The Blasphemous Words of the Elf Princess
Those words weren't said to me, goddess.
〘Hmph. Don't act so arrogant. The larvae clinging to trees.〛
〘W-what? 〛
Helia hesitated for a moment, as if surprised I could speak, but then erupted in fury and screamed.
Whoa, calm down for a second.
Before that, maybe I should try to smooth out this expression of mine?
I had no intention of doing so, yet my brows were tightly furrowed in a vicious scowl.
I struggled desperately to soften my face, but it only proved how angry I was, with no sign of it easing up at all.
What kind of crazy correction is this?! I had clearly said “Thanks for the important info, thank you!” just moments ago. Why was this coming out?
I was about to open my mouth to apologize for my earlier words, but once I did, the first thing that spilled out made my head spin even more.
“I didn’t block your path. You came to where I am. If I’m standing here, you bugs should get out of my way and leave on your own.”
〘This insolent……! 〛
My blood pressure must be skyrocketing. Goddess Iriel, what kind of filter did you install?!
I had definitely been about to apologize, yet this body was using such arrogant words to stir up more anger? How ridiculous.
It was enough to drive me insane, but there was no way I could retract the words I had already spat out.
Helia was already seething with rage, and even the elf coachman glared at me with pure fury.
If this were my original body, I would have collapsed from the killing intent stabbing at me.
But the body I was in now, under correction, simply snorted and brushed the killing intent aside with casual ease.
〘I have no choice…… so I’ll just run away…? 〛
Since I had already learned the information, I immediately tried to flee.
But before that, an arrow shot straight toward my forehead from inside the carriage.
Argh, damn it, I’m screwed.
〘* * * 〛
The sacred kingdom of Moonsgard, hidden deep within the vast forest.
In that place stood the one genius princess worthy of being called a wonder.
Among the three princesses of the kingdom, she was judged the most exceptional—the third princess.
From childhood, with her brilliant mind, she had completed all education by age eight.
At ten years old, her archery skill already surpassed that of regular guards.
She was truly a prodigy from the start—the name of this princess was Riana Sel Moonsgard.
And Helia was her devoted knight.
She had served her since childhood, watching the princess’s greatness with her own eyes from a distance.
That was why Helia took pride in her duty as a knight protecting Riana, dreaming of one day becoming her personal knight and giving everything to her.
After fifteen years as a knight of Moonsgard, the time had finally come for Riana to leave for study at Lua Academy in the human kingdom that had formed the alliance against the demon races threatening all races of the continent.
Lua Academy, built in the human kingdom of the alliance, was the gathering place for geniuses from the allied kingdoms—a place of learning.
Therefore, when the children of Moonsgard reached fifteen and were eligible for academy admission, they always set out for study there.
Though it was an alliance, humans were always ugly and filthy creatures.
While staying at the academy for the entrance ceremony, Riana needed someone to endure their filth in her place.
Helia had proudly offered herself.
The past fifteen years had not been wasted.
Somehow, Helia had honed her skills to stay close to Riana, never missing opportunities to appeal to the princess.
And her efforts paid off.
Riana gladly permitted Helia to accompany her.
〘Yes! Yes! Yes! 〛
How happy I was when I was chosen as her escort knight.
Helia still cherished the memory of that day.
Only one escort was allowed on the journey to Lua Academy.
In other words, the only one who could stay beside Riana was Helia herself.
She had made her inner vow.
〘I will protect Princess Riana with all my power, no matter what. So that I can stand forever at her side. 〛
And the opportunity to prove her existence came faster than Helia imagined.
While walking beside the carriage carrying Riana, Helia spotted a human woman with fiery red hair standing right in the middle of the road.
This road was the path of the royal family—Riana herself.
So Helia boldly stepped forward and shouted at the human woman.
〘Hey! You! How dare you block the path of Her Highness, Princess of the sacred kingdom of Moonsgard, the Elf Kingdom?! Do you want to die?! 〛
It was a line she had always wanted to say once in her life.
She never thought she would actually say it for real one day.
After venting her long-held desire, Helia felt the reality of escorting the princess and trembled slightly with excitement.
But when she heard the human woman’s reply, Helia froze solid.
〘Don’t act so arrogant. The larvae clinging to trees. I didn’t block your path. You came to where I am. If I’m standing here, you bugs should get out of my way and leave on your own. 〛
Helia immediately doubted her ears.
She had never heard such words in her entire life.
But seeing the human woman looking back at her with a smirk, Helia realized the words she had heard were real.
〘This insolent……! 〛
How shameless could a woman be?! Even after hearing she was royalty, she spoke like that!
Helia narrowed her brows and felt volcanic rage rising at the human woman who glared back at her.
If it had only been an insult to herself, she wouldn’t have been this furious.
But the words spoken by a human insulted the entire elf race—blasphemy against the species.
So Helia reached for her sword to rush at her.
Before she could, something sliced through the wind beside Helia’s face and shot toward the human woman’s forehead.
And the human woman quickly drew the sword at her waist and slashed at the incoming object.
Ting──!
She had drawn the sword roughly without proper stance and swung it wildly.
Yet the object coming toward her was cleanly sliced in two and fell to the ground.
〘Incredible skill…… But what is that…? 〛
Helia hadn’t even properly seen what had passed beside her.
The human woman had drawn her sword the instant the object flew toward her.
Only later did Helia realize the halved object was an arrow.
She was a knight who used a sword, and the coachman had no combat ability.
So the one who could shoot arrows was only one person.
And as soon as Helia finished her reasoning, the carriage door opened and a girl stepped out.
〘Princess Riana?! It’s dangerous! Leave this to me and get inside……! 〛
〘Step back, Helia. Even if I can, I wanted to stay quietly inside the carriage. But hearing their words so calmly, these humans look down on us elves. 〛
Riana had sky-blue hair the color of clear sky, with golden eyes gleaming ominously.
Riana Sel Moonsgard.
Riana held the World Tree Bow passed down through the generations of the elf royal family in one hand and drew an arrow to the string, aiming at the human woman.
〘My father said humans are overflowing with arrogant attitudes in the outer world, but I never imagined that even the first human I meet would be such a creature. However, I am Riana Sel Moonsgard, a princess of the royal family. Even though it’s the shame of my race, if you kneel now and calmly confess your sins to ask for forgiveness, my vast tolerance will grant you one chance. 〛
〘How filthy of you. 〛
〘What…? 〛
Riana looked quite angry, yet as a princess she hadn’t forgotten her education and was still offering another opportunity.
Seeing that, Helia nearly shed tears of emotion.
But when the human woman’s words cut off Riana’s, the tears that had formed disappeared instantly.
How had this crazy human dared to reject the second chance given by the princess?!
Helia turned to the human woman with pure madness in her eyes.
The woman she had drawn her sword and was about to draw it back into its sheath and continued speaking.
〘I had a pleasant moment recently, but you all completely ruined it. You seem to be heading toward the Fhara Kingdom. If we meet again, that will be an unfortunate encounter. Today I’ll let it pass, but if you annoy me again next time, you should be prepared. 〛
This insolent! Who the hell is speaking to whom right now?!
Helia clutched her dizzying head, feeling her blood boil.
But the human woman paid no attention at all and simply turned away as if she was really heading to the Fhara Kingdom.
Naturally, Riana, whose head was also burning with rage, immediately shot the arrow she had aimed at the retreating human woman.
Unlike the time it had been knocked down by the sword, this time the woman didn’t even turn her body.
She simply reached out with her hand and caught the flying arrow, snapping it in two.
〘What?! 〛
〘Impossible! 〛
She caught a flying arrow with her bare hands and snapped it?!
Helia and Riana were left speechless in shock at the impossible scene.
But the person who had created this abnormal spectacle dropped the broken arrow from her hand.
Unlike the relaxed atmosphere moments ago, she turned her eyes toward them and radiated killing intent that far surpassed Helia’s.
Kuuu───
〘K…uuh……? 〛
〘Aaaah……! 〛
It felt as if a giant hand was pressing down on my entire body.
No, this wasn’t killing intent.
Killing intent only released the will to kill based on the user’s skill.
But the weight pressing on us didn’t contain any killing intent.
It was simply the overwhelming difference in strength.
When a rabbit is thrown in front of a lion, it trembles from fear—that was all.
Was there such a vast gap between me and that human woman?
Helia tried to deny it with all her might, but when her eyes met the human woman’s direct gaze, she immediately lowered hers.
〘If you interfere once more, I will seriously cut you down then. 〛
And a voice like scraping nails came from the lowered eyes.
But Helia, though she couldn’t see the face directly, supported her body under the pressure and blocked the way in front of Riana, who was trembling in fear just like her.
Even if I die, I will protect Princess Riana’s body.
However, the human woman showed no intention of fighting.
After finishing her words, she turned her head again, took a few more steps, and then leaped, vanishing in an instant.
As if the situation just now had been a lie, as if she had never been there at all.
The only thing left was slightly disturbed dust on the ground, proving that what had happened moments ago was real.
〘Hah…… Kaelk! Kaha…… 〛
〘Princess! Are you all right?! 〛
And after a moment of silence following the human woman’s disappearance, Riana finally took a deep breath and collapsed to the ground.
Helia rushed over in worry at the sudden sight of Riana fallen, but Riana raised a hand to stop her.
Then she let out a smirk and stood up with trembling legs.
〘I heard there was a strong person among humans who could be compared to our elves’ heroes, but I never imagined there would be someone like that. 〛
Riana looked as if she was reminiscing about a story she had heard once.
Since she was royalty, she had studied history about other races thoroughly.
But she had never seen such a powerful being.
According to Riana, the strongest human was either the Pope of the temple worshipping the goddess Iriel or the commander of the Fhara Kingdom’s knight order.
Yet for some reason, she felt that even they couldn’t match the human from just now.
〘No, there’s no way. 〛
No history book recorded anyone surpassing them.
Moreover, she herself hadn’t even met those two humans directly.
It was just that she was weak at the moment, and the human from before was strong.
So Riana quietly gnawed at the bitter feeling of defeat that had risen too late.
If the day came when they met again, she would make sure to pay the price for insulting the elves and herself.
〘I will make you regret giving such humiliation to Riana to the bone…… 〛
Riana swallowed the words and climbed back into the carriage.
She still had to enter Lua Academy soon and increase her studies for the future she had promised.
And it turned out that her promise wouldn’t last even three days.