Chapter 261: What Are You Hiding?

The grand scrying chamber of the elven citadel hummed with magic.

Crystal orbs floated in perfect formation, each one pulsing with soft silver light as the events of the world unfolded.

Seraphel strode through the gilded halls of the royal spire without pause, her armor still streaked with the dust of travel and the faint scent of battle. She had returned directly from the frontier, her mission incomplete, and the weight of that failure sat heavy on her shoulders. Two guards at the throne room doors bowed low and parted without a word; no one delayed a high sentinel.

Inside, Queen Galadriel sat upon her throne of living crystal. Her posture was regal, yet each measured breath caused her heavy breasts to rise and fall beneath the sheer silk of her gown, the fabric shifting like liquid silver. She looked every inch the eternal ruler—until Seraphel dropped to one knee before her.

"My queen," Seraphel began, voice steady despite the urgency in her eyes. "I have returned with urgent tidings. The watchers have confirmed it through their sight: the dwarf is no longer visible to us, regardless of depth or distance. Something travels with him that warps our spells. It is... worrying."

Galadriel’s fingers tightened slightly on the armrest, but her expression remained composed. "Continue, Seraphel. Leave nothing unsaid."

Seraphel rose only when permitted by a small nod. "The series of events unfolding near the barrier are out of our expected scope, my queen. The dwarf and Byung are no longer on good terms. The only reason for such a rift is that Byung has turned from him entirely. This fracture... we can exploit it. The goblin is vulnerable now, isolated from former allies."

Galadriel leaned forward a fraction, her gown shifting again with the motion. "And yet you failed to retrieve the dwarf. That is new for you, Sentinel. You have never returned empty-handed before."

Seraphel’s cheeks colored faintly, but she met the queen’s gaze without flinching. "I know, my queen. The opportunity slipped away in the chaos of battle. The dwarf’s new... companion made pursuit risky. But I have set other wheels in motion."

The queen remained surprisingly calm, her voice smooth as still water. "I trust my high sentinels. If you retreated, it was for a very good reason. Speak of the rest."

Seraphel drew a breath. "There is a crack in the barrier, my queen. Something has slipped through. We believe the dwarf’s actions enabled it."

Galadriel’s eyes widened a fraction, the first true crack in her composure. "I see," she muttered, almost to herself, voice laced with disbelief.

"There is a crack in the barrier and something had slipped through... It should not have happened. Yet it did. The dwarf was not all talk after all. And this breach... it only became possible after he met Byung. The timing cannot be coincidence."

Seraphel nodded once. "That is correct, my queen. I am afraid I do not know the goblin’s allegiance. He grows stronger by the day, and his influence spreads. But we can turn the dwarf’s estrangement to our advantage."

The queen’s fingers drummed once on the crystal armrest. "And Valera?"

Seraphel hesitated, then continued. "But... Valera, she has been freed from the prison world. This much I can confirm. I saw her, she was the one who took Byung,"

A subtle shift rippled through Galadriel’s body—her shoulders tensed, her breathing quickened just enough to make her breasts rise more noticeably. The change was small, but Seraphel noticed it.

"I have asked Aelindra to take it from here," Seraphel added quickly, steering the conversation forward.

"She has no access to magic, so this is the least she can do to redeem her honor after her earlier failures. She will track Byung and report back without drawing attention."

Galadriel studied her sentinel for a long moment, then allowed a small, satisfied smile to curve her lips.

"You have done well despite the complications, Seraphel. Your diligence honors the realm. Go now—rest, resupply, and keep the sentinels vigilant. We will speak again soon."

Seraphel bowed deeply. "As you command, my queen. Thank you for your trust."

She turned and left the throne room with the same measured stride she had entered with. The heavy doors sealed behind her with a soft click of magic.

The moment the sound faded, Queen Galadriel’s mask shattered. She slumped back against the throne, one hand rising to press against her forehead. Her breathing grew uneven, the rise and fall of her heavy breasts now rapid and visible. Distress etched deep lines across her flawless face—not from the news of the thing that had slipped through the barrier, but from the single name that had truly unsettled her: Valera.

"Valera..." she whispered into the empty chamber, voice trembling with something between fury and fear. "Of all the ancient mistakes to return... why you?"

Galadriel rose from the throne and paced slowly before it, the silk of her gown whispering against the marble. She stopped at the edge of a tall window overlooking the elven spires, staring out at the distant barrier shimmering on the horizon.

"You were always the thorn," she continued aloud, though no one was there to hear. "One of the few who openly opposed my plans to leave the male elves behind. You argued for balance, for unity, for keeping our kind whole. But that wasn’t even the worst of it." Her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "You were the only one who knew the truth of what I truly d-!" She stopped herself from completing this sentence,murmuring to herself.

She laughed bitterly, the sound hollow against the crystal walls. Galadriel knew there was no reason to be scared.

Galadriel turned sharply, her gown flaring. The distress in her eyes hardened into cold resolve. She crossed back to the throne and sat once more, forcing her breathing to steady.

The queen’s heavy breasts rose and fell with one final, deliberate breath as she composed herself. The mask of calm authority slipped back into place, flawless and unreadable, just as the doors would open again for the next petitioner. But deep beneath the surface, why should someone lile Galadriel be afraid of an elf who lost consciousness with a single teleportation spell? It wasn’t her strength she feared but what she knew.