Elf Forest (3)
“Wh-what?!”
The elves before him were utterly flustered. The magic circle forming in midair fizzled out and vanished.
Dragons weren't supposed to have crossed into this world, as far as they knew. How could a dragon be here? Regardless of their confusion, the soul-brand etched into their very beings confirmed it—the figure before them possessed the dignity of a dragon.
It felt like that of a hatchling, but a dragon was a dragon.
“Ah, Ariel, child of the forest, greets the great one.”
One knelt on a single knee, offering obeisance. The elves' innate soul-brand compelled them to bow naturally toward Kim Jehyun.
“……What the hell?”
Shin Yerim, watching from the side, alternated her wide-eyed, shocked gaze between the elves and Kim Jehyun.
Kim Jehyun simply regarded the elves with calm indifference, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Shin Yerim couldn't wrap her head around it. Elves showing submission to a human? And the human accepting it like it was nothing? It shattered everything she thought she knew.
“Rise.”
At Kim Jehyun's words, the elves stood immediately, assuming deferential postures. They didn't dare meet his eyes. Their gazes never rose above his chest.
Feels kinda weird, but also... right.
Receiving their submission and issuing commands felt both alien and instinctive to Kim Jehyun. The elves, too, seemed to regard serving and obeying him as entirely natural.
―Kekeke. Of course it does. Dragons and elves are bound by a soul-brand of servitude, after all.
Hmm.
Alkasha's words triggered a flash of Arkanios's memories in Kim Jehyun's mind.
Elves. In the broad racial categories, they fell under the fairy folk. Lovers of nature and peace, vegetarians who possessed beauty beyond human imagination.
―Elves are exceptionally powerful in their own right.
As Alkasha said. Elves lived dozens of times longer than humans—lifespans starting at a minimum of a thousand years, with high elves often reaching two or three thousand. Innately attuned to spirits and gifted in magic, they naturally ascended to great heights in both over those long lives.
Thus, an elder elf easily surpassed human grand archmages or grand spirit masters. Even young elves rivaled high-ranking spiritists or mages. As individuals, few races could match them.
―But they had few offspring and were inherently passive in combat.
The result? Humans lusted after their beauty, demons coveted their pure mana. The elves couldn't defend themselves.
Survival demanded a choice: slowly dwindle to extinction, or become the servants of a protector and receive its aegis.
The elves chose the latter. They offered themselves as servants to a great being.
“Great one, deign to accept us lowly ones as your servants.”
Their souls bore the eternal brand of servitude. No shame in it. Dragons were demigods. Serving them was a point of pride—great beings didn't accept just anyone.
But how did the elves end up here?
As Kim Jehyun sifted through the memories, one hazy fragment stood out: Arkanios visiting the elves' home.
This body, your lowly servant, greets the great one.
The great one is honored.
Hundreds of elves lined up, kneeling in unison as Arkanios appeared in their village. His gaze passed over them to settle on the high elf Ariel at the end, head bowed low.
―The time has come to depart.
“We shall obey.”
Arkanios declared it was time to leave, and Ariel accepted the command. The memory ended there.
The reason's fuzzy, but... probably that massive purple orb blotting out the sky.
A gut feeling pinned it on the colossal purple sphere from Arkanios's memory.
―Now that you've met the elves, why not meet their high elf leader?
Kim Jehyun nodded at Alkasha's suggestion. Might as well solidify ties while he was here.
“Is this your elves' home?”
“Yes, great one.”
He nodded at the two elves' confirmation.
“Lead the way.”
They bowed demurely. Shin Yerim, watching the exchange, still wore a dazed expression.
“Any injuries?”
Jo Heegyung brushed dirt from her clothes as she questioned the expedition members.
“Just minor wounds all around. No serious cases.”
“So it was just a spell to eject us from the forest.”
She recalled the magic that had enveloped them. Normally, few spells could touch her. As a grand spirit master, her spirit power constantly shielded her body.
Yet it pierced her defenses and activated.
If it had been meant to harm...
She might have taken serious damage. And the others? They wouldn't have stood a chance.
The whole heart of the forest was laced with a magic circle.
A formation that vast required at least one being beyond grand archmage level. Chills ran down her spine.
Monsters dwell there.
Elves were renowned for their magic prowess. The reputation was well-earned.
“What about Yerim and Mage Kim Jehyun?”
Jo Heegyung scanned the surroundings. Shin Yerim and Kim Jehyun were nowhere in sight.
“That's... just those two are missing.”
Her eyes narrowed in thought.
I didn't imagine it.
Before the elves' spell hit, her children's safety flashed first in her mind. She'd pulled Shin Yesung close, but Shin Yerim had been next to Mage Kim Jehyun.
And... he definitely did something.
She'd sensed mana bursting from him. Had he deflected the elves' spell?
And he'd mentioned the mana flow felt off.
How? The question burned. Even she hadn't detected it—and as a spirit master, maybe that was excusable—but Jizongsu, a 6th Circle mage, hadn't either.
Detected it, and deflected the spell?
Was he hiding his power? Thoughts swirled chaotically. She shook her head to clear them. Experience taught her to stay calm now. Nothing was certain. They needed to reenter the forest and check on Shin Yerim and Jehyun.
“We head back in.”
She gazed resolutely toward the forest depths, addressing the team.
“You're 617 years old?”
“Yes, great one.”
The male elf, Sindrey, answered politely as they walked toward the village center in Ariel Forest. Kim Jehyun had learned their backgrounds en route. They looked barely into their early twenties, but both were over 600—well past middle age for humans.
Shin Yerim watched Kim Jehyun converse casually with the elves, her confusion unabated.
This makes no sense.
A human receiving divine worship from elves? And he was known as a mere 1st Circle mage. It defied logic.
Related to that 'dragon' mutter earlier?
She recalled them whispering 'dragon' while eyeing him. Dragons were legendary in elven lore. What connection did he have?
Too curious, but... focus on the goal.
She'd promised Kim Jehyun secrecy about today's events in exchange for joining him in the village. He didn't want it exposed yet.
Get advice on contracting a spirit king.
Her mother Jo Heegyung's—and Nature Clan's—long-held wish. Elves might hold the key. That was the expedition's purpose. She clung to it.
But...
Ugh, so curious.
Who the hell was this guy? Before the spell hit, he'd noticed the odd mana flow first. Then treated the elves like subordinates. The more she thought, the more enigmatic he seemed. Even the Magic Tower Master, one of the world's strongest, hadn't progressed this bizarrely.
I'll dig up his info when we get back.
Intense curiosity gleamed in Shin Yerim's eyes.
Haidel, high elf leader of Ariel Elf Forest. When he saw the two elves he'd sent to repel intruders return with Kim Jehyun, he nearly fainted in shock.
A hatchling? And this aura...
It was familiar. Back when High Elf Ariel ruled their village, it lay within Ancient Dragon Arkanios's domain. Arkanios had been their master, and this hatchling bore a similar aura. Perhaps Arkanios's child?
“High Elf Haidel greets the great one.”
Haidel bowed deferentially. In that instant, Kim Jehyun felt a spiritual bond form with the high elf.
You have qualified to become the master of High Elf Haidel.
What’s this?
Kim Jehyun tilted his head at the floating alert.
―Hoo. Become Haidel's master, eh? That means becoming lord of this elf forest. They were Arkanios's servants once—looks like that bond passes to you.
Really?
Surprise flickered across his face at Alkasha's words. An unexpected windfall. Elves as servants? He'd vaguely considered it possible, but not like this.
So I can be their true master, like Arkanios?
―Indeed.
Once I build my lair, I could make them guardians like he did, or attendants?
―Exactly.
Haidel shivered at the gleam in Kim Jehyun's eyes.
1,500 years as a high elf. Over a century leading these elves after Ariel. Never had his back grown so drenched with sweat.
“Looking forward to working with you.”
Haidel shuddered again at Kim Jehyun's bright smile and outstretched hand.