Chapter 529: Realm of Spirits
For a brief moment, Adam felt as though his entire body was being dragged through an endless tunnel. Colors and lights flashed past him, making it difficult to tell which direction he was moving in. He tried to maintain his balance, but with Azrynn still holding the tiny spirit and his own hand gripping Azrynn’s wrist, there wasn’t much he could do.
"Seriously, what kind of ridiculous situation is this?!"
Before he could complain any further, the force pulling them forward suddenly disappeared.
All three of them tumbled out of the gate.
"Ugh!"
Adam landed on his feet, though he had to take several steps backward to regain his balance. Azrynn landed nearby, while the tiny spirit escaped her grasp and immediately flew several meters away.
"YOU IDIOTS!"
The little creature pointed at them with both hands, her wings fluttering furiously.
"LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE WE ARE?!"
Adam straightened his clothes and gave her an unimpressed look.
"Well, excuse me for not knowing what happens when someone gets sucked into a mysterious flower gate."
"YOU’RE THE ONE WHO GRABBED HER!"
"And you’re the one who opened the gate!"
"BECAUSE SHE WOULDN’T STOP CHASING ME!"
Azrynn, who had just gotten back to her feet, ignored their argument and looked around.
"...What is this place?"
Her quiet question caused Adam to turn his attention toward their surroundings.
And for a moment, even he forgot about the annoying little spirit.
They were standing in an extraordinary landscape unlike anything they had encountered before.
Flowers stretched as far as the eye could see, covering rolling hills and floating islands in a dazzling array of colors. Some were no larger than ordinary wildflowers, while others towered over the surrounding trees, their enormous petals glowing with magical light. Vines twisted around crystal formations, and luminous pollen drifted through the air like tiny stars.
A river of clear, shimmering water wound through the flower fields, reflecting a sky filled with unfamiliar colors. Far in the distance, enormous blossoms floated among the clouds, their roots dangling freely in the air.
The entire landscape seemed to pulse with life.
And the flowers weren’t the only living things there.
Tiny figures flew between the petals, while others rested on leaves, played around the streams, or gathered nectar from enormous blossoms. Some resembled beautiful miniature women with delicate wings, while others had more unusual appearances. A few looked like tiny animals made of light, and others resembled floating balls of energy with little faces.
There were spirits everywhere.
’So, this is where that little troublemaker came from?’ Adam thought to himself, raising his eyebrows.
Azrynn, meanwhile, stared at the scenery in amazement. She had heard stories about spirits and their mysterious domains, but seeing a place like this with her own eyes was an entirely different experience.
However, their arrival hadn’t gone unnoticed.
A nearby spirit carrying a basket of glowing petals suddenly stopped in midair.
"Huh?"
The spirits nearby immediately noticed the two unexpected visitors.
"Who are they?"
"Wait, how did two outsiders get into our realm?"
"That’s impossible! The barriers should prevent anyone from entering without permission!"
One by one, the spirits gathered at a distance, whispering among themselves as they examined Adam and Azrynn. Some hid behind enormous flower petals, while others hovered cautiously in the air, clearly uncertain about how to deal with the unexpected intruders.
Meanwhile, the tiny spirit who had brought them here crossed her arms and pointed accusingly at the two newcomers.
"See?! Look at the trouble you’ve caused! Outsiders aren’t supposed to enter our realm!"
Adam glanced at her before looking at the surrounding spirits.
"You’re the one who opened the gate and dragged us here."
"That’s not the point!"
"Then what’s the point?"
"Just shut up!"
Adam sighed, deciding that arguing with her was a waste of time.
Meanwhile, Azrynn noticed something peculiar. Several spirits were staring at her pointed ears and dark skin, their expressions gradually changing from curiosity to disbelief.
"A Dark Elf..."
"I thought their kind had disappeared long ago."
"How can one still exist?"
Azrynn’s expression turned serious.
Once again, she had encountered someone who seemed to know something about her people’s past.
She stepped forward and addressed the gathered spirits.
"Excuse me. Why do you keep saying that the Dark Elves are extinct?"
The surrounding spirits fell silent.
Some exchanged uneasy glances, while others quietly backed away.
Finally, the tiny spirit who had brought them there muttered under her breath.
"...You really don’t know what happened to your own people, do you?"
Suddenly, a new presence arrived, causing the surrounding spirits to fall silent.
A beautiful woman with green hair and golden eyes descended gracefully from above. Unlike the tiny spirits floating around them, her body was roughly the size of an ordinary human’s. A pair of magnificent wings extended from her back, and a delicate crown rested upon her head, giving her an unmistakably regal appearance.
She looked around at the gathering spirits before asking in a calm, composed voice, "What’s going on here?"
The moment they heard her voice, the spirits began complaining all at once.
"Sephy, two outsiders have entered our realm!"
"How could this happen?!"
"They must have found a way to break through our barriers!"
Amid the commotion, the tiny spirit who had dragged Adam and Azrynn into this place suddenly flew forward and pointed accusingly at the two of them.
"Sephy! These two are criminals! They were trying to capture me, so I had no choice but to bring them here!"
Adam stared at her in disbelief.
"...What?"
He looked at the tiny spirit, who was now hiding behind the winged woman as though her life depended on it.
"We have absolutely no interest in capturing a brat like you."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
The tiny spirit immediately exploded with anger, her little face turning red as she pointed at Adam.
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A BRAT?! I’M A RENOWNED SPIRIT! YOU SHOULD BE GRATEFUL THAT I’M EVEN ALLOWING YOU TO SEE ME!"
"Then why are you hiding behind someone else?"
"YOU!"
The spirit looked as though she might burst into tears from sheer frustration.
Meanwhile, Azrynn stepped forward, hoping to clear up the misunderstanding before things escalated any further.
"Please, allow me to explain. I wasn’t trying to capture her. I merely wanted to ask her something because she said something about my race. I followed her because she refused to answer my questions, and I accidentally ended up here when her gate pulled us in."
"That’s a lie! A LIE!" the tiny spirit immediately protested, flailing her arms wildly. "They’re both criminals! They’re trying to frame me! Sephy, you have to believe me!"
Adam gave her an exasperated look.
"You’re not even trying to make your story believable."
"SHUT UP!"
The winged woman let out a quiet sigh before turning toward the tiny spirit.
"That’s enough, Sylphy. Be quiet for a moment."
"Ugh..."
Called out by the woman, Sylphy reluctantly closed her mouth, although she continued glaring at Adam with undisguised hostility.
Once the commotion had settled, the woman turned her attention to the two visitors.
"My apologies for this unpleasant welcome. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Proserpine, the queen of this realm."
Her golden eyes examined Adam and Azrynn in turn, lingering briefly on Azrynn’s pointed ears and dark skin. Although her expression remained composed, there was a subtle shift in her gaze, as if she had noticed something unexpected.
"Since there seems to be a misunderstanding, I believe it would be better for us to discuss this somewhere more private."
She gestured toward a magnificent path lined with enormous flowers and glowing plants.
"Please, come with me. Let us talk elsewhere."