Chapter 35 – Sacred Land? Pilgrimage?

“Hey? Murakane? You cancelled the engagement, right? I’m here ‘cause of him.”

“Uh… that’s a rather… unique accent for Imperial.”

The man observed the girl. Mid-teens, snow-white skin, radiant silver hair, emerald eyes that shimmered with curiosity. Her ears were sharply pointed. Would they prick?

“Why aren’t you answering?!”

“Teacher.”

A blonde, green-eyed girl nudged the silver-haired one. Elven ears came in all shapes. One pointed, one elegantly long.

“Huh?”

“Why not use magic?”

“If I can’t even chat, how can I hypnotize anyone?”

“…If your accent’s that thick, they won’t understand you anyway. It’s beyond dialect.”

“Really? What about you?”

“I’m perfect. Speaking and listening, no problem.”

“Showoff! That’s why I hate youngsters! Forget it!”

“Suit yourself.”

Sigh…

Carriages carried all sorts, but these two elves, master and apprentice, were unusual. One, clearly a mage. The other, geared up like an adventurer.

But it was their beauty that captivated everyone. Stunning, even by elven standards.

High Elves, surely.

The man’s guess was educated. Ordinary elves were beautiful, but High Elves were otherworldly, like goddesses. And everyone in the carriage was staring. The capital had its share of beauties, but ones deemed god-sculpted were rare.

“Not even a big deal. Hmph!”

Five horses pulled the carriage, a common type for mixed company. Ten passengers, excluding the driver, plus cargo, if the fare was right.

“Please, continue.”

“Uh… well…”

The man blushed, clearing his throat. Ridiculously pretty. He wouldn’t sleep for days. He already had six imaginary children with her.

“Ahem! The engagement’s not off, just postponed. He’s on a pilgrimage to a sacred land. Sir Luelde’s son.”

“What about the princess? The engagement?”

“That’s what everyone’s saying. But who knows if he’s really on a pilgrimage?”

He whispered conspiratorially, drawing everyone’s attention.

“He caused quite a ruckus.”

“Ruckus? What kind?”

“Assaulting royalty at the academy, attacking students and teachers, vandalism… the works. I don’t know all the details…”

“Don’t spread rumors if you don’t know the facts.”

“Uh…”

“Spreading unreliable gossip for fun isn’t right.”

Not what he meant to say.

“He wouldn’t do that. Has he lost his mind? Where are these stories coming from?”

The incongruity of her delicate features and strange accent was startling. Not incomprehensible, just… perplexing.

“……”

Teacher, please, use a translation spell! She’d worked so hard on it! And why was he the embarrassed one?

Hamerne, her apprentice, sighed, adjusting her gray cloak and leather vest.

====

“Hey. Gather information, quickly.”

“Must you use that… dialect?”

“Brat! Practice makes perfect! Don’t you know that?! Respect your elders!”

“……”

It seemed deliberate. Was this some twisted passive-aggressive insult?

“You know where to go?”

“The Imperial Palace.”

“Use my name. Show my crest. If they give you trouble, raise hell.”

“……”

That risked a diplomatic incident.

“The Emperor and Empress are practically my students! Time to flex some muscle!”

“…Just go already.”

Her accent was giving him a headache.

She vanished into the crowd.

“Still…”

The silver-haired elf surveyed the capital.

“It feels… tainted.”

“At least it doesn’t reek of sewage.”

“Isn’t that part of its charm?”

“……”

“Kids these days! Tch, tch, tch!”

“You were doing that on purpose. Noted. I’ll carry out your orders.”

Surely she wouldn’t act like that in front of the Emperor and Empress… Hamerne hoped. She had to believe that.

====

Humans were… homogenous. Average, at best. Unexceptional, at worst.

Non-humans, however, even within their own races, displayed remarkable diversity. Elves and beastfolk were no exception. Some nocturnal, some diurnal. Many loved forests, but not all. Some lived in deserts, others roamed plains with beasts. The “forest elf” stereotype came from the beastfolk, who were largely forest-dwelling. They’d established the first theocratic nation, earned the right to serve the World Tree. Naturally, they were the most prosperous, advanced, and steeped in tradition.

And beautiful.

“Wow…”

A young man gaped at a passing elf. Their beauty captivated even humans, propelling them to prominence. Most nations had High Elf blood in their royal lines. Half-elves, quarter-elves… diluted traits, but still present.

Except the Empire. Many nations born from the ashes of the Demon King’s invasion had no elven ties.

…But that was irrelevant. Elven beauty could bring anyone to their knees. And naturally, that attracted predators. But these elves could defend themselves. …Within their territory.

The Empire was relatively safe for them. Slavery existed, but limited to serfdom, a form of indentured servitude. Better than the chattel slavery of other nations. And escape was possible, through merit. Hence the influx of refugees seeking asylum.

The Empire even encouraged merchants to legally absorb these refugees into the citizenry. The Demon King’s invasion had created chaos, and villains preyed on the weak. The Empire offered sanctuary, within the bounds of diplomacy. All were welcome, regardless of origin, as long as they weren’t criminals. Other nations found this destabilizing, but the Church supported it.

Still, different cultures, different races… conflict is inevitable.

Even the capital, the largest city, had its dark underbelly. The slaughter district, for instance, was a miasma of stench. Mostly populated by non-citizens: beastfolk, those with red or dark skin, demon defectors marginalized even within their new community.

“A melting pot of chaos.”

Hamerne observed, taking it all in. She hadn’t forgotten her mission.

“Hamerne! Long time no see! Twenty years?”

“…Not even six.”

“Oh, is that all?”

A red-haired elf landed beside her on the rooftop. An apron, stained and splattered, suggested recent butchery.

“An elf butchering? Surprising.”

“It’s fun. Skinning, slicing, bone-breaking… addictive.”

“Last time, it was forging.”

“Times change.”

Not all forest elves were vegetarians. Some were carnivores. But High Elves avoided cooked meat for spiritual reasons. It made them ill, too.

“So, what do you want to know?”

“Cariel. His reputation. And the engagement with Princess Elhermina… it’s off, right?”

“I figured you’d ask. I’ve been gathering intel. Prepare to be disappointed.”

“By who? The Empire? Cariel? His family?”

“Judge for yourself.”

She relayed the information. Hamerne’s face shifted from confusion to shock, then hardened into a chilling mask.

“This is going to be a disaster.”

“Why?”

“Lady Geornia is at the palace.”

“Why?”

“The princess asked her to investigate Cariel’s break-in at the treasury.”

“…She’s here for the engagement, though, right?”

“Yes.”

Hamerne didn’t deny it.

“But she asked me to look into this.”

“…Maybe delay your visit?”

“And get teleported there against my will?”

“Then you’re out of luck!”

“Just confess!”

“…I was hoping for a private audience.”

“Knowing her, she’ll assemble everyone. She hates repeating herself.”

“Haa~!”

Hamerne sighed, standing up.

“Staying here?”

“Probably.”

“…See you in a few years, then.”

“You’ll be here for months. Visit often.”

“…Only a few months.”

“Months is plenty! Wait, months?”

“Weeks? Days? Depends on Teacher.”

Hamerne shrugged.

“With the new magical theories, I’ll be here for a while. You can bet on it.”

“Such an unfilial student.”

“Always have been.”

They laughed. Hours had passed in idle chatter.

“Later.”

Hamerne leaped across the rooftops, carried by the wind.

“Stop! Right there!”

“…?”

A city guard. He’d seen her rooftop antics.

“You can’t just run across rooftops! Even if you’re an elf, what about property damage?”

“Uh…”

“Identification. You’re not a citizen, are you?”

A guard chasing me? Was this the capital’s standard?

After much explanation, she avoided arrest but had to ride back to the palace with the guard. She arrived just before sunset.

“……”

Even from here, reaching the Emperor and her teacher would take forever.

Please, no forced teleportation.