Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: Elf Empire (2)
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Amid a tense atmosphere, Rainy glanced around before whispering in my ear.
“What’s her deal... why’s she acting like that?”
“Hmm... Seems she’s upset that you came back on your whim when the survival of the elf race is on the line.”
“Hmm... Even so, shouldn’t she at least welcome her kid back?”
I gave Rainy a strange look as she whispered right up against my side.
From what I knew, Rainy had been on her own since she was little...
Catching the meaning in my gaze, Rainy discreetly jabbed a fist into my side where no one could see.
Since it was a thought I deserved, I took the punch quietly without resisting.
Rainy’s punch packed a sting.
“Um... Mother?”
“...”
“I didn’t come back here without thinking...”
“You know full well the fate of the elf race hangs on you. How long are you going to act spoiled?”
“Actually, I joined the Hero Party.”
“Hero Party?”
Pity showed on the Elf Empress’s face.
“Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Speak sensibly, dear.”
I hadn’t meant to butt into a mother-daughter reunion, but now felt like the right moment to step in.
Knowing it was rude, I wedged myself between Vina and the Empress.
“The Princess is indeed in the Hero Party.”
“...And who are you?”
The Elf Empress twitched her golden eyebrows, clearly annoyed by my sudden intrusion.
I kept my chin up confidently to avoid wilting under her sharp reaction.
“I’m Baron Raden Devin, leader of the Hero Party.”
“...”
“Mother, he really is the Hero.”
Even with Vina chiming in, the Empress didn’t seem to believe me at all.
She rubbed her temple and shook her head slowly.
“It was a mistake to send you to the Devin Baron family for the future of the elf race. Who’d have thought the Baron was a lunatic claiming to be the Hero.”
“Mother! He’s the real Hero! He can wield the Purifying Flame—something only the Hero or Saintess can do!”
Vina, who’d been holding back somewhat out of respect for her mother, now stepped up vigorously in my defense.
In response, I summoned the Purifying Flame in my hand.
“Th-that’s...”
“So beautiful...”
“The real Hero!”
The elves standing behind the Empress apparently knew about the Purifying Flame too—they gawked with wide eyes at the sight of it.
“...”
Even the Empress, who hadn’t trusted me, looked flustered.
“Your Majesty, he really seems to be the Hero.”
“And the one behind him must be the Saintess.”
As expected, the weight of the Hero title was powerful.
The elves who’d eyed me suspiciously now shifted to very favorable reactions.
If we could ride this goodwill and team up to crush the demons, it’d wrap up neatly.
However, the world doesn’t work that smoothly.
“...The Church never announced a Hero’s appearance.”
“Um... Your Majesty? But that Purifying Flame...”
“Producing the Purifying Flame doesn’t prove he’s the Hero. He could just be someone with strong holy power.”
Shockingly, the Empress still refused to accept I was the Hero even after seeing the Purifying Flame.
I was thrown off—until now, it’d been my foolproof cheat to prove my identity.
Without the Church’s certification, our party had nothing else to show for itself besides the Purifying Flame.
I’d assumed flashing it would seal the deal anywhere, but clearly I needed to rethink that.
Once we handle this mess, I should head to the Church for official Hero recognition.
No matter how rotten the Church is or how little they like Rainy, they couldn’t ignore us after we wipe out the demons popping up in the Elf Empire, right?
With no Church certification on hand, I tried for a compromise.
“What would it take for you to acknowledge us?”
“...Get the Church’s recognition.”
“...”
Demons could swarm any second—I didn’t have time for a casual trip to the Church.
They wouldn’t certify us without feats anyway.
As I racked my brain for how to sway the Empress,
“Empress.”
“...Who are you?”
Our supreme, unrivaled Laura stepped forward, tossing out informal speech without a care.
Small empire or not, an empress was still an empress.
I couldn’t help but admire Laura’s guts—she didn’t flinch one bit.
“Mastain Duke family. You’ve heard of it, right?”
“...I know the guardian of the north quite well...”
“She’s their daughter.”
“...”
Even as a Mastain Duke’s daughter, she wasn’t the Duke herself, so protocol called for honorifics to the Elf Empress.
But when had our Laura ever given a damn about protocol?
Yumi once told me that back at the academy, she’d sassed royalty to their faces and picked fights—so a pint-sized Elf Empire empress wouldn’t faze her.
Her words so far even made her sound superior.
“Not recognizing the Hero Party? Fair enough. You haven’t got the rotten Church’s stamp.”
Calling the Church rotten outright.
A commoner saying that would’ve been hauled off by inquisitors for torture by now, but she dropped it casually.
“...”
“So I won’t push for Hero Party status. Just back us up when we hunt demons, and hook us up with lodging and food here.”
Laura demanded support boldly, unflinching.
Normally I’d rein her in for the rudeness.
But we were the ones here to save the Elf Empire.
Risking our necks to defend their turf—we deserved proper treatment.
So this time, I cheered Laura on silently and watched.
Goody-two-shoes Hero Parties couldn’t snag support, scraped by on odd jobs or lord quests just for a room.
I had zero plans to lead a pushover party like that.
We were Heroes—time to live like it, with the respect we earned.
“...”
The Elf Empress stared at Laura in silence.
I could practically hear the wheels turning from here.
For the Elf Empire’s prestige, she should demand an apology from Laura.
But the Mastain Dukes could squash their empire flat without breaking a sweat.
They were offering to fix their demon problem too—no real reason for her to say no.
The Elf Empress nodded readily.
“The Elf Empire doesn’t turn away guests. Just don’t stir up trouble here.”
Not refusing us outright, but making clear we were guests—not Heroes.
“Chief Steward, see to the guests properly.”
Her daughter was back, yet the Empress turned away coldly without another glance and left.
As I eyed the shady Empress suspiciously, a slightly wrinkled elf approached with a polite bow.
“I’ll guide you.”
“Ah, much appreciated.”
“This way, please.”
We followed the elf who looked like the Chief Steward.
We reached a neatly kept building.
The Chief Steward, escorting us to the entrance, bowed politely.
“We’ll post elf attendants outside the building. If you have business outside or plan to fight demons, please inform the attendants first.”
Laura scowled in irritation.
“You want reports on everything we do?”
“It may feel intrusive, but it’s for smooth cooperation.”
“We’ll manage—stay out of it.”
“...Our elf guards will remain nearby at all times for your safety.”
“Is that a threat?”
Laura snapped at the Chief Steward.
This time called for calming her down, so I pulled her into my arms and soothed her.
Suspicious vibes aside, we couldn’t risk losing the guest perks we’d just secured.
“We appreciate the cooperation.”
As I gave a light nod to the bowing Chief Steward,
Vina spoke up with a sullen look.
“Chief Steward. Do I have to stay here too? Can’t I... stay in the palace?”
Fair point—Vina had her own home here; no need for the guest quarters.
She probably missed it too.
Even to the Princess, the Chief Steward was firm.
“Her Majesty’s orders.”
“...Fine.”
Vina looked bummed but nodded without pushing back.
The Chief Steward scanned us once, then bowed.
“Then I’ll withdraw. Rest well.”
The Chief Steward and his elf entourage left, replaced by a few rough-looking elf guards planted squarely in front of the building.
Yumi sidled up and whispered.
“Four heavy hitters are lurking hidden in all directions.”
“...”
No matter how I sliced it, the place stank of rot.
We’re offering to fight their demons, and they’re this paranoid.
Rainy slipped over.
“This place reeks of rot.”
I nodded silently in agreement.
The more something’s off-limits, the more you wanna poke at it.
Time to figure out what’s really going on in this Elf Empire.