Chapter 73
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Absolutely Never Provoke the Service Elves (3)
Another nickname for the service elves, the elves, was Forest Guides. By borrowing the power of elves, dense forests would readily reveal beautiful shortcuts to the elves and their companions in an instant.
Following those paths granted the blessing of the forest, dramatically shortening travel time... or so the legend went, something I'd heard in the original story. It was even implemented as a feature in the game.
For example, it could halve troop transport from 30 days to 15, or cut a round-trip commission from 15 days to 7. Of course, only if an elf was in the party.
In this game, time was more valuable than gold. That's why early-game strategies recommended including an elf heroine in your party—to save time.
Of course, veterans like me got bored of the meta builds and tried all sorts of alternatives. But right now, none of my old gimmick builds were any help.
Forget whether I could even get back home—this was a life-or-death matter. I wanted to survive and return, not die horribly here.
In that sense, traveling with Clara had been a godsend. We'd reached the elven forest in record time. As I admired the woods, I let out a quiet gasp of wonder.
Unlike ordinary forests, this one was densely packed but not a tangled jungle. It felt like gazing at a pristine emerald woodland, neatly groomed. I turned to Clara with a question.
"Do the elves manage the forest like this?"
"No, elves don't prune branches or anything deliberate. They love nature as it is."
"So their mere presence makes the forest thrive like this."
New knowledge acquired. This wasn't even a thing in the game. Honestly, aside from their early-game utility as service elves and time-savers, elves weren't a standout race.
No wonder the community summed it up as "pretty is performance." But with reality patched in now, having them as allies made them incredibly reliable. We pressed on.
"Hold it~ Declare yourselves, or we'll shoot."
"Aunt Amelie!!"
"That voice... no way, Clara?!"
"Yeah! It's me, Clara!"
As we ventured deeper, a voice called from within the trees. Clara shouted back joyfully, recognizing it. The owner of the voice came running right away.
It was an elf with purple hair, dressed in something like a leaf-woven dress. Her skin was fair and her features beautiful, as you'd expect from an elf, but she had a different vibe from the others.
If Clara and Cluna were model students, this Amelie felt like the class delinquent. More bluntly, she had a delinquent aura. Amelie eyed me and said,
"Oh? So you're the new captain of the Royal Knights?"
"How'd you know that?"
"Cluna told me~ She came back to the elven forest recently!"
"I see. She told you, Aunt."
"Save the touching reunion for later."
I quickly changed the subject, catching Clara's darkening expression. Managing morale was a captain's duty, especially when she looked that down.
"Huh? What do you mean? Oh! Did Cluna not tell you?"
"That's enough."
"Okay, okay~ Got it~."
Amelie flashed a sly grin and turned away, leaving just Clara and me. Silence hung heavy since neither of us knew what to say. Then Clara psyched herself up.
"Hah!"
Her sudden outburst startled me, but I didn't show it. Faking surprise might make her snap. I cleared my throat to calm her.
"Easy, Clara. You can't do anything if you're worked up."
"I'm fine, Captain. I've made up my mind."
"Made up your mind?"
"Just like you said. I'll hear her out and judge for myself. That's the only way to know."
"Good. That's the right call."
Only after hearing her resolve did I finally relax. My pep talk had worked—her mental state was much tougher now. What a relief.
If she'd cracked after coming this far, I wouldn't have known how to fix it. I let out a sigh. All that was left was for Cluna to explain properly to Clara.
One worry lingered: her icy attitude. But Cluna, who cherished her daughter more than anyone, would surely explain everything right.
Or so I'd thought.
"Hurry back to Lionheart Fortress, Clara."
"Why do you never tell me anything?!"
"This doesn't concern you! Obey your mother now!"
Until I got caught in the middle of their mother-daughter spat, that is.
"......"
Fuck, what am I supposed to do?
First off, let me clarify: Cluna and Clara have a good relationship. Sure, they'd just been at each other's throats like wild animals, but it was fine overall.
That said, they didn't seem like your typical happy family. Both were hiding something from the other. Cluna wanted to protect her daughter.
Clara craved recognition. Their similar yet clashing desires kept them close but distant. Not a great situation—everyone ends up hurt.
And the biggest issue was my position sandwiched between them. I couldn't blindly side with one. I was their captain. My word carried weight.
That could unintentionally wound the other. But staying neutral would just let the conflict fester into disaster.
In short, I had to respect both sides while brokering a compromise. In their twisted mother-daughter dynamic, no less. One word: I'm screwed.
Real talk, no arguments.
Didn't they always say never meddle in family matters? That's how tangled and sensitive they get.
And that's why I was here. I crossed my arms silently, watching Clara. She lay facedown on the bed, radiating gloom.
She looked so depressed, I half-worried it'd rub off on me. I shook my head hard. What was this, contagious? I cleared my throat and spoke.
"Still, there's hope."
"Hope? What hope?"
"We can get the full story here."
"Mom told me to go back! She still treats me like a kid!!"
It pained me that I couldn't deny her outburst. Even as an outsider, Cluna's attitude seemed overly cold—like handling a child.
Sure, Clara was young for an elf. But she was a full-fledged Royal Knight doing her duty. She deserved respect.
Still, I couldn't just call out Cluna. If she, who loved her daughter so fiercely, spoke so sternly, there had to be a good reason.
So I ended up in the bind of soothing Clara without dismissing Cluna's feelings. Part of me seriously considered bailing, but the answer was always the same.
"Don't dismiss it yet. We haven't confirmed anything ourselves."
Life would be great if we could always do what we want. I'd love to win the lottery, quit working, and just play and eat. Who wants to go to an office?
But some things you have to do, no matter what. Rotten or not, I was the Royal Knights' captain. I couldn't shirk my duty. I slowly raised my hand.
When my cool palm touched her shoulder, Clara jolted up like a spring. No need for such a reaction, but I'd let it slide for now.
"You wanted to see for yourself. But is this really what your eyes saw?"
"Then what? Mom straight-up told me to leave."
"How do we know if that's her real feelings?"
"......Well."
"No one knows until we check ourselves."
What she needed right now was a sliver of hope. Give people something to grasp, and they can rise again. Even if it's tiny. That's enough.
Clara stared at me a moment, wiped her teary eyes, and stood.
I nodded, watching her.
Somehow, we'd cleared one hurdle.