Chapter 106: Insurance(2)
Chapter 106: Insurance(2)
Though the bedroom was illuminated only by a sliver of moonlight, Gartz quickly scanned the appearance of the Dark Elf who had appeared without warning.
Demons naturally possessed the ability to see through the dark, so this level of gloom posed no problem for him.
Unlike the youthful Rain, this woman possessed a fully matured figure. Her white hair and golden eyes stood out in sharp contrast against her bronze skin.
Finally, he noticed earrings hanging from her ears, which appeared to have been partially clipped.
According to rumors, Dark Elves had a custom of donning earrings whenever they reached a certain age. While Rain’s ears were bare, the woman before him wore exactly three earrings.
This meant that, unlike Rain, she was likely a trained warrior. Considering she had bypassed both his magic and his senses to approach him undetected, she was by no means an easy opponent.
"...It would be wise to let go of that hand."
After a tense, blood-chilling standoff, the woman spoke coldly, pressing her dagger closer to his throat. Her husky, low-toned voice indirectly conveyed the refined maturity of an adult.
Furthermore, her brilliant golden eyes burned with deep hostility. If Isaac’s eyes were like twinkling stars, Siris’s eyes glowed with the predatory threat of a wild beast.
However, Gartz did not waver in the slightest, even as the blade drew nearer to his neck. Instead, he let out a short, scoffing chuckle, sounding more incredulous than afraid.
"You Dark Elves certainly have strange hobbies. One of you steals, and the other just stands by and watches."
"... ..."
"Th-that voice... Siris? Big sister Siris?"
Rain, whose neck was still pinned down by Gartz, squirmed and asked urgently. It seemed the newly arrived Dark Elf’s name was Siris.
Given Rain’s recognition, they were clearly acquainted. Gartz briefly speculated on their relationship before dismissing it as unimportant for the moment.
What mattered now was how to handle Rain and how to prepare for any contingencies. Now that a Dark Elf named Siris had appeared, he intended to avoid combat if possible.
The manuscript must not be damaged.
Now that he was certain this was the manuscript for the Xenon Biography, he couldn't allow even the slightest scratch to befall it. To a demon, this was more than a national treasure; it was an artifact to be protected across generations.
To achieve this, he needed to discern Siris’s objective and decide Rain’s fate. With that in mind, Gartz pressed down harder on Rain’s neck.
"Ack...!"
"...If you don't let go of her this instant, things will get ugly."
It appeared Siris was closely bonded to Rain. The moment Gartz increased the pressure, a murderous aura began to seep from her.
Despite the terrifying bloodlust that transcended mere hostility, Gartz remained composed. On the surface, he seemed to be at a disadvantage, but the initiative was strictly his.
Most importantly, the moment his throat was slit, Rain’s fragile neck would snap effortlessly. Even if they traded lives, Cecile was already fully aware of the situation, so he could simply leave the aftermath to her.
Though it might spark a massive war between the Dark Elves and the demons, he was a Reaper, a guardian of Helium. He was more than willing to lay down his life.
"You don't seem to realize who holds the handle of the sword here. I'll consider letting her go once you pull that blade away from my throat."
"... ..."
"Besides, can't you read the room? This brat committed a crime, and I simply subdued her to stop it. I'd call this self-defense, wouldn't you?"
As Gartz laid out the facts point by point, Siris furrowed her brow. Every word he said was undeniably true, leaving her with no room for rebuttal.
This was strictly a case of Rain trespassing into someone else's mansion. Even with her natural bias toward her own kind, Siris couldn't deny the reality of the situation.
"More importantly, do you even know what this brat was trying to steal? Surely you won't claim ignorance."
"... ..."
"I'll take your silence as an admission. As you know, this object is nothing less than a divine blessing bestowed upon us demons. The crime of attempting to steal it is worthy of death."
"I-I wasn't going to steal it! I really just wanted to check...! Ack!"
Rain appealed her innocence, but Gartz responded by pressing down on her neck again.
He looked down at Rain with chilling eyes and spoke in a frigid voice.
"Nonsense is only acceptable to a certain point. Even if that were true, your actions can never be forgiven. What you were doing is practically a declaration of war against Helium. Besides, we have a perfectly good justification since you stole the manuscript for Volume 1 before."
"Th-that was... to make the Queen happy..."
"Spoken like a true brat—seeing the tree but missing the forest. I don't even need to see the Dark Elves' education system to know what it's like."
"... ..."
Even after this relentless fact bomb, Siris didn't offer a single word of protest. Or rather, she couldn't.
Rain had stolen the manuscript with purely good intentions, and when things went sideways, she had set out to return it.
Siris had watched silently until then, without intervening. Though the method was wrong, she felt Rain’s attempt to take 'responsibility' was somewhat commendable.
And if Rain had actually tried to steal the manuscript again, Siris had intended to stop her immediately. Rain had gotten off with a light punishment last time, but a second offense would have warranted 'severe punishment.'
Fortunately, it seemed she hadn't intended to steal it, but the situation had spiraled so far out of control that it had come to this. Siris had been suspicious of the high-level security magic placed specifically on this room, but she had been too late.
There was only one thing Siris could do now. She looked down at Rain, who was pinned to the floor, with a complicated expression before slowly withdrawing her dagger.
"...What do you want?"
"Now you're finally making sense."
The initiative had completely shifted. Gartz allowed the corners of his mouth to curl up slightly beneath his mask.
He eased the pressure on Rain’s neck and addressed Siris.
"Part of me wants to take this dim-witted brat's life right here, but..."
"I will never allow that."
"Right. I figured you'd say that."
Gartz brushed it off as if he had fully expected such a response. His nonchalance only made Siris more anxious.
Rain was the link to the Elf Queen, Arwen. Arwen was striving to integrate the long-ostracized Dark Elves, and the first step was becoming Rain’s guardian.
But looking at the current situation, that plan was already faltering—and because of Rain’s mistake, not Arwen’s.
Though their homeland had abandoned them, the Dark Elves still harbored a longing for it. If they failed to return to Albenheim during Arwen’s reign, they might have to wait until the next generation.
[What should I do, Princess?]
[Hmm...]
While Siris fretted internally, Gartz relayed the entire situation to Cecile via telepathy. He had been reporting to her continuously while speaking with Siris.
Cecile, who had been focused on the performance, turned her full attention to the matter as the situation grew complex. The highlight of highlights was approaching, but the handling of the Dark Elves was more important.
[A mistake is a mistake, no matter how young the child is. If you don't want to hold the kid responsible, you can just pass the burden to the adults, right?]
[But these women are Dark Elves. They might end up sharpening their blades in secret.]
[Our reaction will depend on who those blades are pointed at. If they're pointed at their benefactor, we'll leak everything we've been hiding. Then, well... you know?]
Cecile didn't finish the sentence, but Gartz understood exactly what she meant.
Currently, the Xenon Biography hadn't even reached its conclusion, yet it was causing a massive stir worldwide. A mere hiatus had triggered nationwide protests; what would happen if the culprit behind the manuscript theft was revealed?
Not only would Albenheim face terrifying diplomatic pressure, but the moment today's events came to light, there was a high probability of war breaking out. Of course, if Isaac asked for the war to stop, it would stop immediately, but that only emphasized the gravity of the matter.
Gartz caught Cecile’s drift and glared at Siris. Siris maintained her cold expression, but a flicker of anxiety was planted in her golden eyes.
"What we want is simple. If you don't want to sacrifice this girl's life, you must show us a corresponding price. Surely you won't be shameless enough to act like you've done nothing wrong?"
"... ..."
"Tell your Queen. When the performances are over and we return to Helium, she is to come to Helium with this brat. I will not accept an apology from the Queen. An apology should be made to the benefactor, not us. You simply need to take responsibility."
In truth, it wouldn't mean much even if Arwen knelt and apologized to Cecile. They were merely protecting the manuscript; the one who would have actually suffered was Isaac.
Therefore, this was essentially a coercive deal. If Arwen and the Dark Elves punished Rain severely, they would let it slide. If not, they would tell Isaac everything.
If that happened... the outcome was obvious. It would push things to the brink of war, Albenheim would suffer massive diplomatic damage, and furthermore, their relationship with the Dark Elves would be ruined.
Siris wanted to prevent that at all costs. But another problem arose.
If we do this, Rain will...
Just as Albenheim had laws, the Dark Elves had their own 'discipline.' For a minor issue, she might be forced to fast for a few days or receive a light punishment, but this was a crisis involving the fate of their entire race.
And the damage wouldn't stop at Rain; it would hit Arwen hard too. Arwen, driven by her sense of duty to unite with the Dark Elves, had been somewhat soft on Rain, and now the worst-case scenario had exploded.
Under Dark Elf discipline, she would have to rot in prison for at least a few hundred years, and for Arwen to atone, she would have to exile Rain.
[Accept the proposal.]
"?!"
While Siris was agonizing, biting her lip beneath her mask, Arwen—who had been belatedly monitoring the situation through magic—sent her a telepathic message.
Siris was startled by Arwen’s sudden voice, and doubly surprised by her permission, which sounded weary and exhausted.
[Q-Queen? Since when...]
[I noticed you and Rain hadn't returned for a long time and checked with magic... I never imagined the manuscript would actually be in this territory. This is my failure.]
For Arwen, it was one shock after another. She was shocked to learn that Isaac was the author of the Xenon Biography, and she was nearly driven to a faint by the fact that Rain had infiltrated the place to check the manuscript.
She had intervened to calm the situation for now, but a terrifying storm was bound to follow. It was best to settle things quickly and leave.
[B-but...]
[No. This is a mistake made by me and Rain. I will prepare to return to Albenheim immediately, so bring Rain back as soon as possible.]
[...Understood.]
It seemed Arwen had made her decision. Siris withdrew her dagger completely and looked at Gartz.
"...I accept the proposal."
"A wise decision."
Press.
As soon as Siris made her choice, Gartz completely released his grip on Rain’s neck. Of course, he didn't forget to press his thumb against the back of her neck as he let go.
It wasn't an eavesdropping spell, but the coordinates for Helium for their future meeting. Thus, for Arwen to come to Helium, she would have to bring Rain along.
"B-big sister..."
Once she was free, Rain ran to Siris in tears and clung to her arm. Siris looked down at the girl’s tearful, shimmering eyes with a grim expression.
Did she have any idea of the pain that awaited her? Even if she was a child, she had essentially triggered an item equivalent to a weapon of mass destruction, and the discipline to atone for that sin was waiting for her.
Siris gently stroked Rain’s wheat-colored hair before looking at Gartz and speaking in her characteristic low, husky voice.
"...I will keep the promise. The timing?"
"The Princess said exactly one week from now. I expect you to have punished the brat by then and let us know."
"...Understood."
"Then get lost. And you'd best never set foot here again. Next time, I'll end your life instantly."
Step. Step. Step.
At Gartz’s dismissal, Siris slowly backed away with Rain. Soon, they blended perfectly into the shadows where even the moonlight didn't reach and vanished completely.
It was a perfect stealth technique that, unlike Rain’s, couldn't be detected even by tracking magic. Gartz inwardly marveled at the truly terrifying abilities of the Dark Elves.
[Phew... it's all over.]
[Good work. Clean up and come back.]
Gartz gave his final report to Cecile. After hearing her encouragement, he pondered for a moment before a sudden curiosity struck him.
[Um... if I may ask, how did the performance go?]
[Hm? It's already over.]
[... ...]
[You should have seen it; it's such a shame. The choir sang together at the end, and I swear I felt shivers all over my body. I want to see it again.]
Maybe I should have just killed those pointy-eared bastards. Gartz gritted his teeth and swallowed his rage.
However, he managed to control his anger through his well-honed restraint. He then leaned over to tidy up the manuscripts scattered on the floor.
Fortunately, they aren't crumpled. But just in case, I should use restoration magic...
Gartz paused while organizing the drafts. If this really was where the Xenon Biography was written, wouldn't there be unpublished manuscripts as well?
Even though Isaac had decided on a hiatus, there was a high possibility he had written something else, just as he had released a side story.
...No. I must resist.
An ordinary person would have been unable to resist searching for the manuscripts, but Gartz was a demon—and a member of the Reapers, whose patience was second to none. He shook his head vigorously, suppressing the intense desire to find the drafts.
For now, the priority was to carefully place the drafts that had almost been ruined back into the desk drawer. The new volume would come out in a few years anyway; he just had to wait patiently until then.
Still, keeping them behind a simple lock is a bit much... I should make a suggestion to the Princess.
There was no guarantee a situation like today wouldn't happen again. More importantly, people were starting to figure out Isaac’s identity one by one.
Having faced this incident head-on, Gartz couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. He returned the manuscripts to their original place, locked the drawer securely, and stood up.
Thump!
"Ack!"
Perhaps because he stood up too quickly, Gartz slammed his head against the corner of the desk and let out a sharp cry.
Even for a demon with superior physical abilities, there was no defense against hitting one's head on a desk corner.
Fortunately, he had already cast soundproofing magic, so the knights outside didn't hear him, but he spent a good while groaning from the throbbing pain.
"Ugh... how annoying..."
It was just not Gartz’s lucky day.