In the shadowy forest, the trees were lush and the vines thick.
Wisps of mist drifted among the trees.
Aivisi drew a deep breath, taking in a delicate, sweet fragrance. She had been away for a year, and this place had only grown more beautiful.
Even in autumn, the foliage flourished.
As she breathed, her pointed ears twitched in the wind.
This was elven land. She no longer needed to conceal them.
Just then, footsteps sounded on a distant tree trunk. They were exceedingly faint, but they could not escape the ears of a fellow elf like Aivisi.
"Who's there?" The elf in the distance was highly alert.
Feeling the icy killing intent, Aivisi smiled. "It's Aivisi."
"...Oh, Miss Aivisi! Please, come in. The elders are all waiting for you!" An adult male elf leaped down, his hand on the hilt of his longsword.
She had not seen him in a year, and he seemed to have grown stronger again. The systematic methods His Highness had passed down truly were powerful!
Aivisi's tribe was not far away, but when she arrived, she saw none of the traditional treehouses.
She was not surprised. His Highness's Divine Oracle had instructed them about this long ago.
"Treehouses do suit elves, but they also impose a heavy burden on the ancient trees. Houses made of wood or stone will suffice. The energy spent growing treehouses would be better used for the ancient trees' own growth!"
And so, neat rows of wooden houses now formed a village, with streets running between them.
The ancient trees had been planted in a particular pattern, creating a resonance. Moonlight now showered down, its energy absorbed and transformed as wisps of power rose into the air.
The aroma of food, children's laughter, and the sound of a harp drifted