Chapter 498: Would He Even Be Interested?

Meanwhile, in the Elven Homeland, rumors about Shien and his group began to spread.

After a thousand years, the Elven Homeland had welcomed its second male visitor from another race. This undoubtedly caused a stir.

Due to the small population of the Elven Race, this news spread quickly, and many reacted to it.

“Why would we suddenly welcome a male from another race?”

“Moreover, the Queen personally welcomed him?”

“Who is he?”

“Even Mitra, the Hero, didn’t receive such treatment.”

“It’s said that he was invited by Melika?”

“Really?”

“He… he won’t do anything to us, will he?”

“Who knows…”

“I’ve heard from the elders many times that men from other races have no good intentions towards our kind.”

“I hope the Elven Corps can restrain him.”

“Indeed.”

Many elves engaged in such discussions, making the usually quiet Elven Homeland unusually lively.

The elves were clearly concerned about this matter.

Thanks to this, Melika, who had just returned to the Elven Homeland and reunited with her fellow elves, was immediately surrounded by her people.

These elves, driven by curiosity, worry, vigilance, and even disgust, asked Melika about Shien.

Because of this, the fact that among those traveling with Shien were the descendant of the Hero known as the Kingdom’s treasure, the Kingdom’s Second Princess, and even a dragon, was completely ignored by the elves.

For the elves, the presence of a male from another race was undoubtedly more concerning than anything else.

Those elves who had traveled outside were still fine, but those who had never left the Elven Homeland were overly worried.

“Why did you invite a man here?”

“It’s like inviting a dangerous person into our home!”

“And the Queen, why did she allow a man to enter?”

“I think we should ask the Elven Corps to drive him out.”

“Yes, yes.”

These elves who had never left the Elven Homeland surrounded Melika, chattering non-stop.

Melika was also troubled.

She understood her people’s thoughts.

Because in the past, before leaving the Elven Homeland, she had also been afraid of men from other races.

It couldn’t be helped.

Whether they had left the Elven Homeland or not, the one thing elves heard the most since childhood was how men from other races treated their kind.

Because of their extraordinary beauty and natural magical talent, there were simply too many people who coveted the elves, too many to count.

Those who returned from their journeys often said that the most common thing they encountered outside was harassment from men.

Even worse, some elves, caught off guard, fell for the deception and tricks of men from other races, and their fates were often tragic, either being sold as high-priced goods or choosing to end their own lives to protect their purity before being defiled. ＲãNȮ𝐛Ёȿ

And those few who developed feelings for men from other races rarely had happy endings, spending their days in the Elven Homeland in tears, filled with longing and love, growing old alone.

Under such circumstances, how could elves have a good impression of men from other races?

Even Melika, in just two short years after leaving the Elven Homeland, had been harassed by noble sons like Magray and Edel. It was easy to imagine what elves would encounter in the outside world.

If it weren’t for Vivian’s protection, Melika would have definitely encountered more harassment and might not even be here now, reunited with her people.

In the hearts of the elves, the presence of men from other races wasn’t a good thing.

This might be prejudice, but it was reality.

The elves’ appearance and talent meant they would inevitably encounter such things in this world.

Therefore, Melika understood her people’s thoughts.

But even so, Melika still wanted to say,

“Everyone, please listen to me, Mr. Shien is not a bad person.”

“It’s true that most men from other races aren’t… very friendly to us, but not everyone is like that.”

“There are good people and bad people in this world, and the same goes for men from other races. Some are good, some are bad. Mr. Shien is very good to me.”

“You’ll see. He wouldn’t have any ill intentions towards us because of our appearance or magical talent, because he has a fiancée who is more beautiful and talented than us, an extraordinary and outstanding woman.”

“Please believe me.”

Melika’s earnest persuasion had some effect.

“Indeed, there’s a very beautiful woman by that man’s side…”

“Yes, yes, yes, I also saw her. That girl is truly beautiful, no less than Her Majesty.”

“R-really?”

“Besides goddesses, is there anyone as beautiful as Her Majesty?”

“Don’t believe it? Go and see for yourselves!”

“That girl is the fiancé of that man from another race?”

“How unexpected…”

“B-but with such a beautiful fiancée, that man probably wouldn’t be interested in us, right?”

“Don’t be so sure. I heard that man is a noble, even a high-ranking noble. Having three wives and four concubines is normal for them.”

“I think so too. We can’t let our guard down.”

“Don’t you know how those men from other races are? They all look at us like they want to devour us.”

“Three wives and four concubines? He might not even marry you.”

“I’m afraid he just wants to take our purity.”

“Waaah, how scary…”

A group of elven girls chattered non-stop, discussing this matter endlessly.

“That won’t happen!”

Melika continued to try and persuade them.

However, an elven girl of similar age to Melika, who had been following her, looked at her with a worried expression.

Just like this, countless people in the Elven Homeland were discussing this topic.

And all of this was witnessed by Sophie in the Queen’s Palace.

…

“That’s the situation, Your Majesty.”

Leia reported the situation in the Elven Homeland to Sophie, who sat on her throne made of thick tree roots, lost in thought.

“As expected, the arrival of a male from another race has made our people worried.”

Sophie seemed to have anticipated this.

“Now, our people are questioning you, believing that you shouldn’t have allowed a man from another race to enter the Elven Homeland.” Nia said indignantly, “Those guys, the Elven Corps should teach them a lesson.”

Sophie smiled wryly and shook her head.

“This is a deep-rooted problem within our Elven Race. We can’t blame them.” Sophie said, “The Elven Homeland is too isolated from the outside world, and our race is so special, it’s normal for such prejudice and exclusion to exist.”

“Then what should we do, Your Majesty?” Leia asked worriedly, “For our people, the presence of a male from another race is a big problem.”

“Indeed.” Nia agreed. “A thousand years ago, it was because of Goddess Nadue’s introduction, and the threat of the Demon King, that our people realized it was something they had to do and reluctantly accepted the Hero’s arrival. This time, there’s no such reason.”

“Should we just tell our people the truth?” Leia suggested. “Reveal the arrival of the Dragon Demon Princess and Goddess Lilith, tell them that that man is under their protection, and then our people won’t overreact.”

“And also the matter of Princess Lucy.” Nia added. “If we tell them that he’s the Kingdom’s treasure’s fiancé, then for the sake of the Goddess of Fate and the Divine Race, our people should be able to tolerate him for a few days.”

Leia and Nia’s continuous suggestions showed how seriously they took this matter.

This made Sophie sigh inwardly.

(It’s just a man visiting, and even Leia and Nia are treating this so seriously. The Elven Race’s vigilance towards men from other races is truly deep-rooted.)

That being said, Sophie wouldn’t correct this.

There was no need to.

Because, for the Elven Race, this was actually a good thing.

The elves’ unique nature meant they had to be constantly wary of men and couldn’t trust them easily.

Otherwise, they might be taken advantage of without even realizing it.

Therefore, this deep-rooted mindset was also a way of survival for the Elven Race.

But her people’s reaction to that man shouldn’t be too extreme.

Otherwise, if they accidentally did something rash and caused a conflict, it would be a big problem.

At least, Sophie absolutely didn’t want to see the Elven Race offend the Dragon Demon or the strongest evil god.

“What should I do?”

Sophie pondered.

At this moment…

“Tomorrow, bring that one to the temple.”

A clear, incredibly pleasant, and gentle voice reached Sophie’s ears, making her shudder and abruptly stand up.

“Your Majesty?”

Leia and Nia were startled by Sophie’s sudden movement.

Sophie ignored them and looked up excitedly.

“Was that just now… a revelation from Goddess Nadue…!?”

Sophie was excited.

“Could it be that Goddess Nadue is going to appear again?”

After Mitra, the Hero, a thousand years ago, this time, their patron goddess was going to introduce another man from another race?

As Sophie thought this, she didn’t notice that Nadue was watching her from nearby.

“I’ll give them a little push.”

Nadue chuckled softly.

“I hope you can have a good relationship with that Hero, my children.”