Chapter 292: The Sin of Greed (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 292: The Sin of Greed (3)
"……Magrina?"
"Ah."
Magrina had fallen silent while staring at Elivan.
When Alon looked at her with a puzzled expression, she blinked once and regained her composure, offering an awkward smile as if snapping out of a trance.
"Yes? Is something the matter, Brother?"
"No, you just seemed to daze off for a moment."
"Ah—it’s just that he looks a bit like someone I know. But—"
Magrina paused, looking at Elivan once more.
"It seems I was mistaken."
She gave a small shake of her head.
"Ahaha—I do get that quite often," Elivan replied with a cheerful laugh.
Alon thought to himself, There’s another guy out there who looks like this? but he simply nodded. Considering that elves were essentially born beautiful, it wasn't far-fetched to think there might be someone with a similar face.
Alon watched for a moment as Elivan began conversing with Magrina as if he had been waiting for the chance.
"So, you've come all this way on his recommendation."
"That is correct."
Having learned the full story of how he arrived, Magrina welcomed Elivan with her usual gentle smile.
"Then please, make yourself at home."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Myu, please show them to their quarters."
"Understood."
Immediately after Myu led Elivan away, Alon spoke up.
"Magrina."
"Yes, Brother?"
"Have you really seen Elivan before?"
Alon asked once more. No matter how he thought about it, Elivan’s appearance wasn't exactly common. To put it bluntly, he was exceptionally handsome even by elven standards.
Because her earlier reaction weighed on his mind, he pressed the issue, but she lightly brushed it off.
"Hmm—no, I think it was just a simple misunderstanding."
"A misunderstanding?"
"Yes."
Magrina denied it casually. As Alon nodded, she shifted her gaze toward Historia.
"More importantly—an old friend has arrived."
"Hello."
"It’s been a long time."
"Indeed."
"How have you been?"
"Not bad."
It was a curt, brief exchange for people with a long history. Yet, just as Alon was marveling at how the two seemed to communicate perfectly despite the brevity—
"Oh, and Brother."
"Yes?"
"I haven't met the other two yet. Could you introduce them?"
Magrina pointed gracefully toward where Seolrang and Ladan were standing.
Realizing he had forgotten to introduce them, Alon cleared his throat and spoke.
"This is Seolrang."
"Hey."
"And this is Ladan."
"Nice to meet you."
Seolrang had a grumpy expression, unlike her usual energetic self, and Ladan gave a curt response. Their behavior was excessively rude for people addressing the queen of a nation, but Magrina smiled as if she didn't mind at all.
"Seolrang, Ladan. I am well aware of your reputations."
She then began to recite information about them as if she had done her research beforehand.
"Seolrang, the Babayaga of the Colony. And Ladan, the Great Pirate. It is a pleasure to meet you both."
Alon looked quite surprised by Magrina's words. While such information was easy enough to find elsewhere, it shouldn't have been for Magrina. Greinif had no formal exchange with the United Kingdoms. This meant Magrina had gone through the trouble of gathering information from the outside on her own.
"Thank you for always helping my brother."
Ladan shook his head at Magrina's words of gratitude.
"I only did what was natural."
"That's right. He's my Mentor," Seolrang added immediately.
However.
"No. Even if you were helped by my brother first, you are still 'strangers.' Acting the way you do is quite a difficult thing."
"?"
"?"
A strange sense of doubt flickered across Ladan and Seolrang’s faces at Magrina’s words, but before they could say anything—
"I look forward to your continued support of my brother," Magrina said, nodding slightly as if driving in a final stake.
The two were momentarily stunned. Seolrang still hadn't quite grasped the situation, but Ladan, who was a bit quicker on the uptake, realized this was a subtle battle of nerves.
...To be honest, it was a bit childish. But it was a fight they couldn't afford to lose.
"Hey, I think you've got the wrong idea... The Boss and I, we're like family, you get it?"
"Yeah!"
As Ladan immediately fired back, Seolrang finally caught on and chimed in vigorously. However, Magrina covered her mouth with her hand as if finding it amusing.
"Oh, I am well aware that you two are like family to him. I'm sure my brother thinks of you that way as well."
"...?"
"?"
Ladan and Seolrang were left bewildered by the sudden shift in atmosphere. Just as they were wondering if they had misread the tension—
Creeak—
Magrina immediately made a request to Myu, who had just returned after showing Elivan to his room.
"Myu, could you show these two to their rooms as well?"
"Understood."
Ladan and Seolrang turned around with awkward expressions, and Alon started to follow them.
"Ah, Brother, you need to stay."
"Do you have something else to say?"
"No, it's just that you are now officially a member of the Royal Family."
"Is that so...?"
"Yes."
Magrina caught Alon’s arm.
"Now that we are family, I can't have you staying in a 'guest' room."
She gave a bright smile.
"!"
"!"
Seolrang and Ladan whipped their heads back toward Magrina as if they had just reached a grand realization.
"Then, please rest well."
Magrina waved her hand, gracefully dismissing them.
"Mentor! Let's just get married after all!?"
Ignoring the dismissal, Seolrang came charging back and grabbed Alon’s hand tightly.
"Hmph—marriage into royalty isn't something spoken of so lightly. There is such a thing as social rank, after all."
"Mentor doesn't care about stuff like that!"
"Even if my brother doesn't care, there are proper procedures."
"You're talking about proper procedures when you're the one not following them!"
"Me?"
"Yeah! You're hundreds of years older than him, so how is he your 'Brother'!!"
"......Hah?"
A bit of a commotion began to break out.
...Just a bit.
...It's just a bit, right?
Alon thought to himself as he watched Magrina’s face, which had suddenly turned chillingly cold.
* * *
In the end, Alon was given separate quarters. It was under the pretext that as a member of the Royal Family, he could no longer stay in the guest rooms.
In truth, Alon didn't particularly care where he slept. However, since he held the public status of royalty—even if it was honorary—he decided to follow Magrina’s lead without complaint.
And the next day.
He woke up.
He woke up, but...
"He-here it is."
"Right."
"I shall assist you with your bath."
"No, it's fine. I'll handle it myself."
"Then I shall prepare your meal immediately—"
...To be honest, there wasn't a specific point of discomfort. In fact, physically speaking, the treatment Alon received had improved significantly. The reason Alon felt a sense of unease deep down was—
"How would you like your food prepared?"
It was because of the elves' excessive behavior.
Alon knew. He knew that since he had become royalty, his treatment would naturally change.
But.
Are they really... this subservient?
Alon had actually expected to be subtly looked down upon. While humans didn't trade elves in slave markets in this world, humans were still a race that elves found difficult to like.
Yet, as if mocking Alon’s expectations, the elves were incredibly kind. No, beyond kind—
"......It's fine."
"A-Are you truly alright?"
"I'm really fine."
"Did I perhaps do something wrong...?"
"......"
They almost seemed to be feeling fear.
...Did I do something?
Alon briefly retraced his past actions. But since he hadn't really interacted with the elves much, his confusion only grew. Recalling what Magrina had said yesterday, he headed toward the audience chamber.
"Ah, Marquis."
"Elivan."
Alon ran into Elivan, who was standing in front of the audience chamber.
"Are you here to see Magrina?"
"Yes, I have some information I need to hear."
After a short conversation with Elivan, who still wore his ever-present, energetic smile, Alon entered the audience chamber and met Magrina.
"Welcome, Brother. And Elivan."
Alon yielded the floor to Elivan.
"You go first."
Elivan bowed his head in thanks.
"I have something to ask regarding things other than the Strange Gates. Would that be possible?"
He began to pose his questions to Magrina.
After some time had passed, Alon picked up a peculiar piece of information from their conversation. It was the fact that Mutant Monsters were appearing near Greinif in addition to the Strange Gates.
Mutant Monsters...
In Psychedelia, he knew that mutants could be created through the Divine Possession phenomenon when an Outer God appeared—excluding Abyss Bodies—and they also appeared when an Apostle manifested.
While he was thinking about the mutants.
"I've heard everything I needed to. I'll get to work on the tasks immediately, and I'll come by tonight to ask the rest."
Elivan concluded the conversation and exited first, followed by Alon’s question.
"Magrina."
"Yes, Brother?"
"Are Mutant Monsters appearing?"
"Hmm—yes, there have been a few reports recently."
"What kind are they?"
Magrina shook her head.
"I'm not entirely sure yet. I've only heard a few reports that mutants have appeared. We don't have the details yet."
"I see."
"But I've sent the Black Leaves to the areas where they were sighted, so we'll know soon enough."
Promising to revisit that topic later, Alon moved on to the main point after a few more words.
"......How is the seal?"
The reason Alon had sought out Magrina today was to ask about Line’s seal.
"There don't seem to be any major issues yet. The part you were worried about last time is fine as well."
"That's a relief."
"It's only a few days away now."
Alon nodded at Magrina’s murmur. It had finally arrived. The day he could release Line from her seal.
"......I hope nothing goes wrong."
Alon muttered quietly, barely audible to those around him.
* * *
That night.
Magrina was quietly watching the moon and the Milky Way illuminate the ground from her room. Sensing a presence, she slowly turned around.
"Hello?"
Elivan was there. He had entered Magrina’s private chambers and was greeting her calmly.
"The guards—"
"Don't worry. I didn't touch anyone. I have no intention of causing trouble."
Elivan answered with a wide smile before she could even finish her sentence. Magrina watched him for a moment before asking nonchalantly.
"By the way, are you finished with your work? I heard you went out this morning to deal with a Strange Gate."
"Of course not. These things take time, after all."
The conversation felt superficial. Magrina didn't bother asking how Elivan had managed to enter her room in the middle of the night. Elivan also answered Magrina’s question without much thought.
However.
"Is that so? That's strange—I thought you would have finished early."
"And why is that?"
"Because—"
Magrina took a step closer.
"You've been living for hundreds of years while hiding your strength, haven't you? I assumed you'd naturally have that much power."
She dropped the revelation as if it were nothing.
"......"
Elivan fell silent.
"Am I wrong?"
She asked again with a serene smile.
"My, my. It seems there's no point in playing dumb anymore."
A quiet voice echoed through the room. Elivan’s blue eyes glowed faintly, catching the light of the night sky.