Chapter 118~ The Elf’s Trial
Didelai’s words captured Tillysha’s complete attention. Upon hearing his offer to help hide her identity, the delicate frown between her brows slowly eased.
By now, Tillysha had gathered a bit of intel about the current state of the Elf Clan. It seemed even elves weren’t united—divided by their own ideological differences.
If Tillysha’s memory served correctly, the current Elf King was the Moon Elf King. Just the notion of bowing to someone who wasn’t the king struck her as improper etiquette.
“Didn’t you just say that Gold Elves were the true leaders? But my understanding is that the current ruler of the Elf Clan is the Moon Elf King,” she inquired cautiously.
“Yes, he is indeed the king, but only the king of the Moon Elves—not the king of all elves.” Didelai’s tone was steady, matter-of-fact, as if this wasn’t a secret worth whispering about; more like stating a simple truth.
At this remark, Tillysha found herself glancing to her side at Litte, and the elf youth who had been staring at her intently since they arrived. Oddly enough, no one in the room seemed phased by Didelai’s claim. There were no gasps, no scandalized expressions—just calm acceptance.
“Lady Tillysha, I mentioned earlier that everyone here in the Tower of Sages understands the importance of discretion. In other words, we are all allies,” Didelai grinned, having caught her unease.
“You need not worry about your freedom being restricted.”
Tillysha was perplexed. Wasn’t declaring the current Moon Elf King illegitimate almost tantamount to treason? If humans were involved, this would’ve sent someone straight to the chopping block!
It didn’t make sense. If the Moon Elf King had only recently begun leading the clan, wouldn’t most elves naturally submit and acknowledge him as their leader?
Litte, however, seemed to have a different take on the matter. “Um? Why are you looking at me, Princess?” she tilted her head, confused.
“Ah, don’t get me wrong, Princess. It’s not that I have any bad feelings toward the Moon Elf King. Not at all! I actually respect him,” Litte scratched her head, “It’s just…that I don’t entirely agree that the Moon Elf King should lead all of the elf clan.”
This wasn’t just a notion Litte had been brought up with by her parents—it was something Litte herself had always felt. She often dreamed of a massive, ancient tree, one that seemed to encompass all the life-energy in the world. To her, her very existence was just a flicker of life born from that towering giant.
It wasn’t just Litte. Many elves instinctively felt a connection to the Holy Tree, even without ever seeing it. For them, the source of their life wasn’t the land they stood on but the distant ‘mother tree’.
The further they drifted from the sacred tree, the stronger this yearning grew. Like a lost child yearning desperately for a mother they can’t return to.
Didelai was no different in this regard. He had once believed that cutting ties with the sacred tree would free him from dependence on it. Now, though, he fully realized it was the tree that had granted them life and divine authority. Rejecting it would mean rejecting all the blessings the sacred tree had showered upon them.
What a disgraceful betrayal! Like a child raised tenderly by a mother who then turns to abandon her.
Watching the diminishing elf population and staring at the golden elf standing before him, Didelai felt he owed something. He needed to make amends for past wrongs.
So…
Tillysha glanced towards Aurel. His expression toward her was composed yet respectful. The same could be said for the rest of the elven scholars in the room—all observing her with similar respect in their eyes.
A golden elf unseen for centuries, along with the faint hope of reuniting with the sacred tree, stood before them. Their reactions were strangely placid, but that was simply in the nature of elves. Perhaps their inner excitement could not be articulated into words.
“Lord Didelai, if you please, you may rise,” Tillysha suggested, feeling a bit uncomfortable having someone kneel before her like this.
“Thank you,” Didelai rose gracefully, snapping his fingers to summon a beautifully carved porcelain table and a few chairs.
“For thousands of years, it appears the Moon Elves have harbored resentment towards the Holy Tree and the Gold Elves. But ultimately, they remain rebellious children,” he said casually, pouring tea.
Tillysha hesitated for a moment but seeing the openness in Didelai’s approach, decided to pull out a chair for herself. “Thank you,” she murmured and sat.
“Ah, what are you doing?” Litte tried to join her but was yanked back by the collar by Aurel.
Litte puffed her cheeks, her twin tails looking ready to fly off in frustration. “Why can’t I sit with her?”
Aurel kept his expressionless face, silently watching Litte like one might watch someone mentally impaired.
Are you going to interrupt an important discussion between an elder and royalty? What exactly do you expect to gain by sitting there?
“Though I knew you were dense, it still amazes me,” Aurel shook his head while returning to his work, leaving Litte standing there.
“Come on!” she rubbed her twin tails, exasperated.
Why does everyone in her clan speak in riddles? Can’t they just say what’s on their mind like normal people?
“Princess Tillysha, rest assured. While not all elves may welcome the return of the Gold Elves, I share your concerns about keeping your identity confidential.”
“I vow on the sacred tree that all I say here is true and that I have no intentions of deceiving or harming you,” Didelai added seriously, making his stance clear but also inviting some trust from Tillysha.
Vowing on the sacred tree was no simple oath; for elves who hold traditions sacred, such a vow held immense weight.
“So…what do you want from me?” Tillysha sipped her tea elegantly, her delicate fingers handling the porcelain teacup.
“Whatever you’re ready to share. If it’s not the right time, no rush,” Didelai replied smoothly.
Tillysha raised a fine brow, surprised. She had imagined that he approached her to trade secrets known only to Gold Elves—or worse, to manipulate or blackmail her. Instead, he was bluntly laying out the current factional issues within the elf clan, warning her to be discreet about her identity, and making a vow on the sacred tree—basically everything but full-on dropping to his knees.
It was hard to deny his sincerity.
If not because of some ulterior motive, then why?
“Could you enlighten me on why you’re doing this?” Tillysha asked, probing Didelai’s motives.
“Simple. For the future of the elf clan,” he replied without hesitation.
“Ah, so you understand.”
“Unfortunately, no. You see, I lost my memory prior to arriving at Coleman Academy,” Tillysha admitted, placing a hand to her forehead.
To build some trust, she decided to reveal a bit of her truth. For example, regarding the Gold Elves and the sacred tree, it was best to admit she knew nothing.
Given she wasn’t an expert in any of it and saying she’d come from another world might seem absurd, a memory loss narrative seemed like the safest option. But by leaving room for ‘regaining’ her memory, she retained control over the information.
“You’ve lost your memory?” Didelai’s eyes flickered with surprise before understanding.
“Ah, that explains so much…”
“Then may I ask why you chose this earpiece to hide your identity?” he inquired, his gaze shifting to the human-like ears Tillysha wore.
She paused, then lifted her hand to the side of her head. With her pull, the space distorted momentarily, and as the moon-and-sun adorned earpiece came off, her pointed ears swayed slightly in the air.
“I don’t know, but I feel safer doing this,” she admitted.
“Ah, I see.” Didelai reflected on this.
Perhaps it was the Gold Elf’s instincts kicking in. Disguising oneself among the dominant demographic—the humans—was wise. Hardly anyone in Coleman Academy would notice her this way.
“Could you tell me where the beginning of your current memories lies? If you’re willing, maybe I might be able to help recover them.”
“Beginning?…The Coleman Forest,” she answered truthfully. It wasn’t a lie; her identity as Tillysha indeed began in Coleman Forest.
“The Coleman Forest?”
“Could you explain, if you would, why the ruling Gold Elves were no longer recognized as such?” Tillysha pressed on, using her ‘memory loss’ as an excuse to fish for more information.
“Not recognized, per se. The Moon Elves simply don’t acknowledge them,” Didelai explained. “You’ve lost your memory, or maybe you’re a newly born Gold Elf, so you wouldn’t know about the ‘Elf’s Trial’ that occurred four hundred years ago.”
“The Elf’s Trial?” Tillysha repeated, feeling an odd, brief twinge of pain in her head.
“Exactly. Four hundred years ago, during the invasion of the Demon Race, chaos erupted across the land.”
“Even though you’ve lost your memory, the fact that you still exist means the sacred tree survives—and that is the best possible outcome…”
“Princess Tillysha, do you know where the Elf Forest is located?”
“The Elf Forest? I imagine it’s on the southeastern corner of the continent.”
“Correct, but that is not the original Elf Forest. We elves did not originally live there. We relocated there later on,” Didelai explained further.
“Our original homeland, the true Elf Forest, is in the northern part of the continent.”
“The north? But that’s the Demon Race’s territory!”
“Precisely. Our original home, the true Elf Forest, has been overrun and consumed by the demons. Along with it, the sacred tree responsible for sustaining our race was lost.”
“The sacred tree…” Tillysha’s expression shifted. If she wasn’t mistaken, her first meeting with Bilodis happened at an enormous ancient tree. The palace of the Gold Elves was like a fruit growing out of this ancient tree, nestled in its branches.
Could Bilodis’s home be the sacred tree?
Didelai had sworn he wouldn’t lie to her on such a grave matter. So why this discrepancy?
“Four hundred years ago, the Demon Race, once leaderless after the Demon Emperor’s fall, was suddenly led once again. This new Demon Emperor was extremely powerful, capable of annihilating the vast and once-untouchable Empire. The capital was forced to move south, and the realms of the demi-humans were invaded as well.”
“Afterward, the Empire fell into decline, and the White Glass Kingdom split away.”
“In the great battle, the emperor himself led the army and the Holy Tribunal against the demons but suffered a crushing defeat. The emperor was killed, and the Tribunal utterly routed.”
