A soft sigh escaped the lips of one of the elder council members before the queen finally broke the lingering silence that filled the hall like mist.
"You all must have heard it by now," Aerilune said, her voice calm, steady, but edged with an unmistakable seriousness that instantly commanded attention.
"So I will make this short. We must begin preparing immediately. There is a high chance that something big is happening… all of these events cannot possibly be a coincidence."
Her words spread through the hall like ripples moving across a still lake.
Every elf lowered their head — not because of fear, but because they understood the gravity of what she was saying.
Just a few weeks ago, three SSS-rank awakeners had appeared within the Elven Domain itself. That alone was enough to shake all of Novacter. One of those three was the princess, the future heir of the elves. And what the world outside didn't know — what even most elves didn't know — was that her talent wasn't simply SSS.
It was SSS+, a rank so rare that even powerful beings in higher realms barely managed to obtain it.
Until yesterday, they believed she would be the brightest star of the entire new generation, the unrivalled peak destined to stand above all others.
But now, with the birth of a Divine-rank awakener in the Human Domain — something that had never happened in Novacter's entire recorded
history — that assumption was shattered.
The elves understood what this meant.
The peaceful age was over.
The queen continued softly,
"This year, we will send as many new applicants to the Academy as possible. And those who are simply wandering around the forests… drag them out and make them train. The era is changing faster than anyone predicted."
One of the old elders, his skin textured like ancient bark and his white beard falling like vines, nodded while stroking it thoughtfully.
"Yes, Your Majesty. If we do not adapt, if we do not strengthen ourselves now… then we will inevitably be left behind."
A collective tension filled the hall. Every elf present could feel it — that invisible stirring of fate, the shift in destiny that all ancient races instinctively sensed. This generation was becoming something terrifying.
Something unprecedented.
The queen inhaled softly, casting her emerald gaze across the council chamber. The sunlight filtering through the leaves above made her appear almost ethereal. With graceful composure, she stood up. Her movements were so fluid that the air seemed to bow around her.
Just like falling leaves giving way to the wind, the council members lowered their heads in deep respect.
Aerilune left the hall, her footsteps soundless on the living wooden floors, and walked toward a large, majestic residence situated deeper within the ancient forest. The house was carved into the trunk of a colossal tree, intertwined with glowing vines and living roots. Far from primitive, the home radiated warmth and elegance — the essence of elven culture itself.
It was her personal residence.
Despite being queen, she preferred this natural, grounded home rather than an extravagant palace. Elves valued harmony with nature more than luxury, and her home — though enormous by mortal standards — followed this philosophy.
She stepped inside and called softly,
"Ray."
A moment later, a maid appeared as if materializing from the shadows. Her silver hair shimmered beautifully against her dark, smooth skin. She was a dark elf — and in Novacter, the elves had long abandoned the concept of racial discrimination. Elvenldora welcomed all elves, light or dark. Just like Wildlore welcomed all beastmen without distinction.
Ray bowed lightly. "Your Majesty."
"Where is Elyndria?" Aerilune asked, her expression composed, but her tone carried faint exhaustion — the exhaustion that only mothers understood.
Ray sighed deeply. "She… is playing with her sprites again. She said she was training…"
Ever since the princess awakened, tracking her daily activities had become nearly impossible. She spent more time running around with spirits and magical creatures than practising her abilities. Even the elves' famously patient attendants struggled to keep up.
The queen pressed two fingers gently against her forehead.
"…Lead the way."
Ray nodded and began walking through the house, the queen following with calm, steady steps.
They arrived at the garden — a breathtaking sanctuary overflowing with tens of thousands of flowers, ancient spiritual trees, and luminous plants saturated with natural mana. The air was cool, fragrant, and rich with ethereal energy.
In the center of this paradise was a marble-and-wood resting platform crafted with exquisite artistry — smooth white stone intertwined with wooden carvings of leaves and celestial patterns.
And inside this delicate sanctuary was a young elven girl sleeping peacefully — and heaven itself would have bowed in shame before her beauty.
Her face was so flawless it almost defied reason, like an artist had sculpted her with divine hands. Her golden hair flowed around her like molten sunlight, slightly messy from sleep, making her look impossibly more adorable. Her skin shimmered like pale silver, softer and smoother than even fresh snow.
She was around 5'8", her figure naturally elegant, the kind of beauty that didn't need effort. If physical beauty could slap someone unconscious, she would slap Aldric and Arthur into another dimension.
She wore a loose shirt and shorts — extremely rare clothing among elves, imported from the Human Domain and expensive as treasures. But she was the princess. Nothing was too extravagant for her comfort.
What made the scene even sweeter was what she was sleeping on:A massive wolf-like sprite, nearly 1.5 meters tall, its body made of swirling white and bluish light, exuding chilling frost and quiet power. An
intermediate-rank creature — majestic and gentle.
it was new sprite she her self have made yes made herself but that story of another time .
And the girl, sleeping with a tiny droplet of drool at the corner of her lips, was:
Elyndria da' Caelrith.The only princess of the Elven Domain.Daughter of Queen Aerilune.
A soft, rare smile curved the queen's lips. Even Ray noticed, and she almost flinched; seeing the queen smile like that was a rare blessing.
Aerilune extended her hand. "Ray, the artifact."
Ray sighed helplessly but obediently took out a camera-like magical device from her space ring and handed it to the queen.
Yes —The queen of elves was utterly obsessed with taking photos of her daughter.
And honestly, who could blame her?
With graceful, practiced speed, Aerilune captured several pictures, storing each of them carefully in her secret private collection.
Even eternal-ranked queens had weaknesses.
Hers was her mischievous, impossibly adorable daughter.