The High Elf's First Love (3)
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Why the hell was Bariteon Trident, who was supposed to be commanding the garrison on the southern front, showing up at Bria Academy?
He was an incredibly impulsive guy. Unlike the other captains who fought for honor and pride, he only fought for his own desires and whims. It was only natural that Ardena despised him. He had power but never used it for others, held status and authority but only wielded them for his own safety and gain—his actions were utterly selfish.
"Me? Not really into guys hitting on me."
Yushin said it casually, addressing Bariteon with informal speech. The instructors from Trident Company jumped up like a swarm of bees, shouting in outrage.
"You insolent human!"
"How dare you be so rude to our master!"
But Yushin didn't give a damn. He had a solid backer right beside him. A Class-4 human could never harm a Class-1 high elf. But under the master's orders, a "duel" was fair game. With Ardena sitting there, he had zero reason to back down.
"Hold it, you lot. If you all start barking at once, no one's gonna hear me."
Bariteon said. His disciples backed off at his words. Once the noisy crowd fell silent, he approached Ardena and posed his question.
"So, Ardena, how much for this human slave of yours? I heard the rumors—you snagged him at the Pamplona auction for 50 billion aether. I'll give you five times that: 250 billion. Not a bad deal, right?"
Bariteon held up five fingers. Five times the price. He was making it clear he wanted to buy the human slave owned by the Valencia family at five times the cost.
His disciples gasped in shock at the offer. No way did Bariteon have that kind of cash lying around. He'd surely order them to cough it up, just like always. It was obvious he'd make them cover the payment. For the disciples, it was a blood-tear-inducing nightmare.
"I refuse!"
Ardena shouted, glaring fiercely at Bariteon as she shot down the proposal. At her vehement rejection, he raised both hands in surrender. From the gesture, it seemed he'd already anticipated her refusal. The offer was just a probe.
"Yeah, figured as much. I knew you wouldn't hand over your precious slave to me. Even if I'd offered ten times, you'd have said no."
A slave was property. A convenient item to buy and sell. But Ardena was different. She kept Yushin as a slave but treated him as a person, not mere chattel. If she'd seen him only as a slave, she never would have felt that pounding in her chest. She had no intention of handing him over to anyone.
"That's right, ain't it, thug dude."
"I'm no thug—I'm Bariteon Trident, holding the third seat among the captains. I hear you're the third of the Kingdom's Seven Swords... same rank, huh."
"Go figure. What a hilarious coincidence."
"If you'd become my slave, I'd have shown you the heights of pleasure proper. I treat the ones I like real well. Couldn't do high elves, but I'd hook you up with elves, half-elves, humans, beastkin girls—all as concubines."
Oho. This guy's got some negotiation chops.
Yushin's ears perked up at Bariteon's pitch, but with the high elf swordswoman glaring daggers right next to him, he firmly shut it down.
"Yushin Gilliard, how about a spar with me?"
Bariteon tossed out his second proposal. He wanted to cross swords with one of the Kingdom's Seven Swords. That was the real reason he'd come to Bria Academy.
"Bariteon."
Ardena stepped forward, glaring at him as she spoke.
"You should be asking me about that."
"Can't argue with that."
Yushin chimed in agreement. A slave's every move was decided by their master's will. In other words, Bariteon needed Ardena's permission, not his.
Bariteon scratched the back of his head, looking annoyed. Ardena, who despised him, wasn't about to grant it meekly.
"It's just a friendly spar, come on. I'm a high elf who knows his limits. I won't go too hard. Just two guys measuring up, that's all."
Bariteon's words carried the unspoken assumption that he'd win for sure. It rubbed Yushin the wrong way. He wanted to smash his fist into that punk-looking face right then and there. But he didn't want to put Ardena in a tough spot, so he kept his mouth shut. It was her call. As a slave, he'd just follow orders.
After flatly rejecting Bariteon's offer, Ardena grabbed Yushin's hand and stormed out of the cafe. She'd stepped in shit—figuratively speaking. To her, Bariteon was no better than dog crap on the roadside.
"Who'da thunk we'd run into a captain."
Yushin muttered, shrugging. An unexpected encounter. For the third-ranked captain to show up in person? Proof his fame was spreading far and wide.
Like Ardena, Yushin found Bariteon slimy, but he didn't mind his reputation expanding across the entire Elf Kingdom.
"Why the long face? You look so tense."
Yushin asked, noting her worried expression. But her face didn't soften. She seemed deep in thought over some serious issue.
"Bariteon Trident commands the southern front. He effectively leads the army there."
"Impressive thug."
"All his subordinates and disciples are high elves too. Rising stars with guaranteed promotions. If you went to him, you might get the best treatment possible for a slave."
She said it with a hint of unease in her voice. Yushin sighed at her words. Too damn upright for her own good. Treating a mere slave with such kindness. Having a sweet, beautiful master like her was enough to bring tears to his eyes.
"What about Allen back at Valencia Castle if I bailed? You're talking crazy, missy."
"R-right... yeah..."
"I ain't serving some thug punk. If I'm picking a master, it's gotta be the beauty, obviously."
He had no desire to kiss the golden-haired punk's ass for a leg up. If he was serving anyone, it'd be his gorgeous master. Sure, she was a 300-year-old spinster, but Ardena was one of the top beauties among high elves. And they'd already gotten intimate under the covers. He didn't want to part from Alonne either. Or Leticia. Yushin was perfectly content with his current life—no way was he leaving the Valencia family.
"I-is that so..."
At Yushin's reply, Ardena blushed and turned her head away, clearly shy. Would she really have let him go if he'd said yes to Bariteon? If she had even a shred of selfishness, no. With her little sister's graduation exam right around the corner, no chance. But her bashful look suggested she might've considered it if he'd wanted to go.
"Lecture's about to end."
Yushin said, glancing at the clock tower in the academy's center. 2:55 p.m. Right on time for Alonne and Leticia's classes to wrap up. His punctual routine made him seem like a housewife. Meticulous and planned. Maybe he was better suited as a nanny than a warrior.
The former Kingdom's Seven Swords member had taken up childcare as his second gig.
"Thought I was gonna die of boredom!"
"That old geezer's sucking up a steady paycheck? Total tax thief."
The classroom door swung open. Students, exhausted from classical literature, poured out with grimaces. Spotting Ardena leaning against the wall waiting for Alonne, they froze in shock. The fourth-ranked captain of the Liberia Elf Kingdom was suddenly right there outside the classroom.
"Captain Ardena!"
"Ardena looks stunning as always."
Ardena was practically an idol to the female students. Her stately poise. The title of undefeated swordswoman. Her unwavering noble beauty was enough to captivate them. She'd even gotten piles of love letters from girls.
"Must be nice being so popular."
"Ahem."
Yushin teased. Ardena, burdened by the stares, cleared her throat awkwardly.
"Sis?"
Alonne emerged from the crowd of girls, a mark on her face from napping in class. Leticia followed, her cheeks flushed red—clearly not expecting to see Ardena outside. Having admired her since childhood, this encounter was pure bliss for Leticia.
"H-hello...!"
Gathering her courage, Leticia bowed to Ardena. Not her usual haughty self. Normally so arrogant, she turned pure and shy before Ardena, eyes brimming with adoration.
"Alonne's friend?"
Ardena asked. Leticia answered eagerly.
"Y-yes...! Yes, that's right!"
Yushin and Alonne's eyes went wide at her response. Whose friend now? The girl who'd always refused to befriend a "loser" to avoid tarnishing the Santander name had just called herself one—out loud. Yushin and Alonne stared in stunned silence. Under their gazes, Leticia's face turned beet red, like a tomato. She shot Ardena a message of support.
"I'm... rooting for you... Lady Ardena..."
"Thank you, Lady of Santander. Your cheers give me strength—I'll keep pushing forward."
"Y-yes..."
Leticia's eyes misted over at Ardena's spirited reply. Yushin half-expected lilies to bloom around them.
Bariteon, who'd set his sights on Yushin, ultimately backed off in the face of Ardena's fierce resistance. He let out a deep sigh.
Ardena Valencia. As expected from a 300-year virgin spinster—fierce as hell.
"Lord Bariteon, news from the Valua Kingdom."
An elf approached. Like his usual adjutants, she was a stunning beauty. Bariteon always surrounded himself with pretty girls and gorgeous women. Flowers in both hands—the dream of every man, regardless of race. He never hesitated to chase his desires.
"They've filed a petition with the Holy Empire."
"The Holy Empire's basically the big boss of all human nations, right?"
"Yes. They're likely aiming to secure Yushin Gilliard's custody using the Holy Empire's power. If the Holy Empire steps in, we're in a bind—we depend on them for trade. A unilateral cutoff would hit the Elf Kingdom hard economically."
"That's a problem..."
Bariteon scratched his head. The Valua Kingdom was requesting sanctions on the Elf Kingdom via the Holy Empire. A diplomatic play to wrap things up. Until now, the Holy Empire had stayed strictly neutral on Valua-Liberia issues. Both nations were vital allies against the Demon King Army. But whether they'd keep that up was uncertain—Elf Kingdom needed countermeasures.
"Word is..."
"What?"
Bariteon asked. His female secretary continued without missing a beat.
"In exchange for handing Yushin Gilliard back to Valua, they'll demand the knight who slew Tyranny Demon King Agares be loaned as temporary reinforcements."
The Holy Empire housed a Diablo Slayer who'd killed one of the six Demon Kings. The slayer of the Tyranny Demon King. Rumors said that knight was there. To reclaim southern Liberia from the Raging Flames Demon King, the Elf Kingdom planned to offer Yushin in trade for that Diablo Slayer's aid. With the slayer taking down the Raging Flames Demon King, they could retake the demon-occupied south.