The Elf Journey In The Western Fantasy World-Chapter 58: Not Quite Human

All the elders and peers he had met during his years in the Elven Forest behaved more or less like that—aside from a few harmless quirks.

Like the Elf King who loved reading hot blooded novels, and the High Priestess who was obsessed with melodramatic romance stories.

So when Illiya heard this news today, he was completely dumbfounded.

What?!

Do elves partake in the affairs of the mortal world (like food and commerce)?

This was truly astonishing.

Illiya could understand the idea of doing business—after all, not all elves abstain from eating—but the choice of location was baffling.

This was the Nubilian Union! The Nubilian Union where the cost of living was ridiculously high! freeweɓnovel.cѳm

A merchant who could afford to do business here couldn’t possibly be an ordinary one.

Each and every one of them was shrewd and cunning.

So this was a case of "go big or go home"?

Today, Illiya suddenly realized that he didn’t understand the elf race at all.

It wasn’t just Illiya who felt bewildered. The others watching the scene unfold nearby were also thoroughly confused.

Just now... what exactly happened?

Eoryun’s eyes were blank with shock.

From the moment that scammer girl asked, "Why do I have to pay?" he sensed that something was off.

Then, when Illiya paid on her behalf without much hesitation, it confused him even more.

And how had Illiya, just from a few lines of conversation, managed to deduce that the girl belonged to a special race?

He even correctly guessed that she hadn’t been outside in a long time and wasn’t familiar with the world.

Somehow, the whole thing reminded Eoryun of the oppressive fear he used to feel in school, being utterly outclassed by the straight-A students.

Why hadn’t human evolution included him?

Oh, wait. It was the elves who had evolved.

In that case, never mind.

Eoryun’s gaze grew resolute. His lps pressed tightly and his expression turned solemn.

He cautiously extended a hand and poked the "straight-A student" elf, asking in a low voice, "Um, actually, to put it simply..."

Illiya: ???

Feeling Illiya’s gaze on him, as if he were an idiot, Eoryun couldn’t help but feel wronged. He just didn’t want to sound dumb, okay?

Since the guy still wasn’t speaking, Illiya had to take the initiative. "Eoryun, do you have something you want to ask? I can hear you just fine, but I’m not a mind reader."

So just speak plainly. He wasn’t going to guess.

Eoryun leaned closer and whispered, "How did you tell that the scammer was from a special race? You weren’t just bluffing, were you? Don’t drag down the credibility of the elves just to bail me out."

Even though Eoryun kept his voice low, everyone present—whether they were mages or swordsmen—had sharp senses. They didn’t want to hear it, but they couldn’t help hearing every word of what he thought was a "whisper."

Immediately, someone in the still-lingering crowd couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Eoryun: ...

Don’t do this. You’re all really making him look like an idiot.

Illiya was never the type to mock others. Seeing that Eoryun didn’t quite get it, he patiently explained, "Is there anyone on the continent who doesn’t know you have to pay for food?"

Eoryun shook his head.

Paying for food was common sense. No one could possibly not know that.

Illiya continued, "But what if someone truly didn’t know?"

Eoryun almost blurted out "That’s impossible," but caught himself just in time and started seriously considering the possibility.

After a while, he said hesitantly, "...Then this person must have been cut off from the world for a long time?"

Illiya nodded and gently prompted, "What kind of person would have absolutely no contact with the outside world?"

Eoryun started to get it. "Either someone who’s been asleep and just woke up, or someone who’s been in seclusion all this time."

Indeed, some races on the continent had traits that caused them to enter slumber at specific times of the year.

Others would isolate themselves for years, seeking the smallest chance at a breakthrough.

Anything was possible.

Illiya said, "The Nubilian Union has only existed for a few hundred years. For long-lived races, that might not even be enough time to pass their juvenile stage. So someone who doesn’t know you have to pay for food must be much older than the Nubilian Union itself. If that’s not a special race, then what is?"

Eoryun suddenly understood everything and immediately felt a sense of reverence for the girl who had been hiding behind him.

Good grief, so this was what a true powerhouse looked like?

But if this girl was so ancient and potentially powerful, why had she hidden behind someone as weak as him?

Eoryun shook his head. He is utterly confused.

"You smell familiar," the girl said, twitching her nose slightly, her expression tangled. Her black eyes showed a flicker of confusion. "But you don’t look like me. You look like a human? And you’re really not good-looking at all!"

Eoryun: ???

Why did things suddenly become a personal attack instead of just talking?

"What do you mean I look like a human? I am a human, okay?" Eoryun gritted his molars and replied in a dry, ambiguous tone, "Besides, don’t you also look like a human?"

The girl looked even more confused. "I’m not a human, so why should I look like one?"

"But... are you really a human?"

Eoryun was at a loss for words. He had never felt this miserable.

First, he was treated like a meat shield, and now someone said he looked like a human as if it were an insult—and even questioned whether he was human at all.

Help! Was he just born incompatible with the Nubilian Union?

"I am a human! That’s why I look like one!" Eoryun finally lost his patience. "You can speak, but why do you have to make it a personal insult too? I haven’t even brought up how you used me as a meat shield yet!"