CHAPTER 149
The expressions on their faces showed they had never imagined reuniting with the two elves in this place.
The elves' faces also briefly showed surprise as they encountered the Emperor's group.
Arabelle, filled with joy, ran forward to greet Esperel and Beryl.
As the warmth from her side disappeared, one of the Emperor's eyebrows twitched slightly.
A hint of confusion spread across Arabelle's eyes, which sparkled with happiness.
“When did you return to the Empire? You said you wouldn’t be back until next spring…”
Arabelle looked back and forth between her master and her friend, trying to hide her disappointment.
Esperel and Beryl had sent word that they couldn't attend Arabelle's wedding due to an urgent matter.
They had said that due to the need to travel through time and space, they wouldn’t return to the Empire until next spring.
Yet here they were, meeting at Mount Ecol…
Moreover, the barrier in front of them was clearly made by her master.
It was only natural for Arabelle to feel disappointed that Esperel and Beryl hadn't contacted her after returning to the Empire.
At that moment, the Emperor's deep, resonant voice was heard.
“It seems like you never left the Empire at all, rather than having just returned. Have you been here since we parted after returning from the underground world?”
The gaze of everyone gathered in the forest shifted to the Emperor.
When the Emperor and Empress returned from the underground world, Esperel and Beryl had clearly left the Empire.
It seemed the task they had taken on was important enough that they couldn’t even attend the Emperor and Empress's wedding.
Why did the Emperor think that they might never have left the Empire at all?
As if reading Arabelle and the retainers' thoughts, the Emperor responded.
“The time when the girl, who had turned into a hawk, first saw the barrier was just before the wedding festival. Since you must have created the barrier, it means you were in the Empire, doesn't it?”
The knights once again marveled at the Emperor's keen insight.
Beryl quickly opened his mouth, looking at Arabelle’s slightly hurt gaze.
“There was a reason. The truth is… my master's energy was so depleted that we couldn't leave the Empire. This place was where she could rest without being disturbed.”
After glancing at Esperel’s expression, Beryl began explaining what had happened.
Esperel was one of the few beings who could freely pass between the barrier that separated the ancient gods and the human world.
A few of his disciples, including Beryl, could accompany him, but only with his help.
Esperel and his disciples stayed behind in the human world, rescuing and caring for the mythical creatures that couldn’t cross the Aether River.
Though they could cross the barrier of the Aether River, there was an inviolable taboo they could not break.
They could not directly intervene in the affairs of humans.
For thousands of years, Esperel had never broken this taboo, except on two occasions.
The first was when he saved ten-year-old Arabelle from drowning in the river. The second was when he helped the Emperor, who was trying to rescue Arabelle’s light that had fallen into the underground world.
When he saved the young Arabelle, it was because she was the Lumen Savior, beloved by the gods.
As an elf, who lived off the energy of the forest creatures, it was impossible for him to ignore the danger facing the Lumen Savior, the guardian of animals.
Strictly speaking, it wasn’t a violation of the taboo.
However, helping the Emperor in his quest to rescue Arabelle’s light from the underground world was different.
Despite the threat to both the ancient gods and the human world, he had directly intervened in human affairs.
As a result of the enormous amount of energy expended, Esperel was unable to pass through the barrier into the world of the gods.
“My master was so depleted of energy that she almost faced a great danger. There are malevolent spirits everywhere that prey on weakened elves.”
The Emperor's party listened to Beryl’s explanation in solemn silence.
Arabelle’s large eyes shimmered with a mix of pity, guilt, and gratitude.
“Without knowing… I stayed comfortably in the palace, unable to offer any help.”
Count Corald met Esperel's gaze and spoke.
“If we had known in advance, we would have made arrangements for a safe place for you to rest.”
Esperel shook his head with a gentle smile.
“When my energy is depleted, contact with humans is very dangerous.”
“Then, the reason you stayed in Mount Ecol was…”
“It’s the place farthest from human settlements. While there are many dangerous spirits, it also has the most divine life energy. It’s the best place to recover energy.”
Esperel shifted his gaze to Arabelle, whose eyes had turned red.
He smiled, seemingly to reassure her.
“As you can see, I’ve regained my health and am preparing to set out on another journey.”
As Beryl nodded with a broad smile, Arabelle finally let out a small sigh of relief.
“Then this barrier…”
Sir Jacob raised his palm and placed it on the invisible barrier before withdrawing it.
Beryl subtly observed his master’s expression.
And a pair of cold red eyes observed the two elves without wavering.
Esperel, seemingly resolute, pulled out a staff from his sleeve.
“I’ll explain everything inside.”
The staff, made of intertwined branches, drew a semicircle.
There was no visible change to the naked eye.
However, the Emperor’s party, following behind Esperel and Beryl, walked forward unimpeded.
The barrier that had blocked their path had been lifted.
After a few steps, with the Emperor and Arabelle’s party behind them, Esperel raised his staff and drew another semicircle.
Though unseen, it was clear that he had recreated the barrier.
Esperel and Beryl began walking ahead again.
Without a word, the Emperor and Arabelle’s party followed the two elves.
The single thought filling their minds was too delicate to be voiced aloud.
As they stepped on the damp moss, a mix of anxiety and anticipation weighed on their steps.
How long had they walked?
Esperel and Beryl’s pace slowed.
Beyond the dense vine wall, the faint sound of flowing water could be heard.
The hands of the Emperor and Arabelle, who were holding each other, tightened.
Arabelle looked up at the Emperor.
For the first time, the Emperor’s hand felt cold.
Arabelle’s small hand grasped the Emperor’s hand even more firmly.
The Emperor's Adam’s apple moved in a large swallow as he looked straight ahead.
Esperel and Beryl lifted the curtain-like vine branches.
***
The Emperor’s knights sat on rocks outside the cave, scanning their surroundings.
Their expressions still showed disbelief at the sight before them.
A seemingly ordinary, peaceful, and quiet little forest.
And the extraordinary creatures within it.
When Sir Peter was staring blankly at the unicorn limping on one leg, something slightly larger than a dragonfly flew by and tickled his ear.
A beautiful fairy with long purple hair winked at him, seemingly attracted by his handsome appearance. Over half of her wings were torn, and as he watched her closely, he realized she couldn’t fly high due to her damaged wings.
A soft purring sound came from a silver fox curled around Sir Jacob's ankle. The sound reminded Sir Jacob of the fluffy dog he used to have in his countryside home, so he bent down to pet the fox’s head.
The moment his hand touched the fox, a cool breeze brushed across the back of his hand. Sir Jacob's eyes widened as he took in the sight of the fox's tail reaching up toward the sky. More accurately, not just one tail—his eyes quickly counted the tails behind the fox.
Two, four, six... exactly ninety-nine.
The ninety-nine tails fanned out, creating a breeze. The tail in the center was badly damaged, seemingly bitten by something sharp.
As the hawk-eyed girl observed, all the creatures living within the barrier were mythical beings. However, they all had parts of their bodies severely damaged or were young monsters not fully transformed yet.
Timothy noticed two pairs of eyes peeking at them from behind a tree. The observers were two children, about ten years old, who seemed to be in the middle of transforming into a mole and a wildcat.
“This must be a place where creatures that couldn’t cross the Aether River gather…” Timothy remarked.
“Those with significant damage can’t cross the Aether River,” Count Corald nodded in agreement.
Sir Derrick, curious, asked the Count, “But why? The last time we saw the Aether River, its current was calm, and it wasn’t that wide or deep. These creatures don’t seem to have much trouble moving. Couldn’t Esperell just lift the barrier?”
“To human eyes, the Aether River looks like any other river, but it’s actually the gateway dividing two worlds, along with the barrier. Mythical creatures need to expend immense energy to cross it. Humans can never cross that river. The reason Esferell stayed here is that he didn’t have the strength to cross it.”
A beautiful golden hawk fluttered its large wings, hopping along the ground. One of its wings had been plucked out, preventing it from flying. Count Corald’s eyes shimmered with sorrow as he watched the boy covered in fur sleeping under the shade of a tree. Beside him, Sir Peter spoke in a somber voice.
“Creatures bitten by monsters or cursed by dark magic must live, unable to belong to either world… Constantly exposed to danger.”
“They have no power to protect themselves… They’d either be killed by humans or devoured by evil spirits.”
The children behind the tree, who had momentarily locked eyes with Timothy, quickly scurried away. A brief silence fell among the knights. Glancing back at the cave, Sir Jacob was the first to speak, his voice cracking as he tried to hold back tears.
“To think the Crown Prince and Princess have been caring for these creatures here. I still can’t believe it.”
“For so many years…”
Sir Peter choked up, unable to finish his sentence. But everyone knew what he was trying to say. They were all thinking the same thing.
The Crown Prince and Princess had to leave the palace just a day before their son’s first birthday. They had lived in hiding, cursed, for over 25 years. The harshness of their lives was unimaginable.
Sir Derrick, trying to lift the mood, spoke in a deliberately upbeat voice. “They are truly the Crown Prince and Princess. Protecting children and creatures in need… They haven’t changed a bit since their time in the palace.”
For years, Crown Prince Luca and Princess Arabelle had lived as protectors of creatures with nowhere else to go. Despite being in great danger themselves, they had saved and cared for helpless young monsters and injured creatures. This forest was a sanctuary for lost creatures that the Crown Prince and Princess had created over the years.
This was why Esperell and Berel had come to this place when they arrived at Mount Ecol. The energy of benevolent creatures was strongest here. The Crown Prince and Princess had gladly welcomed the two elves, ensuring they could rest safely.
In gratitude, Esperell created a barrier to protect them.
Esperell had constructed the barrier for the sake of the forest’s guardian.
“You three are finally reunited after all this time. Isn’t fate too cruel?”
Unable to hold back his anger, Sir Peter let out a bitter cry, repeatedly wiping away the tears that streamed down his face. The eyes of the other retainers were also damp with emotion. Sir Jacob, overwhelmed with frustration, pounded his solid chest.
Inside the cave, Emperor Maxwell was...
Meeting his father, whom he hadn’t seen in 25 years, at his deathbed.
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