Return and Revelation (1)
The dark elf elder, Kalen Dae, who had led the survivors from the unexplored zones and elf survivors, accepted the invitation from High Priestess Ileina and became an instructor at Bria Academy.
A new department was established at the academy. Amid the Great War, the lost art of spirit arts was revived. The Spirit Arts Department was created, focused on communing with spirits existing in nature and borrowing their power to perform nature's miracles.
"Any difficulties?"
"No, yep! I'm fine…!"
"If you run into any obstacles, just call for me. I'll help with all my heart."
"Thank you!"
There were about thirty students enrolled in the Spirit Arts Department. A few were high elves, but most were elves and half-elves. Originally, Bria Academy had been a place of learning reserved solely for high elves, but they had accepted Kalen Dae's request to allow elves and half-elves into the new department, opening the doors of admission to them.
"Could you extend both hands forward?"
"T-Teacher…! Th-they keep touching…."
A small half-elf boy muttered, his face flushed beet red. An enormous sensation—H-cup—pressed against his back. The tremendous pressure of breasts that would later be dubbed Himalayan cups was rubbing against him. Every time the dark elf with her dynamite-level erotic figure pressed in from behind, her voluptuous breasts squished against him. It was a very pleasant heaviness.
The half-elf boy thought that if heaven existed, this must be it.
"Eut."
"Ughhh."
Every time the dark elf woman, exuding thick allure, passed by, the male students hunched over at the waist. To the young virgins, this older dark elf widow with a body like walking pornography was as lethal as any hazardous material. Breasts that jiggled with every movement. A slim waist without an ounce of fat and a slender, smiling gaze. And the fertile, birth-ready hips revealed every time she bent over. A bioengineered sex machine.
If Yushin Gilliard saw this, he would have been unable to hold back his admiration, saying the ultimate sex doll that enchanted men was now seducing the fresh sprouts of the Liberia Elf Kingdom.
"Let's take a short break."
Kalen spotted a silver-haired woman visible through the doorway and announced a break to the students. The silver-haired elf was Liana Linehold. An elite instructor of swordsmanship at Bria Academy and holder of the 11th warrior captain seat. Under Ileina's orders, Liana was providing various conveniences to her new colleague, Kalen Dae.
"Any troubles?"
"No, I'm good. I'm used to it."
Kalen had experience teaching children from numerous villages. That experience shone brightly at the academy. She taught so skillfully that even complete novices to spirit arts could grasp it quickly. Thanks to her, the students in the Spirit Arts Department were progressing by leaps and bounds. In just three days, most had succeeded in communing with spirits, and the top performers had even managed to summon them.
"I'm glad. You're adapting well."
"Please convey my thanks to the High Priestess."
"Of course."
"And if it's not too rude… could you tell me any news about the Diablo Slayer? Or rather… Yushin?"
"Yushin? You mean Yushin Gilliard?"
"Yes."
Liana instinctively sensed it from Kalen's blushing, tentative expression. It was the face of a woman beginning to feel affection for a man. Liana knew it well—because she had been the same with Kalen.
This philanderer, she thought. Does he have some knack for seducing elf women everywhere he goes?
Even though polygamy was openly practiced among elves due to their skewed gender ratio, Liana was starting to feel anxious as more and more elf women took a liking to Yushin.
"He's doing great, naturally."
"I saw today's newspaper. It said he's dating Ardena Valencia, the warrior captain of the Liberia Elf Kingdom and eldest daughter of the Valencia family, with marriage in mind."
"M-Marriage? Well, overall it's not wrong, but…."
Liana stammered. How much has the rumor been exaggerated?
By now, most elves believed the rumor that Ardena and the Diablo Slayer would marry soon. The marriage talk was spreading even though the parties involved were unaware. If they didn't wed soon, divorce rumors would surely start circulating. Rumors always veered to extremes.
After that day, Yushin's relationship with Ardena had grown strangely distant instead. Yushin wanted to meet Ardena. He wanted to face her and talk it out. But Ardena, unable to shake her embarrassment, lacked the courage to see him and deliberately avoided him.
The maids of Valencia Castle saw this and muttered things like, "The young lady jumped out the window again," or "Is she a warrior captain or an assassin?" They treated it nonchalantly—it was a pattern they saw all the time.
"Master, Master."
"What?"
"Congrats. Looks like things worked out with Sis."
Alonne poked Yushin's side with a mischievous grin.
Yushin made an awkward face.
"Right now Sis is embarrassed and avoiding you, Master, but it'll be fine in a few days."
"Your sister always follows this pattern?"
"Mostly when her dark history gets dug up. You know how stubborn she is, Master."
"Yeah, I know…."
Yushin shook his head with a weary expression. Stubborn as a mule. Hardheaded. Lone wolf. Inflexible high elf. Everyone knew Ardena Valencia was rigid and uncompromising. Who in the world didn't? After vowing to marry only the one who defeated her in a duel, she had preserved her chastity for over 300 years, wearing people out.
"Sorry."
"Huh? For what?"
"From your perspective, it's like I cheated on you."
"Cheated? We're not married, Master and I. You're surprisingly pure, huh."
"From a human standpoint, monogamy is the norm."
"Really? Sounds exhausting."
Monogamy was alien to elves. It made sense—elves had very lax views on chastity. One only had to see elf women lunging to mate with any superior, capable male to understand. Having survived in harsh lands, elves had discarded chastity as a chain hindering their species' prosperity.
"Oppa, where've you been?"
The blue-haired swordswoman approached. At Allen Rocksfield's arrival, Alonne's chatty mouth snapped shut. She pursed her lips tight and put distance between herself and Yushin. She might get swept up in the storm otherwise.
"Just stepped out for a bit."
"Where?"
"M-Maherith…?"
"Suspicious. You were gone half a day, not even a glimpse of you. And you went to Maherith without me?"
Allen narrowed her eyes sharply, glaring like a detective interrogating a suspect. She possessed keen instincts. Sharper and fiercer than any beast, she could sniff out lies. No ordinary fib could fool her.
But Yushin brimmed with confidence. He'd deceived Allen over a hundred times already. She was a fierce guard dog, but if you knew how to sweet-talk and soothe her perfectly, she became an easy lapdog.
"I scouted some famous high-end restaurants in Maherith. For us to go together later."
"Restaurants? Suddenly?"
"You've been fighting hard all this time. Thanks, Allen. Feels like I haven't done anything for our cute disciple."
Lies just pour out automatically, Alonne thought, staring in disbelief at Yushin's smooth excuse. How can someone be so shameless? No wonder humans were called dickheads. If dick-like shitty humans were called dickheads… Master was the perfect dickhead of this world.
"You said the steak with Alonne last time was delicious. Apparently their other meat dishes are famous too."
"…Meat?"
At the word "meat," Allen perked up with deep interest. She recalled the steak from before. Saliva pooled naturally in her mouth. At Yushin's suggestion to go on a gourmet tour of Maherith together, her ears twitched eagerly.
"I'll treat. Eat your fill."
"R-Really?! Thanks!"
Her anger evaporated in an instant. The blue-haired swordswoman grinned broadly and nodded at Yushin's proposal. If that was the reason, she couldn't help it! She still didn't like that he'd left her alone for so long, but if it was for that, she could let it slide happily. Allen hummed a tune, thrilled at the thought of feasting with Yushin.
'Wh-what if she finds out later…? Our castle's gonna blow up!'
Such a mayfly life! Alonne fretted over the future fallout from Yushin's barrage of excuses and deceptions that had fooled Allen.
Ardena walked the corridors of Maherith Palace with a resolute expression. So deep in thought she barely registered the guards' salutes, she reaffirmed her decision and arrived at High Priestess Ileina's office. The door opened, allowing her entry.
"Warrior Captain Ardena? What's up? Don't you have enough time canoodling with the Diablo Slayer?"
Ileina asked. She was currently munching on a sandwich brought by a maid while handling paperwork. She chewed on a thick sandwich stuffed with meat and veggies, signing documents with her other hand. A workaholic through and through, not even sparing time for meals.
"High Priestess, your tea."
"Thanks."
Pour. The maid attending Ileina began refilling her empty teacup.
"High Priestess."
"Yes."
Ileina paused her pen and looked up at Ardena. Ardena then spoke.
"I wish to return the White Lily Scale. The sacred relic bestowed by the First High Priestess… I return it to you, Ileina Tres Liberia, the Third High Priestess."
There was no hesitation. With a humble expression, she declared her intent to surrender the White Lily Scale.
At Ardena's shocking statement, Ileina's hand went slack, and her sandwich dropped to the floor. The maid pouring tea lost her wits too— the cup was overflowing, yet she kept pouring.
"Th-that's so sudden…! Did something happen?! Are you sick?! Terminal illness?! You must have some huge illness making it impossible to serve as warrior captain!"
"No."
Returning the relic sounded like stepping down as warrior captain. Something catastrophic must have occurred. Ileina panicked, convinced Ardena had a grave illness.
From the First, Second, and now Third High Priestesses—Ardena had loyally served at their sides for 300 years. The idol every elf swordswoman aspired to, Ardena's sudden intent to abandon the relic plunged Ileina into indescribable shock.
"W-was the pay too low…?"
"No, it's sufficient."
"Then you hate my teasing? I won't do it anymore, for real."
"It's fine."
"Then why?! Why on earth? Is today 'Tease the High Priestess Day'? Some holiday I don't know about?!"
"To my knowledge, no such irreverent day exists."
Ileina let out a deep sigh. Ardena, having steeled her resolve, explained to the stunned Ileina why she was relinquishing ownership of the relic.
"I can no longer use the White Lily Scale. Because I am no longer a virgin."
Crash! The teapot full of black tea plummeted to the floor and shattered into pieces.