Valencia Sisters (8)
A high elf young lady, who had been moping around for a while, now looked utterly blissful, even letting out an absentminded chuckle now and then, as if her gloom had never existed. The source of her joy? A ring—the ring given to her by the man she loved.
With utmost care, she placed the ring on a handkerchief, cherishing it like it might vanish if she looked away, grinning ear to ear. Of course, in front of others, she maintained her usual stern demeanor, but when alone, she stared at it intently, radiating sweet happiness.
How bold, gifting me a ring like this... Fooling Alonne was cheeky, but his sincerity touches me, so I suppose I can graciously forgive it.
Ehehehe.
Ardena burst into laughter. It was a loose, carefree giggle that betrayed none of her usual gravity. She had cast aside the weight of being the eldest daughter of the Valencia family and the high elf warrior captain, reveling purely as a woman in the bliss of love.
"Lady Ardena."
Knock knock.
A maid's voice followed the knock. Ardena hurriedly tucked the ring, still wrapped in the handkerchief, into her pocket lest she be caught.
"You may enter."
At her permission, the elf maid opened the door and bowed politely.
"What is it?"
"It's time for dinner."
"Ah, has it gotten that late already...?"
She'd been so lost in gazing at the ring that time had slipped away unnoticed. Am I being a bit too indulgent? Ardena chided herself for her giddy behavior all day, yet muttered, It's fine to enjoy it a little, isn't it? to justify it. If anyone else had seen her like this, they'd have doubted whether she was truly the invincible lady knight, the elf warrior captain.
"Sorry to trouble you."
"Not at all, my lady."
Ardena was always punctual for meals to avoid inconveniencing the maids. But today, she'd completely spaced out and forgotten. I need to show some restraint. She realized she had to compose herself.
"Ugh!"
Entering the dining hall with the maid, Ardena scowled at the sight of a blue-haired swordswoman plastered to her beloved man, acting all coquettish. Rage bubbled up. Seeing Allen gaping like an idiot while Yushin fed her was infuriating.
Yushin had peeled the shell off a perfectly grilled prawn and was handing the plump, juicy flesh to Allen. It was the kind of thing you'd do for a lover.
How dare she... how dare she... HOW DARE SHE!!
That vixen. Ardena sat with a sour expression.
"Alonne."
She called to Alonne, seated across from her, and tapped her lips—a gesture to wipe the sauce from the corners of her mouth with the napkin.
The evening's prawn dish was exquisite, courtesy of the skilled chefs. Ardena shot disdainful glances at Allen fawning over Yushin but elegantly peeled her own prawn and savored the flesh.
Her lack of basic etiquette makes you question if she's really a Valua noble lady.
Ardena smirked inwardly. I've won. The high elf felt a surge of triumph. An uncouth woman without manners can't possibly befit the Diablo Slayer's side. She's not even worthy to be my rival.
"Oppa."
"Yeah."
Yushin nodded at Allen's call, his hands never pausing as he peeled another prawn.
"Dad came by."
That made not just Yushin, but even Ardena—who'd been feigning disinterest with perked ears—freeze.
"Count Rocksfield?"
"Yeah. Heard some riffraff slipped into the Akiteon Mountains. He came all the way to hunt them down."
Allen spoke indifferently, like it was someone else's business. Yushin, meanwhile, looked shocked that Allen's father, Count Rocksfield, had ventured to the Akiteon Mountains.
Troyed Rocksfield. A top-tier swordsman rivaling the Kingdom's Seven Swords, famed for reaching the Six Ember realm. The head of the Rocksfield family, armored in loyalty to the Valua royals, was hailed as a kingdom hero with countless tales of valor.
"I heard about it too. The ringleaders of the rebellion in the kingdom fled desperately into the Akiteon Mountains, where elf rangers guarding the border caught them. Handing them over to the kingdom's forces wrapped it up."
Ardena, aware of the Akiteon Mountains incident, explained to Yushin in Allen's stead, who wasn't great with words.
Rebellion ringleaders—those words made Yushin realize Valua's situation was dire. But that was it. He'd cut ties with Valua long ago. He worried about his remaining subordinates and a few others back there, but they were capable enough to protect themselves, so no need to intervene.
"Karma's a bitch."
Yushin said it plainly as he decapitated a prawn and deftly split the shell. He deemed Valua's downfall pure karma.
Captured by elves due to betrayal from the second prince Alphonse, then total commander, Yushin had no goodwill toward Valua. Truth be told, he'd never felt patriotism for it to begin with.
"I knew because I was one of the Kingdom's Seven Swords. Valua's rotten to the core. It could collapse any day, and no one would bat an eye. My loyalty till now... it was just for my master."
He'd become one of the Kingdom's Seven Swords following his master. That was all. No deeper reason. It wasn't out of patriotism or loyalty to Valua.
"Yushin, your master... you mean the top of the Kingdom's Seven Swords, Heinkel?"
"Yeah."
"I heard Heinkel of the Kingdom's Seven Swords never once went to war. And the info on him is super limited."
Heinkel was shrouded in mystery. Known details were scarce; most intel was speculation. Even the Liberia Elf Kingdom, long at odds with Valua, and other nations trading with it knew little.
"I don't know much either. Guy's full of secrets. All I know is... he loves nuts like some old geezer?"
Ardena vowed never to eat nuts in front of him.
"No worries about Master. He'd survive the continent splitting in half."
A Nine Ember knight. An absolute force who swept the continent. One who reached the final realm of the sword extremes. A monster hiding his identity despite power to conquer all, staying silent.
Yushin knew his master's strength, so he didn't worry. He understood how pointless it was.
* * *
Maybe bringing up his master after so long stirred memories. Back in his room, lying on the bed, Yushin thought of the man in Valua.
He wasn't worried. Just missed him. Their banter-filled days, free of pretense, suddenly tugged at him.
"Sigh... What's with the sentimentality so late at night?"
Yushin sighed. What good did nostalgia do now? Cutting ties with Valua was his choice. If fate willed it, they'd meet again. Someday, surely... He believed they'd cross paths unexpectedly.
Besides, wasn't his master the one human unbound by lifespan?
"Still wanna see him, though. Weird, huh? Missing the guy who whacked my head every training session... Did his beatings break me or something?!"
If Heinkel heard that, he'd whack him again.
Time to sleep. Shouldn't have brought him up.
Yushin reached to extinguish the magic stone lamp serving as bedside light. It was nearly dawn. He had to rise early tomorrow to oversee Alonne's training, so he planned to crash.
But as he closed his eyes, a tentative knock sounded at the door.
Perfect timing. Who the hell at this hour?
Yushin sat up, glaring at the innocent door.
"Can I come in?"
"It's the middle of the night..."
This was privacy invasion. Hearing Ardena's voice from beyond, Yushin rubbed his sleepy eyes and grumbled.
"Come in, then."
Something urgent? If it were Allen or Alonne, he'd suspect ulterior motives, but Ardena—with her staunch integrity—must have a dire reason to knock at dawn.
"Pardon the intrusion..."
As Ardena opened the door and stepped in cautiously, Yushin's bleary eyes—fighting sleep—widened like Shim Bong-sa's at the sight of his daughter.
Was he dreaming from nodding off?
"...You okay? Feeling sick?"
Yushin asked. Ardena shouted back.
"Whose fault do you think it is?!"
She was in her school uniform. Precisely, the old one from her Bria Academy days.
Tailored jacket. White blouse. Uniform skirt. Similar to Alonne's in structure, but the design differed vastly—Ardena had graduated over 300 years ago, after all.
"Eek!"
Ardena let out a groan. She felt Yushin's blatant gaze slithering over her like a snake.
The tailored jacket barely containing her ample D-cup breasts. The white blouse exposing her pristine midriff. The uniform skirt so short it threatened to reveal her panties, baring her snowy thighs.
No man alive could see a high elf lady in academy uniform and not get hard.
Yushin's eyes bulged, his cock straining taut with deep arousal at Ardena's outfit.
"But why this, so late at night?"
Suppressing his boiling lust, Yushin asked Ardena—who clutched her skirt, face flushed crimson. It was like a final confirmation before the main event.
"Y-you said you wanted to see it... And it was a promise... H-hey, I only wore it to keep my word!"
Ardena justified it as fulfilling a promise. Yushin nodded.
He bit his tongue—admitting he'd totally forgotten would get him mauled by the high elf warrior captain.
"Then... could you indulge one more request here?"
An idea struck him. He tentatively asked the uniformed Ardena, who looked mortified.
She screamed it was absolutely impossible. But ultimately, Ardena yielded to Yushin's persistent pleading and had to accept his whims with her whole body.
"Now, state your name and age."
Yushin said. Ardena swallowed a grunt but, having accepted, covered her eyes with one hand. With a face full of shame and embarrassment, she forced out the words.
"A-Ardena... Valencia...! S-seventeen... years old...!!"
I'll kill him. Kill him. KILL HIM. KILL HIM.
Murderous intent overflowed from Ardena's tear-filled eyes.