Chapter 118: Punishment(3)
Chapter 118: Punishment(3)
I stared blankly at Arwen as she spoke, her voice weak and laced with a bitter smile. She was wearing a robe just like last time, but with the hood completely down, her features were fully revealed.
Silver-grey hair and eyes that sparkled like the Milky Way. Combined with her somewhat youthful appearance, she was unmistakably the Arwen I knew.
But why was she here? That question naturally dominated my mind as I shifted my gaze to the figures beside her.
These people...
Standing next to the fair-skinned Arwen were two women whose bronze skin stood out prominently. In the center was a girl with blue eyes and wheat-colored hair with a hint of red, and beside her was a woman with white hair and golden eyes.
Both wore masks, yet their striking beauty was impossible to hide. Unlike Arwen, their ears were quite short—not naturally so, but clearly cropped by hand.
My eyes were drawn particularly to the woman radiating a more mature charm. While Arwen and the girl were both draped in robes, this woman alone wore armor that looked like it offered exceptional "defense."
Her toned thighs were exposed, and her outfit boldly showcased her feminine appeal, featuring a cute navel and clearly defined abdominal muscles.
Calling it armor felt like a stretch; it was so revealing it might as well have been lingerie. Consequently, I felt more confusion than lust.
Isn't she cold like that?
I looked away from the woman and scanned the three of them again. Seeing them together made the differences even more apparent.
Taking all these characteristics into account, these had to be the Dark Elves I had only heard stories about. Seeing them in person, they shared many similarities with Elves, but the differences were just as numerous.
Then again, humans have vast differences between ethnicities, so it shouldn't be any different for Elves. After alternating my gaze between the two Dark Elves, I pieced together the situation and nodded.
Setting aside the woman staring at me with golden eyes identical to my own, the girl in the center kept her head bowed like a criminal. Judging by her position and the atmosphere, she was undoubtedly the one who had stolen my manuscript.
As Cecile had previously hinted, she was a very young girl—looking like she had just entered middle school if I compared her to my past life.
"...Is it her?"
I pointed at the girl in the center and asked Cecile, who was standing beside me. Cecile, watching the scene with an amused curl to her lips, gave an immediate confirmation.
"That's right. The one in the middle is the thief who stole your manuscript. A wicked little thing from the very start."
"Hmm..."
Following Cecile's answer, I fixed my gaze on the girl. Putting aside the fact that she was a mere adolescent, I couldn't understand why she had stolen my work.
The value of the manuscript was beyond words; it was more than just a masterpiece—it was a cultural treasure. Among the Demon Clan, it was treated almost like a holy relic.
Even so, that didn't explain why this Dark Elf girl would steal it. She must have had a motive.
I stared silently at the Dark Elf girl, who remained bowed like a sinner, before shifting my gaze back to Arwen. Arwen was watching me with a complex, unreadable expression.
Arwen must be involved in this, directly or indirectly.
Otherwise, there would be no reason for her to be here. I was also curious about how she had formed a connection with the Dark Elves, considering they were supposedly exiled from Albenheim long ago.
Sensing there were many complicated layers to this, I addressed Arwen first.
"Arwen."
"Speak."
Arwen still used her elegant and dignified tone. Given her youthful appearance, the contrast felt slightly jarring.
I looked back and forth between the tired-looking Arwen and the Dark Elf girl before speaking in a blunt voice.
"The situation seems complicated. Can you explain? What is your relationship with these Dark Elves, and why did this girl steal my manuscript?"
"...I understand."
Arwen glanced at the Dark Elf girl at my question and let out a long sigh. Then, placing a hand over her heart, she offered a formal, polite greeting.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Arwen Elidya. I am the Queen of Albenheim, the land blessed by the Gods."
"The Queen?"
My eyes widened at her formal introduction.
I had suspected she was someone of high status based on her dignified speech and the innate grace she exuded, but I never imagined she was the Queen herself.
"My apologies. I never would have guessed you were the Queen of Albenheim."
"It is fine. And you may speak comfortably with me. You have earned that right. Besides, in a situation like this, formalities hold little meaning."
When I apologized politely and switched to formal speech, Arwen shook her head, telling me it was unnecessary.
Given that she didn't use royal pronouns like 'We' or 'Us' and considering her behavior during the festival, she seemed to be someone who didn't care much for rigid protocol.
The slightly awkward feeling I got from her authoritative tone was likely because of this. Of course, given the circumstances, it would only disadvantage her side if she tried to pull rank now.
"Alright. Let's skip the pleasantries then. As I asked before, I don't quite understand what's going on. Can you explain in detail?"
"Very well. Rain."
"... ..."
At Arwen's call, she uttered the name of the girl who was presumably the Dark Elf. The girl flinched and stole a glance at Arwen.
Then, the girl slowly raised her head to look me in the eye. She looked completely consumed by fear; her eyes were trembling, and she kept licking her lips nervously.
It was a natural reaction, considering she was facing a 500-year sentence—a staggering amount of time even for an Elf. I would be losing my mind if I were facing fifty years, so for her, it must have been even worse.
I almost feel a bit sorry for her.
Just as my heart began to soften, Cecile, perhaps noticing my expression, whispered into my ear.
[Isaac. Just so you know, she broke into your mansion while the performance was going on. She was trying to steal the manuscript again.]
I looked at Cecile, my expression demanding an explanation. I could let it slide once, but twice was unacceptable.
Cecile gave a small smile at my look and gestured for me to lean in. Though puzzled, I gave her my ear.
[The brat claims she only broke in to confirm if you were Xenon, but who would believe that? Fortunately, Sir Balak stopped her before anything could happen. Of course, she might be telling the truth, but the break-in itself is a problem. I hope you handle this wisely.]
So that's how they found out this Dark Elf girl was the thief. I looked at the girl again after hearing Cecile's whisper.
Twice is a pattern, not a mistake. The Dark Elves hadn't handed down a 500-year sentence for nothing.
Meanwhile, Rain swallowed hard and bowed deeply. Then, in a trembling, quiet voice, she spoke.
"H-hello. My name is R-Rain. Her Majesty is currently acting as my guardian."
"A guardian..."
A guardian is someone who looks after another, usually someone lacking the capacity to handle their own affairs. In this world, it was a role similar to a mentor or a parent.
As mentioned before, the relationship between Elves and Dark Elves wasn't exactly friendly. However, seeing Rain the Dark Elf under Arwen's guardianship made the bigger picture clear.
Arwen was likely laying the groundwork to bring the wandering Dark Elves back to Albenheim. Her relationship with Rain was the first step.
I stared silently at Rain, who was looking at me with a face full of tension, and asked in a flat voice.
"Right. I think I get the gist of your relationship with Arwen. Let's cut the small talk and get to the point. Why did you steal my manuscript?"
"... ..."
"Do Dark Elves learn that it's okay to steal other people's things and break into their homes?"
"...No."
When I scolded her sharply, Rain lowered her head dejectedly. She seemed to know she was in the wrong, which only made it more aggravating.
If you know something is wrong, you shouldn't do it. That's basic common sense.
Even if this was a fantasy world modeled after the Middle Ages, not stealing is a fundamental matter of human conscience. What could have possibly driven her to sell her conscience just to steal my manuscript?
"Then why did you steal it? And why did you sneak into my mansion just to find out if I was Xenon?"
"That's..."
"Rain stole your manuscript to make me happy."
It was just before Rain could speak. Arwen, who had been watching the situation silently, stepped forward to defend her, but...
"Arwen. I'm sorry, but I don't think this is your time to intervene. She needs to say it herself."
"... ..."
My retort left her speechless. However, her desire to protect Rain was written all over her face.
Now that Arwen was quiet, I waited patiently for Rain to speak for herself. Perhaps feeling slightly less tense knowing Arwen was on her side, Rain answered in a voice slightly louder than before.
"Like Her Majesty said... I stole it to make her happy..."
"To make Arwen happy?"
"Yes. Because Her Majesty loves your books, too..."
Hearing Rain's words, I turned my gaze back to Arwen. Come to think of it, Arwen had neglected her duties as Queen just to attend the exhibition.
Normally, she would have issued an official statement about her attendance, but perhaps due to internal politics, she had kept her identity hidden and enjoyed the show in secret.
A childish thought.
Rain, with the short-sightedness typical of a child, probably thought stealing the manuscript would please Arwen, but the result was a disaster. It was hard to say whether I should blame Arwen's lack of guidance or Rain's lack of morality.
Regardless, Rain had committed a crime and, furthermore, had trespassed into my home. That alone was a major issue.
I rubbed the back of my neck at the complexity of it all, let out a deep sigh, and spoke in a low voice.
"Arwen."
"...You may speak."
"Did you know it was wrong too?"
"...I did."
"Then why didn't you return the manuscript immediately? You could have just left it at the publisher's."
Honestly, even if Rain had messed up, there wouldn't have been a problem if Arwen had handled it properly. There would have been some talk, but returning the manuscript to the publisher would have settled it.
But for whatever reason, Arwen hadn't done that. And as a result, we ended up in this mess.
Arwen hesitated at my question before apologizing with genuine regret.
"...I made a poor judgment there. I thought humans were suspicious by nature and wouldn't believe it was the real thing even if I returned it immediately."
"Tsk..."
I was speechless. Her racial perspective and overthinking had led her right into a trap of her own making. She had really dug herself into a hole.
But her method of guidance was fundamentally flawed. If a child with a weak moral compass commits a crime, they should be scolded sternly. This happened because she was coddled.
If that weren't the case, Rain never would have broken into our mansion. It was a harsh thing to say to Arwen, but she was failing miserably as a guardian.
"Arwen. Humans aren't as suspicious as you think. If anything, it's you Elves who are suspicious. Since your convictions and beliefs are stronger than other races, you tend to be more exclusionary."
"... ..."
"Anyway, I see that you're responsible too. Now, second. Breaking into our mansion to steal the manuscript again..."
"T-that's not true! I really just wanted to check!"
Rain shouted desperately before I could finish. Judging by her indignant expression, it seemed she really had intended only to confirm my identity, not steal again.
However, trespassing was still a grave matter. At the time, knights dispatched from the Imperial Palace were on guard duty. The fact that she had bypassed that heavy security to enter my bedroom was significant.
To put it another way, it meant my family and I could have been in danger. It was a stroke of luck that nothing happened because we were out watching the performance; no one knows what might have happened otherwise.
"Even if that's true, I can't forgive the fact that you broke in. What if you had malicious intent and tried to blackmail me using my family? You could have threatened them at any time, all while asking for forgiveness for stealing the manuscript."
"N-no. I..."
"Rain."
Just as Rain was about to protest, the Dark Elf woman standing silently beside her placed a hand on her shoulder. Rain met the woman's golden eyes and fell silent.
She seemed to realize that making further excuses would only hurt her case. I suddenly became curious about the Dark Elf woman's identity and asked Arwen.
"Who is she?"
"Siris Lunatic. She was assigned to me as a guard by the Dark Elves."
"I am called Siris Lunatic."
Her voice was husky, low-toned, and charming. It was similar to Adelia's, but Siris's voice was much deeper and more resonant.
I looked at the Dark Elf who introduced herself as Siris before turning my attention back to Rain. Rain was waiting for me to hand down a punishment.
The Dark Elves had already issued their own punishment, but the final authority rested with me. Depending on my decision, the severity of the punishment could become even harsher or be lightened.
But first, I had to hear their side. I directed my question to Arwen, not Rain.
"Arwen. Is the reason you're trying to protect Rain because of the cooperation with the Dark Elves? You said you're her guardian."
"You are correct. I have been working for a long time to bring the Dark Elves, who were long ago separated from their homeland, back to Albenheim. However, the old grudges remain. They are watching to see if I, as Rain's guardian, can help her integrate properly."
"And what if I tell you to carry out the sentence as it is?"
To be honest, whatever happened between the Elves and Dark Elves was none of my business. I was just curious.
Arwen flinched at this, her eyes downcast in a somber expression.
"...The plan would likely fall through. Rain is at fault, but if I fail as a guardian, the Dark Elves will find it hard to trust me."
"Hmm..."
"I will not object if you order the sentence to be carried out. However, there is one thing I wish to convey to you."
Step— step—
Arwen slowly raised her downcast eyes and met mine. Then, she began to walk toward me.
As she approached, Cecile, who was standing by my side, took a step forward, but I raised my arm to stop her. I didn't think Arwen would harm me, and I had a feeling I knew what she was about to do.
Step—
Soon, Arwen was standing right in front of me. We stood about five meters apart, staring at each other in silence. Her silver-grey eyes, shining like the stars in the night sky, looked straight at me, and I met her gaze.
She looked slightly nervous for a moment, then took a long breath and moved her hands. Her hands went to the front of her robe.
Fumbling with the buttons as if to unfasten them, Arwen slowly began to shed her robe. As the garment that covered her body fell away, a silver-grey dress was revealed.
It was more of a tight-fitting one-piece than a traditional dress, accentuating her figure. Contrary to her child-like face, she had a beautiful, well-proportioned body.
The line of her hips, curving down from her slender waist, caught my eye in particular. The dress was so tight that her silhouette was strikingly prominent.
Thud—
While I was momentarily distracted by her hip line, Arwen let her robe drop to the ground. Only after she discarded the robe could I finally look her in the face.
Her expression was one of firm resolve as she slowly, very slowly, began to bend her knees. From behind, a panicked Rain called out to her, but Siris immediately restrained her.
Finally, with both knees on the ground, Arwen bowed her upper body...
"I am sorry."
"... ..."
"Because of my failings as a guardian, Rain committed a crime, and furthermore, I failed to rectify the situation. I have nothing to offer but my sincerest apologies."
She prostrated herself on the ground, begging for my forgiveness.