Chapter 133: Mixed-blood(5)
Chapter 133: Mixed-blood(5)
It was a stroke of luck for me that the dormitory rooms were fundamentally soundproofed. If they weren't, not only my laughter but Arwen’s shouting would have surely leaked out.
However, I couldn't stop laughing because Arwen’s speech overlapped so strangely with his. Besides, the combination of an Elf—the symbol of pride—and the atrocious Nazis was an oddly fitting match.
The image of Arwen, dressed in a uniform, arm stretched straight forward while shouting a specific slogan. Furthermore, the radical speech intended to rouse the public and drive them into the fires of war.
The more I imagined it, the funnier it became, to the point where my sides were aching.
‘Should I try writing this later?’
I was planning to write a novel about World War II after finishing The Xenon Chronicle, and I had been debating whether to include only humans or other races as well. Seeing Arwen give that speech was starting to sway my mind.
Of course, doing so might mess up the setting in various ways, so it was probably better to keep it buried for now. Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to include this concept in a future sequel to The Xenon Chronicle.
While Xenon was alive, all races united as one to defeat the demons, but after a long time passed, they would fracture again and fight among themselves.
The demons, who had been constantly looking for an opportunity, would invade by slowly eating away at the world from the inside rather than the outside. After that, the world-building would expand.
"Hehehe..."
I wiped away tears while chuckling and stole a glance at Arwen. Her cheeks were puffed out like a frog’s, and she wore a look of utter dissatisfaction.
Moreover, her normally pale skin was flushed bright red from embarrassment. Seeing her silver-grey eyes slightly welling up with moisture, I realized I should probably stop laughing.
"...Are you finished?"
Arwen asked me in a sullen voice. It was a low, grounded tone, but her expression was so cute that it wasn't threatening at all.
Honestly, looking at such a cute girl, who would ever think she was the Queen of Albenheim? I only knew that Arwen, when acting as Queen rather than her usual self, possessed a strong sense of responsibility; I didn't know much beyond that, so I couldn't help but have these thoughts.
Still, a wrong was a wrong, so I had to apologize. I wiped the moisture from the corners of my eyes and spoke.
"S-sorry. If I offended you, I apologize."
"Whew... It is fine. I am the one who is lacking, not you, so do not worry about it."
Arwen replied, turning her head away primly. Immediately after, she glanced at me and asked in a timid voice.
"...Does it truly not suit me?"
"The speech from earlier?"
"Yes. I am curious if it truly... does not suit me at all."
"If it had suited you, I wouldn't have laughed."
This was a serious evaluation, stripped of any playfulness. I had said it was an oddly fitting match, but that was only in a peculiar sense; in reality, it was on the level of an elementary schooler at an elocution contest.
"Sigh..."
Arwen let out a deep, heavy sigh as if she were discouraged by my harsh assessment. At the same time, a shadow of worry fell over her face.
I stared at her for a moment before asking about something I didn't understand.
"Don't you have people acting as aides? Can't you just ask them for help?"
"...Those aides are the Elder Council. In Albenheim, the King is at the top on the surface, and the Elder Council is tasked with assisting from the side."
"It's a structure where you could easily become a puppet if you're not careful."
Arwen nodded silently at my sharp observation. If that were true, the King of Albenheim was bound to be politically isolated.
One might ask why the monarchy even existed if that was the case, but it was likely a necessary evil to keep the Elder Council in check.
Since the King of Albenheim was said to be elected by the votes of each family, it seemed there were complex secrets intertwined here. Perhaps the families elected a King specifically to keep the Elder Council from gaining too much power.
‘No wonder the King changes so frequently. This was why.’
I should use this as material for The Xenon Chronicle. It was a bit mean to Arwen, but the political structure of Albenheim wasn't really my business.
I was merely an advisor, not Arwen’s subject. I intended to help her with the speech and leave it at that.
"Anyway, don't give a speech like that. Do it in a way that actually suits you."
"What kind of speech style do you think would suit me?"
"Hmm..."
I crossed my arms and stared intently at Arwen, lost in thought. A speech's style usually changes depending on the situation, but the person's aura also plays a huge role.
A radical and passionate style like Hitler's sets hearts on fire, while Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream" delivers a moving message through a sincere voice.
And the current situation in Albenheim was on the verge of a fracture among the Elves due to the mixed-blood issue. The rift had to be healed somehow, and the Elves had to be united as a single race.
‘First...’
I examined her closely, not as the Arwen I knew, but from the perspective of a third party.
Despite her youthful appearance, she exuded the elegance and nobility unique to Elves, and if she simply smiled, she even felt benevolent. The faint aura she gave off also carried the charisma of a leader.
Rather than someone with this atmosphere giving a passionate, fiery speech, the effect would be amplified if she spoke in a gentle yet powerful voice.
"Besides national addresses, have you ever communicated with the people of Albenheim?"
"During festivals, I have told them a few times to enjoy themselves and to be careful."
"Anything else?"
"I have handed down judgments in difficult trials, and besides that, I have gathered the subjects to communicate a few times. I judged it better to hear the stories of the people directly, as I cannot trust the Elder Council. But why do you ask?"
Arwen asked with wide, questioning eyes. I shrugged and answered as if it were someone else's story.
"It's nothing much, but an Elf acquaintance of mine evaluated you quite favorably. Did they call you a merciful and elegant Queen? I was just curious if other people saw you that way too."
"Mmm... I have heard that I possess a mature side despite my child-like appearance."
"Where?"
"At a festival."
"They said that right to your face?"
No matter how kind Arwen was, that was strictly an insult to the King. In my case, we didn't know each other's identities during the exhibition, and now that I held a weakness over her, we could act as friends.
Hearing my question, Arwen averted her gaze and spoke with a hint of embarrassment.
"...I was hiding my face, just like during the exhibition. Back then, the Queen—I mean, I—asked people I met by chance while buying food."
"You seem to like playing around, Your Majesty."
"I-I need to relieve stress too, do I not! I am a normal person after all!"
Arwen shouted in flustered embarrassment as I hit her with the truth. Whether she was truly ashamed or not, her pale cheeks turned as red as a ripe persimmon.
Well, it was understandable that stress would build up in a politically isolated situation. In fact, the reason she had been able to endure until now was likely thanks to those little escapes.
"Anyway, you should change your style based on how people perceive you. Wouldn't it be better to give a speech in a powerful voice, while remaining merciful and graceful as usual?"
"...It is difficult."
"Everything is difficult the first time. Now, try practicing the way I told you."
"You want me to use that again?"
Arwen frowned and expressed her dissatisfaction, clearly not liking the draft speech that bordered on incitement. She seemed to think of it as pure demagoguery rather than a speech.
But that was only because of the radical actions she had taken; if she did it in a style that suited her, the atmosphere would change 180 degrees. The content itself was specialized in rousing the hearts of a people steeped in a sense of defeat.
I gently coaxed Arwen, who was showing her reluctance with her whole body, pouting her lips.
"Just try it once. I won't laugh this time. I mean it."
"Whew... Only this once."
"Got it. Instead, you can modify the sentences to whatever you think fits better."
"Then..."
Arwen stood up from the bed and closed her eyes gently. She seemed to slowly recall the content as I had instructed, and soon began to deliver the speech in a refined tone.
The voice flowing from her lips was closer to that of a true 'King' rather than a girl acting like a brat.
"We, Albenheim, were chosen by the gods to establish the first civilization on this land. Furthermore, through magic..."
"... ..."
I watched silently at the atmosphere and style, which were markedly different from before. If the previous speech had fanned the flames in one's heart to incite them, this one felt like it was gently stroking and healing a wound.
Even though it was the same speech, the effect was vastly different just by changing the style. As expected, a person must wear clothes that fit them.
"Albenheim is no longer a loser. Rise once again, Elves of Albenheim. Let us show our strength to the world once more. So that our voices may reach far away, to the home of the gods."
"... ..."
"Ahem. Cough..."
The speech was over. Perhaps Arwen had been nervous, as she cleared her throat and stole glances at me as soon as she finished.
Then, as if embarrassed, she twirled her silver-grey hair with her finger and asked for my evaluation.
"I-it is finished. Was it alright this time?"
"It was truly wonderful. You should do it like that from now on."
"Hehe..."
Arwen beamed at my sincere praise. Her dignity as a Queen vanished without a trace, leaving only a girl happy to be complimented.
Seeing that, I wondered for a moment if it was really okay, but I judged there would be no problem since she had found her own style. The rest was up to her, anyway.
"Instead of just speaking, it would be good to use gestures or actions as well. I heard that most people who are good at giving speeches check their expressions and movements in a mirror. Just for your reference."
"Can you tell me who those people are? If I can find them in books, I would like to look them up."
"I read it in a book a long time ago, so I forgot who they were. I'm a human, unlike you."
"Ah... That is a shame."
Arwen showed a hint of disappointment. I felt a bit guilty for lying, as I couldn't tell her they were people from my previous life.
"And the most important thing when giving a speech is a confident tone and attitude. You can guess what will happen the moment you start hesitating, right?"
"...I am worried if I will be able to do well."
"As I said before, everything is hard the first time. Besides, giving speeches is one of the most important skills for a leader. Think of it as doing something now that you would have to do eventually."
Even though I encouraged her, Arwen still looked anxious. I could see her confidence had dropped significantly.
I decided to give her some stern advice here. If she lost heart now, the future results couldn't be guaranteed.
"Arwen. If you're like this even when I'm helping you, what are you going to do later? As you know, I'm a human and you're an Elf. I can write or review speeches for you while I'm alive, but after that, you have to do it yourself. This means you have to start off on the right foot."
"... ..."
"Keep in mind that even if you're in conflict with the Elder Council, your top priority should be the people of Albenheim. Even that powerful Elder Council is nothing compared to the subjects who are essentially Albenheim itself."
Public sentiment is extremely important for a nation. If public sentiment drops, people naturally lose trust in the government, and it can even reach a point where control is impossible.
Conversely, if public sentiment is high, the people will act on their own even if the leader doesn't give specific orders. History is full of cases where small countries united through public sentiment and developed into great powers.
However, one must strictly distinguish between public sentiment and incitement. This is because incitement reaches an uncontrollable realm the moment the brainwashing is broken, but public sentiment often stays with the leader until the end.
"You have to capture their hearts through this speech. In fact, it's no different from a stage testing your crisis management skills. Whether you remain in history as a great Queen who united the pure-bloods and mixed-bloods, or as an incompetent Queen who failed to resolve the rift and caused a division, is in your hands. Understood?"
"...Thank you. I feel more energized thanks to you."
Arwen smiled slightly at my advice and counsel. It was a smile of relief.
Just as I was about to speak after seeing that smile...
Knock— knock— knock—
Suddenly, someone knocked on the dormitory door. Arwen and I both turned our gazes toward the door at the same time.
—Isaac. Are you inside? It’s me, Mari.
Surprisingly, the person knocking on the door was my girlfriend, Mari. There was no problem with knocking like that, as only entry into the dormitory was prohibited.
The problem, however, was that I wasn't alone; Arwen was here. I felt the hair on my body stand on end and looked at Arwen.
Arwen was blinking her silver-grey eyes, not yet fully grasping the situation. Since she didn't know the Academy's rules, such a reaction was understandable.
"Hey, hey! Hide, quickly!"
"Huh? Why must I hide?"
"Just do it! Use magic or stealth or whatever! Normally, no one but the owner is allowed in the dorms!"
"I understand."
At my urgent request, Arwen looked puzzled but hid herself using magic. I didn't know if she used teleportation or stealth like a Dark Elf, but she vanished into thin air.
I felt relieved inwardly and shouted to Mari on the other side of the door.
"I'm coming! Just a second!"
After checking for any traces of Arwen, I walked toward the door. I didn't forget to check the time as I walked.
There was still some time left before classes were over; either the professor had ended early, or she had come early for some other reason.
Creeak—
When I opened the door, I was met with Mari, who wore her characteristic beaming smile. I looked around to see if anyone else was there and asked her.
"Why are you here so early? What about the lecture?"
"The professor ended early because of some urgent business. You weren't in Professor Elena’s lab, so I came to the dorm."
"Really? Then..."
Thud—
Before I could even finish my sentence, Mari pushed my chest hard with her hand. It wasn't a weak force, so my body was forced back slightly.
Fortunately, I didn't let go of the hand holding the door, but she didn't stop there. Taking advantage of the moment I stepped back, she pressed her body tightly against mine and pushed me in.
Naturally, I was pushed away from the door, and Mari had already stepped into the entryway. The door also shut firmly with a click.
"W-whoa? Mari?"
"There's no need to go all the way to an inn, right? I heard from Lina that the dorms are thoroughly soundproofed. As if to make sure no one can hear whatever happens inside."
Mari said in a somewhat excited voice, looking up at me. I looked down at her face, fearing the worst.
In her eyes, which sparkled like jewels, desire was bubbling like lava. I thought it had subsided recently, but it seemed she had added more fuel to the fire.
‘I’m screwed...!’
It wouldn't matter if it were just the two of us, but Arwen was hiding here. This meant that the moment we started, Arwen would see everything.
So, judging that I had to stop her somehow, I hurriedly spoke to Mari. It would be better to move to another place, at the very least.
"Um... Mari? Even so, in the dorm..."
"What does it matter? We can just have a quick round here, go on a date, and then do it again at the inn, right? Think of it as a warm-up."
"What kind of warm-up is this? Move your hand!"
"I don't want to."
Overwhelmed by the momentum of Mari, who had turned into an incarnation of lust, I stepped back hesitantly and soon reached the bed. I tripped over the bed and fell backward, and Mari ended up pinning me down from above.
Shadows fell, but why did it feel like heart shapes were engraved in Mari’s blue eyes? I could never quite grasp the depths of a woman's desire.
But that was one thing; as long as Arwen was watching, I absolutely couldn't let things happen here. I pleaded with Mari in an urgent voice.
"M-Mari? Can't you wait just a little bit?"
"No. Way. Today's class was so hard that I got really stressed. I need to relieve it with Isaac’s body. First... huh?"
Mari stopped mid-sentence in her sultry voice and blinked a couple of times. Then, she suddenly raised her head and began to sniff.
"Sniff. Sniff."
"...Mari?"
"Sniff. What is this smell?"
Could she have caught Arwen’s body scent? I hadn't noticed it at all, but women really were different.
While I was thinking that, Mari, who had been sniffing around, buried her face in my neck and started smelling me. Then, she frowned slightly and muttered softly.
"This smell is on the bed too..."
"... ..."
"Hmm..."
Mari looked at me with suspicious eyes. I felt like I was screwed in a different sense and tensed up.
Had she noticed Arwen’s presence? I prayed she hadn't.
Just as a heavy silence settled in the room, Mari smiled brightly and said something that broke the tension.
"Did you spray perfume on the bed?"
"U-uh, yeah?"
"At first, I thought another woman had been in the dorm. But the smell is only on the bed and not on your body."
"Haha..."
While I was letting out an awkward laugh, Mari, with her smiling expression, slowly lowered her head and pressed her lips against my neck.
"Nom..."
"Ugh... Mari?"
"I'm going to make sure Isaac’s body is covered in my scent."
One crisis had passed, but another remained. I tried to pull Mari away in a hurry, but she was immovable. She clung to me tightly, showing no intention of letting go.
In the end, I wondered if I really had to do it like this.
[...I shall step out for a moment.]
Arwen’s voice suddenly echoed in my head. There was a hint of embarrassment in it, but it was definitely Arwen’s voice.
It seemed she had conveyed her thoughts through telepathy, and she must have been watching all of this from the side.
‘Oh boy...’
I covered my face with one hand for a moment and then glanced at Mari. She still had no intention of letting go.
Feeling a bit annoyed by her persistence, I spoke in a voice that sounded slightly angry.
"Mari."
"Mmm?"
"You're in for it today."
"W-what? Eek!"
Warm-up or not, we went straight to the main event.