Ch.58Proof of Qualification #1

—Dark Elves, treated as filth. Are they truly filth?

Recently, a brief yet provocative topic has been circulating throughout our duchy.

It was a reputation earned through hunting monsters, and later, achievements gained by helping citizens in distress.

It was almost like charity work with no personal gain, but precisely because of that, more and more people began to feel the sincerity behind it.

They taught practical archery techniques to the soldiers guarding the territory and helped those who struggled with cutting wood.

Coming face-to-face with Dark Elves can be uncomfortable for both humans and the elves themselves.

I know well that a gap formed over centuries cannot be bridged easily, but leaving it alone wouldn’t heal the wound on its own.

In the end, someone had to step forward.

As that someone, I bowed my head and tried to bridge that gap.

After all, nothing would change unless I approached them personally, so I approached the task with a mindset of detachment.

Those who first encountered me were fearful yet surprised.

They probably wondered if there was some ulterior motive behind a young man, rumored to be the Duke’s man, bowing his head to them.

Or perhaps they thought it was simple yet insidious harassment, looking for an excuse to accuse them of disrespecting nobility.

These were words I could only hear after our emotional distance had considerably narrowed.

Now I could feel that they respected me and followed me sincerely.

Inadvertently, I had created an opportunity for my reputation to rise, but honestly, I didn’t care about my evaluation.

Because regardless of my abilities, the label of “Helena’s pillar man” was accurate.

Anyway, as the person who brought in the Dark Elf mercenaries, I felt quite proud of fulfilling my responsibility.

Thanks to that, the wine they produced began to sprout buds of praise throughout the territory.

“Ah. I wish warm weather would come soon…”

Helena murmured as if hoping for the white winter winds to change into lush greenery.

My birthday is in June, and she seemed very excited about getting married around that time.

“Are you that happy about it?”

“Yes. I’m happy! It’s about officially declaring to the world that you’re my man. Of course, that’s already true, but being bound by marriage is different.”

“That’s true.”

I nodded as I handed Helena a cup of warm herbal tea.

Even though many marriages continue with scandalous lifestyles, becoming an official couple through formal procedures is significant.

It means there are more things to be mindful of, and even if it seems like an empty formality, there are lines that must be respected.

Even if the marital relationship fails, the other party must be at fault.

One should not provide any weakness or excuse.

Given our unique connection, we seemed unlikely to have any issues.

We simply reached an unusual conclusion in terms of the union between families.

The idea was that I would marry into the Duke’s family as simply Zion, not as the son of Viscount Altram.

As a result, I was essentially treated as an outsider, and Chess became eager to produce children to succeed Altram.

Because of this, Rina, who gave birth to me, seemed to be struggling in various ways, but that was my misconception.

They had always shared love regardless of succession issues; the only difference now was that they weren’t using contraception.

—Him? He’s actually more enthusiastic and enjoying it.

After hearing Rina’s brief testimony during my visit to the Altram mansion, I couldn’t help but lower my head.

It was absurd to hear the explicit details of their activities, being told I was old enough to understand.

Above all, they often lost track of time debating whether Helena and I had already been intimate or not.

Have Altram’s child!

I shook my head, imagining what Chess might have shouted from atop the bed.

Though not quite elderly, a complex emotion I couldn’t easily describe peeked out.

They say let good things be good, but…

“Shouldn’t we start preparing for the wedding early?”

“There are still months left. Aren’t you worrying too early?”

“Nnn-no. Not early at all. From now on, I need to think about what to do with the rings, how many children to have, what to do after that…”

Helena gazed at the ceiling with dreamy eyes, contemplating matters that were still far off.

Even considering the local wedding custom—where, in the absence of venues or churches, celebrations are held at home with invitations sent to close acquaintances—it was still too early.

Still, I agreed that we should start preparing step by step. As her pillar man, I had responsibilities.

“Well, I’ll go visit the vineyard then.”

“Again?”

Helena’s cheeks puffed up like a hamster stuffed with food, as if to say her good mood had been ruined.

Although checking on their health once a day was part of my routine, she still seemed displeased.

On such occasions, I would always give Helena a light kiss on the lips to improve her mood.

A gentle peck… what might be called a bird kiss.

“I’ll be back.”

“Okay… take care.”

People say they respect Helena but approach her cautiously because she’s intimidating, but to me, no one is easier to understand.

Perhaps it’s the result of years of conditioning.

◎◎◎

“Welcome.”

As I rode my horse to the vineyard, Ellen came out of the house to greet me warmly, as if she had been waiting.

She must have heard the horse’s hooves from a distance and anticipated my arrival.

“Hello. Everything’s fine today as well?”

“Thanks to you. By the way, why did you ask me to buy fabric and thread? Is something happening?”

Ellen tilted her head as she looked at me dismounting from my horse.

I had asked her to purchase various fabrics including silk and thread without explanation yesterday, so her curiosity was understandable.

It was also a good time to bring it up, as I’d been indebted to her for a long time.

“Yes, I’m planning to make a dress.”

“A dress…? You know how to make dresses? Even though you’re a noble?”

“My family is a bit unique. If Helena had been a man, I probably would have practiced making men’s formal wear instead.”

Of course, if Helena had been male, I would have had no reason to be born on this continent, but I decided not to dwell on that point.

I had never mentioned it to anyone, and there was no reason to do so. It would only cause trouble if I brought it up.

It’s certainly unusual for a noble to make clothes.

If I hadn’t been born into a family that provided education far removed from nobility to serve others, I wouldn’t have been able to mend even a hole in a sock, let alone make a dress.

But what could I do?

Born into that unusual family, I had to spend a long time mastering household skills I had no connection to at a professional level, and I’m still learning.

“Still… do you really need to make it yourself?”

I stopped in my tracks before reaching the fabrics inside the log cabin, bound by Ellen’s question.

Her voice was genuinely puzzled, and her eyes trembled for some reason I couldn’t ignore.

“No, I don’t. I could just order the design I want from a specialty shop.”

“Then why…?”

“I just want to.”

There was no grand reason; I simply wanted to see Helena wearing clothes I made according to my taste.

I wanted to create a wrapping that revealed her purity and color, something that would stimulate desire and make one want to devour her right away.

I couldn’t have done it before, but now I can.

I had the ability, so I thought I might as well do it as a light endeavor.

It was a hobby I could pursue because I wasn’t busy at the moment, but I planned to start working on it now in preparation for when things would get busier.

“I see. I understand.”

Ellen opened the door for me, though her expression remained somewhat gloomy and shaded.

Her lips moved as if she wanted to ask something, but she ultimately remained silent.

Because of this, I felt a strange uneasiness, but it was only momentary.

Soon I exchanged greetings with the other Dark Elves who welcomed me, shared a few words in a light atmosphere, and headed straight for the corner where the fabrics were stacked.

A square table for cutting and a simple standing clothes rack.

And on the table, fabrics and tools necessary for sewing and tailoring, all arranged neatly.

I expressed my gratitude for their efficient preparation, thinking I would repay them in some small way later, and picked up the base fabric.

Since I knew Helena’s body measurements well from embracing her daily, I didn’t anticipate any major issues.

◎◎◎

“With his skills alone, he’d never starve anywhere. Don’t you think?”

“…Yes. That’s true.”

After spending several days focused on creating a wedding dress at the Dark Elves’ cabin—wanting to surprise Helena—Olivia looked at the gradually taking shape dress with an expression of envy.

She had never seen a human who made dresses with their own hands.

On the continent, those who make women’s dresses are inevitably women, so it’s rare for a man to make and present a dress.

Not only is tailoring primarily the domain of women with delicate handiwork, but it also requires some physical contact.

Ellen responded appropriately to Olivia’s admiration, but even this heartwarming scene only brought her gloom.

Having already lived a life bowing to harsh reality for so long, she found it pathetic to suddenly feel emotions like a child again.

What should have been merely surprising had transformed into something dark.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just the winter.”

“…Really?”

Olivia and the other Dark Elves were women who had watched Ellen more closely than anyone.

They had formed bonds closer than family and would continue to live that way both now and in the future.

So it was only natural that they would read and worry about Ellen’s downcast emotions.

“Really. It’s nothing. I just wondered if this was reality, seeing such a fairy-tale-like scene.”

“True. Who would do something like that except in stories? But here it is happening in reality. It’s quite unbelievable.”

The group of Dark Elves, including Olivia, unconsciously smiled as they quietly observed Zion’s profile.

They were freshly realizing that his story about receiving an education unlike that of a typical noble wasn’t an exaggeration.

It aches. For reasons unknown, her heart ached.

Ellen placed her hand on her chest, which felt heavier than usual and foggy with discomfort, while staring intently at the man’s fingertips.

The needlework, as delicate as any professional tailor’s, and the affection evident in the form were painful just to look at.

Is this really okay?

Olivia secretly glanced at Ellen with downcast eyes, but soon sighed as if there was nothing to be done and began talking with the rest of the group.

Although she had half-jokingly suggested that Ellen should make a move recently, she also knew well how difficult that would be.

Even though their environment had improved, Ellen had lived a life of preemptive resignation, worn down by experience.

So, how could she give Ellen a chance to at least try, to earn the qualification to make an attempt?

Olivia thought only of this, even while engaging in pleasant conversation.

After all, she didn’t want to see her benefactor with her head hanging low.