Lord of Avalon : Lost in Another World

Minori Village was still tense. The elves remained skeptical, while the demons knelt before Ardi with unwavering devotion.

Taking a deep breath, Ardi spoke in a calm yet firm voice.

"Everyone, please listen to me."

His voice carried a sense of authority, but also reassurance.

"I'm not a Demon Lord or anything terrifying like you might think."

The elves still looked unconvinced.

"I'm just a human who happened to receive this unique ability."

To prove his point, Ardi tapped a few buttons in the air, revealing his virtual status panel for all to see.

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[Status Window]

Name: Ardi

Race: Human

Job: None

Title: Lord of Minori Village

Unique Trait: Ultimate Adaptation (Legendary)

Energy Type: Void Energy (Unstable)

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The villagers began murmuring among themselves.

"Lord Ardi… really doesn't have a job?"

"So he truly is just a human?"

"But his aura…"

Ardi chuckled.

"See? I don't even have a Job. How could I possibly be a Demon Lord?"

Some villagers, especially the humans and demi-humans, began to laugh at Ardi's joke. However, the demons still looked uncertain.

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Doubts from the Demons

One of the demon women, with black hair and small curved horns, looked at Ardi with hesitation.

"But, Lord Ardi… your aura is undeniable. This is something only an Ancient Demon possesses."

Ardi let out a slow sigh.

"I still don't fully understand this power myself."

He raised his hand, extracting a small amount of Void Energy, revealing a swirling black mist around his fingers.

"This isn't something I learned from anyone. I simply awakened this ability."

The demons exchanged glances before one of them nodded confidently.

"Then… My Lord isn't an Ancient Demon, but perhaps you are a descendant of their bloodline, one that has been diluted over thousands of years."

The demons looked proud of this idea.

"It doesn't matter. Even if only a fraction of Ancient Demon blood runs through your veins, you are still someone worthy of our respect."

Ardi raised an eyebrow, feeling slightly frustrated.

"I'm really just a human…" he muttered.

However, seeing that the villagers were calming down, he decided not to argue further.

Yui, who had been watching his expression closely, sighed softly and patted his shoulder.

"Ardi… no matter what, you're still Ardi. It doesn't matter what race you are."

Ardi looked at Yui and smiled gently.

"Thanks, Yui."

Despite the explanation, some still weren't fully convinced.

The High Elf Mages in particular remained skeptical.

Among the crowd, an elderly Archmage with a white beard and a deep purple robe stepped forward.

"My Lord, if I may, I have a suggestion to resolve this uncertainty."

Ardi turned to him, intrigued.

"Go ahead. Also, what's your name?"

The Archmage bowed respectfully.

"My name is Reinhardt von Ciel. I specialize in analysis magic and rituals."

Ardi nodded.

"Alright, Reinhardt. What do you suggest?"

Reinhardt looked at Ardi seriously.

"We can conduct a Ritual of Racial Identification—a spell that reveals a person's true identity."

Ardi raised an eyebrow.

"And how accurate is it?"

Reinhardt smiled slightly.

"It's usually quite precise. However, to ensure its authenticity, we will perform a combination of multiple verification spells. If the High Elves participate, the results will be even more reliable."

One of the High Elf Mages, a woman with long golden hair and green eyes, scoffed.

"Of course. We wouldn't trust the results of a human's spell alone."

Hearing the elf's arrogant tone, Yui rolled her eyes.

"Hah, elves and their pride… just as expected."

Megumi, who had been listening quietly, looked at Ardi with slight concern.

"Ardi-sama… are you sure about this?" she asked softly.

Ardi smiled gently at her.

"It's fine, Megumi. If this can ease everyone's doubts, then I have no problem with it."

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Preparing for the Ritual

As the sky turned golden with the setting sun, the Human Archmages and High Elf Mages began setting up the grand ritual.

An intricate magic circle was drawn on the ground, filled with ancient runes that shimmered with soft light.

Ardi stood in the center, surrounded by the mages preparing their spell components.

"My Lord, please try not to move too much," Reinhardt advised in a calm and dignified tone.

Ardi nodded, trying to stay relaxed despite feeling a little nervous under the watchful eyes of so many powerful mages.

On the other side, the High Elf woman with golden hair and emerald eyes—Sylthara Ilmaren—stood with a cold but graceful expression.

"We will begin soon, human," she stated flatly, ignoring the lingering doubts among the elves.

Ardi smiled slightly at her formal tone.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Lady Sylthara."

She simply closed her eyes briefly, giving no further response.

Once all preparations were complete, the Human and High Elf Mages began chanting.

"O spirit of the world, reveal the truth hidden within this soul…"

"With the wisdom of the ancients, let all deception be shattered…!"

The magic circle began to glow, absorbing mana from the air and creating powerful waves of energy.

Ardi felt a strange warmth enveloping his body, as if something was carefully analyzing every part of him.

Elsewhere, deep within the consciousness of the world, Gaia smiled slightly.

"You truly are interesting, Ardi. In your efforts to convince them, I shall help you gain their trust."

Gaia sent a small fragment of her power to stabilize the ritual's results, ensuring that no external interference could alter them. She also whispered directly into the minds of the archmages and high elf mages, subtly encouraging them to trust Ardi as someone she personally recognized.

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The Villagers' Reactions

As the ritual's glow faded, everyone held their breath.

Humans and Demi-humans → Nervous, fearing a shocking revelation.

Lizardmen and Goblins → Indifferent, just watching with curiosity.

Dwarves and Gnomes → Confused, unsure why this was so important.

Elves → Skeptical, expecting their suspicions to be proven right.

Demons → Hopeful, wishing Ardi was part of the Ancient Demon bloodline.

The mages exchanged looks, seeming slightly puzzled.

Reinhardt stroked his beard, while Sylthara narrowed her eyes, her expression unreadable.

Ardi sighed, sensing something unusual.

"So? What's the result?" he asked, keeping his tone calm.

Reinhardt chuckled before turning to the villagers.

"Everyone, after conducting the ritual, we can confirm without a doubt that… Lord Ardi is a human."

A stunned silence filled the air before murmurs erupted.

"So he really is just a human?"

"But that aura…? How can a normal human have such energy?"

"If the Archmage says so, then it must be true!"

The demons, who had been hopeful, now looked confused.

Sylthara let out a long sigh before speaking in a cold but graceful tone.

"It seems the ritual has spoken… And while I dislike this conclusion, I cannot deny the results."

Ardi smirked.

"So, do you finally believe me, Lady Sylthara?" he asked playfully.

She glared at him.

"I do not trust humans easily. But this ritual proves you are not a Demon Lord. That is enough for now."

Yui giggled, whispering to Ardi.

"Hah, look at that, Ardi. Even the arrogant elves have to admit the truth."

Ardi chuckled, feeling relieved that this ordeal was finally over.