I Became a 10,000-year-old Elf

“I’ll rest here, so you can take a break until I call for you.”

“I’ll do that.”

‘What an interesting person.’

On a lazy afternoon like usual, Lina, who had set up the teacups, took a familiar step back holding the tray, just as she had done for the past few days, and quietly watched her back.

She had told Lina to rest, but Lina found this more comfortable and interesting. Watching the beautiful elf girl sunbathe while sitting on an earth chair she had created in an instant.

This elf girl who had become her superior, Isilia, was a unique and mysterious being. She was a girl who claimed to be an elf that had existed since 10,000 years ago, while possessing power that even Ethan, an executive with enormous power in this city’s underworld, didn’t know how to handle.

‘It seems real, but… it’s not important to me.’

Judging by Ethan’s attitude and what Isilia said about the artifacts Ethan brought, it seemed to be true.

Of course, for Lina, who could barely write her own name, talks of history and myths were too difficult. In the end, Lina gave up thinking and resolved to just do her job.

“Blech.”

“I’ll wipe that for you.”

That job was the duty of a maid serving her master.

When Isilia, who was lying crookedly and askew on the chair, slurped her teacup and spilled its contents, Lina smiled gently and wiped Isilia’s mouth and clothes with a handkerchief.

Honestly, seeing her like this made it hard to believe she was a 10,000-year-old elf. It was even more so when she asked Lina about things that should be common knowledge.

“If you’re bored, how about going out again?”

Seeing Isilia twist her body on the chair to the point of spilling her teacup, Lina cautiously suggested going out, as it looked extremely boring even to her.

Because she knew that every time they went out, Isilia looked at everything in this world with interest.

“I’d like to, but I have work to do, so I can’t help it.”

However, Isilia refused. It wasn’t something someone would say while twisting their body to the point where their head was hanging on one armrest and one foot on the opposite armrest.

‘Unless I’m completely buried in the ground, this is the most efficient way. It’s certainly like being tied to a rack by myself.’

Isilia sighed and smirked at the earth spirit sitting on her chest. Others might not believe it at all, but for Isilia, a High Elf who directly handles the power of nature and spirits, being in contact with the earth like this was a kind of training.

Getting stronger just by sitting was a luxury compared to others who train by cutting their bones and flesh, even if it was boring.

“I wonder what kind of object he’s brought this time.”

Of course, she wasn’t just idly passing time. Isilia, sitting up straight, lifted the corners of her mouth as she saw Ethan coming to the backyard.

“Here it is. It’s not very big.”

“Hmm, the shape seems familiar.”

Ethan handed Isilia the contaminated artifact that his right-hand man had obtained. Isilia, holding it in her small hand that fit snugly, immediately exerted her power to start purifying the contamination.

“Ugh!?”

But the reaction was different from before. With crackling sparks, Isilia’s mana was instantly sucked into the artifact.

Isilia’s knees buckled in shock. Surprised, Lina supported Isilia, and Ethan barely managed to catch the artifact she had dropped.

‘If I hadn’t been steadily increasing my power until now, I would have fainted right there.’

Isilia, with a furrowed brow, looked at Ethan, who was holding the purified artifact with curious eyes.

Ethan was staring at his own face reflected in the black screen he was holding, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“What on earth is this that it consumed so much power to make you like that?”

“Don’t you know smartphones? It’s clearly an artifact incomparable to things like crumpled plastic bottles.”

Isilia, with a pale face and cold sweat, took back the mobile phone Ethan was holding, supported by Lina. She found the familiar power button on the device with a half-erased apple logo and pressed it, then shook her head as it didn’t turn on.

“Well, of course it doesn’t turn on. But do you really not know? It’s a kind of communication device.”

“A communication device, it does seem valuable, but I’m not sure.”

Ethan took the phone back and smiled faintly. Although he knew about artifacts that could be worth money, he had never directly seen an artifact like this.

In the first place, seeing ‘truly’ valuable artifacts that were rumored to be precious was as rare as catching a star in the sky, as they were either owned by people of high status or handled by the state.

‘If it’s an object vouched for by this elf, its value is certain.’

However, thinking that he could get quite a good price as Isilia testified, Ethan made a fatal mistake.

He put it up for sale in the black market.

Using the black market to dispose of artifacts was essential, but sometimes there are objects whose very existence can be problematic.

Ethan, as an executive of the organization, clearly knew such things, but in the world, there are mountains of things that a mere criminal organization executive doesn’t know.

* * *

“Mayor, we have intelligence that an artifact of grade 1 or higher has been leaked to the black market!”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Mayor Wilren blinked at the words of the aide who burst into his office. It was an understandable reaction as it was too sudden and unpredictable.

“A grade 1 artifact is the most precious grade of artifact that can infer the secrets of the mythical era, and the vast knowledge or power contained within is beyond imagination.”

Renia, who had rushed in for the mayor, approached with her red fox ears twitching.

“The grade 1 artifact discovered in the black market is likely to be an artifact similar to this.”

“An artifact? Is this what you mean?”

“According to legends, beings from the mythical era could directly connect with the god of knowledge through this artifact.”

Wilren’s eyes widened as he looked at the object Renia had brought.

“This is just a box. With 10 layers of protective spells cast on it.”

“Ah…”

Renia placed a box as big as her head on Wilren’s desk and began to unlock it one by one. Suddenly, both he and his aide watched tensely as the box’s locks were gradually released.

As she whispered a password, rubbed her finger firmly, opened her eyes to shine light, and even plucked one of her tail hairs to apply to the magic circle, the box finally opened, revealing something in the shape of a black rectangle inside.

“Be careful. This is a possession of our kingdom’s royal family, and I barely received it as a grant for research.”

“Well, to me it looks like just a shiny stone.”

“It’s just in an inactive state.”

Pleased with their curious reactions, Renia smiled and carefully picked it up with her gloved hand, placed it on her palm, and pressed a button.

Then the screen lit up, showing unknown characters and numbers, and nine black dots.

“This is truly amazing. This is from the mythical era… but is this all?”

“Unfortunately, the research stops here. This artifact I have is locked, and we need to unlock this ancient lock within a few attempts to be able to use it.”

However, apart from its fascinating appearance, its usefulness ended there. Renia answered that this mysterious magical tool was locked and couldn’t be opened.

“It seems no one has been able to unlock it so far, but according to rumors, there are artifacts that don’t have such locks. Of course, to understand the information inside, one would need the appropriate interpretation skills.”

“I, I’ve never seen such an artifact. When it comes to famous and precious artifacts, at most it’s just mythical weapons.”

“That’s common. Until now, the number of these portable artifacts that have actually been fully restored can be counted on one hand. It’s very few compared to their value.”

Renia nodded, seeing Wilren confused by the appearance of an artifact unknown even to him, who prided himself on being well-educated.

“But such an object has appeared in the black market in a perfectly restored state. This is absolutely not a trivial matter.”

“Is restoration that difficult?”

“From what I know, when our kingdom restored this, it took 26 years and consumed the mana of over 100 magicians per year.”

“Gasp…”

Wilren’s mouth gaped open at the value Renia indirectly proved. The Beastkin Federation that Renia calls her kingdom is a powerful nation that oversees most of the beastkin forces on the continent.

The fact that an artifact restored with such enormous effort by such a power had appeared blatantly in the city’s black market – as he realized the significance of this, his face changed moment by moment.

“Since even I know about it, the rumors have already spread. Won’t those who recognize this value focus on the city?”

“Th-Then…”

“I don’t know who did this or how, but you’d better be well prepared as we don’t know what kind of incident might occur.”

Renia’s warning, accompanied by a sigh, pierced Wilren’s heart deeply.