Ch.7070. Strange Elf (2)

“Yes, mana. I’ll let the mana part slide… but human, how can a human, not even an elf, be giving off the scent of spirits?”

I tried my best to hide it, but it seems fooling the sensitive senses of an elf was too much to ask.

Siabel was like that, and so was Ainel.

Even Adelheid noticed yesterday that I could handle mana and showed a similar reaction.

This situation, now so familiar it feels mundane, gives me nothing but annoyance.

With an expressionless, or rather disinterested face, I simply face this nameless elf.

“Would you please let go of my hand.”

Not only did she grab the collar of someone she merely made eye contact with yesterday,

This perverted elf even put her nose close to smell me. I gently placed my hand on her wrist.

She stared at me searchingly and slowly loosened her grip.

In the suddenly tense atmosphere,

The elf took a step back, creating distance between us.

“The fact that you’re not denying anything means you know what power you possess, correct?”

Denial?

If I could, I’d love to lie my way out of this uncomfortable situation.

But in front of an elf who can detect the scent of spirits with a sense of smell better than a dog’s, making unbelievable claims would only deepen her interest rather than erase her suspicion.

Instead of wasting my breath on excuses, I simply acknowledged it.

“…I know.”

“Hmm, you know. Even so, a human possessing the power of spirits is quite unusual. Are you sure it’s alright to admit this to me so readily without hiding such a special power?”

“Of course.”

“Oh?”

“It’s not the type of power I could possibly hide from an elf who’s said to have deep communion with spirits from birth.”

At my words, the elf’s eyes curved like crescent moons.

“…To even express it as ‘not the type of power one could hide.’ You know quite a bit, don’t you? About us elves.”

Her gaze moved from my face to my attire.

Specifically, to the Sianella spelling embroidered on my chest pocket.

“Sianella… yes, if it’s Sianella…”

She whispered the name of my family, nodding slightly.

“…One of the few houses with deep ties to our Great Forest clan.”

She pushed her long hair behind her ear and smiled brightly and casually.

They say a beautiful woman’s smile makes men smile too, but I couldn’t smile at hers.

And she likely won’t see me smile anytime soon.

Well, I’ve suffered too much at the hands of these pointy-eared bastards.

Sorry, but I’m a severe elf skeptic.

“Hmm… if you’re with Sianella, then someone must have told you about us elves. That means there must be others who know about that excessive power you possess. So—”

The elf extended her index finger.

“One of the Sianella ladies who fought alongside you against the Demonkin, believing in your power as if it were natural.”

She then extended her middle finger to show two.

“The head of the family who allowed you to be assigned as the lady’s guard despite knowing…”

A sticky smile spread across the elf’s face.

“At least two people know about your power. What do you think of my guess? Isn’t it spot on?”

Having said that, as if she never expected an answer from me in the first place,

She spread all the fingers of her hand that had been showing two, covered her mouth, and chuckled.

If she planned to do all the talking herself, why bother asking me questions and creating tension?

As I watched this mentally questionable pointy-eared woman, she suddenly cooled her previously bright demeanor.

With a smile devoid of vitality, harboring cold emotions, she murmured softly.

“How interesting.”

“…What is?”

“You, as a human, are interesting.”

The emotions visible on her face as she said this were interest and amusement etched in those emerald eyes.

And—

“In that sense, would you like to become mine?”

It was greed, writhing toward me.

‘Pointy-eared bastard… finally showing your true colors.’

I thought coldly in response to her words.

When I had just become a Hunter, those who fell for elves among my dungeon raiding companions all met bad ends.

The elves considered those fools who surrendered their bodies and hearts to their charms as nothing more than obedient, clever pets.

Some received slave brands while sleeping beside elves.

Others suffered violence they couldn’t resist when the elves grew bored, or even had their throats cut.

Among the many deaths, the ugliest yet most merciful was… yes, death during sex.

Both that crazy bastard and that elf—I still don’t understand what was going through their minds.

Anyway.

The point is, being enchanted by an elf brings nothing good.

So I politely declined the pointy-eared woman’s offer.

“I am already Sione Sianella’s slave and serve as an attendant to the Count’s family. I’m sorry, but—”

“Friel Arielt. Just call me Riel.”

“…Therefore, I cannot become yours, Friel.”

“I said call me Riel. Well, names aren’t important, so let’s set that aside.”

My answer seemed to have upset her, as Friel Arielt’s empty smile deepened.

She began twisting and untwisting her index finger in her hair.

“You say you cannot be mine. Is that really so?”

“Pardon?”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that.

When I questioned her, she quickly continued as if seizing an opportunity.

“What’s your name?”

“…Ray. It’s Ray.”

“Ray…”

Friel savored my name for a moment.

“Yes, Ray.”

Only after tasting my name did satisfaction begin to spread across her face.

“What matters isn’t status or position, but your will, right?”

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I’m saying that if you want, I’m confident I can take you from the Sianella family anytime.”

The more her lips curled upward, the more my troubled expression reflected in her eyes.

“Why do you want to take me in so badly?”

Friel ran her tongue over her lips and even smacked them.

…This crazy bastard.

Typical elf behavior.

I barely managed to keep my face from contorting in disgust at witnessing her bizarre behavior.

“I’ve been saying it all along… Well, it’s because you’re interesting.”

“Interesting…?”

“Yes, because you, a mere human, give off not only the scent of wind but also fire. How can I not find that interesting? Enough to want to possess you somehow.”

In the end, what flickered in that pointy-eared woman was interest bordering on obsession.

“Become mine, Ray. I can take responsibility and care for you for at least 100 years.”

As I stood there, unable to respond to Friel Arielt’s words, exchanging only glances,

A man approached from behind her.

That person…

It was the male elf who had been beside Friel yesterday.

He walked between me and Friel without hesitation and glanced at both of us before speaking.

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation… Friel, if you want to make it to the scheduled meeting on time, we should leave now.”

“Is it that time already?”

“You must have been enjoying the conversation.”

“Enjoying it… yes.”

She shifted her gaze from the servant-like male elf back to me.

She looked at me subtly.

“It was fun.”

She took another step toward me, looked up at me, and once again showed a fresh smile.

“Make sure you decide what to do by the next time we meet. Understand?”

“…I understand.”

“Good. I’ll be looking forward to your answer.”

With those final words, Friel Arielt and the man left, talking as they headed toward a nearby building.

I began walking again, recalling the whirlwind of events.

“Hssss…”

No matter how deeply I inhaled the cool autumn air into my lungs.

“Damn it… seriously…”

It wasn’t enough to cool my rising anger.

* * *

I arrived at the lodging.

Originally, I had planned to knock on Sione’s door and barge into her room right away.

But I found myself absentmindedly knocking on Ainel’s door.

Knock knock.

“Ainel, it’s Ray.”

At my words, footsteps could be heard from beyond the door.

Creeeeak.

Ainel appeared as she opened the door.

“Yawn… Ray…? What brings you to me in the morning instead of going to Sione?”

Ainel’s appearance before me was remarkably different from her usual neat self, giving me a novel impression.

Her long hair was hastily arranged, with several parts sticking out in different directions.

The sky-blue pajamas that might have looked cute were disheveled.

Judging by the long dark circles under her eyes, she must have had a rough night.

“I have something urgent to tell you.”

“Something urgent at this hour?”

I feel sorry for adding another worry to her plate, but…

“I’ve been discovered.”

“Discovered? What—”

“My spirit magic.”

“…What?”

…There’s nothing I can do about the spirit magic being discovered.