Novel Bin Chapter 191: Alysia Flora
I was deeply immersed in my books, but when I heard that voice, I gently set the book aside and rushed towards the source of the sound.
"MAMA!!"
"Come, come, commmeee.....gotcha!!!"
"hehehehe" My mother giggled as she enfolded me in her soft arms.
I snuggled into her embrace, smiling with contentment.
Lifting my head, I gazed upon a breathtaking sight: a beautiful silver-haired woman with long, elegant ears adorned with glistening diamond jewellery. Her face had a delicate, diamond-shaped structure, and her silvery eyes sparkled like bright stars. She was dressed in a pristine white robe that added to her ethereal appearance.
Observing my admiring expression, my mother asked playfully,
"What is it, Dear?"
"Mama is beautiful!!" I responded with unfiltered honesty.
Upon hearing my words, she gazed at me for a moment before breaking into a heartwarming giggle and showering me with affectionate kisses on my face.
\'chu\'
"MAMA!!"
\'chu\'
"Mama!"
\'chu\'
"Ma...."
\'chu\'
"..."
\'chu\'
\'chu\'
I couldn\'t resist my mother\'s affectionate onslaught of kisses.
After the flurry of kisses, My mother gazed at my face and said lovingly, "My dear Alysia Flora is the most beautiful girl in the world, \'chu\'" as my mother planted a kiss on my forehead, causing me to blush.
Her teasing only intensified upon seeing my flustered face, and she chuckled, saying,
"Hehehe... My daughter has beautiful silver hair just like me, and gorgeous green eyes just like your father, a cute nose, chubby cheeks... heheh... I\'m sure my daughter is going to break lots of young boys\' hearts... heheheh."
The more I heard, the more my face reddened, and I protested, "Mama!" I pouted in response to her playful antics and turned away.
Observing my reaction, my mother lifted me and carried me towards the mirror.
As of now, I am 10 years old.
"Look" she said as she held me in front of the mirror.
"...Mama is more beautiful" I remarked, my eyes captivated by her beauty, even though I closely resembled her except for a slight difference in our eyes....I couldn\'t compare myself to her radiant appearance.
In response to my comment, my mother smiled and kissed my forehead, saying, "Yes, I am more beautiful... " as her eyes looked at my green eyes, "...but, my dear, you will surpass me in due time".
Her words, full of unconditional love, made my cheeks burn even brighter.
Having had her fun teasing me, my mother changed the subject, saying, "Well, it\'s time to eat, dear"
"Hmm" I nodded as I hugged her neck and kissed her cheek.
"..." My mother blinked for a few seconds as my face turned red even more.
"hahahahaha....My dear is cuter!! than me"
A heartfelt laugh filled our small wooden house, consisting of a small bedroom with a dining table and washroom. We didn\'t have a kitchen, as we ate directly from nature without altering the food processing.
....
"We, Elves live in the Flora Continent.
We live in harmony with nature, embracing all forms of life.
We will never betray our kin.
Our hearts are united as one.
Born from the World Tree, we shall return to the World Tree".
"Yay.... My dear, you\'ve finally learned to read!" My mother cheered, jumping with the enthusiasm of a child who had achieved something remarkable.
I followed her lead, jumping around excitedly, thinking, \'This is fun\'.
By the time I turned 15,
I had learned most of the words. Contrary to what others might assume, Elves had a long lifespan compared to other species and Even as a Mortal/Soulless, our lifespans were nearly on par with Mortals/Soulless of Dragons and Vampires.
Except for one thing, Our growth rate differed from that of humans and other species. For instance, if a human child was five years old and had the physical characteristics of that age, Elves would resemble them when they reached after 15.
However, our growth was not a consistent process. For instance, if an Elf reached 30 years old, it didn\'t mean they\'d look like a ten year old human child. An Elf might resemble a 7 or 8-year-old human because our growth was intricately connected to the nature of our physical development.
Our true teenage years, characterized by the appearance of teen humans, began around the age of 70 to 80.
It was no surprise that I could read by the age of 15. I was considered a genius among the Elves because no Elf had ever learned to read and write before the age of 20, and my mother proudly boasted of this.
Yet, we all would awaken our soul crystals after being born 7 years...following the same rules as others.
"Aly, let\'s announce to our people that my daughter is a genius among geniuses!" My mother declared with enthusiasm.
"M-Mama, no," I hastily refused her idea.
I didn\'t want the attention....it was kind of embarrassing.
"Nope, I\'m going to do it" my mother stated firmly as she exited our wooden room built into the tree.
"NNNoo...."
That day marked the darkest chapter in my history.
...
"Dear, I\'m going to a meeting. Do you want to come?" My mother asked, dressed in a formal, full-length light blue gown that shimmered like the moonlit sea.
"Mama, you are beautiful!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide with admiration as I leapt into her embrace.
My mother swiftly caught me, and we spun in a gentle whirl, our laughter harmonizing with the rustle of leaves in the background.
"Hehehe," she giggled, her laughter like the delicate notes of a woodland song, as she looked down at me with eyes that sparkled like starlight.
After the excitement subsided, she asked, "So?"
"Yes, I\'m coming," I answered her previous question, my voice bubbling with youthful enthusiasm.
My mother walked out of our small house, and I clung to her arms. The world outside seemed to open up in all its glory, revealing the beauty of our treetop village, which nestled among the towering branches.
Despite being 30 years old, I still looked like an 8-year-old human. It was an oddity of our kind, a blessing that made it easier for my mother to hold me close.
Once outside, my mother stood on a branch, and it gracefully lowered us down, the gentle creaking of the wood harmonizing with the soothing whispers of the wind.
\'ttrckcckckkrrr\'
As we descended, I looked around and saw many trees, their leaves shimmering like emerald jewels.
Their houses were similar to ours, each a haven nestled among the branches.
"Hey, it\'s the Queen!"
"Queen!"
"Hey, isn\'t our princess even more beautiful?"
"Our princess is just as beautiful as Her Majesty. So beautiful!"
"Haha... that\'s true... shhh, be silent"
After some chattering, everyone lowered their heads in respect to my mother, their reverence akin to a grand forest bowing in unison.
My mother simply smiled and nodded before walking away, her white robe blending seamlessly with the ethereal surroundings, the embodiment of Elven grace.
Yet, they didn\'t raise their heads to show their respect.
A certain pride swelled inside my heart as a smug smile crept onto my face, which didn\'t go unnoticed by my mother.
She didn\'t say anything, though, and simply continued to walk, her hand brushing lightly over the leaves and vines that adorned the ancient branches.
...
"Mother, I\'m going hunting" I declared, gazing at my mother, who wore a pouting expression, disapproving of my decision.
"Sigh, Mother" I murmured as I approached her, my voice filled with affection, but her exasperated sigh pushed me away.
"...."
"...."
"....Mama-"
"My dear, you\'ve grown up \'sniff, sniff\' " she sniffled, faking tears and hugging me tightly. "She\'s not calling me \'Mama\' anymore... \'sob\', \'sob\'".
"Mama... I\'m now 55 years old" I pointed out, though I had matured somewhat, resembling a 12-year-old human.
"So? To me, you\'ll always be a child, even when you\'re a thousand years old" she replied, continuing to feign tears.
"Mama, that\'s a bit old, don\'t you think?" I raised an eyebrow and made a quirky expression.
She chuckled and kissed my forehead, her words still filled with warmth and motherly affection, "You will always be My little child, My dear Aly"
My mother loves me too much...
"I\'m heading out then" I said, slipping away from her embrace.
"Huh?" She looked startled, her attempt at emotional manipulation thwarted.
\'Does she think that technique is going to work every time?\' I wondered as I walked out of our home.
"Ha, Princess Alysia?"
"Princess Alysia?"
"Princess, are you going hunting?"
"Do you mind if my son joins you?"
"Wait, Your waste son?.....Ignore him, Princess, My son is the best at hunting beasts, he can help you, Princess?"
"Bastard, when did you have a son?"
"Huh?... right?"
Chatter filled the air as others discussed the surprising development. I simply smiled and said, "Sorry, but I need to train my skills" before slipping away from their insistent conversations.
With a swift motion, I escaped their nagging and walked alone, enjoying the beauty of our forest home.
\'It never fails to amaze me\' I thought as I reached the exit wall.
"Oh, Princess?"
"Princess?"
The guards stationed at the exit all bowed down.
"Thank you for protecting" I acknowledged as I exited the wall.
"It\'s our honour to receive praise from Your Highness" they replied in unison.
Our houses were constructed around the World Tree, and a massive wall encircled our settlement, making it challenging for other creatures to enter.
Here, we sought to coexist with nature and avoid conflict with the beasts, maintaining an ecosystem where they could thrive without entering our territory and vice versa.
Our approach extended to the other demi-human races, like Dwarfs, Cattians, and Rabbitians, who had their own territories, all united under the rule of the Elven Queen... MY MOTHER.
This was how we preserved our way of life in the Flora Continent.