Chapter 231 - Leader of the moon elves

While following the moon elf, we ventured deeper into the dense forest. At a certain point, before I could even realize it, the trees began to part, revealing a relatively spacious clearing. Houses built in the treetops and others on the ground started to emerge before us.

The arrival here was surprisingly sudden. It wasn't as if my memory had been erased for a moment, but somehow, as we walked, something seemed to divert my attention from the surroundings. Before I knew it, we were already here. Though I couldn't say for certain, I suspected that some kind of barrier surrounded this place.

"This place seems like a camp" 

Fujiwara, who was beside me, commented as we walked. 

"Well, I understand why she thinks that" 

The houses were essentially relatively simple cabins but looked cozy. The arrangement of the place really made it seem like a camp, and even something resembling a huge bonfire was in the middle.

While pondering on this, we reached a tree that was notably larger than the others. On top, there was a house clearly more elaborate than the others, with a spiral staircase leading up to it. As we climbed the stairs, the dimension of the little "city" of moon elves became more evident.

Though it seemed small at first glance, the place really resembled a city. That was, in a way, quite impressive. Many other houses, which I hadn't seen before, began to appear as we climbed the steps. Upon reaching the top, I looked down again, realizing that we had reached a considerable height.

"We're about to arrive. Follow me"

Hearing that, I turned to the elf and continued to follow him. As we entered the house, the first thing that caught the eye was the enormous decorated trunk in the center of the room. Somehow, it seemed completely natural to be there. I really have to admit that moon elves have a unique approach to decorating their interiors.

"Are these the guests?"

Suddenly, a calm and serene voice echoed through the room. When I looked in the direction of the voice, I found myself facing a stunning young woman, her silver hair and tan skin enhancing her beauty. A black necklace adorned her forehead, adding a touch of elegance to her delicate appearance.

She wore a bold yet discreet outfit, revealing only the necessary. Her bare feet were wrapped in strategically placed cloths. If I had to describe her, I would undoubtedly use the word "natural" without hesitation, she truly looked like a forest fairy.

"Lyria-sama, I brought them as per your orders" 

The elf said, making a small bow. Honestly, the scene was quite peculiar, an adult bowing before a child. Although it wasn't unprecedented for me, considering that Sylvia was also a princess and often encountered similar situations, it always surprised me a bit.

However, the situation became a bit more peculiar upon realizing that the girl in front of me was the leader of the moon elves. While reflecting on this, Lyria, as I discovered her name, dismissed the man who had brought us. As soon as he left, she led us to another part of the place and sat on a small cushion.

"So, who brought you to our humble village? Although I received the advance letter from the king of Anima, it still didn't explain much"

As soon as her words were spoken, I looked at Leona, indicating that she should speak, as Leona seemed to understand more about these matters than I did. 

"I apologize for our sudden visit, but I assure you that our purpose here will not harm you in any way" 

Lyria said. Uttering these words, Lyria looked thoughtfully at Leona, but I noticed the corner of her eye was directed at me, which left me a bit puzzled.

"Alright, I've known your father for years and trust that he wouldn't harm us. Since he mentions you in his letter, I'll believe in you as well. But what exactly could I help you with?" 

Leona said after that, briefly looking at me, signaling that I should take it from there. Keeping this in mind, I told Lyria about our future plans, or at least part of them.

"Do you know the location of any dungeon around Eldoria? It doesn't really matter how it looks; we just want to know if it exists and where it might be if it does"

Hearing my words, Lyria put her hand on her chin and made a thoughtful expression. It seemed like she was taking longer than usual, so I thought she probably didn't know of any dungeons. However, just as I thought that, Lyria seemed to have remembered something.

"I'm not sure if this fits what you're asking, but in Eldoria, there's a certain attraction" 

Hearing her words, I looked confused. 

"Attraction? What do you mean by that?" 

Lyria began to explain. 

"I've never seen it myself, but in Eldoria, there's a place in the great divine tree that functions as a portal. Even if you enter, the portal will only take you randomly to some place, so although it's an attraction, it's quite inconvenient when you think about it"

It definitely seemed like what we were looking for. Anyway, it looked like we would have to talk to the queen of Eldoria. As soon as this thought crossed my mind, a sudden doubt arose in my head. 

"By the way, you always refer to Eldoria as if we're not already in the kingdom. I thought this place is part of the realm of Eldoria" 

Hearing my words, Lyria put a sad smile on her face. 

"Well, technically, we're already in Eldoria, but the elders of the kingdom don't consider our village as part of the realm. Although the queen is trying to change that, it will probably take more time. After all, it's only been four hundred years since our race started being seen as evil by the light elves"

Although this was the first time I heard this, I was certainly impressed that she spoke four hundred years as if it were yesterday. Although, from the elves' perspective, four hundred years probably means forty human years, so in a way, it really wasn't that long ago.