“Then, Your Majesty Queen, you are saying that this incident is baseless?”
“How many times must I say it? I have never spoken with that human, nor have I ever entered the World Tree’s embrace.”
In the council chamber of the Great Tree, the interrogation-like questioning was in full swing.
Sitting in a corner as if a criminal was the Elf Queen Ibrelya. The rest consisted of Elder Elves and prominent figures from the Great Tree.
Their gazes towards Ibrelya were filled with suspicion.
‘Why is this happening to me…’
Ibrelya was aggrieved.
Born as a High Elf, she had never caused a single problem up until the moment she became queen. She could swear on her conscience…
‘…….’
No, it seemed like she had caused trouble at least once. Back when she didn’t know what a wig was, she had playfully removed an Elder’s wig.
But other than that, there was truly nothing.
To see the universally respected Elf Queen reduced to the shame of her youngest daughter causing a major incident overnight was exasperating.
“Is it really not true?”
“It is not! I can swear by the World Tree!”
“Well, if you put it that way….”
Eventually, Ibrelya resorted to her trump card. Only then did the Elders also come to understand that this was a falsehood. The queen’s prestige had already plunged, however.
Yet, even if the slander was absurd, the truth had to be established.
“Elders. Send word to each Elf Elder immediately… No. Have a messenger sent at once.”
“Understood. Who should we send?”
“That would be….”
“I will go.”
All eyes turned to a single point.
The one who stepped forward confidently was the playful flower, Arphia Liliand.
There were many who still disapproved of Arphia. But she was the winner of the Fairy Dance Festival and undeniably the greatest asset of the Elves.
Even without any official title, she had sufficient qualifications to attend the meeting. Now Arphia had stepped up to take on the role of a messenger.
“Arphia will go?”
“Yes. I’m quite free at the moment, and my saying it will be much more persuasive than anyone else, won’t it?”
“Indeed….”
When Ibrelya showed signs of hesitation, the Elders interjected urgently.
“That won’t do, Your Majesty. It is undeniable that Arphia is a powerful warrior, but it is also true that she is quite inexperienced.”
“Hm….”
“There is a sense of unease about assigning her official duties. Instead, why not send Ri-on? With him, there would be no worries.”
“Sending Ri-on does seem like a trustworthy option.”
Ibrelya nodded.
Arphia immediately interjected.
“Ri-on should stay here to work as the captain of the watch. More than anything, if it concerns the Great Tree, no one knows the outside better than I do.”
“Hmmm.”
Ibrelya pondered.
Arphia had stepped up to do it herself.
But what would happen if she left it to Ri-on now?
‘He’d barge into my chamber every day.’
And be a nuisance.
Just imagining it gave her a headache.
As long as he didn’t secretly follow Arphia, that would be fortunate.
In that case, it was better to entrust it to Arphia from the beginning.
“Understood. I will leave this matter in the hands of Arphia.”
“Your Majesty!”
“It has already been decided. Do not argue any further.”
With Ibrelya’s dismissal, the Elders fell silent. Ibrelya let out a shallow sigh and stood up.
“I will conclude today’s meeting here. Everyone, please return. I am quite tired.”
*
Crack!
Behind the Death God’s headquarters.
In the training ground set up for young Elves to hone their martial skills, a fierce sound of blades clashing echoed.
On one side was Narsha Briant.
Dressed in combat battle clothes rather than her usual social dress, the way she wielded her rapier scattering enemy hair looked more like that of a knight than a lady.
Her opponent was the Dark Elf Reinard.
Short attire revealing his solid abdomen and thighs. His black mask covering more than half of his face was the very definition of an assassin’s guise.
For Reinard, this was no different from regular clothing.
It was a story from before he started working for the Duke of the Night.
Both Narsha and Reinard had a good understanding of martial arts. Failing to practice occasionally would dull their senses. At times like this, they would exchange blows.
Clang!
Reinard held a pair of daggers reversed to block Narsha’s strike. Sparks flew as metal clashed.
Without giving a moment’s pause, Narsha unleashed a series of quick strikes, her rapier raining down like a storm.
Reinard busily maneuvered his daggers to deflect the rapier.
‘So fast…!’
Reinard was an assassin.
He might have been uncertain in a one-on-one with a powerhouse, but when it came to agility, he was confident he wouldn’t be bested.
However, the speed of Narsha’s attacks pierced through that confidence, demolishing it. Uncompromising and ruthless exchanges disregarded any sense of balance.
Narsha.
He didn’t want to get hit even once.
Narsha.
She only wanted to strike.
Just hitting and hitting again.
And still wanting to keep hitting.
If only she could smash everyone without getting hit even once, such a future would be allowed.
‘Here, I have to take a step back….’
A head-on confrontation was impossible.
The only choice was to create an opening and launch a surprise attack.
Whoosh!
Reinard summoned dark cloud spirits.
Black clouds spread thickly around his body.
As he tried to evade backward and plunge into the darkness, in front of Narsha, that was a blatant mistake.
Crackle!
The ground warped.
A red magical aura burst forth, and Narsha’s figure accelerated in an instant.
Like a beam of light.
A single beam of red pierced Reinard.
The dark mist that aimed to shroud him burst apart.
“Ugh.”
Reinard let out a pained groan.
His body staggered, leaning forward.
Thud, he knelt on the ground.
“Haah, haah….”
Reinard gasped for breath, the air he had held back during the battle pouring out.
“Are you okay?”
Narsha sheathed her rapier.
She offered her hand to Reinard.
Having caught his breath, Reinard took Narsha’s hand and stood up.
“Good work. It was a good match.”
“……”
Reinard couldn’t bring himself to say it was good, even in polite words. If the previous battle had been a mock duel, it was a blessing; in a real fight, he would have never known and been instantly defeated.
The belated fear of death rushed over Reinard’s mind.
His complexion turned pale.
Although he didn’t show it as a Dark Elf.
“It’s astonishing every time I see it. Just how much have you trained?”
“Well, I suppose? Two years?”
“…What?”
Two years was but a fleeting moment for an Elf. By human sense of time, it could not be considered long at all.
It was hard to believe that she had gained such power in merely two years. Especially since Narsha wasn’t born into this strength.
With a look of bliss, Narsha declared.
“It’s all thanks to my Master.”
“…Why is he being mentioned again?”
“Well, it’s because of that person. I was originally just an inconsequential noble girl. It’s thanks to my Master that I was reborn.”
Narsha, who usually showed no flaws, changed strangely whenever Carami was mentioned.
Incredibly enough, recently, Reinard began to wonder, ‘Is it real?’ It wasn’t just Narsha; even his slave Arphia was excessively strong.
Perhaps Carami had a secret ability to raise slaves.
“When he returns, why don’t you ask Reinard to be made a slave, too? You’ll get much stronger.”
Is it correct to ask to be made a slave…?
Even now, he could not empathize with that way of thinking.
“Oh, Arphia. Are you on your way back from the Great Tree?”
Narsha, who had been chatting with Reinard, spotted Arphia returning.
“Yes. I’ll be leaving right away.”
“Leaving? What do you mean?”
Arphia explained the situation about what had occurred at the Great Tree. Upon hearing the explanation, Narsha quickly grasped the situation.
“So, you’re saying you’re leaving now.”
“Yes. I’ve already finished talking with the Great Tree.”
Elves, including Arphia, possess a high degree of patience regarding time.
They don’t mind being a day or two late to an appointment, and even when ten years pass after saying they’d return soon, they say, ‘It’s only been ten years.’
The sense of time for long-lived species differs vastly from that of short-lived species.
But the months that had passed since Carami left felt like an eternity to Arphia.
Had time ever flowed so slowly?
Was waiting such a difficult task?
It felt as though thousands of years had gone by in less than a single year.
She had planned to wait quietly until Carami returned, but her thoughts changed.
‘The Princess of Snow? What on earth is that?’
Arphia still cherished the leaf letter that Carami had left behind. It stated he would be going to take care of a pitiful fox in the Beastman nation.
That much was understandable.
But if he finished his business, he should return, yet he seemed to be wandering around in strange places.
It was clear he had gone north and was playing around with new slaves. There was absolutely no way she could just sit and wait for him. If she waited quietly, a future where he would bring back dozens of women would loom large.
Since someone needed to convey the message, Arphia was considering going to bring Carami back herself.
“Should I go with you?”
Narsha subtly asked if she could accompany. She had also traveled with Carami here and there during her time as a slave.
Not that she didn’t have a little itch to just sit around these days.
However, Arphia shook her head firmly.
“What are you saying? You need to protect the headquarters. Who else would manage if you’re not here?”
That was a valid point.
Currently, the headquarters of the Death God was on a steep growth curve. With no one trustworthy to leave it with, if Narsha stepped away, it would surely plummet.
What had been built up until now could crumble in an instant.
“…I see. There’s no other way for now.”
Although it would feel a bit empty when Arphia left, Narsha had no intention of stopping her.
The ‘playful flower’ was withering more each day, like a thorned rose, etching countless wounds upon her beautiful body.
Arphia simply packed her belongings.
The pouch of money Narsha prepared for her.
The cyan and green bow made from the branches and leaves of the World Tree that she received for winning the Fairy Dance Festival. A laurel crown symbolizing the strongest Elf.
She also made sure not to forget to collect the pollen of Lacnia.
For she was Arphia, the Elf who must forever endure pain. Only through suffering could she truly be with Carami.
