Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Got My Elf Girl Stolen by a Blonde Tanned Orc
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Elvenheim.
Desperate screams echoed across the land.
"Lady Rachel! Lady Rachel, please retreat!"
"She's right! We'll hold them off here!"
Desperate pleas poured out, but Rachel shook her head.
"No. I'm not running away."
Rachel spoke in a calm voice.
She drew the bow from her back and quietly stepped forward.
High Elves.
They weren't just a noble race—they were the ones who stood at the front and led.
Thud— Thud—
Vibrations rumbled through the ground beneath their feet.
The oppressive presence of the orc horde was pushing against the earth itself.
Even so, Rachel took another step forward.
The elves who saw this shouted out.
"Lady Rachel's taking the lead!"
"Let's sweep those orc bastards away!"
"Wipe 'em out in a flash and grab a drink together after!"
Cheers erupted from the elves.
But Rachel knew the truth.
No—all the elves here knew it.
This wasn't a fight; it was a massacre due to the sheer numbers.
"Futile, isn't it..."
Rachel muttered.
She turned back to gaze at the World Tree.
Once, its branches had reached toward the heavens—a tree of life.
Now, it was nothing but parched and withered.
"...Don't forgive us."
She muttered, nocking an arrow and shouting.
"Everyone, retreat! The elves abandon Elvenheim!"
There was no opposition to her words.
Rachel felt a wave of relief at that.
She had worried some might insist on holding out to protect the World Tree's remains.
"But..."
One elf pointed straight ahead.
There, the orc horde was crossing the plains after cresting the mountains.
"Even if we run now..."
In response, Rachel raised her bow and shouted.
"I'll handle them. With the elders."
At her words, wrinkled figures stepped forward from the crowd.
Elves over 800 years old, covered in wrinkles from head to toe.
"Sheesh, what a naughty princess."
"No respect for your elders."
"Wonder if these creaky joints can even draw a bow."
The elders grumbled as they shuffled out obediently.
Rachel bowed deeply to them.
It was a gesture of gratitude to those resolved to die.
"Tch! Live long enough, and even a High Elf bows to you."
"Tell me about it, bro."
"Got something to brag about up in the heavens now. But still..."
The First Elder trailed off.
He suddenly scowled.
"Why the hell is this guy here!?"
He barked, whipping around.
There stood an elf with comparatively fewer wrinkles.
The Tenth Elder, Harchen.
"This kid dares stand with his elders and receive the princess's bow!?"
Harchen protested with an aggrieved look at the First Elder's rebuke.
"No, bro! I'm 700 now! Why do you always treat me like a kid?!"
"700's still a damn kid, punk!"
Thwack!
Harchen's rear took a kick.
"Who let a rookie butt in?!"
"Aaaagh! My back! My back's done for!"
"Shut it and lead the evacuation!"
Said the First Elder.
He glanced subtly at Rachel.
It was a signal to exclude this one.
Rachel nodded faintly.
Harchen, catching on, ground his teeth for a moment.
Then he sighed and nodded.
"...Well, makes it easy to offer myself up as bait. Everyone, follow me!"
A retreat still needed a commander, after all.
And so the elves retreated under Harchen's lead.
The Third Elder grumbled as she watched them go.
"Always hogging the good stuff since the old days."
"Saw that back bend nice and flexible earlier. Sneak in some fun on your own?"
"Tsk tsk, guy's got protagonist syndrome even at that age."
"Shut up and grab your weapons, you lot!"
At the First Elder's bellow, the elders raised their bows.
They sighed.
"Hmph... Live long enough, and even orcs threaten your life."
"If we had spirits, I'd wipe these fools solo."
"Solo? Word's out you pissed yourself over one orc back in the day."
"Who the hell was it!?"
Rachel gritted her teeth watching the bickering elders.
She agreed with their words.
"...If only we had spirits."
In the past, elves were treated as equals to demons, called forest devils.
Now, they were just known as the pretty race.
All because they'd lost the World Tree, sending every spirit into dormancy.
"Just ten minutes. No, one minute of manifestation..."
That was the moment.
Shihanbu) One minute's all it takes, right? A message appeared in the chat window.
From a human, the man who was the World Tree.
He had posted in the broadcast chat.
As Rachel stared at the chat with hopeful eyes...
Shihanbu) This settles the debt from the Magic Tower, got it? The moment that message went up...
Roar—!
The ground heated up.
Startled, Rachel whipped her head around.
There floated a girl.
A girl with blazing hair hovered in the sky.
Two hundred years ago.
When the World Tree vanished and entered dormancy, so did her spirit.
The Fire Spirit King, Ignis, had awakened.
"Ignis!"
Rachel rushed toward Ignis in joy.
But Ignis shoved her away like she was a nuisance.
[I didn't come 'cause I wanted to. The World Tree asked me to. So don't bug me and let's wrap this up quick.] Unlike her teenage girl appearance,
Ignis muttered in her cynical tone.
Then her form crumbled away.
The Spirit King's core.
She reverted to her primal fireball state.
The transformed Ignis...
Whoosh—
Dove into Rachel's chest.
That instant...
Rachel's hair burst into red flames.
Her body was clad in fiery armor.
In her hands appeared a bow glowing like molten lava.
A technique only High Elves could manifest.
Spirit Assimilation.
"Hahaha!"
The power reclaimed after 200 years.
Overwhelmed by its intensity, Rachel loosed a mad laugh as she drew her bow.
Shwaaaa—!
Where the arrow passed, ashes remained.
The ground, the orcs—everything vanished without a trace.
For a brief thrill at the sight unseen in 200 years...
As power-drunk Rachel drew a second arrow...
"Huh?"
The power faded.
The Spirit Assimilation broke.
"Why?"
Rachel turned to the side with a crestfallen face.
There, Ignis had reformed as a girl.
[What're you staring at? No need to fight more.] Ignis jerked her chin forward.
There...
"Shh-shik! Fire witch! Fire witch!"
"The fire witch is back, shik!"
"We're running!"
The orc legions fled in panic.
"...You're right."
As Rachel nodded and smacked her lips...
Ignis changed.
Joy began sparkling in eyes always cynical.
An expression she'd never shown Rachel.
As Rachel panicked at the sight...
[Ahh! Finally done with the hassle! World Tree! Your girl's coming to you at last! We won't part again!] Ignis shot into the sky without looking back.
Her destination: the Abandoned Continent,
where the World Tree was trapped.
Rachel shouted after her.
"Wait... We just reunited, and you're leaving like th..."
Rachel's words cut off.
Thud—!
The flying Ignis...
Slammed into the ground.
Sss...
She began to fade.
A mere sprout of a World Tree couldn't sustain a Spirit King.
"..."
Rachel stared blankly at where Ignis vanished.
A phrase humans often used in the gallery echoed in her mind.
"This is... what it feels like to have your elf girl stolen by a blonde tanned orc?"
She muttered in hollow defeat, then snapped out of it.
Actually, there was no reason to feel hollow.
"The World Tree's one we'll raise anyway, right?"
Then the spirits would naturally return to her side.
Realizing this, Rachel spoke to the chat window.
"Shihanbu's mine, elf-wise."
The chat exploded at her words.
Heavenly Demon) Cut the crap. Snow Girl) Wanna die? Shihanbu's Master) Heh heh. He's my disciple. Seeing that, Rachel doubled down.
"Shihanbu reserved by me."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Unique Gallery, unified communication hub of East and West.
It was currently...
📰 Breaking News [Thanks, Shihanbu!] -Thanks for protecting our princess! -Thanks for saving our homeland! -We'll raise you for life! (Elf girl kissing gif) Overflowing with elven gratitude.
[Comments +999] — Anonymous Thanks but "raise" lol... Are elves satan? — Reply If Shihanbu digs his own grave, upvote lol — Reply Why? If I were Shihanbu, wouldn't be bad? — Reply ?? — Reply You nuts? — Reply (Rachel smirking and reserving gif) Even this? That moment, the comments shifted dramatically.
— Anonymous ...Huh? Actually... might not be bad? — Reply Suddenly jealous of Shihanbu. — Reply With that beauty, no need for freedom... maybe? It didn't take long for pity to turn to envy.
Of course, not all was just thanks.
📰 Breaking News [But damn, Shihanbu's a real man.] -Same with that Phoenix Flower last time. And now Elvenheim. Helps with stuff he doesn't have to. Guy's got unbreakable loyalty, fr.
[Comments +393]
— Anonymous Agreed. Unlike kids these days, he's got principles and style.
— Reply Knows how to cherish his people.
— Reply That's why the high-nics cling and teach him tech, huh?
📰 Breaking News [What're you up to now, Shihanbu?]
— Anonymous No stream, ignoring DMs too. Tried sending pics but...
[Comments +999]
— Anonymous Pics why? Oh wait, you an elf girl?
— OP Yep.
— Reply NSFW?
— OP 190-gold certified.
— Reply Damn, so jealous...
— Reply Can't show a peek?
— OP Hehe, nope. Only for Shihanbu oppa.
📰 Breaking News [What the hell's Shihanbu doing? No stream.]
📰 Breaking News [Guy posts every 10 mins, but no regen in 12 hours.]
📰 Breaking News [Bored af, wanna watch Shihanbu stream aaaah!] As the elf hype cooled and gallery users began craving Shihanbu...
A new post appeared.
📰 Breaking News [Shihanbu stream's up!] -Dude's pissed af, storming the dino base lololol (Shihanbu facing off Hydrosaurus gif) The moment that post went up...
Unusually, the gallery fell silent.
Everyone rushed to Shihanbu's stream.