Chapter 139 - Haiten, the Elf King
Haiten Rhiannon:
Since we uncovered the possible existence of a lost branch of my family, I struggled to believe it. My grandfather often told stories about how his own grandfather spoke of a superior elf from our lineage who had supposedly rejected the title of Archduke and fled with a human adventurer. According to these tales, the elf had fallen in love with this woman—something I always found absurd.
I grew up hearing these stories, but never truly believed them. After all, I knew that superior elves didn't fall in love, even among their own kind, let alone with humans. My grandfather, despite his doubts, swore that this was a truth passed down from generation to generation.
This story remained a legend within our family until the passing of the last Archduke. During the preparations for the tribute and funeral honors, a strange discovery was made: a superior elf from our family was listed as "missing" in the records. This had gone unnoticed for centuries, likely due to the influence of the royal family, who probably suppressed the incident to avoid scandal—after all, a superior elf abandoning his responsibilities and fleeing with a human was unimaginable.
We had never needed to review the full history of the superior elven family tree, as they lived for around 300 years. But with the recent death of the Archduke and the need to update the records, we finally noticed the absence of a tomb in the sacred crypt for this "missing" elf. That's when I realized that the stories might be true.
We couldn't openly seek information in the human kingdom about my long-lost relative's whereabouts, as that would draw too much attention, especially if it involved the royal family of the superior elves. So, I enlisted the help of the one elf I knew who could investigate discreetly across all kingdoms: Adrihna. As a superior elf with a diplomatic role even outside our kingdom, she had free access between the three major kingdoms. Moreover, she was a respected teacher, highly sought after by various human nobles. Her prestige and political connections made her perfect for this mission.
On top of that, her family, the Akoniums, held a highly influential position within the military, with the duke being a close friend of my family. I grew up around the dukes and their children, as in our kingdom, the dukes were the original families of the royal guards—unlike in the human kingdom, where dukes were territorial leaders.
With Adrihna's help, we were able to trace the whereabouts of the missing superior elf fugitive to the human kingdom. He had taken refuge in the most remote lands of the continent, in an isolated agricultural duchy: the Evenhart territory. Known for its vast forests and expansive farmlands, it was the opposite of bustling cities or regions. It was a place of simplicity and peace, perfect for an elf.
The choice of such a rural duchy, surrounded by nature, made sense. Staying true to elven tradition, he seemed to find solace living close to the forests, a reminder of the elves' ancestral connection to nature. By adopting a life as a commoner, working as a simple farmer, he managed to disappear, keeping his lineage and true identity hidden from prying eyes.
He lived far from political intrigue and nobility, choosing anonymity in a place where no one would question his past. This superior elf lived with the human woman, and the two built a family and passed away from old age.
From there, we had to investigate his descendants, but progress was slow as we needed to proceed with extreme caution. Fortunately, Adrihna, with her freedom of movement and access to documents in the human kingdom, was able to continue her investigation. The search led to the discovery of a young descendant of the superior elf, an orphan from the fox tribe within the demi-human kingdom.
There was no doubt—she was of our lineage. I immediately ordered that the young girl be brought to us. We couldn't allow a member of the royal family to live in poor conditions, even if she was an orphan in another kingdom. However, the High Elf council was divided. Kinue, the newly discovered heir, being a demi-human, complicated matters. If she chose to stay in the elven kingdom, she would be unable to bear descendants with our kind due to biological incompatibility. Still, I offered Kinue a home in the palace. At the time, she was just a child, barely understanding the situation.
Adrihna, however, encouraged Kinue to explore the world outside before being confined to the responsibilities and limitations of living in the royal palace. Thus, I allowed my relative to live outside the kingdom for a while, under Adrihna's protection. Adrihna wasn't only the most powerful Light mage but also held a position as a royal guard, ensuring Kinue's safety. Even more so after the little girl awakened her Light element magic, shocking everyone, including the High Elf council. At that moment, I accepted that the best course was to leave Kinue in Adrihna's care, where she could receive proper training. Adrihna was living in Apsalon, which made it easier to create an ideal learning environment for Kinue. She was also close to a demi-human friend, the influential and respected Director Victoria, who would be essential in Kinue's development. Kinue's rare bestial form was a point of concern, and I knew that with Victoria's vast experience with demi-humans, she could help guide Kinue in this regard.
I felt I had completed the work my grandfather, the former king, had started—finding the lost branch of our family. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when I was informed that, aside from Kinue, I had two more relatives… humans.
This news caught me completely off guard.
My relatives were living in the human kingdom, and I soon asked Adrihna to bring them to me as soon as I discovered their existence. After seeing the condition in which Kinue had been living, I didn't want to risk leaving a mother and her 5-year-old child to fend for themselves, possibly facing hardships. To my relief, Adrihna had already made contact with this family and assured me that they were financially stable and living well.
I was surprised to learn that they were the Evenharts, the family of the duchy where my distant relative had taken refuge. His descendants who remained in the human kingdom as commoners continued the bloodline until it reached the boy's mother, who had married one of the heirs of the duchy.
Learning about these two relatives was astonishing, and I was also pleased to discover that the young boy was the same age as my daughter, both just a bit younger than Kinue. They would be the next generation of elven royalty. However, the High Elf council was stunned to find out that two descendants of the purest lineage were humans—meaning they were compatible with elves. This revelation caused a great uproar among the nobility. Letters poured in from all corners, with nobles offering the boy monetary benefits, lands, and even brides. I joked with Siofna about how the boy was dealing with a problem every man would dream of—and earned a swift slap. I never dared make such jokes with her again.
When the council began discussing potential marriages for the boy to continue the original bloodline among the elves, I quickly intervened. I suggested, with a serious tone, that perhaps I would marry him to my own daughter, which immediately silenced the council. I knew I couldn't allow my relative to be manipulated or used in such a way, even though he was one of the last of his lineage. I sought to delay these processes as much as possible, securing at least temporary peace from the council and the other High Elves, who idolized the original family as sacred figures.
After learning about the boy's existence, I followed Adrihna's plan. At the right moment, she would contact the family to begin her role as a teacher and help the boy awaken his magical potential.
Adrihna had been in contact with Nathan's family and regularly updated me on their development. I learned that Nathan's mother, like Kinue, had awakened her superior elven blood and possessed the plant element. This phenomenon, where two half-breeds surpassed the racial barrier to awaken elven blood, was rare. But what surprised Adrihna the most was Nathan's case—he had managed to bypass the elemental restriction and acquire a second element, something unique.
Over the years, I followed Nathan's growth through Adrihna's reports, who spent seasons with the Evenhart family. One day, I received news that changed everything: Nathan had awakened the Special Eyes. This was unprecedented in many ways. Adrihna had always praised Nathan's natural talent, but even she was impressed when the confirmation came. Nathan's family asked Adrihna to deliver this information to me, aware of the diplomatic impact it could have.
The awakening of the Special Eyes was highly significant, especially in a half-breed. This indicated that the concentration of elven blood in Nathan was much higher than previously thought. Typically, half-breeds of two races couldn't awaken the Eyes due to the incompatibility of their manas, but in Nathan's case, he inherited a purity of blood that brought him closer to the high elves. It was possible that the awakening process, which had taken generations in his mother's family, had accelerated in him, giving him the chance to manifest the Special Eyes.
This revelation made me worry about the growing interest the human kingdom might take in him. Adrihna informed me that humans, especially the royal family, had been obsessed with these eyes since the time of the Founding Emperor, who had dreamed of possessing even extinct magical creatures. If they learned of Nathan's power, they might try to control him—or worse, attempt to take his eyes. I wasn't sure if the human royal family would have the audacity to commit such an atrocity, but the idea of a conflict of that magnitude was alarming, and I couldn't let something like that happen to a member of my family.
I immediately asked Adrihna to invite Nathan and his mother to live with us in the elven kingdom, where they would be safe. However, Adrihna thought that such a direct approach might frighten them, and she was right. I also couldn't ignore their wishes if they chose to decline the invitation. To avoid unnecessary tension, we decided to stick with the original plan and continue closely monitoring them until Nathan matured, at which point we could eventually announce them as official members of the elven royalty.
Once Nathan gained his citizenship in the elven kingdom, he would be free from the influence of the human kingdom, protected by our government and backed diplomatically. The real dilemma, however, was Nathan's political position. He already held a duchy in the human kingdom, raising a concerning question: how would the human kingdom react upon discovering that the elven kingdom indirectly controlled one of its lands? This was a delicate issue, and the High Elf council was still considering the implications.
Until a clear solution presented itself, we opted to keep Nathan's identity and lineage a secret, ensuring his safety and political stability between the two kingdoms.
"Is the boy here?" I asked Adrihna.
"Yes, my lord," she confirmed with a nod.
"Good. I've waited 10 years to meet him... and his mother," I said, feeling a slight sense of anticipation.
I glanced to the side and noticed Queen Agnes watching us attentively. Realizing that, in my excitement, I had been a bit rude by greeting others before addressing them, I quickly corrected myself.
"My friends!" I said, walking over to them with a broad smile. " After exchanging nothing but letters for so long, we finally have some time alone, without that army of boring people to bother us, haha!" I joked, trying to ease the situation.
I saw them smile, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Phew… diplomatic incident avoided.