Chapter 225: Invited For a Treat

After naming the magic item. Ned's mind was bombarded with different notifications.

[Silk Road]

[This magic item was imbued by the mana of Queen Sas Koron herself. Supposedly, the Silk Road was made as a gift. But due to situations, the Queen was having, Silk Road was hidden from the prying eyes of both the intruders and her army. It can create a different kind of armor as long as the bearer wills it. Its durability is limited to the bearer's magical capabilities.]

[Quality: Grade Unknown.]

[ Materials used: A silk came from the Queen of the beasts herself, Kon Sas Koron. Its durability is limited to the bearer's magical capabilities.]

Ned wanted to test the Silk Road, but his stomach strongly disagreed.

Upon leaving his chamber, barefooted, Ned proceeded to the Queen's throne room. It took him quite some time to reach the room. The place was a maze, more like a labyrinth, but only better looking with the crystals and mana stone adorning each hallway. Ned had yet to seen torches.

Ned was amazed by the complexity of the Hive. He was curious as to how they could ventilate the place so well, that the air whipping around his face was cool and smelled of wet grass.

Aside from the stationed beasts (mostly composed of Arachneas, and some selected goblin warriors) loyal to the Queen, Ned couldn't see any other beasts. Ned was curious as to where the other humans were. Aside from Otik, Ned couldn't find them.

After turning different hallways, and caves, Ned reached the throne room.

His room was placed far from the queen's room. Far from her other loyal servants. Were they this suspicious of him? Or perhaps, Ned must earn their trust. Of the two thoughts, Ned doesn't care what they thought of him. For now, he needed food.

The massive double door didn't wait for Ned to knock as it opened even after he reached it. Beside the gate were two guards, covered in black exoskeleton and limbs sprouting behind their backs. They looked at Ned with their red eyes in a disturbing shape. They tilted their head but did nothing as the Queen's voice roared from the inside.

Although far from Ned, the queen's greeting trembled the chamber and reached Ned's ear with too much anticipation.

There was no long table here when Ned had arrived.

The long table was elegantly covered with white linen clothing. Although long, there was only one chair that caught Ned's attention.

Across the table was the Queen on her beastian form. A massive abdominal body rested below the Queen. Her elfen body stood with great elegance as it was covered in leather. Perhaps to avoid hostility, Kon Sas Koron took off her damascus blade. The air around her was filled with delight, different from the air that greeted Ned before.

As Ned sat, the Queen nodded, and as if listening, the hidden doors behind Ned wedged open and a pair of figures came out this door.

The two figures were covered in brown cloth as if showing their skins were of great sin.

The two wheeled a cart in silver form and approached Ned.

A plate of Rabbi's meat, and what looked like to be a chicken were presented to Ned. Alone, it was too much for him.

The Queen was mumbling something that Ned didn't bother to listen as his thoughts were focused on the meat. Too hungry would result in him losing his focus. A trait he was happy as it shows how humanly he was. He shook his head as the Queen was talking about Ned's decisions.

Ned hurriedly agreed.

And the Queen stopped.

Which gave Ned the cue that he should start eating, so he did.

After a couple of minutes. His bare minimum energy went to a satisfying a hundred percent. Ned excused himself as he wiped grease over his lips with the white linen carefully folded.

The Queen stared at Ned with amusement that he almost forgot their discussion.

"So," Sas Koron said. She looked Ned from above while her shadows danced over the table, over Ned. "You've seen elves?"

Ned nodded while he slowly rested his back against the chair. Out of respect, Ned vanished the thought to sigh in great relief in front of the Queen.

"Where?"

"Somewhere," Ned said as his eyes darted the ceiling. The mana stones were like tiny stars in the night sky. Seeing those, Ned remembered the space and Calahir. "Far."

"I get it," she said, her voice was dramatic whenever she was calm. But Ned knew that something inside her was hidden, and he needed to make sure that he must not be here the moment she unleashes it. "In this world, elves were treated as slaves. Too much, that they were almost extinct."

"Do you know where they are?" Ned asked.

"There's no other place to accommodate them but the Dark Continent."

"Dark Continent?" Ned said and thought: Elves? In the Dark Continent? Was their betrayal so great that they were forced to the brink of extension? To the Dark Continent?

"And what of those that didn't make it to the Dark Continent?"

Sas Koron paused before he answered Ned: "Well, you're seeing one of them. Some turned to slaves, others simply killed. We were so hated, that humans needed to make sure we either become slaves or just… die."

"Other." She continued. "Were called Blood Elves. A half-elf, half of whatever they are: humans, Weres, maybe giants, and many other things. But Blood Elves were the lowest of the elves. That even their kin rejected them."

Ned's focus was back to normal as he was filled with food, of energy. He could hear rumbles from behind the walls, and from above.

"If only we are banded together," she said after seeing Ned's attention at full focus. "We could repel the invaders from the Gates. If only humans, and elves, and Lords agreed. We could win the war that yet to come."

"The Gates." Ned sighed.

"Yes." She agreed. "Lately, my people have received news that an unusual Gate appeared south of Cassan. But, I am not focused on that. That was another Lord's domain, and I don't want to anger them."

"South of Cassan?" Ned said.

Kon Sas Koron's limbs twitched that made a scraping noise against the stone floor. Doing this, her body tilted to one side as if lying to rest. "Yes," she said. "A human island they call O'rriadt."