Mixarnt led the three through the streets of Aetherlight and some tourist attraction. The city was bustling with activity, and Mika's eyes sparkled with excitement as she took in the sights.
"This place is amazing!" Mika exclaimed, her earlier frustration forgotten. "It's so different from Caspade. Look at all the knights! And the architecture is so grand!"
Elyssia nodded in agreement. "Aetherlight is truly a remarkable kingdom. It's clear why it's considered one of the strongest nations on the continent."
Alyssia, still holding onto Mixarnt's hand, looked up at him with a bright smile. "Thank you for showing us around, Mixarnt. This is so much fun! By the way, are you gonna go back to Naeva after the Aether Knight trials?" she asked with a blush.
"I don't plan to. I already said this before, but I plan to comeback to Naeva one day when I'm older, then I'll take you and Elyssia as my brides." Mixarnt said with a grin.
"Hahaha! I still can't believe you are serious about that, right Elyssia?" Mika asked with a laugh.
Elyssia, who had been quietly observing the conversation, raised an eyebrow at Mika's comment. Her icy blue eyes flickered with a mix of amusement and something else—something that made Mixarnt feel like he was walking on thin ice. "Oh, he's serious," Elyssia said, her tone dry but with a hint of a smirk. "He made the promise in front of the entire kingdom of Naeva. There's no backing out now."
Mika's laughter faded as she realized Elyssia wasn't joking. Her eyes widened, and she turned to Mixarnt with a look of disbelief. "Wait, you're actually serious about this? You're really going to marry two princesses!?"
Mixarnt scratched the back of his head, his grin turning sheepish. "Uh, yeah. I mean, I made a promise, and I don't plan on breaking it. But like I said, it's complicated right now."
Alyssia, her cheeks still flushed, smiled shyly. "We're looking forward to it, Mixarnt. But we understand that you have your own path to follow first."
Mika shook her head, still trying to process everything. "Unbelievable, Mixarnt. I don't know whether to be impressed or worried about you."
Elyssia rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips. "You're lucky we're patient, Mixarnt. Not many people would wait around for someone as clueless as you."
"Hehe... Well, I did promise my childhood friend—who also happens to be my first fiancée—that I'd have a lot of lovers so she could have plenty of friends," Mixarnt admitted with a sheepish laugh. "She's about the same age as me, and a princess of Elvedoria."
Elyssia and Mika were stunned, while Alyssia, on the other hand, looked excited at the thought of meeting Mixarnt's first fiancée, who is the same age them.
"Wait, wait, wait," Mika said, holding up a hand to stop Mixarnt before he could continue. "Are you telling me that Elvedoria is real? And you're engaged to a princess from there? Do you even hear yourself right now?"
Mixarnt grinned, completely unfazed by Mika's skepticism. "Yep! Nica's the best. She's kind, smart, and really good at magic. And yeah, Elvedoria is real. It's just... really hard to find."
Elyssia crossed her arms, her icy blue eyes narrowing as she studied Mixarnt. "You do realize that Elvedoria is considered a myth, right? There's no concrete evidence that it even exists. Are you sure you're not just... making this up to impress Alyssia and me?"
Mixarnt's grin didn't waver. "I'm not making it up! I grew up there. Well, not in the kingdom itself, but near it. Nica and I used to play together all the time. She's the one who made me promise to have a lot of lovers so she could have more friends. That's why I'm so... uh... open to the whole fiancée thing."
Alyssia clapped her hands together, her excitement bubbling over. "This is amazing! I've always wanted to meet an elf! Do you think Nica would let me visit Elvedoria someday?"
Mixarnt nodded, his expression softening as he looked at Alyssia. "Of course! Nica would love to meet you. She's really friendly, and I'm sure you'd get along great."
Mika and Elyssia exchanged another glance, their skepticism still evident. Mika sighed, shaking her head. "Mixarnt, you're either the luckiest guy in the world or the most delusional. I can't decide which."
Elyssia's tone was dry as she added, "Or both. Definitely both."
Mixarnt chuckled, clearly enjoying their reactions. "You'll see. One day, I'll take you all to Elvedoria, and you'll meet Nica. Then you'll believe me."
Alyssia beamed; her excitement undiminished. "I can't wait! It's going to be so much fun!"
Mika and Elyssia, however, weren't so easily convinced. Mika crossed her arms, her expression skeptical. "Alright, Mixarnt, let's say Elvedoria is real. How come no one else has been able to find it? And why haven't you taken anyone there before?"
Mixarnt shrugged, his grin never fading. "It's hidden by powerful magic. Only those who are invited can find it. And as for why I haven't taken anyone there yet... Er... I dunno the way back."
Elyssia raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Of course you don't. Because that's just how your life works, right? Mythical kingdoms, elven princesses, and a harem of fiancées. What's next? Are you going to tell us you're secretly the heir of some random kingdom in the deep ocean?"
Mixarnt's grin widened. "Nah, mermaid kingdoms is underwater. I'm not a big fan of swimming... The ocean is scary." He said with a slight shiver as he remembered the giant eye in the void threshold.
Mika groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I can't believe I'm even entertaining this conversation."
Alyssia, however, was still completely enthralled. "Do you think Nica would teach me some elf magic? I've always wanted to learn elven spells!"
Mixarnt nodded enthusiastically. "Absolutely! Nica's a great teacher."
Elyssia sighed, shaking her head. "You're really committed to this story, aren't you?"
Mixarnt's expression turned serious for a moment. "It's not a story, Elyssia. Nica's real, and so is Elvedoria. One day, I'll prove it to you."
Elyssia studied him for a moment, her icy blue eyes searching his. Finally, she sighed again, her tone softening. "Alright, Mixarnt. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. But if this turns out to be some elaborate prank, I'm freezing you solid."
"Well, there are Elven Adventurer, but most of them doesn't like revealing information about where they came from or would just say they are from the forest city in the east where different races live in harmony." Mika said with a sigh.
Later, Elyssia, Mika, and Alyssia said goodbye to Mixarnt. Since the two are princesses, they were treated as VIPs and required to stay in the royal palace. Mika, acting as their assistant for now, joined them. Due to their importance, two Knight Generals—Gawain and Kay—were assigned to discreetly keep an eye on them from a distance.
As they observed the group, Gawain couldn't help but comment on Kay's appearance. "Kay, you look cute in your female form," he said, trying to lighten the mood.
Kay blushed, clearly annoyed. "Shut up! I hate this natural magic of mine. I don't even know if I'm a man or a woman because my parents never told me before they died in the war. When I'm a man, I love women, especially Larala, but as a woman... I get embarrassed around you." Kay admitted, looking away.
Gawain felt awkward, avoiding eye contact. He wasn't used to seeing Kay in her female form, which was strikingly beautiful. The only other time he'd seen her like this was during the Aether Knight Trial meeting, the awarding ceremony and today. "Honestly, let's just focus on the mission," Gawain said, trying to steer the conversation away from Kay's perfect gender transformation magic, which he found both impressive and unsettling.
The two generals continued their watch, keeping their attention on the princesses and Mika while trying to ignore the awkward tension between them.