Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Elf Princess Vine (5)
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'What... what is this?'
The soft touch of our moist lips meeting.
Her warm body heat.
Even Rainy's eyebrows, visible closer than ever before.
I felt confusion at these sudden events.
I didn't think Rainy had suddenly realized her feelings for me and pounced.
However, if it wasn't feelings of love, there was no reason at all for her to suddenly attempt a kiss...
“Mmgh...”
At that moment, warm saliva gently flowed from Rainy's mouth into mine.
Just as she said, it was sweet—too sweet—like peaches.
Thanks to Vine, I had enjoyed sweet fruits, but even those couldn't match the sweetness of Rainy's saliva.
“Phaah...”
After what felt like an eternity, perhaps running out of breath, Rainy pulled her lips away from mine.
Her cheeks were flushed red like ripe tomatoes.
Perhaps mine were the same.
“So, how was it? Feel anything?”
Rainy broke the thin strand of saliva between us and spoke without meeting my eyes.
“Feel anything...? Not really...”
“Is that so? Seems like there wasn't enough. Then, one more time...”
I urgently stopped Rainy as she lunged again.
“W-wait a minute! I'll think about it!”
Fortunately, Rainy accepted my words, halting her approach and awkwardly stepping back.
In that gap, I slowly reflected on my actions.
Rainy's dissatisfaction must be related to my relationship with Vine.
So, I retraced everything that had happened between Vine and me.
Sharing fruits and laughing together.
Touring the training grounds.
Indulging in embarrassing displays of affection in the dining hall.
With each memory surfacing, my face grew paler.
At the time, I hadn't felt much resistance to those things, but looking back seriously now, they were incredibly strange.
It felt like it hadn't been me at all.
Seeing my ashen face, Rainy realized her intent had worked and broke into a broad grin.
“Your eyes are open now!”
“Y-yes... It feels like I was possessed for a moment.”
“This proves that wicked elf bitch pulled some kind of trick. Let's go beat her up right now!”
Rainy gripped an unused holy water vial tightly and charged ahead toward Vine's room.
As I hurriedly grabbed Rainy, I pondered what benefit Vine could have gained from such actions.
Rainy frowned as her hand was caught.
“What? Why are you stopping me?”
“Saintess, calm down first.”
“Calm down about what? We need to thrash the sneaky bitch who messed with you.”
“I'll... I'll talk to her, so... please calm down, Saintess.”
Seeing my desperate expression, Rainy fell silent for a moment before quietly asking.
“Hey, you're really snapped out of it, right?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then why stop me? She's the one who tried to harm you.”
“That's true, but in the end, Vine has to join the hero's party...”
“...You're sure that bitch is part of the hero's party?”
“She's an elf, skilled in archery. With the hero's party currently lacking only an archer, it's undeniable proof.”
“...”
Rainy took two steps closer, pressing right up against me and looking up into my eyes.
“Really, her influence isn't still lingering, is it?”
“I swear. I'm completely fine.”
“...”
After a brief silence, Rainy poked my solar plexus with her slender finger.
“Then prove it.”
“Huh? Prove what?”
“That I'm way more attractive than Vine.”
“...”
“The World Tree is just a big hunk of wood.”
“...”
“Say it quick.”
Urged by Rainy, I hung my head and repeated her words as instructed.
“The Saintess is way more attractive than Vine... The World Tree is just a big hunk of wood...”
“Mmm...”
Only then did Rainy smile in satisfaction and step away from me.
“Looks like you're definitely free of her now.”
“I told you...”
Rainy patted my shoulder.
“I'll trust you, so go settle things with her. Everyone will approve even if you beat her black and blue.”
“...I don't hit women, though?”
“That's sexism. Just beat her half to death.”
“...”
“Kidding. Go on.”
Rainy waved with a bright smile, and I bowed gratefully.
***
“Hmm...”
The golden-haired elf Vine groomed her hair in front of the mirror.
Among the beauty of elves, she possessed the strongest bloodline and objectively knew she had an incredibly alluring appearance.
Her selection to continue the elf race's lineage was due not only to her princess bloodline but largely because of this striking beauty.
With her attractive looks and powerful elf heritage.
Her offspring would likely be handsome and beautiful, and superior appearance made propagating the species easier.
Pure-blood elf supremacy was already a fading ideology within the Elf Empire.
Facing imminent extinction, maintaining the race through interbreeding with humans was now essential, regrettable as it was.
Thus, Vine, who had arrived in the territory with the grand mission of preserving the species through vigorous breeding, felt immediate relief upon seeing Raden.
If he had been a fat pig of a baron or someone with a filthy personality.
Even with her noble goal of racial survival, she wouldn't have endured it.
She would have lopped off his head and sought another long ago.
Fortunately, Raden's appearance was handsome, ill-suited to this remote rural area.
Broad shoulders and a well-muscled build suggested strong vitality.
His personality didn't seem bad either.
Judging Raden's value as a stud high, Vine immediately used the artifact secretly given to her by the Elf Empire.
The blue necklace artifact [Necklace of Illusion], obtained through a past deal with the Spirit King.
Usable only by elves who loved and communed with plants, it emitted a narcotic substance upon activation, making the target develop immense fondness for the owner.
Vine planned to use it to ensnare Raden.
This rural territory inexplicably teemed with suspiciously beautiful and capable rivals.
Whether those women clung to Raden or not didn't faze Vine much.
But as someone who needed to produce offspring quickly, she couldn't tolerate even a drop of Raden's seed wasted on others.
Moreover, planning to use Daven Territory as a base for the Elf Empire's revival, Vine needed firm control over the baron.
The artifact worked splendidly, successfully ensnaring Raden, who surprisingly possessed exceptional divine power.
If its effects were countered by divine power, it would have been disastrous.
But luckily for her, divine power couldn't dispel the artifact's influence.
“Whew, time to prepare for the wedding soon.”
In Vine's judgment, Raden was already completely smitten with her.
The excommunication saintess and duke's daughter were glaring daggers, but.
Raden was her slave now.
Their interference was easily ignored.
Even if Raden was head over heels, she needed to appear even more alluring to ignite his lust.
Thus, Vine diligently enhanced her already stunning beauty before the mirror.
At that moment.
Knock knock.
“It's Raden. May I come in?”
Raden cautiously knocked on the door.
'Suddenly?'
Vine wasn't a fool.
A man entering an adult woman's room alone inevitably led to baby-making, as she well knew from studying human society.
It was what she wanted, but the abrupt progression without prelude made her cheeks flush slightly.
She quickly fanned her face to calm the heat and opened the door.
“Haha... Sorry for coming suddenly...”
Raden scratched his head with a innocent smile.
“Oh, no need. I'm thrilled.”
Deeply flustered inside, Vine feigned a naive smile and seductively licked her lips.
It worked—Raden's cheeks reddened a bit.
He stood awkwardly before cautiously asking.
“May I come in for a bit...?”
With those words, there was no escaping it.
Today, the virginity she had carefully guarded would be lost.
Perhaps life would be conceived.
Recalling the other elves who entrusted her with the race's future, Vine steeled herself and gently took Raden's hand.
His hand was large and slightly tanned, unlike her small, pale one.
Feeling a slight thrill, Vine carefully pulled him into the room.
“Of course~”