Chapter 146: Slandering the Queen (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 146: Slandering the Queen (2)
“So, Your Majesty the Queen, you are saying this incident is entirely baseless.”
“How many times must I say it? I have never once spoken with that human, and I most certainly have not entered the embrace of the World Tree with him.”
In the great hall of the Great Forest, an exchange of questions and answers that was more like an interrogation was in full swing.
The person huddled in the seat of honor like a criminal was the Elf Queen, Ivrelia. The rest of the seats were occupied by the Elven Elders and other key figures of the Great Forest.
Their eyes, as they looked at Ivrelia, were filled with suspicion.
Why is this happening to me...?
Ivrelia felt it was deeply unfair.
From the moment she was born a high elf to the day she became queen, she had never once caused trouble. She could swear it on her conscience...
...
No, perhaps she had caused trouble just once. Back when she didn't know what a wig was, she had playfully snatched an elder's toupee.
But other than that, there was truly nothing else.
For the respected Elf Queen to be reduced overnight to the youngest daughter who had caused a major scandal was a maddeningly unjust state of affairs.
“You're certain it's not true?”
“It's not! I can swear it on the World Tree!”
“If you're willing to go that far...”
Ivrelia finally played her ultimate card. Only then did the elders accept that the rumor was false, though the queen's prestige had already plummeted.
But no matter how absurd the slander, the truth had to be set straight.
“Elder. Send word to all the other Elven Elders at once... No. Send a proper messenger.”
“As you wish. Who would be best to send?”
“That would be...”
“I'll go.”
All eyes turned to one spot.
The one who had stepped forward so confidently was Alfia Liliand.
Many still disapproved of Alfia. But she was the winner of The Elven Dance Festival and, undeniably, the elves' greatest warrior.
Despite having no official title, she was more than qualified to attend the meeting. And now, this same Alfia had volunteered to act as the messenger.
“Alfia, you'll go?”
“Yes. I happen to be free, and wouldn't it be far more persuasive if I were the one to deliver the message?”
“Indeed...”
As Ivrelia showed a hint of consideration, the elders quickly intervened.
“That is out of the question, Your Majesty. While we cannot deny that Alfia is a formidable warrior, it is also true that she is inexperienced in many ways.”
“Hmm...”
“We cannot help but feel uneasy entrusting her with official duties. It would be better to send Leon. With him, we would have nothing to worry about.”
“It's true, Leon is dependable.”
Ivrelia nodded.
Alfia immediately shot back.
“Leon needs to stay here and do his job as captain of the guardians. Besides, when it comes to matters outside the Great Forest, no one here knows the outer world better than I do.”
“Hrmm.”
Ivrelia considered it.
Alfia had personally volunteered.
But what would happen if she entrusted the task to Leon instead?
She'll barge into my chambers every single day.
And she'd pester me endlessly.
Just imagining it gave her a headache.
It would be a relief if she didn't just secretly follow Leon.
In that case, it was better to entrust the whole thing to Alfia from the start.
“Very well. I will entrust this matter to Alfia.”
“Your Majesty!”
“My decision is final. Do not argue any further.”
At Ivrelia's sharp dismissal, the elders fell silent. Ivrelia let out a shallow sigh and rose from her seat.
“That will be all for today's meeting. Everyone, you may leave. I'm tired.”
*
Swish!
Behind the Merchants of Death's encampment.
In the training ground set up for the young elves and others to practice their martial arts, sharp sounds of blades cutting through the air echoed back and forth.
On one side was Narsha Bryan.
She wore not her usual social dress, but combat attire. Wielding a rapier, her red hair flying, she looked more like a knight than a noble lady.
Narsha's opponent was the dark elf, Renard.
A short top and bottoms that revealed her toned abdomen and thighs. A black mask covering more than half her face—it was the very model of an assassin's outfit.
For Renard, it was no different from her everyday clothes.
Though that was from before she was employed by The Peacock’s Night Gathering.
Both Narsha and Renard were accomplished in the martial arts. If they didn't use their bodies from time to time, their senses would dull. So, whenever they had time, they would often cross swords like this.
Clang!
Renard, holding a pair of daggers in a reverse grip, parried Narsha's attack. Sparks flew as metal clashed.
As if not allowing a moment's breath, Narsha's chain of attacks continued. Her rapier rained down like a torrential storm.
Renard moved her daggers swiftly, deflecting the rapier.
So fast...!
Renard was an assassin.
She might struggle in a one-on-one fight against a power-type, but when it came to a battle of agility, she was confident she wouldn't lose.
But Narsha's attack speed punched holes right through Renard's confidence. It was a merciless barrage of offense, offense, offense, ignoring the give-and-take of combat.
It was as if Narsha's blade was screaming her desire: to never be hit, not even once. To only ever hit. To strike, and strike again, and after that, to strike some more. If only she could beat everyone down. If only a future where she was never struck was permitted to her.
I have to back off here...
A head-on fight was impossible.
The only way was to create an opening and launch a surprise attack.
Fwoosh!
Renard summoned her Dark Cloud spirits.
A thick black cloud spread from her body.
Renard dodged backward, trying to immerse herself in the darkness.
Before Narsha, that was a clear mistake.
CRACK!
The ground buckled.
A burst of red mana erupted, and in an instant, Narsha's form accelerated.
Like a ray of light.
A single streak of crimson light pierced Renard.
The dark mist that was about to envelop Renard scattered with a pop!
“Ugh.”
Renard let out a short groan.
Her body staggered and pitched forward.
She collapsed, kneeling on the ground.
“Hah, hah...”
Renard gasped for the breath she had been holding during the fight.
“Are you all right?”
Narsha sheathed her rapier.
She extended a hand to Renard.
After catching the rest of her breath, Renard took Narsha's hand and stood up.
“Well done. It was a good match.”
“...”
Renard couldn't even offer a polite lie and say it was good. Thank goodness it was only a mock duel; if it had been a real fight, she would have been killed in an instant without even realizing it.
The delayed terror of death washed over Renard's mind.
Her face turned deathly pale.
Of course, being a dark elf, it didn't really show.
“It's amazing every time I see it. Just how much have you trained?”
“Let's see... two years?”
“...What?”
For an elf, two years was but a fleeting moment. Even by a human's sense of time, it couldn't be called long.
It was unbelievable that she had gained such power in a mere two years. Especially since Narsha hadn't been born with a special bloodline.
Narsha's face took on an ecstatic expression as she spoke.
“It's all thanks to my Master.”
“...Why does he have to come up again?”
“Because it is thanks to him. I was originally nothing more than an insignificant noble lady. Thanks to my Master taking me in, I was reborn.”
Normally, Narsha was flawless and composed, but the moment Karami was mentioned, she became a different person.
It was hard to believe, but recently, Renard had started to wonder, 'Could it be true?' After all, it wasn't just Narsha; his other slave, Alfia, was also absurdly strong.
Perhaps Karami possessed some secret ability to make his slaves grow stronger.
“When he returns, you should ask him to take you as a slave too, Renard. You'll become much stronger than you are now.”
Is it right to go so far as to ask to be made a slave...?
She still couldn't wrap her head around that way of thinking.
“Oh, Miss Alfia. Are you on your way back from the Great Forest?”
Narsha, who had been chatting with Renard, spotted Alfia returning to the merchant group's camp.
“Yeah. I'm leaving right away.”
“Leaving? What do you mean?”
Alfia explained the whole story of what had happened in the Great Forest. After hearing the explanation, Narsha quickly grasped the situation.
“So you're saying you're leaving now.”
“Yep. I've already finished talking with the Great Forest.”
Elves, including Alfia, were generally very patient when it came to time.
They didn't mind being a day or two late for an appointment, and if someone said they'd be back soon and 10 years passed, they would just think, 'It's only been 10 years.'
The sense of time for a long-lived species was on a different plane from that of short-lived ones.
But the few months since Karami had left had been an eternity for Alfia.
Had time always passed this slowly?
Had waiting always been this difficult?
Not even a year had passed, but it felt like thousands of years.
She had planned to wait quietly until Karami returned, but she had changed her mind.
The Snow Princess? What's that all about?
Alfia still treasured the leaf-letter Karami had left behind. It said he was going to Vestia to take care of a pitiful fox.
She could understand that much.
But once he was done, he should have come back. Instead, he was wandering around some other strange place.
It was obvious he'd gone all the way to the North and was now doting on a new slave. She absolutely could not just sit and wait. If she did, she could picture a future where he returned with dozens of women.
Since someone had to deliver the message anyway, Alfia decided to take this opportunity to go and bring Karami back herself.
“Shall I go with you?”
Narsha gently offered to accompany her. She too had traveled all over with Karami during her time as a slave.
Besides, she was getting antsy just sitting around lately.
But Alfia shook her head firmly.
“What are you talking about? You have to protect the merchant group. Who else will manage it if not you?”
That was also true.
The Merchants of Death were currently on a steep growth curve. With no one else to trust, if Narsha were to leave her post, their fortunes would plummet.
Everything they had built up could collapse in an instant.
“...You're right. For now, there's no other way.”
It would be a little lonely with Alfia gone, but Narsha didn't even think of stopping her.
Because the 'Playful Flower' was withering day by day—so much so that she was carving countless wounds onto her own beautiful body with thorns.
Alfia quickly packed her things.
A money pouch Narsha had prepared for her.
The turquoise bow made from the branches, leaves, and vines of the World Tree, which she had received for winning The Elven Dance Festival. The Laurel Wreath of the World Tree, symbolizing the strongest elf.
She didn't forget to pack the Lachnia pollen either.
Because she was "Alfia, the Eternally Suffering Elf." Only by suffering could she be with Karami.