Areth gestured with his hand for the two elves to come closer. Hesitant at first, they approached him timidly, fear evident in their movements.
"Now tell me," he said, "what is the name of this world?"
The female elf hesitated, glanced around, then stepped forward and knelt. It was as if kneeling before him before speaking were a sacred obligation. Selene had explained to them in advance how they were to behave in Areth's presence, using unpleasant words to describe what would happen if they failed.
For that reason, the male elf quickly knelt as well.
Then, with trembling lips, the female elf spoke.
"W-we call this world Ağa'k… but that name belongs to our faith… N-normally, other elves call it Terassak, my lord…"
Areth nodded in quiet satisfaction.
He liked this elf girl.
She had answered bravely, directly, without unnecessary details. Moreover, her words implied the existence of other kinds of elves. She had not mentioned other races, however…
"Do you know of other species besides elves?" Areth asked.
The female elf turned to look at the male elf. Then her gaze drifted into the distance, as if trying to recall something. When she found the right words, she turned back to Areth.
"Only elves live in the Meleket Forest, my lord… but it is said that beyond the forest, there are lands where humans and other beings live…"
After listening carefully, Areth slowly tapped his fingers against the armrest of his chair. There was neither surprise nor satisfaction on his face. Only deep contemplation.
"Meleket Forest…" he murmured.
His gaze swept over the two elves.
Their fear was no longer something they could conceal. It was as if every word they spoke brought their fate closer to being decided.
"Then," he said in a calm yet commanding tone, "has anyone among you ever gone outside? Have you seen humans or other races with your own eyes?"
The female elf shook her head quickly.
"No, my lord. Only nobles or the powerful are permitted to leave."
Areth silently weighed her answer. The rhythmic tapping of his fingers paused for a moment, then resumed more slowly and deliberately. He had obtained some of the information he wanted. Now it was time for the rest.
He fixed his gaze directly on the female elf.
"Is there magic in this world?"
At his question, she visibly flinched. Her shoulders tensed, and her eyes involuntarily shifted toward Alya, as if weighing the consequences of saying something wrong.
After a brief silence, she lowered her head even further.
"Y-yes, my lord," she said in a trembling voice. "Ağa'k's Breath… that is what we call magic."
Areth's hand remained still on the edge of the chair. Without narrowing his eyes or changing his expression, he continued listening.
"Go on," he said.
The elf girl gathered her courage and spoke.
"Every elf receives a small fragment of Ağa'k's Breath at birth… Some of us can only use it to nurture plants… Some can heal wounds… and some…"
She hesitated.
"…can fight, my lord."
This time, the male elf added quietly, without lifting his head.
"Power is tied to blood and soul. Pure bloodlines are stronger. That is why noble families rule."
The corners of Areth's lips curved faintly.
As expected.
Magic.
Hereditary.
Controlled.
Concentrated in specific hands.
"Then," he said calmly, "is there magic like… magic used directly through will, based on training?"
The question caught both elves completely off guard.
The female elf lifted her head slightly in confusion.
"B-by will, my lord?"
"Yes," Areth replied. "Without bloodlines, lineage, or Ağa'k's blessing. Only mind, mana, and discipline."
Her eyes widened.
Clearly, the concept was entirely foreign to her.
But then the male elf seemed to recall something.
"I-I think I've heard of such a thing… Humans and other… races can do it… I've also heard of some elves who can, but our kind cannot."
When his words echoed through the room, a brief silence followed.
Areth's gaze instantly locked onto him.
"Repeat that," he said.
His voice did not rise.
But the hardness in his tone was close to an order.
The male elf flinched. He crouched lower on his knees, his forehead nearly touching the ground.
"I-I'm sorry, my lord," he stammered. "I-I heard it from our elders… Outside the forest… some humans can use magic directly from within themselves… without relying on Ağa'k…"
The female elf stared at him in shock.
"I-I've never heard that…" she whispered.
"Because it's forbidden," the male elf said hurriedly. "Talking about it is forbidden. It's considered falsehood and heresy."
Areth weighed those words in his mind.
Forbidden.
Heresy.
Falsehood.
Labels often placed over dangerous truths.
"Who told you this?" he asked.
"M-my father, my lord," the elf replied. "He served in the guard unit. When he was young, he went on border patrols. Once… he said they encountered a wounded human."
Areth leaned forward slightly.
"Continue."
The male elf swallowed.
"That human… showed no sign of magic. No Ağa'k's Breath… no spiritual resonance… and yet… flames came from his hands. Pure fire. Without talismans. Without divine invocation."
It matched perfectly with the system Areth knew.
Pure mana manipulation.
"And then?" he asked.
"The guards killed him, my lord," he said in a low voice. "Because… he was 'against the sacred order.'"
The female elf lifted her head in horror.
"Killed?.."
"Yes," the male elf whispered. "After that, my father was silenced. He never spoke of it again."
Areth leaned back.
By now, a rough picture of this world's relationship with magic had formed in his mind.
For a while, he remained silent.
It was as if he were repeatedly examining what he had heard, fitting each piece into place. At last, he withdrew his fingers from the armrest and clasped his hands over his knees. He looked back at the two elves. This time, his voice was calmer. But deeper.
"I understand," he said.
After a brief pause, he continued.
"Now tell me about the governance of this place."
Both elves flinched at once.
That question felt even more dangerous than magic.
"Who rules?" Areth asked. "Who decides? Who wages war, and who makes peace?"
Without lifting her head, the female elf replied.
"O-our people are not ruled by a single king, my lord…"
Areth's eyebrows rose slightly.
"Go on."
"The Meleket Forest is vast," she said. "So vast that… some regions cannot be crossed even in months of walking. Therefore, each kind of elf governs its own territory."
The male elf joined in.
"Leaf Elves, Moon Elves, Shadow Elves, Root Elves… each rules its own lands, my lord."
Areth listened intently.
So the Elves were not one people. They were fragmented and divided into independent centres of power.
"Does each kind have its own king?" he asked.
"Yes, my lord," the female elf replied. "Some are called kings or queen… some high chiefs… and some sacred leaders."
"And all of them are within the Meleket Forest."
"Yes."
Areth nodded slowly.
"Do you fight each other?"
The two elves exchanged glances briefly.
Then the male elf spoke.
"S-sometimes… over borders… over water sources… or sacred trees…"
"There are no great wars," the female elf added. "But small conflicts… are frequent."
The picture in Areth's mind became even clearer. There was no great empire or central authority.
"The outside world?" he asked. "What is the outside world like?"
The elf girl shrugged slightly.
"We don't know much, my lord…"
"Tell me what you do know."
"It is said that there are human kingdoms," she replied. "That they build cities of stone… maintain armies… and obey their kings absolutely."
The male elf added,
"Dwarves supposedly live underground… carving through mountains. Some merchants whisper about them."
"There are also monster nations," the female elf said hesitantly. "In the north… giants, werewolves, horned races…"
"Do you have contact with them?" Areth asked.
"No, my lord," she answered immediately. "The forest borders are closed. Envoys rarely come… We never see them."