109~ The Stalker Queen
“Hey, what’s going on here?”
“Is the crystal projector broken?”
“I can’t believe this! We were just getting to the good part!” On the square of Coleman Academy, as students watched the crystal losing its glow and the projection turning to darkness, a chorus of disgruntled voices arose.
It was like watching an exciting cliffhanger of a drama. Just as the plot was hitting its peak, the story cut off without a next episode, leaving everyone with faces full of anguish.
“What’s going on?! So who won, Aistride or Tillysha?!”
The mentors on the judging platform murmured quietly among themselves, soon delivering a rather ‘unwelcome’ update: there was a malfunction with the projection crystal in the square, which required time to fix. Professional repair teams had already been dispatched.
But……….
This crystal was just inspected recently! How could it suddenly have a malfunction now?
The mentors were puzzled, not chalking it up as students did to a low-probability event, but still couldn’t figure out why.
In fact, both mentors and students were completely in the dark.
Within the Moonlight Temple built from silver-white stones, a silver-haired young elf opened his eyes from his meditation, gazing at the golden-haired girl on the screen with a complex expression.
This result was within both expectation and logic; yet upon personally confirming the truth with his own eyes, it still left him feeling incredulously astonished.
What also rose within him was a long-awaited joy and the validation of his suspicion.
The Gold Elves were indeed still alive. Their existence meant that the Elf Sacred Tree must also still be strong.
Ah, the Moon Elves………. Thinking they broke free from the ‘Holy Tree’s’ constraints and bonds to gain so-called freedom, they are wrong. They never escaped the roots of the Holy Tree. Their very freedom, or even continued survival, is granted by the Tree.
Can flowers ever truly sever their connection to roots? If they do, these flowers will lose nourishment and possibly life itself.
Because of shirking responsibility, they falsely imagined cutting off all ties with the Holy Tree; to put it bluntly, the Moon Elves who deemed themselves wise are nothing but blind fools.
No, the crystal on the square was not naturally malfunctioning. Someone made it malfunction.
The instant Tillysha’s ear cover fell off, he realized it and immediately entered a meditative state, controlling the central switch to forcibly shut down the crystal projector.
He wasn’t afraid of anyone noticing. After all, with the control of the switch in his hands, the explanations were also his. He could simply say the crystal projector was outdated, and that would work.
None of these details were as important as the principle issues at stake.
The silver-haired youth clearly understood that if the outside world were to know that the Gold Elves, disappeared for centuries, reemerged, there would be boundless attention. Among that attention, there would inevitably be those with ill intent—some eyeing the secrets she carries, others coveting her noble lineage, which would undoubtedly threaten Tillysha’s safety.
But these weren’t the main issue yet. The main issue wasn’t from outsiders, but from insiders.
The reformers among the Moon Elves still form the majority, harboring a deep aversion towards the rule of the Gold Elves and the restrictions of the sacred tree. They are inflexible in thought. Of course, as fellow High Elves, they won’t welcome the return of the Gold Elves either.
Their not welcoming her return would be the best outcome. The worst scenario? They might believe the Gold Elves returned to rule them again.
Though the Elves were a race that discouraged internal strife and valued kinship, Tillysha could still face no immediate threat to life, but if those elders became aware of the Gold Elf’s existence, imprisonment would certainly be inescapable.
Perhaps, because they are all High Elves, a comfortable living arrangement would be afforded to Tillysha, but they certainly wouldn’t grant her freedom or the right to involve in politics.
This was not what the silver-haired youth wanted to see, and Tillysha’s actions confirmed his view once more.
Deliberately wearing ear covers that disguised her racial characteristics, wasn’t this a clear indication of distrust from Gold Elves towards the Moon Elves?
Of course, the Gold Elves’ distrust towards the Moon Elves was understandable. After all, the calamity hundreds of years ago, when the Moon Elves abandoned their duties and the sacred tree………….
The young elf sighed. Reflecting back on those days when he was also among the radical reformists, with the wisdom he now possesses, memories of the actions he took then feel rather naïve and embarrassing.
So no matter what Tillysha thought internally, it was imperative her identity be concealed, not allowing others to find out, especially other high-ranking members of the Moon Elves.
The survival of the Gold Elves is directly related to the safety of the sacred tree. He couldn’t afford to make any mistakes in this.
“Erica.”
“Respected elder, Grand Mentor Karslin reported that the projection crystals within the academy encountered a fault. He requests the issue be resolved quickly.”
“Hmm, let’s assign that to you to handle.” The silver-haired elf stood with his hands behind his back, not even turning his head as he spoke.
“But please remember one point.” As the red-haired female elf was about to leave, the young elf added meaningfully, “I want you to resolve the issue, not the fault itself.”
“I’ve understood.” Erica caught his intention and disappeared from the temple in the next moment.
—
“Miss Tillysha? Are you alright?” Upon noticing Tillysha’s unusually pale look, Aistride hesitated for a moment before gently inquiring.
“…………” Tillysha, lost in deep thoughts about her bleak future, absently touched her forehead and replied, “I’m fine,” despite not hearing Aistride’s question at all.
Recalling the time her flesh was split from her bones, her soul forcibly torn apart, the agony was unforgettable. She didn’t want to experience that life worse than d*ath again.
But it wasn’t up to her. Would Bilodis let her be once she found out about her existence?
To say it honestly, she never would. Absolutely not.
For the life-prolonged Elf Empress, her younger sister Tillysha, was her persistence to live in this world, her one and only obsession. She only lived for this obsession.
Tillysha had no doubt that the old woman would do anything for her sister.
Speaking of which, Bilodis was rather pitiful. Endowed with virtually unlimited life, unmatched strength, supreme power, and wealth that she could obtain in a mere thought. She had it all, yet nothing.
The wealth, fame, and status that mortals pursue in a lifetime meant nothing to her. These trivial matters were mere toys for her amusement.
With everything she could ever want at her grasp, she lost interest in everything, making her essentially own nothing. For decades, the ever-changing world held no significance to her—it was no more than a ceaselessly flowing stream.
To put it bluntly, she was a long-lived being surviving merely by the desire and obsession that had long festered within her depth.
Such a person was both pitiful and dangerous.
Her obsessive desire, fermented over long centuries, might already have mutated into the master controlling her heart.
For the long-lived who “live too wisely,” right or wrong was merely two opposing positions without any other meaning. In short, whatever she desired to do, she would do, disregarding humanity or morality.
In Bilodis’ eyes, besides her younger sister Tillysha, nothing else mattered, including ethics and morality.
If we were to use a term from another world, Bilodis would resemble a pathological stalker.
No, it’s not that she resembled a stalker. Rather, stalkers resemble her. She was on a far more extreme level of obsession.
If Bilodis caught her, found out the soul within was not Tillysha herself, but that of a male human from another world, despairing in hope and falling into desperation, that twisted heart of hers would undoubtedly drive her to torment her to d*ath.
No, perhaps even d*ath would be a luxury. She might attribute the failure of resurrection to her, becoming furious and unleashing wrath from the golden elf empress who had possibly been alive for countless years, possibly with her hormones long out of balance.
“…………” Her normally composed face rippled, the usual hint of elegance at the corners of her mouth twitched uneasily. Though her expression seemed unchanged, her eyes gleamed lifelessly like a lifeless porcelain doll.
“Um, that! Miss Tillysha, aren’t you a Gold Elf?” Litte, who had been waiting for a chance to speak all along, finally broke in. Ignoring the vines that bound and separated her group, she incredulously stared at Tillysha.
“………….”
“Right? That’s right! Isn’t it? I’ve never seen any elf with platinum hair and emerald eyes, you have to be a Gold Elf, right!”
“……………”
Litte, oblivious to the increasingly pale and spiritless emerald eyes of Tillysha, was solely caught up in her own excitement.
“So that’s why I felt no barrier between you and I when I met you, Miss Tillysha! You are a Gold Elf, huh! That’s amazing; I’ve never seen a Gold Elf!”
“By the way, my mom mentioned how the prosperity of the Elf Holy Tree is maintained by the vitality of the Gold Elves. Every leaf on the branches represents a Gold Elf. When a Gold Elf dies, the corresponding leaf falls; when the number of Gold Elves decreases sharply, the branches wither. Is that true?”
“…………”
“Litte, stop asking questions.” Realizing Tillysha was burdened with thoughts and had no intention to answer Litte’s queries, Aistride interjected.
With life at stake, Tillysha had no heart left to continue the contest, let alone have any interest in dealing with others. Her head tilted upwards at a forty-five-degree angle, eyes losing their reflection.
In the scorching summer, she felt her hands and feet icy cold with tears betraying her, flowing down her cheeks…… Then she forgot the rest.
“Notice to all students both within and outside the arena, due to irresistible forces, the crystal projectors have malfunctioned. The academy is dispatching professional personnel for repairs. Please calm down and stay patient………” At that moment, a smooth, magnetic youth voice echoed through the Secret Realm.
The moment these words were understood, Tillysha’s gaze regained its life.
The crystals outside the field were malfunctioning?!
So the scene where she fell from the branch and her headphone dropped might not have been captured. Right?
A thought struck her and suddenly, like returning from the other realm, Tillysha’s scattered soul came rushing back.
But could it be this coincidental? Moreover, if it was the crystal outside the field that malfunctioned, why did they deliberately inform those inside the field? Like someone deliberately hinted to her: ‘You haven’t been discovered; don’t let this affect your game attitude.’
Whatever, the incident was suspicious and set aside for now.
“Let’s continue, Aistride.” Tillysha stood up.
“Huh?” Seeing Tillysha regain her composure, Aistride was surprised but quickly understood, looking at Tillysha thoughtfully.
“Miss Tillysha, don’t want your identity revealed?”
“Indeed. No matter the competition outcome, I hope you keep this confidential, Aistride.”
“Though I don’t know your reasons, this is your secret. Since you wish this, I will keep it confidential.” Though filled with questions, Aistride still confirmed.
“Thank you for understanding.” With Aistride’s promise, Tillysha felt reassured.
Elves never break promises; a human’s word may be unreliable, but an elf’s pledge is trustworthy.
Also out of trust in Aistride’s character, Tillysha felt at ease and silently cast her gaze towards a certain Wood Elf bound like a present.
“Ah! Me too, me too! I swear I’ll keep your secret and never expose it to others!” Seeing Tillysha’s eyes staring intently at her, Litte hurriedly pledged.
“Thank you for your understanding too, Litte.” Tillysha’s radiant smile made Litte instinctively look away.
“Miss Tillysha, can you continue?”
“Why do you suddenly sound so polite? I’m not your ‘highness,’ Aistride. Call me classmate, the suffix ‘highness’ just troubles me, you know.”
“…………” Aistride’s face showed a hint of difficulty. Her father, the current Elven King, had instilled the teaching from her youth, saying their family was only one of the Moon Elves, the title of King was merely representative. They derived life from the Elf Holy Tree, the true rulers of the elves were Gold Elves.
However, strangely, the Elf King never promoted such ideas publicly. It could be Aistride’s illusion.
“Let’s keep things clear. Neither of us wants to give up victory to others, correct?”
“……… That’s right.” For some reason, hearing Tillysha mention ‘giving up victory to others,’ a certain figure flashed through Aistride’s mind, and the firm response “that’s right” escaped without much thought.
