothing. In the end, King Eani's words were not wrong.

Elwha was the Boerner Forest's hope. As such, she had the bear the weights her position brought.

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P4TRE0N: patr-eon.com/aidnovels