Vivian (9)

Without a moment’s hesitation, Excellia and I moved to the next nest of those creatures.

“Ride me.”

“Huh? You?”

“Are you perhaps afraid of heights?”

“Of course not, but…”

“It’s faster that way.”

And so, Excellia rode me as we moved to the next lair.

There were already dozens of such places identified in the vicinity.

Even if they were well-camouflaged, Excellia’s superhuman eyesight exposed them.

“Helix, there’s another one of their lairs over there.”

“Kiiik!”

Woooong!!

While flying, I cast Polymorph and returned to my human form.

Thanks to that, Excellia, who had been riding me, was flung into the air.

“Kyaaaak!! Wha-what are you doing!! Suddenly!!”

“Let’s just smash it right away!! Dropping down from above has the strongest impact!”

“Then what about me?!”

“I’ll catch you again! Just trust me and shoot!”

In the end, Excellia reluctantly drew her bowstring.

“Seriously… just you wait until we get down.”

Excellia imbued her arrow with Magic, channeling the energy of the wind spirit.

It was the exact same method she had used against me before.

Hwiiiiiik!!

The arrow, imbued with a gale, fell like divine lightning towards the bug lair on the ground.

At the same time, I also returned to my dragon form, inhaling the surrounding air deeply, and then…

Kwaaaaang!!

In addition to Excellia’s wind arrow, a fiery breath attack followed.

“No way… were you aiming for a combo…?”

The arrow, heavily laden with wind Magic, reacted with the fiery breath, transforming into a storm of flaming lightning.

It was truly a feast of lightning.

By that hellish lightning, the bug lairs were utterly destroyed in an instant.

“Kyaaaak..! Catch me gently!!”

Just before she hit the ground, I snatched Excellia and landed roughly.

The air still crackled with lightning.

I had tried it as an experiment, but its power exceeded my expectations.

“Nice.”

“What’s so nice about it?”

Excellia poked my ribcage with her finger.

I flinched from the sharp pain.

“Cough…”

“I thought my heart was going to drop out. Do you think everyone has wings like you?”

“Sorry…”

“Anyway, it’s impressive that you thought of combining two elemental powers. Have you done it before?”

“No, this is my first time.”

But now that I think about it, I could have just stayed in dragon form, breathed fire, and Excellia could have shot her arrows while riding me.

It couldn’t be helped since I couldn’t communicate in dragon form.

“Next time, let’s just shoot together.”

“You didn’t just realize that, did you?”

“…”

It felt like lasers were shooting from Excellia’s eyes, so I averted my gaze.

Ah, I said I was sorry.

******

After that, Excellia and I continued to clear out the Termites in the vicinity.

Among them, there were some quite powerful individuals that didn’t die in one breath attack, so I had to draw my sword and face them directly.

“As single entities, they’re manageable… but the problem is still their numbers.”

“Yes, no matter how formidable they are, they can’t compare to you, a dragon. But they have the ability to learn.”

“Meaning they’ll appear in larger groups?”

“Exactly. Future battles won’t be so easy.”

For about a month, Excellia and I repeated the extermination work.

Indeed, just as Excellia said, their numbers grew steadily, and the individuals themselves became more threatening.

Once, we were even surrounded by them and had a hard time, but…

Fighting back-to-back, there was nothing to fear.

“Let’s go back, Helix. I think this is enough for today.”

“Okay.”

After finishing our daily extermination, Excellia and I would return to the city of the World Tree.

Other Elves, who had initially not hidden their hostile atmosphere, no longer showed animosity towards me.

This was because word had spread that I had cleared out many Termite lairs with Excellia.

“I’ll have a meal prepared.”

“I’m hungry. Lots of meat.”

“I’ll try my best to get some.”

The World Tree forest was great in every way, but this was the problem.

Meat consumption was so low that if you wanted to eat meat, you practically had to slaughter it yourself.

“As for bathing…”

“I can do it by myself now.”

I stopped Excellia, who was trying to come in unnecessarily.

This woman, no matter how I think about it, is too oblivious in this regard.

And besides, I’m a married man.

“Should I contact Vivian soon…?”

I had been hesitating until now.

Because I wasn’t even sure myself if I still loved her.

But… after spending time here and recovering my mind somewhat, she came back to mind.

Indeed, I need Vivian.

“Magic won’t reach.”

A powerful Magic barrier was laid over this forest.

No matter that I was a dragon, connecting to the Empire’s communication Magic was almost impossible.

That means I’d have to go directly to the Imperial army…

I’ll have to discuss this directly with Excellia.

“Helix, have you finished bathing?”

“Yes.”

“Then please eat right away. This time, I entrusted the cooking to an Elf who used to be a hunter.”

Several types of dishes were laid out on the table.

Vegetable dishes were the main course, and there were also some meat dishes prepared for me.

“But why don’t you guys eat meat?”

“Because we can live perfectly fine without it.”

“Don’t you lack nutrients?”

“Not at all? If we did, we would have found and eaten it long ago.”

Well, I suppose since they didn’t need it in the first place, their palates might have naturally changed that way.

“Still, your vegetable dishes are quite edible. Better than the Empire’s.”

“Of course, our Elves’ vegetable cuisine is the best.”

“Right, since you only eat this, it makes sense that you’d stake your lives on making it delicious.”

However, conversely, the forest dwellers’ meat cooking methods were rather poor.

Because they didn’t eat it in the first place.

Seasoned dishes were out of the question, and even basic seasoning was unfamiliar to them.

I couldn’t help but suddenly think of the meat dishes made by the Empire’s chefs.

“If Helix wants, I’ll make more meat dishes for you.”

“Suddenly?”

“I’ll learn human cooking methods. We can just buy spices.”

“…”

A moment of silence fell.

Somehow, the atmosphere felt subtly strange.

“Helix.”

“Yes.”

“How do you find life in this forest?”

“Well, it’s not as bad as I expected.”

Perhaps the forest wasn’t just a forest for nothing.

At least mentally, it was much better than when I was in the Empire.

“Enough to stay for a lifetime?”

“A lifetime, I don’t know… but for a while, it might be okay?”

Excellia’s expression was downcast, as if it wasn’t the answer she wanted.

“The Elves are grateful to you. Many have lost their homes to the Termites.”

“Really? That’s surprising. I thought they’d all be holding a grudge against me.”

“Actually, the damage from the Empire isn’t that great. Our concern is those bugs.”

Hesitantly, Excellia slightly raised her eyes, observing my reaction.

I felt like she had something she wanted to say but kept beating around the bush.

“Actually, yesterday. I went to see Mother World Tree and talked with her.”

“Oh? What did she say?”

“I told her about Helix’s exploits. Mother was very happy and relieved. And…”

“And…?”

“I also told her that Helix said he would protect me in the future… Yes, I told her that too.”

Wait a minute, the nuance is different.

I said I’d protect the World Tree and, by extension, protect her too…?

“Then Mother World Tree asked me. What do I think of you?”

“…”

“I couldn’t answer right away. What exactly are you to me, Helix?”

“A comrade…?”

Yes, Excellia and I could be called comrades.

We hunted Termites together, and ate meals together.

Although our respective targets might be different, we both had something we wanted to protect.

“Yes, you consider me a comrade. I should be relieved, but…”

Excellia gazed at me with trembling eyes.

A fierce storm raged within her emerald pupils.

Even I, as insensitive as I was, couldn’t completely miss the storm swirling within them.

“Why do I feel so sad even at those words?”

“…”

“I’m a strange woman, aren’t I…?”

“Yes, you are strange.”

It seemed the World Tree had put some ideas into Excellia’s head.

I could roughly understand why, but…

“Excellia, now that I think about it, I’ve never asked. How old are you?”

“It’s rude to ask a woman her age.”

“Then, roughly converted to human age?”

“About twenty, I suppose…?”

Twenty, so Excellia was just becoming an adult as an Elf.

Of course, the actual years she had lived were much longer than mine, but…

Elves’ lives are fundamentally very slow.

This meant that the emotions and trials she had experienced throughout her life might even be less than mine.

“Have you ever had a lover in your life?”

“No. Never.”

“I don’t have a lover, but I have a Wife.”

“I know that.”

Excellia’s voice sounded sulky.

She didn’t like it when I mentioned Vivian.

It was natural, considering Vivian was the ruler of an enemy nation, but…

“Do you perhaps dislike me talking about Vivian?”

“Yes, I don’t like it.”

“Because she’s the ruler of the Empire?”

“No, it’s because Helix always smiles whenever he talks about her.”

This was an unexpected answer.

I smiled whenever I mentioned Vivian?

“Even though you say she’s violent or whatever, Helix always looks happy when you talk about that woman.”

“…”

“That must mean you like her that much. I’m a little envious of her. It’s not easy to be loved so passionately by someone.”

Her serious gaze made me realize that she wasn’t just saying empty words.

“Excellia.”

“Yes.”

“Honestly, you’re a really good person too. No, an Elf.”

“…”

When I’m with Excellia, I sometimes forget about Vivian’s existence.

But strictly speaking, it’s not forgetting.

Excellia is trying to replace Vivian.

Because being with her makes me feel more at ease and secure.

It’s cruel to Vivian, but it’s an undeniable fact.

“I’ll be honest. I feel more at ease with you than when I’m with my Wife.”

“Really…?!”

“It’s true.”

Excellia’s face was filled with joy.

Her calm, emerald eyes, like a field, trembled violently as if caught in a wind.

“I’m comfortable with you. And… I feel safe.”

“I… feel the same way.”

A rare blush spread across Excellia’s pale cheeks.

With a shy face, Excellia stammered out her words.

“I didn’t expect Helix to say something like that.”

“…”

“I’m a little happy… no, very happy…”

Unless I was a fool, I could now be certain.

That month of time had completely changed Excellia.

“Excellia.”

“Yes, Helix.”

I poured cold water on her expectant flame.

“I want to meet Vivian.”

“Huh…?”

Excellia blinked, as if she didn’t understand.

She remained blank for a moment, like a broken machine, then…

She barely managed to part her lips and voice her question.

“Why…?”

“Why? Because she’s my Wife. I have to contact her.”

“But… you said you felt better with me than with her….”

If Vivian hadn’t existed, would my heart have gone to Excellia?

I couldn’t say for sure it would be a definite yes, but there was a high probability it would have.

She is a good Elf.

She possesses the strength to face her heavy duties head-on without running away.

She will surely… meet a better person.

“Yes, that’s right. I definitely said that.”

“Then why…?”

“But that’s all it is. A dragon doesn’t change its chosen mate once it’s decided.”

“…!”

“Even if I regret it…”

Excellia’s expression immediately hardened with disappointment.

Vivian was certainly no longer a source of only joy for me.

Being with her had also increased the number of painful and agonizing situations.

But I wouldn’t abandon her for those reasons.

Because that was more than just love for Vivian; it was like my conviction.

“Sorry.”

“…”

This was a fleeting fever.

A fever that would ache for a while… and then pass like a lie.

It was just that such a fever had briefly come upon Excellia.