Chapter 237: Majestic(2)
Chapter 237: Majestic(2)
Before the war of nerves between the two women could truly begin, Arwen began to recount everything that had happened in the meantime.
Most of it consisted of complaints: how the tight schedule was exhausting, how she wasn't given any time to rest, and how difficult it was to clean up the mess left behind by the Elder Council.
Above all, she mentioned a severe lack of talented personnel. While she wanted to recruit staff who had previously worked under the Elder Council if possible, she felt uneasy because most of them were of the old generation.
If, by some chance, a second Elder Council were to emerge, it would be the ultimate headache. Consequently, she was currently handling all the work herself.
The only silver lining was that, thanks to Xenon’s Biography, there were no signs of a second Elder Council forming, and the administration of Albenheim was proceeding smoothly.
One reason for this was the massive surge in support for Arwen following her national address, but more than anything, her connection to me played a significant role.
Following the pollution of the World Tree's roots, a Xenon’s Biography craze had swept through the elves. To find out that their Queen was connected to Xenon? It was a situation where support couldn't help but skyrocket.
In addition, neighboring countries had begun striving to establish diplomatic ties with Albenheim. This ranged from major powers like the Minerva Empire and the Kingdom of Ters to various smaller nations.
As a result, Albenheim's national power was increasing by the day. Though she felt as if even ten bodies wouldn't be enough to handle the workload, Arwen said she was happy every day because this was the ideal she had dreamed of.
"Just hearing about it makes me feel like I'd die from overwork."
To my ears, it sounded like an excessive amount of work that made my tongue wag in disbelief. However, since the final decision-making power strictly resided with the monarch, the sheer volume of tasks was bound to be terrifying.
Albenheim was currently in a transitional period. The Elder Council, once the symbol of Albenheim, had vanished, and Arwen held powerful royal authority backed by the people's support.
Naturally, the workload would be beyond imagination. I felt worried, seeing Arwen shouldering it all alone.
Perhaps noticing my expression, Arwen gave a soft, reassuring smile and replied in a gentle voice.
"You need not worry about that. I am getting four hours of deep sleep every day."
"…Is that really okay?"
There was a mention that Cindy had once gone days without sleep to write her thesis. That was why she had that characteristic slurred speech and her trademark dark circles.
Unlike humans, who run into problems if they don't sleep for more than two days, elves can stay awake for several days without major issues.
However, their condition drops noticeably, so except for specific professions, they generally prefer to get more than seven hours of sleep a day.
"It is fine. There is no issue if I use magic to fall into a deep sleep immediately."
"There's magic like that? That's the first I've heard of it."
"We elves use magic in our daily lives, so there is a wide variety of such spells. Beyond sleep magic, there are spells to relax cramped muscles or enhance concentration."
"Hmm…"
Hearing that, I glanced over at Cecile. It was a silent question asking if demons had such magic as well.
When our eyes met, Cecile let out a smirk and put on a confident expression. It seemed demons were more than capable of doing the same.
"Magic of that level is the basic of basics. Demons are not inferior to elves when it comes to magic. Spells that help with daily life are already commonplace."
As expected of the race that stands as a rival to the elves. They were a race I envied whenever I saw them.
Humans endure various inconveniences in daily life, but these two races simply solve them with magic. Their quality of life must be on an entirely different level.
The more I delved into it, the more I wondered how humans had managed to win the Race War and how the Savior had managed to slaughter the demons.
When will humans be able to use magic in their daily lives like this?
At the same time, I wondered when humans would ever catch up to these two races. Elves and demons were races that could fire off magic as naturally as breathing, whereas humans could only do so through 'calculation.'
Even that calculation ability was far superior in the other races, not to mention their incredible memory. They could remember exactly what they ate for New Year's ten years ago, which said it all.
However, perhaps as a trade-off, both races lacked the adaptability of humans. Their lifespans, several times longer than humans', caused their lifestyles to become fixed, and their lack of competitive spirit made them laid-back.
Humans, in particular, had a characteristic of struggling desperately to leave something behind. There was a reason for the proverb: A tiger leaves its skin when it dies, and a human leaves its name.
Because of this, knowledge filled with failures often turned into success before long. I speculated that the reason humans currently held the initiative was due to the accumulation of so many 'failures.'
"Both of you are amazing. As a human, I'm just…"
"Do not be like that. Are you not the author of Xenon’s Biography?"
"Exactly, Isaac. You're the strongest person among us. There's no need for self-deprecation."
Just as I was about to grumble about being a lowly human compared to elves and demons, the two women immediately comforted me.
I was talking about the difference between races, not individuals, but for some reason, they both comforted me at the same time.
Receiving such unexpected comfort felt a bit awkward, but seeing two beautiful women looking at me with concern made me feel strangely pleased.
"Thanks. But it's a fact that humans are weaker than other races, right? And I was talking about the difference between races, not individuals."
"Hmm… Humans are certainly weak."
Arwen nodded in agreement with my words.
But then, she looked me straight in the eye with her silver-gray pupils that sparkled like the Milky Way and continued seriously.
"However, humanity is strong. This, I can guarantee."
"Humans are weak, but humanity is strong…"
It was a phrase that seemed to define the human race in an instant. Coming from the mouth of Arwen, an elf, the words carried a different weight.
Furthermore, Arwen was not a pure-blood but a half-elf. It was custom for half-elves to live in the human world and then enter Albenheim once their human parent passed away from natural causes.
She must have traveled the human world for decades, so she likely knew what humans were like better than anyone.
"That's a great line. I should put that in the book."
I took out the notebook from my school uniform's front pocket and wrote it down. It seemed like a fitting line to describe the human characters Xenon and Lily later on.
Just as Arwen said, humans were the weakest as individuals, but ironically, they were the strongest race when they banded together.
Other races were strong when united as well, but historically, no race had shown the same level of cohesion as humans.
The demons were a close second, but they had been isolated, so they lacked proof in many ways.
"Y-You're putting it in the book? In Xenon’s Biography?"
When I said I would include it, Arwen asked with great fluster. Her face was full of surprise, but there was also a hint of strange joy.
I paused my writing and looked at her.
"Should I not, if you don't like it?"
"Ah, no! Absolutely not! Rather…"
For some reason, Arwen blushed and acted shy. It seemed she was looking forward to her own words being included in Xenon’s Biography.
While I was inwardly thinking Arwen looked cute, Cecile seemed uncomfortable with the situation.
She clapped her hands loudly to draw our attention and spoke up as if she had thought of something interesting.
"Oh, right. Speaking of which, Isaac. Since we're at it, why don't you learn more about what kind of races demons and elves are?"
"Huh? What do you mean by that?"
"You asked me at the cafe, didn't you? About how great my power—the power of a demon—is. Since Pride is an elf, why don't you ask Queen Arwen?"
"Aha."
I understood what she meant. Just as I had sought advice from Cecile, she was suggesting I consult Arwen to use as a reference for Pride's abilities.
Arwen would be happy that her advice was being used for Xenon’s Biography, and I would be getting help in return.
Arwen looked at Cecile with a peculiar expression at the suggestion, but Cecile only gave a playful smile.
"…I do not mind. It would be an honor if I could be of help to Isaac."
"Then you'll help me?"
"If you wish, I can do even more than that."
As soon as she said that, Cecile's brow furrowed slightly before smoothing out again.
Let's just ignore what that 'more' Arwen mentioned might be. Seeking advice was the priority right now.
"First… let's skip the part about elves being famous for their beauty and all that. Instead, I'd like you to tell me the differences from demons. I've heard that demons have great diversity while elves have great depth."
"That is very accurate. We elves were the first to establish a civilization with the help of the gods. And that civilization has been maintained for thousands of years until now. Compared to other races, our depth is bound to be different. Not just in magic, but in knowledge, culture, society, science, language, and so on. It can truly be called the beginning of everything."
Even as a half-elf, Arwen held elven pride in her heart, so she began with praise from the start.
If it were a typical stubborn elf, it might have been unpleasant to hear, but because it was Arwen, I felt strangely drawn in.
In fact, it could be said that elves were the start of all civilization, and the humans who built civilizations afterward were merely imitating them, so her confidence was more than justified.
"Through such a civilization, the depth of our magic is beyond words. Not only can we observe the stars in the night sky with our own eyes, but we can also make the earth fertile or bring rain to parched land. We can even substitute parts of nature with magic."
"What's the difference between that and sorcery?"
Just like a rain ritual, sorcery can also bring rain. So, what was the difference between the two?
When I mentioned sorcery, Arwen's silver-gray eyes widened, and she asked me in a tone of surprise.
"Do you also know of sorcery?"
"I know a beastkin. Besides, there are records that humans used sorcery in the distant past."
"Ah. I suppose since you love reading as much as I do, that is possible. If you ever need related books, feel free to ask. I will gladly give them to you."
"Thanks. I'm always imposing on you."
"What do you mean, 'imposing'? It is I who should be—"
Arwen was about to say that she was the one who was grateful.
"Enough, can you just continue with the explanation? We're wasting time."
Cecile cut her off, sounding displeased. Looking at her, she was expressing her dissatisfaction with her arms crossed.
From her perspective, the longer Arwen's story went on, the less time she would have alone with me, so her reaction was understandable.
Arwen narrowed her eyes at Cecile's grumpy attitude for a moment, then cleared her throat and continued her explanation in her characteristic delicate voice.
"Ahem. I got sidetracked. Anyway, the difference between sorcery and magic is clear. While sorcery utilizes nature itself, magic can be seen as something created artificially. You can think of sorcery as accelerating time, and magic as creating something on its own."
"Aha. I understand what you mean. Then what about offensive magic? I've heard that demons are stronger in offensive magic because of the difference in firepower."
"Hmm? What are you talking about?"
When I mentioned a commonly known fact, Arwen blinked in confusion. Her expression said she had never heard such nonsense.
Naturally, Cecile's eyes narrowed as she listened. Was it my imagination that an inexplicable tension began to flow?
Regardless, Arwen began to explain calmly, whether it was out of elven pride or pure confidence.
"At a glance, demons with their black mana might seem stronger. However, this is strictly a misconception. Demon magic often entails unnecessary waste. Just as those with great strength feel no need for technique, demon magic can be considered somewhat primitive from our elven perspective."
"Uh… is it okay to say that so bluntly? The Princess of Helium is right next to you."
At my bewildered question, Arwen slowly turned her head to look at Cecile. Cecile, with her arms still crossed, had an attitude that said, 'Go ahead, keep talking.'
After facing off with Cecile for a moment, Arwen spoke up boldly, as if this was one thing she couldn't back down on.
"Of course. This isn't because I am an elf; it is an objective fact. To a human like you, demon magic might appear more flashy and powerful. However, that is merely superficial. They can only compensate for their lack of skill with the power of black mana; their magic is nothing but crude and messy to an elf."
"……"
I felt like this was going to turn into a fight. I was a layman when it came to magic, so I couldn't say anything, but Cecile was different.
I immediately checked Cecile's reaction. She only had an unpleasant expression on her face and wasn't offering any rebuttal.
Seeing this, it seemed Arwen's explanation wasn't wrong. At the same time, a question occurred to me.
How did demons manage to acquire magic?
The origin of demons was human. Yet, during the Demon War, humans struggled to even handle mana properly, let alone magic.
And the answer that immediately solved that mystery came from Cecile's mouth.
"…As the Queen said, our demon magic probably looks messy to an elf. That's because we demons use magic more through instinct than theory. This is the decisive difference between demons and elves."
"You use it instinctively?"
"Yeah. We demons literally developed magic to survive. Since first-generation demons frequently turned into devils before anyone could teach them, they had to figure it out on their own. By now, we've refined the theory to some extent, but it's still far from enough."
So that was it. Unlike elves, demons were literally using magic as naturally as breathing.
If elves manifested magic by punching numbers into a calculator, demons just threw the calculator away and jumped straight to the conclusion.
For this reason, impurities crept in and efficiency dropped, but they were making up for it with the firepower of black mana.
Thanks to this, I learned the clear difference between elves and demons. This was a setting that would be a great help in distinguishing between Gluttony and Pride.
"But we demons have the advantage of much faster incantation speeds than elves. For simple magic, it's similar, but as you go higher up, the difference becomes extreme. While an elf is mumbling away, we demons can finish it with just a gesture."
While I was thinking about the settings for Xenon’s Biography, Cecile spoke up confidently, waving her hand. It sounded like she was praising demons, but she was subtly taking a jab at elves.
There was no way Arwen, an elf, would stay silent at that sarcasm. Arwen frowned and retorted with clear annoyance.
"Mumbling…? Watch your words. Incantation is an indispensable process in magic. Rather, it is because you demons skip it that your magic is crude."
"Wouldn't it be more efficient to fire off two more spells in that time? No idiot is going to just stand there and watch a mage chant."
At Cecile's retort, Arwen let out a rare snort and spoke as if it were preposterous.
"Ha. As expected of a demon, you only focus on combat. I wonder why you only use magic for attacking. As I said before, magic doesn't necessarily have to be used only for offense. Magic is an indispensable power for research that can be a great help in daily life. Surely you don't mean to say that magic isn't used for research in Helium? That couldn't be the case. For a race that supposedly rivals us elves."
"Ah. That's…"
Cecile seemed to have been caught off guard, as she fell silent and looked away. It seemed Helium hadn't developed institutions like Albenheim's Yggdrasil.
Of course, they wouldn't be non-existent. Helium must have been active in magic research in its own way.
However, unlike Albenheim, they had been isolated until the release of Xenon’s Biography, so progress was bound to be slow. On the other hand, under Arwen's policy, Albenheim was actively interacting with other races.
While Cecile hesitated, Arwen nodded with a triumphant expression and spoke with the air of a victor.
"See, Isaac? Unlike demons who just ignorantly pour in power, we elves emphasize efficiency. This is proof that elves are superior to demons."
And perhaps that was what crossed the line.
Snap—
A vein popped on Cecile's forehead. Then, she muttered quietly in a voice that was barely audible.
"Coming from a flat-chested midget…"
"…?"
Did I hear that right?