On two black horses whose color absorbed the dim light filtered by the titanic canopy, Kaiser under the identity of Klein had just arrived in the famous kingdom of Yggdrasil.
The view that greeted them was breathtaking, far surpassing the simple travel tales that Kaiser had read in the Paragon library.
Several buildings stretched across different parts of the hill, but what imdiately struck was the perfect symbiosis that existed between elven architecture and the natural environnt.
Everywhere, climbing plants with luminescent flowers crept up the white walls, making the city even more beautiful and dreamlike under the sky filled with pure mana. Perched on a hill overlooking the first districts, the two travelers watched the elves go about their daily activities peacefully.
Several elven children played among the massive roots that served as foundations for the hos, and the most perfect way to describe this place would be a small paradise on earth, spared from the tribal wars of Arcadia or the corruption of Alexandria.
"... Nyo-ho ..." chuckled Diavolo as he gently pulled on his horse’s reins to stop it. The eccentric sorcerer adjusted his cowboy hat, letting the light make his golden teeth sparkle. "What a magnificent view, baby boy," he said while staring insistently down below.
"... You said it ..." replied Kaiser with a long sigh of weariness. He initially thought his master was admiring the complexity of the urban structures integrated into the millennial tree, but the next mont, when he turned his head, he understood what Diavolo really ant by a breathtaking view.
"Stop ogling other people’s wives, you’re going to make us look like perverts, old man," sighed Kaiser while shaking his head.
Indeed, when Diavolo spoke of this magnificent view, he was referring to an elf standing near a fountain down below. Her silhouette was marked by exquisite curves that her light silk dress, typical of the Sol clan, could not hide. The beauty of her peach skin, combined with the pronounced arch of her wide hips and the firmness of her chest, made her simply subli in the eyes of the old sorcerer.
"Stay cool, baby boy," replied Diavolo with a nonchalant wave of his hand. "... What would our eyes be for if we couldn’t even enjoy these little pleasures of life? Knowing how to appreciate beauty is the beginning of wisdom ..."
’Beginning of wisdom my ass... I wonder what I did to end up with only weird guys as teachers,’ sighed Kaiser internally, abandoning the idea of bringing the old man back to the path of decency.
He thought for a mont about Sulyvhan, whose essence was slowly rging with his own, and told himself that Diavolo was at least more realistic than that old man who was bewitched by that woman.
"... Whatever, let’s head toward the guild," he finally replied while giving a small nudge to his horse that began to walk along the path paved with stones.
Diavolo followed him, his trailing laugh echoing under the giant branches. They descended the small hill, blending more and more into the crowd of Yggdrasil’s inhabitants.
The sweet sll of tropical fruits and flower nectar perfud the various alleys, while several elves did their shopping in an orderly bustle. The street was noisy, certainly, but the feeling of unease and discomfort that might have existed in the poor districts of Alexandria was not present here.
Of course there were a few assholes among the Sol clan warriors who openly displayed their disgust when Kaiser passed within their reach, probably sensing his human origin. But it was not as disturbing as expected; after all, every species had to have its share of pariahs and arrogant people. Nothing is perfect down here, even the world tree was no exception.
Kaiser looked at the scenery, his hands resting on the reins.
"... Good evening, charming young lady ..."
Already dismounted from his horse with surprising agility, Diavolo had already taken the initiative to ask for directions from an elf who was arranging baskets of dicinal plants in front of a shop.
He was obviously taking the opportunity to put his seducer talents into practice, or as he himself said, to learn about the local culture in depth.
"No need to flatter , sir ..." smiled the elf while blushing a little, her long pointed ears twitching slightly under the complint. Even if the elves of Yggdrasil did not like the elves of Babylon, one could only agree that Diavolo had a handso face that allowed him everything.
The young woman’s reaction proved that the old sorcerer’s sharp tongue was indeed well honed, even after so many centuries of existence.
She possessed the characteristic features of her people: skin of a porcelain pallor, short blond hair, and eyes of a clear blue that shone with amused curiosity. Her tight bustier highlighted a generous chest that undulated slightly when she laughed heartily at Diavolo’s remarks.
"Oh, but I am only stating a truth that even the stars could not deny..." continued Diavolo as he took a step closer, his heterochromatic eyes fixed on the elf’s with a disturbing intensity. "... Tell , a pearl like you must surely know the shortest way to reach the Sol clan guild?"
The elf, increasingly chard by the confidence and eccentric style of this stranger, began to indicate the direction with enthusiasm. Her fingers brushed Diavolo’s arm as she pointed toward the center of the city, where the mana towers rose.
While the elf was gradually falling under the spell of the old man’s rhetoric, an elf with an imposing build suddenly intervened. He seed particularly annoyed to see a stranger trying to seduce his wife in broad daylight, right in front of their shop.
"Darling, go inside imdiately! ..." growled the husband as he stepped between Diavolo and the young woman.
He stared at Diavolo with a look full of hostility.
The man gave the precise address of the Sol clan guild dryly, hoping to get rid of the nuisance as quickly as possible. He then grabbed his wife by the arm, dragging her inside. Despite the roughness of the gesture, she could not help but look at Diavolo one last ti over her shoulder, a secret smile floating on her pink lips.
Kaiser, still on his horse, observed the whole scene with a slight smile.
"You’ll end up getting stabbed before we even reach the guild if you keep this up, old man ..." comnted Kaiser as Diavolo climbed back into the saddle with a satisfied little whistle.
"Life is too short to worry about jealous husbands, baby boy..." replied the sorcerer as he spurred his mount forward. "... And besides, a little dose of adrenaline keeps the heart young ... Nyo-ho! ..."
"If you say so," replied Kaiser with his mocking smile, advancing calmly.
They passed several patrols of Sol clan guards, recognizable by their tabards adorned with a red sun. After a few minutes, they finally spotted their destination.
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