Starlight and his companions sailed on Lian’s grand ship, navigating the turbulent seas for a full day and night. As the first rays of dawn pierced the horizon, they finally arrived at their destination—the mysterious ancestral home of the Night Elves, Night Lotus Valley.
Night Lotus Valley was a paradise located south of the Star-Song Forest, surrounded by a ring of rugged mountains that left it almost entirely secluded from the world. The towering peaks acted like a natural barrier, completely separating this land from the outside.
Standing on the deck, the group watched as the silhouette of the Night Elf port flickered in and out of sight through the morning mist. The haze hung over the coast like a thin veil, and the outlines of the buildings gradually grew clearer in the morning light.
Lian had fully recovered by the previous night. Perhaps due to absorbing a trace of the Night God’s power, her already moving features took on an elusive, ethereal beauty, giving her an otherworldly aura.
Her body also seemed to have been strengthened after her ordeal. Not only had her constitution become more robust, but her recovery speed had significantly increased. Even Moen, who had been by her side throughout, was shocked by these startling changes.
As the mist gradually thinned, the group at the bow saw a large crowd of people on the port, organized into two orderly formations, facing the sea with solemn expressions.
The morning light shone from behind them, casting a golden radiance over their armor.
Accompanied by the blaring horns blown by the crew, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the crowd on the shore.
Though they spoke in the Night Elf language, which Starlight couldn’t understand at all, he could still feel the warmth and solemnity in their voices.
“What are they doing? Little Shadow, translate for me! Is it some kind of special ritual?”
Po Kong felt a bit strange hearing the synchronized shouting from the shore, so he turned to ask Xia Duo. However, Xia Duo simply shook her head.
“Even if you ask me, I don’t know. The Night Elf language and our mother tongue are from two completely different linguistic families; it’s just that they’ve both gradually been replaced by the Common Tongue.” Xia Duo shrugged helplessly, indicating she was powerless to help.
“Hmm... I can roughly make out that it’s a welcoming speech, but I don’t understand the specifics.”
Moen stroked her chin, her eyes flashing with thought. After listening carefully for a moment, she spoke softly.
“Oh? So they really are welcoming us? Haha, there’s no need to be so formal! I appreciate the sentiment, though!”
After hearing Moen’s explanation, Po Kong looked at Lira, who was standing straight nearby, and teased him with a laugh.
However, Lira seemed completely unmoved, maintaining his usual poker face without any intention of responding.
His unapproachable expression made Po Kong feel a bit awkward. Realizing he might have misunderstood something, Po Kong cleared his throat and turned to Starlight.
“Ahem... looks like I got it wrong. By the way, Little Star, where’s Lian? I haven’t seen her all morning. We’re almost there—she wouldn't still be sleeping in, would she?” Po Kong scratched his head, trying to change the subject.
Starlight wasn’t sure of Lian’s whereabouts either. However, knowing her, she usually would have been awake by this time, likely running all over the ship.
“Maybe she found something new to play with. Even Lira isn’t worried, so why are you?” Starlight replied with a smile, his tone relaxed.
Despite his words, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward the cabin exit, as if trying to see through the thick deck to find her figure.
While they were still talking, the large ship was guided into its berth by the dock personnel.
With a slight vibration, the ship came to a steady halt against the pier, and the crew on deck immediately lowered the gangway in an orderly fashion.
Yet, after the gangway hit the ground, neither the crowd on shore nor the crew on the ship made a single sound.
It was as if the entire port had been paused. Everyone was waiting in silence for something, and the air was thick with a grand and solemn atmosphere.
“Looks like some big shot is coming... Back in the Royal Capital, this was the kind of fanfare you’d see when the King went out.” Po Kong leaned in and whispered into the ears of the others.
“The King? You humans love your empty formalities. we don’t have such customs. But... what is all this for then?” Xia Duo muttered, her brow furrowing slightly, clearly confused by the scene.
Just as she was pondering, the sound of crisp footsteps came from the deck behind them. The sound approached from a distance, each step seemingly striking a chord in everyone’s hearts.
Starlight looked back and saw Lian slowly emerging from the cabin exit, dressed in her finest attire.
She wore exquisite high heels and a magnificent long dress embroidered with complex Night Elf patterns. Like her name, she looked like a blooming lotus shining in the morning sun as she walked toward the gangway with a composed pace.
Seeing Lian dressed like this, Starlight and the others couldn't help but feel their eyes light up, filled with both surprise and curiosity.
“Lian, you’re...?” Starlight couldn’t help but ask, but before he could finish, he was interrupted by an elegant smile from her.
As Lian stepped forward, the crowd on the pier suddenly let out a loud, synchronized shout.
This time, as if to ensure Starlight and the other outsiders understood, their cry was no longer in the Night Elf language, but in the Common Tongue.
“The First and Second Ranger Squads of Night Lotus Valley welcome Her Highness the Princess!”
The unified voices carried immense respect and loyalty, echoing through every corner of the port like a morning bell.
“Prin... Princess?” Starlight gasped in surprise.
Though they had known Lian’s identity was extraordinary, they had never imagined it would be something like this.
“That’s right. I am the twenty-seventh generation Princess of the Night Elves!”
Lian gave a playful smile as she revealed her identity. She elegantly waved to the crowd on shore while speaking to the group in a relaxed tone.
“I really didn’t expect that... You certainly kept that identity well-hidden!” Starlight responded softly.
“I never intended to keep it from you. It’s mostly because you never asked!” Lian’s tone was playful, her eyes shimmering with mischief.
“Huh? Is that so?” Starlight blinked, only then realizing that he indeed had never asked about it.
“Uh... so, I’m not really familiar with your people’s customs... Do we need to kneel now? Or is a bow enough? Um... Your Highness?”
Po Kong’s voice was filled with doubt as he suddenly chimed in. His question broke the relaxed atmosphere, sounding a bit abrupt.
His face was colored with awkwardness; he clearly didn't understand the etiquette of the Night Elf race and didn't want to accidentally offend some unspoken rule.
“Haha! Of course not! We don’t have those strange customs here. Besides, aren’t we friends? There’s no need to worry about such formalities!”
Upon hearing Po Kong’s question, Lian couldn’t help but let out a burst of silvery laughter as she explained. Her clear laughter instantly dispelled the sense of awkwardness in the air.
Just as Lian was about to say more, Lira, who had been standing to the side, cleared his throat softly and gave her a meaningful look.
Lian understood immediately, nodding slightly before returning to her calm and dignified demeanor.
However, a faint, barely perceptible smile still hung at the corners of her mouth as she whispered to Po Kong, “But if you insist on kneeling, I won’t mind! Hee hee!”
“Ah? Is that how it is?”
Hearing their exchange, Starlight and the other two couldn't help but laugh as well. It seemed that Lian hadn't changed her attitude toward them despite the shift in her status.
Rate on N.U.
