True Prowess of the Palace

"The Asteroia Academy is where nobles of our Elfin Realm send their sons and daughters"

She walked up to the widow, pointing in the far distance. There, three white domes could be see, seemingly the top of a grand building far away.

"You could see elf's as young as ten beginning their journey in the academy should their talent prove worthy enough"

"Would my talent be able to be measured?"

Shuyun knew where he was, a pocketed realm of elf's. So, as a human, maybe the Academy didn't have the resources or means to calculate such a thing.

"Maybe... though I am not sure... as a human has never attended the academy. Still, it never hurts to try. The concept of qi remains the same, just the circumstances in which you circulate it are different"

"Here"

Suddenly, a white ball of energy appeared in Yeyins hand. Upon setting his eyes on it, Shuyun felt as if he was staring at the seed of a forest that would soon grow grand. The essence of life, the plants, animals, insects, all in the palm of her hand. It was a feeling of relaxation and tranquility nothing back at earth could grant you.

"Do you recognize this feeling at all?"

Shuyun shook his head.

"I see"

She shook her hand, dispersing the mystical energy.

"You may have an affinity to another nature. I know of other elf's that practice variant natures, but they are extremely rare. Though, I have a few friends at the academy that do have alternate affinities. It is possible, in theory, to awaken your dormant affinity with resonation."

Shuyun shrugged, smiling at her.

"I'm open to try anything, I'm of course, not going into this with expectation, so don't bother too much over if this trip is fruitful. I appreciate your help over this, as this is already extending beyond your usual responsibility."

Yeyin also knew this. The gravity of him bringing him to the academy was already a known fact to both of them. The context, a human had never stepped foot in the academy. This, paired with the elfin races natural hate towards humans didn't help aide the fact. It was obvious the response from the academies administration wouldn't be so happy, but Yeyin felt it was okay, as any guest of the queen had always had the utmost of priority.

Still, it wasn't as if anyone could do anything to him when she was there, both verbally and physically.

"The Academy could be said to be its own power branched off of the palace, so, having direct connection is vital for swift action during a situation. There is a spatial gate here in the Palace..."

She then returned her gaze to her window.

"Unless you would want to take the scenic route and walk through the city?"

Shuyun also followed her eyes, eyeing the grand building in the distance. The space between them was no joke, and while he may want to see around the city, there was no way he would make it to the other end alive.

"Yeah... I'd rather take the gate..."

Yeyin blatantly smiled, not in mockery, but that his answer was all but unexpected. After all, for someone who has yet to even temper their body to walk such a distance would indeed be a tiresome task.

***

Yeyin led Shuyun around the palace. It truly was too big for words, as it took over half an hour to reach the gate from his room. Arriving in a tall, lit room, Shuyun could see multiple portals the size of a one story building all lined up around a curved, circular wall. Each of the portals were purple in color, semi transparent, flowing like waves in the sea.

"These portals lead to all sorts of important locations around the Elfin Realm"

Yeyin explained as she saw his wandering curiosity. Upon hearing this, Shuyun couldn't help but ask.

"Why aren't these portals guarded if they lead to such important places?"

Surely, such an important place within the place wouldn't just lie open for anyone to waltz in there, no?

"Guarded?"

Yeyin couldn't help but laugh at his absurd question. Where were they? They were in the heart of the Elfin Realm, in the Royal Palace at that! For someone unwanted to even step a foot into the palace would only seal their fate as plant fertilizer. Most of the Valkyries resided here, at minimum 6 at a time, while most others took care of their means outside the palace. Not only that, the Queen herself was here. And although Yeyin herself hadn't seen the Queen fight, comparing her to the past Queen and stories from Queens before her, the current Queen should have enough prowess to single-handedly fight the entire 12 Valkyries of the Palace by herself! And win!

One should know that a single Valkyrie should flatten the entire royal city and all cities around it by themselves! Most of the defensive formations implemented within the city would struggle to keep a single valkyrie at bay, much less if two or more teamed up.

There's a reason the Elfin Race was the strongest, and it wasn't mere words. Although intel about the current empress of the dragon race was minimal, who was the leader of the second strongest power and arch rival of the elfin realm, it could be assumed with the minimal movement of the draconic realm that she could be compared to past empresses.

So, there was absolutely no reason to maintain visible guards. That and...

'Valkyrie Xia'

Yeyin appeared to look at nothing as she stared into empty space.

A figure stared back, though not visible to either Yeyin or Shuyun, two purple eyes locked onto the two figures as they shown.

Yeyin couldn't see Valkyrie Xia, but based on senses, she knew she was in the vicinity. To be able to escape her visual senses... that was how strong the Valkyries were.

"There is no need to guard anywhere in the palace, for this is the safest place in the whole world."

Disregarding the fact that the worlds most powerful force, the Valkyries of the Palace, resided here, and, at the same time disregarding the Queen, there were several ancient formations from the era of the First Queen of the Elves. Although they have never been used, as there had never been a time of peril in which the palace was forced to resort to them, their power could be imagined, as it was the first queen that constructed them. Currently, it is the Queen who possesses the knowledge to activate such formations and arrays. So adding this upon facts that are unknown to her, as the Royal Elf Lineage as kept many secrets, she could say with confidence that to have elites of the Elfin Guard protect such an area would amount to nothing, as if a perpetrator was able to actually get in without being spotted or killed, they would already be too powerful for the Valkyries to handle. At that point, maybe only the queen and hidden powerhouses of the elfin realm could respond to such a threat.

Shuyun didn't doubt her claim and simply nodded. There was obviously works at play here to give her confidence to make such a claim. At the same time, although he didn't have much of an idea how the power system worked here, he could tell that Yeyin herself wasn't a simple maid either. Simply by the fact that very few people reside here and was that it is the headquarters of the Elfin Realm as Yeyin had stated, there's no way they would let a run of the mill maid work freely as she pleased.

Though, he didn't know how strong exactly she was, and he felt that even if she told him, he wouldn't understand. Such a question should be asked after he starts cultivation, hopefully, in this new academy.

Seeing Shuyun somewhat pondering her question, she lightly smiled as she pointed forward at one of the portals and bowed slightly.

"After you"