Chapter 276
The princess looked confused before shaking her head. The king looked at her before answering, "200 years."
"An average Apeling lives to 200 years, which is twice the age of humans. We humans can only reach that age once we’ve broken through to the fourth stage."
"If we, with our heritage, can break through to the fourth stage and extend our lives, what stops the Apelings from doing the same?"
Waving his hand, a potion appeared in his grasp. The king shook the potion in front of his sister’s face. "Do you know what this is, sister?"
The princess shook her head. The king answered again, "This is a longevity potion. One of the Apelings who visited our kingdom casually gave this to a noble who had shown them good hospitality."
The princess stared at the potion, her eyes widening in realization. "You mean to say... the Apelings possess the knowledge to extend their lives beyond what we thought possible, and they share it so casually?" Her voice was a mix of disbelief and intrigue.
Nwadiebube nodded slowly, his expression grave. "Yes, they do. And if they can do this effortlessly, imagine what else they can achieve that we cannot even fathom. We are not just dealing with beings who have adapted to mana differently, but with those who might have tapped into the very essence of life itself. They aren’t just advanced; they are years ahead of us in some aspects."
"But if they are so powerful," the princess began, "why haven’t they simply taken over? Why do they bother with diplomacy, with coexisting at all?"
"That," the king replied, "is precisely the point, sister. They could easily dominate us, yet they choose not to. Perhaps it is because they see something in us, something worth preserving or cultivating. The question isn’t just whether we can coexist, but why they are allowing us to. What role do they see for humanity in this world?"