Xavier and Lisa walked back to their small house, where Elvie had been waiting with a frown. The little girl's eyes looked hungry and slightly irritated.
"Mom, Brother, why were you so late? I'm starving," Elvie complained, holding her stomach.
Xavier gave a sheepish smile, but inside, a question kept running through his mind. How could a beautiful woman like Lady Lisa and her child survive in a dangerous place like Hollow Grim? The thought never really left him. He knew Lisa was strong, but living here with Elvie still seemed odd.
"All right, Elvie. We'll eat something good today. But pack your things, we're leaving," Lisa said softly, stroking her daughter's head.
"Where are we going, Mom?" Elvie asked, her eyes lighting up.
"We're heading to the Kingdom of Tenkai. We'll be leaving the eastern part of Hollow Grim for a while."
Xavier was slightly surprised. "Are we leaving now, Lady?"
"Of course. Get ready, Xavier," Lisa added. "Clean yourself up first."
Xavier glanced at Lisa as she checked the Artpass on her wrist. "We have about 8 hours before nightfall," she said calmly.
Once they were all packed, Xavier, still curious, asked, "So, how are we getting to the Kingdom of Tenkai? Are we walking, or... waiting for some kind of public transport?" He chuckled, realizing how strange his question was in this world.
Lisa shook her head with a small smile. "There's nothing like that here, Xavier. Not when you're with me."
As they stepped outside the house, Lisa held Elvie's small hand in one, while her other hand rested on Xavier's shoulder. Calmly, she whispered, "Demon Technique: Teleport."
In an instant, golden light surrounded them, and within seconds, they vanished from Hollow Grim, reappearing in the Kingdom of Tenkai.
The moment they arrived, Xavier was hit by a wave of dizziness. He tried to keep his composure, but soon, he couldn't hold back and ended up vomiting.
Lisa smiled at the sight. "Don't worry, Xavier. You'll get used to it someday."
Elvie, watching the scene, couldn't hold back her laughter and started teasing Xavier. "Haha! Brother got teleport sickness!"
Xavier felt his face flush with embarrassment. "Damn, this is so humiliating! I've never been motion sick before! In novels or comics, teleporting always looks so easy!"
Still feeling slightly dizzy, Xavier asked, "Lady Lisa, can I learn to teleport like you did?"
Lisa shook her head. "Unfortunately, no, Xavier. Teleportation is part of the Demon Technique, a special skill belonging to the demon race from the Elf lineage. You need a blood bond with them to learn it."
Xavier was stunned. "What? So, there are Elves here?" he asked in disbelief.
"Of course," Lisa replied, continuing her explanation. "In this world, humans aren't the only beings. There are also other races, like Pure Demons—demons who look almost identical to humans. Then there are Half Demons, a mix between humans and demons. Additionally, there are Vampires, Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves. But many humans here still consider them demon races. Even though they may look different, they simply want to live alongside humans," Lisa said, her expression sad.
"Remember, Xavier, some kingdoms view the demon races as friends, while others see them as threats. So, be wise when making friends with them."
"Understood, Lady."
"In every world, racism exists, the belief that one is superior because they're different is something disgraceful," Xavier thought to himself.
Lisa continued her explanation. "Each race has a unique Chrona Technique known as a Demon Technique, an age-based power that's specific to their kind."
Xavier nodded slowly, trying to absorb all the new information. "So Elves have teleportation... and every race has its own unique Demon Technique?"
Lisa smiled gently. "Exactly. I'll explain more about Chrona Techniques later. But before that, you need to get your Artpass."
Xavier began to feel better after hearing Lisa's explanation.
Once his headache had completely faded, he looked around and was struck by the grandeur of the Kingdom of Tenkai.
The Kingdom of Tenkai stretched before them in all its majestic beauty. The architecture reminded Xavier of ancient Japanese culture. Neatly paved stone streets, lined with green moss, led to large gates adorned with carvings of dragons and phoenixes. The buildings in Tenkai resembled grand temples with curved roofs, decorated with small bells that chimed in the breeze. Red and gold lanterns hung along the streets, ready to cast a warm glow as night approached. Statues of warriors in traditional armor, complete with masks, stood guard at every corner, their eyes glowing as if alive.
However, behind all that beauty, Tenkai held an element of awe-inspiring fantasy. A giant sakura tree with pink leaves stood at the center of the main square. Every falling petal turned into a spark of light before vanishing into the air. Brightly colored birds flew overhead, occasionally letting out sharp cries that echoed through the mountain valleys surrounding the kingdom.
Seeing all this, Xavier couldn't help but comment, "This... is like a dream. This kingdom feels like something straight out of ancient Japanese legends, but with added magic and wonder. I've never seen a place so beautiful and strange at the same time."
Lisa simply smiled, knowing that Tenkai always left a deep impression on first-time visitors.
"Japan? I'm not sure what you mean, Xavier, but welcome to the Kingdom of Tenkai."