Chapter 484: The Peace Festival

“This is…?”

Hearing the sound from the dining room, Shien paused, then walked over.

Upon approaching, Shien realized that the people in the dining room were all familiar faces.

Vivian, Lumia, and Melika were having breakfast.

However, they seemed to be discussing something, their expressions unusual.

Specifically, Vivian and Lumia looked apologetic, while Melika seemed disappointed and dejected.

“What’s wrong?”

Shien wondered and entered the dining room, attracting the girls’ attention.

“Mr. Shien…?”

“Mr. Shien!”

Seeing Shien suddenly appear, Lumia and Melika stood up subconsciously.

Their gazes towards Shien were slightly different from before.

Besides their usual nervousness and timidity, there was also a hint of admiration and reverence.

This look had appeared in Lumia and Melika’s eyes ever since Shien defeated Aldia.

Clearly, because of Shien’s performance, they had become his little fans.

Vivian, on the other hand, still had her usual gentle expression.

However, besides the gentleness, there was also a hint of amusement in Vivian’s eyes as she looked at Shien.

“Decided to come back, our Earl Buztout?” Vivian said, teasingly, “I thought you wouldn’t be able to leave Princess Lucy’s bedroom.”

It seemed Vivian also knew that Shien hadn’t come home last night and had spent the entire night in Lucy’s bedroom.

“…Sorry, I forgot to tell you, making you worry.”

Shien was a bit embarrassed.

Although he was usually thick-skinned, Lumia and Melika’s innocent looks, as if they didn’t understand what had happened, made Shien feel awkward.

Only Vivian seemed unfazed.

“Don’t worry, I understand.” Vivian nodded slightly and smiled. “After all, you’ve surpassed all the men in this world, won the hand of the most beautiful woman in the human race, and become engaged to the Kingdom’s treasure. It’s normal to want to spend more time with her. We understand.” ᚱＡ₦о𝐛ËȘ

…These words sounded normal, but why did they feel a bit strange?

Could it be that this captain was accusing him of being driven by lust?

“Ahem…” Shien coughed awkwardly and said, “Don’t tease me. I haven’t married her yet, and I neglected her for half a month. I have to spend some time with her, right?”

“That’s true.” Vivian stopped teasing him and said with deep understanding, “Even Princess Lucy, in this regard, is just an ordinary girl. Since she chose you, you have to take responsibility and be a good companion to her.”

Vivian said these words gently to Shien, as if she was also concerned about his and Lucy’s future happiness.

Lumia nodded repeatedly beside her, seemingly agreeing with Vivian’s words.

Only Melika, seeing Shien and Vivian talking about Lucy, pouted unconsciously, her mood low.

Shien didn’t notice this and, after briefly mentioning the matter, returned to the main topic.

“By the way, were you discussing something important?” Shien looked at the three of them and asked, “Judging from your expressions earlier, it didn’t seem like a pleasant topic, right?”

At least, that’s what Shien thought.

Otherwise, why would Vivian and Lumia look so apologetic, and Melika so dejected?

They must have been talking about something unpleasant.

However, the girls denied it.

“N-no, it’s not like that.”

Lumia said timidly.

“It’s not a bad thing.”

Vivian also said.

“Not a bad thing?”

Shien was stunned, then his curiosity was piqued.

Melika raised her hand.

“Um… let me explain…?” Melika said, a bit nervous and embarrassed. “Actually, I was inviting Vivian and Lumia to go back to the Elven Homeland with me.”

—”Elven Homeland.”

Hearing this name, Shien’s curiosity surged.

Because this was a place that greatly interested him.

“The so-called Elven Homeland refers to the forest where the elves live, right?”

Shien said.

Yes.

The Elven Homeland, as the name suggested, was the home of the Elven Race.

On the outskirts of the Kingdom, there was a vast forest.

It was the largest forest in the human world, called the Tegor Forest.

Countless monsters lived in the Tegor Forest.

However, deep within this forest was the habitat of the Elven Race.

It was said that all elves in this world were born and lived there.

Many people had gone there out of curiosity, but the Elven Race was relatively exclusive, valuing their purity and bloodline, and also knowing that many outsiders coveted them. Therefore, they set up numerous barriers around their habitat, both to conceal its location and to prevent those with malicious intentions from entering.

Moreover, the Tegor Forest, where the Elven Homeland was located, was filled with various monsters, even some at the legendary level. Almost all who tried to enter the Elven Homeland failed.

Throughout history, very few people had ever entered the Elven Homeland.

And these few were only brought in after befriending elves and gaining their approval, becoming guests of the Elven Homeland.

In other words, almost no one could find and enter the Elven Homeland on their own.

The reason for using “almost” was because a thousand years ago, someone achieved this feat.

That person was Mitra, the Hero.

Except for Mitra, no one had ever entered the Elven Homeland without first befriending an elf and being guided by them.

Therefore, in the human world, the Elven Homeland was a place yearned for by countless people, regarded as a sacred land.

Shien knew about this.

Don’t ask why, just say he was simply interested (whether you believe it or not).

Now, Melika, a member of the Elven Race, said she wanted to invite Vivian and Lumia to the Elven Homeland?

How could Shien not be curious?

“Why do you suddenly want to invite Vivian and Lumia to the Elven Homeland?” Shien asked Melika curiously. “Does your family want to meet your teammates?”

Melika’s face slowly turned red as she looked at Shien, who was staring at her curiously.

This was due to both shyness and nervousness.

Melika rarely had face-to-face conversations with Shien like this.

No, it should be said that Shien rarely stared at Melika like this while talking to her.

Because Melika was shy and easily nervous, even though they lived under the same roof, she was rarely stared at by Shien like this while talking.

In the past, Melika would only hide in the corner, be a wallflower, or cheer for Shien and the others with Lumia.

Now, being stared at by Shien with such curiosity, Melika naturally couldn’t hide her shyness and nervousness.

“I-it’s not my family who wants to meet my teammates…” Melika mumbled. “Besides, I don’t have anyone I can call family…”

Melika’s words reminded Shien of this fact.

“Right, you elves are born from nature. Although you’re a naturally magical race and are known as the closest beings to the Divine Race among humans, because you are born from nature, you don’t have parents or relatives, or rather, the entire Elven Race is like family to each other, but you don’t have blood relatives, right?”

Shien turned to Vivian.

“That’s right.” Vivian nodded, confirming Shien’s words. “Elves all live alone. Except for royalty, who have attendants, even children live by themselves.”

“Then what about babies?” Shien couldn’t help but ask, “What about newborns?”

This question made Vivian chuckle.

Melika also quickly said,

“Um, Mr. Shien, elves don’t have babies.” Melika explained, “When we elves are born, we’re in a very special state, not like human babies who need to be taken care of.”

A very special state?

What kind of state?

Shien had to admit, this was beyond his knowledge.

But before Shien could inquire further, Vivian spoke.

“Anyway, Melika invited us to the Elven Homeland not because her family wants to meet us.” Vivian said, “Melika’s purpose is to invite us to participate in the Peace Festival in the Elven Homeland.”

“Peace Festival?” Shien blinked. “What’s that?”

This question seemed to have been anticipated by everyone.

Therefore, with their explanations, Shien gradually understood.

The so-called Peace Festival was a celebration spontaneously held by the Elven Race after the Divine Race and the human race won the war a thousand years ago, the Demon Race surrendered, and peace came to the three realms.

This festival was held only once every hundred years, one of the most important festivals of the Elven Race, second only to the Birth Festival and the Queen’s Festival.

Because it was a festival held to celebrate the arrival of peace, when the Peace Festival approached, elves who were away from home would usually invite their trusted friends to return to the Elven Homeland and participate in the celebration.

It was thanks to this festival that the Elven Race was only exclusive, not completely isolated from the outside world. Otherwise, they might have become completely disconnected from other races.

Therefore, Melika wanted to invite her friends to the Elven Homeland with the approaching Peace Festival.

However…

“Vivian and Lumia can’t go…”

Melika looked a bit aggrieved.

Vivian and Lumia’s faces were filled with apologies.

“I’m sorry, Melika.” Vivian patted Melika’s head and said softly, “Relia is already on her way back to the capital. She’ll arrive soon. When she returns, the Lazareth family will definitely make a big move to have her inherit the family business, and the Adventurers’ Guild will probably be in chaos then. I already promised Relia that I would help her when she returns, so I can’t leave.”

“M-me too.” Lumia said, lowering her head, “My younger sisters are coming to the capital with Guild Master Relia. I have to stay in the capital to receive them and settle them down.”

Because of this, Vivian and Lumia couldn’t accept Melika’s rare invitation.

“Sob…” Melika said dejectedly, “Vivian and Lumia can’t go, and Diere isn’t here either…”

It seemed Melika couldn’t bring any of her friends back.

No wonder she was so dejected.

Shien, thinking this, couldn’t help but smile.

And it was a bright smile.

Wasn’t this a godsend opportunity?

“Hey, Melika.” Shien pointed at himself and asked expectantly, “Can I go?”

“You?” Melika was stunned.

“Mr. Shien?” Lumia also looked surprised.

“You want to go to the Elven Homeland?” Vivian was also surprised.

“What? Can’t I?” Shien retorted, “Am I not considered a ‘trusted friend’?”

Everyone couldn’t help but fall silent.

“Wait!” Shien’s lips twitched, and he couldn’t help but say loudly, “Don’t tell me you really think I’m untrustworthy?”

Shien felt his heart sink.

No wonder Melika didn’t seem to want to invite him. Was his trustworthiness in their eyes really that low?

Just as Shien wanted to flip the table, Melika quickly explained,

“N-no, it’s not like that, Mr. Shien.” Melika said hurriedly, “It’s mainly because elves are very wary of men from other races. In the past, elves basically only made friends with those of the same sex, and only invited same-sex friends to the Peace Festival. No man, except for the Hero Mitra a thousand years ago, has ever entered the Elven Homeland. Th-that’s why I didn’t think of inviting you…”

That was the reason.

If she could invite Shien, Melika would be more than willing.

After all, Shien was her…

Thinking of this, Melika blushed again.

Shien, on the other hand, wasn’t relieved at all.

What was this?

Was there something wrong with being a man?

This wasn’t racial discrimination, but gender discrimination!