Chapter 143 - The Elven Majesties and Nathan Evenhart
" May I see your eyes up close?" the queen asked, her voice soft but brimming with palpable curiosity. I froze for a moment, unsure of how to respond.
How did she know? No one would ask to see someone's eyes up close without reason… What should I do now?
I glanced at Adrihna for support, but her calm demeanor suggested she had anticipated this. I couldn't see my mother or Aunt Margie, who were standing behind me, but soon I heard my mother's reassuring voice.
"It's alright, dear," she said gently. "They already know about your eyes."
Her words brought me some relief, but also a strange feeling of being exposed. I looked back at Adrihna, who nodded reassuringly.
Of course, they would have told them...
"Of course, madam," I responded to the queen, trying to keep my voice steady.
She stepped closer, her eyes examining mine with a meticulous intensity. "So, it's true..." she began, observing every detail. "At first glance, your eyes seem like any ordinary blue, but when you know what to look for, the difference is clear. Your blue is special—it moves like the sea, with subtle waves beneath the surface."
Her hands, graceful and delicate, gently touched my face. I felt a soft warmth radiate from them as a faint green light emerged.
"What was that?" I asked, a little surprised.
The queen smiled warmly. "I am a healing mage," she explained. "I noticed, upon touching you, that you haven't fully adjusted to your eyes. I'm just easing any lingering pain you might feel."
It's probably because I've been using my Celestial Eyes constantly, but I've gotten used to the pain by now.
In the darkness of my mind, I sensed movement. The great white dragon-serpent that dwelled deep within my soul stirred, briefly showing its face before retreating into the shadows.
Looks like that guy didn't appreciate the queen disturbing him...
The queen continued softly, "Your mother told me your eyes still bleed occasionally. In the elven kingdom, we have many skilled healing mages. If you were with us, we could help your body adapt more easily. I myself am a very experienced healer."
A queen offering to be my personal healer? My elven ancestor must have been connected to the royal capital, not just any noble from a distant duchy.
The king, who had been silently observing until now, stepped forward. His presence was imposing, but his tone was firm and respectful. "These eyes are significant," he said. "We elves deeply value nature, and the mana that flows through everything is part of that balance. If you've been blessed with these eyes, it's your duty to use them wisely."
I simply nodded, feeling the weight of his words. The queen stepped back slightly, still watching me closely.
"You possess many traits of a high elf," she remarked. "My healing magic responded very well to your body. This suggests you have a high concentration of elven blood."
At that moment, Aunt Margie chuckled. "Shall we show them, Katie?" she asked my mother.
I looked at her, confused, not understanding what she meant by "show."
"My son, I'm going to mess with your hair a bit," she said, untying the accessory that held my hair in place.
Ah, I see what she means.
"You'll like this, my king," Adrihna said playfully, clearly enjoying the situation.
The king and queen looked intrigued, clearly expecting something unusual. Then, my aunt lifted a strand of my hair.
The king froze, his eyes fixated on the change. He looked from my face to Adrihna, then ran his fingers through my hair, shocked by the revelation. She had uncovered the silver strand hidden beneath the black, the same color that marked my high elven heritage.
The room fell silent, save for the hushed murmurs of the king and queen as they processed this new discovery.
"This is impossible!" the queen exclaimed, stepping closer to me, her eyes glued to my hair as if she'd just witnessed something unbelievable. She ran her fingers through it with delicate care.
"White-silver hair... the lightest shade..." the king muttered, equally astonished. I felt like a doll being inspected, but I understood my aunt's intentions. She was thinking ahead, ensuring our safety while also solidifying our connections. I decided to follow her lead and wait patiently while they finished examining my hair.
"Is my hair turning silver really that important?" I asked calmly, though genuinely curious about the commotion.
The king tried to answer but stammered, visibly shaken. "Important? It's beyond important! No one except a pure high elf can have silver hair. It's the ultimate symbol of our race... This... this shouldn't be possible," he said, looking at me as if I were an anomaly.
The queen met my gaze and explained, her tone calm but serious. "In our culture, especially among high elves, hair is highly revered. For us, it's like the trees, representing our roots and branches. Silver, in particular, is a sacred symbol of the purity of the first elves' lineage."
Really? I guess that makes sense, considering how much they value nature, even more than people in my own territory.
"It must have been difficult to hide this since you were young," the queen added sympathetically.
"Actually, this only started happening recently..." I replied, recalling the exact moment when the first silver strands appeared.
About four years ago, to be exact...
The queen frowned, confused. "What do you mean it started recently? Weren't you born like this?"
Adrihna, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, her voice calm and informative. "Our young half-elf had completely black hair. This change only started occurring recently. The silver strands began small, but now they're forming this large streak. Even I was surprised to see that his silver is the lightest shade."
The king, visibly overwhelmed, sat down in a nearby chair, breathing deeply as if he needed time to process everything. "This... is far more shocking than I expected..."
The queen, now examining me with concern rather than admiration, sighed. "This is a serious problem, Adrihna. Hiding his elven heritage from the humans was already a delicate task, keeping his origins secret. But now, with silver hair, it's far more complicated... This is beyond what we anticipated."
"I'll take the boy with me!" the king suddenly declared, rising to his feet, his voice filled with clear, undeniable resolve.
Everyone in the room froze for a moment, processing what he had just said. I, too, was taken aback by the sudden proclamation.
"What!?" My mother and Aunt Margie shouted in unison, shocked by the king's abrupt statement. Realizing the weight of his words, the king, clearly embarrassed, hurried to correct himself.
"With the ladies' permission, of course..." the king added, now more hesitant, especially after noticing the deadly glare my mother shot in his direction.
I was stunned.
Take me to the Elven kingdom?
Confusion began to overwhelm me.
"No! Taking my son from me? That is out of the question!" my mother protested, her voice filled with authority.
"Don't worry, you would go too," the king quickly added, trying to ease the shock of his proposal.
Adrihna, who had been observing the growing tension, stepped in before things escalated. "Majesties, please, don't worry. I've already found a solution for his hair issue."
The queen frowned, clearly puzzled. "What do you mean? If his hair is turning silver, what could possibly be the solution? Surely, you're not suggesting shaving his head, are you? That would be a violation of the natural order."
"Shave my head!?" I exclaimed, utterly surprised and horrified by the idea.
Shaving my head? Not even the strictest days in Athena's army required that!
Adrihna chuckled softly, easing the tension a bit. "No, no. Don't worry, we've come up with a better solution," she said, trying to calm everyone.
"And what might that be?" the king asked, curious.
"We'll dye his hair black. We've acquired a special dye that will keep the color for quite some time. Of course, the silver strands will continue to grow, but with the dye, we can keep it hidden... at least until the right moment," she explained.
The king considered the idea, but Queen Siofna immediately looked displeased. "Dyeing an elf's hair? That's an affront to our traditions! I must have misunderstood your words, Adrihna," she said firmly.
Adrihna, slightly nervous but maintaining her poise, replied, "My queen, it's a temporary measure. Just until we find a more permanent solution for Nathan's diplomatic situation. If the silver hair is revealed now, it could cause complications before the time is right. This is the best solution we've found so far."
My mother nodded, supporting the idea. "I'd rather dye his hair than send him away," she said resolutely.
Aunt Margie also chimed in with a calm tone. "We didn't expect things to move this quickly..."
Meanwhile, I felt as though I was being pulled into something far larger than I had anticipated.
Queen Siofna, noticing my confusion and the weight of the situation, softened her gaze. "I understand that this is a lot to take in, Nathan. And I admit, the idea of dyeing your hair is... unusual for us, but perhaps it is the best solution for now," she said, her voice now more compassionate.
I felt somewhat relieved, but I knew this matter was far from resolved.
"Nathan, an elf's hair is sacred to us. We only cut it for maintenance, and we never adorn it with unnecessary accessories. Never would an elf dare to dye their hair... especially a high elf," the queen said with a serious expression.
The king, who had been deep in thought, paused and looked toward the corner of the room, reflecting. "He is not aware of our traditions, and I understand how strange our indecision might seem to him," he began. "But I see it's better for him to remain here, living through his youth. I don't want to take the boy away from this phase of his life, though part of me does wish to have him study in our kingdom, given that his hair color reveals his identity. However, I will follow Adrihna's suggestion."
My mother let out a visible sigh of relief.
The queen, still seated, continued to analyze the situation silently. Adrihna, on the other hand, sighed with relief and, with a discreet smile, whispered to me, "I dodged a major problem by suggesting that. It would have been a crime to allow something like that to happen to someone of your status."
Crime? I would definitely be arrested if they found out that I used to throw dirt in Chloe's hair whenever she hit me with snowballs...
The king sat back down, still deep in thought. "So many surprises all at once..." he murmured.
I decided it was time to push Aunt Margie's plan forward. If they were already shocked, it might be best to reveal one more detail.
"About this... can I tell people?" I asked casually.
The queen looked at me, confused. "Tell them what?"
I raised both hands and conjured a green ball of mana in my left hand, the plant element, and a yellow ball in my right hand, the light element. The shock was immediate.
The queen covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes wide, and her other arm visibly began to tremble. The king, on the other hand, stood frozen, mouth agape, unable to react for a few seconds. The silence was so heavy I could almost hear their thoughts scrambling.
"Change of plans…" the king suddenly said. "I think I'm going to take the boy with me."
That was all it took for my mother and Aunt Margie to step in front of me in protest.