Chapter 130: Mixed-blood(2)
Chapter 130: Mixed-blood(2)
While some might be shocked to learn that Arwen was a half-blood, others would naturally harbor doubts. How could she have ascended to the throne when the Senate, a body obsessed with pure-blood ideology, was still very much in power?
Furthermore, why didn't the Senate investigate bloodlines when half-bloods were causing such social upheaval? The answer lay in the unique characteristics of half-bloods.
As previously explained, even if one parent was human, a half-blood inherited almost all elven traits, leaving no conspicuous differences. Even their ears, which were slightly shorter than those of other elves, were common enough to be overlooked as a minor quirk.
Moreover, having been born and raised in human society, half-bloods entered Albenheim equipped with exceptional adaptability and social savvy. No one would suspect them, and even if someone did, a half-blood could easily deflect the suspicion without anyone being the wiser.
Of course, there were rare occasions where someone would slip up and reveal their heritage, but such instances were surprisingly kept secret. Albenheim was far more collectivist than other nations; what would happen if it became known that someone was close friends with a half-blood?
It wasn't just the half-blood who would face punishment; the fallout could burn those around them as well. Thus, a veil of silence was maintained by tacit agreement. Knowing this, half-bloods either lived quietly or worked desperately to reach a position where no one could touch them.
Arwen was also a half-blood born between an elf and a human, but her case was somewhat unique. She was the fruit of a loving union between an elven father and a human mother, but unfortunately, her mother passed away shortly after giving birth.
Her father, though grief-stricken, followed his wife's dying wish and took Arwen to wander through the human world. While Arwen might look like a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse, the reality was quite the opposite.
Having witnessed and experienced both the bright and dark sides of human society with her own eyes, her way of thinking was closer to that of a human than any other elf. The reason she was able to ascend to the throne at such a young age was largely due to her ability to exploit the darker aspects of human nature.
At the time, she did suffer a major diplomatic setback due to the characteristic elven arrogance, but she demonstrated an incredible learning ability and rose again.
Based on those experiences, Arwen had mastered one fundamental truth: if something was wrong, it had to be corrected.
With this single mindset, Arwen achieved immense growth in a short period and was even able to stand her ground against the viper-like Senate.
"We cannot just sit back and watch! We must formally lodge a protest with the humans!"
"And I believe we must expel every single mongrel currently in Albenheim. If we continue like this, there's no telling what kind of chaos Albenheim will face."
"Perrin is right. Even if those mongrels hold high positions, we must boldly cast them out to ensure stability."
It had been a week since the release of Volume 12 of Xenon Biography.
Sitting upon her throne, Arwen looked down at the Senate members protesting vehemently before her, her eyes filled with irritation.
She had been attending to state affairs as usual when they suddenly barged in and started spewing such nonsense.
Her head was already throbbing from the unexpected issue—the emergence of half-bloods—and having the Senate join the fray only added to her immense stress.
Do you even realize your own Queen is a half-blood?
She was so beyond angry that she almost let out a scoff of disbelief. To reiterate, Arwen was a half-blood.
She pondered how to shut those filthy mouths. She already knew exactly why the Senate was foaming at the mouth and throwing a fit.
They're afraid.
Through decades of countless arguments with the Senate, she had already mapped out all their behavioral patterns.
If they argued in calm, measured voices, it was merely to get under her skin. If their voices were heated, it meant they thought they had found leverage.
However, they rarely raised their voices to this extent. It had only happened once before—when she sought to revise Albenheim's archaic laws.
At that time, the law was the very essence of power in Albenheim, and the Senate held it in a death grip. Naturally, they had no choice but to rebel against any revision.
Though the laws were eventually revised following the defeat in the Race War and the subsequent change in the system, they still remained in a decrepit state. To maintain their vested interests, the Senate had consistently checked and forcibly dragged down kings and queens until now.
But those previous rulers had been pure-bloods, people raised like flowers in a greenhouse. Arwen, conversely, was a great tree that had grown strong while weathering storms since childhood.
From their perspective, half-bloods are dangerous elements.
The potential of a half-blood far exceeded that of a pure-blooded elf. Though the reason was unknown, the prevailing theory was that they inherited the incredible learning ability of humans.
Because of this, the more half-bloods there were, and the higher the positions they attained, the more precarious the standing of the Senate and the old generation would become. It was unclear what the new generation thought, but they were likely to be more favorable toward half-bloods than the old guard.
To the Senate, who believed that only elves were chosen by God and must remain superior to all other races, half-bloods were an existence they could never tolerate.
But even I didn't know there were this many half-bloods...
Arwen let the Senate's protests go in one ear and out the other as she thought about the half-bloods living within Albenheim. The sort of "coming out" (?) sparked by Volume 12 of Xenon Biography had grown from a small ember into a massive blaze.
What was even more surprising was that even the half-bloods themselves had no idea there were others like them. It wasn't that they were completely oblivious—they had their suspicions—but they hadn't expected the numbers to be so high.
Furthermore, most of the half-bloods who had confessed were socially successful individuals holding high-ranking positions. They were professors, priests serving the gods, and even renowned warriors within the military.
There were even rumors circulating that one of the Warlords was a half-blood, sending shockwaves through Albenheim.
"Enough."
"..."
When Arwen issued the command in a low, heavy voice after organizing her thoughts, the Senate members, who had been protesting like wildfire, clamped their mouths shut. However, their dissatisfied expressions remained.
Arwen looked at each of their faces with a gaze full of pathetic pity before letting out a deep sigh. No matter how she looked at it, she couldn't find a single thing about them that she liked.
"I understand your opinions perfectly. You wish to find the author who has brought chaos to Albenheim?"
"That is correct. Your Majesty, surely you know what will happen if strange rumors about our elven race continue to spread like this?"
An old man, wrinkled even for an elf, pleaded with Arwen in a withered voice. The persuasion from the man who could be considered the representative of the Senate sounded plausible.
This wasn't just any novel; it was Xenon Biography. A masterpiece of the era that had fundamentally changed the perception of demons and had already become a cultural phenomenon in its own right.
This was a concern Arwen shared with the Senate. In particular, Arwen couldn't help but feel a bit anxious because she had once committed a great wrong against Xenon—that is, Isaac.
"Furthermore, there are even omens that Albenheim will be invaded. No matter if it is a novel, the idea of our Albenheim being attacked is simply unacceptable."
A young elf standing next to the old man spoke up in a calm voice. Hearing that, Arwen barely managed to suppress the urge to scoff.
She wondered if there was really a need to get so immersed in a novel, but then again, they were elves, so it made sense. However, as far as Arwen was concerned, it was absurd—it was as if they had failed their history lessons.
"How ridiculous. Even during the Demon War 3,000 years ago, it is a historical fact that our Albenheim was invaded. And yet you say it is unacceptable?"
"At that time, the 'World Tree' did not exist. But as long as the World Tree stands..."
"The author likely had Albenheim fall precisely because he is well aware of such elven arrogance."
"But..."
"Cease mentioning the contents of the novel. I have no desire to see you protesting over a work of fiction. Speak of reality."
"..."
When Arwen cut him off sharply, the young council member seemed to lose his words and fell silent. Arwen clicked her tongue inwardly at the sight.
It was absurd that they would spew such nonsense based on the deep-rooted notion that elves were superior to other races and always perfect. To think they would try to censor even a beautiful culture—what a disgrace.
"By the way, I hear you've been up to something interesting without my permission. You intend to ban the sale of Xenon Biography within Albenheim unless the story is revised?"
"That is correct. However, we took swift action based on a justified judgment."
"And what exactly was that judgment? I'd like to hear it."
What kind of bullshit would they spew this time? Arwen waited with a look of pathetic pity, not even bothering to hide her expression.
No matter what the Senate said, one thing was certain: the Senate was beyond hope.
"Currently, Albenheim is suffering from the fever of the mixed-blood issue. Furthermore, since the story of Albenheim began, the number of people reading that book has been steadily increasing."
As the old council member said, Xenon Biography was originally not very popular among elves. This was likely because the protagonist was human and there had been no significant connection to elves until recently.
However, once it was revealed that Mary was an elf, and the tragic epic of Kair and Elisha unfolded, its popularity skyrocketed. Among the new generation in particular, Mary—who was uncharacteristically aggressive for an elf and spoke her mind—was extremely popular.
Conversely, this meant there was great dissatisfaction among the old generation. The elves they envisioned were brave warriors and a race of high pride, not a tomboy like Mary.
Still, excluding hardliners like the Senate, it could be said that almost no one disliked Xenon Biography. Despite the generational conflict being exceptionally severe among elves compared to other races, Xenon Biography was being treated as an exception.
"Even so, if by some chance strange stories about our elves were to emerge, no one knows what the consequences might be. Therefore, we believe we must find the author as soon as possible and demand revisions before the new volume is released."
"And if the author refuses to revise and releases it as is?"
"We believe it is only right that we review the book ourselves before it is imported and then allow its release."
In short, they meant to censor it. So that they could impose heavy sanctions the moment anything negative was said about elves.
Censorship by those in power always brought about major side effects. It would cause the citizens to harbor resentment toward their rulers, and furthermore, it could make governance even more difficult.
Moreover, the moment she meekly accepted this proposal, it would be as if the Senate had seized full control of the establishment, which was something Arwen could never accept. Thus, she narrowed her eyes and spoke in a voice that seemed to suppress her anger.
"Are you saying you wish to suppress freedom of expression? Then why does art exist, and why does culture exist?"
"Are you saying it doesn't matter if unfavorable expressions about our elves are published?"
"That is not for us to judge. It is the prerogative of the people who directly see and hear that culture. If the expressions are far from the truth, many will criticize them; if not, they will empathize."
"Even if everyone empathizes, a minor misunderstanding could change the way the world looks at us. Look at Volume 12 right now. A story about elves and an inferior race was published, and now look at how those mongrels are running rampant!"
The old man's retort was elegant in its phrasing, but it carried a strange power that made one's blood boil. Arwen felt a headache coming on and placed a hand on her forehead.
After organizing her thoughts for a moment, she spoke in a quiet voice.
"...Council Member Piren."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"How old are you currently?"
Arwen suddenly asked the old council member, Piren, his age. Piren was puzzled but answered readily.
"Including this year, I have watched 845 springs."
"845 springs..."
It was an answer typical of the old generation. The new generation didn't answer like that; they just gave a normal number.
Arwen then removed her hand from her forehead and slowly raised her head. Sitting on her throne, she naturally looked down upon the Senate, and her silver-gray eyes began to glow.
"Council Member Piren. You have watched over Albenheim for centuries. In your eyes, I, who have not even experienced 200 springs, must seem like a greenhorn. Is that not so?"
"That is not true. Your Majesty is our Albenheim's..."
"Enough with the flattery. I am not such a fool that I cannot see through your heart."
"..."
Piren looked up at Arwen with a slightly flustered face at her blunt response. He saw Arwen looking down at him with a noble yet arrogant gaze, her expression full of pathetic pity.
This was not the girl who had chatted with Isaac at the exhibition; this was the dignity and charisma befitting a true 'Queen.' A powerful aura emanated from her, enough to make even Piren, who led the Senate, flinch.
"I will ask another question. Council Member Piren. How long have you governed Albenheim from within the Senate?"
"...I have seen 531 springs while serving in the Senate."
"And what did you feel there? Were you able to rule Albenheim according to your whims? Of course, you probably were, until the Race War broke out. Humans were so weak, beastkin were barbaric, and dwarves were indifferent. Finally, the demons had abilities equal to ours, so we couldn't touch them recklessly."
"..."
"However, while you may have ruled Albenheim, you have never once ruled the world."
As that heavy blow of truth struck home, Piren's body flinched visibly. However, the reactions of the council members standing on either side of him were quite different.
One remained silent with his mouth shut tight, while the other was incensed and took a step forward as if to shout immediately. But the moment Arwen glared at him with a cold gaze, his body froze stiff, and he couldn't even make the attempt.
Sensing the Senate's momentum beginning to wane, Arwen continued in a gentle yet powerful voice.
"If we block the eyes and ears of the people and manage them according to our own tastes, then why do the people exist, and why does the state exist? The world is not something that can be moved at will like a game of chess. The people do not move as you wish, and the world will never change as you desire. We elves are a race chosen by God, but in the end, compared to the world, we are merely mortals who live longer and possess greater power than other races. It is not we who change the world; we must entrust ourselves to the world as it changes. If we were to change the world, it would be no different from waging war against the entire globe."
"..."
"Albenheim is governed by both you and me, but we must not change it as we please. This is because the judgments we think are good may act in a negative way for the people. Our reason for existence is but one: to ensure that smiles can bloom on the faces of our people. Not to cultivate slaves who possess no emotions whatsoever."
Since every word was true, the Senate could not even offer a rebuttal. To deny those words would be to admit that they treated the people of Albenheim as slaves.
Arwen let out a small snort of contempt when the Senate members could do nothing but glare without saying a word. Then, with an expression of resolve, she spoke to the Senate.
"One week from today, I shall deliver an address to the people. I will take measures to stabilize the current situation as you have requested."
"...Where do you plan to deliver this address?"
Piren asked in a cautious manner. His spirit had been broken.
"I will speak at the Grand Plaza. I shall prepare the magic myself. Do you have any objections?"
"...No, Your Majesty."
"Then leave at once. I have much to think about."
When Arwen issued the order to leave, the Senate members reluctantly withdrew. Just before exiting the audience chamber, Piren turned around and met Arwen's gaze.
Arwen also met Piren's eyes, creating a subtle confrontation. Eventually, Piren walked out of the audience chamber without saying a word.
Finally, Arwen was left alone in the audience chamber. Once freed from the stress, she let out a deep sigh.
"Whew..."
Then, casting aside all her queenly dignity, she grumbled.
"I'm craving something sweet..."
At the same time, a new worry came to mind.
"...I've never actually given a speech before."
She needed help.