My Celestial Ascension

Chapter 798: Back To Their Homeland

“This place is… just beautiful…” Yuan muttered under his breath, his eyes drawn to the breathtaking sight before him.

The Elven Palace stood in the heart of a vast flower garden, its elegance perfectly framed by nature’s brilliance. Thousands of vibrant blossoms swayed gently in the breeze, their petals painting the air with vivid colors.

Butterflies—large and small—fluttered gracefully among the blooms, sipping the sweet nectar the flowers released. The soft hum of the wind stirred the leaves, creating a delicate rustling that blended seamlessly with the gentle fragrance surrounding them.

It was a perfect harmony of nature and craftsmanship, where every stone of the palace seemed to grow out of the earth itself.

The tall spires, covered in vines and crowned with crystal-like tips, shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Around the palace, many graceful elves tended to the flower beds, their every movement flowing like water.

Not only Yuan, but everyone in his group found themselves momentarily spellbound by the beauty.

Especially Little Zoe—her wide eyes sparkled as her gaze darted from one bed of flowers to the next.

“Wow! So many beautiful flowers! I love this place!” she exclaimed, her voice ringing with pure excitement before she darted off, skipping joyfully between the rows of blossoms.

Her sudden movement drew the attention of the elves working in the garden. They exchanged puzzled looks, clearly wondering how a human child had wandered into the royal palace grounds. But their confusion vanished the moment they looked up and saw who stood among the newcomers.

The tools in their hands slipped from their grasp and clattered to the ground. “I-Isn’t that… the Queen? And her Knight?!” one of them gasped. “She’s back! Our Queen has returned!” “It’s truly her! Our Queen has finally come home!” “Long live Her Majesty the Queen!”

Their voices rose together in joyous cries as they abandoned their tasks and hurried toward Mireya, faces alight with emotion.

Mireya’s lips curved into a warm smile at the sight of her people’s excitement. She turned slightly, her eyes soft as she addressed Yuan and the others. “Welcome to my home—the Kingdom of Elves—Elarindor, The Twilight Veil.”

“I have to say,” Anna Grace remarked with a gentle smile, her tone filled with admiration, “this place is incredibly beautiful. It truly feels like heaven.”

“Thank you, Mother-in-law,” Mireya replied with genuine warmth.

Before long, the crowd of elves had fully surrounded their Queen, voices overlapping in a flurry of eager questions—so many that it was almost overwhelming.

“Calm down, everyone,” Mireya spoke firmly, her voice carrying the authority of a ruler. “I’ll answer your questions, but one at a time. Please, be patient.”

Once they had quieted, she began addressing them, recounting where she had been all those years and what she had endured.

The elves listened intently, but their curiosity soon shifted toward Yuan and his wives, asking questions about the strangers who had arrived with their Queen.

Mireya answered most of them, though there were a few she chose to leave unanswered for now. She had every intention of revealing her relationship with Yuan—but only after a few… necessary adjustments.

Mireya then turned to Yuan, her eyes soft but determined. “Yuan, would you mind opening the portal to the Secret Realm? I’d like to bring my people back home.”

“Sure,” Yuan replied with a faint smile, as though he had been expecting her to ask. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

He raised his hand, and the space before them began to ripple faintly. Cracks—like fractures in glass—slowly appeared in the air. The cracks spread wider, spiderwebbing outward, until the opening was large enough for a grown man to pass through with ease.

The elves tending the garden froze at the sight. A massive, pitch-black hole now hung in the air, and it looked as if even the light was being swallowed into its depths.

“W-What in the world is that?!” one elf gasped. “How can something like that just… appear out of thin air?!” another whispered, her voice trembling.

Their curiosity was laced with unease. A few instinctively stepped back, while others glanced toward the palace, unsure whether to run for help.

“Should we inform the Royal Guard and protect the Queen?” one of them asked urgently.

“I… don’t think so.” Another elf shook her head, then discreetly pointed toward Mireya. “Look. Her Majesty isn’t alarmed at all. She seems to know exactly what’s going on. Perhaps… this is the doing of that handsome human.”

“You think so? But… doesn’t it look dangerous?” The elf’s concern deepened, especially when she saw Mireya walking toward the swirling darkness. “Wait, she’s getting close to it! We have to stop her—”

Before she could finish, Lily—having overheard their whispers—snapped in irritation. “Relax, you bunch of noisy busybodies! Can’t you see we’re doing something important here?!”

The elves flinched instantly. A few of them staggered as a wave of killing intent washed over them, making their legs tremble.

“Let’s just ignore those fools and get this over with,” Lily said with a scowl, glancing at Yuan. “I’m tired after flying all day.”

“Let’s go in, Mireya,” Yuan said calmly before stepping into the portal. His figure vanished into the void without a sound.

Mireya followed closely behind, along with the others, disappearing into the swirling darkness. Miss Zara, Little Zoe, and Selvariel remained outside, taking up guard positions near the portal to keep any overly curious elves from getting too close.

Moments later, Yuan emerged again—this time accompanied by a line of elves, all of them women rescued from the Holy Light Empire. One by one, they stepped through the portal, each wearing expressions of awe and relief.

The moment their feet touched the familiar soil, emotions surged.

“T-This… This is the Elven Kingdom—our home…” one of the elves whispered, her voice breaking. Tears slipped down her cheeks as she inhaled deeply, savoring the crisp, pure air.

“This scent… it’s ours. Only our homeland smells like this.” Another’s gaze lifted to the towering Mother Tree in the distance. Her lips quivered. “That tree… our beloved Mother Tree… We’re back.”

“Finally… finally, we’ve returned.”

They stood in small clusters, their voices trembling with joy, their hands brushing against the grass as if to confirm this wasn’t just a dream.

Meanwhile, the elves who had been tending the garden earlier stared in disbelief. They recognized several of the new arrivals instantly.

“Wait… aren’t those the people who went missing years ago?” one elf asked in shock. “How… how are they walking out of that strange black hole?”

“Indeed… I’ve heard that they were captured by the humans from the Holy Church and sold as slaves in the Human Continent.”

“Could it be… that our Queen rescued them and brought them back herself?”

“From the look of it, that seems to be the case. I always knew Her Majesty was incredible… but to think she could accomplish something like this… Simply amazing.”

“My respect for our Queen has grown even more.”

The elves whispered among themselves, their voices filled with awe. Their gazes toward Mireya changed—no longer just admiration for their ruler, but reverence, as though she were a divine being sent from the heavens to bless them with good fortune.

The rescued elves stepped forward. They looked at Yuan and his wives before bowing deeply, their gratitude evident in their trembling voices. “Thank you… for bringing us back home.”

A moment later, Mireya turned to her people. Her tone was warm, yet carried the authority of a Queen. “Those of you who have families—return to them. Cherish your reunion. Those who have lost their families… I will personally arrange a temporary home for you within the kingdom.”

She then glanced at Yuan. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have important matters to handle.” Without another word, she led Yuan and the others toward the palace.

Once Mireya and her group were gone, the remaining elves crowded around the rescued ones, eager to hear their story. Their expressions shifted from curiosity to shock as they learned of the brutal slave merchants, the noble households that had bought them, and—most surprisingly—that the humans standing with the Queen had helped in the rescue mission.

“We must report all of this to the Council Elders,” one elf said urgently. “They have been waiting for the Queen’s return.”

The other elf hesitated before muttering, “I wonder how Her Majesty will react when she learns about the replacement plan… and that their chosen candidate is the Florence Household’s young master.”

“Indeed. She will be furious with the Council Elders as soon as she finds out. Imagine—making a male the ruler of the Kingdom? Such a thing has never happened in our history.”

“Well… it’s not for us to decide. Political matters should be left to the Queen. Our job is to deliver the news.”

The two exchanged a knowing glance before hurrying out of the flower garden, determined to inform the Council immediately. The elders’ reaction would surely be one of shock—especially given what they had been plotting in the Queen’s absence.

—

Meanwhile, Mireya guided Yuan and the others deeper into the palace. The moment they crossed the threshold, their eyes widened in admiration.

The interior was magnificent—grand yet harmonious with nature. Delicate vines and blooming flowers intertwined with pale, polished wood. Crystal-clear streams of water flowed through carved channels in the floor, their gentle trickle adding a soothing melody to the air. Faint motes of light—like captured starlight—floated lazily near the high, vaulted ceiling. Every detail spoke of elven craftsmanship and magic, not merely as art but as a way of life.

Yuan and his wives, along with Miss Zara, Little Zoe, and Selvariel, couldn’t help but be impressed. The palace wasn’t just a building—it was a masterpiece where nature and magic existed in perfect harmony.

Somewhere deep within the Elven Kingdom, in a secluded chamber lit by the soft glow of enchanted lanterns, a large round table stood at the center.

Around it sat the Council Elders, all dressed in flowing green robes embroidered with golden vine patterns—the mark of their authority. Their faces were grave, their postures rigid, and the air was heavy with unspoken tension.

“So… the Queen has finally decided to return,” one of the elderly female elves murmured, setting her porcelain teacup back onto its saucer with a soft clink. Her voice carried a subtle edge. “And not only that… she’s brought back our people who were captured by those wretched humans.”

“Hmph!” A sharp scoff broke the moment. Davis Lavinder, a stern-faced male elf with sharp, narrow eyes, leaned back in his chair. His tone was dripping with disdain. “What’s so impressive about that? Even my daughter could have accomplished something like this. It’s not impossible.”

Camilla Rose, an elegant elder with silver hair cascading over her shoulders, gave him a cool, mocking smile.

“Well then, Davis… why didn’t you send your daughter to perform such a rescue, hmm?” Her voice was calm but laced with cutting sarcasm.

“You—!” Davis’s lips tightened, but his words stumbled.

“That’s… because… ugh…” He searched desperately for an excuse, but nothing came. The other elders exchanged faint, knowing smirks at his discomfort.

“Enough,” a deep, commanding voice cut through the air like a blade. The sound reverberated in the chamber, silencing everyone instantly.

The one who had spoken was Sylvester Florence, seated at the far side of the table. His golden eyes were sharp, his presence radiating authority that few dared to challenge.

The Florence family was the second most powerful in the kingdom, surpassed only by the Royal Family itself, and Sylvester was the most influential of the council members. His words often carried the weight of law.

He leaned forward slightly, resting both hands on the table as his voice rumbled through the chamber.

“Remember your positions. We are council members—guardians of this kingdom’s stability. This is ’not’ a place for petty quarrels.”

The room grew tense again, but now it was with restraint rather than hostility. Sylvester’s gaze swept over each elder, lingering just long enough to remind them of their place.

And though no one dared speak it aloud, every person at the table knew the truth: his son was the chosen candidate to become the first King of the Elves… a plan the Queen’s unexpected return could very well shatter.