Part 1
The gentle sound of waves breaking against the pier marked the end of their voyage. The merchant ship finally docked at Astralith's harbor, and the crew began lowering the gangway for passengers to disembark.
When Haruto stepped onto solid ground, it felt like the weight of the battle at sea had slipped off his shoulders. But he didn't have much time to relax—because the view before him was straight out of a fairy tale.
"Whoa… Melodia was right. This place is impressive," he muttered.
Astralith's harbor was nothing like the noisy, chaotic ports he'd seen before. The docks were built from gleaming white marble, etched with elven carvings that shimmered faintly in the sunlight.
The ships moored there were the very image of elven nobility: white and gold hulls that looked more like decorative art pieces than actual vessels. For a moment, Haruto felt like he had stumbled into Dubai, surrounded by luxury yachts—or maybe Ibiza, rather than a working port.
His childhood in Yokosuka, surrounded by naval museums and military bases, told him immediately: these ships weren't built for war, or even for real trade. Not a scratch marred their pristine hulls, nor was there a trace of efficient loading gear. They were ships designed to be admired, not sailed.
Their sails bore symbols of aristocratic lineages, and even the dockhands wore flowing, ornate robes instead of work clothes.
Haruto exhaled silently. His grandfather used to say a ship had to earn its place on the sea, not in some parade.
"Think I could buy one of those if I saved up long enough?" he said dryly, eyeing the majestic white-and-gold vessels.
Before anyone could answer, Kizuna spun in front of him—suddenly decked out in oversized sunglasses and a gaudy suit that had appeared out of nowhere, posing like some millionaire celebrity.
"Haruto-kyun, maybe if you save enough, you could take a selfie next to one of these and sell courses on how to 'be your own boss.'"
Haruto blinked at her in disbelief.
"…Why does that sound so familiar?"
"Because you lack the shark mentality, Kizu."
Yuna let out a small laugh, brushing off their back-and-forth.
"You could always ask Melodia to take you out on hers. If I remember correctly, her family owns one."
Thalindra snorted, folding her arms with an exasperated look.
"This entire place screams, 'we're better than you.'"
Meanwhile, Simmone's eyes lingered on a tower lined with golden statues floating midair, her sharp gaze analyzing every detail.
"Well… to be fair, their architecture is impressive."
Rina lowered her head, uneasy under the stares some elves were giving them.
"Rina feel out of place… want to go back to forest already."
The locals—mostly light elves—passed them with total indifference, as if the group didn't even exist. Some didn't bother to glance their way at all, and the few who did gave them a look of faint disdain before moving on with their day.
Haruto noticed right away and sighed.
"Why am I not surprised…" he muttered, folding his arms.
Then, raising his hands dramatically, he gestured as if unveiling a grand advertisement.
"Remind me to give the light elves five stars for hospitality. 'Come to Astralith—the friendliest capital for humans!'" he declared in a falsely cheerful voice, sweeping his arms like he was painting a rainbow in the air.
The sarcasm was obvious, and Yuna had to stifle a laugh while Thalindra scoffed.
Eliza smirked.
"Hmph. So I'm not the only one who thinks this whole place is one big show of superiority."
Haruto didn't bother replying. Instead, his focus shifted to the next obstacle: the checkpoint ahead.
Just a few meters away stood a massive structure of white stone and blue crystal, serving as the travelers' gate. Several elven guards, immaculate in their silver armor, stood posted there—checking documents with the same air of arrogance that seemed ingrained in their race.
"There's the checkpoint," Yuna said. "They'll inspect us before we're allowed into the city."
The group lined up, ready for the registration process. Haruto and Simmone already had their passes from Stonehollow. Yuna, Thalindra, and Rina prepared their adventurer plates and a few copper Yue coins to pay the toll.
Everything seemed in order… until Haruto glanced behind him and noticed something strange.
"Hey… where's Eliza?"
She was right there beside him, looking utterly pleased with herself.
The odd part? Not a single guard was paying her any attention. No one asked for papers. No one stopped her. To the light elves, it was as if she didn't exist.
Haruto frowned, then caught Yuna's wide-eyed look. She had noticed too.
"They can't see her…" the elf murmured, both puzzled and fascinated.
That's when Haruto spotted the detail: Eliza was wearing a stylish hat that matched her black Victorian dress.
His face froze.
"Wait… you just put on a hat and walked through like nothing happened?"
Eliza turned gracefully, her dress fluttering as she brushed the brim of her newly donned hat.
"Fufu… the right accessory changes everything, simple mortal."
Haruto grabbed his head with both hands.
"How the hell does that even work?!"
"Eliza?" Yuna whispered, stunned.
"Eliza… with a hat?" Haruto repeated, still trying to process it.
"ELIZA… WITH A NOBLE HAT?!"
The guards finally looked over, eyes narrowing for a split second.
"Oh, must be a noble elf. She may pass," one said confidently.
Haruto's jaw dropped, completely disarmed by the absurd logic.
Eliza smirked, adjusting her hat with an air of superiority.
"Hmph. Mortal perception is such a fragile thing."
Haruto dragged a hand down his face and sighed.
"Yeah, sure… let's go with that."
With no further issues, the guards stamped their documents, and the group passed through the grand gates of Astralith—entering a city that shone with dazzling majesty… but greeted them with anything but warmth.
As they walked down the main street, most citizens ignored them outright, while others gave Haruto outright looks of disdain. Even Rina, who normally drew attention with her height and striking features, seemed invisible here.
"Don't pay them any mind," Yuna said calmly. "It's best we head straight to House Aeris. Think of it as our 'embassy' here in Astralith."
Eliza raised a curious brow.
"The light elves are generous enough to hand over property?"
Yuna shook her head.
"They may seem distant, but no elemental elf stands above another. That sense of equality still runs deep through all elves of Mythara."
"Now that you mention it, that's true," Thalindra added thoughtfully. "The dwarves have never had bad blood with the elves either."
Simmone, silent until now, muttered in a neutral tone:
"Maybe it's something against humans…"
Yuna nodded.
"That's right. Humans aren't well-regarded in Mythara, mostly because of the trouble they cause. But even so… you don't realize just how rare light magic really is."
Haruto tilted his head.
"What do you mean?"
Before Yuna could answer, Eliza clicked her tongue with arrogant flair.
"Hmph. It's clear you know nothing." She gave him a lofty look. "Tell me—on your travels through Mythara and Durkheim, how many non-light elves have you met who can wield light magic?"
Haruto fell silent.
"…Now that you mention it… none."
Thalindra, who had been listening with her arms crossed, recalled their talk back in Molgaroth and let out a sigh.
"I told you before—the light elves are priceless. That's why they strut around like that…"
Yuna nodded, a trace of resignation in her voice.
"Indeed. Light magic is an extremely rare element. That's why I said the light elves are… 'unique.'"
She paused, her tone sharpening.
"Unfortunately, Astralith's nobility exploits that fact to the fullest."
Haruto glanced around again, taking in the city's opulence—and the cold indifference aimed at outsiders like him.
Astralith wasn't just a city of light and splendor.
It was a place where pride could overshadow everything.