The High Elf's Slave (1)
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Valencia Forest. A port city located in the eastern part of the Liberia Elf Kingdom, built by elves who fled human persecution to the Liberia Peninsula and drove out the native demons. Valencia profited immensely from cultivating oranges and olives on the mainland and constructing ships in seaside shipyards.
"My men were all bought by that mustached bastard?"
"I don't know the reason."
Ardena answered Yushin's question. She informed him that all the captive slaves auctioned off after he was sold had become the property of Bilen Santander.
Yushin's subordinates were elite soldiers renowned throughout the Valua Kingdom. Even so, it was strange. Bilen had purchased them all at prices two or three times the standard slave rate—a staggering sum. It was only natural to suspect some ulterior motive.
"The Santander Forest profits greatly from industries reliant on slaves, but I've never heard of them mistreating them. As one of the 50 members of the Yetsirah Council, he'll avoid any overt persecution that could tarnish his reputation."
"Yetsirah Council?"
"It's the authority that decides major and minor affairs of the elf kingdom and renders judgments."
The 50 members of the Yetsirah Council were representatives of high elf families—leaders of the countless elves living centered around their forests. They were the councilors who governed the elf kingdom's great cities and formed the backbone of its great nobility.
"Thanks for the kind explanation. So, when are you gonna take this off?"
Yushin pointed to the choker around his neck.
Activating its incantation would turn his head to mush. It was a fiendish shackle structured so that a signal triggered the lightning-attribute magic engraved in the choker to strike his head.
"Someday."
"Someday when?"
"Persistent."
"Human thing."
"Be quiet before I activate the incantation."
"Got it."
Yushin turned into a meek kitten. Apparently not eager to have his head well-done grilled by electricity, he decided to hold back his curiosity.
"I wanna see my men in person."
"In one week. I'll arrange a meeting with the Santander Forest."
"Thanks. It'd be even better if you became an abolitionist and took this choker off me too."
"I have no idea what you're talking about. For now, know that I'm in favor of the slave system."
"Cheeky elf."
Ardena and Yushin had traveled by carriage from the slave city of Pamplona to Valencia. During the journey, Yushin had eyed several chances to escape. But they all ended in failure. With the Obedience Seal in Ardena's hands, slipping away from the elf warrior captain's watch was impossible. And he'd just learned that the choker and Obedience Seal were linked by mana pathways, allowing the slave's position to be tracked at any time.
"What about your little sister?"
"She's back at the academy. I just let Alonne tour the Pamplona auction house for a bit."
The elves felt no shame about the slave system or enslaving humans. They saw it as a matter of pride. Their ancestors had suffered far worse humiliations from humans in the past. They viewed it as rightful recompense from humans, supplying labor for the nation's prosperity by expanding the slave trade.
Yushin felt wronged. He sympathized with the elves' history of dirty deeds by humans, but he came from another world—it had nothing to do with him.
"Don't sidle up to me. I'll stab you."
"Stabbing beauties is my specialty..."
Yushin tossed out a lame joke. In response, Ardena made a motion to activate the Obedience Seal.
Bria Academy was an institution that trained talents to protect the Creation Tree Bria, symbol of creation and the celestial bodies. Only those of high elf blood were permitted entry. This was because a select few top graduates would be groomed into elites representing politics and the military.
The Bria Academy functioned like an officer commissioning system or military academy, granting access to the upper echelons of the Liberia Elf Kingdom.
"Hup...!"
Alonne raised her longsword and poured her strength into it, aiming to manifest a Mana Blade.
But not even a fragment of mana appeared on the blade.
Alonne Valencia, younger sister of warrior captain Ardena Valencia. She had never been chosen by mana since birth. Even ordinary elves could handle mana with ease, but she—a high elf of superior bloodline—had never once succeeded.
What's wrong with me...! I know the theory inside out!
Alonne scowled. She assaulted the impossible castle again and again. But all attempts failed. For some reason, the mana wouldn't budge.
To elves, wielding mana was easier than breathing. Unlike humans, who artificially accumulated mana in their bodies, elves naturally manipulated the mana dissolved in the atmosphere through their skin.
Yet her failures pointed to only one conclusion: innate mana insensitivity.
"So that's where you were hiding. Training alone, eh, failure girl?"
An unwelcome voice. She knew exactly who it was. She'd seen that face at the Pamplona auction house too.
"Why am I a failure? I'm the best in class at swordsmanship. Even the teacher acknowledged it."
"But you can't handle the most important thing: Mana Blade. So failure's a done deal."
"No ruling yet! You're just venting your auction grudge on me. 'Golden Santander' bragging all high and mighty, but couldn't even bid pocket change and lost?"
"Kuh, how dare you!"
"How dare I? We're both high elves."
Alonne knew Leticia saw her as beneath her. That's why she hated the girl. Even if they were classmates. Even if they'd once been friends as kids.
She despised Leticia's low-class habit of lording her superior traits over others. So Alonne built a thick wall, refusing to let her approach.
"How can you fail at something this easy for years?"
Leticia picked up a wooden training sword from the rack. A bluish mana aura formed a Mana Blade along it.
Wooden swords carved from trees were harder to infuse with Mana Blade than iron-forged longswords. And manifesting one barehanded, without a medium, was even tougher.
Right before Alonne's eyes, Leticia formed a Mana Blade on the wooden sword—to flaunt her superiority and highlight Alonne's fatal flaw.
"I'll do it. I'll be one of this year's academy graduates."
"Only 20 graduates a year. Over 100 students waiting, not counting the grade-repeaters who fail the exam annually."
Bria Academy graduated only 20 students per year. Its goal was to produce only the utmost elites. Releasing a flawed talent that later got exposed would stain the academy's ancient history and traditions.
Moreover, graduates were selected to lead politics and the military, demanding utmost care in their training.
"My big sis said there's a way!"
"A... way?"
For a perennial failure who couldn't even handle Mana Blade? Leticia doubted it. But she held her tongue.
Alonne's sister, the "Undefeated Lady Knight" Ardena Valencia, was Leticia's most admired figure. Her vow of noble purity—to remain undefeated and marry the one who beat her in duel—inspired countless elf maidens.
Warrior Captain Ardena wouldn't lie. So there really is a way... But how could mana-insensitive Alonne wield Mana Blade? No, the captain never lies! Still, the odds of Alonne suddenly mastering it are slim...
Her head throbbed. Leticia felt momentary confusion.
Admiration for Ardena. Mockery for Alonne. The two thoughts clashed in her mind.
Her conclusion: "No way she'll master Mana Blade—let alone in the short time before graduation exams."
"Then I'll look forward to it. Curious how you'll learn Mana Blade before exams. I'll call all the classmates to watch slowly. Something to celebrate, right? The tale of Bria Academy's graduation exam flop who couldn't even use Mana Blade."
"Worry about yourself. If Santander Forest's lady fails the exam, it'll be more than embarrassing."
"How dare...!"
It was one of Leticia's verbal tics—snapping "How dare you!" to assert superiority.
Alonne fired back with strong confidence. "I'll make you bawl your eyes out getting that failure notice."
"I'll throw those words right back. Scary as it is for Ardena Warrior Captain's honor to suffer, a scatterbrain like you needs a harsh failure."
Alonne growled. Leticia glared coldly.
And their rivalry spilled over in an unexpected direction—toward Yushin Gilliard, Ardena Valencia's first and only slave.
Ardena spoke up the moment they arrived in Valencia after the long journey.
"I want you to teach Alonne."
"How to use the potty? Smart elf like her probably handles that fine."
Ardena raised her hand. Facing the elf lady knight about to activate the Obedience Seal, Yushin stepped back.
"Alonne can't wield Mana Blade."
"No way. Elves are supposed to be better at mana than us humans. High elves and elves alike—even half-elves inherit innate talent."
"It's true."
"I'd buy it for a half-elf, but a full high elf kid who can't handle mana...?"
The younger the age, the faster the growth. From seeing Alonne at the auction, Yushin knew she was still immature among elves. Plenty old by human standards, but adolescent for her kind.
It wasn't far-fetched. A high elf unable to wield mana? She could've been secretly killed as an infant, marked as a harbinger of ill omen at birth.
Mana was the root energy of power for all living beings, regardless of race.
"So that's why you shelled out a fortune for me at the auction? To teach the kid?"
"Correct."
"Am I worth 5 billion Aiter to you?"
"I've fought you myself. I vouch for it."
At Ardena's immediate reply, Yushin pondered briefly before asking,
"But where'd you get the money to buy me? No way you could afford that sum personally."
"Th-that's none of your business...!"
Ardena's snow-white face flushed red as she shouted at Yushin's question.