The Princess' Harem
Chapter 138: Entering the Elf World

Chapter 138: Entering the Elf World

The dawn finally broke, and though the air was cold, Viana, filled with spirit, prepared to depart. Once ready, she headed to the palace’s back gate, a small gate rarely used by anyone.

There, a slender, dark grey Elf forest horse with intelligent, calm eyes waited for her. Beside the horse, the young Elf who had come to her last night, Faylen, was already waiting.

"Your Royal Highness," Faylen greeted, bowing deeply. "Everything is ready."

Viana returned Faylen’s greeting, then glanced over her shoulder. She saw no one.

Joel and Reyes, after a long debate that had continued slightly into the night, finally agreed not to follow her, though they seemed very reluctant. Viana had managed to make them promise not to send visible guards, only distant spies to watch over her.

Viana trusted they would keep their promise, and she felt relieved to make this journey alone, free from the burden of their constant attention. Sometimes, a woman needs space to feel, to understand this world.

She mounted the horse and smiled. Elf horses, unlike human horses, felt more responsive, as if they could understand her thoughts.

Faylen agilely leaped onto his own horse, making no sound. Then, they both rode slowly on their respective horses, leaving the magnificent stone walls of the Imperial Palace behind, heading towards the plains stretching before them.

As the sun began to rise, Viana felt a change within herself. She felt, as if she was beginning to understand all that was happening in the nature around her.

She could see a squirrel darting among the trees, and for a moment, she felt she could understand why the little squirrel moved with such agile movements, for its urgent hunger. Viana didn’t pay much attention to it, only feeling that it was simply because she was now traveling without the urgency of Elysia’s emergency situation and conditions.

Faylen led them across vast grasslands, now growing green again, thanks to the recovery efforts after the blight. Wildflowers began to bloom, radiating bright colors she had never noticed before.

Viana felt as if she wasn’t just seeing the scenery with her eyes, but she could feel the warmth of the sun in each petal, and the moisture of the dew still clinging to the leaves. She simply smiled happily, feeling all this green expanse return to Elysia, feeling that her efforts and those of her trusted people were not in vain.

They began to move away from human settlements; the path turned into a mossy trail, and human houses were no longer visible, replaced by trees growing denser. Human sounds and their tools disappeared, replaced by the rustle of wind through the whispering leaves, the gurgle of clear river water flowing over rocks, and the incessant chirping of birds.

Viana felt a serenity envelop her, a peace that calmed her soul after weeks of tension.

Faylen occasionally looked back at Viana. Then he stopped his horse to be level with hers.

After a while, he spoke, his voice soft, almost a whisper, as if he didn’t want to disturb the forest’s peace. "Does Your Royal Highness feel something?"

Viana looked at the young Elf, thinking for a moment to understand what he meant. But then she realized, and then said, "I... I feel something is different," she said, choosing her words carefully.

But then, her excitement surged, and her words tumbled out. "I can hear many things I’ve never heard before."

Her eyes twinkled, half-disbelieving what had happened to her. Seeing her enthusiasm, Faylen smiled faintly and said, "The forest has begun to speak with you, Your Highness. It welcomes you, and you will hear, see, and feel much more as we approach its heart."

Faylen’s words left Viana speechless. She began to understand a little of the meaning of the ’Forest Blessing’ the system referred to.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to focus, concentrating on every new sensation that seemed to flood her. The ground beneath her horse’s hooves, the gust of wind carrying the scent of pine and its moisture, she could feel it all.

This was so different from herself, who had always worked with logic, to save herself from Lazarus’s grip. And she truly liked these new sensations, which brought peace to her.

---

One afternoon, they crossed a shallow river with clear water. She and Faylen dismounted, allowing their horses to drink.

A small deer crossed in front of them, looking wary, but not afraid. Usually, deer would flee in fear upon seeing humans, even if they were still far away.

But this deer stopped for a moment, gazing at Viana with its large, dark eyes. Viana seemed to feel what the deer felt, a slight fear, but its curiosity was greater.

Instinctively, she slowly extended her hand, calmly and without attempting to threaten. And the deer, after a moment’s hesitation, tilted its head slightly, as if to ask, may I touch it.

Then the deer walked closer to her, approaching Viana’s hand. She touched the small animal’s soft fur, feeling the warmth of its slender body. A sense of peace enveloped her, especially after feeling the deer’s tension subside.

Faylen bowed to the deer, which greeted him by nuzzling his face. "It knows you mean no harm, Your Highness," Faylen whispered, stroking the little deer’s head. "Forest creatures are fair and sensitive natural judges. They can feel the intentions within the heart of every living creature."

Viana was transfixed, staring at the deer that was now leaning against her hand. She began to understand this ability bestowed upon her, an ability she had never imagined before.

---

The deeper they went into the forest, the more mysterious the forest atmosphere became, and she felt an increasingly magical aura around her. Centuries-old trees towered high, their branches and leaves forming a thick canopy that sunlight could barely penetrate.

Emerald green moss covered rocks and tree trunks, and the air felt more humid, filled with the scent of wet earth and plants.

Viana began to see claw marks on trees, large footprints from big forest creatures. But what she felt was not a frightening atmosphere, but a sensation where every sound in the forest had meaning, a different significance.