The Time of Parting (2)
Separate from the delegation that had departed for the Holy Empire, preparations were underway to send Yushin Gilliard back to the Valua Kingdom. It wasn't entirely set in stone yet. But it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a half-done deal.
The Diablo Slayer of the Holy Empire would aid in the war against the Demon King Army in exchange for Yushin Gilliard being handed over to the Valua Kingdom side. Once word of this spread, the high elves who had crowded Valencia Castle dispersed with reactions like, "What? He was going back anyway?" and "What a waste of time."
"Wait, the Holy Empire's Diablo Slayer?"
Yushin, who had just heard the full explanation from Ardena herself, echoed her words with his mouth agape.
Diablo Slayer. It was the epithet given to the one who had slain a great demon known as a Demon King, ruler of the demon realm Gehenna. The title was the envy of swordsmen who dreamed of becoming the heroes from myths.
"Do you know something about it, perhaps?"
"Eh, who knows."
Yushin shrugged at Ardena's question.
"It's said the Holy Empire's Diablo Slayer killed the Tyranny Demon King, Agares."
"Ah, yeah, I've heard that story."
The Tyranny Demon King, Agares. True to his name, he was a figure utterly despised and hated by all existences except his own kin. Not only did he ruthlessly oppress half-demons—those of mixed demon and human blood—but he also persecuted the humans under the Demon King Army's rule. And he even exploited and tyrannized his fellow demons, to the point where even the other Demon Kings treated Agares like something less than a bug.
"Thanks to that, the guy who took him down is welcomed not just by half-demons, but even by the demons who suffered under his tyranny."
"You said you didn't know at first... but you know it well."
"You just called him the Holy Empire's Diablo Slayer. That's why I got confused for a sec."
Yushin and Ardena discussed the Diablo Slayer. Nearby, Alonne spoke up in a quivering voice.
"Still, I hate it! Master having to go back to the kingdom—what kind of nonsense is that?!"
Talk of the war with the Demon King Army or the Holy Empire's Diablo Slayer meant nothing to Alonne. She just wanted her master by her side. Always together. Watching her grow from right there beside her. That's why she hated it. No matter the circumstances, the reality that her master had to leave.
She felt like running away somewhere with him right now.
"Uh, um..."
Yushin looked lost on how to respond to Alonne's teary outburst. In contrast, her older sister Ardena replied to her coldly, like an elder sister scolding her misguided sibling.
"This is the decision of the High Priestess and the Yetzirah Council, Alonne. No matter how close you are to Yushin, you can't object to it. You'll be graduating from Bria Academy soon enough. We high elves have a duty to pledge our loyalty to the High Priestess and the Council."
"I don't care about duties like that!"
"Alonne!"
"Then I'll just go to the Valua Kingdom with Master too!"
It was like watching a well-scripted morning drama. Yushin, spectating the sisters' bickering, looked just like a middle-aged auntie glued to her TV.
A fight between sisters over one man. Yushin felt pretty good about it. After all, two of the most beautiful high elf women—a stunning beauty and an adorable girl—were clashing over him.
But he didn't want to sour their sisterly bond.
"Calm down, let's just see how it plays out first."
"See how it plays out? Master could get shipped off to the Valua Kingdom any second!"
"Hey, that's my homeland..."
"Master's already an Elf Kingdom person now. You said you wouldn't go back last time, so you're one of us."
Alonne declared it confidently. Yushin muttered under his breath, "Then take off this choker at least."
Even as a slave, Alonne truly saw Yushin as family. Who among the high elves would think of a human—let alone a slave—as family? Alonne was exceptionally unique even among them.
"Whoever it is, they played their cards smart. Pulling out the Holy Empire's Diablo Slayer—the ally and suzerain of the Valua Kingdom—as a bargaining chip. And I'm the stake in this game."
"I feel sorry for you. Even if it's an unavoidable decision to win the war against the Demon King Army, it's still because of that you're being dragged into this."
"It's fine. I get that it's just how things are."
Ardena had scolded Alonne, but she clearly felt no small amount of guilt toward Yushin. She'd treated him like an object. The Elf Kingdom had put him on the negotiation table like some trade good. Yushin had given up returning to his homeland for Alonne's sake. He'd stayed in the Elf Kingdom. Sending away such a benefactor for the "sake of the Elf Kingdom" stung the heart.
Since hearing that Yushin had to return to the Valua Kingdom, Alonne had refused to even speak to her sister Ardena. She was furious at her sister for trying to abandon Yushin, claiming it was unavoidable to win the war and that obeying the High Priestess and Council's orders was a high elf's duty.
She avoided her on purpose, fearing harsh words would spill out if they talked.
I'm not like Sis. I won't give up on Master. How could I ever give up on him?
He was the benefactor who had shown her the way. To Alonne, Yushin was an object of admiration—and love. He'd saved her life, one where she couldn't even use Mana Blade and was thoroughly ignored and shunned by her classmates.
Gratitude had turned to fondness, fondness to love, and she'd fallen for him completely.
"Master, can I come in?"
"Yeah."
It was late at night when Alonne arrived at Yushin's room. She knocked and spoke. Yushin answered.
With the room owner's permission, Alonne took a deep breath to steel her resolve and placed her hand on the doorknob.
"What's up, coming so late? Training should be over by now, right?"
"I can just visit, can't I? This is our castle, technically."
"Huh, fair point."
Alonne entered and approached Yushin, who was leaning against the bed reading a book. She set down what she'd brought on the desk, then plopped her butt onto the bed where he lay.
Yushin looked pretty flustered at Alonne's bold move of casually approaching a man on his bed.
"What's with you all of a sudden?"
"Wh-why's Master the one getting embarrassed?!"
As Alonne climbed onto the bed, Yushin pulled back to create distance. Seeing him retreat only made Alonne's face flush as she yelled. She'd mustered up a ton of courage to come here!
Right now, Alonne was so tense her face was beet red. Sneaking into a man's room in the dead of night was a huge act of resolve for a high elf lady raised in a noble house.
Whether he knew it or not, this oblivious human guy was staring at the high elf girl like she was weird.
"Just stay still for a sec."
Alonne sat up. Then she straddled Yushin, who was sprawled out on the bed.
Time seemed to freeze. Their eyes met.
They stared at each other in standoff for several minutes. Alonne's eyes sparkled with excitement and trembling as she spoke.
"What do you think of me, Master? I like you. I love you for real."
A sudden love confession? Yushin froze stiff at Alonne's words.
It was true they'd overlapped skin and shared intense caresses, consummating physically. But nothing had progressed after that. So Yushin had chalked it up to "a pubescent girl's impulsive fling."
"I'm twenty-one too! Don't treat me like a kid just 'cause I look young!"
Three years younger than me. He'd thought of her as a little girl because of her youthful looks. But Alonne was twenty-one this year—no big age gap with Yushin.
Furious at being seen as childish, the straddling Alonne pouted and thumped his chest weakly with her fists like a spoiled kid.
Yushin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.
"Wh-what're you... doing all sudden... my heart's pounding..."
Alonne averted her gaze, a blush painting her pale cheeks. She was embarrassed. Even after psyching herself up to enter his room, the shame was impossible to hold back.
But steeling her resolve again, Alonne bowed her head and pressed her lips to his. A sudden kiss began.
But the two soon kissed actively, confirming their love.
"Mm, haa... chup... slurp..."
Alonne's tongue work was still clumsy. She'd learned somewhere and stuck her tongue out to lick his lips and probe his mouth, but her inexperience showed.
Yushin was the same. The two, total newbies at romance, expressed their affection so awkwardly that experienced couples would sigh in secondhand embarrassment.
But Yushin and Alonne were sincere with each other, and as the deep kisses continued, their switches flipped on.
"Why the rush? Scared I'll leave?"
Yushin asked. Alonne nodded silently.
Yushin burst out laughing at the cute high elf girl's reaction. Figured it was something like that. He should've guessed when she barged in at night.
"What's so funny? I'm worried sick about parting from the master I love! So worried I'm going crazy! But you're acting all casual—am I just a one-night plaything to you?!"
Alonne yelled through streaming tears. They trailed down her pale cheeks. She looked like a tragic heroine.
At her accusation, Yushin unwittingly became the "irresponsible jerk ditching the heroine."
"No way that's true."
"Really? I don't believe you."
"What'll make you believe me?"
"Keep kissing me."
At Alonne's plea, Yushin initiated the kiss first. She responded eagerly, and another deep kiss began.
Yushin moved his hands. He started trying to undress her. But noble dresses weren't easy to remove. He couldn't figure out the clasps or knots.
In the end, Alonne had to pause the kiss and undress herself.
"D-don't stare like that... it's embarrassing..."
"You're beautiful."
"Y-you idiot! You didn't say that the first time. Why make me shy now?"
Alonne shouted, covering her modestly perky breasts. Her shame-tinged form strongly stirred male instincts.
Slim shoulders, trembling lips. Flushed cheeks and moist eyes were utterly alluring. Her petite frame and quivering legs evoked a protective urge, like a newborn fawn.
"U-use that..."
Alonne pointed to the desk. It was the item she'd brought into the room.
Yushin glanced at it with a question mark over his head.
"What's that for?"
"You're asking 'cause you don't know? You really don't?"
"Don't forget I'm a human who's barely been in the Elf Kingdom a month."
Alonne reached out and picked up the item from the desk. It was a small bottle. The sloshing sound suggested liquid inside.
What the heck is it?
Yushin watched as she held it. Then Alonne opened it right in front of him. A sweet fragrance wafted out. Yushin thought perfume at first.
But it wasn't.
"Master, um, that thing... take it out..."
"That thing? What's that?"
"Y'know... in this situation, the only thing to take out is... that."
"So what is 'that'?"
Alonne whispered like she was spilling a secret, but Yushin looked baffled. She bit her lip, then yelled at him like she wanted to devour him.
"Your dick! Take out your dick!!"
She looked ready to bite if he didn't whip it out, so Yushin didn't hesitate. His fully erect cock sprang free.
Alonne swallowed hard at the sight of the throbbing rod radiating heat like a heated iron bar. With trembling hands, she poured the bottle's contents onto her palm.
Then she smeared the dripping liquid onto Yushin's cock. The cold sensation made it twitch.
But soon the liquid hardened around it into a rubbery sheath, and the chill faded.
Condom?
The thin condom-like covering was definitely what Yushin knew. A contraceptive tool. Among those preventing pregnancy, the most effective one: the condom.
Only then did Yushin understand why Alonne had brought it to the room.