The convoy was made up entirely of elves, their silver carriages gliding along the quiet forest road that led toward Ross City, capital of the soon-to-be Empire of Ross.
They had come all the way from Jinjing City, one of the largest elven settlements in the Central Region, known for its golden trees and shimmering spires. Nearly a million elves lived there—an incredible number for a race whose birth rate was notoriously low.
The reason for their journey was simple: Princess Angelina.
---
Angelina's Family
Angelina's home city, Jinjing, was a stronghold of ancient elven culture and learning. And among its noble families was hers—a lineage famed for both beauty and magical talent.
Leading the convoy was Angelis, Angelina's younger brother. The irony, of course, was that while he was ten years younger than his sister, he looked several years older.
Among humans this would be strange, but for elves, it was perfectly normal. Their aging slowed dramatically once they reached their teenage years. Many remained looking sixteen or seventeen for centuries.
Angelina herself had stopped aging around sixteen, her delicate face frozen forever in youthful grace. By contrast, her "younger" brother's features had matured into those of a calm young man in his twenties—even though, by birth, she had been his senior for decades.
Because of this, it wasn't unusual that people who met them assumed the opposite. But Angelis never minded.
He had another concern entirely—his brother-in-law.
---
Letters from Ross City
After Angelina was stationed in Ross City, she wrote frequent letters home to Jinjing. And she wrote often about Gavin Ward.
Her words painted the image of a man who was young yet decisive, a human who commanded both soldiers and scholars with equal respect. A man whose inventions could rival elven magic, and whose confidence made even highborn nobles uneasy.
Angelis had read every one of those letters.
He had imagined this man countless times—the human genius his sister seemed to admire more than anyone else. He had even begun to believe that the two of them must secretly be in love.
So, naturally, he started referring to Gavin as "brother-in-law."
And now, with his sister's letters mentioning that her beloved commander was soon to be crowned Emperor of Ross, Angelis decided it was the perfect chance to visit.
---
Journey to Ross
"How long until we reach Ross City?" Angelis asked, closing the report in his hands and leaning out of the carriage window.
A soldier riding beside the carriage responded immediately, "Your Highness, three days at most. Then we'll be in Ross territory."
Angelis smiled faintly. "Not 'Kingdom of Ross,'" he corrected. "It's the Empire of Ross now."
He couldn't help chuckling. "I never imagined my brother-in-law would become an emperor. Not bad… not bad at all."
The soldiers accompanying him exchanged uncertain looks, unsure if they should laugh.
To Angelis, however, it all sounded perfectly natural. Having an emperor as a brother-in-law—what elf wouldn't be proud of that?
---
Crossing the Border
Three days later, the elven convoy finally crossed into Ross territory. As expected, a border checkpoint soon came into view—wooden barricades, machine guns on rotating mounts, and sharp-eyed Rossian soldiers in gray-green uniforms.
A commanding voice shouted, "Halt! Identify yourselves!"
One of the elves stepped forward with diplomatic grace. "We are envoys from Jinjing City, coming to attend the coronation ceremony of His Highness the Prince's brother-in-law."
That was when things started going downhill.
"Brother-in-law's coronation?!" the Ross soldier repeated blankly. "What the hell does that mean?"
Angelis stepped down from the carriage with an elegant smile. "Oh, perhaps I should explain. My brother-in-law is Gavin Ward."
For a heartbeat, there was silence.
Then, chaos.
---
The Arrest
"Blasphemy!" one of the soldiers roared, his face turning crimson. "How dare you call His Majesty by name!"
The others quickly followed, raising their rifles. "Arrest them!"
"What?!" Angelis froze, completely lost. "Wait—what did I say wrong?"
Within seconds, twenty elves were surrounded by shouting soldiers, their weapons aimed and ready. The elves didn't even resist—they were too stunned to understand why they were suddenly considered criminals.
One officer barked, "I've never heard His Majesty had a queen, much less a brother-in-law! These impostors are spies!"
As they were dragged toward the outpost jail, Angelis sighed miserably. "This… this is a misunderstanding."
---
News Reaches the Palace
Meanwhile, in Ross City, Gavin Ward was in the middle of preparing for his coronation wardrobe. Rows of ceremonial uniforms, coats, and imperial robes hung neatly nearby, while his assistant Lina stood on a stool, helping roll up his sleeves to check the fit.
That was when Stephens entered the chamber, holding a file.
"Your Majesty," he began carefully, "there's… a small situation."
Gavin glanced over his shoulder. "What is it?"
"Our patrol guards detained a group of elves at the border. Apparently, their leader claimed to be your younger brother and addressed you as brother-in-law."
"...What?" Gavin blinked. "When did I get a brother-in-law? And an elf, no less?"
Stephens checked the report again. "The man's name is Angelis, Your Majesty."
Recognition flashed in Gavin's eyes. "Angelis… wait. Angelina's family?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Lieutenant Angelina is already on her way to retrieve them."
Gavin sighed deeply. "Of course she is."
---
The Detention Room
In Tino City's military detention center, over twenty elves sat awkwardly inside holding cells designed for smugglers and spies. Their fine clothes and polished boots looked out of place against the stone floors and metal bars.
The soldiers on guard stood stiffly, clearly unsure how to handle these oddly polite "prisoners."
The sound of boots echoed through the hallway. Click. Click. Click.
"Second Lieutenant Angelina arriving!" a soldier called out.
The officer in charge saluted immediately. "Lieutenant, His Majesty has already informed me. You may take custody of the detainees."
Then he stepped aside, wisely choosing not to get involved.
Angelina walked in, her cheeks flushed red—whether from anger or embarrassment, no one could tell. Her uniform was perfectly pressed, her black military cap slightly too large for her small frame, and her twin ponytails bounced as she stormed forward.
Inside the cell, Angelis's face lit up. "Sister! You're here! I knew you'd come for me!"
Everyone in the corridor froze.
Angelina's eye twitched. "...You idiot."
She marched right up to him, her boots clicking sharply against the stone, and before anyone could react—
Thud!
She kicked him squarely in the side, sending him stumbling into the wall.
"I don't have a brother like you!" she snapped, her face scarlet. "What kind of fool walks into the Emperor's country shouting that he's his brother-in-law?! Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is?!"
The other elves looked away in silence, pretending not to exist.
Angelis winced, holding his ribs. "Ow—Sister, stop! I was just trying to be polite! You talk about him all the time—how was I supposed to know humans get offended by family terms?"
"Because he's the Emperor, you idiot!" she hissed.
---
Sibling Chaos
The guards, unable to hide their amusement, looked on as Angelina continued her verbal assault.
"Do you know what they reported to His Majesty? That an elf prince called him by name, in public, and claimed to be part of his family!" She glared. "Do you realize how many soldiers nearly opened fire because of that?"
Angelis groaned. "How was I supposed to know humans are so touchy about titles?"
Angelina planted her hands on her hips. "Next time, just say you're here as my relative, not his. You nearly caused an international incident!"
"Alright, alright, I get it…" he muttered.
"Do you?" she said, leaning closer. "Because I swear, Angelis, if you embarrass me in front of the Emperor again, I'll throw you back in here myself!"
Her brother only grinned weakly. "Still… it's nice to see you, sis."
That softened her expression—just slightly. She sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You're lucky you're family."
Then she turned to the officer. "Release them. And get my brother some ice. I may have kicked him too hard."
"Yes, Lieutenant!" the man answered quickly, hiding a smile.
---
Report to the Emperor
Later that evening, Angelina returned to the palace to report directly to Gavin Ward.
"So," he said, arms crossed, "you really have a brother who thinks shouting 'brother-in-law' at my soldiers is a diplomatic greeting?"
Angelina's face went pink again. "He… doesn't understand human etiquette yet, Your Majesty."
"I can tell." Gavin smirked. "At least now we know how to detain an entire elven delegation with one word."
Angelina's head dropped. "Please don't hold it against them."
He chuckled. "Relax. I'm not angry. Just make sure your brother understands that the next time he wants to see me, he should probably send a letter first."
"Yes, Your Majesty." She bowed quickly.
As she turned to leave, Gavin added with a grin, "Tell him the next time he calls me brother-in-law in public, I'll make him explain it at a press conference."
Angelina groaned. "Please, Your Majesty, don't encourage him."
Her footsteps faded down the hall, and Gavin laughed quietly to himself. "The detained elves," he murmured, shaking his head. "What a way to start an empire."
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