“Hey, you black-hearted pointy-ear! I’ll take you on!” Bilodis was being utterly insufferable, and Tillysha could take it no longer.
Even a rabbit will bite if it gets desperate—let alone an elf!!
In the blink of an eye, Tillysha leapt up, snatching the recording magic rune stone from Bilodis’s hands and smashing it against the ground with all her might—well, at least that’s how Tillysha imagined it would play out. In reality, Tillysha barely moved before Bilodis pinned her legs down with her own, leaving Tillysha flailing about helplessly in Bilodis’s embrace, clawing and squirming like a helpless kitten—ferocious-looking, sure, but completely harmless.
“Hurry and destroy this monstrosity before it spreads any further!”
“Come now, little Tillysha. Do you really think erasing traces and memories can undo what has already happened?” Bilodis held the magic rune stone high above Tillysha’s reach, swaying it teasingly as if it were a feather toy to tempt an overeager kitty.
“And who do you think is responsible for all these treasures?” When Tillysha couldn’t snatch the stone herself, she pivoted to attacking the holder.
Tillysha latched onto Bilodis’s back, clawing at her with all her might, employing every trick in the book to get Bilodis to cave in—a tactic not unlike a child throwing a tantrum.
But to Bilodis, these efforts were nothing but adorable little protests, akin to a kitten with freshly clipped nails trying to pull on your pant legs, completely harmless but undeniably entertaining.
“Pfft, I won’t share this with anyone else, so calm down!” Subtext: Your collection of embarrassing moments is already substantial—what’s one more?
“This shouldn’t exist in this world!” Tillysha persisted, desperate to salvage what little dignity she had left.
“Behave yourself, little Tillysha,” Bilodis chided lightly, her tone dripping with amusement. “Kicking and screaming like that—is that how a princess should act?”
“And oh!” she teased further. “Did you know I’ve already turned on auto-recording? Everything you say right now will be documented.”
“You’re simply bullying me!” Realizing her efforts were futile, Tillysha grudgingly retracted her raised hands.
“I’m not bullying you, Tillysha. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you,” Bilodis said with mock-sweetness, her lips curling into a knowing grin.
“Well, if that’s the case, hand over this wretched stone!”
“Ah, but is that any way to speak to your elder sister? Without proper manners, I’m afraid this magic rune stone will remain just out of your reach,” Bilodis teased, her grin widening.
“Hmph!” Tillysha puffed out her cheeks like a stubborn child, finding it harder than expected to speak civilly to Bilodis.
That devilish white-skinned beauty! Pure poison wrapped in an angelic package!
“Please, I mean… please, give me the magic rune stone.”
“Who should give it to you?”
“Y-you.”
“Who’s ‘you’?”
“Old woman… Bilodis.”
“Isn’t calling your elder sister by her first name rather presumptuous, little Tillysha?” Bilodis asked lightly, feigning offense.
“…” Tillysha stared silently at Bilodis, clearly struggling.
“Ah, so you don’t actually want the magic rune stone after all?”
“Of course I d-don’t!” After a long pause, Tillysha gritted her teeth and forced herself to say, with trembling voice, “S-sister, please hand me that magic rune stone.”
“Alright then, understood,” Bilodis said happily, promptly surrendering the stone, seemingly satisfied that Tillysha had called her “sister.”
Tillysha wanted to destroy the evidence immediately, but her state left her unable. The stone found itself stuffed into her top, to be dealt with once she regained her strength.
“Why were you sleeping beside me?”
“Now, that’s a strange question, little Tillysha. This is my room. Where else would I sleep?” Bilodis replied, looking around the well-appointed chamber with its artworks and furniture.
The sunlight streaming through the windows filled the room with warmth as Tillysha glanced about.
“I’m getting up now.” With that, Tillysha rose off Bilodis’s form.
Bilodis didn’t stop her, allowing Tillysha to get up freely.
The nightgown on Tillysha’s body clearly wasn’t the one she’d been sleeping in last night—it had been changed during her sleep. She knew full well who had done it.
But…the elves’ nightgown was something else entirely. This semi-transparent white fabric barely concealed anything and revealed far more than it hid, looking more like lingerie than sleepwear.
A holy, spotless elf dressed this way? If they weren’t trying to tempt someone, Tillysha couldn’t imagine what the fashion designers were thinking.
Maybe in elven culture, there’s no concept of modesty—clothing is merely a ceremonial gesture, meant to look good. Since the clothes are seen by fellow elves, and the menfolk are indifferent to such displays, designers have free rein to let their imaginations run wild.
Their preference for lightweight attire might stem from a desire to be closer to nature.
Tossing the nightgown aside, Tillysha donned her crop top and peep-toe heels before descending the stairs of the palace, feeling suddenly lighter, her movements more fluid, as though she’d just had her meridians unlocked in a martial arts novel.
Time to eat?
Considering how they’ve locked her up here, surely they’d provide meals—otherwise, this would be pure ab*se!
“Good morning, Lady Tillysha! Did you sleep well?” came a familiar voice from the hall, its owner none other than Bilodis’s maid.
“How did you end up here?” Tillysha asked warily, remembering how the same maid had forcibly brought her in yesterday.
“Just performing my morning duties,” replied Lailyn, in her revealing maid uniform.
“Cleaning this enormous palace all by yourself?” The servants here must be overworked.
“Certain sections are handled by Her Majesty, while I take care of the rest,” Lailyn explained with a graceful bow.
“It’s not as tiring as you might think. Using a bit of our divine authority makes things much easier. Working by hand merely fills the time.”
“The sun’s already high,” Tillysha noted. “Shouldn’t someone be preparing breakfast?”
“Breakfast?” Lailyn tilted her head, puzzled. “What’s ‘breakfast’?”
“You’re telling me elven royalty doesn’t eat?”
“Ah, are you referring to that peculiar human custom of three meals a day?”
“Not exactly, but…surely you have to eat something?”
“Of course we do. But hunger as you humans know it isn’t something we feel. Elves over three hundred years of age usually derive all they need from nature’s essence. Younger ones may eat occasionally, though.”
“Are you plants?”
At this revelation, Tillysha recalled how as an elf, she rarely felt hunger herself, eating mostly out of habit.
“My apologies, my Lady,” Lailyn said after a pause. “I forgot about your memory loss. If you insist, please wait a moment.”
Moments later, Lailyn returned carrying a wooden tray on which sat a cup of translucent green liquid.
“Lady Tillysha, here’s your breakfast.”
“What exactly is this?” Tillysha held the cup skeptically, noting the faint ripples within.
“Consider it the favorite ‘food’ of our Gold Elf royalty, the Nectar of Divine Richness.”
“Nectar of Divine Richness, huh?” Despite the fancy name, the elixir looked ordinary enough, apart from its cup.
Sniffing it, Tillysha detected a faint floral aroma—pleasing though somewhat strange.
Bracing herself, she took a sip, her expression quickly soured.
“Ugh, it’s bitter…and astringent. This is more like raw unprocessed well water.”
“And this came from where?”
“Why from the courtyard’s spring.”
“You mean this is just plain water with no processing?”
“Processing? No, we can’t modify it. The spring originates from the Holy Golden Tree. Though somewhat diminished lately, its elixir brims with life energy. A single sip might add several extra years to your life.”
“But if this is so hard to drink, how does it help someone who already lives several centuries?”
“Well, that’s exactly the problem!” Tillysha threw up her hands. “You live here and survive without eating much, just drinking this water occasionally when you think of it?”
“And that bothers you?” Lailyn asked, genuinely surprised.
“Of course! If you live so purely, what’s the point of life?”
Lailyn fell silent, studying Tillysha with an odd expression.
“What’s wrong?”
“Did you just remember something from your past, Lady Tillysha?”
“From my past?”
“Nothing,” Lailyn waved it aside and smiled. “You once said the same thing before. I thought you might have recovered some memories.”
“Really? The same words?”
Thinking back, it seemed Tillysha herself had also spoken such words. Coincidence or memory?
Speaking of which…where was Bilodis? Why hadn’t she come down yet?
“Finish your drink, Lady Tillysha.”
“I can’t handle this. Can you help by finishing it?”
“I’m afraid not. Once you take the first sip, it’s your responsibility to finish it entirely. That’s the protocol of the Golden Wood Palace.”
Though she protested, Tillysha drank it down, her face contorted in disgust.
How had Bilodis endured drinking this for centuries?
When Tillysha finished, Bilodis finally descended, still in casual attire that suggested she hadn’t much stirred from her leisurely existence upstairs.
“Will you join me for a walk in the garden, little Tillysha?”
Tillysha wanted to snark back but remembering what had transpired the night before—the insomnia-cure incident—she bit her tongue. Still, it did seem to be somewhat effective, odd though it was.
Walking in the garden, with her mind still in Coleman Academy, Tillysha couldn’t help but wonder how her teammates had reacted to Dillin’s and her sudden disappearance.
“Don’t worry, time flows differently near the Holy Golden Tree than in Caleburn. All will be fine for you,” Bilodis said with gentle assurance, as if reading Tillysha’s thoughts.
