Chapter 54. Ill Intentions
Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye, and at last, the Elves revealed themselves outside the Mezaia Great Forest.
Raviata had already contacted the outside world in advance, so the area before the Great Forest was packed with people hoping to catch a glimpse of the rumored Elves.
Reporters had pitched tents several days earlier and claimed their positions for coverage, and quite a few Mages could be seen among them as well.
“I heard Elves are unbelievably beautiful.”
“That’s what the ancient records say. And judging by the rumors among the nobles who’ve actually seen them, apparently they’re something else.”
The citizens of the Kingdom of Hiel who had gathered merely to watch wore faces filled with curiosity.
“I cannot remember the last time I felt this excited.”
“Hoho. Indeed. Elven magic……”
“I hear they’re also exceptionally knowledgeable about Spirit Summoning. I would very much like to hear about it myself.”
The elderly Mages were so excited that one could almost call their behavior unbecoming of their age.
“Wow. At this rate, I could survive for months writing nothing but articles about the Mezaia Great Forest.”
“Of course. You could probably slap Raviata’s name on the headline alone and it would sell.”
The reporters stared toward the entrance of the Mezaia Great Forest while imagining the profits awaiting them.
After some time passed—
The early dawn began giving way to sunrise.
At that moment, pale green light flowed from the boundary of the forest.
“H-Hey!”
“Whoa!”
Cheers erupted from the crowd.
The dense vegetation blocking the Great Forest parted on its own, forming a path.
Deer, squirrels, and countless varieties of birds emerged from beyond the opening.
And among them—
Elf Queen Priscilla appeared, accompanied by several Elder Elves.
“Wow…….”
“Good heavens……”
“C-Can someone really look like that……?”
If goddesses existed, perhaps this was what they would look like.
The people who had gathered merely to see the legendary Elves could not close their mouths.
Even the reporters forgot to take photographs and simply stared blankly at the Elves.
The Mages were not much different.
Still, they quickly noticed that invisible Mana was spreading around Priscilla.
“Interesting.”
“Indeed. Is that related to Elven magic as well?”
“It seems somewhat different from the charm attributed to Succubi in the ancient texts……”
“Fascinating.”
They prided themselves on being intellectuals.
Their admiration for Priscilla’s beauty lasted only a moment before their academic curiosity began burning brightly.
“Greetings, humans. I am Priscilla, Queen of the Elves.”
Her clear voice rang out like the song of a young bird.
Only then did the reporters regain their senses and hurriedly raise their cameras, frantically taking photographs.
Unlike before, however, none of them dared rush forward and force an interview.
Part of the reason was the almost untouchable atmosphere Priscilla unconsciously emitted.
But more importantly—
The people reporters found most difficult to deal with had appeared.
The Diplomatic Delegation sent by the Allied Nations.
Reporters could proclaim the public’s right to know as loudly as they wished, but there were exceptions even to that principle.
Who knew when a neck loudly demanding its right to know might disappear without even the rats or birds noticing?
Reporters knew how to value their lives.
“A-Ahem. Welcome, people of the forest. This old man is Elijah J. Carter, representative of the delegation.”
“Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you. May I simply call you Elijah?”
“You may address me however you please.”
As an experienced political noble, Carter did not become particularly flustered by Priscilla’s appearance.
Instead, after realizing that she indeed used magic similar to bewitchment as the reports had claimed, his vigilance only increased.
‘This does not look like it will be easy.’
He had assumed they were merely a race that had flourished in ancient times……
But unexpectedly, each of Priscilla’s movements closely resembled those of human nobility.
It was not merely the dignity expected of a Queen.
Even human etiquette seemed ingrained into her body like habit.
That meant she had already studied the customs of human society.
When the Queen of an entire race had prepared herself this thoroughly, how could Carter possibly relax?
If he lacked even that much perception, he would never have risen to his current position.
However—
Carter was thinking about his opponent from an excessively human perspective.
He had overlooked one thing.
The race standing before him had survived since ancient times.
And their method of demonstrating power was more than enough to shatter human common sense.
“My. Is that the Magic Tool you call a Camera? How fascinating.”
“Hup.”
After exchanging a brief greeting with Carter, Priscilla smiled and pointed toward a nearby reporter’s Camera.
“Hmm. If I remember correctly, reporters use those Cameras to deliver information to the public, don’t they? In that case, I’ll allow exactly one question from a reporter.”
“That is……”
Before Carter could even express his discomfort at Priscilla’s unexpected behavior, a reporter quickly blurted out a question.
“I-I heard that the Elves desire friendly relations with humanity. Is that true?”
“Of course. Ever since the ancient era you humans call ‘before the current era,’ we Elves have only used our strength to defend ourselves.”
Priscilla smiled reassuringly toward the Camera.
The reporter stared at her in a daze and was about to activate it properly when—
“That is also why I would like to make something clear. We Elves would like to maintain good relations with those who are friendly toward us……”
Her smile did not change.
“But I would also like you to know what happens when the opposite is true.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by—”
Priscilla lightly waved one hand through the air.
Massive roots from the forest behind her burst out of the earth.
“G-Good heavens!”
“Wh-What is that?!”
More than a dozen masked people were tightly bound within those roots.
Most already appeared dead, hanging limply without moving.
“It seems not everyone is as kind and patient as those gathered here today. Unfortunately, these people apparently viewed us Elves as nothing more than merchandise to be sold.”
Then—
Perhaps one among them had somehow survived.
One of the figures bound by the roots twitched.
“S-Save…… me…… Please……”
His voice was faint, but the desperation to survive was unmistakable.
What answered the masked man—
Was a single rough tree root.
It instantly coiled around his neck.
CRACK-!
The root twisted his neck before withdrawing beneath the earth.
In an instant, more than a dozen corpses disappeared underground.
“Ordinarily, I would have buried them alive so they could become fertilizer for our children……”
Priscilla tilted her head.
“But I was told that humans call that…… ah, was it ‘burying someone alive’? Apparently, it violates your ethics. So I kindly ended their lives first.”
Terrifying.
The reporter stared at Priscilla’s face.
She wore exactly the same benevolent smile as before.
Yet now, chills covered his entire body and sweat poured down his back.
“Humans. Allow me to say this once more.”
Priscilla’s clear voice spread throughout the silent crowd.
“We Elves have no intention of becoming your enemies. Just as in the past, so long as you do not enter our territory without permission and with ill intentions……”
Her smile deepened.
“We will welcome you.”
Everyone gathered there understood something once again.
The history carried by that beautiful face—
Contained a brutality worthy of the ancient era.
“Then allow me to welcome you once more.”
Priscilla looked toward the unarmed Adventurers and knights, and Carter standing dazed among them as though under their protection.
“Welcome, members of humanity’s Diplomatic Delegation.”
—
The appearance of the Elves once again sent shockwaves throughout the Allied Nations.
Many people immediately feared that the first signs of war between humans and Elves had already appeared.
Fortunately, however, the incident caused by Priscilla was quietly settled.
In truth, the Allied Nations bore some responsibility for the matter, and there was also the question of saving face.
The Allied Nations had already anticipated that groups seeking to abduct Elves would undoubtedly appear.
Accordingly, they had established an extensive security perimeter and made exhaustive preparations to prevent intruders from entering.
But apparently, the abductors had anticipated even that.
They dug long tunnels from multiple directions and infiltrated the Mezaia Great Forest underground.
From their perspective, they had probably never intended to stop after abducting only one Elf.
Moreover, this had occurred despite the Allied Nations publicly warning that the region was under surveillance and that no one was permitted to enter the Mezaia Great Forest without authorization.
For that reason and several other political considerations, the matter was brought to a close.
And despite the unexpectedly bloody first meeting, the delegation successfully completed its task and formed an alliance with the Elves.
Naturally, countless details still needed to be negotiated, so discussions would continue for quite some time……
But none of that particularly mattered to Shane.
He had already known matters would unfold roughly this way.
More importantly—
Shane himself had advised Priscilla to establish this exact image from the beginning.
A flower blooming upon a cliff.
That was the image Shane wanted the Elves to possess in the eyes of humanity.
Beautiful enough to desire—
But dangerous to reach for carelessly.
Meanwhile, Shane walked through the Academy without much difficulty after returning for the first time in fifteen days.
Despite his fame, no one actually approached him.
Had they not already spent plenty of time questioning Klein, Delilah, and Aneis about everything concerning the Mezaia Great Forest?
There was no reason to approach Shane now when he practically radiated an atmosphere telling people not to speak to him.
Still—
He could not prevent people from staring.
Those gazes followed him all the way to the Faculty Office.
“Ah, welcome, Shane.”
The person greeting him was Levi Benjamin.
He was the Senior Professor of the Department of Command and had served as an examiner during the departmental exam.
“My, my. There are certainly many things I would like to ask you, but I imagine you have also been extraordinarily busy lately.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“No, no. If anything, I should be the one thanking you. Did you not resolve one of humanity’s long-standing aspirations? It may be strange for a Professor to say this, but as a member of the Allied Nations, I feel genuine gratitude toward you.”
“Professor, you have also produced many excellent Adventurers.”
“My. I cannot exactly boast before someone who has already surpassed the lesson itself. Haha! I never expected someone as expressionless as you to know how to flatter an old man. In any case, I have spoken enough. Here. This is what you came for.”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Benjamin handed Shane several documents concerning the Grade Examination.
The Grade Examination was already underway.
Shane had simply arrived considerably later than everyone else because he had been occupied with matters elsewhere.
“Unfortunately, because you came so late, most of the desirable Dispatch Requests have already been taken. What you see there is everything that remains.”
Unlike examinations conducted independently by the Academy, the Grade Examination required participants to accept a Dispatch Request assigned by the Allied Nations.
No matter how extraordinary Shane’s previous accomplishments were, this was not something he could simply avoid.
More importantly—
Even if he could have avoided it, Shane had no intention of doing so.
Someone absolutely necessary for the future Shane envisioned for humanity was waiting at one of those locations.
“Only three remain.”
“Correct. Most are assignments everyone else preferred to avoid.”
Benjamin looked at Shane with an almost expectant expression.
“If I were to recommend one…… perhaps the northern—”
“This one will do.”
“Hmm?”
Before Benjamin could finish speaking, Shane selected one of the Dispatch Request documents and placed it on the desk.
[Dispatch Request: Biduron Wall Outpost, Arunbida, Forest of Northern Steel]
At this point in time—
There could hardly be a more reasonable opportunity to meet her.
One of the Two Flowers of the Empire.
The woman who would later lead the largest rebellion in Imperial history—
An event remembered as the Northern Rebellion.
Jepher di Natasha Anastasia.
