A couple of hours later, Ras was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling with a relaxed expression. His mind replayed every detail of what had happened so far.
"A new world, powers, a king begging for our help… and I'm no longer human."
He closed his eyes for a moment, listening for the heartbeat in his body… but there was none.
Before he could sink deeper into his thoughts, someone knocked on his door.
Knock, knock.
—"Come in," he said in his usual tone.
The door opened, and standing before him was Vaelis, the royal guard. His silver armor reflected the light of the hallway lamps, and his expression was as stoic as a statue.
—"The king calls for dinner."
Ras smiled with his usual friendly aura.
—"Perfect, I was starting to get hungry."
Walking Through the Castle
As he walked through the hallways, he observed his surroundings with interest. The castle corridors were adorned with golden tapestries and statues of past heroes. Crystal chandeliers illuminated the path, and everywhere, soldiers in gleaming armor and diligent servants moved about.
But they all had one thing in common.
"They're all human."
Ras turned his head toward Vaelis and, with his relaxed tone, commented:
—"This castle is full of life… truly beautiful. But tell me, why is an elf among humans?"
Vaelis stopped for a second, his green eyes widening in surprise. His hand, almost by reflex, moved to the hilt of his sword.
—"How did you know I'm an elf?"
Ras kept smiling.
—"Relax, your ears gave you away. In the world I come from, elves are fictional creatures… but it seems they're real here. So tell me, why is an elf in a human kingdom?"
Vaelis eased his grip on his sword but didn't lower his guard.
—"The king saved me."
—"From what?"
Vaelis stared at him for a moment, then looked away.
—"I don't have to tell you."
Just as he said that, they turned a corner and found Susan and Lili, escorted by two soldiers under Vaelis's command.
As soon as Lili saw Ras, she ran to him and hugged him tightly.
—"Ras!" Her eyes sparkled with emotion. "I was worried you were alone."
Ras gently patted her head.
—"I'm fine, Lili. Everything's going to be fine."
Then, he turned to Susan and smiled.
—"It's a relief that you're both alright."
Susan simply nodded, though her face still showed traces of frustration.
Vaelis looked at them with his usual serious expression and said:
—"We're almost there."
The group continued walking.
Lili glanced around, admiring the castle's beauty.
—"The people here seem nice… what do you think?"
Susan remained silent, lost in her thoughts.
Ras, still smiling, commented in his carefree tone:
—"A king who hasn't told us his name or his family's name, not even the name of this kingdom… doesn't seem very trustworthy to me."
Lili lowered her head, thoughtful.
—"Maybe you're right…"
Finally, they arrived at the grand dining hall.
Meeting the Royal Family
The dining hall was a massive chamber of white and gold marble. In the center, a long table made of fine wood, set with golden plates and crystal goblets, was ready for dinner.
At the head of the table, the royal family was already waiting. When the heroes entered, the king stood up with a warm smile.
—"Welcome. Please, take a seat. There is much we must discuss."
Ras, Susan, and Lili sat down, while Vaelis and the guards remained nearby.
The king observed them for a moment before speaking.
—"Before we begin… do you have any questions?"
Susan was about to speak, but suddenly, she felt a nudge on her leg. Ras had lightly kicked her under the table.
"What the hell…?" she thought, glaring at him.
"Why did he stop me? What is he thinking?"
Before she could say anything, Ras stood up with his flawless smile.
—"Thank you for your hospitality. Everything here is beautiful, and everyone has treated me well. I truly appreciate it."
He gave a slight bow.
—"But there is something I'd like to know. Your names… and the name of the kingdom we are in."
The queen, who had remained silent until now, widened her eyes in surprise.
—"Have we not introduced ourselves?"
The king blinked, as if suddenly realizing his mistake.
—"Oh… you're right. How discourteous of us. Forgive us, heroes. The nerves of the moment got the best of us."
The king stood proudly and placed a hand on his chest.
—"I am Reinhardt Aurelius Valdoria, king of the Kingdom of Valdoria."
Then, he gestured toward his wife, who smiled gracefully.
—"My wife, Isolde Valdoria, queen of this realm."
The queen had an air of majesty. Her snow-white skin and silver hair reflected an ethereal beauty. Her deep blue eyes were wise and piercing, as if they could see through anyone's soul.
Next, the king pointed to the eldest daughter.
—"Our firstborn, Ariane Valdoria."
Ariane stood with a confident expression and a slight smile.
—"It's an honor to meet you," she said firmly.
Her reddish-brown hair was carefully braided, and her golden eyes analyzed each of the heroes with keen intelligence.
Finally, the king introduced the youngest daughter.
—"And our youngest daughter, Elysia Valdoria."
The blonde girl with sky-blue eyes timidly stood up and gave them a gentle smile.
—"I'm happy to meet you all."
The king spread his arms with pride.
—"Welcome officially to the Kingdom of Valdoria."
Ras's smile remained as he replied.
—"Now everything makes more sense."
Lili looked at the king and his family, still a bit nervous.
Susan, on the other hand, clenched her fists under the table.
"Why did Ras stop me? Why is he acting like this? What is he planning?"
Meanwhile, Ras had different thoughts.
"With this, I have the first piece of information. Now I know who they are, where we are… The next step is to win their favor, just like I did in my world."
Dinner was about to begin.
And so was Ras's game.
Dinner began in moderate silence, broken only by the sound of silverware clashing against plates and the exquisite aroma of the food served on the luxurious table. Ras took a sip from his cup and glanced at Susan, who still seemed tense.
—"Relax," he whispered softly. "I need to ask a few things."
Susan pressed her lips together, frowning at him. She knew Ras always had something on his mind, but she didn't understand his attitude. Still, she nodded and began eating more calmly.
The king, who had been observing everything closely, noticed the interaction and asked with interest:
—"Is something the matter?"
Ras lifted his gaze and gave him his charming smile.
—"Not at all, Your Majesty. I was just asking Susan to relax. This is all new to us, but we must face it with composure, right?"
The king nodded, satisfied with the response.
Ras set his utensils aside and looked directly at the king's youngest daughter.
—"Before you explain everything to us, there is something I would like to know."
The king tilted his head, curious.
—"What is it?"
—"The three people who escorted us to our rooms earlier…" Ras paused, observing the royal family's reactions. Then, he fixed his eyes on the youngest princess. "I'd like to know more about them."
The young princess, Elysia, blinked in surprise. Her cheeks took on a faint pink hue, and she lowered her gaze slightly.
The queen, who had been eating calmly until now, set down her utensils and looked at her daughter with mild surprise.
—"Go on, Elysia. You can answer."
Elysia swallowed and spoke in a trembling voice.
—"The… The Supreme Mage Alzareth… is the most powerful mage in the kingdom and one of the Three Greats…"
Before she could continue, Ras raised a gentle hand.
—"I'm sorry, Princess. I didn't mean to put you in an uncomfortable position."
He gave a slight bow and thought to himself:
"Good, now I know the youngest princess is submissive and timid. Now I need to say something to balance the situation so I don't seem suspicious."
With a kind look, he addressed the king.
—"Forgive me, Your Majesty, if I have been rude… I simply wished to hear your daughter's lovely voice. I found it very beautiful and intriguing."
For a moment, the room fell into complete silence.
Lili and Susan widened their eyes in shock, still chewing their food. They looked at each other and, after swallowing, both exclaimed in unison:
—"What?!"
Lili stared at Ras, her eyes shining with astonishment.
—"You like her?"
Susan crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.
—"Yeah, explain that."
Ras went pale.
"Did I just get myself into trouble without realizing it?"
The king let out a hearty laugh, easing the tension.
—"Hahaha! What a curious young man you are, Ras. But don't worry, I'll finish the explanation for you."
The monarch resumed the conversation in a more serious tone.
—"In our kingdom, there are many powerful individuals. However, three stand above the rest. They are known as the Three Greats."
He gestured with his hand, signaling for them to pay attention.
—"First is Alzareth, the Supreme Mage. He commands all the kingdom's mages and is the greatest expert in arcane magic. It is said that he knows over a hundred advanced spells and that his knowledge is so vast that even the royal council cannot fully comprehend it."
Ras nodded with interest.
—"And the other two?"
The king continued.
—"Then there is Sir Gaius, the Captain of the Army's Guard. He is the strongest warrior in hand-to-hand combat. He has led countless battles and is respected even by our enemies. It is said that he can split a steel armor in half with one hand."
Lili shuddered at the thought.
—"Is that even possible?!"
The king nodded.
—"And lastly… Vaelis, the Captain of the Royal Guard. He leads our elite troops, the ones responsible for secret missions and the personal protection of the royal family. Unlike mages, who focus on magic, and soldiers, who specialize in combat, the royal guards master both. They are the elite of the elite."
Ras smiled and asked in his casual tone:
—"I see… but there's something else I'd like to know."
The king raised an intrigued eyebrow.
—"What would that be?"
Ras leaned his elbows on the table and asked naturally:
—"Why is an elf the leader of your royal guard?"
The air in the room seemed to freeze for an instant.
The queen blinked in surprise.
—"How do you know Vaelis is an elf?"
Ras, maintaining his smile, shrugged.
—"I asked him earlier, and his reaction confirmed it. But honestly, his ears give him away."
A tense silence filled the room. Finally, the king sighed and took a sip from his cup before responding.
—"This is… delicate."
Lili, who didn't fully understand the situation, interrupted.
—"Excuse me… but what is an elf?"
The king looked at her and nodded, ready to explain.
—"Elves were one of the oldest and wisest races in this world. They had a special connection with magic and nature. They were known for their longevity and their skills in elemental magic and swordsmanship."
Susan furrowed her brow.
—"'Were'? Do they no longer exist?"
The king paused before continuing.
—"In this world, there are four main races: humans, demons, dwarves, and demi-humans. However, centuries ago, there was a fifth race: the elves."
—"And what happened to them?" Ras asked, sharpening his gaze.
The king closed his eyes for a moment, as if the answer weighed on him.
—"It is believed they are extinct."
Lili's eyes widened in shock.
—"Extinct?!"
—"Centuries ago, there was a war between humans and demons. The elves, attempting to mediate the conflict, were caught between both sides and were nearly wiped out."
Ras crossed his arms, thoughtful.
—"If they're extinct… why is Vaelis still here?"
The king took a deep breath before answering.
—"Because he is the last of his kind."
Silence filled the room once again.
—"But…" the king continued, "no one knows. Officially, he is human. It is said that his ears simply grew in an unusual way."
Ras observed the king's serious expression and the way the queen avoided his gaze.
"This is interesting… Vaelis is not just a simple guard. He is someone with a secret the kingdom is hiding." Ras thought
Lili, with tears in her eyes, affered her deepest condolences.
Susan, on the other hand, just let Ras take care of it while she listened to everything.