Summoned As A Mere Nobody-Yet Possesses An SSS-Rank Ability-Chapter 255: Intricate

They heard hurried footsteps outside the chamber.

Fast. Uneven. Angry.

"Please—Prince Zohar! Prince, calm down!" an elven voice pleaded from beyond the door.

The doors burst open.

Prince Zohar stormed in.

His armor was cracked, his shoulder still bandaged, his face twisted with rage and humiliation. His eyes locked onto Nolan the moment he entered.

"You—!" Zohar snarled, marching forward.

"How did you do it, you bastard? What did you do to my father?!"

The air tensed.

Celia stiffened.

Linda took a step forward instinctively.

Damian’s eyes narrowed, power quietly rising.

Zohar kept advancing, his hand trembling near his weapon.

"I’ll kill you!" he shouted. "I swear I’ll—"

"Enough."

King Zul’s voice cut through the room like a blade.

Zohar froze mid-step.

"Calm yourself," King Zul said, his tone firm despite his injuries.

Zohar turned sharply. "Father—!"

"You lost," King Zul said plainly.

"And I lost as well."

The words hit harder than any blow.

Zohar’s fists clenched.

"We were defeated," King Zul continued. "Fairly. Completely."

He looked at Nolan again, then back at his son.

"This man is not beneath us. He is above us."

Zohar’s eyes widened slightly.

"Father—he’s just a human!"

King Zul shook his head slowly.

"No," he said.

"He is someone who could kill you at any moment... and chooses not to."

Silence fell.

"You are not on his level," King Zul said, his voice heavy with truth. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Neither am I."

Zohar’s breathing grew ragged. His anger warred with disbelief, pride cracking under the weight of reality.

"Show him respect," King Zul finished.

"Because if he wished it... you would already be dead."

Zohar stopped.

Slowly, he took a step back.

His glare never left Nolan—but it had changed.

It wasn’t hatred anymore.

It was frustration.

Fear.

And the bitter taste of defeat.

Nolan said nothing.

He simply stood there, calm and unmoved, as Prince Zohar—once untouchable—was forced to accept a truth he could never forget.

The chamber fell into an uneasy calm.

Prince Zohar stepped back completely now, his shoulders tense, his jaw clenched, but he said nothing more. He turned away and stood near the wall, refusing to meet Nolan’s eyes.

King Zul exhaled slowly, then shifted against the bed with effort.

"You will remain in the Elf Tribe," the king said. "At least until I recover fully."

The room stirred.

Nolan tilted his head slightly. "We didn’t come here to take advantage of your weakness."

King Zul gave a faint, tired smile. "And that is exactly why I insist. An enemy would have seized this moment. You did not."

He looked toward the knight at the door. "Prepare the Moonwing Guest Hall. No guards inside. Only watchers at a distance."

The knight hesitated. "My king... no guards?"

"I said what I said."

The knight bowed deeply. "At once."

King Zul’s gaze shifted to Linda.

She stiffened, then stepped forward.

"Father..."

"You have grown strong," King Zul said softly. "Stronger than I ever expected. Not in power alone—but in judgment."

Linda lowered her head. "I was afraid."

"And yet you stood your ground." He smiled faintly. "That is enough."

Celia watched the exchange quietly, her eyes thoughtful.

Lyra crossed her arms. "So, we’re guests now?"

"Honored guests," King Zul corrected. "Anyone who disrespects you will answer directly to me."

Damian raised a brow. "Even nobles?"

"Especially nobles."

That earned a small smirk from Lyra.

Soon, they were escorted through the inner corridors of the elven capital. The paths glowed faintly with natural mana, roots woven into stone walls, crystals embedded like stars. Elves along the way stopped, whispering as Nolan passed.

Some looked fearful.

Some curious.

Some... respectful.

The Moonwing Guest Hall stood near the Heart Tree—an ancient structure whose branches pierced the sky. The hall itself was grown, not built, its rooms shaped from living wood reinforced with crystal veins.

Each of them was given a chamber.

Linda’s room overlooked the inner gardens.

Celia’s faced the mana pools.

Damian and Lyra shared a wide chamber near the upper branches, much to Damian’s annoyance and Lyra’s amusement.

Nolan’s room was the highest.

That night, as moonlight filtered through silver leaves, Nolan stood by the balcony, watching the elf city below.

"You feel it too," Lyra said, appearing beside him. "They’re scared."

"They should be," Damian added from the doorway. "But they’re also relieved."

Nolan nodded. "Fear fades. Memory doesn’t."

Below, elven children peeked from behind pillars, staring up at the hall where the human stayed. Elders whispered among themselves. Guards stood straighter than before.

For the first time in centuries, the balance had shifted.

The next morning, a council bell rang.

King Zul had summoned the High Elders.

And Nolan—human, outsider, victor—had been formally invited to attend.

The Elf Tribe was no longer deciding whether humans were inferior.

They were deciding how to coexist with one who had proven otherwise.

The vast council chamber was silent except for the faint rustle of robes.

A long crescent-shaped table made from ancient spiritwood stretched across the room. Nolan sat calmly on one side, Linda beside him, Celia slightly behind, while Damian and Lyra leaned casually against the wall as if this were nothing more than a boring meeting.

Across from them, the High Elders of the Elf Tribe sat stiffly.

They were whispering.

Low voices. Nervous glances. Eyes constantly drifting toward Nolan, then away again.

King Zul noticed.

He raised his hand.

Silence fell instantly.

The whispers died as if cut by a blade.

King Zul slowly leaned forward, his sharp eyes fixed on Nolan.

"You are truly strong," he said at last. "Stronger than I am. Stronger than any elf in this room."

The elders stiffened.

"And yet," King Zul continued, "you are not arrogant. You did not seize power when you could. You did not humiliate us further after defeating both prince and king."

He exhaled.

"That is why I believe you should be the one to lead this tribe... even if you are human."

The room erupted.

"What—?!"

"Your Majesty—!"

"A human ruling the elves?!"

Linda’s eyes widened in shock.

Celia froze.

Damian nearly choked. Lyra burst out laughing.

Nolan’s expression shattered completely.

His face twitched.

"...Wait," Nolan said slowly. "What?"

King Zul looked genuinely confused. "What do you mean, what? Did you not come here to marry my daughter?"

Linda’s brain short-circuited.

"F–FATHER?!"

The High Elders gasped.

Celia’s eyes shot to Nolan. Damian’s grin widened dangerously. Lyra covered her mouth, shoulders shaking.

Nolan raised both hands immediately. "No. No, no, no—let’s stop right there."

King Zul blinked. "You... didn’t?"

"I did not," Nolan said firmly. "And let’s not talk about marriage. Not now. Not like this."

He glanced at Linda, then back at the king. "I came here for something else entirely."

King Zul studied him for a long moment, then leaned back. "Then speak."

Nolan straightened, his voice calm but carrying weight.

"I came to form an alliance."

The elders murmured again, but this time with uncertainty rather than outrage.

"An alliance?" King Zul repeated.

"Yes," Nolan said. "Trade. Cooperation. Mutual benefit."

He tapped the table lightly with his finger.

"I have resources. Funds. Trade routes that span multiple human territories. If your tribe ever needs gold, protection, or distribution networks, I can provide them."

The High Elders exchanged looks.

"And in return?" one of them asked cautiously.

Nolan’s eyes sharpened.

"I want your elixir."

The room went still.

"The ancient elven potion," Nolan continued. "The one brewed from spirit leaves that only grow in your forests. The best healing elixir in the world."

Several elders inhaled sharply.

"You want our sacred formula?" one elder snapped.

"No," Nolan corrected. "I want a partnership. You make it. I sell it. We profit together."

King Zul’s gaze grew thoughtful.

"You would act as a merchant?"

"Yes," Nolan replied. "Humans understand markets. Distribution. Demand. I can turn your elixir into something known across continents—without revealing its secrets."

Silence stretched.

Then King Zul laughed.

A deep, genuine laugh that echoed through the chamber.

"Remarkable," he said. "You defeat our strongest warriors... refuse our throne... reject my daughter—"

Linda turned red.

"—and instead ask for trade."

He leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "You are dangerous in a way I did not expect, Nolan."

The High Elders fell silent.

King Zul nodded once.

"This proposal... we will consider it."

Nolan inclined his head slightly. "That’s all I ask."

And for the first time since the human entered the Elf Tribe, the elders were no longer whispering in fear—

They were whispering in calculation.

The chamber fell into a heavy, reverent silence.

King Zul slowly rose from his seat, his expression no longer guarded, no longer proud—only honest.

"Thank you for understanding," he said solemnly. "It is truly appreciated. We, too, wish to be friends with you. We would never desire enmity with someone as powerful as you."

He gestured lightly, and the High Elders straightened.

"They are all here," King Zul continued. "And we all wish to know the same thing."

His eyes locked onto Nolan.

"You did not use any skills in battle. You did not even use your full strength. Am I correct?"