Chapter 161 - The Problem with Being a High Half-Elf

  "Until we resolve your situation, we’re all teically itting a crime,” Adrihna said. “So don’t draw any attention to yourself. Don’t create any is that could put you in the middle of a mess, as we’re w on resolving your diplomatic issue.”

  I thought over what I o do. I had no iion of causing trouble, but now, uanding the seriousness of it all, I definitely wouldn't sider revealing my elements.

  “Any suspi that could reveal your identity directly impacts me as well, especially if they find out I’ve been c for you,” Victoria added.

  “I uand the gravity of the situation,” I replied. “I’ll avoid anything that might attract attention.”

  Victoria smiled, ruffling my hair with a touch of relief. “Now that we’ve addressed the first crime I’m itting, we o tackle the sed.”

  “What? How many crimes am I itting just by existing?” I asked, surprised.

  “Your Special Eyes, Nathan,” Adrihna replied. “Hiding the fact that you have Special Eyes is a crime in the human kingdom. You might not face severe punishment as the bearer, but the issue is that the director would again be vioting the w of rality, which could eveo the death penalty for her.”

  I looked at Victoria, stunned. “Why are you risking so much? Literally putting your ne the line for me.”

  “Because I have friends within the high elf nobility,” she responded. “I khat kid Haiten before he even officially became king. Besides, the elf kingdom doesn’t ensve demi-humans like in parts of the human kingdom, nor do they engage in racist practices.”

  “The human kingdom is racist toward you?” I asked, intrigued.

  Victoria sighed before responding. “Let’s just say they tolerate us, but to some humans, we’re treated like animals. Iaihere’s no differeween us and the intelligent animals they domesticate. Our species avoids moving freely through the human kingdom because we know the risks. Even the elves prefer to avoid certain areas. There’s a human traffig market there... and we, as other species, are seen as high-value odities.”

  As I listened, memories from the past flooded my mind. I recalled a time when a ried to kidnap Kinue. I also remembered numerous missions marked by simir cruelties.

  I’ve dealt with human traffig within our territory. We always had to act before they crossed the border si wasn’t a crime in other territories. If they took people to another duchy, we couldn’t mobilize military forces, and by the time we got authorization, the victim would already be gone.

  I analyze the plex situation among the kingdoms, and it’s truly delicate.

  Maybe that’s why it’s so essential to require high-ranking o spend five years in this academy alongside other races—to prevent people in positions of power from wanting to domihers at some point.

  “Now I better uand why this academy exists.”

  Professor Adrihna approached me. “In the demi-human and elf kingdoms, there’s no traffig or prejudice that views another species as inferior. Although the demi-human kingdom may have territorial disputes due to beastly genes, we high elves don’t sider ourselves superior to other elves since we all embrace the same culture. You could say we’re proud, but it’s more a pride in our existence, as we’re so few left,” Adrihna expined.

  I find myself in a very plex situation, ohat could deeply affect my family in the human kingdom.

  "Why don't we just let my ins remain fotten? I could simply stay quiet about being desded from high elves," I suggested, trying to simplify the problem.

  Adrihna and Victoria exged gnces. "Let's just say it's important to preserve the memory of that aor of yours," Adrihna replied. "Ign your heritage is also sidered a crime in the elven kingdom… especially since you ied the silver hair..."

  I rolled my eyes, joking, "How many crimes are we itting here? I think I've lost t."

  Victoria chuckled. "We're not do, kid. I've got another bde over my neck. Add one more crime to the list."

  "What crime?" I asked, curious.

  She got fortable in her chair, and Adrihna expined, "There are strict rules about marriages between nobles of different species, Nathan. You are a politioble of two kingdoms. Now, what do you think the third kingdom would think? If someone suspects a blood alliaween two kingdoms, the third one will feel threatehat's why any matrimonial boween nobles of different realms has to be done openly, with several doted approvals and limitations, especially when it involves politiobility. These ws exist to prevent alliahat could destabilize the baween kingdoms."

  I processed the information. "But I'm just a noble, not someoh royal weight in any kingdom," I argued, trying to grasp the magnitude of the situation.

  Adrihna and Victoria shared a look of silent agreement. "These rules apply to any noble, Nathan," Adrihna crified. "Your situation is extremely delicate. With your silver hair and magical talent, it's essential to keep all of this hidden until your position is settled."

  I nodded, realizing the gravity of my situation, but I hadn't anticipated just how deep the problem ran.

  Then there are the Celestial Eyes and that little monster sleeping in my room...

  "Cheer up, kid!" Victoria enced with a reassuring smile, propping her feet on the desk. "Whe through all this diplomacy, we’ll ugh about it."

  "Besides the two of us, there's one more person at the academy who knows about your situation," Adrihna revealed. She paused, and I could tell she wasn’t talking about Chloe or Kinue. "It’s Saiiffania Brawen. Like you, she’s from the high elf nobility and is the daughter of a duke. She uands the plexity of your lineage and is aware of the situation surrounding your hair. The king shared this information with the headmistress and her so you could have some support at the academy. But regarding your talents with elves, only the director, the king, and I are in the know."

  "That makes se least. And now I know that all of this will pass once my diplomatic status is resolved," I said.

  Headmistress Victoria nodded, rexing in her chair. "Soon, all of this will just be a memory. But until then… avoid attrag unnecessary attention," she warned, with a serious look.