Chapter 54
Chapter 54
Marquis Smith continued to send regular reports about the progress of the retention basin construction even after I returned to Belheim.
The last report had arrived only four days ago.
At that time, he had said there were no problems and that every stage of the work was proceeding smoothly.
So hearing that a problem had arisen was somewhat surprising.
“What kind of problem? Did monsters appear again?”
“Something worse than monsters has appeared.”
“Something worse?”
“Yes. Apparently elves have arrived.”
Elves? The kind that only appear in novels and comics?
Ah, right. This place is inside a novel too.
Only then did I remember that I had died from overwork and transmigrated into a novel.
Since monsters and magical beasts existed in this world, there was nothing strange about elves existing as well.
“The elves demanded that the construction be halted immediately, saying that building the retention basin would destroy the ecosystem.”
Calix Krauvel continued with an irritated expression.
“And they said that if we refuse, we will have to pay the appropriate price.”
So they even threatened them.
A line from a novel came to mind—elves would do anything to protect the forest.
“So Marquis Smith asked whether there is any way to build the retention basin without destroying the ecosystem. Is there such a method?”
“Well…”
Even learning how to build the retention basin had required searching through books at the time.
There was no way I would know a method like that.
“I’ll try looking for a method, but it would be better not to expect too much.”
If a retention basin was built, the surrounding ecosystem would inevitably be damaged.
There was a reason environmental groups always opposed dams and reservoirs.
“Then unfortunately we’ll have to stop the retention basin construction.”
Despite his words, Calix’s expression looked refreshed.
He even seemed slightly pleased.
“If the retention basin isn’t built, the Raed River will overflow and the residents of Nubiar will suffer.”
“That’s not my concern.”
Calix Krauvel tilted his head crookedly and looked at me.
“You’re the administrator of Belheim. It’s not something you need to worry about either.”
I almost asked why he told me about it in the first place.
But I held it back.
“Instead, you’ll need to attend the negotiation meeting.”
“What? Why?”
He had just said it wasn’t something I needed to worry about.
So why was I suddenly required to attend?
When I asked, the crease between Calix Krauvel’s brows deepened.
“That damned Marquis Smith sold you out to the elves. He said that Aileen—you—are the person in charge of the retention basin construction.”
Ah, so that was it.
Now I understood why he had been in such a bad mood.
“When is the negotiation?”
“In five days. The elves said they would attend.”
Oh, I would actually get to see elves.
Being sold out by Marquis Smith was a bit shocking, but I was still secretly looking forward to seeing elves.
“Even if you attend the meeting, don’t step forward.”
Calix Krauvel looked at me with a fierce gaze.
“If Marquis Smith or the elves ask whether there’s a solution, answer that there isn’t. Say you don’t know. Understood?”
The first time I saw that look it had been terrifying enough to make my knees tremble.
But perhaps I had gotten used to it, because now it didn’t bother me at all.
Besides, if the retention basin and the sluice gates weren’t completed, I couldn’t clear the main quest.
For me, stepping forward wasn’t optional.
But if I said that outright, he wouldn’t allow me to attend the meeting.
“Yes. I’ll do that.”
So I told a blatant lie and left the Lord’s office.
Five days later, I traveled to Nubiar through a portal together with Calix Krauvel.
I still couldn’t use the portal alone.
But if I held onto his arm, it worked.
Why is that?
I could guess why I couldn’t use the portal by myself.
It was probably because I came from another world.
But I didn’t understand why it worked when I was with Calix Krauvel.
Did this man possess some special ability?
“Oh, welcome. Miss Aileen. We’ve been waiting.”
“Now that Miss Aileen is here, I feel reassured.”
“Indeed.”
The moment we arrived in Nubiar, Marquis Smith and the administrators greeted me with overwhelming enthusiasm.
“We don’t have time for this. The elves are waiting, so we must go to the conference room immediately.”
“What? Right now?”
I thought they would first meet me, explain the situation in detail, discuss countermeasures, and then sit down at the negotiation table.
But apparently we were going straight there.
“You should have called me earlier.”
“I wanted to.”
Marquis Smith said that while glancing sideways at Calix Krauvel.
I see.
Marquis Smith had probably asked him to come earlier.
But this man must have refused.
“Come on, let’s go. Elves hate waiting.”
Still, I hadn’t expected to enter the meeting immediately, so I was quite flustered.
“Do you have a good solution?”
While we were walking to the conference room with Marquis Smith, a Nubiar administrator asked cautiously.
The other administrators also looked at me with hopeful expressions.
But I could only smile awkwardly without answering.
“…So it really is difficult.”
“Still, if we negotiate carefully with the elves…”
Perhaps they took my silence negatively, because the Nubiar administrators began discussing what they should do next with gloomy expressions.
“…If it comes to it, we may have to consider fighting the elves.”
Unfortunately, no practical alternative emerged.
A short while later, we arrived at the conference room.
Naturally, my eyes turned toward the three men sitting inside the table.
Hair like liquid gold that seemed to hold light.
Faces so refined and delicate that they looked almost unreal.
And long, pointed ears visible between their hair.
So those are elves.
They really were a race of beauty.
Among them, the elf sitting in the center stood out the most.
The others had sharp and stern impressions, but that elf radiated a gentle and soft aura.
As usual, Calix Krauvel sat in the seat of highest honor without hesitation.
“Who is that human?”
The elf sitting on the far left asked.
“He is His Grace Calix Krauvel, Grand Duke and Lord of Belheim.”
A Nubiar administrator answered.
The elves’ eyes widened dramatically.
They leaned their heads together and whispered in a language I couldn’t understand.
I didn’t know what they were saying, but judging from the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like anything good.
“Is there a problem?”
When Marquis Smith asked, the elves exchanged glances before shaking their heads.
“It’s nothing. More importantly, is that human woman the one responsible for this construction?”
“Ah, yes. That’s correct. Her name is Aileen, and she is in charge of the project.”
Strictly speaking, I wasn’t the person responsible.
But since things had already been explained that way, I didn’t bother correcting it.
The elves then shot me cold looks.
It was intimidating, but compared to Calix’s glare, it was nothing.
“No matter the reason, destroying forests and ecosystems is absolutely unacceptable.”
The elf sitting on the far right spoke firmly the moment negotiations began.
“So stop the retention basin construction immediately. Otherwise, we will not remain idle.”
“But if the retention basin is not built, the Raed River will overflow and the residents will suffer greatly.”
When a Nubiar administrator argued back, the elf snorted.
“So to reduce the temporary inconvenience of humans, you intend to destroy the habitat of the creatures already living there? As expected, humans are a cruel race.”
“That’s not what we mean.”
“What do you mean it isn’t? In the first place, wasn’t this city built by humans driving away the creatures that lived here and damaging nature?”
“We simply created a place for ourselves to live. Elves are not so different in that regard.”
“Do not compare us to you humans.”
The elf on the far left spoke with obvious displeasure.
“Unlike humans, we do not destroy nature or drive away other creatures.”
“That’s right. We live in coexistence with all life.”
The exchange grew increasingly sharp.
The more they talked, the worse the atmosphere became instead of progressing toward negotiation.
“Excuse me.”
Before things deteriorated further, I raised my hand.
“Could everyone calm down and listen to what I have to say?”
At my words, the faces of Marquis Smith and the Nubiar administrators brightened noticeably.
“….”
Meanwhile, Calix Krauvel frowned deeply and glared at me.
It was a clear warning not to step forward.
Unfortunately, that’s not possible.
I have to clear the main quest.
After taking a deep breath, I slowly opened my mouth.