Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The High Elf's Wager
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"Huu."
After showing Yuris her one-hour illusion video and finishing the cleanup, I smacked my lips.
'Is she already this hooked to come at such a late hour?'
Honestly, I hadn't expected her to show up so late out of the blue.
The empire referred to the emperor as the sun, and nearly all public officials handled their duties only while the sun was up—that was the empire's custom.
It wasn't enshrined in law, but there was an unspoken rule that at night, beyond the reach of the emperor's grace, public officials refrained from work unless they were patrols, knights, or guards.
'That said, not everything shuts down at night.'
Taverns, restaurants, and plenty of non-official jobs kept going after sunset, but most civil servants clocked out.
I'd heard the Imperial Knights were especially strict about it.
They avoided nighttime outdoor schedules unless they had on-duty shifts, missions, or training scheduled by the order itself.
'And of all people, Yuris struck me as the one who'd stick to those rules the tightest.'
I really hadn't seen this late visit coming.
Even back when she'd dropped by after our victory in the mock battle against the 2nd Knight Order, the sun had still been up.
Sure, it had set by the time she left, but she had some flexibility.
"It's great that she's hooked on our videos, but if she gets too deep into it, that'll be a problem."
With Yuris's mental fortitude, it was unlikely, but people who overused illusion magic sometimes struggled to distinguish fantasy from reality.
I couldn't just stand by if my illusions ended up harming a customer's health.
'I'll manage the dosage myself, but better safe than sorry.'
Of course, I didn't think the current Yuris would run into that issue.
Still.
'Bringing someone who looks like an imperial palace guest to my shop is a bit concerning.'
That woman had appeared to be an elf.
A noble elf, at that.
She was clearly here as the emperor's guest for some reason or other.
And yet she'd brought someone like that to a place like this.
'I did soundproof the place, at least.'
But those sensitive elven ears must have picked up on it anyway.
"Ooooooh! Ooht! Huuuuuut!!!"
Yuris's symphony of moans as she climaxed wildly.
Just one hour.
Even without actual sex—just from caressing—she'd left with a refreshed, thoroughly satisfied look on her face.
A woman who had once been the empire's Goddess of Victory, dragging an important guest along to indulge in such debauchery.
"She's already reached the boundary point, hasn't she?"
Way faster than I'd anticipated.
Or maybe there was some reason she absolutely had to bring that elf along.
'I have no idea.'
I was mulling it over as I lay down to sleep when—
Knock knock knock.
I doubted my ears at the sound rapping on the door.
"Who'd come at a time like this...?"
It was already past 12—midnight had just ticked over.
A customer visiting the shop at this hour?
That ruled out any ordinary imperial citizen, for sure.
Everyone should've been heading home by now, and even the taverns and red-light districts would be winding down.
Which meant...
'Burglar?'
Nah.
The aura wafting in from beyond the door was far too pure and pristine to belong to a thief.
No way it'd knock so politely, either.
"That elf from earlier."
It was the kind of energy that cleared the mind just by sensing it.
I threw on a gown to cover myself and headed to the door.
There stood...
"I've been waiting a while. Inferior species."
A platinum-blonde elf beauty, arms crossed, glaring daggers at me.
"...What brings you here?"
"I have some questions."
"Why come all the way here so late at night?"
"What the hell did you do to Lady Yuris?"
"Pardon?"
"Why would a knight as noble as her come crawling to you for something as base as sexual desire?"
"......"
What was this about?
"Lady Yuris isn't some inferior species like you—she's a superior being. Just like us elves. I can't believe she'd seek you out to satisfy her lust."
Yuris was impressive, no doubt.
The embodiment of the empire's victories.
But what did that have to do with visiting my shop?
"You think I wouldn't notice? What went on inside that barrier of yours?"
"I didn't assume you wouldn't."
So that's what had her worried—Yuris.
"Let Yuris go. I don't know what vile trick you've used to hold her captive, but she's not someone who should be anywhere near trash like you."
"......"
Hmm, easier said than done.
How was I supposed to explain that I wasn't holding her—she was coming of her own accord?
She'd never buy the truth.
-Crazy talk! Lady Yuris came to you on her own? Ridiculous!
I could already picture her reaction.
"Sexual desire is one of humanity's three basic needs."
"I can't comprehend it. A vulgar urge like that is basic?"
"You eat when you're hungry and breathe when you're suffocating. Sexual desire builds up the same way, and eventually, you have to release it."
It was closer to reproductive instinct than plain lust, but close enough.
"...So you're saying Yuris is just some ordinary person who couldn't overcome a mere urge?"
"Yuris is human, too."
"Ha! What nonsense! Lady Yuris isn't the type to break under base desires!"
Well...
"I see it differently."
"What?"
"Desires are essential for survival—they're the driving force of life itself. Every living being has them. Even you elves, like Miss Reina."
"If you don't want your tongue cut out, you'd better shut your mouth right now."
Her expression turned fierce the moment I equated elves and humans.
"Isn't that right?"
"Of course not. Elves are a race so superior that humans shouldn't even dream of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us!"
I'd heard elves talked like that.
They had such fierce pride in their own kind that they isolated themselves in the forests to avoid mingling with others.
But voicing that would probably earn me an arrow between the eyes, so I held back.
"You have any idea how repulsive it is for me to even converse with an inferior species like you?"
"No clue. But if you're that confident, how about a little wager?"
"A wager?"
"Yeah. Prove that elves are a noble race unbound by base desires."
"So that's the best your inferior brain could come up with?"
Reina glared at me, arms still crossed.
"How do I prove it?"
"Simple. If you properly endure my illusion magic, I'll acknowledge that elves aren't slaves to desire."
"All that confidence, and it's just illusion magic?"
"It's my specialty."
"I thought you had some secret weapon. Turns out you're just a lowly illusionist. You must've snagged some weakness with underhanded tricks."
Knew she'd say something like that.
Total misunderstanding.
"Fine. I accept your wager. But if I prove it, you let Lady Yuris go. She's not for the likes of you."
"Got it. And if I win, you'll become a customer at my shop."
"...What?"
"It looks decent enough, but business has been a bit slow."
"Quick tongue on you, inferior. Fine, I'll accept. Not like I'll lose anyway."
"Then we're agreed. Come on in."
I led the smirking elf inside the shop.
I pointed to a room covered in magic circles.
"Please fill out this survey thoroughly."
"What is this...?"
"All for one illusion spell. It'll drag our elven lady into a world of desire."
"......"
She stared at the magic circles for a while.
While she was distracted, I handed her the survey sheet.
"Go ahead and write."
Her brow furrowed as she took the paper.
"Hold on."
"Yes?"
"Why's there a question about whether I'm a virgin?"
"Standard procedure. I can't exactly go popping any precious cherries in my illusions."
"...You don't mean..."
"Oh, by the way—Yuris is definitely a virgin."
"Is she now?"
"Yes."
"......"
Reina pressed her lips together.
"A pure woman after all. Just as I believed..."
But was Yuris really pure by elven standards?
Her body was untouched, sure.
'But her mind's been defiled over and over already.'
Still, virgin body meant virgin.
I wondered if that counted as a virgin by elf rules, though.
'Their standards probably demand purity of mind and body.'
Reina's expression suggested it wasn't that strict, though.
"Anyway, you'd better write your real preferences. It'll make things easier for both of us."
Faking it would just lead to headaches.
Simple reason: the magic circles could detect phony desires and go haywire.
They might dredge up all sorts of tastes in search of the real thing.
An elf probably wouldn't lie about it anyway, but still.
"Be honest."
"I know!"
She snapped, then shoved the survey back at me.
"Weird questions everywhere, but a bet's a bet—I took it seriously. Hope your magic's the real deal, too."
"Don't worry about it."
My magic was always reliable.
I checked the sheet and glanced at Reina.
'Huh?'
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
I double-checked the ideal type section.
-Who is the person you find most ideal?
-Yuris.
That was it. Just those three letters.
"...Is this all for your ideal type?"
"Got a problem with that? Something humans can't grasp?"
"No, not at all."
Too little info?
No—the Yuris she knew and the Yuris I knew were worlds apart.
Her Yuris was the invincible Goddess of Victory.
Mine was addicted to defeat.
So which Yuris should I show?
No.
Which one would the magic circles conjure?
I'd have to fine-tune that gap perfectly for her.
This was shaping up to be a high-difficulty video.
"Well, let's get started."
I snapped my fingers, and the magic circles activated.
When Reina opened her eyes again, she realized the scenery around her had changed.
The place that appeared before her was...
"A wooden bathhouse...?"
Among human-made facilities, the bathhouse was one of the few she actually liked.
Why here?