Chapter 124: Consultation(2)
Chapter 124: Consultation(2)
Although she said she was just taking a nap, Siris fell into a deep sleep, remaining motionless for about an hour. I even held a finger under her nose to see if she had passed away, but she didn't even twitch.
Fortunately, I was able to relax after confirming her steady breathing, but considering an Elf's physical capabilities, I could roughly guess how exhausted she must have been.
Unlike humans, who start showing physical issues if they go without sleep for more than two days, I knew Elves could easily last a week. I didn't have to look far for an example—there was Cindy.
Even Cindy, who was closer to an ordinary person, would only get a bit sluggish after staying up for several days; it didn't hinder her daily life. Dark circles were unavoidable, but considering the importance of sleep, it was a minor price to pay.
'But for Siris to not even sense my presence...'
A bodyguard needs senses sharp enough to detect even the slightest movement. This was even more true for an Elf, and a Dark Elf at that—someone naturally attuned to the shadows.
Yet, Siris was sleeping like a log, even though I had approached her to check her breathing. To exaggerate a little, I could have carried her away on my back, and she wouldn't have known.
Seeing her resting instead of guarding Arwen made me think she was on vacation or off duty, and I felt a pang of guilt for calling her out for no reason.
'Well, I have plenty of time, so I'll just wait until she wakes up.'
I had already postponed my dates with Marie and Cecile until later because of the exam period, so I had plenty of time to spare. The exams would all be over by this Friday, so I’d probably meet up with everyone then.
And I’d likely spend a passionate Friday with Marie. I pictured Marie in my mind—the version of her that had fully awakened to her carnal side.
Lately, it seemed to have subsided a bit, but her libido remained steady, as if she were constantly adding logs to a fire. Moreover, she relieved all her stress that way, so whenever something annoyed her, she always dragged me to the inn.
She was probably biding her time right now, waiting to release all the stress accumulated from the exams. I briefly recalled Marie’s beauty, which seemed to have matured even further from drinking in my lust, before quickly shaking the thought away and looking back at Siris.
Siris was sleeping peacefully, the blanket pulled up to her neck. Since no one was likely to come by anyway and I felt bad about waking her up forcefully, I figured I might as well get some writing done.
I sat down at the desk and picked up my magic pen. The Remover I had received from Marie’s father, Dmitri, sat quietly next to the manuscript paper.
Scratch— scratch— swish—
The room was filled with the sound of the magic pen tracing characters and the Remover erasing text. I exerted as much focus as possible to work on the Xenon Biography.
The environment helped, but the existence of the Remover had doubled my writing efficiency. Occasionally, I would discover a typo too late and have to undergo extensive revisions, but that was no longer an issue.
However, my habit of tearing everything down and starting over because I didn't like the prose remained. Even now, the trash can was filled with shredded manuscript paper, which I planned to burn later.
'First, the demon blocking Xenon’s party... I’m torn between Satan (Wrath) or Lilith (Lust).'
As Albenheim is invaded, there is a high-ranking demon official who blocks Xenon’s party from making a hasty return.
Xenon had awakened after Kair’s death and Mary’s confession, making him much stronger than before, and he had grown into a powerhouse that even the demons could not disregard.
Furthermore, the party included the Elf mage Mary, the first-generation demon Jin, and Lily, who was designated as the next Saintess. In terms of raw power, the party itself was formidable.
'I don't know the Beastkin's fighting style, so that's too vague. Pass. In the end, that only leaves Lilith.'
The Seven Deadly Sins were individually powerful, having been granted strength by the Great Demon, Diabolus. Except for 'Sloth,' who had high strategic value, the other Sins were strong enough to face an entire army alone.
And Lilith, the demon who governed Lust, possessed a fatal beauty capable of charming both men and women alike. Being a demon by birth, she also utilized magic.
However, during their first encounter, her goal was merely to buy time, so she would leave after a brief skirmish. But even that short battle would toy with Xenon’s party, carving the overwhelming strength of the Seven Deadly Sins into their very bones.
'Lilith’s fighting style should probably be...'
I should use Cecile as a reference. As the one destined to be the next Demon King, I knew her personal combat power was immense.
She might have been joking, but she once said that if she swept her finger across a mountainside, it would split apart. She also mentioned that she had learned swordsmanship and would never be pushed back in close quarters.
'But I’ve never actually seen it. I should ask her for a favor later.'
I planned to ask her during the weekend after the exams. I could ask her then while we were catching up.
I briefly closed the notebook where I had organized the plot and touched the magic pen to the manuscript paper. Although it hadn't been long since Volume 11 was released, I had already written about half of the next installment.
With more time on my hands, the existence of the Remover, and the consultation of my acquaintances, I was moving forward as fast as a ship with the wind at its back. I might even be able to publish two volumes in a row this month.
"..."
"...Hm?"
How long had I been focused on writing? I was stretching to loosen up my stiff body when I suddenly felt a gaze from behind and turned my head.
When I looked back, Siris—who knows when she woke up—was staring blankly at me, half-covered by the blanket. I stared back at her just as blankly.
Perhaps because she had just woken up, her sharp eyes had softened slightly, and her partially exposed shoulders and chest exuded a seductive atmosphere. Since the blanket wasn't completely covering her nor completely off, but rather draped halfway, it felt strangely intimate.
"...When did you wake up?"
"Exactly five minutes ago."
Hearing her answer, I checked the clock. It was currently around 5:00 PM. Since Siris had been summoned around 1:00 PM, it meant she had slept soundly for about four hours.
I ran a hand through my hair and looked at Siris. She was still seemingly drowsy, letting out a cute yawn. When she was acting as Arwen’s guard knight, she was like a sharp blade, but now she looked completely relaxed.
Well, most guard knights are like that. They have to be on edge at all times to protect their masters, so they have to let loose during their rest periods to be ready for the next shift.
So, it wasn't particularly strange for Siris to show such a relaxed side. Especially since she was secretly guarding the Elf Queen, Arwen, her work difficulty must be extreme.
"You can sleep more if you're tired."
"No. I am fully awake."
Judging by her clear golden eyes and the sharpness returning to her gaze, she didn't seem to be lying. Thinking I could finally ask for her advice, I stood up and approached her before speaking.
Siris didn't move or do anything as I drew near; she just waited quietly. Then again, the moment I tried anything funny, she’d probably grab me by the wrists.
Reaching her, I pulled up the slipping blanket to hide the bit of bronze skin that was exposed. Thanks to that, nothing below her face was visible...
Flap—
As soon as I pulled the blanket up to her neck, Siris swung her arm and undid my work. The blanket fell even lower than before, revealing her underwear.
My face heated up for a moment, and in my fluster, I asked Siris in a voice mixed with bewilderment and absurdity.
"Wait. Why are you taking it off?"
"It is hot."
"You can't even endure this much?"
"No."
"..."
She answered in such a blunt tone that I was left speechless. She was an errand runner, not a complete slave, so I wasn't in a position to boss her around.
In the end, I was forced to face Siris, who had completely cast off the blanket and was now sitting there in her underwear. As a Dark Elf, she was liberal about modesty, but for me, a man, it was problematic in many ways.
Was getting a consultation really supposed to be this difficult? Still, I couldn't quite understand why she would throw the blanket aside just because it felt a bit stuffy.
"Do Dark Elves generally feel the heat more, or are you just unique, Siris? Your usual attire is quite revealing, too."
"Our clothing is deeply connected to the unique combat style of Dark Elves. We are more sensitive to the mana floating in the air than regular Elves, and furthermore, we possess the ability to synchronize with our surroundings. The more skin that is exposed to the outside, the higher the synchronization rate. The shimmering effect that sometimes occurs where a concealed Dark Elf was standing is all because of the clothing."
"Then what about the heat?"
"Dark Elves constantly circulate mana so that we can hide in the shadows at any time and place. This causes our body temperature to be high."
"Doesn't that consume a lot of mana? Even for a Dark Elf, the burn rate must be insane."
"You do not need to worry about that. Dark Elves have a sort of heritage that allows us to absorb mana from the air through our skin. It is an ability only we possess."
"Oh..."
Right. This was exactly what a consultation should be like.
As I unexpectedly heard important information, my eyes sparkled, and I began taking notes. Although the start was strange, I was intrigued as excellent information began to pour out.
Thanks to that, I was able to focus solely on her advice without letting my eyes wander to Siris’s suggestive figure. Siris herself didn't seem to care, so it wasn't much of a problem.
"What is the structure of a Dark Elf village? For example, Albenheim has a Queen, a Senate, and a Warlord. I’m curious about the structure for Dark Elves."
"First, each Dark Elf belongs to a specific tribe. There are three tribes in total, called Ratna, Kumir, and Dron. The elders of each tribe rule the villages."
"Which tribe are you from, Siris?"
"I am from Ratna. It is a place that primarily produces warriors. Kumir is famous for producing mages, and Dron for technicians."
"It sounds more like a city than a simple village."
"That is correct. We simply live in the forest; in terms of living standards, it is no different from any other city. We just happen to live in a secluded forest."
Fascinating. The more I heard about Dark Elves, the more mysterious they seemed.
I diligently wrote down everything Siris told me while mentally drafting future story arcs. I wanted to be as historically accurate as possible, so I intended to get my money's worth today.
"What is your rank, Siris? I don't know much about the Dark Elf hierarchy, like how Elves have Warlords and humans have Knight Commanders."
"For the most part, we do not have ranks other than the elders. When a major incident occurs, a renowned warrior is called upon and given a title."
"A title, you say?"
"Something like Scout Captain or Vanguard Captain. Since we adhere to a combat style that does not suit head-on confrontations, we do not have a formal army on the surface."
To think their methods were so different despite coming from the same roots. Unlike the Elves who insisted on direct combat, the Dark Elves specialized in covert operations like assassination and infiltration.
Perhaps it was this ideological difference that led them to fight each other in the distant past. Dark Elves had a personality that stood out compared to other Elves, making them easy targets for exclusion.
"How do the Dark Elves view the Elves of Albenheim? Oh, and I mean the general opinion of the Dark Elves, not just yours, Siris. Even though Arwen implemented an integration policy, the old grudges probably haven't been fully resolved."
"Hmm... The generation that experienced the Race War views them favorably, but the generations after that do not. The new generation is protesting, asking why they should enter Albenheim when they even refused help out of petty pride. Conversely, the old generation, having tasted bitterness through the Race War, believes they will have mellowed out by now."
"Wow..."
I couldn't help but be genuinely impressed. To think even this would be the exact opposite.
Then, a thought occurred to me. How old was Siris, who was presumably part of the new generation?
She looked to be in her early to mid-twenties, but she viewed the Elves favorably. She was even acting as an errand runner and hadn't complained, calling it a punishment.
I paused my pen and looked at Siris. She was still sitting there in her underwear, blinking her golden eyes.
"Um... excuse me, but may I ask one thing?"
"What is it?"
"I was wondering how old you are, Siris..."
"Hmm... do you see these?"
Hearing my question, Siris tapped her half-clipped ear with her finger. Moving my gaze there, I could see gold earrings hanging from it.
While her left ear had nothing, there were about three hanging from her right ear. Just as I was about to wonder why, Siris spoke.
"We have a custom of wearing one earring for every 100 years we live. Since I am exactly 341 years old, you can see that three are hanging there."
"...As expected, that's a staggering age for a human to comprehend."
"I suppose it would be, to a human for whom even 100 years is difficult."
Siris answered while maintaining her characteristic expressionless face. Whether it was Cecile or Arwen, I felt a strange sense of dissonance whenever I heard they had lived for over a century.
After that, I continued to ask various questions, acquiring the information I needed one by one. Siris faithfully answered every question I asked without a word of complaint.
And so, after about an hour of Q&A, I felt I had enough and closed my notebook. It was about time to eat, so I figured I could call her again later.
"Thank you. You've been a huge help."
"It was nothing. But are you going to write about us in your book as well?"
Siris looked at the notebook with curiosity in her eyes. I tossed the notebook onto the desk and spoke.
"Yes. I won't include anything bad, so you don't have to worry."
"Then may I ask one thing?"
"Go ahead."
"I am curious if all the people appearing in the book are based on real people."
Hearing Siris’s question, I turned my head toward the manuscript paper on the desk. Although the story was based on reality, most of the characters came from my imagination.
However, I planned to reference real people for a few characters appearing in the future. Lilith would be based on Cecile, and the Elven hero would be based on the tragic Warlord, Iker.
Anyway, since it was true that I used motifs, I gave a positive answer.
"Probably a few of them. Just as I’m asking you questions now, Siris, I lack knowledge about other races. So I have no choice but to seek advice."
"I see."
"But why do you ask? Should I put you in, too?"
Back in my previous life when I was active as a webnovel writer, my friends would sometimes jokingly say something to me.
Put me in the novel, too. Of course, they said it as a joke, but I would secretly include them. They never read my novels anyway.
Honestly, there are no characters as unique as real-life friends. If you slightly modify a friend's personality and put them in a book, a character with an amazing amount of individuality emerges.
So I asked Siris jokingly, fully expecting her to take it as a joke.
"Really?"
"Huh?"
But Siris’s eyes lit up, which was rare for her.
"I would consider it an honor if you did."
She even perked up her clipped ears like a rabbit, expressing her anticipation.
As I would find out later, Dark Elves apparently have a tendency not to take jokes as jokes.
"..."
I gave a bitter smile at her display of expectation.