Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I Installed a Dating App and Girls from Another World Became Obsessed with Me.

Episode 3: Matching (3).

The time was the day of Pelledia’s founding festival, 200 years ago.

“Your Majesty.”

“Resilia?”

Resilia, the chancellor, appeared before Iris, who was extremely busy with the founding festival schedule.

“You look especially beautiful today.”

“Oh my, Resilia, such flattery. It seems the maids’ early morning efforts have paid off.”

Iris, dressed in traditional attire for the founding festival, smiled at Resilia’s rare compliment.

“But what brings you here? I heard you were busy with the festival preparations.”

“I’ve left the preparations to the officials under me.”

“Hmm?”

Iris was puzzled by her words that she had left the festival preparations to others.

She couldn’t stand not managing every little detail herself due to her meticulous nature, so how could she leave such important festival preparations to others?

“I have something urgent to report to Your Majesty.”

“To me?”

“Yes, it’s something I needed to tell you before the founding festival began, so please forgive me for leaving the preparations to others.”

Iris dismissed her maids and headed to a nearby room, sensing her unusually serious demeanor.

“I added two spoons of sugar, just how you like it.”

“Hehe, thank you.”

Iris took a sip of the tea Resilia had brewed and gave a satisfied expression.

However, as Resilia’s story went on, Iris’s expression grew more and more serious.

“…The Northern Empire is preparing for war?”

“Yes, it’s information from a reliable source.”

Iris’s head throbbed at the word ‘war.’

“They wouldn’t be targeting us… who are they targeting?”

“The Kingdom of Santala.”

“The Kingdom of Santala?”

It didn’t make sense.

Even if the Northern Empire invaded the Kingdom of Santala at this time, they would lose more than they would gain.

“It’s said that a mithril mine was recently discovered near the capital of the Kingdom of Santala.”

“Mithril…”

Mithril was a precious metal used in many ways, but it wasn’t enough to justify a war.

However, the discovery of a mithril mine meant that adamantium was likely buried there as well.

Adamantium, an essential material for creating holy artifacts, was enough of a reward for the warmongering Ironblood Emperor to risk war.

“Did the Kingdom of Santala request support?”

“Yes, they sent an unofficial message through a messenger this morning.”

That meant that the Kingdom of Santala was already certain of war.

If they were asking for support from the neutral Pelledia, it meant the Northern Empire was preparing for an all-out war.

Iris had to swallow a heavy sigh, as this problem arose right before the founding festival.

“Refuse them.”

“But Your Majesty, the Northern Empire is a military powerhouse that doesn’t follow the Goddess’s teachings. If the Kingdom of Santala falls into their hands, the Northern Empire will border us.”

“Still, we can’t. If we send support, our status as a neutral nation will become ambiguous. It’s better to establish a peace treaty with the Northern Empire through future talks.”

“…The Ironblood Emperor is not someone you can reason with.”

Iris stood up with a determined expression.

“Resilia, this matter is closed.”

After leaving the room, Iris felt her already complicated mind become even more cluttered.

The Northern Empire was one of the great powers vying for continental hegemony. If a war broke out between such an empire and the Kingdom of Santala, countless people would die.

Rivers and fields would be stained with blood, and the number of refugees from the war would be immeasurable.

Iris had the means to prevent such a tragedy.

That was to send support to the Kingdom of Santala.

If the Kingdom of Pelledia sent support, other nations that followed the Goddess’s teachings would also support the Kingdom of Santala or condemn the Northern Empire.

No matter how powerful the Northern Empire was, it would be burdensome to have so many enemies, so the scale of the war would likely be reduced, or the war itself might not happen.

Even knowing this, Iris couldn’t choose that option.

The status of a neutral nation can only be maintained by remaining neutral for all eternity.

Even though there were many human nations that followed the Goddess’s teachings and revered elves, the time of humans and the time of elves were different.

Iris was certain that in the near future for elves, the influence of the Goddess’s teachings would diminish, and an era would come when humans no longer viewed elves as objects of faith.

She had to ignore the Kingdom of Santala’s request for support in preparation for that era.

Even in a war with a terrible ending, she had to turn a blind eye to avoid giving those who would one day bare their teeth at Pelledia a reason to participate in the war.

Because she was the queen of Pelledia and the leader of the elves chosen by the World Tree.

She had no choice but to choose to protect thousands of her own kind over the lives of tens of thousands of humans.

‘My choice was not wrong.’

Iris’s steps were heavy as she boarded the carriage.

As the carriage approached the holy site, the streets became crowded with the people of Pelledia.

-Look over there! It’s the Queen’s carriage!

-Your Majesty!

-Kyaa!

-Thank you always, Your Majesty!

Iris reminded herself that she was not wrong, even as she stepped out of the carriage, amidst the bright voices of her people.

Iris carefully walked towards the World Tree, a giant tree whose end could not be seen even when she looked up, the mother of the elves, and their only god.

Before the altar of the World Tree, Iris quietly knelt.

Then, thin branches extended from the World Tree and created a laurel wreath on her head.

The founding festival of Pelledia was an important event to wish the World Tree, their mother and only god, for the next year’s prosperity and peace.

On Pelledia’s most important day, when no one should interfere, an unexpected anomaly occurred.

-Wh, what is that…?!

-Huh? The World Tree is…??

-Unbelievable… it’s never done that before??

-Is something wrong??

-Your Majesty…

The crowd couldn’t hide their bewilderment and murmured incessantly.

“Wo, World Tree…?”

It was as if the World Tree was rejecting Iris, moving backward.

Iris had been on the throne, and this was the third founding festival, but this had never happened before.

Iris reached out her trembling hand towards the World Tree, like an abandoned child, but the World Tree only moved its branches backward, as if it didn’t want to touch her.

The murmuring of the crowd grew even louder at the sight.

Just as the knights, who could no longer ignore the chaos, were about to calm the crowd, a voice loud enough to echo throughout the holy site was heard.

“A sinner!”

Everyone’s attention turned to the source of the blasphemous statement directed at the queen.

Many were shocked by the identity of the woman standing at the bottom of the steps leading to the altar.

And Iris was no exception.

“Re, Resilia…?”

Resilia, the kingdom’s chancellor, was staring at Iris with a drawn sword.

“People of Pelledia! The World Tree is now furious, facing a sinner too vile to be associated with!”

The sudden appearance of the noblewoman caused the people to lower their heads in deference.

And the knights, without exception, emitted killing intent towards Resilia.

The killing intent of a knight who had reached a high level was an invisible blade that could kill a person.

However, Resilia, who faced the knights’ killing intent head-on, did not flinch.

The knights doubted their own eyes. This wasn’t the chancellor, but a traitor. How could a mere civil official withstand the killing intent that was meant to kill?

“Have you finally gone mad!”

“Chancellor! How dare you be so disrespectful to Her Majesty the Queen!”

“Don’t try to distort the will of the World Tree!”

Several high-ranking nobles raised their voices, but Resilia paid no attention.

The fact that she even calmly walked towards Iris was enough to infuriate the knights. The enraged knights drew their swords and blocked her path.

“Stop! This is a place where only Her Majesty the Queen is allowed!”

“How dare you, a mere woman, set foot on this holy ground!”

“Traitor!”

A bluish aura formed on the swords of the three knights guarding the royal family.

Even in the face of the overwhelming power of superhumans that ordinary people could never oppose, Resilia didn’t even blink.

Instead, a sneer, not the gentle smile she usually showed as her servant, appeared on her lips.

“Pfft, Queen, my foot.”

“Yo, you… blasphemer!!!”

The face of the first royal knight commander, known for his gentleness, turned demonic.

The moment his sword, swung like lightning, was about to reach Resilia’s neck, a knight wearing a black cloak, who appeared from nowhere, blocked the knight commander’s sword.

“Resilia! Have you finally gone mad? How dare you bring outsiders into the holy ground?!”

“The knight commander is nothing special.”

“You insolent one!!”

The enraged knight commander began to exchange blows with the unidentified knight.

Dozens of black-clad men appeared before the knights who stepped forward to join the fight.

The knight commanders were shocked by their appearance. Where did these things come from?

The royal knights were a small elite group.

They were all highly skilled individuals who had awakened and emitted aura. But the enemies also exuded the same aura as the knights.

Moreover, about three of them, including the man fighting the knight commander, were skilled masters at the same level as the knight commanders.

“Stop them.”

“Yes.”

At Resilia’s command, the mysterious group rushed towards the knights.

At first glance, their numbers and skills seemed similar, but the difference became apparent upon collision.

Even if they exuded expert-level aura, they were not at the same level as the knights. At best, they could only buy time.

Of course, that was Resilia’s purpose.

While they were blocking the knights, Resilia quickly reached Iris.

“Resilia!”

Iris, who cherished Resilia more than anyone, knew she had crossed a line that could not be forgiven.

Iris was gentle, but she was also a monarch.

Benevolence alone could not rule a nation. Punishing a subject who crossed the line was also a virtue of a monarch.

Although she was confused by the World Tree’s reaction, she could not ignore Resilia’s actions.

“Don’t be so angry, Your Majesty.”

Resilia, who was smiling with her lips but not her eyes, suddenly committed an unexpected act.

“Resilia!!”

Everyone, including Iris, the nobles, and the people of Pelledia gathered in the square, was shocked by what happened.

“This is how it feels, World Tree.”

An unprecedented event occurred where an elf, a mere creature of God, directly touched the World Tree’s divine body.

It was a heinous crime worthy of exterminating nine generations of her family, but that was not the end of it. Even more surprising events followed.

“The, the World Tree?!”

“Unbelievable! How could it embrace such a woman!!”

The crowd was speechless as the branches extended from the World Tree and wrapped around her.

“Now you can be angry, Iris.”

A sinister and ominous smile appeared on Resilia’s face as she looked at Iris.