Dancing with the Elf (5)
Before coming to the Elf Forest, I'd worried endlessly about what problems might arise.
—Only humans can slay monsters. Guardian's kin, we shall entrust it to you.
For instance, a monster elves couldn't face but only a human could.
—We intend to leave the forest for the human world. Does Gibraltar have land for elves?
For instance, elves summoned to negotiate settlement in the human world with the Gibraltar margrave family.
—Grey Gibraltar, surely you can uncover the traitor allied with the Empire?
For instance, rooting out a betrayer who guided the emperor and eight masters in assaulting the Elf Forest.
All wild exaggerations, utterly implausible. Yet without something like that, I couldn't fathom why the Platinum Lord would invite me to the forest.
Fortunately, no such issues arose.
Unfortunately, another problem did.
"Is this training to restrict your vision and heighten your other senses? Is it truly necessary?"
"There's nowhere safe to look, so I simply keep my eyes shut."
I mustn't open my eyes. Mustn't recall memories. Mustn't think of the traces of life draped across the gray forest, that irreverent white feast.
"Platinum Lord, my knowledge of history is limited, but I was taught that elves were the first race born to this land, predating humanity."
"And so?"
"Human perspective is amusing."
"What of elves?"
"We don't know. I'm not some creature who's lived millions of years."
"......."
Among continental historians pondering life's origins, some believed elves held the answers. My deepest condolences to them.
"More importantly, how long will you shuffle along at that snail's pace? Just open your eyes and walk normally."
"...I'll have to stare at the ground, then."
With no choice, I bowed my head deeply and fixed my gaze on the floor. My forward-stretching view widened to the sides, taking in at a glance the elves who'd come out to the streets to see me.
"What's this? Is he embarrassed by us?"
"Cute. Makes me want to devour him whole."
"If he weren't Hailredin's guest... heh heh heh."
Gazes directed my way felt starkly blatant from all around. Their words in flawless Nostrum Kingdom tongue pierced my ears, every voice belonging to women in their early to mid-twenties.
All elves were beauties, with no crones among them. No wonder they're called the race of beauty—but this was deeply troublesome for me right now.
I should've just spent the night.
The Silver Dust obtained from the Empire's shadows had all been invested in Caroline production for Lady Mente.
Last time I smoked Silver Dust and dreamed was about two weeks ago, I think.
Troublesome. My vitality brimmed over.
Recalling what I'd been up to around this time pre-regression—
I was writhing on the floor even worse than Noir.
Father had declared I must become a master, drilling me over fourteen hours a day. With stamina depleted daily, no other urges could rise.
And now?
Training my body quite comfortably.
Why take the rough path when I knew the shortcuts? Thus, my stamina remained intact, vitality abundant.
In the mansion or orphanage lab, such vigor was fine—but
"How long do you intend to slouch along like that?"
To my plight, the Platinum Lord merely scolded.
"Can't you straighten your back and walk faster?"
"...Elves have no men, so you can't understand."
If even one man were here, it might douse my ardor like cold water. But this place—
"Getting so embarrassed over a mere bodily function. Well, if you're insecure about what you've got, I suppose I understand."
"......."
"There. Doesn't walking with your back straight like that work?"
Squeals of 'Kyaa—' rose around us, but I straightened my spine and steeled myself. Stay calm. None here were younger than Lady Mente. And.
I swore it.
I couldn't tell her directly, but I'd vowed it to myself.
This life,
Pre-regression, I couldn't. Post-regression, if possible, of course I should.
"Platinum Lord, let me say one thing clearly."
"What?"
"I've sworn to give my first time to the one I love."
"......Hmm."
The Platinum Lord halted. The elves' playful giggles faded one by one.
"You heard that, everyone."
"Yes, Hailredin."
"'Gibraltar' declares chastity."
Chastity felt a touch off for some reason, but it wasn't wrong.
"Enough play. We've confirmed everything needed, so this suffices."
"Then...!"
"The forest spirits won't tempt or prank you."
"Ah."
Relief.
"The elves' trial is over."
So that's what it all was—a trial.
"You passed. I, Hailredin Ipheria, am certain Grey Gibraltar poses no threat to our forest or World Tree."
Truly a relief.
"Now that you've passed, we must welcome you as one of the forest. Welcome, child of Gibraltar blessed by my daughter Erwin."
Could I finally lift my head freely in the Elf Forest?
"Not that you'll need uncomfortable clothes or anything."
"......."
"Heh heh heh. Rest easy. You'll live in a separate space from me anyway."
"Ha...."
Midway through, what blessed fortune.
* * *
I knew little of the Elf Forest. Not even how they lived.
But at least this much I'd learned for certain.
The elves' king, Platinum Lord Ipheria, was the most open(?) among them.
"Thank you, truly."
"Dressing for your sake warrants such thanks?"
"Truly."
"Hmm.... It's awkward dressing like this here, but no helping it. Only way to 'accommodate' you."
Accommodate. The Platinum Lord was an elf who could dress to accommodate a human like me.
"Many questions, no doubt. Ask away. No one hears in this 'gray tree-sea.'"
The Platinum Lord spread her arms with a smile. Behind her, gray ancient buildings rose like trees, their outer walls cloaked in moss and vines.
"Many questions indeed, but the most important first."
I took a light breath, stepping back slightly from the Platinum Lord.
"...Am I dreaming right now?"
"......."
Someday, I'd wanted to ask someone knowledgeable.
"No rule against dreaming in a dream. Five years gone, countless dreams later, I still suffer nightmares."
Entering dreams via Silver Dust always conjured 'fantasies I desired,' but not always good moments.
"The kingdom fell, my mother took her life."
I dreamed it. Not just following vanguard orders to the capital, but wheeling my mount toward Gibraltar mansion.
"My little sister was slain for her lover, for his cause."
I dream it. Sending the enamored pair continent's end, stripped of house, fate, surname—names alone.
"My little brother rampaged at her death, tormented by poison till the end."
I dream it. Reading saint tales since childhood, beating with fists or crippling to redeem some wastrel.
"...Father was executed."
I dream it. Rescuing him unparalyzed from venom, kneeling at execution—risking all to flee.
"Yet every night, the same nightmare. Do you know what?"
"A dream of failing to protect loved ones."
"Yes."
Borrowing Somnus powder's power, I dream nightly.
"Nostrum's twisted children always do. Rare, but someone used their 'chance' for you."
"......."
In that instant, a woman's face flashed—cold toward me till the final moment we shared.
"First, by precept, I can't 'directly' speak of it."
"......."
"But if you truly are one, I can speak indirectly."
The Platinum Lord gripped her throat.
"You are undoubtedly ■■■. ...Tch."
No sound came.
She'd clearly spoken, yet it vanished from the world.
"...No helping it."
"Platinum Lord...?!"
"It's fine."
Blood gushed from the Platinum Lord's mouth.
"This is nothing."
She wiped it with her hand's back, smiling radiantly instead.
"Fortunate. So fortunate. This pain lets me rest easy."
"Yes...?"
"This isn't a dream. It's reality. This throat-tearing agony proves it."
"......Ha."
Suddenly, my vision blurred.
"Five years questioning myself alone, consoling it was all in my head—now it feels rewarded."
"Yes. The eternal torment of the 'shut-eyed.'"
The Platinum Lord gazed skyward, self-mocking.
"No one wants their failed past."
Blood trickled her lips, but she kept smiling.
"Yet none can change it. Time flows only forward—reversing it impossible."
"Truly impossible?"
"Save those 'blessed.' Ah, not Erwin's mark on your brow. This blessing is—"
"From a transcendent being who bends even time, beyond human?"
"Yes. And that blessing..."
The Platinum Lord continued calmly.
"Has guarded the kingdom all along. Every time, always."
"......."
"You suspected, yet look shocked it was true."
"Well..."
No helping it.
"......."
No. I'm no party to it—can't presume.
But if my worst assumption held...
"Do you know of Saint Geo Nostrum?"
"I do."
"Is he also 'shut-eyed'?"
"......Who knows."
The Platinum Lord shrugged.
"Only that one would know."
"That one..."
"Tell no one. Hm...."
The Platinum Lord touched below her lips, looking troubled.
"Nostrum's royals bear Golden Dragon blood."
"......."
"That's the blessing handed down."
"That..."
One sudden question arose.
"Isn't there a guardian dragon passed down 500 years in the kingdom?"
"Yes."
"Legends say adult size shrank to near 5 meters—do you mean that guardian dragon...?"
"No. They're like... in human terms, 'royals and knights.'"
"......."
"Shrinking per generation suits adapting to human world."
The Platinum Lord wryly shook her head.
"Enough of this."
"......."
"Don't take in too much at once."
"Yes. Fair enough."
One confirmation here satisfied me.
"If not dreaming, using this flowing time meaningfully matters."
Info unknowable pre-regression. Inferences likely true by circumstance.
Nostrum truly bore Golden Dragon blood. Transcendent phenomena stemmed from transcendent blessings. That I, not bloodline, received it.
Time enough to ponder slowly.
"Platinum Lord, any spare blades?"
"Blade? Gibraltar's child wields not sword but blade?"
"Most familiar to my hand."
"Elf Forest has no iron. Dwarves handle metalwork."
Swoosh.
"But some woods outlast steel."
The Platinum Lord reached aside; a lengthy wooden blade extended from the trunk.
"You're quite the oddity. Insisting on a blade—"
"Platinum Lord."
Right foot forward. Blade angled frontward.
"With no mana, technique alone."
"You..."
"Odd to say to an elf, perhaps."
Advancing, crouch like wolf.
"A martial artist answers with the blade. Natural law."
"Gibraltar teaching, or—"
"My master is Lady Mente."
Pre- or post-regression, unchanged.
"Others too, true master another—but she taught me blade first."
Post-regression, techniques from old Mente I hadn't—or couldn't—learned dwelled in me.
"Can't honor as master. Platinum Lord. Instead."
Power to lower body, full force to right foot—dash forward.
Imperial swordsmanship. Old name. Ipheria style.
"One slash to sever nightmares, I'll perfect it."
Flicker Slash.
Shlick.
The gray blade arced, diagonally cleaving the Platinum Lord.
"......."
It scattered.
Gripping the diagonal stroke, I yanked the blade overhead to horizontal guard.
"Amusing."
In a blink, an instant.
"Seeing a blade not mine with my blade."
A massive trunk filled my vision, descending to bisect me.
"Behold, child."
Correction.
"To cleave—is thus."
The blade fell toward me.