Chapter 96: A Curious Fate(2)
Chapter 96: A Curious Fate(2)
I felt a brief chill down my spine, but it didn't interrupt my conversation with Arwen.
I had taken a liking to Arwen, who tried to act like an adult but occasionally behaved like a child, and she seemed to feel the same way about me in her own way.
As we talked, I discovered that Arwen was quite the bookworm. Moreover, as an Elf who had lived a long life, she possessed far more knowledge than I did.
They say adult Elves are like walking libraries, and I realized that wasn't an exaggeration. She didn't just answer every question I asked; she provided additional explanations that left me in awe.
But that wasn't all. She truly made me realize how vast the gap was between Elves and humans.
"Hmm... I did not expect to find this book here. It has been eighty years since it was published."
"Eigh... eighty years? It’s that old?"
"It was a fairly famous book among us Elves. I believe a copy is kept in our Holy Land as well."
Her claim of having lived nearly ten times longer than me was clearly no boast. Arwen had read books that had gone out of print long before I was even born. She even remembered them in vivid detail, which surprised me once again.
Normally, it is difficult to find, let alone purchase, books that are over twenty years old. Even if you visit a library, they are often tucked away in obscure corners, making them hard to locate.
Unless it's a worldwide hit like the Xenon Biography, acquiring such a book involves a convoluted process.
Yet, Arwen hadn't just read the book when it was first released; she remembered every word. I couldn't help but look at her with newfound respect.
Her girlish demeanor had led me to speak casually to her, but I began to have the idle thought that perhaps I should start using formal language.
"Well, there is no need for you to speak formally to me. Is this not more comfortable for you?"
"...It is comfortable. But that doesn't make it any less amazing."
"From a human perspective, perhaps. But for us Elves, this is perfectly natural. Each individual is a walking sanctuary and a powerful legion unto themselves. Remembering the contents of a book is a simple task."
As expected of the Elves' racial pride. When I showed genuine admiration, Arwen lifted her chin, her pride on full display.
Still, it didn't come across as arrogance or conceit. Those traits only truly manifest when they cause harm to others or oneself. In Arwen's case, it was closer to pure, innocent pride.
Of course, given her cute, doll-like appearance, it looked more like a child showing off. She was clearly much older than me, yet her behavior was undeniably childlike.
I watched her gloat for a moment, as if telling me to be envious, before I let out a small chuckle and dropped a "fact bomb."
"And yet, didn't those same Elves suffer a massive humiliation during the Race War five hundred years ago?"
"..."
As soon as I hit her with a historical fact, Arwen's smile shattered like glass.
Elves place great importance on history, so the Race War must be the ultimate humiliation for them. Nevertheless, it was a history they were required to learn.
"...Our ancestors were indeed foolish," Arwen muttered sheepishly, turning her head away. Seeing as she didn't deny it, she seemed to have a solid grasp of reality.
I chuckled softly at her reaction and immediately brought up a more positive topic to soothe her mood. If I only said bad things about Elves, she might end up hating me.
"But the Elves have made great strides by using that as a lesson. Despite the various incidents along the way, you're now actively interacting with neighboring countries. I heard the current Elf Queen has been aggressively pursuing an open-door policy?"
This was something I had learned through Cindy.
In the past, Elves firmly believed they were the chosen race of God and kept their distance from others. More accurately, they didn't interfere in the affairs of other races.
They felt that if they did step in, it would only result in them suppressing others with their might, and they saw no need for that. And they weren't entirely wrong.
However, the situation changed after other civilizations developed to a level rivaling the Elves and the Race War broke out.
The Elves clearly realized they were mortals living in this world and began to engage in earnest with those around them.
"T-That is true. Until a mere hundred years ago, Albenheim operated as a near-secluded nation. But everything changed after the Queen ascended the throne."
Arwen looked strangely proud when I mentioned the Elf Queen's achievements. It seemed she, like Cindy, respected the Queen.
I smiled gently at the once-again boastful Arwen. Since she was much older, it was natural for her to be mature, but her appearance made her look like a child pretending to be an adult.
"You seem to have a high opinion of the Elf Queen. Another Elf I know said the same thing."
"That Elf must be young and possess a proper perspective. Indeed, the current Queen has ruled well."
"Though I did hear that about eighty years ago, she made a major diplomatic blunder. She miscalculated the tariffs and caused a significant economic loss."
As Arwen said, the current Elf Queen had generally ruled well. However, perhaps because she became Queen at an exceptionally young age for an Elf, she lacked experience in many areas.
One of those was the tariff incident I just mentioned. The Minerva Empire had craftily exploited the tariff issue, forming a diplomatic agreement that essentially extorted money from Albenheim.
If she had been more experienced or cautious, she would have realized it was practically a scam immediately, but the Elf Queen failed to do so. That was the kind of situation where the Senate should have stepped in, but I suspect they deliberately let her fail.
Since previous Elven monarchs had often stepped down after being unable to withstand pressure from the Senate, I figured this was part of that same pattern.
"T-That could not be helped! Besides, no such problems have occurred since then..."
Arwen shouted in surprise at first, but her voice gradually trailed off. Seeing her dejected expression beneath her robe, I felt I should stop teasing her.
Still, I had wanted to see her reaction. To soothe her dampened spirits, I pointed out the positive side.
"Well, you're right. Since that incident, the Elf Queen hasn't suffered any major diplomatic losses. In fact, she's even put us in some tough spots. Elves usually settle for the status quo and neglect development, but this Queen is different."
"In what way do you think she is different?"
As soon as I prepared to say something nice, Arwen's dejected look vanished. Her silver-grey eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at me.
I wondered if this innocent girl, who couldn't hide her emotions at all, was truly over a hundred years old. Humans tend to change as they realize they are aging, but perhaps that process is slower for Elves.
I met Arwen's expectant gaze for a moment before shrugging and offering my opinion.
"She constantly seeks progress and forms ties with other nations to achieve it. Right now, several professors working at the Academy are Elves. From what I know, the process for an Elf to become a professor is incredibly grueling. To us humans, they are talents we'd practically beg to hire, yet she sent them over without hesitation."
"Ahem. Ahem. And?"
Arwen cleared her throat, urging me to continue. Unfortunately, my knowledge reached its limit there.
"I'd like to say more, but that's the extent of my knowledge. However, that alone is certainly a great feat."
Elves used to believe they were superior to other races and rarely ventured outside. Occasionally, a few oddballs would go out to experience the world, but they were a tiny minority.
But things are different now. Many Elven scholars are traveling the world, acquiring various types of knowledge and using it to gradually develop Albenheim.
However, due to the "leisurely pace" characteristic of long-lived species, progress is slow. Still, compared to the past, it's a remarkable achievement.
"Do you view the current Elf Queen favorably?"
"I don't know her as a person, but as a leader of a nation, I do. Her policies probably faced a lot of backlash, but in the grand scheme of things, that's a natural social phenomenon. You don't have to look far—human history shows the same thing. Many policies enacted by people now recorded as great figures were considered absurd at the time."
It's called 'foresight'—policies that faced fierce opposition and lack of understanding at the time often prove their brilliance later. It was a phenomenon I had seen often in my previous life.
However, no human is perfect. Even if a policy is born of foresight, there are bound to be side effects. It's highly likely that those who opposed it did so out of genuine concern for those side effects.
"Instead, a wise monarch must understand the cause of that opposition and discern whether it's merely an attempt to drag them down politically or a sincere concern for the country. If it's the latter, they must carefully consider how to prevent future side effects. If it's the former... well, I don't know much about politics. Often, it's a mix of both."
"..."
Even after my explanation ended, Arwen didn't stop staring at me. Her clear, silver-grey eyes were filled with interest.
"...You are remarkable. To have such thoughts when you do not even look twenty yet."
"Anyone can figure it out if they study hard enough."
"That is mere knowledge, not a perspective like yours. There is a world of difference between possessing knowledge and applying it."
"Is that so? I wouldn't know."
I shrugged at Arwen's praise.
The influence of my past life likely played a part in me having a different perspective than others. Things that were perfectly natural to me were considered groundbreaking in this world.
I could see that just by how people praised my writing style—which was ordinary in my previous life—as a new paradigm here.
"Anyway, enough about that. Why did you stop by the bookstore? What book were you looking for?"
"I have no particular book in mind. It is no exaggeration to say that every book in this world is kept in the Holy Land. I simply visited out of curiosity to see what a bookstore in the city hosting the exhibition would be like."
"So, what do you think? Honestly, it's not that impressive compared to the fame of the Xenon Biography, is it?"
"To give a cold assessment, yes. Of course, my standards may be high because of the Holy Land. However, to store books is to store knowledge. Though the scale may be small, its significance must never be undervalued."
Arwen shared her thoughts in an elegant, gentle voice. It was a very distinct answer, imbued with her racial pride and her own personal convictions.
I watched her profile as she browsed the books on the shelves before moving on to the next question.
"Then, what about the Xenon Biography?"
"Huh?"
"As an Elf, what do you think of the Xenon Biography?"
Perhaps she hadn't expected such a question. When I asked about the Xenon Biography, Arwen looked slightly flustered, as if I'd touched a nerve.
She then averted her gaze and glanced to the side. Thinking she might be avoiding my eyes, I turned my head in the direction she was looking.
As expected, there was nothing but empty air. She really was avoiding my gaze.
Eventually, when our eyes met again, she spoke quietly.
"...It is."
"What?"
"I said it is truly entertaining."
A positive answer flowed from her lips. However, seeing her face turn slightly red, she seemed a bit embarrassed.
Still, as the original author, it was incredibly rewarding. I smiled and bent my knees slightly to match Arwen's eye level.
Arwen seemed flustered by the proximity, but I looked directly into her silver-grey eyes and asked quietly.
"What part did you find entertaining? I thought Elves wouldn't find it that interesting."
"W-What do you mean! Even though the protagonist is human, it is as if another world has been created. And we Elves were also moved by the heart-wrenching story of Kair and Elisha."
Arwen, who had become quite animated in her devotion to the Xenon Biography, mentioned Kair and Elisha. It seemed that love stories resonated with everyone, regardless of gender or race.
I gave a small smile at her childlike excitement and asked tentatively.
"Then, do you want the two of them to end up together?"
"Ask a question worth asking. Of course they must. Only then will the relationship between us and humans grow closer, would it not?"
"Hmm... is that so?"
I'm sorry, kid.
"I hope so too."
Kair dies.