THE LAST HOBBIT'S

15 - Elmora Kingdom

"For a long time no breath of air like this~" Sofia spread her arms and looked up at the sky. He saw a clear blue sky, decorated with white clouds like cotton.

He also looked ahead, there was a mountain that was no less beautiful. Green meadows with scattered rock decorations as if adding an unforgettable impression.

"You won't know the meaning of 'beauty' if you don't see it for yourself" Sofia breathed in the air and smiled happily. He was finally able to escape the pungent smell of the Dracovudu Forest and release the tension after going through many things with the vultures.

"Let's see him," Nature opens her voice. She looked at Sofia who was quite far away in her place. He shook his head slowly and continued to stab the fish he had caught.

"That girl is weird, isn't she?" Nature asks back.

Arslan heard Natur's speech and was eating the bush chicken from his provisions. He looked at Sofia for a moment and then said without a tone, "I think you're right."

"Hey, I heard you guys!" Sofia looked at her friends and then crossed her arms. He grunts before starting to walk to join Arslan, Natur, and An.

"Sophia..." He made a soft voice and opened a cloth bag filled with fruits. He alone plucked this in the forest to make Sofia flinch.

The elf girl blinked before finally staring at Arslan and Natur. Sofia said, "You guys look at this. Only An cares about me. I'm stuck with meat-eating people like you and you don't even care if there's a vegetarian here. You're a bitch,"

Arslan stopped throwing chicken bones in his hand and without a tone said, "We are not meat eaters, but omnivores."

"True," Nature agreed and continued. "If only we didn't care about you, then it's been a long time that the package An was holding disappeared."

Sofia puffed her cheeks and saw Natur take out a bag of beans. He saw Natur's sparrows eating him very greedily.

Sofia picked up one forest apple that looked green. He thought of a remark to avenge Arslan and Natur when suddenly Natur coughed at the smoke from the fish he was burning. Sofia laughed.

The four of them were on the edge of the river and were filling the stomach as energy to later continue the journey. It's just that Sofia was a bit astonished because they had to get out of the forest.

"Where are we going?" Sofia opened her voice and made Arslan and Natur look at her.

"Ohok, where do you mean?" Natur said, "I still need to find water ginseng. You can continue on your own or do you really want to come with me?"

"Of course" Sofia replied. He said, "You're collecting herbs to treat people, right? How could it not help you. It's going to be an exciting adventure, I can also improve my abilities."

"Well, so you like to adventure? That's a good thing. There aren't many 'Mr Princess' who would do such a dangerous thing." Nature laughed, "You're not so annoying in my eyes."

"Hmph, you're nothing at all." Sofia stroked her hair softly and said, "Listen yes. Do you think a girl like me only knows how to walk in a dress and have tea, like that? Hid. I'm free to do whatever I want, you know."

"Either... I don't think you're much help at all,"

"W-What did you say?!" Sofia threw the fruit in her hand towards Natur. He said, "Originally you know. I'm actually also on a mission and it's even cooler than your mission."

Nature raised her eyebrows. He looked at Sofia who looked very proud. The elf girl was just about to talk, but then suddenly Natur interrupted.

The blonde-haired teenager said, "If it's about your mission to find the Dragon-Capturing Sword, then forget it. You still don't deserve to face the obstacles of the search for the sword."

Sofia was obviously shocked, while Arslan did not care and still ate with An. Only after listening to the debate between Natur and Sofia, Arslan also looked at the two subjects.

"You guys stop talking" Arslan opened his voice. He made Natur and Sofia directly stare at him. At the same time, they heard the hoarse sound of wheels and the soles of horses' feet.

Sofia and Natur follow Arslan's point of view. The two turned around and saw that there was a carriage escorted by the cavalry. The color of the flag that fluttered and carried one of the soldiers made Natur and Sofia flinch.

Arslan also saw a purple flag with the same emblem of two crossed swords as the curtains on the chariot. He stood up and continued to see the horde of troops walking as if he was going to Elmora Kingdom.

"Isn't that the flag of the Gladius Kingdom? What is their relationship with the Elmora Kingdom?" Nature frowned. He knew that the Gladius Kingdom was a kingdom located near the coast, its location was very far from this place and the horse carriage was definitely a royal special carriage.

"Go so far with a lot of bodyguards... Clearly the one inside the carriage was no ordinary messenger. There's a chance he's... Royal members," Natur rubbed his chin and was about to think... Sofia surprised him.

"God! I forgot that it was his day..!" Sofia looked at Natur and Arslan. He said, "It's the match day of the royal magic knights!"

!?

Nature blinks, "Oh. So it's today? I do remember the magic knight match this time will be held in Elmora Kingdom, but have no idea that this is the day."

"So you're waiting for him too?" Sofia looked excited before finally putting on her lips. His facial expression changed as he lowered his gaze and sullenly said, "But we can't get there..."

"What?" Nature jerks, "Why?"

"If I go home and father finds me, then I will be punished and not let go again. Well, how's this..? I played outside for too long. If he catches me, then it'll be very bad."

"Truely so," Nature recalled. "Isn't your current status a 'fugitive'-ah! Why did you hit me?!"

"Who's a fugitive, huh? I'm a 'Mr Princess'. You're a bitch,"

"But you ran away and didn't dare go home, did you? It's the same as 'hunter'. You're afraid of being caught by your father,"

"You-you!"

"We're going there" Arslan opened his voice and made Sofia and Natur flinch. The two men stared at him.

"You mean we're going to Elmora Kingdom?" Nature asked and made Arslan nod slowly.

Without a tone, Arslan said. "The water ginseng you seek is only in Elmora Kingdom."

"What?!" Nature flinched, and so did Sofia.

"Where do you know if you've never seen water ginseng?" Arslan asked and made Sofia blink a few times.

The elf girl said, "Then how do you know that water ginseng is in my kingdom? Have you been there?!"

"................ Lili's gonna drive,"

!!

Sofia is surprised, while Natur starts to realize something. The blonde-haired teenager looked at her sparrows and opened her voice.

Natur says, "So that's why Lili took us out of the woods? Water ginseng isn't in the woods, is it?"

Arslan stared at An for a moment and then looked at Natur. He nodded slowly and said, "Water ginseng can only be found in Elmora Kingdom. The place, let your sparrows show you."

Natur took a breath, he scratched his head. "Haaahs... Alright. It's actually confusing. L'm... I've been to Elmora Kingdom before, but the finches don't react to anything."

"Maybe it was because you were flying, so you and Lili missed it." Arslan's expression did not change.

After tidying up the cooking utensils and also cleaning up a bit of himself in the river. Arslan and his friends continue their journey. This time their destination was the Elmora Kingdom.

*

*

The kingdom of Elmora belongs to a small kingdom in the Elfenrasse region. However, this government was included in a prosperous government.

Elmora has a policy to divide the dwellings of its inhabitants into three regions. The outer part or called Misella City adjacent to the gate is a residence of ordinary citizens consisting of various races, including humans and dwarves. They were more merchants and that was why the outer region of this kingdom was very crowded, even at night.

In the center, Mezzo City is where the natives of the Elmora kingdom live. Most were nobles and knight families. In this region there are also special schools of magic knights, public schools, places of worship, libraries, and arenas where the magic knight competition begins.

The deepest part of the Elmora Kingdom was of course the palace. The location is far apart, even to get there must pass through pine forests and cross the bridge. Then, because this region still includes mountains, the palace also has hills and waterfalls behind it.

The horse-drawn carriage seen by Arslan and his friends first arrived in the city of Misella. The soldiers did not stop and continued to move. Their destination was none other than to the deepest part of the Elmora Kingdom, the place where the king welcomed his grand guests.

Arslan and his friends arrived after a few hours. They conducted an identity check at the city gate and after that began to be allowed to enter. The city of Misella is visible.

The identity is a piece of silver inscribed with the name and emblem of the residence. Natur of course has his official identity, while Arslan and An also do not experience obstacles.

An uses the identity given by mistress Germina Bunt, while Arslan uses the identity given by master Gearl Howl. Arslan once made a piece of silver given by Gearl Howl, even throwing it into the burning wood.

Arslan had always thought that this would never be useful to him, but it seemed like Gearl Howl knew his actions. Every time Arslan broke the piece of silver, Gearl Howl came in and gave it a new one tomorrow.

Such was the case that continued to repeat until Arslan tired of continuing to visit and finally save this piece of silver. It was really unexpected now that he was using it to enter the Elmora Kingdom.

Sofia is not with Arslan, Natur and An. The beautiful girl had told her friends that she was going the other way to get to Misella City. I don't know what and how the elf girl did it, but if given that she could go in and out of the territory of Elmora Kingdom, then there must be a secret path that only the girl knew.

"Where are we actually going to look for that water ginseng?" Nature looks around. He stared at his sparrows that remained perched on his shoulders without intending to fly.

"Arslan-" Natur was about to ask Arslan, but suddenly the young man who had walked with him was suddenly absent. He is also jolted and worried if Arslan gets lost.

"Oh, jeez.." Natur sighed in relief when he saw Arslan and An standing in front of a notice board. He also approached his two friends.

"Arslan, what are you doing?" Nature asked. He followed Arslan's view, apparently seeing the announcement of Princess Sofia Bellwings' disappearance.

Nature notices Arslan and then opens the voice, "Don't tell me you..."

Nature looked down and with a slight whisper, she asked. "Are you going to report Sofia?"

"The prize is quite big" Arslan said calmly and made Natur jerked.

"Arslan, you-"

"Too big," Arslan opened his voice. He looked at Natur and said, "The reward is too big for the lost. L'm... Could have reported it, but worried if it was even accused of kidnapping Sofia. My identity and An... It's too new for this kingdom."

Arslan will only talk again when his stomach starts to rumble. He looked around and said, "Let's eat while waiting for Sofia."

Nature jerks, "What? You hungry again?! Didn't you eat a lot before?"

"I eat nine times a day,"

"Well?!" The new nature will open the sound when suddenly the sound of bells is heard very loud and people start to become boisterous.

"Registration for the magic knight's match has already been opened..!" a cry made Nature look on. He looked at the citizens who started flocking to somewhere.

"Arslan!" Natur exclaims when Arslan also goes to that place with An. He chased his two friends and called them.

No one knew that the magic knight match this time would change the atmosphere of Elmora Kingdom which had always been referred to as a peaceful and prosperous kingdom.

******