Ch.237Magnificent (2)

Before their battle of wits could fully begin, Arwen brought up what had been happening lately.

Most of her complaints were about tight schedules, lack of rest periods, and the difficulty of cleaning up the mess left by the Council of Elders.

Above all, she mentioned a severe shortage of talent. She wanted to recruit staff who had worked in the Council of Elders, but was hesitant since most were old-generation elves.

If a second Council of Elders were to emerge, nothing would be more troublesome, so she was currently handling all the work by herself.

The good news was that thanks to the Biography of Xenon, there were no signs of a second Council of Elders forming, and Alfheim’s operations were proceeding smoothly.

One reason was the significant increase in support for Arwen after her national address, but more importantly, her connection to me played a major role.

After the World Tree roots were contaminated, the Biography of Xenon became a sensation even among elves. Their queen being connected to Xenon? It was a structure that naturally led to increased support.

Additionally, neighboring countries began making efforts to establish relations with Alfheim, from major powers like the Empire of Minerva and the Kingdom of Teres to smaller nations.

As a result, Alfheim’s national power was growing daily. Though she was overwhelmed with work, Arwen said she was happy each day because this was the ideal she had dreamed of.

“Just hearing about it makes me think you might die from overwork.”

To me, it sounded like an excessive workload that made me want to stick my tongue out. Since the final decision-making authority rests with the monarch, the workload must be overwhelming.

Especially now, as Alfheim is in a transitional period. The Council of Elders, which had been Alfheim’s symbol, has disappeared, and Arwen holds strong royal authority with the support of her people.

Naturally, the workload would be beyond imagination, and I’m worried that Arwen is shouldering it all alone.

Seeing my expression, Arwen gave a gentle smile and answered in a soothing voice, as if to reassure me.

“You don’t need to worry about that. I get four hours of sound sleep every day.”

“…Is that really okay?”

Cindy also mentioned staying up for days to write her thesis. That’s why she has that distinctive sluggish way of speaking and her trademark dark circles.

Unlike humans who develop problems if they don’t sleep for more than two days, elves can stay awake for days without major issues.

However, their condition noticeably deteriorates, which is why most elves, except those in certain professions, get more than seven hours of sleep daily.

“It’s fine. There’s no problem if I use magic that induces immediate deep sleep.”

“There’s magic like that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“We elves use magic in our daily lives, so we have various such spells. Not just sleep magic, but also magic to relax tense muscles or enhance concentration.”

“Hmm…”

After hearing this, I shifted my gaze slightly to look at Cecilly. It was an indirect question about whether demons had similar magic.

When Cecilly met my eyes, she smirked and put on a proud expression. It seems demons are quite capable of such magic as well.

“That level of magic is just the basics. Demons are no less skilled in magic than elves. Magic that helps with daily life is already commonplace for us.”

As expected of demons, who rival elves. They’re enviable races no matter when I see them.

While humans have to endure various inconveniences in daily life, these two races simply use magic to solve them, making their quality of life completely different.

The more I think about it, the more I wonder how humans won the racial war, and how Sabre managed to massacre demons.

‘When will humans be able to use magic in daily life too?’

At the same time, I wonder when humans will catch up to these two races. Elves and demons can cast magic as easily as breathing, while humans can only do so through ‘calculation.’

Moreover, their calculation abilities are far superior to humans, and their memory is also remarkable. They can remember exactly what food they ate on New Year’s Day ten years ago.

However, both races seem to lack adaptability compared to humans. Their lifestyles become fixed due to their much longer lifespans, and they rarely have the competitive drive, making them more leisurely.

Humans, in particular, strive desperately to leave something behind. There’s a saying that tigers leave their skin when they die, while humans leave their names.

This leads to frequent occurrences where knowledge full of failures eventually transforms into success. I suspect the reason humans currently hold the initiative is because of the accumulation of so many ‘failures.’

“You’re both amazing. As for me, a human…”

“Don’t be like that. You’re the author of the Biography of Xenon, aren’t you?”

“That’s right, Issac. You’re actually the strongest among us. There’s no need to put yourself down.”

Just as I was about to lament about being a pathetically inferior human compared to elves and demons, both women immediately comforted me.

I was talking about racial differences, not individual ones, but for some reason they both consoled me simultaneously.

Though the unexpected comfort made me feel a bit awkward, seeing two beautiful women looking at me with concern somehow made me feel warm inside.

“Thanks. But humans being weaker than other races is a fact, right? And I was talking about racial differences, not individuals.”

“Hmm… Humans are certainly weak.”

Arwen nodded in agreement after hearing my words.

But then, looking directly at me with her silver-gray eyes that sparkled like the Milky Way, she continued seriously.

“But humans as a collective are strong. I can guarantee that.”

“Humans are weak, but humanity is strong…”

A phrase that instantly reveals what kind of race humans are. Coming from Arwen, an elf, the words carry special weight.

Moreover, Arwen is not a pure-blood but a half-blood. Half-bloods typically live in the human world and return to Alfheim after their human parents pass away naturally.

She must have traveled the human world for decades, so she probably knows better than anyone what humans are like.

“That’s a wonderful saying. I should include this in the book.”

I took out a notebook from my uniform’s front pocket and wrote it down. It would be suitable as a phrase to describe Xenon and Lilly, the humans in the party, in the future.

As Arwen said, humans may be the weakest race individually, but ironically, they are the strongest when united.

Other races also become stronger when united, but historically, no race has shown the cohesion that humans have.

Even demons, who come close, were isolated, making them somewhat lacking in proof.

“What? You’re going to put it in the book? In the Biography of Xenon?”

When I said I would include it in the book, Arwen asked with great surprise. Her face was full of astonishment and a strange joy.

I paused my note-taking and looked at her.

“Should I not include it if you don’t like it?”

“No, no! Absolutely not! Rather…”

For some reason, Arwen blushed and seemed embarrassed. She appears excited about her words being included in the Biography of Xenon.

While I was thinking to myself how cute she was, Cecilly seemed uncomfortable with the situation.

She clapped her hands to draw our attention and spoke as if she had thought of something interesting.

“Oh right. Come to think of it, Issac, since we’re here, why don’t we learn more about what kind of races demons and elves are?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“You asked me at the cafe about my power, or rather, the power of demons. Since Pride happens to be an elf, why not ask Queen Arwen?”

“Ah, I see.”

I think I understand what she means. Just as I sought advice from Cecilly, she’s suggesting I ask Arwen for advice as a reference for Pride’s abilities.

Arwen would be happy to have her advice referenced in the Biography of Xenon, and I would benefit from the help.

Arwen looked at Cecilly with a curious expression after hearing her suggestion, but Cecilly just kept smiling.

“…I don’t mind. It would be an honor if I could help Issac.”

“So you’ll help?”

“If that’s what you want, I can do even more than that.”

As soon as she said that, Cecilly’s brow furrowed slightly before relaxing again.

Let’s skip over what “more than that” might mean. Right now, seeking advice is the priority.

“First… let’s skip over things like elves being famous for their beautiful appearance. Instead, I’d like to know the differences between demons and elves. I’ve heard that demons have broad diversity while elves have greater depth.”

“That’s very accurate. We elves established the first civilization with divine help. And that civilization has been maintained until now, thousands of years later. We naturally have greater depth than other races. Magic, knowledge, culture, society, science, language, and so on. We can truly be called the beginning of everything.”

Even as a half-blood, Arwen carries elven pride in her heart, and she began with praise from the start.

If it were a typical stuck-up elf, it might be uncomfortable to listen to, but coming from Arwen, it somehow draws me in.

In fact, elves could be considered the beginning of all civilization, and humans, who established civilization afterward, merely imitated them, so there’s ample basis for her confidence.

“Through such civilization, the depth of our magic is beyond description. We can observe the stars in the night sky with our eyes, make the land fertile, or bring rain to drought-stricken soil. We can even replace parts of nature with magic.”

“What’s the difference between that and sorcery?”

Sorcery can also bring rain, like a rain ritual. So what’s the difference between the two?

When I mentioned sorcery, Arwen opened her silver-gray eyes wide and asked me with a surprised tone.

“You know about sorcery too?”

“I know a therianthrope who uses it. Plus, there are records that humans used sorcery in the distant past.”

“Ah. Well, you love reading like I do, so that makes sense. If you ever need related books, just ask. I’ll gladly provide them.”

“Thank you. I’m always imposing on you.”

“What are you thanking me for? You’re the one who…”

Just as Arwen was about to say that she was the one who should be grateful…

“Enough of that, could you please continue with the explanation? Time is precious.”

Cecilly cut in with obvious displeasure. Looking at her, I could see she had crossed her arms in dissatisfaction.

From her perspective, the longer Arwen’s story goes on, the less time she has alone with me, so her reaction is understandable.

Arwen narrowed her eyes at Cecilly’s sullen appearance, but after clearing her throat, she continued her explanation in her characteristically delicate voice.

“Ahem. Ahem. I got sidetracked. Anyway, the difference between sorcery and magic is clear. Sorcery uses nature itself, while magic is artificially created. Sorcery accelerates time, while magic is something created independently.”

“Ah, I understand what you mean. What about attack magic? I’ve heard that demons are stronger in attack magic because of their firepower.”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

When I mentioned this commonly known fact, Arwen opened her eyes wide and questioned me. Her expression suggested she’d heard something absurd.

Naturally, Cecilly’s eyes narrowed as she listened. Is it my imagination that an inexplicable atmosphere began to flow?

Regardless, Arwen began to explain in a gentle manner, whether it was typical of elves or just her confidence.

“At first glance, demons with their dark mana might seem stronger. But this is clearly a misconception. Demon magic often results in unnecessary waste. Just as excessive strength makes technique unnecessary, demon magic is somewhat outdated from our elven perspective.”

“Um… is it okay to say that so directly? The Princess of Helium is right here.”

In response to my bewildered question, Arwen turned her head slightly to look at Cecilly. Cecilly had her arms crossed, with an attitude that seemed to say “go ahead and say it.”

After facing off with Cecilly for a while, Arwen boldly opened her mouth, as if this was something she couldn’t concede.

“Of course. This isn’t because I’m an elf, it’s an objective fact. To a human like you, demon magic might seem more flashy and powerful. But that’s just the surface. They can supply power thanks to dark mana, but their magic is crude and messy from an elven perspective.”

“…”

This seems like it might turn into a fight. I can’t say anything since I’m ignorant about magic, but Cecilly isn’t.

I immediately checked Cecilly’s reaction. She just looked displeased but didn’t say anything in response.

This suggests that Arwen’s explanation wasn’t incorrect. At the same time, I had a question.

‘How did demons come to master magic?’

Demons originated from humans. But during the Demon War, humans could barely handle mana, let alone magic.

And the answer to this question soon came from Cecilly’s lips.

“…As the Queen said, our demon magic would seem messy to elves. We demons use magic more instinctively than theoretically. That’s the crucial difference between demons and elves.”

“You use it instinctively?”

“Yes. We demons developed magic literally to survive. First-generation demons frequently became demonic even before anyone could teach them, so they had to figure it out on their own. We’ve refined the theory to some extent now, but we’re still far behind.”

So that’s how it was. Unlike elves, demons use magic as naturally as breathing.

If elves use magic by punching numbers into a calculator, demons throw away all calculations and directly derive the conclusion.

For this reason, impurities creep in and efficiency decreases, but the firepower of dark mana makes up for it.

Thanks to this, I learned the clear difference between elves and demons. This setting also helps greatly in understanding the differences between Gluttony and Pride.

“But we demons have the advantage of much faster incantation speeds than elves. For simple magic, it’s similar, but the higher you go, the more extreme the difference becomes. While elves are muttering, we demons can finish with just a gesture.”

While I was thinking about the Biography of Xenon’s setting, Cecilly confidently spoke while waving her hand. Though she seemed to be praising demons, she was subtly mocking elves.

Arwen, being an elf, couldn’t let this mockery slide. She frowned and retorted with displeasure.

“Muttering… Watch your words. Incantation is an essential process in magic. Rather, your demons are crude because you skip it.”

“Wouldn’t it be more efficient to cast two more spells during that time? No fool would stand still watching a mage chant.”

In response to Cecilly’s retort, Arwen, quite unusually, snorted and spoke as if it were absurd.

“Ha. Typical of demons to focus only on combat. I wonder why you use magic only for attacks. As I said earlier, magic doesn’t have to be used just for attacks. It’s an essential force for research that can greatly help daily life. Surely Helium doesn’t neglect using magic for research? That can’t be the case for a race that supposedly rivals us elves.”

“Ah, that’s…”

Cecilly averted her gaze and held back her words, as if a weak point had been hit. It seems Helium hasn’t developed institutions like Alfheim’s Yggdrasil.

Of course, they must have some. Helium would have actively researched magic in its own way.

However, unlike Alfheim, Helium was isolated until the release of the Biography of Xenon, so progress would naturally be slower. In contrast, Alfheim has active exchanges with other races under Arwen’s policies.

While Cecilly hesitated, Arwen nodded triumphantly and spoke with an attitude of claiming victory.

“See, Issac? Unlike demons who mindlessly apply force, we elves prioritize efficiency. This is evidence that elves are superior to demons.”

And that seemed to touch a nerve.

Crack-

A vein popped on Cecilly’s forehead. Then she muttered quietly, almost inaudibly.

“Says the flat-chested dwarf…”

“…?”

Did I hear that wrong?