MTLNOVEL Chapter 69: Cursed place
The Elven Kingdom of Torseque.
Torseque was a vast and beautiful kingdom, home to over five thousand elves.
Due to their relatively small population compared to other races, the elves had gathered in one place, building a flourishing town around the sacred temple they worshipped.
Surrounded by tall mountains on all sides, Torseque lay nestled in nature's embrace. If one were to travel farther north—beyond two towering peaks—they would reach the kingdom's border, the edge that connected them to the draconic realm.
At the very heart of this land stood Samaran City, the center of Torseque's culture and authority.
It was near the outskirts of the town, just beside the guild, that an elf left Luna and Hades behind.
For both of them, this was their first time in the elven kingdom—and they had no idea how to reach Samaran City.
So, they decided to ask for help.
"Do you think it's alright to ask them?" Luna asked, glancing around nervously as they walked toward the guild. "What if they ask for a permit?"
The town streets felt oddly familiar.
Shops lined either side of the cobblestone roads. The air carried the sharp, hot scent of smithing. Tourists were scattered throughout—this being the first town travelers would see after crossing the border—but there were also plenty of locals.
And those locals were, of course, elves.
Their features resembled humans, but they were slightly more refined. Their hair tended to be long, their ears pointed and elongated. Ethereal, yet grounded in form.
Thankfully, the language they spoke was the same as humans. That made things a little easier.
Seeing Luna's apprehension, Hades let out a sigh. "We can't exactly go to the border security for help," he said. "And aside from the guild, I don't think anyone else here would be willing—or able—to guide us."
Hades understood her hesitation. He really did.
But they were already taking a huge risk just by being here—so what was a little more?
The two soon stepped into the guild, and were immediately greeted by the warm, inviting aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling fish.
"I feel hungry now…" Hades muttered under his breath, eyes drifting to the people enjoying hearty breakfasts at nearby tables.
The guild was bustling with life. Laughter echoed through the hall as groups of adventurers—mostly humans—shared stories and food with old friends and new acquaintances alike.
Long wooden benches lined the walls, offering seats for anyone who came in. Dimly glowing lamps hung from the ceiling, casting a golden hue over the room. Servers moved swiftly between tables, carrying trays filled with steaming food and mugs of frothy ale.
The atmosphere was cozy, almost cheerful. A sharp contrast to the tension they had been feeling just moments ago.
Luna looked around and then leaned toward him. "Let's eat something first before we ask anyone?"
Hades glanced at her, eyebrow raised. "You sure?" he asked—but even as he spoke, he was already halfway to sitting down on the bench to their left.
Luna giggled and pulled him along the rest of the way. "Yes, I'm sure. It's still morning, right? If all goes well, we'll reach Samaran by evening."
Truthfully, she had no idea how far Samaran City really was. But since there wasn't any time limit for their journey, they could afford to take it slow—for now.
Hades didn't resist and took his seat beside Luna.
It wasn't long before a server approached them with a warm smile. "What would you like to have?"
Hades gave the bustling hall another quick glance, then said, "Whatever your best and most popular breakfast is… bring us four of those."
The server chuckled and nodded. "Alright. Just a few minutes."
As the server walked away, silence settled between them—comforting, but not quite lasting.
Luna eventually broke it, her voice soft. "I hope Samaran City has a place we can stay." Her eyes remained on the wooden table. "We still don't even know how long we're supposed to stay there... or why we were led here in the first place."
They were like wandering nomads in a foreign land—no clear goal, no solid direction. And yet, these little detours, these unplanned adventures with Hades, stirred something in her. A quiet thrill. A sense of freedom.
Before Hades could respond, a deep, slightly slurred voice cut in.
"Did ya say… Samaran?"
They both turned toward the source.
Across from them sat a bearded man, his cheeks flushed and his breath thick with the smell of alcohol. It was still early in the morning, yet the man looked like he had already emptied more than a few mugs.
"What in blazes do ya two want goin' to that cursed land fer?" the old man slurred, squinting at them with one bloodshot eye.
Hades blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. But he quickly regained his composure and offered the same lie he'd told the guild master. "We're going there to receive blessings. Our parents told us to make the journey."
The man let out a rough scoff. "Hmph… then your folks must not care much for ya. That temple…" He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "It swallows people whole and never spits 'em back."
Hades frowned, exchanging a look with Luna.
The silver-haired girl leaned forward, her voice calm but curious. "What do you mean, sir? We're new here. We don't know much about the temple. Could you tell us more?"
Instead of answering right away, the old man grabbed his mug and downed the rest of its contents in one long gulp. He slammed the empty vessel down with a *thud*, earning a few glances from nearby tables.
"You know Beatrice?" he asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "That fine-lookin' wowho's runnin' things down in Torseque?"
Hades gave a slow nod. "The new Queen of the Elven Kingdom. Yes, we've heard of her. I read about her in the papers… Her father died in an ambush, didn't he?"
"Aye," the man grunted, jabbing a finger at the table. "She took the throne after that. But you know what they don't print in yer fancy papers?"
He leaned in even closer now, eyes wild with a mix of booze and bitterness.
"She feeds that temple. Her and every elf that came before her. It's their duty, they say—keep the thing inside locked up tight. So they give 'it' folks. Call it an offerin'. Young ones, old ones, doesn't matter. Long as the temple gets its due."
Luna's expression hardened, but she stayed quiet.
"And just a few nights back—heh, that's the best part," he said, chuckling dryly. "Karma came knockin'."
He paused, letting the tension hang before continuing with a grin.
"Her own daughter—dragged into that cursed place. In the middle o' the damn night. No offerin', no guards, no warnin'. Just—*whoosh*—gone. Just like that."
Hades leaned back in his seat…he didn't know anything about that.
Soon, the waiter arrived with the food and in that brief moment of silence, the old man had fallen asleep in his seat.
Hades muttered under his breath as he thought about what he heard,
'Samaran City…just why exactly did you send me here?'
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.