Valencia Sisters (6)
At an open-air café famous for its freshly baked apple pies, an unbelievable scene was unfolding.
A high elf was splashing drinks everywhere with wild abandon, while a human endured the fierce onslaught on his face like it was some intense Thai massage. The morning drama starring the elf warrior captain and the Demon King Slayer instantly captured the attention of Maherith's citizens.
The rumors spread like wildfire, drawing a crowd thicker than the clouds gathering overhead.
"Wait, the sandwich didn't say anything...!"
Smack!
The sandwich slipped from Ardena Valencia's hand and struck Yushin Gilliard squarely in the face. It was loaded with grilled ham and egg.
Yushin got a firsthand facial experience of just how perfectly soft-boiled they were.
Grilled ham and yolk slid down his cheek.
"What's going on?"
"Looks like the Demon King Slayer cheated on Captain Ardena behind her back."
"Nah, a human like the Demon King Slayer can glance at other girls, right?"
"What are you talking about? Hiding it from Captain Ardena and cheating is the problem!"
The crowd's opinions split 60:40. Sixty percent sided with Ardena's righteous fury, while forty percent thought it was too much for the Demon King Slayer's lover.
Maherith's citizens clashed in a heated debate, each forming their own judgments.
If it had been any other elf, more might have defended Yushin. But this was Ardena—the jewel of the Liberia Elf Kingdom, the strongest female knight admired by every knight in the realm.
Of noble high elf blood. Eldest daughter of the prestigious Valencia family. Elf warrior captain and leader of the Helenwood Knights. The invincible female knight.
The citizens of Maherith shook their heads at the idea of her being betrayed and cheated on.
"You scum!"
Ardena bellowed, splashing yet another fruit juice—god knows how many that made. The air reeked of fruit.
Yushin's face was a sticky mess of mixed drinks, the potent smells wafting off him. His black hair was soaked through.
"Cough, cough."
Yushin hacked up a lung. Juice dripped from his nostrils.
His eyes stung from the sugary barrage, barely able to stay open.
"Haa... haa...!"
Ardena exhaled heavily, wiping sweat from her brow with a napkin. She felt a bit refreshed.
She'd vented all the pent-up negativity she'd been stewing over alone.
Of course, Yushin was a total wreck now—but that was just karmic payback he had to take.
* * *
After her stress-relieving rampage, Ardena felt much lighter. Not that her grudge against Yushin was fully gone. She still hated his guts.
If he'd just cheated with some random woman, she might have shown a sliver of mercy... but no. It was her little sister, the one she had introduced him to for sword lessons.
Of course she hated him.
"When we get back to the castle, I need to apologize to Alonne. I wasn't mature about this. She was just toyed with by this filthy human's charms..."
The now-dubbed "filthy human" Yushin could only flash a bitter smile, staying silent.
No room for argument there.
He humbly accepted Ardena's scorn. Regardless of how things had gone down with Alonne, hiding it from Ardena to the bitter end was undeniably his fault.
So Yushin took her anger without a peep.
"Hmph!"
Ardena glanced at Yushin walking beside her, then whipped her head away.
She was still fuming, clearly. And why not? A few splashed drinks wouldn't dissolve the knot in her chest.
But her negativity had diluted somewhat, no doubt. Seeing him admit his fault without excuses softened her a touch. She'd even shown mercy by letting him wash up and change after the café fiasco.
"Where to?"
Yushin asked, curious about her aimless wandering.
Ardena answered.
"To apologize to Alonne—and pick up a gift."
She wanted to make it up to her little sister. Yushin smiled in relief at her words.
"...I'm not getting an apology, huh."
"'Cause I'm the bad guy."
"Hmph, good that you know it."
Ardena bristled with thorns of jealousy, her face full of dissatisfaction despite her anger cooling somewhat. She didn't want to seem like an easy woman who forgave him just like that, so she played it up.
"What kind of gift would Alonne like?"
Ardena asked. Yushin shrugged.
He'd known her less than a year; her big sister surely knew better.
"Dunno. No clue what she likes."
She sighed deeply, face clouded with worry. How pathetic— a sister who didn't even know her sibling's tastes.
Ardena blamed her own negligence, feeling pangs of guilt. Especially after the harsh words she'd hurled at Alonne recently, her anxiety spiked.
What if Alonne rejected her apology? The fear gnawed at her.
"Just call her to Maherith and stuff her with snacks. She'd love that."
"You think food fixes this? Think seriously, Yushin!"
"...I am thinking seriously."
It was a genuine answer from someone who knew Alonne well. She was simple-minded. A tomboy prone to loneliness. A kid who blushed at the smallest kindness.
No need to overcomplicate it. It was the thought that counted, not the gift.
But Ardena insisted on something lavish for her sister's sake, burdening herself with needless worry.
"So, what're you buying?"
He asked, watching her intense expression as she pondered.
"A mansion."
"...Huh?"
"Once Alonne graduates the academy, she'll serve as a knight guarding Maherith. I'm getting her a fine place here with that in mind."
Was this elf humor? Not funny at all.
Yushin stared blankly at her idea of gifting Alonne a whole mansion.
He simulated the aftermath in his head.
'Here, your new mansion.'
'Sis, you hated me so much you wanted me out right now?! I'm sorry, my fault! I won't eye Master again! Forgive me! Waaah!!'
Only visions of Alonne bawling her eyes out. To avert disaster, Yushin had to break Ardena's stubbornness.
"Something simpler might be better. Alonne wouldn't expect anything huge. She'd just feel burdened."
With gestures and persuasion, he wore her down. Ardena agreed to consult him on the gift.
Thus, Yushin gained a chance to steer her from catastrophe.
"Insolent."
"What?"
"Daring to claim you know Alonne better than her own sister. Shameless. I'll be watching that arrogance."
"That's not what I meant."
After more discussion, they settled on a mado-gu—a magical artifact—for Alonne.
Yushin pushed for snacks, but Ardena insisted, "I want to give the Valencia lady something fitting!" So, they picked from the artifacts.
"Welcome!"
Yushin and Ardena arrived at a mado-gu shop on Maherith's outskirts. Built on lush green fields, it was run by a half-elf girl with freckles dotting her cheeks.
As Yushin eyed the girl, Ardena cleared her throat pointedly, thorns of jealousy rising.
Under her sharp glare, Yushin lost even the freedom to look around, forced to focus on the displayed artifacts.
"H-Hey, Captain Ardena?!"
The half-elf gasped in shock.
To Maherith's citizens—or all of Liberia's—Ardena Valencia was an idol, a symbol.
Spotting her face, the girl instantly recognized her. She seemed stunned that the invincible knight had graced her humble shop.
"Just a customer browsing mado-gu."
"Y-Yes, ma'am! Right away! Please, come inside!"
Ardena left Yushin in the hallway and followed the girl deeper into the shop.
Four-tiered shelves lined both sides, cluttered with what seemed like magical trinkets. Gem-adorned artifacts mixed with rusty junk of unknown purpose.
Ardena explained she sought a gift for her sister—an apology token. The half-elf nodded, leading her to suitable items.
"Necklaces or earrings would be perfect. Protection-magic artifacts like these are popular with noble ladies."
"Mm, sounds good."
"What about a ring?"
Ardena shook her head at the suggestion.
"She's a sword user. Ring's fine."
"Got it."
While browsing with the girl, Ardena's eyes caught a gleaming golden item—a dainty music box-shaped mado-gu.
A total fluke spotting it. She couldn't fathom why it drew her in, forgetting her quest momentarily.
"What's this?"
"Uh... that's not for sale. Some quack's knockoff."
"Then why's it on the shelf?"
"Ahaha..."
The half-elf scratched her head awkwardly, dodging the question.
Obvious reason: If a sucker came along, hawk the "knockoff."
But she lacked the guts to scam Ardena Valencia. Who'd dare fool the warrior captain?
"Orgel of Desire. Supposedly shows the future you crave."
"Illusion magic, then."
"Yes, exactly as you say, Captain."
A delusional dreamer had crafted it to glimpse their longed-for future, even as false illusion. The half-elf called it a replica knockoff of the true Orgel of Desire.
"But... we don't know how it works."
"So you put a shelf item without knowing the switch."
"S-Sorry!"
The girl bowed 90 degrees. A harsher tone might've prompted a full 180 grand apology.
Ardena accepted it. She was here for her sister's gift, not to bust shady merchants peddling fakes to marks.
"Wait a sec. I have stuff not on display."
"Alright."
The half-elf hurried off to the storeroom, leaving Ardena alone amid the shelves.
Waiting, her gaze drifted back to the Orgel of Desire that had snagged her attention.
'A false vision born of desire... Pathetic.'
She scowled at it like a loathsome eyesore.
And in that instant, the "knockoff" orgel reacted.
Ardena had no idea why the Orgel of Desire activated. The problem was—it did.
The orgel locked onto its target: Ardena Valencia. Pure, intense desire fueled the construction of her longed-for false vision.