As we stepped into the kingdom, every elf's gaze fixated on us.
"Is that... Princess?"
"She's returned."
"She's brought a human with her."
"She's got a human. What's happening?"
"And... a male at that...?"
"What's a human male doing here?"
They were staring at me for some reason. I supposed having a human, especially a male, was an extremely rare sight for the elves here.
"The kingdom looks prosperous, huh? I guess my mother is making things happen?" Artemis asked.
"Well, yes," Aegis replied. "The Queen has been trading extensively with the beast people using our metals, which has accelerated our prosperity, even though we remain isolated."
So that's how they were achieving prosperity. The Kingdom of Elves was tightly closed off from the world, even to the inhabitants of the Great Forest. Their success stemmed from trading metals with the beast people, renowned for their astute business acumen.
