Chapter 84
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Can't We All Just Do It Together?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Heading to the restaurant, Princess Aneis of Kanf approached us.
Aneis, hesitating with her face flushed red.
'Why is she acting like that?'
Thinking she must have something to say, I stared at her intently, and a timid voice reached my ears.
"Um... Mother wants to see you once..."
"Hm? More to discuss?"
"Well... You need to take the Dullahan's corpse too... and Mother said she has something to tell you..."
Aneis couldn't bring herself to meet my eyes.
She must still be scared of me...
No helping it, after I split its arms and devoured them.
"Alright, the kids say they're hungry, so let's grab a bite first."
The moment I turned to look back, Veronica gazed at Aneis with a smile.
"Miss Aneis, have you eaten?"
"No..."
"Hehe, mind if we eat together, Apostle?"
"Ah..."
I didn't mind at all, but look at Aneis glancing back and forth between me and Veronica.
Her face said she might not be able to swallow a single bite.
"I don't mind."
Hearing my words, as if steeling her resolve, Aneis spoke with determined eyes.
"Yes!"
Was one meal really worth that level of determination...?
Somehow, it felt disappointing.
We'd arrived at the restaurant interior before I knew it.
As if showing their gratitude, dishes prepared with utmost care were laid out before us.
"Oh? You even prepared meat?"
"Yes... as requested."
I'd given her a decent tip, and it looked like she'd followed through diligently.
Hungry myself, I decided to eat.
"Kids, let's eat."
"""Yes~"""
And so the mealtime began.
"Where's Lancelot?"
"Ah~ He went to the dungeon's 30th floor boss room for some undead-specialized potion? Item? Something like that. No idea when he'll get back."
Friends are friends, after all...
I thought I'd give hardworking Lancelot menu privileges for a few days.
'Hm... maybe give him a bit more...'
He's putting in the effort...
Speaking of hard work, our agents planted in the academy kept coming to mind.
'Must be because I nearly died and came back—everyone around me is on my thoughts.'
Not something to bring up right now, so I'd handle it after returning.
After mealtime ended, we headed to meet the queen.
Guided by Princess Aneis, we arrived at the audience chamber.
"Thanks. I've memorized the way, so you can head back now. After the audience, let the soldiers know we're returning."
"Yes..."
'Agh... she's so listless.'
Aneis kept glancing around nervously, which was getting on my nerves, but I decided to focus on the meeting at hand.
-Clank!
I entered the room without knocking. The queen rose from her seat to greet me.
"...Thank you, benefactor."
"Oh?"
If she'd asked me to rip off some Dullahan accessory, I might've really turned the place upside down, but she wasn't that brazen.
"What's with that?"
"No, will this take long?"
"Not at all."
"Then I'll listen standing. I want to get back quickly, you see."
The elf closed her eyes and fell into thought, soon beginning to speak.
"I need... help."
A frail murmur that laid bare her kingdom's dirty laundry.
"Tsk... this won't be short."
I took a seat to hear her out.
"Just so we're clear... I'm not the emperor. With His Majesty present, I can't make decisions right here on the spot."
"I understand."
"Sigh... then tell me about your circumstances—catering to the whims of a crown prince you despise."
Aneis flinched for a split second but quickly recovered and began her explanation.
"The elven population is steadily declining. We're facing a severe manpower shortage."
The population is declining...
"Doesn't seem like you called me here to revisit military support. So, what do you want?"
"Indeed. We wish to abandon our outdated traditions and open the gates to exchanges with the outside world."
These arrogant elves, abandoning their purity to accept other races?
"So you need help...? In what way?"
Aneis met my gaze as she spoke.
"We want to form an alliance with the Empire."
'Ha... something like this calls for formal talks...'
It was a hassle, but I'd consider how it benefited the Empire for now.
As I sorted my thoughts, a desperate Aneis looked ready to flip her own self-destruct switch.
"If you wish, we could even submit to the Empire..."
"Not thinking along those lines. Tributaries make easy prey for greedy nobles, so that's off the table..."
This wasn't some crushing defeat—why cut open your own belly to quench your thirst?
"Have you considered mutual benefits for both nations?"
"Yes. Our kingdom would receive manpower support, and in return, provide the Empire with elven pharmacology, alchemy, and high-grade herbs."
Oh, alchemy... That piqued my interest, if nothing else.
"Any alchemical methods to raise hygiene levels on a national scale?"
"...If we research it, it should be absolutely possible. No, it is."
"Research timeline?"
"About ten years..."
'Ten years??? Fuck... you kidding?'
Elf time really does flow differently, huh.
"Tsk, what's the fastest?"
"One to two years..."
Squeeze it, and it shrinks to a tenth.
"..."
"Assuming ample support..."
"Right... Besides high-grade herbs, any cheap, mass-producible ones widely available?"
We had to raise our Empire's citizens' standards.
I was starting to pity the tale if nobles just flaunted luxuries while the rest withered away.
"Yes! Even without entering the Moonlit Forest, there are some nearby..."
"Eh... I only know the basics of herbology outside poisons, so that's fine..."
"Understood."
Nearly got roped into a herb usage seminar.
'Father, pick 'em for me.'
I'd trust our imperial staff to research diligently.
It had dragged on longer than expected—not that I was trying to escape... really.
I nodded and replied.
"I'll report to His Majesty—in a positive light."
"!! Thank you..."
Queen Aneis would probably breathe a little easier. Though... she'd have to convince her arrogant elves herself.
"Then... about marriage with our daughter..."
"No plans."
I got wanting to drive the nail in, but marriage was a bit...
"...Understood."
"Talks seem over, so I'll be going."
"Yes, shall I call the servants?"
"I'll go quietly—using teleport. Just note that."
"Understood. I'll record it as exiting through the gates."
-Nod.
Heading out the door, I sank into thought.
'If the deal goes through, hand the imports to Jenia... No, might overload her... Better ask first.'
'Sigh... If the meds distribute well, the Holy Kingdom's gonna throw a fit... Lay some groundwork? Or use Veronica as promo model...'
'When to grant Lea's title...'
Lost in such thoughts, I spotted the three waiting outside the room.
[Master's back.]
Lumi alerting them.
"Apostle!"
"Darling!"
"Liam! Ready to head out?"
Wow... the three of them together, beaming like that—it was, well... genuinely beautiful.
Being called by them gave me this ticklish thrill.
I could see how men ruined nations over women.
Not that I'd ruin one... no...'
Feeling my brain turn to mush in real time, I shook my head and smiled back.
"Let's go—home."
"""Yes~"""
And with that, the Kanf Kingdom incident wrapped up.
-Whirr!
After chaining teleports, we arrived home.
For some reason, today's teleports felt even smoother than usual.
"...???"
Before, it was like hefting pink dumbbells, but now? Utterly effortless.
As I flexed my hand and focused my mind, Veronica looked up at me.
"Apostle, what's wrong?"
"Ah, somehow my mana control feels even smoother?"
[I didn't help.]
If not Lumi, then the remaining change was...
"Lea, how exactly did you use the World Tree branch?"
The last thing was using the World Tree branch.
Lea nodded from the sofa and answered.
"Hm? Oh! Planned to grind it up and feed it, but it was urgent, so I shoved the whole thing in."
'What?'
"Eh? Into your body?"
"Yeah! Slid right into the wound?"
"I... see."
"First time using it this round too—thought I was gonna die sneaking in."
Not quite what I asked, but I was grateful.
"Tha... thanks..."
"Hehe... Of course!"
No issues for now, and my body's improved, so it should be fine.
No wonder magical beasts desperately invade for it.
Its properties must've healed the wound perfectly.
"Speaking of, Jenia—Dullahan corpse?"
"Stashed it in the subspace bracelet. Weirdly, only the armor remained, but it was giving off a sinister aura."
Looks like we couldn't pull it out just yet.
"How should we use it?"
Jenia and Lea chimed in at my words.
"Recipe book called for tons of top-grade holy water, plus powerful embers for the furnace..."
"Even dwarves would struggle? Metallurgy's their specialty."
Hearing "holy water," Veronica spoke up.
"Apostle, shall I try purifying it?"
Oh... Veronica might manage it.
"No, you're tired—rest up today. School tomorrow."
"Hehe, then I'll try it on a day off!"
"Jenia, the subspace okay with it?"
"Yes! No issues."
Not an urgent weapon need, so we'd hold onto it for now.
"Then let's rest easy today? School tomorrow."
""Yes~""
As we all started heading in, Jenia grabbed my sleeve tight, her face flushed.
"Liam..."
Hesitant Jenia.
Wondering what was up, I asked.
"What's wrong, Jenia?"
Jenia pondered a moment, then murmured timidly.
"Today... it's my turn... for that..."
Fiddling with my sleeve, her cute request made me grin.
"Always welcome on my end. You okay with it?"
-Squeeze!
She wrapped around my waist, nodding shyly.
No need for more words.
"Then let's go..."
"Me too!"
"???"
Lea declared her intrusion so naturally.
Fine by me, but Jenia...?
"Cra... crazy!? No way!"
Not okay, apparently.
But this ex-married woman—current non-virgin on day one—wasn't backing down.
"Better than sticking to a schedule, no? Whenever the mood strikes?"
"Moo... mood? Th... th...!"
Veronica's ears perked up as she watched us, but Jenia clearly couldn't handle it.
"N... no!"
Surprisingly, Lea backed off easily at the refusal.
"Tch."
"Liam! Hurry!"
"R... right..."
We headed to the room without catching Lea's sly smile.
"Hng..."
