Demon King After the End-Chapter 26: Elves’ decision

The air inside the conference hall grew heavy.

Everyone present — nobles, advisors, military commanders — were the brightest and highest of the elven kingdom. Yet even among them, silence reigned as they awaited the Queen’s verdict.

An elderly figure, clad in flowing green robes adorned with silver embroidery, finally broke the uneasy quiet.

"So... what should we do?" he asked, his voice carrying a cautious tone. "Should we inform the Human Alliance of this?"

A few heads nodded.

"I agree," another elder chimed in, a stately woman with stern eyes. "Humans are our... allies. It would be proper to notify them before rumors spread."

A sharp, disdainful snort echoed through the hall.

"Allies?" A younger elf lord, his golden hair shining under the soft light, scoffed. "You’re just lying to yourselves. We are nothing more than their subordinates. Puppets parading under the illusion of dignity."

His words struck like arrows.

The hall sank into an even heavier silence.

Everyone knew the truth deep down... but hearing it aloud was another matter.

The young lord’s voice dropped to a solemn note. "The once-proud elf race... reduced to clinging at the boots of humans."

Some shifted uncomfortably; others lowered their eyes.

The grim mood lingered until an elderly man — his white beard braided with golden threads, clearly of high status — spoke firmly, voice cutting through the tension.

"This is not the time to grieve the past," he said. "We must act in the present. The revival of the Tree of Death is no small matter. Should we inform the Human Alliance, or not?"

Another advisor, an older elven woman with a sharp gaze, raised her hand lightly.

"I believe we should," she said calmly. "If they hear of it through other channels, it will strain what little relations we have left."

"Tch." Someone else clicked their tongue loudly.

"What relations?" a hard voice retorted. "Righteous on the surface, monstrous beneath. Those humans slaughter other races, enslave them, capture our kin—and we can’t even ask for justice without fear of being crushed."

A murmur of bitter agreement swept the hall.

"And don’t forget," another noblewoman added, her tone full of cold anger, "our sin already stains us. We abandoned our dark elf brethren during the Exodus. Their homeland was ravaged, their half of the Tree of Life lost. We did nothing but watch."

She paused, looking around, her voice softening.

"Since then... the Tree of Life has slowly withered. But now, after the revival of the Tree of Death..." Her eyes turned distant, wistful. "The Tree of Life seems... more vibrant. As if rejoicing. As if... finally complete."

Another voice rose, deep and steady.

"If we cannot save our fallen brethren, at the very least, let us not aid their enemies."

"Hear, hear," came the agreement from multiple corners of the hall.

"But ultimately," an older man concluded, bowing slightly, "the final decision... lies with Her Majesty."

At once, the room turned their eyes toward the throne — toward the woman who had yet to speak.

Queen Elyndra Velkarn sat reclined elegantly, her long, creamy legs crossed, her chin resting thoughtfully upon her slender fingers.

The sunlight filtering through the vines seemed to caress her figure, making her ethereal beauty even more otherworldly. Her sheer gown shimmered faintly as she shifted, revealing the curves of her generous bosom and the smooth line of her waist.

Her emerald eyes were half-closed, thoughtful, intense.

A heavy silence fell once more.

Every breath in the hall seemed to wait for her next move.

Finally, she exhaled slowly, her voice soft, but carrying authority sharp as a blade. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"...It is as you say. Humans may call us allies, but we are merely tolerated under their boots," she said, each word deliberate.

She leaned forward slightly, causing a few nearby nobles to gulp involuntarily.

"We owe no debt to them. Nor will I shackle our fate to theirs any longer."

A glint flashed in her eyes.

"The Tree of Death’s revival... is a blessing — not a curse. A chance to correct the sins of the past."

The hall seemed to hold its collective breath.

Elyndra’s voice turned low and decisive.

"We will not inform the Human Alliance."

The hall fell into a stunned silence. No one dared to question her yet — the weight of her words settled like a stone in the room.

She turned toward her senior advisor, a calm, silver-haired elf standing respectfully by the side.

"How many know about this?" she asked, her voice sharp but steady.

He bowed lightly.

"Besides the High Priestess who received the Mother’s message... only those present in this room, Your Majesty."

"Good." Elyndra’s emerald eyes flashed with steely resolve.

"This news must not leave these walls. Silence every possible leak. Tighten the routes. Seal off the priests."

A ripple of unease ran through the nobles. Some exchanged glances; some exhaled softly in relief.

Still, no one spoke against her.

She rose from her throne in a smooth, almost feline motion. Her gown — clinging to her every curve like a second skin — shimmered under the natural light filtering through the vine-woven ceilings.

Every step she took radiated an aura of don’t even think about questioning me.

She stopped at the edge of the raised dais and looked down at them, her voice cool, leaving no room for negotiation.

"There will be no further discussion. Anyone who defies my command..."

She paused, letting the tension build.

"...will face capital punishment. No exceptions."

Without another word, she turned and walked out of the chamber, the heavy doors closing behind her with a muted thud.

Outside, away from the suffocating formalities, Elyndra exhaled heavily and rubbed her temples.

The headache was getting worse.

How long has it been since I last slept properly? she wondered grimly.

Her thoughts drifted back to the root of the chaos—

two days ago.

Two days earlier...

It had been a normal, lazy afternoon. The sunlight poured golden through the vast green canopy, and the air smelled of fresh blooms and moss.

Velkarn was peaceful.

Until Elyndra felt it.

A strange ripple — like a chord being struck deep within her soul.

It was faint but undeniable, and it made her blood stir uneasily.

Not long after, the message had come.

The High Priestess had summoned her.

Without hesitation, Elyndra rushed to the sacred grounds —

to the heart of Velkarn, where the Tree of Life stood.

It was a breathtaking sight.

The colossal tree towered into the sky, its ancient trunk wide enough to fit a small village.

Its leaves glowed faintly under the sun, alive with a gentle, pulsing magic.

At the base of the great tree, nobles and high officials stood in reverent silence, forming a loose circle.

At the very center, knelt High Priestess Lurienne — an ancient elf whose silver hair pooled around her like a shimmering river, her white robes stained green from the living ground beneath her.

Elyndra approached quietly, lowering her head as tradition demanded.

When she stopped behind the Priestess, Lurienne stirred and slowly rose to her feet, her old eyes opening — eyes as deep and knowing as the oldest forests.

Elyndra bowed low.

"Blessings of the Mother upon you, High Priestess."

The others followed suit.

The others followed suit.

Lurienne nodded, her expression unreadable.

Elyndra stepped closer.

"What message has the Mother sent us?"

The Priestess’s answer, calm and unwavering, sent a shockwave through them all.

"The Mother’s lost half... has awakened, the Tree of Death has risen again" Lurienne said simply.

The words hit the courtyard like a thunderclap.

Gasps broke out.

Murmured voices buzzed at the edges of Elyndra’s hearing.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She stepped forward again, urgently.

"Are you certain?" she pressed. "Is there no possibility of mistake?"

Lurienne’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Do you doubt the Mother’s voice?" she asked, her tone not angry — just... disappointed.

Elyndra swallowed.

"No. I... I only meant—" She struggled for words. "How could it be possible? We have long believed the Tree of Death was lost forever."

The Priestess’s face softened slightly.

"The Mother feels whole again. Her joy is real. She told me... her lost half stirs once more, far away. Toward the southern desolations."

Elyndra felt the ground tilt slightly beneath her feet.

The Tree of Death... risen again?

It seemed unthinkable.

But the Mother’s message was never wrong.

From that moment onward, her life had become a cycle of endless debates, arguments, sleepless nights.

Meetings after meetings.

Some advocating for alliance, some fearing retaliation, some wanting to wash their hands clean.

And now, two days later, she had made her decision.

Back to the present...

Elyndra reached her private chambers, pushing the door open with a sigh.

The room was alive with green — walls of living vines and flowering plants. The soft moss floor cushioned her bare feet.

She sank into a chair by the open balcony, gazing out at Velkarn’s endless emerald forest.

The gentle breeze brushed her hair as she closed her eyes.

The tides have changed, she thought.

And soon, the world will follow.

Far beyond the borders of their forest —

in the barren wastelands, Leon was still playing with kids as their parents were busy farming.