Northern Grand Duke (9)

Silvia, on the verge of tears, buried her face in my chest.

“I hate the forest, I hate the Queen, I hate everything. I just need one day…”

It was an honesty I hadn’t seen before. Where did the elf’s coolness and haughtiness go?

I was at a loss as to how to deal with Silvia.

‘I didn’t expect her to just burst into tears…’

During our party activities, Silvia was always calm and rational.

The spirits circled around her, looking distressed. The undead rubbed its big head against Silvia’s knees, and the thunderhawk gently stroked her shoulder with its wing.

“Huu… Is it because I’m an elf that you hate me? Why was I born an elf? If I were human like Haru, would you have accepted my feelings?”

Her ears, which she usually held up proudly, drooped down. Like a discarded puppy.

“Or… was I too cold? I won’t be anymore. I’ll talk more from now on… and express my affection for sure…”

Her tears weighed heavily on my heart.

It was the first time Silvia had revealed her feelings this much. The elf queen, who was always haughty and cold, was now just a woman crying in front of me.

A comrade who had risked her life fighting alongside me was crying so sadly, I couldn’t bring myself to turn away.

If I ran away like this, an indelible wound would remain in her heart.

It would remain as an eternal pain for an elf who would live for hundreds of years. This might be a trap, but all I could think about was comforting her first.

“Silvia, I never said I hated you because you’re an elf…”

I patted her sobbing shoulder.

“Rather, elves… elves are the best.”

Silvia’s ears twitched slightly. She stopped crying, blinked, and looked up at me.

“Really?”

“Of course. That elegant figure and noble atmosphere… and the ability to become one with nature is also special…”

Silvia’s ears perked up little by little.

“There’s no way a human man would hate elves. Rather, you’re so perfect that it’s overwhelming.”

“Really… really?”

“So stop crying now. Tears don’t suit an elf queen.”

“Then, does Haru… like me too?”

Her tearful green eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“Um… I like you. As a comrade.”

“Eueung…”

Silvia’s ears drooped again. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

“And… those ears are really charming too.”

“Really… you think so? Then… would you like to touch them?”

Silvia took my hand and placed it on her ear. A soft sensation was transmitted to my fingertips.

I remembered what happened in front of the Demon King’s castle. Back then, she ran away just because I touched her ear slightly.

An elf’s ears are not only a sensitive area for them, but also a symbol containing the meaning of being allowed only to their partner.

The fact that she allows my touch is an expression of complete trust and love.

“Now… I’m ready. Anything, if Haru wants it…”

Her ears fluttered as if she felt good.

“How is it…?”

“It’s soft, but stop now…”

When I tried to pull my hand away, Silvia grabbed it tightly. Tears welled up in her eyes again.

“I don’t want to! Just… a little more…”

“Haa…”

I could see signs that she was about to cry again. If this continued, it felt like it would become a sea of tears again.

I remembered when I first met her in the forest.

Silvia was a queen who carried the future of the elves on her shoulders, and I coaxed her into becoming a party member.

The haughty and indifferent her became a true comrade as we went through countless trials together.

But why did it turn out like this? The one in front of me now wasn’t the great queen of the forest from back then. Just a girl hurting from love.

“Haru…”

Silvia’s voice trembled. Her tearful eyes looked at me.

“Hold me…”

“Huh?”

“Hold… me…”

She seemed embarrassed even as she said it herself, the tips of her ears turning red.

“That’s a bit…”

“Heuheuk…”

As soon as I refused, she started crying again. The surrounding spirits glared at me as if I were a ‘bad guy.’

“Okay, okay…”

I had no choice but to hug her. A cold body temperature was transmitted.

“Stroke my head too…”

“No, you’re a queen-nim. Be reasonable…”

“I don’t want to! I don’t want to be a queen. I don’t need any of it. Just… with Haru….”

“Silvia…”

“And… and a kiss too…”

“That’s really not okay.”

“Hueaeng…”

‘Is this really Silvia?’

That haughty queen-nim is acting spoiled in front of me right now.

She was the one who communicated with the spirits and protected the order of the forest. She never revealed her emotions even amidst the elders’ conspiracies, and she won the rights of the elves without wavering even an inch in negotiations with the empire.

But now she’s…

Silvia burst into tears again.

“I’m sorry… but I really need Haru… Thinking that Haru wasn’t here made every day feel like hell. I really… Haru…”

Her words trailed off. She continued in a trembling voice.

“I, I love you…”

Silvia uttered the last word and then sank. Her ears turned bright red and she fidgeted.

I was speechless. What answer should I give, what words should I use to refuse? A corner of my heart grew heavy.

This appearance is really… dangerous. Even setting aside the gazes of the spirits, seeing Silvia reveal her heart so purely…

‘Wait, get a grip.’

I shook my head. I have to be calm at times like this. After all, I couldn’t give her what she wanted.

“Silvia, are you calm now?”

“Yes… no… I don’t know…”

She shook her head. Still in my arms.

“But if you run away… I’ll cry again.”

Silvia buried her face in my chest and sniffled. Her long ears fluttered.

“I’ll become Haru’s elf… so… give me one more chance…”

“Silvia, the reason I ran away… was because I didn’t want to see the party fall apart.”

I patted her shoulder and carefully spoke.

“It was hard to see you arguing… fighting… like that.”

Her eyes trembled as if she was pondering my words.

“So… I ran away. Because I couldn’t bear to see everyone pointing their swords at each other. Because everyone was a precious comrade.”

“But… what about my feelings?”

“Let’s think about that later.”

“…Later?”

“Right now, we have to stop the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings, the Frost Legion Commander, White Snow. I can’t do it alone. I need Silvia’s strength. Will you help me?”

“But…”

“After we defeat White Snow…”

I hesitated for a moment before opening my mouth. It’s no use regretting it now.

“After that… let’s go to the forest.”

“…Huh?”

Silvia’s eyes widened. Her ears perked up.

“I understand the traditions of the elves too… and vegetarian food seems like it would be delicious now…”

My conscience pricked. But this was the best I could do right now.

“Really… are you really serious?”

Silvia grabbed my hand tightly.

“Haru… is going to become the king of the forest?”

The tips of her ears turned red. Her tearful voice was filled with excitement.

“Okay, let’s go to Frostgard first.”

Silvia held my hand tightly. She didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go.

“Wait a minute. Do we have to hold hands to go?”

She started to cry again. The spirits glared at me threateningly.

“Ah… it’s nothing. Keep holding it.”

In the end, I sighed and held her hand even tighter.

It seems like Silvia has developed a very bad habit… but I guess there’s no choice for now.

“Now… forever together… happily in the forest….”

My heart grew heavy at those words I heard in my ear.

‘She’s going to get hurt anyway.’

My head became complicated. If I really go back to my original world… what will happen to Silvia?

“Haru…”

Silvia suddenly stopped walking. Her eyes shone dangerously.

“If you run away… this time, I really…”

She trailed off, but the meaning was clear.

*

We returned to Frostgard as we were. With Silvia holding my hand tightly.

Kiara immediately asked with hopeful eyes.

“Did you find it? A way to save… my sister…”

Haru nodded. It was a smile that seemed to melt even the coldest blizzard in the north.

“She’s more than a comrade.”

Silvia coldly interjected. Her eyes shone sharply towards Kiara.

“Haru and I have a special relationship. We’ve promised to live together in the forest from now on.”

“Silvia, now is…”

“It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

Kiara asked, trying to maintain her composure.

“So… what’s the method?”

“Don’t worry. We found the artifact we wanted, and we’ve been joined by a reliable comrade.”

Kiara’s gaze turned to Silvia. A question crossed her pale face.

“This is Silvia, a comrade of the hero’s party. You’ve probably heard of her, since she’s famous.”

“It’s reassuring to have the elf queen-nim with us.”

We immediately set off towards White Snow’s territory. We walked through the snowfield where the north wind was blowing.

Silvia held my arm tightly and stayed close, and Kiara silently followed behind us.

Hwiing-

The fierce blizzard lashed at my face. But soon, green spirits parted the wind and opened the way forward.

“Haru, aren’t you cold?”

Silvia asked worriedly. She still didn’t seem to have any intention of letting go of my arm.

“It’s okay. This much is…”

“Let’s defeat the Four Heavenly Kings quickly. And then let’s go to the forest!”

Silvia’s ears fluttered as if she felt good. A smile spread across her face as if she remembered the promise.

“You’ll also receive the blessing of the World Tree… Ah! I’ll cook for you myself every day in the forest. In the traditional elven way…”

“Um…”

Kiara interjected. She looked clearly embarrassed.

“Was the elf queen-nim… such a bright person? I heard she was cold and aloof, so I guess you can’t trust rumors.”

“Huh? Ah…”

Silvia suddenly seemed to come to her senses and cleared her throat.

She tried to regain her usual cold expression, but seemed to give up soon after.

“That’s… when I’m with Haru… without me even realizing it….”

She trailed off. The tips of her ears turned bright red.

Before she could even finish speaking, a huge shadow sprang out of the snow. It was an attack by frost ghouls and yetis.

Swiik-

Immediately, fire spirits appeared and melted the ice creatures.

“I’ll take care of all the dangerous things.”

Silvia smiled brightly. She seemed excited, as if she were on a picnic.

“So Haru, please only pay attention to me.”

“Um…”

I answered ambiguously. I could feel Kiara’s sharp gaze from behind.

“Hehe… If we go to the forest, I can show you even more wonderful spirits.”

Uung-

A group of frost ghouls charged again. The spirits automatically took care of them this time as well.

‘This is… convenient, though.’

It was relaxing since Silvia’s spirits were auto-hunting. But I’m worried about when I’ll be hunted later. The power of the spirits will be much stronger in the forest.

Before long, a huge ice castle appeared in the distance.

“Sister…”

Kiara’s voice trembled.

We had arrived at the ice palace, the territory of the Four Heavenly Kings, White Snow.