Chapter 218
Chapter 218
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 218
Chapter Title: Rest
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I woke up feeling refreshed on the bed.
Perhaps because I had slept so deeply, the fluffy blanket draped over the bed was barely rumpled, holding its exact shape from last night.
The golden sunlight streaming through the closed large window wasn't blinding in the slightest; instead, it felt warm and comforting.
"Ngghhh…!"
As I stretched languidly and sat up, a long yawn came naturally.
My body felt so refreshed that I was puzzled, but I left the room anyway.
Arhil was still sleeping, judging by her closed door.
Grasping the stair railing, I headed down to the kitchen.
Magical items were set up here too.
However, they were completely different in appearance from those made in Calypso and distributed to various kingdoms and empires.
Whether they were made independently, even the way they were used was slightly different.
After fiddling around with them roughly, flames suddenly burst forth.
Once I figured out how to use the kitchen utensils, I decided to make something delicious for the first time in a while, pulling out food ingredients stored in <Bag> and starting to cook.
I placed cabbage on the cutting board I often used and chopped it up vigorously with a kitchen knife, preparing a salad, then loaded a thick slab of meat onto the frying pan and grilled it.
The savory aroma of the meat browning filled the house.
I sliced some mushrooms and added them in, sprinkled an appropriate amount of salt over the meat, and flipped it to cook the other side.
Sizzle, sizzle—the sound of it grilling made me lick my lips involuntarily as I stared at the cooking meat, and unable to resist, I picked up a piece to eat.
Self-justifying it as checking if it was done, I tasted it, and it melted tenderly in my mouth.
The flavor was excellent.
The food ingredients in <Bag> don't spoil.
They maintain their exact state from when they were stored, as if time had stopped inside.
Thanks to that, I could use such fresh meat and mushrooms that seemed freshly picked, making a refrigerator unnecessary.
I popped another well-grilled piece of meat into my mouth.
Meat, mushrooms, and salad would be plenty on their own, but it still felt insufficient.
'Meat goes best with rice, after all.'
Dipping a thick piece of meat in soy sauce and eating it with a spoonful of rice is just divine.
Just then, perhaps drawn by the smell of grilling meat, Arhil seemed to have woken up, as the creaking of the stairs came faintly from above.
"Did you sleep well? Perfect timing—you came down just as breakfast is ready. I was about to call you."
"Ah… yeah. I slept well, but you should've woken me. We could've prepared it together."
She spoke in a voice still thick with sleep.
Her staggering approach seemed to say she needed more rest.
I let out a small chuckle and told her to sit at the table; without protest, she pulled out a chair and sat.
The moment she sat, her head drooped forward, confirming she wasn't fully awake yet.
I filled a glass with cold water and handed it to her, then brought over the frying pan as is.
Arhil, dozing with her eyes closed, suddenly sniffed the air, then smiled sleepily and cracked her eyes open.
Her face lit up with joy at the sight of the thick meat filling the pan.
"Haa—smells so good."
"You like meat, right?"
"Of course! Among the blessings from the gods, meat is the greatest grace, isn't it? Morning, evening, anytime is fine."
Judah smirked and handed her a fork.
Since she was clumsy with chopsticks, a fork was more comfortable for her.
After finishing that hearty meal, we rinsed our mouths with fruit and the elf-made beverage.
"Wow… I can't even remember the last time I felt this relaxed."
Just stepping outside, the elves were busy with post-war reconstruction.
Being able to relax like this was only possible inside the house, away from prying eyes; even heading to the council hall would mean encountering patients groaning in pain.
But setting that aside for now, sipping the fruit wine from the glass, its sweet aroma putting me in a good mood.
After some light conversation with Arhil, I washed up in the bathroom inside the house.
Life is all about timing—right after I finished washing and was drying my hair, someone came calling.
A heavy knocking came from the front door, and when I went out, Via was there with a carriage parked in front of the house.
Seeing Judah emerge, Via offered a relatively gentle smile.
It was a world of difference from when they first met.
"Good morning."
"Hm…? Good morning it is, but what's the occasion this early?"
"The Queen wishes to see you. She wants to express her gratitude, it seems."
The elf queen?
At her words, Judah tilted his head.
He knew almost nothing about the elf queen.
He hadn't set any particular quests for her, nor assigned her any major role in the scenario.
Still, she wasn't incompetent.
Her administrative skills were set exceptionally high, which was why the elves lived so prosperously under her rule.
"It's not an obligation. The Queen simply said she'd like to meet if possible."
Seeing Judah hesitate without responding, Via continued.
Reflexively, Judah extended his hand and shook his head.
"No, it's not that—it's just about clothes to wear… Ah, no. I have some."
He'd blurted it out as an excuse, but upon thinking, he remembered getting several suits tailored courtesy of Count Jenner in Uruun.
Those should work.
"Will Arhil come too?"
Feeling Arhil peeking out from behind, wondering what was going on, Via nodded.
"Yes, take your time preparing. We'll wait out front, so come out leisurely."
She closed the door and left, and Arhil approached with sparkling eyes, asking if they were really going to see the queen.
At least Via wouldn't lie about that.
Bell-Terza was a variable, but he didn't think elves would betray like humans might.
Arhil hurried upstairs to change, saying she'd prepare quickly, while Judah opened <Bag> right there and pulled out a suit to wear.
With no one watching, he had no hesitation undressing.
'Hm!'
While putting on pants, he glanced at his abs—they were solidly built with muscle.
A body he could never have dreamed of in his original world.
Spotting a full-length mirror in the living room, he unnecessarily walked over and struck a pose he'd seen on TV.
Having gone through all the major events in the elf forest, his tension must have eased.
He stopped the embarrassing pose anyone might see, finished dressing, and waited for Arhil.
She came down soon after, changed.
Outside, a carriage pulled by a beast with enormous antlers—whether a stag or reindeer, he couldn't tell—awaited, and under Via's guidance, they boarded.
The carriage interior was spacious and plush.
It set off immediately toward the elf capital behind Loengrim, right beneath the World Tree.
Arrival took less time than expected, revealing a city far more magnificent than Loengrim.
'No city walls.'
Perhaps to preserve aesthetics, or relying on Loengrim, nothing encircled the city like walls.
Judah slid open the carriage window beside him.
"Ah! Wait, it's cold… Huh?"
Arhil, sitting in the front seat, tried to stop him as he suddenly flung the window open, but the breeze flowing in wasn't chilly.
It was a fresh, cozy spring wind.
Thus, Arhil tilted her head in confusion.
"Huh, not cold?"
"Look outside. It's spring here."
Despite winter elsewhere, there were no traces of snow near the World Tree, and its leaves were full.
Streets bloomed with beautiful flowers, and passing elves dressed lightly.
"It's really spring…"
She gazed at the streets with wondrous eyes.
"Ah?"
His eyes met a passing elf's.
She widened her eyes in surprise but soon placed her hand over her chest and bowed.
Not just her—every elf whose gaze met his did the same.
Wondering if they didn't recognize him as human and assumed he was the queen's guest from the fancy carriage, he even showed his ears and made eye contact, but the reaction was identical.
"?"
He wanted to ask Via, but she sat up front in the coachman's seat, leaving no way to inquire.
"They're greeting us, right?"
Arhil, noticing the same, asked Judah, but he had no answer for that.
Soon, they arrived at the palace where the elf queen resided.
A massive, beautiful palace built of reddish-brown bricks came into view.
It was the largest structure he'd seen since coming to this world.
The World Tree behind made it seem small, but standing before the stairs leading up, its grandeur hit home.
The stairs to the palace, taller than Loengrim's walls, were flanked by the same guardian soldiers who had defended the gates last time, now protecting the elf palace.
Dressed in blue-tinted armor like human knights, holding shields and spears, they struck the ground with their spear shafts as Judah and Arhil stood before the stairs.
Like falling dominoes, a resounding thump, thump echoed in sequence.
Watching blankly, Via approached and gestured for them to ascend.
With each step up the stairs, the guardians on either side bowed their heads.
Feeling the immense honor, they climbed nearly a hundred steps and entered.
The palace interior was pristine, with many elves moving busily.
Spotting Judah and Arhil, they paused, bowed, and continued.
It was clearly a greeting to the two of them, not just Via.
Flustered yet oddly proud at their demeanor, they followed Via deeper inside.
After a long corridor, they reached a room guarded by two soldiers.
The door was open, and the guards bowed, indicating entry was permitted.
"Welcome. You've had a hard journey getting here."
A soft voice came from within, where an elf as elderly as an elder sat.
Her white hair and wrinkles showed the passage of time, yet she was beautiful.
She suited the role of queen perfectly.
"Come, please sit here."
She gestured for them to sit rather than stand.
On the long table before the queen sat fruit wine chilled with cool energy and pastries.