They left the teleportation hall and began walking through the palace together.
As they moved, officials bowed before quickly returning to their work. Messengers hurried through the corridors carrying reports, while palace guards exchanged shifts with practiced efficiency.
The atmosphere remained busy, but unlike the High Elven Kingdom after the attack, there was no tension, only the ordinary rhythm of governance.
Atheline quietly observed everything.
"...It feels strange."
Lilith glanced toward him.
"What does?"
"Yesterday..."
He looked through one of the palace windows toward the bustling capital beyond.
"It felt as though everything had stopped, but now..."
He watched merchants opening their shops in the distance while citizens continued their daily routines.
"...life simply continued."
She understood exactly what he meant.
"Most of our people only know that an attack occurred. They don’t know the details, and until we tell them otherwise... the kingdom continues."
He slowly nodded.
"Perhaps that’s for the best."
As they approached the throne room, a familiar figure was already waiting. Zelpher stood with several neatly organized documents in his hands. The moment he saw them, he bowed deeply.
"Your Majesties, I trust your journey was without incident after leaving the High Elven Kingdom."
"It was," Lilith replied, "I assume you’ve already heard what happened."
"Yes. The reports reached us shortly after the attack."
His usually calm expression grew more serious.
"I have already increased palace security and ordered additional patrols around the capital."
Lilith gave an approving nod.
"Good... now." She folded her arms. "Report."
Zelpher immediately opened the first document.
"Since your departure, the kingdom has remained stable. There have been no reports of cultist activity within the capital. No noble disturbances or attacks on our settlements. Additionally, the moon crystal distribution continues as planned."
He turned another page.
"The coastal patrols have also submitted their reports. The corruption emerging from the Blood Ocean in the beast continent remains at previously recorded levels. There has been no sudden increase."
Atheline paid close attention.
"What about the corrupted themselves in the kingdom?"
"They continue appearing in small groups. Our garrisons have successfully eliminated every recorded sighting. No unusual mutations have been observed."
That eased some of the concern lingering in his mind; at least nothing had changed while they were away.
Zelpher continued.
"Our intelligence network has likewise reported no suspicious gatherings among the remaining fanatic groups. We believe the arrests carried out several months ago significantly weakened their influence within the kingdom."
Lilith remained thoughtful.
"Believe?"
Zelpher understood immediately.
"...Correction. We have found no evidence of renewed activity."
"Continue monitoring them without interruption."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Atheline finally asked the question that had quietly lingered in his thoughts since leaving the High Elven Kingdom.
"Has there been any abnormalities with the dark Aether?"
Zelpher tilted his head slightly before shaking his head.
"None, there have been no reports of corruption among normal citizens."
He closed the report.
"Everything appears completely normal."
Atheline slowly nodded.
"I see."
The answer should have reassured him, instead, for reasons he couldn’t explain... it only deepened the strange unease lingering in the back of his mind.
Lilith noticed his silence. She waited until Zelpher had finished the remainder of his routine reports before dismissing him.
"You’ve done well. Continue monitoring the kingdom. If anything changes, I want to know immediately."
Zelpher bowed once more.
"Understood, Your Majesty."
After he departed, the throne room fell quiet. Lilith walked toward one of the tall windows overlooking the Court. Below them, the streets bustled with ordinary life. The kingdom was exactly as they had left it.
She looked toward him.
"Our people are safe."
He joined her beside the window.
"For now."
.
.
.
The days immediately following their return from the High Elven Kingdom passed more quietly than either of them had expected.
The attack on the royal wedding had shaken the continents, and although every kingdom had returned to its own affairs, the memory remained fresh.
Reports flowed into the Dark Elven palace almost every day from merchants, border officials, and intelligence agents. Rumors spread quickly across the continent, each one more exaggerated than the last.
Some claimed an army of corrupted beasts had attacked the wedding. Others insisted an ancient Sovereign had appeared before vanishing without a trace.
Neither Lilith nor Atheline paid much attention to rumors. Facts were far more valuable.
Every morning began the same way.
Before the palace truly came alive, the two of them would share breakfast in a smaller dining room overlooking one of the palace gardens. Unlike the grand banquet hall reserved for state occasions, this room was private and peaceful.
The large windows allowed the early morning sunlight to spill across the polished floor while servants quietly placed simple meals before them before withdrawing without disturbing the silence.
On this particular morning, the white fox was already awake, or rather... was awake enough to begin searching for food.
The little creature stood on the edge of the table, its silver nose twitching as it carefully inspected every plate. Its fluffy tail swayed behind it as though it had been entrusted with a mission of the utmost importance.
Atheline pretended not to notice while Lilith noticed immediately.
"It is looking at your fish."
"I know."
"It has been looking at your fish for the last minute."
"I know."
She raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
He calmly cut off a small piece before holding it toward the fox.
"There."
The fox accepted the offering with surprising dignity before curling up beside his plate to enjoy its reward.
Lilith sighed.
"You’re encouraging it."
"I am rewarding good behaviour."
"It was stealing."
"It was considering stealing. There is a difference."
A faint smile appeared on her face despite herself.
"You spoil it."
"It seems to think so."
The fox chirped happily, completely unaware that it was the subject of the conversation.
Breakfast ended shortly afterward. As always, duty came before leisure. Lilith departed for the throne room to begin hearing reports from the council, while Atheline headed toward one of the palace’s inner training grounds
The air carried the unmistakable scent of spring. Servants maintained the palace. Gardeners replanted flower beds damaged by the long winter. Even the palace guards seemed more energetic than they had been only a month ago.