...
{Ember Pov}
"~Ahhh~ Ember, how is it?~ I like this one the most~," my mother said softly, her voice filled with gentle curiosity as she sipped her tea.
I returned her gaze with a polite smile and replied, "It is delicious, mother."
She chuckled lightly, amused at my response.
Then, an elderly Elf maid, dressed immaculately in her uniform, spoke up, "Your Highness, this tea has been specially imported from the Far East. Its aroma is calming, almost magical, and a single whiff can soothe and heal the soul..."
Her words marked the beginning of a long lecture on what she called the "seven wonders" of this particular tea.
The women seated around me giggled softly at the maid's explanation, and I couldn't help but twitch my eyebrows in silent frustration as I surveyed the room.
I was seated on a chair directly beside my mother, Ada Larjos Alf, at one end of a massive, rectangular wooden table.
The table itself was polished to perfection, gleaming under the soft light of the chandelier above.
Several other chairs were occupied by stunning female Elves, each radiating elegance and refinement.
Every woman had a maid standing respectfully behind her chair, attending to her every need.
And then there was me—Ember Alf, the sole male presence in this gathering of exceptionally beautiful and graceful Elven women.
My eyebrows twitched again as I realized the sheer absurdity of the situation.
My position, my youth, and my male presence seemed to draw the attention of every woman present.
"Ada, now that I look carefully, His Highness really is handsome," said a red-haired Elf, her voice melodic and full of admiration.
She had a truly voluptuous figure, as did all the women present, and I found it increasingly difficult to maintain composure under their attentive gazes.
I inwardly groaned, realizing that, perhaps, Milf Elves were very much my type.
"You are right, Alyessia," another Elf chimed in, her eyes twinkling with affection.
"My little baby has grown into such a wonderful young man, even if he is still quite young."
My mother, Eda Larjos Alf, gave a soft, loving smile and cast her gaze toward me, full of warmth and maternal pride.
In the next instant, she pulled me into a tight hug, pressing my head against her bosom.
"Ghuk!" I let out a muffled sound as my head was caught firmly between her peaks, her embrace both comforting and slightly overwhelming.
"~Kyaaa! My son is just so cute! I want to shower him with all my love! Ember is so hardworking, graceful, and good-looking, but most importantly, he is just so irresistibly cute that I often rethink my marriage!" she said, giggling lightly as her words sank in.
I froze briefly, mentally gulping at her unexpected confession.
'Rethink her marriage?' I thought, eyes widening slightly at her words.
"Ada, it is not right! His Highness is far too cute; we must all shower him with our affection as well!" Alyessia declared boldly, and several of the other women immediately voiced their support, nodding and murmuring their agreement.
My mother, however, wasn't one to back down.
She pouted in mock indignation, her eyes narrowing playfully as she said, "Hmph! Why should I give him to you?! He is my son! I bore him in my belly for eighteen months!"
She grasped my head possessively, her hold firm yet gentle, a mother's dominance in play.
But the other women were determined not to be outdone.
A playful struggle ensued, and before I could fully comprehend the situation,
I found myself being tugged and maneuvered into the bosom of Alyessia, the red-haired Elf, who held me with surprising firmness.
The room erupted in soft laughter, teasing, and playful protests, as the battle for my attention—apparently my affection—began in earnest.
I looked at her, and she giggled lightly, "You are right, Ada, your son really is a cutie!" she said, her voice filled with amusement and affection.
Before I could respond, I was snatched by another woman, who exclaimed, "So cute!!"
Then I was immediately grabbed by yet another, who cried, "Your Highness!" and then passed on to another.
Just like that, I was being transferred from one Elf's bosom to another in rapid succession.
I remained silent, inwardly enjoying the experience.
(A/N: Bro is in heaven, Fr Fr)
Even though I was already sixteen, they still treated me like a child.
Despite all the intense training I had undergone over the years, I hadn't developed bulky, gorilla-like muscles; instead, I retained slim, well-defined muscles thanks to my Elven genes.
My face, though handsome, retained a youthful cuteness.
At first, I had been troubled by the absence of a beard or moustache, unlike my previous life, but now I realized that perhaps this treatment from women wasn't entirely undesirable.
It was flattering in a strange way.
"Hmph! Give my son back!!!" my mother suddenly shouted, reclaiming me firmly in her bosom once more.
I smiled inwardly, feeling as though I had ascended into heaven.
"What are you old hags doing?!!!!!" a loud, stern voice suddenly echoed through the room, freezing everyone mid-action.
My mother stiffened and cast nervous glances toward the source of the voice.
I reluctantly parted from her bosom, though I had appreciated her attention.
She had a very alluring figure, of course, but in the end, she was my mother.
I silently acknowledged her playful actions and those of her friends, accepting their childish behavior, as we rarely spent this kind of time together.
After all, she had carried me in her womb for eighteen months, and I loved her, quirks and all.
Turning my attention to Riveria, I noticed her face flushed with anger.
"What were you doing?! You are all over a century old! Teasing my younger brother, who is only a little over fifteen! Don't you all have any sense of shame?!" she demanded, her voice sharp.
The women, however, quickly shook their heads in unison.
"No," Alyessia replied bluntly, without a hint of hesitation.
"And what about you, mother?! Don't you feel any shame?!" Riveria spat out, pointing at Ada. Ada chuckled, regaining her composure, and replied smoothly, "Sweety, Ember is my son. Why on earth would I be ashamed of spoiling him? Do you want to be spoiled as well? Come over here, and I'll show you how it feels!"
Riveria, flustered, quickly approached us and grabbed my hand protectively.
"Ember! Don't let these old hags take advantage of you!" she warned, her eyes wide with concern.
"Ouch! You break my heart, Your Highness," Alyessia said, feigning offense. "To call a beautiful woman like me an old hag—how could you?"
Ada nodded in agreement with her friend and added, her voice tinged with mock sorrow, "Indeed, Alyessia, my daughter is quite authoritative and sharp-tongued, going so far as to insult her own poor mother!"
The other mature women present wore similarly playful, exaggeratedly sad expressions.
Even though I knew they were joking, seeing them act in such a way made me feel a bit unsettled, if only for a moment.
"As if I am going to believe your fake tears!" Riveria snorted, pulling me along forcefully as she dragged me away from the garden.
I waved my hand subtly at my mother, hinting that we would meet again after I managed to escape my sister's grip.
She caught my gesture and nodded with glee, her smile full of amusement.
Once Riveria and I had left the garden and gone far enough to ensure that we were out of earshot, she stopped, scanning the surroundings carefully.
"It would seem they aren't following us," she said with a soft sigh, clearly relieved.
"Sister, what's the problem? I doubt that mother's friends would do anything like that," I said, my expression serious as I tried to understand her sudden concern.
Riveria's expression fell, and she ruffled my hair gently in a gesture that was both affectionate and slightly exasperated.
"I used to believe the same, Ember," she admitted, "but in the end, those old hags have nothing much to do, and once they get a sniff of something exciting, they go far beyond what anyone expects."
Her tone suggested there was some history behind her caution, and I could sense that she must have had an episode with them in the past.
As her little brother, I didn't dare probe further—some things were better left unsaid.
"Anyway, I can understand the behavior of those old hags," she continued, still ruffling my hair, "even our mother can sometimes be too much. But Ember! Why were you playing around with them like that?"
Her gaze hardened slightly as she looked down at me, the typical elder sister glare I knew well.
I didn't flinch.
Instead, I replied honestly and without hesitation, "Mother and her friends seem to enjoy it, so I let them be. Besides, their hug was comforting as well."
Riveria's face flushed with a mixture of anger and exasperation, but she quickly took a deep, steadying breath to calm herself down.
My height was still a bit shorter than hers, so I had to look up at her, meeting her determined eyes.
"Oh Ember, you are so innocent," she said, her tone softening yet filled with resolve.
"Don't worry, as your elder sister, I will protect you from those disgusting old hags!"
With that, she pulled me into a tight hug and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.
I was accustomed to her affection, so while her actions weren't entirely surprising, they still made me pause for a moment to reflect.
It made me wonder, however, what my mother and her friends must have done in the past to make Riveria so wary and protective.
But on second thought, it was probably better to let it remain a mystery.
I didn't want to ruin the image of my mother in my mind.
She could be over the top at times, but she loved me deeply—and I loved her in return.
If I were to think about her past too critically, it might taint that love, so for both our sakes, some things were better left buried.
Riveria soon started giggling lightly, leaving me somewhat confused.
'Did she think that hugging me like this somehow gave her an upper hand over Mother?' I thought, tilting my head slightly.
I was well aware of just how affectionate they could be, despite the fact that I usually spent very little time with them due to my strict schedule.
My father was strict, rarely showing any affection, but my elder sister and my mother literally spoiled me to death.
Their love, attention, and doting had shaped much of my childhood, and even now, I could feel their influence in every gesture, every word of care.
...
"So that's what happened," I said, feeling a little foolish as I processed everything that had transpired.
My mother was sitting beside me, looking relaxed yet with a knowing gleam in her eyes.
She had already taken the time to thoroughly brief me on the events of the past.
Apparently, my mother and her friends had engaged in a somewhat playful comparison of their physical attributes during a bath, with Riveria present.
Somehow, Riveria had become directly involved in this situation, and as expected, things spiraled downhill quickly, with her labeling them as perverts.
"Riveria took it far too seriously. I mean, we were merely having a tiny bit of fun. It's not easy being Nobility among the Elves. The pressures, the etiquette, the constant expectations—it gets exhausting, and sometimes we just do something silly or a little reckless to relieve the tension," my mother said with a sly, almost teasing smile.
I simply nodded, understanding that such behavior was entirely plausible among women of their standing, given the burdens they carried and the boredom that often accompanied wealth and status.
"Still, Ember, I've explained so many adult-related matters to you, and yet you remain so calm and composed," she said with a smirk that carried both amusement and disbelief.
I responded calmly, "Isn't it just biology, mother? You and your friends are simply having fun being playful and silly. If you expected me to blush profusely or act flustered, I'm afraid I cannot."
'Even as a high school student of Biology, I've learned to understand and accept such things, and often it increases your capacity to remain unembarrassed in situations like this', I thought in my mind.
"So cold, Ember! Are you really the type that many women you meet would find intriguing? Wait a moment! How about I introduce you to one of my friends? She's only in her eighties, has a daughter, and though her husband has sadly passed away, she's open to finding a new partner. She's told me she likes cold, composed people like you," my mother said, her eyes gleaming with mischief.
I merely gave her a deadpan look, sipped my tea, and nodded, choosing to acknowledge her words without giving her the satisfaction of an animated reaction.
"~Kyaaa~ You are totally her type! Should I fix your date? Perhaps you'd even like to marry her daughter as well?!" she continued, her playful nonsense flowing endlessly.
One might wonder how I was able to tolerate such relentless teasing, but in my past life, I was accustomed to relatives, especially Aunties, joking about marrying me off when I came of age.
Initially, those moments would leave me a blushing mess, but over time, I became more proactive and composed.
My mother's ears drooped slightly when she noticed my minimal reaction.
She sighed and said, "Ember, you can react, you know. If you don't, it takes away all the fun." She pouted adorably, looking far cuter than my sister, if I were to be honest.
I could never quite understand how someone over a century old could maintain such youthful beauty, though with her exceptionally refined features resembling a human in their twenties, I suppose it made sense.
Having finished my tea, I stood up and said, "Now, mother, I should take my leave. Yesterday I wasn't able to train, but today I have plans to go on a hunt."
She smiled warmly, approaching me to give a comforting hug.
"Ember, your father and I cannot spend as much time with you and Riveria as we would like due to our duties. Not to mention, your father can be rather cold because of his position. But know this—we both love you very much. If you ever need help, we are always here. And if that idiot doesn't help you, I will always be there for you and Riveria," she said sincerely, her words full of warmth.
I remained silent for a moment, feeling the weight of her affection, then replied with a smile, "Yes, mother!" Though my words were simple, she responded by showering me with kisses all over my cheeks.
"So cute!!!" she exclaimed, and while having such an affectionate mother could sometimes be overwhelming, it was a blessing I deeply welcomed.
Soon, I left the place.
My mother had some work to attend to, but she promised that over the next few weeks, she would take time from her busy schedule to teach me Magic.
After all, her experience spanning over a century was not to be taken lightly.
I had already mastered three congenital spells used by White Elves.
These spells required nine verses of chanting each, and while their attack power was only enough to barely defeat level 1 monsters, it was sufficient to eliminate most of the weaker level 1 threats.
Soon, I arrived at my training area.
"Your Highness, it seems you have arrived," Miss Maya, my Magic teacher, greeted me politely.
(Maya's Pic)
I nodded in acknowledgment and replied, "Indeed, Lady Maya." She smiled and chuckled softly.
I always made it a point to be polite to everyone—it was my way of making a good impression, even among Elves, who held Royalty in the highest regard.
I quickly approached and retrieved my Magic staff, a high-quality instrument usually reserved for level 4 or 5 adventurers.
I already had plans to take some essential equipment with me when I eventually left Alf's forest, but that was a matter for later.
Grasping the staff firmly, I positioned myself in the training area.
"Your Highness, make sure to concentrate fully while chanting. We wouldn't want an Ignis Fatuus, now would we?" she warned.
She repeated this caution every day, as she wanted to ensure that no member of the Royal family, including myself, suffered injury during training.
Magic always carried inherent risks.
While acquired magic presented relatively low dangers, congenital magic was a different matter entirely.
This type of magic could only be wielded by a few specific races in the world, primarily the White and Dark Elves, and some species of Demi-Humans.
There was also a rare chance that a member of another species, even a Prum or a weretiger, could possess an affinity for magic, though such cases were exceedingly uncommon.
I began my chant, "Amia Meru Nidhe Sefar…," and after nearly a minute, a powerful gush of water shot out from the tip of my staff.
The sheer force of the water obliterated the wooden target that had been set up in front of me, splintering it into pieces.
Immediately, a few soldiers who were stationed nearby came forward to replace the target with a fresh one.
I took a deep breath, focused, and began another chant, this time conjuring a fireball that I directed at the wooden dummy, incinerating it completely until nothing but ashes remained.
I continued this rigorous training, alternating between elemental spells, using magic seventeen more times in total.
Gradually, however, I began to feel the strain of repeated spellcasting, my head spinning slightly from the mental exhaustion.
"Here, take it, Your Highness," Maya said, placing a supportive hand on my shoulder from behind.
She let me lean gently against her for stability and handed me a Mind Potion.
I drank it, feeling the familiar calming sensation spread through my mind and body, alleviating the dizziness.
Almost immediately, my condition began to improve, and my focus returned.
"Your Highness, your magical talent is truly the finest I have seen so far," Maya praised me warmly.
One might have expected instructors and teachers to be strict with someone of my status, enforcing discipline and pointing out every mistake, yet most of them, including Maya, tended to lavish me with praise.
At times, it was so excessive that I would feel genuinely embarrassed.
But Maya's words were genuine.
My magical aptitude was exceptional.
The first time I had attempted using magic, I managed to cast spells eleven times consecutively before my mind started to falter, while my sister, despite her extraordinary talent, could barely sustain seven consecutive spells before reaching her limit at beginning.
It is important to consider that Riveria had started learning magic at a far older age than I did.
After decades of practice, she could cast weaker congenital spells at least twenty to thirty times, or stronger congenital spells three to five times, before suffering from mental exhaustion.
In contrast, I could now use the easier spells approximately nineteen to twenty times consecutively without significant strain, which clearly demonstrated my inherent magical talent and potential.
Of course, there were risks associated with using magic.
Even minor Ignis Fatuus incidents caused weaker spells to be nearly harmless to me, thanks to my extensive practice, protective measures, and the dozens of Mind Potions prepared daily for training purposes.
These potions allowed me to recover quickly from any mental fatigue or minor injuries, and I had fully taken advantage of that system.
However, stronger spells carried significant life-threatening risks in the event of an Ignis Fatuus.
Even with elixirs on hand, the instructors were cautious, preferring that I gain experience gradually rather than risk a serious accident.
Therefore, I deliberately abstained from learning spells with longer, more dangerous chants until I had accumulated enough skill and control to handle them safely.
"Thank you, Miss Maya. It is your guidance and teaching that have brought me this far," I said sincerely, my gratitude evident in my tone. Maya blushed lightly at my words and teased, "My my, His Highness certainly seems like a womanizer."
I simply stared at her deadpan.
If you replaced me with any other Elf, one lacking the prestige of the High-Elf lineage or the Alf surname, you would likely be met with a cold stare and a few harsh words from her.
That is precisely why I valued my surname and my race so much—it carried weight, respect, and undeniable authority.
I sighed quietly, deciding to rest for a short while before beginning another rigorous round of magical practice, eager to push my limits further and refine my skills.
To be continued...
(A/N:
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