Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Reina's Anxious Journey
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Reina thought it over several times on her way to Max's Fantasy Shop.
"It's not because I like that guy."
The only place where she could have that kind of experience was there.
She was going because it was the only place where she could feel pleasure without losing her bodily purity.
It was mere curiosity about the vulgar desire to be violated by an inferior species.
"I-It's not like I want to be violated because I like it."
Muttering those words like a mantra to hypnotize herself, Reina made her way to Max's shop.
The pride of being an elf still burned deep in her heart.
Humans were inferior, elves superior. That was a given.
From mana sensitivity to spirit affinity, elves overwhelmingly surpassed humans.
Their understanding of art, the speed at which they absorbed knowledge—elves excelled in every way.
And with lifespans several times longer than humans', elves achieved feats humans could only dream of.
Elves had no sexual desire and, due to their long lives, were passive about reproduction as a race.
So, aside from their absolute low numbers, they had no flaws whatsoever.
Of course, Reina didn't see that as a flaw.
Maintaining the right numbers.
That was proof of elven superiority.
A superior race couldn't just let anyone join it.
If their numbers were three—no, even two—times higher, elves would be the ones dominating the continent right now, she was sure of it.
Exceptions like the rare irregular humans aside, elves would win every time.
"Elves have a duty to protect the forest."
That was why they didn't think of conquering the continent.
Protecting and preserving the elven forest was one of their most vital tasks.
But still.
"Hoo."
Entering the shower room, Reina felt her heart racing.
"Why am I so nervous?"
It was just curiosity, just one more experience.
Nothing big.
Why did it keep feeling like...
"Calm down."
Thump thump.
Her heart pounded with anticipation for what was to come.
Reina thrilled at the thought of experiencing something utterly impossible in elven society.
One thing she'd realized while spending time in the human world was how relentlessly fast everything moved here.
So different from the leisurely pace of elven society.
New experiences always awaited her.
They didn't always satisfy her, but the anticipation usually left her excited.
And the one that satisfied her most, naturally, was Max's illusion.
That was why she'd come again before returning to the elven forest.
"That's why... my heart is racing like this..."
She couldn't understand why her heart raced at the thought of being roughly taken by an inferior species soon.
It was just an illusion, after all.
"Is it because I asked for Max's face?"
The extra condition she'd added: Max's face.
She'd wanted to be taken by the same guy from the illusion.
Elves were famous for sticking to a chosen partner once decided.
Even if frequencies didn't match, they'd work to align them.
That was why she'd thrown herself at Yuris over and over before giving up.
Better to be taken by Max, whose face she knew, than some nameless stranger.
It wasn't because she liked him at all!
"Get a grip. It's just a fleeting pleasure... something I can't enjoy in the elven forest."
Exhaling, Reina washed her body clean, changed clothes, and stepped out.
A familiar scent tickled her nose.
"Dawn Nix."
She identified it instantly as her homeland's tea just from the smell.
"I brewed the tea you sent last time."
"Ah."
After her third visit with Yuris, Reina had sent Max this Dawn Nix as a gift.
-It's not your fault, so don't worry about it.
Written in Elvish.
Honestly, she didn't think a human would understand Elvish.
Yet she'd written the letter in Elvish anyway.
"Because an inferior species needs to at least understand Elvish to receive my encouragement."
A very Reina-like reason.
It meant a race that couldn't understand her language didn't deserve her comfort.
She'd included brewing instructions too.
"Have some. It should calm your mind before entering the illusion."
Reina took a sip of the tea Max had brewed.
"You did it right, didn't you?"
"Of course."
The soft aroma, the subtle floral notes lingering in her mouth.
Even the slight resistance as it went down her throat—it was perfect Dawn Nix tea.
She'd met a few humans in the empire who handled Dawn Nix, but Max was the first to brew it properly.
"You got it right."
Dawn Nix wasn't the type of tea that unleashed its full flavor just by steeping in hot water.
Grown on morning dew from the elven forest, it needed cold water to brew properly.
Steep the leaves in cold water for about five minutes, remove them, then boil the infused water—that was how to enjoy Dawn Nix.
Brew it straight in hot water without knowing, and the bitterness overpowered everything; you missed that signature smoothness.
Inferior species tended to think all tea had to be scalding hot.
What could you expect from inferior species?
Max replied calmly to Reina's words.
"You told me last time. Steep in cold water, then boil that water. Doing it exactly like that, it tasted great."
Reina paused at Max's words and asked.
"When did I tell you?"
"It was written in the letter with the gift."
"You... read that?"
"Yes. I read the encouraging note too."
"...I-I see."
Reina's voice softened.
She savored the tea slowly, its softness reminding her of home.
The aroma and flavor were flawless.
This wasn't a taste you could achieve just from letter instructions.
Lost in admiration, her cup emptied before she knew it.
"Well then, you've finished it. Shall we begin?"
"...Ah, y-yeah."
Reina felt her face heating up without knowing why.
"Wait a second."
Why was she like this?
Why had she been acting like this since earlier?
"Then we'll start."
"Ah, okay..."
Feeling the world shift, Reina squeezed her eyes shut.
"......"
Opening her eyes again, Reina realized she was in the Imperial Palace.
"Are you ready?"
A man in imperial robes, an unfamiliar face, waited for her.
"Who are you?"
Her voice came out icy cold.
"Have you forgotten? We're the delegation heading to the elven forest on His Majesty's orders. The gifts for the elven forest are behind us."
Even as the official explained calmly, Reina's tone didn't soften.
"Such a pointless endeavor... The treasures you inferior species hold so dear are nothing special in the Twoo Elf Forest."
"It's His Majesty's sincerity."
"Hmph. The emperor of inferior species, not my emperor."
Why was she saying this?
Contrary to her initial thoughts, venomous words kept spilling from her lips.
She felt irritated.
But she couldn't pinpoint why.
An inexplicable displeasure made her tremble with anger.
"Ahem, anyway, our procession is fully prepared. The escorts will arrive soon, and we'll depart as soon as they do."
"They still haven't arrived?"
"My apologies. For this mission, we entrusted it to the border guards handling the outer frontiers, not the regular imperial army..."
"What? You left it to some ragtag border unit without proper organization?"
"My apologies."
She didn't know why, but irritation surged.
She was furious.
She knew better than anyone that this official had done nothing wrong.
Yet her anger wouldn't subside.
Why?
Her sharp mind replayed it over and over, but no clear answer came.
That was when it happened.
"Ah, sorry. I'm a bit late."
A sloppy voice.
Dragging footsteps on the floor.
Just from the sound, she could sense the slacker—the voice of a man who reeked of unreliability. Reina scowled deeply and turned her head.
"Do inferior species have no sense of time? What kind of mindset—"
Seeing the man before her, Reina couldn't finish her sentence.
"Huh?"
Tanned bronze skin, brown hair, thick muscles.
A perfect warrior's build. Max sauntered toward her in that form.
Much taller than her, forcing her to look up naturally.
Reina found herself gazing up at Max without thinking.
Just like that time in the past when she'd knelt and looked up at him.
Gulp.
She swallowed unconsciously.
The moment she saw the man who looked just like Max, one thought filled her mind.
"This is the guy."
The one who would violate her on this journey.
Thump thump.
Imagining what was to come, her heart trembled.
"Sorry about that. But don't worry, I'll guard you properly."
Reina thought to herself at the mercenary Max's grinning words.
"Liar!"
He was going to ravage her completely!
Just like an inferior species!
"L-Let's depart."
"Got it."
Unlike before, Reina's voice came out soft as down.
Suppressing her quickening breath, she boarded the largest carriage in the center of the procession.
A dwarf-made contraption like an automobile was far too lowly for a noble elf.
Once aboard, she stole glances at the mercenary Max riding right beside her carriage, reins in hand.
Until the procession set off.