Chapter 158: Elf Queen

Chapter 158: Elf QueenA/N: I changed the name of Elva to Elowen. It totally slipped my mind that I used the name Elva for academy’s vice principal. Sorry!!

The queen of the elves was surprisingly beautiful, even with how tired she looked. Her long green hair was a little messy, and faint dark circles sat under her eyes. Her head rested on a pile of books, and a bit of drool slipped from her mouth as she slept.

Even like this, she looked peaceful—like someone who had stayed up too long chasing something important.

She looked around twenty or twenty-one, but elves lived for a very long time, so it was hard to guess her real age.

She was sleeping with her head buried in books, clearly worn out.

Even though a queen sleeping like this might not seem proper, the dark circles under her eyes made it clear she had been working too hard.

"She is sleeping," Elowen muttered softly, almost under her breath.

She appeared in front of her study desk and gave a formal bow.

"Your Majesty, please wake up."

Hearing Elowen’s clear voice echo gently through the quiet library, the elf queen jolted up in surprise, blinking as she lifted her head.

"Oh, it’s Aunt Elowen," she said, her voice soft and sweet.

"I have already told you not to refer to me as your aunt, Your Majesty," Elowen replied, still bowing with a respectful tone.

But the queen only smiled gently and stood from her seat, her arms stretching slightly as she yawned. "But you said I could call you that when we’re alone. And besides... it’s not like I really feel like a queen, anyway."

Looking away, Serena muttered quietly, "It just feels like I’m doing everything halfway..."

Elowen looked at the queen with a dazed expression, her thoughts drifting back to the day when her niece had been chosen as the current queen.

At that time, she had truly felt happy for her. But as the days passed, everything began to fall apart. The Elf King died suddenly, before he could even pass down the knowledge of Life Magic to Serena, his successor.

But the troubles did not end there. Soon after his death, the World Tree stopped responding to the queen’s words.

The spirits began disappearing overnight. Except for those already bound by contracts with the elves, all the uncontracted spirits slowly started to vanish.

And now, her young niece had to carry such a heavy and cruel burden to learn life magic, all on her own, at an age when she should have been carefree, smiling, and learning about the world around her.

Elowen let out a long sigh before speaking again.

"It’s alright. You’re doing your best, and that’s what matters most. But seriously, what’s going on with you? Why are you growing thinner by the day? Are you even eating properly? Look at those dark circles under your eyes. Just rest for a while, please..."

Her tone shifted to that of a strict but caring aunt as she began to scold Serena gently.

Elowen didn’t want her to remain in the queen’s position. It was a selfish desire, yes—but it came from the purest part of her heart. She believed Serena shouldn’t have to carry such a heavy weight without any proper support.

She didn’t wish anything bad upon her niece. But every time she looked at her tired face and that fake, weary smile she wore, her heart cracked just a little more.

All she wanted was for Serena to live a peaceful and happy life. And even if that meant stepping away from her role as queen, Elowen was willing to push for it.

That was also the reason why, in front of others, she had said that Serena was not truly a queen.

"Alright, alright, Aunt," Serena said with a soft chuckle. "I promise I’ll start taking care of myself properly from now on. And you know what? I actually found a small clue... I’ve managed to decode the meaning of one letter. Just one."

Her voice started off hopeful and bright, but slowly faded into sadness by the time she reached the end of her sentence.

Elowen smiled gently and continued to stay by Serena’s side, helping her with anything she could. Time passed like flowing water, and before they knew it, four hours had gone by.

Throughout this entire time, Ash heard everything. But then his eyes carefully started to scan the books in the library. But there was a problem.

All the books related to Life Magic are located in the section where those two are staying...

Serena and Elowen were sitting at the deepest part of the library, and after checking through the labeled sections, Ash realized most of the books here focused on herbs, spirit magic, nature magic, history, and many other topics.

Even though he didn’t want to waste a single second, he had no other choice but to wait patiently.

However, there was another concern gradually surfacing in his mind.

How am I supposed to reach the source of the demonic energy?

The most straightforward method that crossed his thoughts was to dig a tunnel. But that idea came with problems of its own—it would take far too long, and even worse, the sound and disturbance it would create could easily alert someone nearby, ruining everything he had carefully planned so far.

As he stood there, caught in thought, his gaze fell upon a small, cracked shard of a mirror lying nearby. His reflection stared back at him through the fragmented glass. The dullness in his eyes, the lifelessness etched into them, brought a strange thought to his mind.

Should I talk to her?

Ash’s mental state was, at best, unstable—drifting between calm calculation and emotional dissonance. With the memories of Dark Ash in his consciousness, Ash was fully aware of one truth: if he didn’t start opening up to others soon, even just a little, there was a real possibility that he might lose his sanity.

Let’s try. If she agrees to help, then everything will unfold smoothly. As long as I can convince her, I won’t have to worry about anyone else finding me.

Having made his decision, he chose to wait until Elowen left the room. During that time, he occupied himself by reading several books related to herbs, carefully flipping through them and absorbing as much as he could.

Finally, after an hour passed, Elowen stood up and exited the area. Though a few maids remained in the library, they were positioned far from Serena’s section. If the queen needed anything, she could simply ring the small silver bell placed beside her desk.

Ash remained cautious. He waited another fifteen minutes after Elowen had left, not wanting to take any unnecessary risks or act in haste.

Once he was absolutely certain the coast was clear, he altered the color of his outfit—shifting it from the earthy brown that had helped him blend in with the library surroundings to his usual deep black.

However, this time, he added striking white and red lightning patterns to the fabric, weaving them subtly along the edges.

And with quiet footsteps and unwavering resolve, he finally began moving toward the Elven Queen.

"What does this even mean? I don’t understand why the ancestors had to write the Life Magic in a language that no one remembers anymore..." Serena murmured, frustration clinging to her words.

She clutched at her hair, leaning closer to the open book before her. Her tired eyes locked on the passage that stated clearly how Life Magic had once been passed down to the First Queen of their race directly by the Great Mother herself.

"If only the Great Mother would respond to me... everything would become so much easier."

Letting out a deep, weary sigh, she slumped over the table. Why is she not answering my call... what am I doing wrong?

At first, the general belief among the Council and the scholars was that the World Tree might be in danger, which would explain the silence. But after a thorough inspection and countless tests, they found no damage to the World Tree at all.

The truth had been kept hidden from the public for now, but Serena knew deep down that it wouldn’t remain a secret forever. The signs were too obvious. The spirits, especially those that were uncontracted, were vanishing one by one.

Eventually, people would realize that something was deeply wrong, and questions would begin to spread like wildfire.

I have to do better. As long as I can fully understand the Life Magic... maybe then the Great Mother will finally acknowledge me. Maybe this is all just a trial—a test meant only for me to overcome...

"Yes," she whispered softly, almost pleading with herself, "it must be a test..."

But just as those words left her lips, a cold and neutral voice echoed softly from nearby. The tone was calm and low, not threatening, but clear enough that it cut through the silence like a blade.

"Test? Don’t give yourself false hope."

Serena jolted from her seat, instantly rising to her feet as her eyes locked onto a figure standing just a few feet away from her. The intruder was cloaked in pitch-black clothing, a hood draped low over his head, casting a shadow that made it nearly impossible to see his face clearly.

Still, under the heavy darkness, it was obvious that the person wore a black mask adorned with red and white lightning patterns across its surface. Behind the mask, faint traces of blue eyes glowed dimly, though their clarity was blurred and mysterious.

Without wasting a moment, Serena’s instincts took over. Her hands moved swiftly, and the ground responded to her will. Vines and thick roots burst out from beneath the floor, surging like living snakes to wrap tightly around the stranger, binding him in an instant.

Yet, despite being restrained so suddenly and with such force, the hooded figure did not resist. He simply stood there, unbothered and still.

He’s male, that much is clear from the voice. But how did he even get in here...? The security of this place is far too strict for someone to just appear like that. And with such an ominous appearance... he’s dangerous. I need to alert everyone immediately.

Even though Serena’s appearance looked tired and messy, she hadn’t forgotten her training. Since childhood, she was taught how to stay calm in unexpected situations, how to analyze threats, and how to fight both with magic and in close combat. She was not someone who would panic easily.

But just as she was about to call for help, her hand paused in mid-air when she heard the stranger’s words.

"I am not here to fight, O Queen of Elves. I’ve come to help you. I know why the World Tree is no longer responding, why the spirits have vanished... and I can also assist you in decoding that ancient language."