Ch.138Alfheim (3)

After a storm had passed, Cecilly was somehow able to go through the immigration process. Because the inspector had flatly refused her entry, she had to start from the first step just like me, Marie, and Rina.

But Kayre had only followed proper procedures, and furthermore, Cecilly even had an approval document directly from Arwen. The inspector had just been stubbornly unreasonable earlier; with this one document, it was practically like having a fast pass.

“I won’t make this public, but I will file a complaint with the Queen. Since there’s a public address coming and we’ve managed the situation, I’ll let it slide for now.”

“That’s fine. We were in the wrong, so we’ll accept the consequences. This gives me a good reason to fire that fellow.”

“What happens when you dismiss that person?”

Cecilly asked Kayre, who was filling out several documents, while pointing behind her. In the direction she indicated, the unconscious inspector was being carried away by other elves.

It had only been one kick, but it was powerful enough to slam him into the wall. Even for a sturdy elf, passing out was unavoidable.

Kayre looked in the direction Cecilly was pointing and answered in a calm voice. His speech had a characteristically gentle yet leisurely tone.

“I’m not sure if the Princess knows about our ecology, but elves typically stay in their profession for life. Unless their thinking changes or there are unavoidable circumstances, they don’t step down from their positions. However, if they commit a serious offense and are expelled, they face many significant problems. Not only are they unable to work in related fields, but in the worst case, they may even receive punishment of having their ears cut off.”

“Ear-cutting punishment… that must be the most severe punishment for elves. So that person too?”

“Since he insulted a foreign princess, at minimum one of his ears will be cut off.”

As I’ve explained before, ears are a body part that must never be damaged for elves. So ear-cutting punishment must be one of the most terrible punishments for elves.

An elf with cut ears probably wouldn’t be treated as a fellow elf and would face contempt and disdain for life. Dark elves cut off their own ears so they wouldn’t care, but for elves, it’s like advertising “I’m a criminal.”

The inspector would never again, for the rest of his life, be able to proudly identify himself as an elf. It was a fitting price for his arrogance.

“I like that.”

“I’m glad you approve.”

Cecilly smiled with satisfaction, knowing this. Thanks to Kayre’s flexible handling, only Arwen would suffer; Alfheim as a whole wouldn’t be cursed.

There was a brief commotion, but she began listening to Kayre explain each point to be aware of. What was more surprising here was that he “considered” Cecilly.

Despite Cecilly being a princess of Helium, he seemed concerned that various difficulties might arise because she was a demon.

“So, are you planning to stay for a few days after hearing the speech?”

“I’m planning to return immediately after the speech. I have no choice because of academy matters.”

“Ah~ That’s right, you enrolled in Halo Academy, didn’t you?”

“You’re well-informed?”

“The world has changed so much that I feel left behind if I don’t read the newspapers. Anyway, since you said you’ll return after the speech, I’ll issue a permit. Since situations like earlier might occur again, please keep the Queen’s approval document and here’s my approval as well…”

Is this person really the same kind of elf as that inspector who was kicked away? Although the inspector was excessive, it’s common for elves to view demons unfavorably.

Cecilly seemed to have similar thoughts as she looked at Kayre with a curious gaze.

“You’re quite different from that inspector? Your name is Kayre, right?”

“Yes. Kayre Windhopper. Just an ordinary warrior of Alfheim. And it would be a mistake to think all elves are like that fellow over there.”

“Did you also experience the racial war?”

“Yes.”

It was a brief answer, but that made Kayre even more special. The inspector over there was also a warrior who experienced the racial war, but his mindset was completely different.

“First of all, I sincerely welcome you to Alfheim, Princess of Helium. It may be late, but I hope you can witness the beauty of Alfheim with your own eyes even now.”

“Thank you for the welcome. And you guys? Balack and I will wait over there, so take your time.”

“Okay.”

“And Kayre… what’s your position?”

“I was originally a supervisor, but as of five minutes ago, I became an inspector.”

“Pfft.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter at his witty response. While I turned away snickering, Cecilly was looking at Kayre with a curious gaze.

Then she smiled slightly and quietly spoke.

“Good. Mr. Inspector. Please make sure this doesn’t happen again. Understood?”

“Well, given elf characteristics, that would be difficult, so it might happen at least four more times.”

“That’s an interesting answer. Sir Balack?”

“Yes, Princess.”

“Though brief, I hope you have a pleasant journey.”

Kayre stood up and bowed deeply, politely seeing them off. Perhaps because the first impression was good, every movement exuded the elegance unique to elves.

Sometimes seeming frivolous, sometimes resolute, yet never rigid—a unique person. Such personalities would be rare even if he weren’t an elf, but being an elf made him stand out even more.

“Will the lady also return home after the speech?”

“Yes. Oh, are there any must-buy specialties when visiting Alfheim?”

“Honestly, anything you buy would be a specialty. A dress woven with white silk would suit you, my lady. There’s a day left until the speech, so I recommend…”

Rina passed through smoothly as it was her second visit, and he kindly explained even the smallest details to Marie. Since it was Marie’s first time setting foot in Alfheim, she listened attentively to his story with slight excitement.

I felt a bit uncomfortable seeing my girlfriend chatting amicably with another man, an elf at that, but I was reassured by Kayre’s next words.

“My wife and daughters also have white hair like you, my lady. It will surely suit you well.”

“You’re married? Ah, you said you experienced the racial war. If I may ask, how old are you?”

“I have watched 532 springs so far.”

He was a married man who had lived for over 500 years. This elf named Kayre was definitely a rare breed.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I can save time.”

“Don’t mention it. After the disgraceful scene earlier, I should at least do this much. Anyway, I sincerely welcome you to Alfheim. You can board the teleport to Yggdrasil over there.”

Marie received his welcome greeting and rose from her seat. Then she moved to the area where Cecilly and Rina had headed earlier.

Finally, left alone, I moved without waiting for Kayre to call me. As I sat down across from him, Kayre opened his mouth with his characteristically leisurely voice.

“As you saw earlier, I’ll conduct a simple identity check. What is your name?”

“I’m Issac Ducar Mayshall.”

“Issac Ducar Mayshall… You’re the Red Lion’s child.”

“Do you know my father?”

I was surprised when Kayre seemed to know about my father. He must have recognized the uncommon combination of red hair and golden eyes at once.

“It’s hard to find humans as strong as him. There might have been technological advancements after the racial war, but there are few humans who could fight on equal terms with a Warchief like the Red Lion.”

“Did my father fight with a Warchief?”

“Not exactly, but I heard he claimed victory against a beast warrior who fought on equal terms with a Warchief. There are no absolutes in battle, but that’s probably about right. He was actually strong.”

Come to think of it, I heard that during his active duty, my father had a record of subjugating beasts scattered around the border area. Perhaps one of the beasts there had skills comparable to a Warchief.

He even has a record of subjugating a dragon with the help of the army, so it’s not surprising anymore. For an ordinary person like me, combat and the military are distant stories.

“Are you perhaps a knight as well?”

“No. I’m just a student aspiring to be an ordinary scholar.”

“That’s unexpected. Anyway, I sincerely welcome you to Alfheim. Here’s your entry permit.”

“Thank you. By the way, you’re a soldier too, right? I heard you participated in the racial war.”

“Yes.”

“This might be an abrupt question, but how do you view humans, Kayre?”

After hearing about my father and that he was a racial war veteran, I suddenly became curious. Kayre even treats demons as ordinary people, so I wondered how he viewed humans.

The racial war remained a humiliating defeat for elves, but conversely, it instilled a sense of caution about humans as a species. While some elves still haven’t come to their senses, like the inspector just now, there are also cases like Kayre who have broadened their thinking.

Kayre blinked at my question and then smiled, asking in return:

“Do you want a diplomatic answer, or shall I be honest?”

“I’d appreciate honesty.”

“I think they’re a frightening species.”

“A frightening species…”

It’s an unfamiliar answer to hear from an elf, not another species. After all, no matter how capable humans are, they can’t naturally match elves in ability.

However, I had to consider that Kayre was a racial war veteran. I was about to get up from my seat but sat back down.

Kayre, seemingly interested in me, maintained a smiling expression.

“Why do you think so? No matter how much humans develop, they can’t naturally match elves.”

“That’s precisely why they’re frightening. You said earlier that humans commit numerous wrongs due to greed, selfishness, and foolishness. But paradoxically, their potential for development exceeds that of any other species. In fact, watching over 500 springs, humans have demonstrated an incredible rate of development. In contrast, we’ve only experienced one major change during that time.”

“You mean the racial war?”

“Yes. And currently, we’re undergoing rapid changes due to the mixed-blood issue. The situation will vary depending on what speech the Queen gives. I hope she does well…”

Judging by how he trailed off, that was sincere. Kayre was genuinely concerned about Alfheim.

I doubted whether this person was really one of those arrogant elves. Perhaps he was mixed-blood like Arwen.

As if reading my thoughts, Kayre immediately continued:

“Ah, for reference, I’m not mixed-blood. Despite appearances, I’m 100% pure-blooded. You could say I’m native.”

“…The term ‘native’ sounds strange.”

“Does it? As long as you understand, it doesn’t matter. Hahaha.”

“Do people often tell you that you’re not very elf-like?”

“My wife confessed to me first, saying that was my charm point.”

He exuded not just cheerfulness but refreshing energy. It’s clear that while humans might not mind, he must have received critical looks from fellow elves.

Moreover, Kayre is a warrior, a soldier. Given the rigid nature of the military, such a personality would inevitably face various disadvantages.

“Well, during the racial war, this personality was frustrating in many ways. Even the superior who accepted me well was taken away by the Council of Elders for absurd reasons, which made me feel disillusioned.”

“… …”

Could the captured superior be Warchief Icare? Given that he was taken by the Council of Elders for absurd reasons, it’s half certain.

Kayre seemed to be reminiscing about the past, gazing at the desk with a distant look, before chuckling. It’s a reaction suggesting it’s now absurd.

“There’s no point in saying this now. It’s already in the past. I apologize for bringing up unnecessary things.”

“No, I feel like I touched a wound, so I should apologize. It’s rude to even ask such things to a war veteran.”

“It was good to reminisce about the old days. Do you need any information?”

“Not particularly. I think I should go now.”

“I hope you have a pleasant journey. Oh, and I absolutely wasn’t flirting with your fiancée, so please don’t misunderstand.”

“Ahem. Ahem.”

Did he notice my expression then? I cleared my throat awkwardly. However, I couldn’t prevent my face from reddening with embarrassment.

Eventually, Kayre handed over the entry permit politely, just as he had done for others, and courteously saw me off. I also greeted him respectfully and headed towards where the group had gone.

In human society, we would use carriages, but this is Alfheim. Teleport facilities are available for each region. Naturally, there’s also a teleport heading to the capital, Yggdrasil.

“You’re a bit late?”

“I was just having a chat.”

“He was really a unique person, wasn’t he?”

I nodded at Marie’s question. Such a personality would be extremely rare even if he weren’t an elf.

But because he was an elf, it made an even stronger impression.

“Are you going to include him later? People would find an elf with such a personality interesting, wouldn’t they?”

“We already have Merry, so what’s the point? But I should consider it. It’s like material falling into my lap.”

“I wonder if that person would also read the Biography of Xenon? Would he look at it and think, ‘Could this be me?'”

Cecilly must have found Kayre impressive too, as she asked me various questions. Most were about whether I would add him to the Biography of Xenon.

Since I wasn’t entirely against the idea, I gave vague answers. There’s no risk of such conversations leaking out, as there’s no one around, and Cecilly has already set up a sound barrier.

So, while I was considering whether to include a character like Kayre in the Biography of Xenon…

“Ahem.”

“…?”

Gartz, who had been quietly listening, cleared his throat.