Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: An Elf's First Stirrings
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Yuris glanced at Reina, who was plastered to her side and refusing to let go.
"It's a human-made village, huh? Inferior species built a teleport gate—pretty clever method, but getting exposed to mana this frequently would probably leave a weak human bedridden for days."
She clicked her tongue at the sight of the teleport gate building.
"The state of the roads is appalling. Can't even manage something this basic. Without Sir Yuris, they wouldn't have stood a chance against the demonkin."
She shook her head at the paved streets of the city.
"Everyone here's so weak. All of them are leagues below us elves. Bragging about numbers is something orcs and goblins do, isn't it?"
She even sneered down at the humans.
"Ah, of course, Sir Yuris is the exception. You're nobility among humans—an existence far too beautiful to compare to them. So don't take my words to heart. Though if you were an elf instead of human, you'd be several times stronger."
And yet she casually tossed out words of respect for Yuris.
How could an elf call humans an inferior species and respect one in the same breath?
It was beyond Yuris's comprehension.
She vaguely understood why elves were such a hard race to figure out.
'I get why Her Majesty the Empress despises elves so much.'
But she had no intention of wasting breath arguing about it.
"Could you introduce me to a bit more of human society? Now that I'm in the Empire, I want to see as much as possible."
Though there was no direct physical contact, Reina stayed right by Yuris's side, showing no signs of pulling away.
"...My duty is to escort Lady Reina to Her Majesty the Empress. Don't expect anything more."
"...Weren't you different before?"
"Pardon?"
"Back when I saw you on the battlefield, you seemed more passionate, like a lone wolf charging ahead."
That was true.
On the battlefield, she couldn't afford the slightest lapse in vigilance, so she was always on edge.
Plus, as the on-site commander, she held nearly absolute authority, so there was no need to seek out the Emperor.
Her actions were the Empress's will.
"But there's no war now."
"..."
"Without war, even the fieriest warrior cools off eventually."
And right now, Yuris...
'There's no need to cling to war anymore.'
Hadn't she found something better than victory?
Sometimes, losing wasn't so bad—she was feeling that keenly these days.
The Hall of Illusions, Max's shop, was where she'd planned to visit during her day off.
Thinking of Max made her face flush bright red.
"..."
Lost in memories of what Max had done to her, she failed to notice Reina staring right through her.
"I see. So if war breaks out, you'll return to that passionate self?"
At the question, Yuris looked at Reina.
"No. I've learned from countless wars that charging like a lone wolf isn't always the answer."
The reason Yuris had always been the Goddess of Victory was her flexible tactical thinking and strategic insight.
The Yuris from her early battles was gone from this world now.
"Is that so?"
"We should hurry. If we dawdle longer, we won't make it into the palace."
"Hmm, let's sightsee a bit more. This place seems more fun than that boring palace."
"Sigh... Fine."
What a bothersome elf.
And perhaps because she was spending time with such an elf...
Yuris felt every moment without Max was painfully wasted.
"This city is fascinating too. Let's look around a little more before the gate?"
Thanks to Reina dragging her feet, by the time Yuris finally arrived in the capital with her, the sun had fully set.
"...We can't go to the palace now. They don't receive guests at this hour."
Yuris let out a sigh at Reina's question.
"Tell me about it. Whose fault is the delay?"
"Sorry. But I'll cover the best lodging money can buy instead."
"Is that why you stalled?"
"Yep. I'm not interested in the palace. Truth is, I just wanted to tour the human world with you, Sir Yuris."
"Didn't you just call humans an inferior species?"
"It's the truth, isn't it?"
"..."
Yuris sighed at what felt like talking to a brick wall.
"Do as you please. I'll book the lodging and head back."
"Why? Didn't you promise to escort me all the way to the palace? This isn't the palace yet. Or are you planning to abandon your duty midway?"
Even so, heading to the palace at this late hour was impossible.
The Imperial Palace only received outsiders while the sun was up.
Unless it was urgent, the gates never opened after sunset—that was the rule.
It meant the only time one could approach the Empire's sun, the Emperor, was while the sun itself shone.
If you weren't already inside, entering anew from outside was out of the question.
Not even for Yuris.
"Sigh... Are you really planning to follow me the whole time?"
"Yes. That's why I came, remember?"
"..."
An utterly unshakeable elf.
As Yuris pondered what to do, Max popped into her head.
What if she showed the elf something she'd hate?
'Showing her Max's theater isn't ideal...'
But she was an elf anyway.
An elf with zero interest in humans.
It should be fine to let her see the place.
Sure, it'd be a little embarrassing, but necessary to shake off this clingy leech.
Decision made, Yuris hurried toward Max's Hall of Illusions.
Of course, she never expected Max to come out bare-chested.
'Nice view.'
Yuris was glad she'd come here.
"...So you want the one-hour course?"
"Yes. But since it's embarrassing in a public space, I'd prefer a sealed room."
"We can do that. The elf who came with you... the guest can wait in the lounge. And we can drape a curtain to prevent any exposure."
"Good to hear."
Reina had no clue what this conversation was about.
This was the shop Yuris had suddenly dragged her to.
A shop where a man greeted customers bare-chested?
She'd heard humans had places to buy and sell sex.
Men or women trading with the opposite sex?
To satisfy overflowing carnal lusts, apparently.
'Yuris doing something so depraved?'
She was human, so maybe.
But it was still shocking to Reina.
Elves barely had any sexual desire.
For them, it wasn't physical lust.
It was closer to a craving for spiritual communion.
Satisfaction depended on how deeply they connected mentally with their partner.
Not mere chit-chat, but embracing each other's bodies while sharing secrets no one else could hear—that resolved it.
Pregnancy happened in the process, but elves didn't carry babies in the womb like humans. They planted the spiritual seed born between them, called the 'Elga-Seed,' beside the World Tree.
The Elga-Seed then grew with the World Tree's blessing—that was their standard reproduction.
So for elves, a partner's gender didn't matter for sexual desire.
Male or female, irrelevant.
Unlike other races, it wasn't all man-woman couples.
For a high elf like Reina to harbor feelings beyond admiration for the noble Yuris... it was almost inevitable.
She'd heard humans spread rumors that elves were a race obsessed with orc cocks.
Ridiculous.
As if elves, not in heat like beasts, would crave such a loathsome species.
They even despised humans as inferior.
'Barbarian humans.'
That was why Reina loathed them.
She found it revolting how they fabricated and consumed their own fantasies about elves.
Anyway, right now Yuris seemed about to indulge human carnality in front of her.
Her demeanor had changed after seeing that man called Max.
'She said she had no one she liked.'
-I, I have no idea what you mean. Someone I like? I, I'm a body devoted to the Empire.
Reina recalled Yuris's words at the forest border.
Was that a lie?
'Yuris is human after all.'
Disappointing?
No, not at all.
If anything, it was more astonishing that she maintained her nobility despite having such human instincts.
It just soured her mood that the man in question was a lowly inferior species greeting customers half-naked.
'It's fine. If I spend a few days with Yuris, she'll forget that vulgar guy quick.'
"But one hour? The show might not satisfy."
"...Can't you do it?"
"We can. Of course, we can make arrangements for the customer."
"Th-that's a relief."
Reina couldn't make heads or tails of their talk.
What were they even saying?
And what did "going" mean?
"Yuris. Are you planning to leave me alone and go somewhere?"
Yuris shook her head at Reina's sudden interruption.
"No. This is just stress relief. I meant to come here on my day off today but couldn't, so now I am. You're not heading straight to the palace anyway."
"But you said 'going'..."
"It's not like that. Just wait in the lounge. We'll head to lodging after."
"..."
What was this?
It was an incomprehensible realm to an elf like her.
"Fine."
Since they'd crossed into the Empire, Reina had no power to force Yuris.
Doing so would surely make Yuris dislike her, so she held back.
"But we definitely go to lodging after this."
"Sure."
Yuris nodded eagerly, her face full of anticipation, then entered a spacious room curtained off.
Waiting in the lounge, Reina heard it.
"Oooh! Haaah!!!"
"I-I'm cumming! Cumming!!!"
"S-Sorry, Master!!"
Yuris's beastly moans.
'Is that Yuris's voice?'
No way...
The wet, sloppy sounds and her nonstop groans.
Worried something was wrong, Reina fidgeted.
"I-It's... all done... Haah, haah... G-Gonna wash up, so head back..."
She saw Yuris stumble out.
Reina unconsciously clenched her thighs and bit her lip at Yuris's piercing scent.
It was weird.
A feeling she'd never known.
A lewd sensation pounded in Reina's heart.
Her gaze locked on Yuris's dazed, slack face.
She kept staring at that strangely expressive visage.
A desire welled up to see that face forever.
A first-time emotion.
'What... is this?'
Reina squirmed as she waited for Yuris.
Until she finished washing up completely.
Even on the way back to the hotel, Reina couldn't erase that expression from her mind.
Was that why?
"Yuris..."
Gazing at the soundly sleeping Yuris, Reina wondered how anyone could ruin such a beautiful face.
'That man...'
Max, was it?
She'd pay him a visit.
Clutching her pounding jealousy and an unidentified strange feeling, she stepped into the night.