Crossroads

I couldn't believe it.

It wasn't my area of expertise, but this was a fourteen-layer Echo Magic. To give you an idea of its power, even a minotaur known for its strength would be forced to crawl across the floor like a helpless larva. In other words, it was not something any human could endure.

Yet the human before my eyes was standing.

Madness poured from her one remaining eye. She wore a cruel smile as she staggered to her feet.

"What the hell? Is that all you've got? For a fucking bitch, you actually tried pretty hard."

"What... what are you?!"

"Maybe it was a bit much for the other humans? I see. They're all stuck in place, unable to move a single muscle~"

It was true. Everyone except her lay sprawled on the ground, completely immobilized. An elf's fourteen-layer binding spell was that overwhelming—even imperial knights would struggle to twitch a finger.

Yet the woman before her was smiling brightly, as if this were nothing at all. Simply standing should have brought unbearable agony, but... wait. This crazy—!

Audrey could not believe her eyes. Sticky fluid was flowing from between Bella's legs, trickling down her thighs.

W-was she sexually aroused right now?

"D-do you like women?"

"What the fuck are you on about? Have you lost your mind?"

"Then why is it dripping down there..."

"Oh, this? Heh. Thinking about shoving this blade deep into your cunt already has me excited♥"

This insane bitch...!

Overwhelmed by the aura, Audrey took a step back. Bella lunged again. Her speed was little more than a slow walk, but the terrified elf widened the distance and stacked another layer onto the Echo Magic.

Boom.

"Ha... Fuck. Elf magic is seriously goddamn annoying."

Is... is this the end?

Bella dropped to her knees. She could no longer lift herself from the floor. Still, Audrey added five more layers, bringing the binding to a full twenty stacks. Only then did she let out a sigh of relief.

"It's over. I-it's finished...! (Elven)"

Staggering, she retrieved her severed arm from earlier and attempted to restore it with magic. Fortunately, the human woman's sword cut had been clean. Reattaching it would not be difficult. Of course, full recovery would require four to five months of rest...

For now, she reconnected the nerves, muscles, and major blood vessels. When she released the blocked vessels using spirits, a searing agony tore through her. Along with the tingling pain, her fingers began to move, however weakly.

'Emergency treatment complete. There's still some time left. In that case...'

Audrey strode forward and stood before Bella. Then she stomped mercilessly on the woman's face.

"You mere human! Thud. Thud. How dare you act so arrogantly! Thud. Thud thud. Know your place! Thud thud thud."

The woman bled as her head slammed into the ground.

"Huu. Now my excitement is finally calming down."

Audrey took deep breaths and regained her composure. With her mind stabilized, her previously tense bowels relaxed, and the urge to relieve herself rose.

She grabbed her panties and ripped them away. Then she flipped Bella over, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠squatted above her face, and spoke.

"Insolent wench. I'll give you exactly what you want and shit on you, so enjoy it thoroughly."

Elves had a custom of defecating on the faces of defeated foes to mock them. It crushed the opponent ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and burned the hierarchy deep into their soul. This battle was her victory. Audrey tensed her abdomen to exercise the victor's rightful privilege.

Or she tried to.

At that moment, a chilling sensation shot through her. She sprang upright, twisting her body.

"Ugh...!"

The burning pain in her thigh made Audrey cry out. Looking down, she saw Bella smiling with clear delight. The sword in her hand had pierced straight through the elf's thigh and was protruding from the other side.

"Tsk. Too bad~ I was going to fit it perfectly into that pussy of yours♥"

Goosebumps erupted across her skin. If she hadn't twisted away, the blade would have pierced her most precious place instead of her thigh.

Audrey wrenched the knife free and glared at the human woman. Bella lay flat on the ground, apparently lacking even the strength to lift her head.

'It seems another skilled mage temporarily boosted her magic resistance.'

Most likely the imperial princess lying over there. Audrey burned with the desire to torment the two bitches who had stabbed her, but she had no time to waste. She needed to reseal the beast immediately.

"Consider yourselves lucky."

Audrey spat on Bella and advanced toward the Kraken. The closer she drew, the louder its breathing grew. With her naturally sharp elven hearing, the sound was painful; she used a spirit to dampen it.

'Huu. This has been the hardest day since I began this work.'

To think they were such powerful humans. Still, she should think positively—at least she was here. The stronger the sacrifice, the lighter the burden on Yordan.

She stopped directly before the Kraken, positioned herself, and began casting. Responding to her will, the ancient elven weapon Yordan ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠approached from the side. Beautiful tones flowed from the woman's lips, and the massive ship began to tremble with a deep hum. A blue magic circle completed itself in a clockwise spiral.

"The nightingale shall lose its voice, and the waves of the sea shall fall silent... Huh? (Elven)"

The woman tilted her head in confusion. The flow of magic had suddenly been severed. She looked up to see Yordan floating in midair.

'Why...?'

Audrey commanded it to descend, but it only bobbed up and down, refusing to stay grounded. As if engaged in a contest of strength, she looked up at the deck.

A man stood there, smiling down at her. Her human friend, Aslan... no, Kael Cleanberry.

"If this thing is floating in the air, you can't use the sealing magic, can you?"

"What is this?! Get down from there right now!"

"You can just bring me down yourself, can't you?"

Yet no matter how she tried, Yordan refused to move. Anxiety crept through the elf's chest.

"Why? Not going according to plan?"

"Khk... Get down here immediately!"

The elf was certain. Yordan's disobedience was connected to that man. If she defeated him, the ship would obey again. The problem was that climbing aboard to reach him risked loosening the bindings she had placed on the others.

"I-I'll give you a nice gift if you come down!"

Of course, that "gift" was Kael's life.

The man seemed to ponder the offer. Audrey felt her insides burning with urgency. Time was running out, yet he refused to move. Finally, he leaped lightly and landed before her.

'Perfect. Now I just need to teach him a small lesson...'

But her plan ended as nothing more than a thought. The instant his feet touched the ground, an overwhelming magical power enveloped her—an absolute force that could not be defied.

W-what was this man's true identity?

All strength fled her body. Against her will, she collapsed to the floor. The man looked down at her and spoke.

"Oh dear. You're not wearing any panties? You said it was a gift—were you trying to show me?"

"W-what are you doing?! Release this at once and let us talk..."

Instead of releasing her, he used Yordan to block the others' view and openly stared. He ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spread her labia and pubic mound, then slid a finger inside her hole—Hiiik?!

"W-wait! Stop this at once!"

"Just stay still a moment! First, soundproofing magic. Let's see... I've been curious for a while. I want to know what an elf's pussy looks like."

"W-we don't have time for this! If we don't seal it quickly, it will revive! The shape of my pussy is not important right now!"

"But it's the most important thing to me."

"The world will be destroyed..."

"Even if the world ends, I still need to see today's pussy."

"Hueeeng."

Realizing words were useless, the elf Audrey's face crumpled in despair. The finger sliding in and out of her gradually made even her ears burn with heat.

'T-this cannot continue. One more time—strongly with Yordan...!'

She concentrated, calling Yordan and pouring her will into it. A sharp crack rang out, like something fracturing.

'It cracked...?'

A fissure ran through the mana stone in his hand. Its meaning was significant.

­ An ancient elven weapon wouldn't be that easy to handle. What will you do, Aslan? If this continues, that bitch will regain full control in no time.

"A shame, but I'll have to kill her."

­ That would be the cleanest solution.

The elf's face darkened instantly upon hearing the exchange. She desperately clung to his leg and begged.

"N-no! Killing me here won't help you! If I die, Yordan will automatically return to my homeland. Then you'll all be trapped here and die helplessly!"

"Really? I was told the one who kills it becomes its owner."

The elf shook her head desperately.

This was troublesome... which was the truth?

­ For now, we should assume the elf is telling the truth.

'Why?'

­ Those guys can't lie, just like the celestials.

Ugh. Maybe he should just trust the mana stone. It felt like they could escape somehow. But Beres firmly rejected the idea. If Audrey resisted strongly, the stone would shatter before they could reach the surface.

A faint smile appeared on the collapsed elf's face. Believing the situation had turned in her favor, she suddenly made an offer.

"Instead, let's do this. Sacrifice everyone over there except the imperial princess, the duke's daughter, and Tanya. Then I'll safely escort Kael and the rest of you to the city."

"I refuse. Why should I?"

"This is no time for stubbornness! If that monster revives, the world will take one step closer to destruction!"

What nonsense was this girl spouting? Had she still not grasped the situation?

Kael hardened his expression and pressed his foot firmly against her face.

"Hey, Audrey. Do you have any idea how fucking pissed I am right now? Someone I thought was a friend shows up, stabs me and my comrades in the back, and threatens our lives. Would you listen to a bitch like that? I'd rather negotiate with the monster."

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his ear. It was gentle like a mother's yet carried the majestic pressure of a great sovereign commanding millions of troops.

"That remark just now has piqued my curiosity."

"Themis!"

The elf turned in shock. Kael followed her gaze. A woman formed entirely of sand stood there, looking at him. Long hair, unique ears, large breasts, a slender waist, and vast hips beneath. Though she resembled a sand statue, her beauty was undeniable.

She frowned at the elf's behavior.

"How dare a mere officer utter a queen's name so casually!"

Audrey snorted with laughter.

"Queen? She's nothing but a fish. Is there any creature that treats fish with nobility? Ugh... It smells fishy all the way over here~ Blech. (Elven)"

Hearing Beres's translation, Kael swallowed a hollow laugh. He realized anew just how rude this elf was. She looked like an angel but behaved worse than a demon.

'Well, that just shows how bad the relationship between their races is.'

Whether because she could only maintain a basic form or to preserve her dignity as queen, the woman called Themis ignored Audrey and turned back to him. She made her proposal.

"If you help me break the seal, I will send you safely to land. I will never forget this grace for the rest of my life."

"Kael! Do not listen to her! If that bitch's seal is broken, humans will never be able to approach the sea again...!"

"How dare a lowly creature interrupt a king's conversation!"

The two races began bickering. They turned to him, each pleading for him to accept their offer first.

Audrey warned that if the queen revived, both sea and a large portion of land would be ravaged by her and her offspring. Countless mermaids had been cursed into Kraken spawn and mercilessly devoured by humans—she would never overlook such atrocities.

Themis acknowledged the truth of this. The elves would be wiped out, and the humans who had enjoyed eating them would be punished without mercy. She would reclaim the sea's sovereignty and utterly crush the blue dragon who had sealed her. If he wished, she would become his strength at any time.

"I believe you will not choose the path that leads to the world's destruction. Kael is wise, after all."

"Even if the world is destroyed, I will never touch you or your people. This I swear on my honor as queen, so you may believe me, human."

It was a difficult choice. Honestly, after what Audrey had done today, he wanted to ignore her words completely. She had tried to kill him and his women. Even if he violated every hole she possessed and slit her throat, she would have no right to complain.

Yet she claimed the world would take a step toward destruction. Elves could not lie, and Themis had partially acknowledged it.

'But she also made a promise.'

She would never touch his people. That meant everyone under him would be safe.

As his hesitation lengthened, both women urged him again.

"Kael. If you help me, once this is over I will give you Yordan. You will receive the utmost favor from Queen Sielin and all our elves until the day you die."

"Human. If you help me, you will receive the favor of myself and every mermaid. If you desire, I shall become your reliable strength."

The offers had grown even more tempting. The dilemma deepened.

Forest elves or sea elves. Elves or mermaids. Which side should he—

His wavering heart began to tilt toward one side. His mouth slowly opened. The two elves watched with tense expressions.

"I..."