Lucian quietly entered the dining room.
As soon as he went inside, he immediately sat down at the table. Across from him was Liyara, who remained silent.
Lucian also stayed silent.
Lucian glanced around, but no matter where he looked, only he and Liyara were inside the dining room. There were no maids, no one else at all.
So Lucian spoke first.
"Why is it just the two of us here?"
Liyara shook her head.
"I don't know."
They remained silent. There was no conversation, so Lucian simply enjoyed his meal.
Lucian glanced at Liyara's plate.
"Why are you only eating vegetables?"
"Because we do not eat animals."
Liyara looked at Lucian with irritation.
"We are not like you humans, who kill animals just to eat them!!"
When Lucian heard this, he laughed inwardly.
'Haha, so elves are vegans.'
Liyara noticed that Lucian seemed to be laughing.
"Why are you laughing!!?"
When Lucian heard Liyara's irritated voice, he immediately stopped laughing.
Lucian let out a sigh.
"Meat tastes amazing. If you try it, I'm sure you'll like it too."
Suddenly, mana burst out from Liyara's body.
"You have some nerve saying that in front of me!!"
Lucian was shocked.
"W-WAIT, you can already use mana??"
"Yes, I can already use mana. This is the ability of us elves, something you humans do not possess!!"
Lucian recalled something he had read in a book.
Elves were naturally born with mana from the moment they were born, but their growth was extremely slow. Many elves lost the desire to work hard because they already had mana automatically.
So Lucian smiled.
"Yes, that is your advantage as elves. We humans must first create a mana core in our bodies in order to use mana, but-"
Lucian looked at Liyara seriously.
"That is exactly our advantage as humans. I learn to work hard to grow stronger, while you elves become complacent and rely only on the blessings given to you."
After hearing this, Liyara fell silent and began to think.
'He has a point. Since we already have mana from the start, most of us elves only focus on strengthening our mana and neglect our physical bodies.'
Liyara let out a sigh.
"Heh… No matter what you say, elves are still better than humans. We elves can live without eating animal meat!"
Lucian smiled.
"Did you know… meat is the reason why human bodies grow stronger so quickly?"
Liyara was shocked.
"W-What?? Don't fool me. In elf culture, anyone who eats meat becomes weak because meat is cursed!!"
"Hahaha… Then your culture is completely worthless."
Because of Lucian's laughter, Liyara became angry.
"Are you insulting our culture!!!?"
Seeing that Liyara was getting angry, Lucian asking.
"Alright, then let me ask you something."
Liyara was confused.
"What are you going to ask?"
Lucian smiled.
"If meat is cursed… then why are humans still strong to this day, when humans have always eaten meat??"
Liyara fell silent again and thought.
'Humans have existed for thousands of years and have always eaten meat, yet they are still alive even now.'
But Liyara could not accept losing an argument to Lucian, as she was known as the smartest elf in her kingdom.
So she answered Lucian's question.
"Obviously, it doesn't affect humans because you are not elves!"
When Lucian heard Liyara's reasoning, he smiled and spoke.
"But I read in a book that the organ systems of humans and elves are the same. Elves just age more slowly, but the bodies of humans and elves are identical."
When Liyara heard this, she smiled.
"Ohh… Do you have proof?"
Lucian immediately nodded.
"Yes, I read it in a book!"
However, Liyara still did not believe him.
"Then show me the book!"
Lucian smiled and stood up.
"If you really want to see it, follow me. The book is in my room."
Liyara immediately agreed.
"Okay."
They both quickly left the dining room.
After the two of them left, there was someone invisible who had been listening to their conversation the entire time.
Suddenly, Liyara appeared again, and beside her stood a woman with extremely long hair and a breathtakingly beautiful face.
-The woman's name was Ember-
"That child of yours is intelligent, Celestya," Ember said.
Celestya smiled.
"Are you impressed by him?"
Ember nodded.
"I can see that Liyara is also intelligent. They are the same age… yet Lucian managed to defeat her in every argument."
Ember then looked at Celestya.
"Celestya, I hope you understand. As a Phoenix, I have lived for millions of years, and now I desire a successor to my power."
Celestya remained silent.
Ember continued speaking.
"I have guided you through battles for a long time. I met you when you were only ten years old. I saw the talent you possessed, and you managed to kill one thousand dragons."
Celestya let out a sigh.
"Yes, I accomplished all of that thanks to your help. Because of that, I became a queen and the strongest human living in this world."
Ember smiled.
"At present, yes, you are the strongest human in this world. But I have met a human stronger than you."
Celestya was shocked and looked at Ember in confusion.
"Then who is it? You told me that you are the strongest being alive."
Ember nodded.
"Yes, I am the strongest now, and I defeated the Demon Lord and the Dragon Lord… but there was once a human I fought, and he defeated me."
Ember let out a sigh.
"But now, I don't know whether he is still alive or has died of old age."
Ember looked at Celestya seriously.
"I can see that you have already reached the level of a Supreme Magus, so why do you remain silent?"
After hearing the question, Celestya explained.
"Yes, I am already a Supreme Magus, but my strength is only on par with the Demon Lord or the Dragon Lord. I am still not stronger than you, and I am afraid that there may be someone even stronger than me."
Ember smiled at Celestya's words.
"I have already reached the limit of my strength, and I have lived for millions of years. That is why I now need a successor to my power."
Ember stepped closer to Celestya.
"And you are the only human I have seen who can control my power."
Meanwhile, Liyara was staring blankly at Lucian.
"You! How do you keep defeating me in every argument?!"
Lucian simply smiled.
"I defeated you because I am intelligent and I have evidence for everything I say, while yours are nothing but culture."
Liyara felt overwhelming irritation.
Lucian remained smiling, and in his mind he thought:
'I have lived in this world for a long time. There is no way I would lose to a mere elf child, haha.'
Lucian was suddenly startled when the door to his room opened, and he saw his mother.
"Mom?"
Celestya smiled.
"The two of you, follow me. I will introduce you to your instructor, who will train you to become excellent warriors."
Lucian and Liyara immediately followed Celestya. As they walked, Lucian began to notice something strange about Celestya.
Lucian let out a sigh and looked at Liyara.
"Where are your guards? Aren't you a princess?"
Liyara smiled.
"I don't have any guards with me. I simply teleported here. My parents want me to learn how to fight on my own and not rely on guards."
Hearing about teleportation, Lucian remembered something he had read in a book.
Teleportation was a technology invented by a student club at the academy, and it had since become standard in the kingdom.
When Lucian heard that Liyara was allowed to be independent, he felt a hint of envy.
He looked at his mother, who continued walking.
Lucian let out a sigh.
'Sigh… I have asked her countless times to let me be independent and travel the world, but she has never allowed it.'
Lucian was shocked when Celestya suddenly spoke.
"I can read your thoughts. Liyara was only allowed to be independent because she can already use mana, while you still cannot."
After hearing this, Lucian could only sigh.
Several minutes later–
Lucian and Liyara stood in a vast courtyard, facing a man wearing black armor. His face looked aged, he had long hair, and an extremely tall stature, 7'4.
Celestya looked at Lucian and Liyara.
"He will be your instructor. His name is Vaelor, the General of the Royal Knights."
Lucian and Liyara remained silent.
Lucian was shocked when Vaelor walked toward him.
"Hm… I hope you do not disappoint me, Prince."
Vaelor's voice was extremely deep and cold.
Lucian stood frozen, staring at Vaelor.
"Damn… My instructor looks like a giant!!"
Meanwhile, Celestya quietly watched Lucian, who was staring blankly at Vaelor.
Ember spoke inside her mind.
*We need to go to the Underworld to train until you obtain all of my power.*
Celestya let out a sigh.
"Yes… I will go. But before that, I must make sure that Lucian can already use mana."
Celestya smiled.
"From this day forward, I will abandon my position as queen."
Ember was shocked.
*Why?*
Celestya asked Ember.
"Didn't you say that a human once defeated you?"
Ember agreed.
*Yes, but–*
Ember stopped speaking when Celestya interrupted.
"Now I will find him and defeat him, so that I can truly become the strongest human. My position as queen will be given to Lucian's older sister, and I will give Lucian a fairy that I have cared for for a long time."
Celestya became serious.
"And I know that the human who defeated you is still alive, because he is most likely also a Supreme Magus."