The Elf King's Final Act
Rune smirked inwardly, then gave a nod to the bluebird.
“Rand. What's in this bundle is sugar and white pearls mixed with Baekya's feathers. Sprinkle it around the moat surrounding the castle.”
Flap flap.
The bluebird spun its body once in a neat 'O' shape with a flap of its wings.
Then Rune turned to Baekya.
“Bring Rand and the Dullahan. Can you do it?”
“Peep!”
Baekya replied proudly, puffing out its white chest feathers with confidence.
Rune nodded as he watched the little bird's sparkling eyes.
'Full of spirit, at least.'
It looked quite determined, but Baekya's plump, fluffy appearance only added to its cuteness.
When Rune extended his hand, Baekya hopped onto it.
Hum.
As he channeled his mana, the bird's anklet began to react.
Heungmi perked up her black ears.
“Whoa! Baekya's anklet is glowing!”
“It's enchanted with tracking and stealth magic.”
Rune answered Heungmi's question and waved his hand lightly, sending the bird airborne.
“Wherever you are, it'll let you know where I am. We'll be searching for the king, so bring them to us.”
“Baekya, you got this!”
Heungmi, with white flour dusting her nose, grinned and cheered as if to boost its morale.
Baekya's yellow eyes sparkled.
“Peep, peep peep peep!”
Flap flap.
Flap flap.
The little white bird shook its wings vigorously and looped through the air with enthusiasm.
Its triumphant expression and confident gaze were so adorable it eased the tension.
'Looks like it's saying, "Leave it to me."'
Rune worried its eagerness might lead to mistakes, but Rand's bluebird, flying alongside, quietly nudged Baekya with its foot.
“Peep?”
As Baekya turned, Rand's bluebird circled lazily around it, wings flapping loosely.
“Peep peep! Peepee.”
'A true tamer, after all.'
Even in the form of a mere bluebird, it showed real competence in communicating with familiars.
Rune felt the elves staring intently from behind as he tied off the cloth bundle.
“Alright, that's it. Each of you grab one end.”
“Peep!!”
“……”
Rand's bluebird nimbly maneuvered its beak.
Snap!
The birds stretched their necks and each clamped onto one end of the cloth.
Then they lifted their heads leisurely.
'I cast lightweight magic on it, but it'll be fine, right?'
Rune thought as he glanced at Baekya.
The little bird met his eyes with a gaze full of determination, as if blushing with excitement.
It seemed thrilled to have its own mission at last.
“Prrrp— prrrp—.”
It even hummed a little tune through its closed beak, clearly delighted.
Rand's familiar bluebird just rolled its eyes silently.
Then it let out a quiet snort, as if amused.
The bird soon led Baekya toward the door.
“Bro, open the door for us.”
At Rune's request, Perdikion, who happened to be near the door, swung it open.
This was Baekya's first solo mission, even with the bluebird along.
The bird's feathers bristled once from nerves.
Then it matched the bluebird's pace and shot out the door.
“Belianus, leave the other elves in the castle to them. Guide us to where the Elf King might be.”
Belianus was savoring the moon cake from Elin.
Perhaps because it was food to save the elves tainted by magi.
His expression was quite serious.
“Such a flavor.”
Belianus nodded slowly.
His face was like one performing a ritual before heading into battle.
The middle-aged elf exchanged careful glances with Elin, Geoffrey, Kembell, and Merin.
“Take good care of the elves. Let's go.”
“Yes, sir!”
Just as Kembell replied energetically—
Rumble!
Roooar!
The castle shuddered ominously once more.
As if an unwelcome intruder had invaded its body.
Or perhaps urging them on.
'It really doesn't like us meddling.'
Not only purifying the magi filling the castle and providing snacks to restore the elves.
They were handing out ways to fight back against the elves who had been helplessly overwhelmed.
Of course it wouldn't welcome that.
'We're ruining their perfectly cooked meal. Hard to ignore.'
Rune chuckled inwardly.
Of course, they had no time to spare either.
The castle's tremors were also a signal of the ticking clock.
“Let's move now.”
Sensing the crisis, Belianus invoked Path of the Wind and Wind Runner's Blessing.
Thud!
His footfall stepped onto a passage of wind.
Audience chamber, royal banquet hall, office, study hall, garden.
They searched everywhere, but no sign of the king.
“We've checked everywhere the king frequents. Where could he be?”
Belianus muttered, as if drawing a blank.
“If even you don't know, who does? Think harder.”
Perdikion advised, narrowing his eyes.
Rune fell into thought.
'The magi is too thick to pinpoint a location. We've checked everywhere he'd want to commune with the World Tree. All that's left is…'
Rune's eyes gleamed darkly as he considered the king's traits.
“A place with traces of the princess?”
“Princess Jenuar?”
Rune nodded affirmatively at Belianus's question.
“He's her father too, after all.”
Magi typically preyed on desires.
Wealth and power would have been easier to spot.
But if it was hard to trace, it tied to personal cravings.
Family was always the first to check.
Yet Belianus sounded skeptical.
“Hmm. He did cherish the princess, but…”
Belianus hesitated before continuing.
“As a father loving his child? No. He was cold-blooded. I was lacking as a father myself, but he was worse. Anything not for the elves was a sin to him.”
'And that guy's out slaughtering elves. What a guy.'
Even in circles, there were limits.
Rune swallowed a sigh inwardly.
Though unspoken, Belianus wore a bitter smile too.
'The twisted crave what fits their distortion most.'
Those consumed by magi showed behaviors linked to the demon's nature.
Rune had dealt with ghosts and evil spirits in his past life.
Demons specialized in corrupting intelligent minds with booze, drugs, women, and gambling.
Rune imagined the demon's best play here.
Rune spoke up.
“Belianus. Be honest.”
Silver-gray eyes turned to him.
“What do you want to know?”
“Why the Elf King allowed Rand and the princess's marriage.”
“Hm.”
Belianus let out a groan.
He rubbed his chin and stared at Rune in silence.
“It's a secret.”
“Then this moment becomes the elves' last.”
The words were childlike, but the topic weighed heavy.
For the first time, Belianus couldn't read this young successor's mind.
One thing was certain: Rune spoke the truth.
“Tell me in detail. Why do you want that secret?”
Rune nodded at Belianus's words.
“Elves have the privileged class called 'High Elves,' right?”
“Yes, but.”
Unlike regular elves, they possessed superior abilities and bloodlines.
High Elves were a league above other elves.
“The moment Princess Jenuar, an elf princess, fell in love with a dragon, she became a 'Half Elf.'”
“……Yes. Mixing blood with another race makes a half-breed.”
Belianus's voice lowered as he swallowed a sigh.
It wasn't just marrying some foreigner.
Even ordinary elves looked down implicitly on 'Half Elves.'
It was trading their most precious bloodline for a dragon's protection.
'People call that a 'deal' or 'business.'
Rune's red gaze keenly caught changes in Belianus's face, breath, and subtle hand movements.
Controlled breathing, faint finger muscle twitches.
Eyes fixed seriously on his opponent.
A master at hiding intent and maintaining composure.
“I know 'Half Elves' get poor looks from other elves. Yet he allowed it for Rand the dragon's 'Word of Power' protection. And Rand isn't alone. One of the strongest dragon elders I know was waiting for Rand's request.”
Rune's red gaze met the middle-aged elf's steadily.
Belianus saw darkness dwelling in the young darkness successor's eyes.
“Rand may have lost status, but he's still a 'brown dragon.' If the Elf King wanted, he could use Rand to ask for protection from other dragons Rand knows.”
Christina would have grumbled but lent her aid to block demons.
Yet the Elf King took Rand's Seal of the Forest and acted as if he had no further use for him.
No, he even ensured Rand couldn't return.
“'Dragon protection' wasn't the goal from the start. Allowing the marriage to Princess Jenuar.”
Rune and Belianus's gazes locked.
Perdikion, who had never considered another reason, started to speak but clamped his mouth shut.
Heungmi, sensing the heavy silence, edged closer to Perdikion.
“The World Tree.”
Time was short; Belianus couldn't deliberate long.
He broke his oath to the Elf King and spoke.
“The World Tree has the power of prophecy. And the criterion for becoming Elf King has always been one thing: Can you hear the World Tree's prophecy?”
Elf King and World Tree prophecy.
Linking them already revealed the key.
“You mean Rand was tied to the World Tree's prophecy?”
As Rune asked with slightly widened eyes, Belianus nodded.
“Yes. I only heard fragments from the king, but it was certain. And after hearing it, he consulted me, so it wasn't false.”
Rune crossed his arms, eyeing Belianus.
“Tell me everything. What did it say?”
Rumble!
The castle vibrated faintly again.
Belianus licked his parched lips and continued.
“Two futures. One: Protect the elves, but turn away from the world's crisis. The other: the reverse.”
His silver-gray eyes darkened.
They looked as hard as unyielding stone.
“Protect the world from crisis, but most elves die—including the Elf King's life.”
The words surprised even Rune and Perdikion.
Elven survival versus world's crisis.
A prophecy forcing a binary choice.
Belianus went on.
“However.”
“However?”
Perdikion prompted.
“In the latter case, Jenuar Milé—our princess—would restore the fallen elves over a long time. In a way unlike before. And the Elf King… he trembled in opposition to that way.”
Belianus's face twisted bitterly, as if swallowing foul poison.
“The prophecy was that the concept of High Elves would vanish, and all would embrace equality. 'What difference from lowly humans?' he'd rage.”