Chapter 369

Chapter 369

For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Episode 369: False? Accusation

It was early in the morning, as the sun was slowly rising. I was changing clothes and cleaning up the traces of yesterday.

“Master, I’ll just live as your slave forever.”

“Huh? I wasn’t planning on letting you go anyway.”

“Phew…”

Carla stroked her chest as if she was truly relieved.

It seemed that the sight of me freeing Elisha and Iris from the slave mark was impressive in many ways.

The people involved didn’t seem to care much, though.

“Teacher, please step aside!”

“Ahem. Disciple. How can you oppress your teacher like this?”

“…Aren’t you the one who sold me to Yandel yesterday?”

“Th-That was unavoidable! And only the order was different. I ended up in the same situation, didn’t I?”

A full-length mirror that could reflect one person. In front of it, Elisha and Iris were bickering with each other, checking their cleaned necks.

Well, unlike Carla, they both hated the status of being slaves. No, it’s natural to hate it. It’s Carla who’s weird.

In the first place, I got their cooperative attitude in exchange for humane treatment and the condition that they would be released from slavery someday.

Of course, now they cherish each other enough to risk their lives… at the time, it was closer to a deal to receive their bodies and abilities and guarantee their future.

I wonder if it can be called a kind of political marriage?

But even such a political marriage was a marriage, and they tried to love me, and so did I.

And now. There is no contract or restraint between us. We are together purely out of affection for each other.

‘A vow that will not fade even after a thousand years.’

I don’t know who started it first, but it’s probably the most appropriate phrase to express the love of an elf.

…Or a phrase for someone who loves an elf.

I approached the two of them, still struggling to push each other away. Then I put one hand on each of their shoulders and smiled.

“Why are you fighting so much? There’s a way to check more easily.”

“You? What strange thing are you trying to do again?”

“Your smile is even more suspicious today, Master. What are you plotting?”

“That’s too much… don’t you trust me that much?”

As I pretended to be sad and sobbed, Elisha and Iris turned their backs on the mirror and looked at me. The two of them crossed their arms and tilted their heads.

“Trust you? Me? You? You, who did that yesterday?”

“I knew Master was shameless, but I didn’t know it was to this extent….”

“……”

No, where did all the favorability I earned from time warp go?

I gave a hollow laugh at their drastically changed attitude in just one day and continued.

“It’s a really good way, you know? You can listen and judge, right?”

“Hmph! Since you say so, I’ll listen.”

“As Elisha said, we’re only listening. Please remember that, Master!”

Elisha and Iris, who were wary of me, clung to each other as if they had never argued. I shrugged my shoulders at the two.

“It’s simple. We just have to try commanding and see if it works, right?”

“Ah… that’s true.”

“It’s a more reliable way to realize it than the missing mark on my neck.”

Elisha and Iris, who nodded with a softened attitude as if it seemed okay after listening. Gee, it’s really okay, why don’t you believe me?

As I grumbled for no reason, they gently stroked my arms and sides and urged me.

“Sorry for earlier. Since it seems like a really good way, shall we try it?”

“Master. It was a joke earlier. It’s a kind of expression of affection, so don’t be like that and give me any command.”

I felt their touch for a while and nodded as if I couldn’t help it.

“Let’s see. What would be good…?”

I hesitated for a moment. Looking at their expectant eyes, I was possessed by something, and the words I wanted to say flowed out naturally.

“…It’s a command, Elisha, Iris. Love me. Until the moment death separates us someday.”

“……”

“……”

Elisha and Iris looked at each other with wide eyes without saying a word.

Well. Did I overdo it? But I wanted to say it in a human way, not an elven way… to be more precise, in an Earth way.

In the silence that fell for a moment, Elisha slowly opened her mouth.

“This is… a bit much. What do you think, Teacher?”

“Hmm. Me too.”

I scratched the back of my head awkwardly at their subtle reactions.

“Ah, is this a bit much after all?”

“Yes. That’s because… this way, we can’t confirm the compulsion of the command, right?”

“That’s right. Aren’t you already our partner, Master?”

Elisha and Iris shook their heads as if they couldn’t help it and smiled softly.

“I love you. Even if I’m not your slave.”

“This is a vow that will continue even after a thousand years, when death separates us.”

Their faces were filled with warm happiness as they said that.

I’m probably the same.

“Huh? Did you say you’re leaving already?”

“That’s right! We were planning to hold a festival for the heroes…”

The moment I finished preparing, I headed to the office. Milone and Nariell, who were openly clinging to each other as if they had no intention of hiding it anymore, were startled and asked back.

“Yes. My body is fully recovered, and I have a lot to do. Not only Alfheim is being invaded by Evil Gods, right?”

“…Count Lindelheit, are you really planning to annihilate all the Evil Gods?”

“They’ll be the weakest now. More than anything, they can’t just die or become corrupted, right?”

I shrugged my shoulders and asked back playfully, but only a gaze of even greater awe returned.

It’s a bit burdensome… but they’re the leaders of a nation, after all.

I cleared my throat awkwardly and changed the subject.

“Ahem. By the way, you haven’t forgotten the things you promised last time, right? The dungeon raid rights and clearing Elisha and Iris’s false accusations.”

“Of course. Regarding the Spirit Stone Dungeon, we have already prepared the documents, so you can just show them to the person in charge. But about the other two… could you wait a moment?”

“It seems you’ve been leaking information these past few days, what else do you need?”

“Yes. We need an official announcement so that it doesn’t just end as a rumor. Of course, we can do it ourselves, but…”

“It’s more efficient for the people involved to show their faces, right?”

“That’s right. But it won’t take long. As I said a moment ago, the preparations are almost finished, so we just need to create a place. Besides, with the refugees flocking to Alfheim, many elves are helping to rebuild Yggdrasil on the streets.”

“Don’t tell me…?”

When I asked, just in case, Milone nodded confidently.

“It’s a shame that you’re leaving so early, but how dare we stop you? If you haven’t seen the Circulating Life yet, how about going there? We’ll finish all the preparations in the meantime.”

“…Of course, I was planning to see the Circulating Life and say hello before leaving, but since the sanctuary has time warp, it shouldn’t take a few minutes, right?”

Nariell, who was playing with Milone’s hair, shook her head with a bitter smile and answered instead.

“Not anymore. It seems she used too much power this time…”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, I heard from Carla and Elisha later that just before I came out of the time warp, her divine power was exhausted and she couldn’t even move the roots of the World Tree, let alone the barrier.

“She has some divine power left, but the Circulating Life decided to use it to help rebuild Yggdrasil instead of protecting the sanctuary, saying that she’ll be safe for a while.”

Nariell turned around and showed the scenery outside the window. Thanks to the office being located in a high place, the roots of the World Tree sweeping away the ruins of the fortress walls in the distance were clearly visible.

“Oh? Then I’ll take my time. Can I ask you to guide me, Your Majesty?”

“Of course… Milone? I’ll take the heroes to the Circulating Life.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

“Hey, don’t make such a sad face. It’s not like we don’t have time anymore, right?”

Nariell smiled slyly and poked Milone’s side. In my eyes, she just looked like her usual expressionless self.

There were many things I was curious about, but I decided not to ask. In fact, I already knew.

They probably became a little more honest with each other in the face of a life-threatening crisis.

Milone gave a faint smile as if she couldn’t win against Nariell, who was acting playfully.

“Understood. Then I’ll be here preparing, so please take your time.”

“Okay! Shall we go, heroes?”

Nariell, who got up from her seat with a bright smile, led the way out of the office.

Me and my party, who had been looking at each other for a while, also smiled and followed her.

We arrived at the upper part of the World Tree. Now it feels more like my home than I’m used to. Is it because of the memories from the time warp that remain unconsciously?

I opened the door with a happy smile at the rising inner sense of intimacy.

And then I froze stiff. I couldn’t help it.

“Did you come? It seems you’re planning to leave now.”

“C-Circulating Life?”

Sitting by the warm fireplace and welcoming us with her usual friendliness was the Circulating Life herself. I cautiously asked, my eyes drifting toward the painting hanging above her head.

“What… exactly is that?”

“What do you mean, what is that? That’s the reference painting for the statue they’re putting up of you.”

You’re going to build a statue like this?

…Really?