Ch.364Unexpected Encounter (3)

The Racial War, as you know, is the great war that broke out 300 years ago.

If you ask how difficult it is to grasp a period of 300 years, it’s about when the Industrial Revolution first erupted in England, in Earth terms.

After that, 200 years passed before World War I broke out, and not long after, World War II erupted, becoming a turning point.

Even landscapes change in 10 years, so what about 300 years? Such a period must be recorded in “history,” not the present.

Even those called living witnesses of history are mostly elderly people of advanced age, and even they find it very difficult to live beyond 100 years.

“To think that Xenon is reading something I wrote. This feels rather strange.”

And sitting before me is a living witness of history, no, someone who is practically history itself.

An elf who looks exactly like Thor and a tragic hero, Icare Lightsinger.

He was a figure depicted in the Racial War 300 years ago, yet here he was sitting right in front of me, making it hard to believe.

I’ve met many elves so far and learned that they are several times older than me.

But it rarely hit me directly. I just accepted it as a racial characteristic and moved on.

But Icare is different. He is clearly recorded in history and mentioned multiple times as a great figure.

I too will be recorded in history books as time passes, but I’m not certain I’ll be alive and well after 300 years like Icare.

“Are you… really Icare himself?”

“That’s right.”

“The one who was active in the Racial War?”

“Active is a stretch—all I did was cut off supply lines, but yes. I was imprisoned by those pointy-ears afterward though.”

“…”

I stared at Icare with a dumbfounded expression. To be honest, it’s hard to believe.

Including my previous life, I’m barely 40, but Icare is a figure from 300 years ago.

In other words, he’s at least 300 years old, and elves are socially recognized around the age of 50.

Also, Icare had already risen to the position of Warchief during the Racial War. All things considered, it means he’s at least 500 years old.

‘…That’s way too ancient?’

I’m newly reminded of just how long elven lifespans are. Having history itself before my eyes made me feel dazed.

Besides that, I’m also curious about why Icare is here.

According to what I’ve heard so far, he was supposedly living in seclusion at his residence.

“Weren’t you living at home? That’s what I heard.”

“What would I do just staying cooped up at home? My lifespan is already unnecessarily long, so I need to do various things. Reading is one of my hobbies.”

His thick, cave-like voice penetrates my ears. I nodded at his words.

I still can’t quite grasp it, but it seems certain that the elf in front of me is indeed Icare.

Especially the term “pointy-ears” he just mentioned. Most elves wouldn’t even dare to utter that word, but he was different.

How casually he used that word. In the past, it might have been filled with anger and hatred, but now it seems to roll off his tongue.

“It’s really amazing. I’m reading a book, and the author is right next to me. And someone I’d only expect to see in history books at that.”

“It’s amazing for me too. The famous Xenon is sitting next to me, reading a book I wrote? This is embarrassing yet strange.”

Icare seemed to find it curious too, as he wiped under his nose and let out a faint laugh. It’s truly an unexpected meeting and a coincidence.

I met someone I’d only seen in history books, and Icare met Xenon, the most famous person in the current world.

What a peculiar encounter. Icare wouldn’t have any reason to leave Alfheim, but even Alfheim itself is vast.

To have such a meeting in that vast space. I wondered if this is what they mean when they say the world is small.

“Did you come to the holy site for reading too?”

“That’s part of it, but my wife came to the holy site for research purposes. She’s currently on a business trip, so I have to stick with her whenever she returns.”

“Your wife must be a scholar, I see.”

“That’s right. And she’s more beautiful than anyone else.”

There was no need to add that. The qualities of a devoted husband are already seeping through.

Since we’re here, let’s chat about various things. I’ve been curious about Icare as a person, so this is a good opportunity.

I already knew from the book that he’s far from being a serious person, but he’s a patriot who loves Alfheim more than anyone.

Also, he’s not a typical handsome elf but more of a manly style that could appear in a Viking show, which makes me more interested.

“Do you know how you’re portrayed in the books?”

“Of course I do. But most focus on the events, which is disappointing. Fortunately, they explain in detail how badly the Senate messed up.”

“Compared to now, which was worse?”

“The only good pointy-ear is a dead pointy-ear. Though it doesn’t matter now since they’ve all been caught.”

His cave-like voice already sticks in my ear, but when combined with such brutal words, the impact is different.

This must be what they mean by words with a sting. That’s how intense his hatred for the Senate was.

“But there’s something I don’t understand. May I ask?”

“Go ahead. 300 years have passed since the Racial War. The Senate has disappeared into the back pages of history, and all I have left is leisure.”

Icare eased my concerns with his straightforward manner in response to my cautious question.

I was troubled because it could be directly linked to trauma, but fortunately, it seems he has shaken off most of those emotions.

To put such a person in prison simply because it violated the law. I’m reminded again of how severe the Senate’s madness was.

“Was the Human Alliance really that strong? No matter how united they were, Alfheim should never have been defeated.”

“May I ask why you think so?”

“Alfheim is a land flowing with honey and milk. Beyond self-sufficiency, it’s now a land so abundant that it supplies food to the entire world. Not to mention the power of elves.”

Originally, war leads to destruction, but the defending side has an advantage. Moreover, if the defending country is economically prosperous and militarily strong?

It’s like trying to breach a fortress blessed by heaven. No matter how strong the Human Alliance was, even if they received magic from the demon race, there are clear limits.

From Alfheim’s perspective, focusing solely on defense would have been sufficient, so I wonder why they agreed to such unfavorable terms.

Although Icare was imprisoned due to the Senate’s blunder, it’s still strange that they collapsed so easily.

“Did Alfheim really self-destruct?”

“As you said, Alfheim self-destructed. The price for underestimating humans was too great.”

“Was the Human Alliance that strong back then?”

“At least by my standards, they weren’t that strong. But they were cunning and vile. They fought like real bastards.”

“…”

For a moment, I couldn’t help but doubt my ears, wondering if I had misheard. Such profanity coming from such a dignified appearance.

Hearing it directly from a hero who was active during the Racial War makes the effect doubly impactful.

Moreover, Icare’s expression was dead serious. It seems the humans literally fought like bastards, as he put it.

Following that, he crossed his arms as if reminiscing about the past and vividly explained what happened back then.

“It was truly a difficult fight. Since there was almost no way to win head-on, they used all sorts of petty methods. Using catapults to throw containers filled with all kinds of filth or decaying corpses into our camp was common, and they also provoked elven pride to lure them into traps. Most warriors who fell for those traps didn’t meet a good end.”

“Uh… that’s… quite something. What about other instances? Were there no cases of fair fights?”

“There were many cases of cowardly fights, if that’s what you’re asking?”

What kind of tactics is “cowardly fights” supposed to be? The more I hear, the more I cringe at human tactics.

But at the same time, I understand. Since they couldn’t win against elves in a direct confrontation, they resorted to such petty methods.

After all, it’s war, so there’s no reason to be picky. They had to win somehow.

“But humans suffered a lot of casualties too, right?”

“That was true at the beginning of the war. When we bombarded them with magic, they were helplessly cut down. But after learning magic from the demon race, they started to fight back. From then on, they challenged us more directly.”

“How did you know that the demon race taught magic to humans? It’s a fact that’s barely mentioned in books.”

I too thought humans had learned magic from elves until I heard it from Cecilly. That’s how secretly the technique was passed down.

If it had been officially transferred, public opinion would have been severe. At that time, the perception of the demon race was nothing more or less than a public enemy.

But Cecilly told me that the demon race also received material compensation, so it must have been a win-win for both sides.

“Ah, that? My adjutant infiltrated and brought back that information. The demon race was teaching magic to humans. Of course, the Senate didn’t believe it.”

“Why didn’t they believe it? Just that alone would have been enough to turn public opinion around.”

“Do you think those pointy-ears, full of arrogance, knew what public opinion was? Even if they did, they would have thought they would win anyway. They were already scammed in the treaty, so what would they know?”

“What?”

What is he talking about now? I widened my eyes in surprise.

According to records, Alfheim ended the war by signing a humiliating treaty with the Human Alliance.

There are various opinions on why they signed the treaty, but it’s a clear fact that Alfheim proposed it first.

And the Human Alliance eagerly accepted it. If there hadn’t been a treaty satisfactory to the Human Alliance, the war would have continued to the end.

“Scam? This is the first I’m hearing of this.”

“Do you know the contents of the treaty?”

“Yes. For the next 200 years, Alfheim would provide various support to the Human Alliance, including food, magic, mana training, knowledge, and so on. Through this, the Human Alliance entered a golden age.”

“They excluded tariffs.”

I blinked at his answer and then let out a sigh. Just for food alone, there would be enormous tariffs, but they excluded all of them.

As Icare said, they were scammed on a national level. The Human Alliance probably united to easily import most of Alfheim’s specialties.

‘So they were defeated diplomatically.’

Come to think of it, there was almost no explanation in the books about winning through battle. Only that they signed humiliating terms and essentially lost.

One might say that elves are all fools, but we can’t exclude the fact that Alfheim was like a frog in a well at that time.

As time passed, they probably realized their mistake when they saw humans developing noticeably.

Elven arrogance and self-destruction, along with human strategy and tactics, synergized to lead to Alfheim’s humiliation.

Add to this the lifespan difference of 10 times, and it was a complicated war in many ways.

“Hearing it from someone who was there makes it feel new. I always thought it was strange how Alfheim lost.”

“We did lose, that’s a fact. I hate to say this to you, a human, but when they came in packs like dogs, even skilled elven knights had no answer. Especially since some of them stood out, causing a lot of damage.”

“Haha.”

Just as I laughed at his witty response, Icare looked at me intently and quietly opened his mouth.

“By the way, there’s something I’m curious about. May I ask?”

“Huh? Oh, yes, of course. I don’t mind.”

“In your opinion, what do you think will happen to Alfheim in the future?”

Even though he was betrayed by his country, a patriot is still a patriot, as he asked me a meaningful question. I answered immediately without needing to think.

“It will only develop from now on. As long as Arwen sits on the throne.”

“Hmm… an immediately convincing answer. As long as you’re alive, there won’t be any political instability either.”

“Then what are your plans, Icare? Perhaps…”

Just as I was about to ask if he planned to return to the military, Icare shook his head as if anticipating my question.

The Senate, which had constantly interfered with him, is already gone, but it seems he has no intention of returning.

“It’s been 300 years since I put down my sword. My position has been filled by another warrior. Returning now would only cause confusion.”

“It’s a shame, as you would be a great help to the country.”

“Haha. You’re openly telling me to return. Well, unless demons come rushing in as described in the Biography of Xenon, I won’t be picking up a sword again. I’ve decided to enjoy the rest of my life.”

It sounded like something a lazy person would say, but it suited him well. It was also a patriotic answer.

If I had met him a little earlier, perhaps the character based on him would have been a bit brighter.

The character described in the Biography of Xenon was somewhat pessimistic.

As I continued to chat with Icare…

“Honey, I found all the materials… Oh my?”

“Huh?”

A very familiar voice entered my ears. I stopped my conversation with Icare and turned my head.

I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at the woman who came into view. It was such a familiar face.

A beauty with mint-green hair tied in a ponytail, wearing glasses that gave her an intellectual image.

Her slender figure was clearly visible through her black suit.

“…Professor Elena?”

“Issac? Why are you here… Ah. That’s right, you said you were coming.”

It was Elena, a history professor and my academic advisor. When she saw me, her eyes widened in surprise, but then she nodded as if understanding.

By the way, what did Professor Elena just say…?

I immediately looked at Icare. He was pursing his lips into a circle, showing a surprised reaction.

“Oh. This is a curious coincidence too. The disciple Elena has been talking about recently was you? She said he was quite remarkable, and it seems she was right.”

“Uh… yes. But is the professor really…”

“My lovely wife.”

“Oh come on. What are you saying in front of my student?”

Unlike her usual self, Elena hit Icare’s shoulder as if embarrassed. The intellectual scholar-like demeanor she usually displayed was nowhere to be found.

But there’s something more important. I calculated Elena’s age.

Since she belongs to the new generation of elves, she shouldn’t be over 300 years old. Plus, I heard she was around 200 years old last time.

“Um… Icare? How old are you, if I may ask?”

“As of this year, I’ve watched 681 springs come and go.”

“…”

“Why are you making that face?”

He’s a cradle robber.