Chapter 5

Pristine

That's the word that popped into my head as I gawked at the elven city.

While I stood, slack-jawed, still processing the world around me, a shadow whizzed in front of me suddenly, jolting me awake.

Tess was still holding onto my hand when a group of what seemed like guards arrived out of nowhere.These five guards all carried a rapier strapped to their waist.

The guards ignored my presence as they suddenly kneeled in front of Tess In unison. "We welcome back the royal princess."

"..." My gaze flicked back and forth between the guards and Tess and I'm reminded of the time when I jokingly called Tessia 'your highness'.

Tessia was actually the princess of this whole kingdom?

When I tried to let go of Tessia's hand she suddenly squeezed her hand tighter. In a voice so cold and apathetic that I mistook her voice for someone else's, she said, "You may rise."

They stood up with their right fist still crossing their chest when the knight in front speaks. "Princess, we arrived as soon as we saw that the royal teleportation gate had been used. The King and Queen are..."

Before he could finish speaking, I heard a cry not too far away.

"My baby! Tessia, you're okay! Oh my baby!"

Running towards us was a middle aged man and woman. From the crown on the man's head and the tiara encircling the woman's forehead, I assumed that they were the King and Queen.

The King's tall, built body was uniformed in a loose, decorated robe. His emerald eyes were pointed upwards and his thin lips were tensed, matching his short, military style hair.

The last to arrive was an old man well past his prime. His facial features are all sharp, with a gaze that could kill someone on contact. His hair was pure white and was tied in the back, face cleanly shaven. This elderly man didn't say anything, but his eyes did warm up a little when he saw Tessia.

It took a several minutes for Tessia and her parents to settle down. In the meantime, the guards were glaring at me with daggers in their eyes, as even the elder was eyeing me curiously.

The King finally stood up and while his eyes were red, he still carried an air of dignity. "As the King of Elenoir and the father of Tessia, I must apologize for this unsightly appearance of mine and more importantly, I wish to thank you for escorting my daughter back home safely," he stated, his voice coming out a bit hoarse. "Please accompany us to our home so that you may rest. After, you can tell us what happened."

His tone was gentle but implied that there wasn't really an option, so I simply nodded in consent. As I was about to follow behind them, Tessia came to me and grabbed my hand again, filling the surrounding people with expressions of shock. I couldn't help but chuckle uncomfortably as I scratched the side of my head, unable to muster up the appropriate words for a situation like this.

Virion Eralith POV

It's been a few days since my granddaughter was last seen in the castle. The last time she was seen was when she's having an argument, with my son and daughter-in-law.

Since the whole castle found out she went missing. The whole place was in the state of chaos, all of the royal guards were dispatch across the kingdom, in hope to find the little one. Then everyone began looking around in hope to find my granddaughter, but few days passed and we still didn't find News about her.

Although the search was a large scale one, we also make sure that our citizen, wouldn't find out that their princess was missing.

The search continues and some of the guards went to the forest, since the forest was one of the places that my granddaughter go whenever she was angry and want to calm her mind.

Since the search for the little one was to no avail. I was thinking of visiting my friend to ask some help, when suddenly one of the guards were running, and then he started to report the news he got.

"Elder Virion, the royal teleportation was being used. And it was the Princess that's returning back. The king and Queen were already on their way there." Reported the guard while bowing.

Hearing this brightens my mood. Became since the little one went missing, I was feeling down since I and the little one were so closer to me, than her parents. So with her being gone my mood aren't that good.

Quickly tidying my self, I then rushed were my the little one was.

Arriving at the scene, I saw my granddaughter with her parents hugging each other while crying.

I look at them with a smile, then I notice that the little one didn't come back home alone. She was with a boy who look a year younger than her, looking at him I saw a storage ring at his hand, that confused me, is this boy already have a mana core? At his age? I then try check his mana core and when I do.

It shocked me, he's not only a mage at a young age, he was also light orange core, almost dark yellow core.

'That's insane! That's impossible! How the hell was he at a light orange core! almost dark yellow core at his age?' These was thoughts I have on my head, when the brat and my son started talking to each other.

Then my son 'invited' this boy to the castle to thank him, and tell us the details of what happen to the both of them. Which the boy accepted and we're about to leave when my granddaughter run towards boy and grabbed his hand pulling him with her, Filling the surrounding an expression of shock since she rarely do these kind of things.

It looks like little one found a friend.

When we arrived at the castle the boy told us that he doesn't need to rest a he can fill us the details of what happened. Since he was the one who said it we all agree and sit on the table , with my son and the boy sit opposite each other, with his wife on his side along with the little one, while I'm on his other side, and the guards standing beside us.

The boy then started narrating what happened, he told us, about where he came from and what was his name which was Arthur leywin. And he was a mage, That earn utter of disbelief look from everyone in the room. Excluding me and the five royal guards that they met when they first arrived back home, It's looks like they also checked out the brat.

Hearing his word one of the newly arrived guards said he was a liar, and asking him to prove his words. I just stopped him before he do something stupid.

He then told us that they were attack by bandits separating him from his family and friends. and, I pity him and his family for that, then he told us  how he survived and how he meet my granddaughter. He told us he saw group of people holding an elf, and when he clearly see what's happening he found out they were slave traders. At this my son was furious then said.

" I should've known it was humans..."

Before he finished his words he boy corrected him.

"They were slave traders. Them and bandits alike prey on, not just elves, but humans as well, speaking as a victim myself." said the boy, Arthur.

That word make my word let out a soft cough, the shut his mouth, and sitting back down.

"I didn't ask Tess... ahem the Princess this, but I am curious as to how slave traders even got their hands on the princess of this kingdom," Arthur asked looking at us.

Tess? Heh... it seems like they've gotten close, so close enough for her to allow him call her like that.

Then my son and daughter-in-law look at each other, and became embarrassed before saying, "My wife and I had a bit of a disagreement with Tessia and she decided to rebel by running away. We had decided to let her cool off a bit before fetching her back because we knew where she usually stayed when she pouted, but unfortunately, she ran into some hu... slave traders."

I then saw the boy a boy sneak a small teasing grin to the little one, while she responded by sticking her tongue out.

Then he told us the details of the fight against slave traders.

"Luckily, I had caught the slave traders by surprise and managed to dispose of them before untying the princess and escorting her here."

"So a four-year-old managed to 'luckily' kill off four adults, one being an augmenter at that, and you simply wave it off like it's no big deal," chimes myself looking the boy while leaning my back.

"Yes, after they knocked out the princess, I caught them off guard killing them instantly." The brat refuted back, which I just shrug my shoulder.

After finishing the events, he cleared his throat before asking what he came here for. "As I have mentioned, it has been almost two months since I have seen my parents. I do not plan to intrude on your kingdom for long as I wish to meet them quickly, so I was wondering if you guys had a teleportation gate that could take me to the City of Xyrus or anywhere inside Sapin."

"You're going to leave already, Art?!" Tess shot up from her seat, face stricken with panic.

Both her mother and father gave each other a baffled look as they mouthed 'Art'.

While I just shot snide grin at this and chuckled, rocking on my chair.

Art? So they were really close.

"I don't think it's appropriate for a human such as myself to be inside this Kingdom for too long, Princess. Besides, I wish to make sure that my family is safe and tell them I'm okay as well," he answered, giving a sheepish smile.

My son responds back for Tess. "It has been a couple hundred years since the last human has stepped foot into the Kingdom of Elenoir and you, Arthur, are the first human to be in the capital of this Kingdom, the City of Zestier. However, saving our daughter and taking the trouble to accompany her all the way back to us entitles you with a proper reward..."

"...Unfortunately, the teleportation gate linked with the Kingdom of Sapin opens only once every seven years, for the Summit Conference between the three races. Since the last Summit was two years ago, it'll be another five years until the gate will function," the King continued.

"However, we are more than willing to send a group of guards to escort you back home. You are correct that it may not be wise to stay in this kingdom for too long. While some are tolerant, many hold animosity towards humans because of the war long ago." My son flashed a brief, sorrowful smile at this.

The brat nodded in agreement.

"For now, please make yourself at home here. We will have your escorts prepared by tomorrow morning. I do advise you not to wander around outside in the city though, for the reasons mentioned earlier."

My son snapped his finger and a tan maid rushed out, leading the brat to his room.

Everyone thinks it was over, so they started to leave, and so is the brat, but there's a question still lingering on my head.

I was only able to sense it because I'm the same as him though, mine was weaker. What the brat didn't told us that he was a beast tamer, Or it seems like he didn't know he was one. "I need to check him out. And test the brat, and I will gonna have some fun" I mutter while grinning excited to test the brat skill.

I then stand up from the chair I was sitting, walking out to get some tools I'm going to need.

Knowing little one he was going to find the brat, then bring him to the garden, and that will be my chance.

Walking in the armory looking for a sword for myself, and for the brat.

I then head out to where the garden is located.

Just like what I expected, the little one and the brat were here. I sneak preparing to throw the rubber toy I have in my hand, releasing some of my killing intent to alert them, then I throw the toy to tessia, And began to move.

The boy block my surprised attack, grabbing the toy, he immediately spun himself around to block my fist that was about to make contact on his gut.

Parrying my punch, I then feel the gravity around me feels heavy, causing my legs to shake.

The brat is a gravity deviant!

Activating the second phase of my beast will, I once again sneak on his back aiming for another punch.

He then block it by grabbing my hand. deciding I should make myself known for the brat.

I then Deactivated my beast will, looking at the brat while grinning. The brat look at me with disbelief. While I said "Hello!"

"What the hell! Why are you trying to kill us?!"