Chapter 312
Chapter 312
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 312
Chapter Title: Between Love and Love -1
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We arrived at the city of Elphiris, near the elf forest.
Indeed, you could feel that interactions between humans and wild elves had picked up. There were way more elf-friendly structures than last time. Like a shop specializing in underwear for wild elves.
A tree-lined path that felt like an elves-only road had even been built. As I watched for a moment, an elf whooshed past through the leaves with a rustling sasasak.
Judging by the tactical mercenary getup, it didn't seem like a wild elf. But apparently, even the socialized elves who'd lived there originally used the dedicated road pretty often.
Selbia spoke up out of the blue, as if the thought had just hit her.
"...Don't traffic accidents happen? If they crash into each other crossing from both sides."
"If you put it that way, the road is kinda narrow. If they'd planted four trees wide generously, it'd be a proper four-lane highway."
But if they expanded it that far, there'd be no space left for people or carriages. Even now, the original road had been narrowed by the sudden elf-dedicated path, so overweight wagons had to ease their horses along carefully to avoid scraping.
The merchants' faces, brimming with irritation, were a sight to behold. The spark for human-elf conflict might just ignite over traffic.
"Will you sort it out?"
"What do you take me for? I'm not the type to volunteer fixing interspecies beef for free. Though... if I set the stage just right, who knows?"
If it's a relationship where they need each other, they'll work out the minor hassles and get along. Just highlight that, chip away at the pointless grudges, and it won't erupt into a full blaze.
As Selbia and I trudged toward the meeting spot, a savory meat scent drifting from a nearby stall tickled my nose.
I'd only scarfed down the half-assed pseudo-scramble eggs that Yuna botched for breakfast, so my stomach was rumbling a bit. Grilled meat aroma on an empty belly is brutal to ignore.
"Ooh, chicken skewers look good."
"You sure that's chicken?"
"Sign says chicken skewers... but could be rat, pigeon, or whatever. Don't care."
Point is, as long as it goes down without wrecking your guts.
"There's a holy spell called Purification. Cast that, and no matter what's in it, no tummy troubles."
"...Buy skewers, trek to the temple, beg a priest to purify 'em? Bit extravagant, no? Heard fees dropped under Bennett's rule, but skewers are still pushing it."
"Nah, it's fine. You cast the holy spell."
"Me?"
The goddess system—a tangled spaghetti-code nightmare courtesy of those fallen ex-cardinals—was slowly getting cleaned up, thanks to my efforts, the young pope's, Niolei's, and the hero-ping's.
First fix we hit was the Unauthorized Holy Power Use Ban. Trying to rework it so anyone with faith could tap holy power, fallen or not, like before.
We burned serious brainpower unraveling those triple-knotted messes.
And it paid off. Word was, the ex-cardinals got their holy power lines cut instantly and were reduced to low-key media stunts without showing their faces.
"But... it's still half-baked. Know a backdoor or two, and you can still pull holy power these days."
"...You'll get smited!"
"Goddess digs rules. Minor exploits? She'll grumble but forgive. Just recite page 132 of the scriptures while scratching your back on a building corner. Wanna try?"
"Told you, it'd just give me the runs. No fear at all."
Chwap. Selbia's hand smacked my shoulder hard. Magic tower uniform and robe or not, it stung. Solid base damage.
"Two skewers."
"Right away, fresh off the grill!"
A short wait, and we had two slightly underdone skewers. Outsides golden-brown, but by my math, the insides weren't even. Promised fresh, delivered raw-ish.
As Selbia went to chomp hers, I jammed a finger in her mouth.
Ang.
Selbia glared daggers right away.
"...What."
"Undercooked. Needs more heat. Fire here?"
"Like some Saramle gas range..."
Guess she didn't fancy raw either. She sparked a flame on her left palm, so I grabbed her skewer too and gave 'em both a proper cook. Done deal.
Selbia puffed on the steaming skewer, shot me a sidelong glance.
"O-open wide. Ahh."
"That'd hit harder if Selbia bit first. Indirect kiss buff on top."
"...No commentary, no coaching, just... eat it already! You're dead set on embarrassing me, huh?!"
Bingo.
I meekly accepted the skewer she practically throat-stabbed me with. No chicken flavor. Probably... rat meat mashed and molded into shape.
The heavy seasoning coating made it decent enough. Chewed quietly, logged the data. Perfect for a street vendor scene in session.
"Me feed you?"
"...Pass."
"Heard the hesitation, Selbia. Better humbly take it and blush than pride-refuse and regret."
"I said no!"
Selbia huffed ahead five steps, then dialed back to two. Prod her, she snaps—teasing's a blast.
Intimate bonds look like this everywhere.
Jokes kept light and fun, knowing your partner's deal, flowing into comfy chats on that foundation.
"Ha... fuck, why so many street salters lately."
"Jo, grab your gear. Gotta grind one more quest before your back hunches if we wanna settle down later..."
Singles' laments echoed all over. Our combo AoE rattling hearts citywide.
Get their pain, but no curbing the flirt.
Not lovers yet, but probs the cutesiest duo here. Musing that,
Meeting spot ahead.
"Today too, you shine like those twinkling stars! Too blinding to gaze upon... aa, keep meeting you, I'll go blind for sure. How's a blind man to survive...?"
"Blinded? I'll be your eyes. Lose your arms? Your arms! Goddess jealous of our love and smites us? Hell together's paradise!"
"Julietta, my love! Swear this burning passion eternal by the sun. Yourless world? Can't even breathe a sip... ugh, your breath shortage suffocates me..."
"Remio, my sun! I'll breathe life into you! Don't die and leave me in this cold world!"
Smack smack smack smack smack smack.
An elf woman and human dude were full-on salting as a pair.
"........."
"........."
Selbia and I eyed each other, quietly backed off. Public overkill sweetness? Nuisance. Dial it back.
That queue looked like the client. Leaned on a distant wall, waiting for the skit to wrap.
Today I learned farewells can drag 30 minutes.
Sad must part cuz meeting someone but yourless time agony—stretching every woe into noodle-length sobs.
30 minutes of cringe hell later, the guy finally split. Got to link with the elf client at last.
"Second thought, we weren't that bad, so we're good."
"...True."
Post-cringe-distance, we closed the gap again. Plopped side-by-side opposite the letter-sending elf client.
Medieval fantasy teahouse. Dead quiet, no patrons—prime chat spot, hence the pick.
The elf slurped her green-tea-ish brew, greeted deadpan.
"Hey, human."
"...Way calmer than before?"
"Treating a lover same as randos? Read the letter?"
"Ah, yeah."
Recapped mentally. Elf torn between fam and beau over wild elf emotional bonds.
Skip bond ritual? Exiled from community. They glue tight by baring souls fully.
Bond up? That insane love tsunami floods the elf net.
Rock and hard place.
Why unnoticed till now?
Wild elves holed up forest-closed, minimal outies. Post-Irid world-tree sapling hole-poking, worse.
Human love hits, trumps fam? Sever bond, go plain elf.
Too hostile for double dip.
But wild elf groups mingling humans now—maybe love sans sever?
That hope sparked the letter.
Tricky.
"........."
Quick sim: Disaster potential huge. Whole community rabidly simping one soul.
Mad crow case? I dialed down—idol-fan vibes, so rangers hesitate fire, no mob rush.
Full-throttle love? Elf harem apocalypse. Dude craves apple, tribe peels orchard.
Muttered unbidden.
"Harem pure love... Ack!"
Selbia thigh-pinched under table. Hated the phrase.
Probed client for deets.
"Boyfriend love scale?"
"Ah, Remio! For him, my life gladly. Still recall first meet. Bad humans threatened me, Remio swooped, saved—"
"Backstory skip. But family split's the dilemma."
"Bond-cut = death. Many-as-one, solo unimaginable..."
Arms crossed, head lolled back, counted ceiling grain thinking. Elf passion deep, wild bonds deeper as expected.
Share minds/memories: Storybook Perfect Understander.
Knows my innards raw, grasps my feels flawless—deeper than Yuria even.
Both kill-worthy precious, no pick. No both-way. Hence letter.
Tough nut.
Simplest: Ditch one. Which nets elf more? Kicked debate with Selbia.
"Raw gains? Dump dude."
"Heartbreak fix? Connected elves = love spread, so breakup pain spreads too."
"Fair. Tribe pillow-hugging midnight reunion-letter blues fest. Love-yank? Inhumane."
"Brainwash diff? Me, bro rejects heart-rip... but no erase. Pain matches cherish."
Spot on. Dodge feels = wrong. Journey lesson. Flipside.
"Ditch tribe? Unstable af, cling lover filling fam-void."
"Void-happy = happy end? I ditched red tower for bro."
"But fever fades, split... double loss. Defy folks marry, divorce, fam-awkward."
"Rejoin then! Bonds reconnect, forest wild-elf redux."
Ex-simp sorrow floods tribe then.
Indiv/group blur = headache. Elf/wild split clicks.
Aha.
"Nailed it. No filter prob. Emotion floods tribe wholesale. Cap personal upload to elf server... 10%?"
"Kills Perfect Understander? Elves diverge, misreads, fights."
"Aigoo my head..."
Tweak ratio? Or pick? Harem pure love canon?
Groan-stuck, Selbia refresh-needed. Queried elf.
"This... Remio in loop? Wild elf links."
"Yup, told him. Said, 'Get chummy with fam, love fine.' Promised treat 'em well. So sweet?"
Dude's game: Schmooze insta-huge in-laws for love.
"Hmm...?"
Nod-accepted, Selbia head-tilt. Skewer-rat-realize face.
"Hold up bro, side chat."
Elf-apology, secluded nook no-earshot.
She spilled the unease straight.
"...Off, right?"
"Where?"
"Full explain assumed. Whole tribe might simp him."
"Yup. Rude to others? Fam rift... he'll man up, cover 'em."
"That's the off. Greenlighting mass approaches for 'love'."
Hm?
"Bro. Pretend Violet Tower Master and I besties. Accept my confess cuz?"
"......Nah?"
Suddenly vibe-shifty. Dark thoughts brew. Something rotten.
Love sleuth Selbia eyes gleamed.
"Gotta probe the dude."
Phase two: Investigate.