Chapter 35: Holy Land? Pilgrimage?

“Ma? Murakane? The engagement thingy, did Chisora do it? That’s why I’m goin’.”

“Uh, um… you speak the Imperial language with a rather unique accent.”

The man thought to himself.

Judging by appearance, she looked to be in her mid-teens.

Skin as white as snow, and silver hair that radiated a light that made even that paleness seem dull.

And then, with two eyes that sparkled brilliantly as if emeralds had been embedded in them, the girl tilted her head. Her ears were particularly pointed.

…I wonder if I’d get poked if I touched them.

“Why ain’t ya answerin’?!”

“Teacher.”

At that moment, a blonde girl with green eyes sitting in the adjacent seat addressed her as such and reached out to poke her in the side.

They say Elves have all sorts of ear shapes.

While one looked like she might poke you, the other had a more conventionally long shape.

“Huh?”

“Why don’t you just use magic?”

“Ma, if I can’t even share a piece of dried fish at this age, am I just a hypnosis joke?”

“…If it’s that severe, I can’t understand you. Even within the Capital… at that point, it’s already passed the stage of being treated as a regional dialect.”

“Is that so? Then what about you?”

“I am perfect. I have no problem either speaking or listening.”

“Look at you, all high and mighty! This is why young’uns are… tsk! Fine! I won’t!”

“As you wish.”

Haha….

They say all sorts of people—men, women, old, young, and sometimes regardless of race—board the stagecoaches.

But among them, those two Elves, who seemed to be in a teacher-student relationship, were exceptionally peculiar.

One looked like a mage at a glance, while the other was dressed so thoroughly that she wouldn’t be out of place being called an adventurer.

However, it wasn’t that which caught the eye.

Were they so pretty their eyes would pop out? Beautiful?

One could just accept that as a racial trait, but….

‘They must be High Elves, right?’

The man’s guess had its own basis.

There are ranks among Elves, and while people usually just assume they’re pretty, it’s said that if you look at them and think, That’s not a person, that’s a goddess, then they are almost certainly High Elves.

Indeed, every man and woman inside the stagecoach was constantly stealing glances at the two Elves.

They say the Capital is teeming with beauties and handsome men enough to open one’s eyes, but if the standard is narrowed down to those who look as if they were sculpted by a god, the number would be extremely few.

“It ain’t even a big deal. Hmph!”

There are different types of stagecoaches, but carriages that can be boarded regardless of status, like this one, were usually pulled by five horses.

Naturally, if there was no luggage, ten people could easily fit in the passenger compartment excluding the driver; if excessive luggage was added, they either charged an extra fee or reached a compromise if the contents were reasonable.

“Please continue.”

“Uh, um. Well….”

At the request of the girl who appeared to be the student, the middle-aged man blushed and cleared his throat with a cough.

Damn, she’s pretty.

If she keeps flickering in my head like this, I won’t be able to sleep properly for days.

And that wasn’t all.

In his imagination, he already had six children with her.

“Ahem! Well, it’s not a broken engagement, but they say it’s been postponed. He said he wanted time for self-reflection and left on a Holy Land Pilgrimage. Lueld’s son, that is.”

“So the engagement is off, then? What about the ceremony?”

“That’s why there are so many rumors. But… that’s just what the rumors say; whether he actually left on a Holy Land Pilgrimage is anyone’s guess.”

He brought his hand to his mouth as if sharing a secret.

Naturally, the attention of all the passengers followed suit.

“I heard he caused quite a stir with his misconduct.”

“Misconduct? What kind?”

“Within the Academy, he assaulted members of the Royal Bloodline and his fellow students, and even committed violence and rebellion against the teachers. Including property damage… it was said to be immense. I don’t know the details, but….”

“Ain’t it said that if ya don’t know, ya shouldn’t blabber?”

“Um….”

“She is saying that it is not a good attitude to propagate inaccurate rumors for the sake of interest.”

No.

I don’t think she said it like that.

“He ain’t the type to do that. How could a kid I ain’t even seen go like that? Why’s such a baseless rumor goin’ ‘round?”

With such a sweet voice.

And with such a pretty face, spitting out such a bizarre language—the dissonance was truly staggering.

Yet, it wasn’t as if it was completely incomprehensible.

It was truly perplexing.

“…….”

Please, Teacher. Use Translation Magic….

To have gone through the trouble of developing it and then not use it. How can this be!

Before that, why is the embarrassment her own burden?

Hamern, one of her many students, sighed faintly, touching her chest which rose modestly above her leather vest and grey cloak.

====

“Hey. You, what’s your deal? Hurry up and gather some info.”

“Do we really have to use such a baseless language between ourselves?”

“You brat! Ya gotta use it to get used to it! Young’uns don’t know nothin’?! An elder is speakin’ to ya! I’ll just—!”

“…….”

For someone saying that, she seems to be doing it intentionally.

What is this? Is she subtly mocking me, telling me to eat a poisonous mushroom?

“Do ya know where we’re goin’?”

“The Imperial Palace, right?”

“Give ‘em my name. Show ‘em the crest. If they blow me off, I’ll give ‘em a piece of my mind.”

“…….”

If she did that, it would lead to a diplomatic friction.

“I’ll just say! The Emperor, the Empress! They’re all just like my students. When else am I gonna play power games if not now?”

“……I get it, so just go already.”

If she keeps listening to that bizarre language, she feels like she might collapse from high blood pressure.

As she naturally vanished, blending into the crowd.

“By the way.”

The silver-haired Elf, standing and scanning the Capital unfolding before her eyes.

“It’s murky in many ways.”

“Still, isn’t it better than the stench of excrement everywhere?”

“Wouldn’t that be more nostalgic?”

“…….”

“This is why young’uns are! Tsk tsk tsk tsk!”

“You were doing that on purpose in front of me. Noted. Anyway, student, I will move ahead to carry out the instructions.”

Surely, no matter how mischievous she is.

She wouldn’t be so tactless as to act like that in front of the Emperor and Empress.

…Hamern firmly believed she wouldn’t be that irrational.

No, she wanted to believe it.

====

Humans, as a racial trait, were all pretty much the same.

To put it nicely, they were ordinary; to put it bluntly, they lacked anything exceptional.

On the other hand.

Non-human races often had traits that were exceptionally different or alien, even within the same race.

Elves and Fae Folk were no exception.

Some were accustomed to the night like nocturnal animals, while others naturally preferred activities under the sun.

While the majority felt the forest was their home, not everyone preferred the forest.

Some stayed secluded in deserts, and others lived among beasts in grasslands and fields.

The prejudice that Elves are the race of the forest exists simply because the majority of Fae Folk are biased in that direction.

The Clan of the Forest was the first to establish a theocratic state, and they were the ones granted the privilege of upholding and serving the World Tree.

Naturally, they were the most prosperous, their technology and civilization were the most developed, and they were no exception in continuing and preserving long-standing traditions.

Above all.

“Wow….”

Even though he only saw her in passing, a young man was mesmerized by that radiant beauty.

The fact that they were beautiful, and that this physical trait appealed to the human race—which established the mainstream of the continent—became a very important catalyst and driving force for them to enter the center of continental history.

Therefore, in most countries, there is always a High Elf among the distant relatives.

Some kings were even halves or quarters, and many possessed some traits, though they had faded.

However.

…The Empire was not like that.

Amidst the destruction of countless nations due to the Demon King Invasion, there were quite a few new nations that had no connection to Elven bloodlines.

…But that wasn’t an immediate concern.

With their beauty, they firmly believed they could make anyone kneel.

And as a natural progression.

When things reach that point, outlaws and unscrupulous people inevitably appear to take advantage.

They possessed sufficient ability to prevent and block such dangers.

…As long as they were within their own territory.

In that sense.

Compared to other countries, the Empire was a reasonably good place for their race to operate without protection.

Slavery was recognized, but only for serfs, and even then, being a slave was closer to a legal profession.

The treatment was far better than in other countries where being a slave meant nothing but despair.

And depending on their ability, they could even cast off the shackles of slavery.

…The reason foreign slaves desperately attempted to escape their own countries under the guise of immigration or asylum, and fled to the Empire, had plausible grounds.

Going one step further, the Empire was generously practicing efforts to legally bring in such slaves through its great merchants and integrate them as citizens.

Since the Demon King invaded, the world had fallen into chaos.

And the hideous things that tried to exploit this as an opportunity deliberately sucked the blood of the weak and the poor.

In a way, the Empire was continuing its own form of relief, provided it didn’t cause diplomatic friction with other nations.

Anyone who wished to belong to the Empire was embraced, regardless of being an outsider or their race.

As long as they weren’t heinous criminals.

Thus, the Empire was using its resources to provide relief to the powerless both domestically and abroad.

…However, from the perspective of other countries, this must have felt not just annoying, but as something that shook their very foundations.

If it hadn’t been for the cooperation of the Dragonkin of the Religious Order, the Empire would have found it difficult to bear that burden alone.

‘Even so, if the cultures and races are different, conflicts will be endless.’

Indeed, among the royal capitals and cities of the continent, the shadows were cast deeply even in the largest, the Capital.

For instance, in the slaughterhouse district located on the outskirts of the Capital, didn’t a stench beyond imagination permeate the air?

And such places were usually handled by those who were not originally citizens of the Empire.

Beastmen, or those with particularly red or black skin.

Those who were once of the Demon Race but betrayed them to side with the Human Alliance.

But there were also those who were ignored or sidelined even within that faction.

“What a cauldron of chaos.”

Hamern scanned the area nimbly, caught up in various reflections.

Naturally, she hadn’t completely forgotten the objective her teacher had assigned.

“Hamern? It’s been a while. How long has it been? 20 years?”

“…Not even 6 years.”

“Ah, only that long?”

A red-haired Elf suddenly revealed her presence.

She landed with a hop next to Hamern, who was perched on a red roof.

Seeing her in an apron, it seemed she had come from slicing something.

Indeed, all sorts of stains were clinging to the brown apron.

“An Elf slicing meat. How novel.”

“It’s fun once you try it. The feeling of skinning, carving the flesh, and cutting the bone—it’s addictive once you do it.”

“Last time you said hitting iron with a hammer was the best?”

“I did say that then.”

Just because they are the Clan of the Forest doesn’t mean they never touch meat.

There are even Elves who pursue only a carnivorous diet.

It’s just that in the case of High Elves, for religious reasons—such as the prohibition of cooked food—and to exclude artificial energy to raise their spiritual level while serving the god.

They exclude it for various reasons.

In fact, there are many cases where eating it worsened their physical condition, so they naturally came to exclude it.

“So, what are you curious about?”

“Kariel. I want to know about his reputation. As detailed as possible. And, you said Kariel and Princess Elhermina were going to have an engagement ceremony? I heard that was canceled?”

“I figured as much, so I’ve been keeping an ear out. But you might be disappointed by what you hear.”

“By whom? The Empire? Or Kariel? The Hero Family?”

“Please judge for yourself.”

Subsequently, she simply relayed the information she had previously gathered.

It wasn’t a long time, but the expression on Hamern’s face was beyond complex; it was clearly bewildered.

Then, her expression hardened, and eventually, Hamern wore a chilling look that seemed capable of killing several people and hanging them just with a glance.

She murmured lowly.

“This is going to be a disaster.”

“Why?”

“Geornia is currently in the Imperial Palace.”

“Uh… why is she there?”

“Previously, there was an incident where Kariel broke into the Treasure Vault, and the Princess said she couldn’t understand it, so she called her to verify it.”

“…Did she come under the pretext of celebrating the engagement or something like that?”

“Yeah.”

Hamern did not deny it.

“And the one who told me to find out about this was her.”

“Uh… why don’t you go as late as possible?”

“You want me to get Forced Teleported and have my stomach turn?”

“Then it can’t be helped!”

Since it had come to this.

“Just confess everything willingly!”

“…I wish you’d suggest that I only do it when we’re alone.”

“Given her personality, wouldn’t she gather the Emperor, Empress, Lueld, and a few others to make you confess? She hates doing things twice, doesn’t she?”

“Haaa~!”

A sigh bordering on a lament.

Hamern stood up from the red roof.

“Are you going to stay here?”

“Probably?”

“…Right. If I’m lucky, I’ll see you in a few years.”

“You’ll be staying here for a while, right? Come visit often.”

“…I’ll only be here for a few months.”

“No, a few months is plenty long! More than a few months?”

“My mistake. A few weeks? A few days? That depends on Teacher.”

Hamern shook her head weakly.

“I’ll bet my ancestors’ names that she’ll stay for a while because of the newly introduced Magic Theory.”

“You’re quite the impious daughter.”

“Since when was I not?”

The two burst into laughter.

Just a few bits of small talk, and an hour or two had flown by.

“The rest later.”

Eventually, following the guidance of the wind, she moved by leaping across roofs.

“Stop right there! Stop!”

“……?”

Someone stopped her, so she reluctantly halted.

Judging by the attire, he seemed to be a guard.

He had likely spotted her during his street patrol and managed to keep up.

“No, why do you keep stepping on the roofs like that?! I know you’re an Elf and your body is light, but what if you break something?”

“Uh….”

“Let me see your identification. You’re probably not a citizen of the Empire….”

But does it make sense for a mere guard to chase her?

Is this the level of the Capital?

Still, after explaining the situation one way or another, she narrowly avoided being detained.

Instead, she had to travel by carriage on the road with that guard accompanying her all the way to the Imperial Palace.

It was just before sunset when Hamern finally arrived in front of the Imperial Palace.

“…….”

Even here, if she followed the path to reach the Emperor and her teacher, it would take ages.

Cold sweat broke out.

Please, I beg you, just not Forced Teleportation!