The northernmost point of Eostia.
A couple of days later.
- "So, this is the entrance to Nidavellir, the homeland of the dark elves?" I asked myself, examining the cave entrance, which looked completely ordinary to the untrained eye, hidden away in one of the rocks of the mountain range.
There were only dense, impenetrable forests and the ocean nearby, meaning that nothing could indicate that the entrance was hidden here.
Apart from the flora and fauna that posed a danger to any unfortunate soul who happened to wander in, I also sensed several closed fields, skillfully created and arranged so that even a well-trained mage could not recognize or notice their boundaries, and the density of the mana flow further masked everything, making the task even more difficult and impossible.
The closed fields surrounded the forest, clouding the mind and throwing travelers off course. And as we got closer and closer to the cave, this effect only intensified. Of course, a simple person would have already perished in the thick forest, eaten or poisoned by the local wildlife, but not me. Besides, our group was led by Olga, so there were no problems in principle.
- "Hmm... interesting defense. I don't think even Celestine would have made it this far," I nodded, and while Chloe cautiously followed in our footsteps, I looked at Olga, who looked pensive and a little worried, although she skillfully hid it, maintaining a stoic expression.
- "You seem troubled. I assume it's because you brought a stranger into your home? Although, you agreed to bring me here rather quickly."
- "Partly. Dark elves are a proud people and are extremely hostile toward all races other than their own. They won't be able to recognize you as a god, as I did, so expect an obvious reaction. Well, my decision is based on our deal. I'm not one to go back on my word," she replied calmly, but clearly not saying everything.
- "Oh? Well, let's go then," I shrugged. "You don't need to show me the way. It's obvious from the closed fields."
- "My queen," Chloe said suddenly as she and Olga followed me. "If what you said is true, then I..."
- "You're under my protection, Chloe. No one will dare hurt you, even if you're half-blood," Olga assured her warmly. "And Romani likes you."
- "R-really?" Chloe asked uncertainly.
- "You're not annoying, unlike the Shields, so don't worry," I waved her off and focused on finding a way out.
With the help of magic, it wasn't difficult to find the right route. The cave had a wide, branching labyrinth where every turn looked the same, making it very easy to get lost and perish, but not for me, of course.
The paths led lower and lower, as it seemed to me, hundreds of meters deep, lit only by stalactites of various shapes and sizes. And finally, we reached what seemed to be the bottom, where there was only one passage that led us into a vast space with a bunch of stone growths and stalactites.
It seemed like nothing unusual, because at first glance it was a cavity typical of such places, but it was not so. Olga knew this too, and she stood in front of me and took a deep breath.
- "I, Olga Discordia, Queen of Nidavellir and the dark elves, have come to request an audience with the elders," she declared loudly and authoritatively into the void. A few seconds later, dark elves emerged from their natural shelters, all with dark skin like Olga's and dressed in the customary attire of this world.
But what caught my attention was that among the ten who appeared, there was only one man with short black hair, who was dressed in ADEQUATE light leather armor.
He stepped forward, as if declaring his leadership, and the others stood behind him, brandishing daggers, bows, and staffs, as if preparing for battle.
- "Olga Discordia," began the elf, clearly looking down on Olga. "Three hundred years have passed since you left, and your destiny has not been fulfilled. In addition, you have brought a stranger here, a human, thereby violating the taboo of our people, and you know the punishment for that. Why do you think you are worthy of meeting with the elders?"
I raised an eyebrow.
- "Destiny"? Interesting. So Olga didn't leave her homeland for no reason, but for some very important reason. But what about her attitude towards people and taboos? Heh. That's not surprising at all, since almost all elves, dark or not, were xenophobic to one degree or another.
- "You've grown brave during my absence, Zask. It's not for you to decide what I am or am not worthy of," Olga said stoically but coldly, causing the elf to narrow his eyes but remain silent. "As long as I am queen, you must obey me, and therefore you will escort me and my companions to the elders."
- "Or what? For your misdeeds, I can order you to be killed right now, and the elders will understand the expediency of my order," he parried. "Our laws must be obeyed always and by all. Or have you forgotten what happened to your sister, 'queen'?"
As soon as he mentioned Olga's sister, her gaze hardened, Chloe stared at her queen in surprise, and I became interested.
Oh? How many interesting details about Olga's life have I learned? I guess I made the right choice in accepting her offer back then, in the castle. It turns out that this world is not as hopeless as I originally thought.
- "Do not mistake my politeness and respect for the traditions of our people for weakness, Zask. According to our laws, I am still queen, which means you will obey me or face punishment. I will enter the city with or without you," Olga declared with an obvious threat, at which the elf looked into her eyes a little longer, then glanced at his subordinates and made a dissatisfied face.
- "Follow us," the elf said irritably and turned away. "And keep an eye on your 'human', 'queen', or he may accidentally lose a limb or his life."
- "I'll keep that in mind," Olga replied.
The elf approached one of the walls and whispered something under his breath, causing the wall to glow purple and become transparent, revealing a hidden passageway. He then led us forward, and the female elves surrounded us as if we were criminals or something.
Seeing Olga's face, Chloe quietly approached me, clearly afraid to disturb her queen unnecessarily.
- "Lord Romani, why did you remain silent?" she asked cautiously and quietly so that no one but Olga and I could hear her. "You are a god and can deal with all of them. Why put up with such disrespect?"
- "I'm interested in this whole story and the details of Olga's life that have come to light. Consider it a little extra time they've earned," I smiled, patting her on the head, which drew looks of disgust from the dark elves and approval and a hidden smile from Olga. "I think you want to know more about your queen too, don't you?"
- "Uh-huh," Chloe nodded, lowering her head and blushing slightly.
After a couple of minutes of walking, light appeared at the end of the tunnel, and when we reached it, Nidavellir, the homeland of the dark elves, opened up before me.
It was a truly grand and mesmerizing underground city. It was lit by slits in the surface, giving it a sky-blue hue that seemed endless, complemented by colorful lanterns installed everywhere I looked.
Along the uneven, undulating walls of the incredibly vast underground space were rather exquisite houses of various shapes and sizes with a touch of futurism. The winding paths were paved with something resembling cobblestones, and there were many statues, mostly dedicated to a bearded man with intricate tattoos and rough skin.
But the most impressive thing was in the center, namely, the heart of the city in the form of a giant multi-level structure, separated from the rest by ravines of infinite depth, across which numerous bridges and passages had been built.
It was there that the largest and most beautiful buildings were located, and at the very top stood a palace with a flat roof, not as large as Celestine's in Göf, but much more mesmerizing and delightful with all its colorful lights and decorations in the form of statues and ornaments.
In terms of size, the city was not as large as Geofu, which was quite understandable. After all, Nidavellir was inhabited only by dark elves and no one else. Although, wait a minute, if you looked closely, you could see people, but far fewer than elves.
According to my estimates, about twenty thousand people lived here, and I don't think they would ever have problems with a lack of housing, because there was also enough free undeveloped land, considering the passages leading from the city.
In short, it was a real underground fantasy city where I would even like to stay. Heh.
While I was looking around, which took quite a long time, the elf led us to the palace and stopped, gathering a crowd of onlookers behind us. He nodded briefly to the guards at the entrance, after which we, that is, he himself, Chloe, Olga, and I, were allowed inside the palace, and after some time, and a bunch of passages and rooms, we found ourselves in front of a double door, which was also guarded, and behind which I sensed seven signatures.
- "I hope you haven't forgotten how to talk to elders, 'queen'? Or should I remind you?" the elf asked with undisguised mockery.
Olga ignored him and confidently opened the door, stepping inside, followed by Chloe, the elf, and me. Inside, the elders sat on seven small thrones, all of them women. Their faces and bodies were hidden by black cloaks, but each of them was distinguished by a different pattern and a brooch of a different color.
Oya, now I'm really curious to see how this will turn out. And what about Zelretch's request? Heh. One Noble Phantasm can always solve a problem, right?
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