The group followed Aranic as they made their way to the Royal Castle. The beauty of Eldoria's Royal Castle architecture was mesmerizing, with intricate designs blending harmoniously with nature.
Compared to when looking from outside, the royal castle was even bigger than it seemed. And the quality of material was of very high rank. Maybe even Rank-SS would have trouble bringing down the castle easily.
As they entered the castle, the geniuses were led to the waiting room. While their guards were escorted to different rooms.
At first, Nock seemed hesitant and William and his friend were even more reluctant.
However, Aranic reassured them and also explained the reason. From that point, only the geniuses from each race will be there and others should interfere with their audiences with the king.
He also said that they will make sure nothing happens to human geniuses. Nock has no choice but to follow what he says.
He also knew that the last thing that Elves want should be a war with the human race.
Inside the waiting area, the geniuses found themselves in the company of representatives from other races.
Dwarves, known for their craftsmanship and mining expertise, were conversing with the Dryads, who were guardians of the forest and its mystical energies.
A few Druids, deeply connected to nature and its magic, were engaged in discussions with the Aasimar, who possessed celestial heritage and were often seen as paragons of virtue.
Among the representatives of the humanoid race was a group of shape-shifters known as the Therianthropes. They could transform into animal forms, making them skilled hunters and trackers.
Then there was a group of Elves who were also there to partake in the event. The relationship between those races didn't seem bad.
As they were considered minor races and at times needed to be allied, they were of course in good relationships.
It seems like humans were the last race to arrive in that room.
As soon as Zero and other humans entered the room, everyone shifted their focus on them. However, it didn't seem like they were welcomed there and some people even showed their hostility directly.
Seraphine was waving her hands towards Zero and his group. Only she seemed to be friendly towards the human, well at least appeared to be.
"I can't believe that they really invited humans!"
Dwarfs who are known to be straightforward said. Dwarfs are intrigued by the technologies that humans came up with, however, because of humans' destructive nature, they don't think highly of them even though they admit that they are good at creating stuff.
There was no need to elaborate on the hatred from Druid and Dryad whose home is nature itself. And the races that come up as the number one destroyer of nature were surely humans.
Therianthropes were the races that humans would associate them with monsters because of their appearance and their abilities. They were also hunted by humans in the past because they considered them monsters.
So, to speak of the relationship between the two races, it was not very great. It was like no matter the races, humans had once messed with them in the past.
"What do you mean old man? Are we not welcomed here?"
Orion said angrily. Human geniuses definitely didn't take their words lightly.
"What old man? I am only in my 20s!"
The dwarfs replied angrily. Dwarfs always looked way older than they appeared, just like how Aasimar and Elves look way younger than they are.
As for the other races, it was hard for humans to see any difference in their ages. Even if two of them were apart by 100 years, they wouldn't know as they all looked similar.
However, that was only from a human perspective. Who knows how they determine who is old or not as they would have their own perspective.
Anyway, right after the entry of humans, the peaceful atmosphere seemed to have changed.
"20s? Don't lie! I can't believe that Dwarves sent their oldest man to come here. Aren't you ashamed to hide your age ?"
The Elves responsible for keeping the place in order didn't know what to say. They knew that humans would definitely bring in some problem but didn't anticipate that to happen just as they entered.
One of the Elves' representatives, trying to keep the situation from escalating any further, stepped forward and said, "Let's all calm down here. We are here as representatives of our races, and it's essential that we maintain respect and understanding towards one another."
As they were the ones to invite everyone, it was their duty to make sure that the place was in harmony.
However, the dwarves weren't willing to back down. One of them, with a gruff voice, retorted, "Respect? Humans have shown little respect for the natural world and its inhabitants. Your kind has caused destruction and turmoil wherever you go."
The druids and dryads chimed in, their voices filled with disdain, "He's right! Humans have disrupted the harmony of nature for their own selfish gains. They even tried to annihilate many of us. You cannot expect us to welcome you with open arms."
The therianthropes, who had been silently observing until now, couldn't contain their pent-up anger.
One of them growled, "Humans have hunted and feared us for centuries, labeling us as monsters. Now you can't expect us to treat you with kindness, can you?"
The Aasimar and elves remained silent, seemingly caught between their sympathy for the other races' grievances and knowing the importance of forgetting the past in order to move forward.
Seraphine, attempting to mediate, spoke up, "I understand that there are historical conflicts, but this gathering is an opportunity for cooperation and understanding. Let's not start a conflict with each other for now!"
Her words seemed to have calmed down the situation. However, they were not entirely convinced and wanted to continue.
However, that was when the arrival of the Elven King was announced.
Finally, the doors to the audience chamber opened, and a herald announced, "His Majesty, Thranduil!"
With the Elven King's arrival, even if one had a grudge they would need to keep it in their heart. The one that may act arrogant in front of Elven King might be humans as they were a stronger race than Elves.
However, with the warning received from Aranic and Nock, they remained silent.
The Elven King entered the room, and a hushed silence fell upon the attendees. His regal presence demanded respect, and his ageless grace captivated all who laid eyes on him.
"Welcome, representatives of various races," King Thranduil spoke with a voice that seemed to carry the wisdom of centuries.
"I am delighted to have you all here in Eldoria, the land of harmony and enlightenment."
The Elven King, a regal and dignified figure, addressed the group with wisdom and warmth. He acknowledged the tensions that arose during the journey and emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and respect between races.
"We may be different in many ways, but our diversity can be our strength if we learn to appreciate and learn from each other," the Elven King said, his voice carrying an air of authority that demanded respect. Anyway, it is incredible to be able to host various races at the same time."
"I welcome you, young talents of different races," he said in a melodic voice. "Your visit to Eldoria has been eagerly awaited, for we too have heard of your remarkable achievements and strengths."
He continued, "I know why you all are here. And I promise to honor my words. However, before that we have a small ritual that we need to do before I allow you all to enter Luminary Spring."
"The Luminary Spring is a sacred place for the Elves, and we have guarded its secrets for centuries."
Everyone listened to his words as it entailed the thing that they wanted. Of course, the Elves already knew what it was.
The Elven King continued, "Before I grant you access to the Luminary Spring, we must perform a ritual to establish a bond of trust between our races. It is a tradition that has been followed for generations, and it serves as a symbol of unity and cooperation."
The geniuses from each race looked at each other, uncertain of what the ritual would entail.
"There is going to be a small contest for all of you to show your strength. I hope that you all will participate in it!"