Hot Spring Elf Caution
“...”
Selena lay limply in her seat, staring at the ceiling.
More accurately, she was thoughtfully recalling the events of yesterday.
“The Church’s saint! You truly are a noble person! Saint Louis must be delighted!”
“T-thank you. Thank you, so now, let’s stop—”
“Cardinal Nicolaus of the First Parish will personally visit the Friedrich County. And Cardinal Beolant will deliver his gratitude in his own handwriting. He is quite disappointed that he couldn’t visit the county in person to convey his thanks for the parish’s affairs.”
“Father. No, Count, you would understand. So please, just—”
It had happened far too suddenly. The holy relic the Church had lost had been found by Karl’s sword.
It had occurred right before our eyes. After swinging his greatsword in what was meant to be a joke (it had to be a joke, right? Probably.), the boulder had split open, and suddenly, Saint Louis’s sword had shot out from within it.
When I informed the Church, they immediately sent people to verify the facts.
Before long, Cardinal Beolant himself arrived, and the impossible had become reality as “no way” turned into “reality.”
“Karl is the Church’s saint… Impossible.”
The event where the headquarters of the Bright Light Church’s Fourth Parish had been burned to the ground due to the Luzens elves’ attack and the real object lost.
Even though it had happened long before Selena was born, she knew the story in great detail.
It was only natural. Her grandfather, the late Marquis Naplio, had been a devout believer of the Bright Light Church. It was only natural that he would be so friendly toward the Church.
Therefore, it was only predictable that the late Marquis Naplio would have been disappointed by the loss of the holy relic. He had even shown fury at the Luzens who dared to blaspheme against the will of light.
A precious item had been recovered by none other than Karl’s hands.
Although the process had been surprisingly short, Karl himself had waved his hands and said he had done nothing. Yet from the Church’s perspective, that humility would have looked even more admirable.
No matter how many times they called him a saint or a noble, they could not hide their gratitude.
Thanks to this, Selena’s worries could only grow even greater.
She was certain. Or at least, she had a firm conviction. A woman with a master’s degree would suit Karl perfectly. She would never be a blemish at his side.
But if the Church got involved like this, it seemed like it might not be enough.
“This… Is it really okay? Ah, it doesn’t seem so!”
Thinking about it. First, Lavrenti. Although her origin was commoner, she was a war hero like Karl. She claimed she could never compare to him, but the Silver Star Medal was a tremendous achievement.
Although guns and gunpowder had replaced swords and magic on the battlefield, they were not omnipotent.
She had heard that her accuracy was not as good as expected, that reloading was slow, and that there were other issues as well.
Yet Lavrenti had succeeded in sniping nearly a hundred Luzens elves.
Including official records, but even if unofficial records were included, it could reach over three hundred. Either way, it was definitely a great achievement.
So, while her origin being a minor issue was one thing, it could not become a major flaw.
Moreover, Friedrich County had begun as a low-ranking imperial officer, so there was no reason to look down on soldiers.
“She will never be an easy opponent.”
In that sense, Eloise was also a headache like Lavrenti.
If Lavrenti had the small flaw of being commoner, this side had the opposite flaw of being an elf.
Only a short while ago Karl had been fighting elves, so it would be difficult to easily whisper love to such an elf.
But it was not impossible.
Selena already knew here and there about the Empire’s men and women who had formed love with elves from the Heigens side. Their somewhat difficult yet still sparkling love stories.
“How did you hear? It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but there was a romance novel based on them!”
Anyway, in such a situation, Eloise was also a person who had been active in the military.
She was different from herself. Similar to Lavrenti. She was someone who could sincerely comfort Karl’s difficult and gloomy past that she could never know.
Given the situation, could she really stand by Karl’s side? She wanted to comfort him, but since she didn’t know the details and couldn’t understand, wasn’t she just being greedy?
Even if Karl said it was okay, could she really be the unwavering first one against these two women? It seemed like she would become a master’s degree or something?
Did she really have to aim for a doctorate? But then it wouldn’t last three years?
“…Wait a minute.”
In the middle of it, Selena noticed something strange and immediately stood up from her seat.
She and Eloise shared the same room. Eloise had left the room saying she was going for a short walk.
And she had not returned yet. Normally, she should have entered the room soon, opening the door.
She had let her guard down too much. It was impossible normally. Especially with Karl’s and the Church’s holy relic coinciding, she had forgotten the most important thing while worrying about it.
“No way.”
Selena pushed off her seat and immediately left the room.
Although there might be some shortcomings compared to the two military women, she was also one of the women with a sharp “instinct.”
And that instinct was currently shouting to find Eloise quickly. More precisely, to go to Karl.
*
“Uhuuhu~!”
Laughter came out naturally. From Karl’s reaction, it seemed to have worked well.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have this expression. If it was acting, maybe, but from what I saw, Karl was a man far from such things.
“Hey, hey. Eloise.”
“Yeah. Karl. Tell me.”
“Hey, there. There’s a bathrobe, so go put it on quickly.”
“A bathrobe? Okay. Then take off everything you’re wearing and put on the bathrobe? Let me see. From the top, or from the bottom? Tell me!”
“No! It’s not like that!!”
“From the bottom? Okay. I’ll take it off from the bottom.”
As I said that, I secretly reached for the swimsuit bottom, and Karl jumped in surprise and grabbed my hand.
“Oh my. I didn’t see that before, you’re surprisingly bold. As expected, Medal of Honor recipients are different.”
“It’s not that—”
“You want me to take it off directly, right? Good. Take it off. It’s a good thing for me!”
Then Karl flinched and threw my hand away and stepped back. Even that wasn’t enough, he turned his body with a whoosh! and didn’t even give me a glance.
“You, you have no shame?!”
“Yeah?”
“Eloise, you’re an elf! An elf who lives and dies by pride! That elf who says she won’t give anything to humans?!”
“I am an elf, right? But I’m not a Gganf. I hate those stiff-necked compatriots too.”
If I were like other compatriots, would I be doing this now.
No. Before that, I wouldn’t have pursued studies. Obviously, I’d be trapped in the forest, self-pleasuring while saying “our elves are the best!”
“And just in case, let me say this. Don’t try to run away from me. I don’t want to become a naked woman either.”
Karl was agile, but I was not easy as an elf either. I guarantee that the moment Karl tries to leave here, I’ll throw off the swimsuit and show everything to Karl.
And I’ll pester him. “Ah! Since you’ve seen a woman’s naked body, you must take responsibility!”
Is it too much? I know. I know! In front of love, no matter how much I push, it’s important!
Pride and all that, I threw it away, but being cowardly? No, I know! First, it’s important to seize it! That’s why I came to the Empire, abandoning everything!
“Karl.”
Well, the playful atmosphere ends here. Now it’s time to approach a bit more seriously.
“I mean, I like you. From the moment I saw you, I fell for you.”
“...”
“If you ask why, um. Because you saved me? That restrained yet overwhelming strength you showed me? Or is there something that stimulates my oddly maternal instinct? Hey, I like everything. It doesn’t matter. In the end, I like you, no matter what the reason is.”
Whoosh. A sigh was heard. It slightly hurts my chest, but it’s okay.
I didn’t expect the answer “I like you too” from the start. This is thoroughly one-way traffic. For now, yes. It’s my one-sided courtship.
“It’s unbelievable. It makes no sense. But for me, this is the most reliable way to prove my feelings. I can’t beautifully or beautifully package my feelings like others. I am… Well. Just go straight. Just frontal battle. Just colliding. I don’t know how to do anything else. I just have to do that well.”
“It’s bragging. It’s bragging.”
Hehehe. Sorry. Sorry, Karl. Because I’m a woman who can only brag about this. Especially because I’m an elf.
I leaned my head slightly on Karl’s back. If I could, I want to hug him. I want to hold his hand. But it’s still too early. Since I know that this much is a big concession from Karl, I endured it again and again.
“Give me a chance too. Huh? I’m really good. I don’t have the mind to monopolize or anything. After all, I’m the one who wants to take you away, so I’m not that conscienceless elf.”
“So, if you really want to, you should make an effort to think of a more normal way.”
Karl’s sigh again. Still, the good thing is that the sigh from a moment ago became a bit lighter.
A positive signal. Maybe I should thank Selena. That woman definitely loosened Karl’s hardened heart by going first!
“First, Eloise. There are things I need to make clear.”
“Yeah?”
“One. From now on, dress properly in front of others.”
Dress?
“My outfit bothered you?”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
“But I did it because I wanted you to see it.”
“If it’s because you wanted me to see it, then dress properly even more. At least don’t show that to others.”
Aha. Is this… because you don’t want others to see it or something?!
If that’s the reason, from now on, you can wrap yourself up tightly, Karl!
“Next, two. My first is definitely Selena.”
“I know. When did I say I’d take your first?”
“…The nuance is that if I can take it, I can take it, so that’s why.”
Oh. Caught. Hehehe! Honestly, if there’s a chance to take it, it’s natural not to hold back, right?
Even now. Since there’s only me and Karl at this hot spring, just make a half-elf—
Bang bang bang!—
“Eloise? Eloise!! You are here, right?!”
“Tch. Caught. I’m done here. See you tomorrow!”
Ah, before that!
“If you’re going, go quickly. Before Selena comes in… Kyaaak!!”
Kyahaha! Success!! A perfect success in stabbing my entire body into Karl’s eyes that were distracted!
But Karl! Instead of taking off as you said, I put on the bathrobe! I did well, right?!