Aetheria Magic

Ilodyer delicate body shifted lightly and gracefully descended from the intertwined branches, knowing without a doubt that the Elven King had been waiting for him beneath the tree.

Ilodyer ranked last in both magic and combat skills. When the Elven King received Ilodyer report card, he shook his head with a sigh.

What kind of expression is that?

"Fath-- King... Hug... me..." Ilodyer feigned a pitiable expression, a layer of mist forming in his beautiful black eyes as his thirteen-year-old form reached out his arms toward the Elven King.

The Elven King lifted Ilodyer and placed him on his lap, and Ilodyer head nuzzled into the King shoulder.

"Good child, I'm not angry." the Elven King reassured.

Ilodyer lifted his head, "Really?"

"Well... but..."

Uh... he said "but"...

The Elven King cupped Ilodyer face, "Don't leave Evergreen Glade Forest."

"Why?"

The Elven King smiled and counter-questioned, "Would you leave your King?"

"No." Ilodyer pondered for a moment, "Can't the King leave Evergreen Glade Forest?"

"No." the Elven King shook his head, "If I leave, Evergreen Glade Forest would gradually perish, and the elves would depart, turning this place into a dark forest."

"Isn't there another way?" Ilodyer furrowed his tiny brows, "I want to see the outside world with you, King."

The Elven King expression turned somewhat melancholic, "We haven't found a suitable vessel yet..."

"What...?"

"It's nothing." the Elven King bent down and kissed Ilodyer hair, "Could you wait a little longer, my child?"

"Yes..." You're just appeasing me; it's probably going to be seven or eight hundred years...

"King... if my grades are bad, will you dislike me?" Ilodyer snuggled into the Elven King embrace.

"Of course not." the Elven King chuckled softly.

Ilodyer said, "Then I'll try my best to study."

"If you don't like it, you don't have to learn. There's plenty of time, and I can talk to your teachers." the Elven King words surprised Ilodyer, earning a curious blink and a pensive smile from the Elven King.

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are..." Ilodyer sang a children song while lounging on the rooftop, gazing at the stars in the sky.

The starry sky seemed unchanged, and Ilodyer could still identify those familiar constellations: Sagittarius, the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia, Lyra...

... Scientists, of course, had mentioned that the positions of stars were also changing, though it took billions of years. Nothing in the world seemed to remain eternal; perhaps the fondness for a person might gradually change over time. Maybe it was because human lives were too fleeting to truly perceive, and so it was for the elves. Their elegance, nobility, and delicate emotions might transform over the longest span of time.

What's unfortunate is that I still feel like a human. I'll still long for the days gone by, remember my deceased biological father, the flowers in the shop, the ones about to bloom and those already withered, the beautiful landscapes seen during travels, the usual thoughts of taxes and insurance, memories of that man...

On the other hand, generally speaking, time-traveling tends to have its advantages. You could effortlessly quote some ancient poetry to impress, predict historical events, invent something groundbreaking, or maybe even tackle water management or construction...

But now, it's like bringing coals to Newcastle. Elven magic and artistry, honed over millions of years, and... the issue lies in the cultural gap...

Ilodyer let out a sigh of frustration. Well, this might not be too bad after all. Thinking this, he flipped off the rooftop, returned to his room, and nestled into the Elven King embrace, drifting off to sleep with a serene fragrance.

The Elven realms were scattered across numerous forests, and every five hundred years, there was a gathering of elven families, held in the Elven King forest—Evergreen Glade Forest, The Source Of The Trees.

This year, Ilodyer turned thirteen, perfectly coinciding with such a gathering. As leaves sprouted from The Source Of The Trees, elves from all corners came visiting, and the Elven King became increasingly absent from home.

For some reason, Ilodyer felt less inclined to return home when the King was away. So, on a whim, he headed to the magic teacher abode.

For elves, magic was an innate ability and didn't require formal learning. The role of a teacher was merely to guide and provide cognitive training, unlike human education where teachers were specialized in various fields of magic.

Ilodyer teacher was the same as Rhys, a young male elf. He appeared rather handsome in human terms, around twenty years old, with short golden hair and green eyes. He exuded the aura of the Evergreen Glade Forest, appearing more like an outdoorsman than a scholar.

"What's the matter, teacher?" Ilodyer looked at his teacher expression.

"Nothing, nothing." the teacher hurriedly responded, flustered, attempting to usher Ilodyer out, "The room is quite messy, please leave for now and come back later."

Ilodyer sharp eyes noticed something odd among the books strewn about on the floor. With a quick turn, he darted into the room, picked up the peculiar book from the ground, and raised it in front of the teacher.

The two of them stared at each other for a moment. The teacher resignedly closed the door to the study and made sure to lock it.

"Let me see what the teacher is reading..." Ilodyer flipped through the book. "Wow... you're actually reading human magic books."

"Alright, alright, give it back to me." The teacher took the book from Ilodyer hand, while tidying up the books on the floor. "I'm just using them for research purposes."

"Elves aren't allowed to study these. It's said that human magic is essentially derived from dark magic, which can corrupt the soul." Ilodyer laughed and said, "But all of this was said by you."

"It was me." the teacher stared at Ilodyer, "I also said that before entering someone else home, you need their permission. Did you follow that?"

Ilodyer stuck out his tongue and remained silent. The study fell into silence. After a while, the teacher whispered, "Don't tell your King, but human magic is quite interesting."

"Really?" Ilodyer randomly pulled out a book, took a look at the cover, and gasped, "Aetheria Magic: Beginner Guide?"

"That magic is quite interesting. Do you want to learn it for fun?" the teacher suddenly suggested.

Ilodyer sighed, "Teacher, even if I'm not your accomplice, I wouldn't divulge this. It's best if you also avoid getting involved with such things. Don't forget, the God Of Creation watches over us from above."

"God has been absent for millions of years." the teacher wrinkled his nose.

"Is this book really useful?" Ilodyer raised the book in his hand.

"It should be, because you have human bloodline. Learning human magic might be easier for you." the teacher explained.

Ilodyer smiled, "Okay, I'll borrow this book for now. If it's not useful, you can stop researching it too."

The teacher grumpily said, "Fine, help yourself." and opened the door. Ilodyer grinned and dashed out.

Back home, the Elven King hadn't returned yet. So, under the candlelight, Ilodyer started reading.

"Can this book really be useful...?" Ilodyer muttered as he flipped through the pages, "Maybe I should find someone to test it on."

Late at night, when the Elven King returned to the room, the candles had extinguished, and only the Night Pearls covered by light gauze emitted a faint glow.

Ilodyer with black hair was sleeping on the large bed draped with splendid canopies.

Perhaps his footsteps woke him, Ilodyer sat up from the bed, rubbed his eyes, and looked at the Elven King.

"Father...?"

"Mm, go back to sleep." the Elven King removed his coat. Since Ilodyer had started speaking, he protested against the King habit of sleeping naked. As a result, the Elven King had to wear sleepwear to be allowed on the bed.

Ilodyer watched the Elven King change his clothes. The fair skin looked exceptionally beautiful under the moonlight, and his silvery hair seemed divine like moonlight.

"..." It seemed like he had forgotten something. Ilodyer scratched his head, his gaze flicking to the edge of the pillow. Oh, Aetheria Magic... would it be useful on the Elven King? Technically speaking, he was his father. Would beginner-level Aetheria Magic work...?

"What are you thinking?" The Elven King had already sat on the bed. "Come here."

"Oh." Ilodyer obediently snuggled into the Elven King embrace.

"Is something bothering you?" The Elven King lowered his head, looking thoughtfully at Ilodyer.

"Father..." Ilodyer raised his head and, driven by curiosity, secretly used Aetheria Magic. He started with the charm in his eyes...

The Elven King looked at him as usual, then averted his gaze. Uh... what was the next step in the book? Action? Action... Ilodyer lightly brushed his nose against the Elven King neck, his disheveled breath brushing against the King elegant nape, carrying a bewitching aura. The hand resting on the Elven King broad shoulder lightly moved downward, tracing the creases of his noble silk pajamas.

Just as Ilodyer was getting into using Aetheria Magic, he was suddenly pushed away by the Elven King. Unprepared, Ilodyer was pushed onto the bed, his long black hair spread out on the sheets, contrasting with his fair skin.

"I have something to attend to. You should go to sleep first." the Elven King voice carried a distinct huskiness.

"Father..."

Ignoring Ilodyer words, the Elven King left the room.