Elven Legacy

Chapter 36: Noble Tournament?

After Illumia found us all, we continued playing a few more rounds allowing each one of us to be the seeker or the person who must capture everyone else, we at first had Illumia play with us, but no one of us could catch her without using their cultivation, so we just decided to let Illumia be the official seeker while we either hid or ran away.

"Brother, I'm hungry. Can we go and eat?" Asked Elaine as she rested against a tree.

"Yes, but let's wait for Illumia to find Sarah first; it shouldn't take long anyways." Answered Elif, lying on the ground a few meters away from Elaine.

Just like I had predicted, it wasn't even a full minute later before Illumia returned with a disheveled Sarah in her arms.

"Alright, let's take a break, Sarah, Elaine is hungry, and the same game is getting kinda boring anyways." Announced Elif as he stood up and started walking to the castle with the help of his divine sense.

Once we were out of the forest, I continued leading the way into the castle while navigating my way through the hallways.

"Hmm, where are we going, your highness?" Asked Sarah as she skipped about through the royal hallways, looking at everything with fascination.

"We're going to the dining room; where else would we go to eat?" Replied Elif as he looked at Sarah strangely.

"I thought you would have the food delivered to you, that's what happened to me a little after I turned four, so I figured it was normal." Said Sarah as she became slightly downcasted.

"Wait! Will their Majesties be there!?" Shouted Sarah, unnerved at the idea of possibly being in the same room as the Empress or Emperor, let alone eating at the same table.

"Stop yelling, and no, they're usually busy with their duties of being an Emperor and Empress at this time." Replied Elif as he opened the doors to the dining room, only to see Maria sitting down at the table, which had a plate of food for three other seats.

'YOU TOLD ME THEIR MAJESTIES WOULD BE BUSY, YOUR HIGHNESS!!!' Yelled Sarah via divine sense as she didn't dare to speak before the Empress.

'No, I said they were usually busy; sometimes one of them will take a break to come spend time with Elaine when she eats; last time it was father, so now it's mother's turn.' Replied Elif nonchalantly via divine sense as he made his way to the table along with Elaine.

Sitting next to mother, I was about to start eating, but I saw Sarah standing by the entrance as if frozen in time, not moving a single muscle.

"Sarah, are you going to eat or not? But either way, can you close the door." Said Elif as he began eating, though his words did not affect Sarah; nonetheless, that changed when Maria spoke.

"Sarah, you should come eat with us; I'm sure you'll enjoy the food." Said Maria in a friendly voice, something she only ever uses when speaking to her family; not even Illumia is spoken to this nicely.

While my words were utterly ineffective on her, mother's was not, as Sarah quickly did a deep bow while going back to her stuttering, something she only does when Marley arrives.

"M-My a-apologies, Y-Your Majesty, b-but I w-wouldn't d-dare dine at t-the same t-table as the R-Royal E-Elven F-family, I-I'm j-just a mere N-Noble." Quickly responded Sarah with a shaky voice while stuttering, causing her to get even more nervous at the poor show of deference.

"Well, how about this then, as the Empress, I order you to sit at the table and eat with us. How's that?" Ordered Maria with a chuckle escaping her mouth when she saw the change of expression on Sarah's face.