43 – Speed-7

“Yo, the hero? Wasn’t the hero the princess!”

“Um, I’ve heard rumors about it, but…”

One by one, those in confusion murmured. Christina, the aristocrat in front of me, smiled slightly and reached out to me.

“Looks like rumors haven’t spread to fools yet.”

After gracefully brushing off the dust from her clothes, she politely bowed her head once again.

“To think that a true hero can barely make a living in a place like this, killing orcs. It’s disgusting…”

What do you want?

Although she did not memorize the names of the nobles one by one, her confidence was that she was not an insignificant family.

“You’ve got the wrong person.”

I didn’t want to hide the fact that I had been chosen as a hero, but I didn’t want unnecessary attention.

“Did you enjoy playing adventurer? The sight of that foolish being beaten was quite pleasant to watch.”

When I glanced back, the old man seemed to have disappeared somewhere, and I couldn’t even see his nose.

“First, let’s go out and talk.”

There is no reason to allow useless information to spread. The fact that there is a real hero. I didn’t intend to stop it, and I couldn’t stop it, but it’s a specification that I become a real hero.

Unfounded expectations make people suffer.

/////

“Mumble useless words… How long are you going to keep doing that?”

Nerwen’s words caught the attention of the people who were arguing with each other.

“Choose your words carefully, elf. Whatever you think, I’m on Enerel’s side.”

Farseer jumped up and glared at her. With that small body, he had to stand up to look up at the elf, but the momentum in his eyes was not small.

“I am like a chimney with a desire to curse you guys.”

“Ha, dirty speciesist.”

“I will not deny the fact that humans are inferior and elves are superior, and that I have been talking about it openly.”

“If it wasn’t for you! If only you had told me to wash up ten times less, no. If only I had politely asked you, this wouldn’t have happened!”

“That’s worthless. The assumption ‘if you’ve been a little kind’ would be valid for anyone here. Me, Eleanor, Celia, you.”

“…That makes sense.”

Farseer sighed deeply and lowered his head.

“It’s strange. I don’t know why, but my hostility is definitely strange.”

The elf elder mentioned love and s*xual desire, but that is a very strange sensation to an elf.

In general, s*xual desire is a base desire. Elf children are born from the World Tree, without the need to create new life by overlapping body to body like lower people do.

To have a relationship that is not even conceived just for the sake of desire, and with a lower race. It was awkward to think of it as love, and disgusting to think of it as lust. It was an emotion that Nerwen, who was born as a noble being, should not have.

It wasn’t even the first time she had met a human man. Although his appearance was not ugly, it was incomparable to the beauty of an elf.

“Since humans are treated as insects, aren’t Enelel also treated as insects?”

“No. I can’t see elves and humans as equals, but at least I don’t hate worthy humans for no reason.”

Elves judge others by smell. She hated him because she judged his personality by his smell.

I thought that there must be evil and vulgar intentions hiding in each of his actions. It was disgusting to be touched, and it was creepy to see the eyes move.

But, if someone can manipulate the smell. If it is possible to smear the smell on his soul, all her judgment is twisted.

Of course, it was practically impossible. No race could interpret what the elves smelled and felt.

A farseer-level magician could reproduce a crude, even similar smell, but an elf could immediately identify a scent created by someone else.

Still, Nerwen couldn’t shake his doubts.

“There is something.”

“So, what are you thinking?”

“It’s already in the past. Do you think it’s meaningful for us to hold each other accountable and discuss why he was angry? Even if it’s me and Farseer, Emperor. You won’t have much time left…”

“then?”

“You, too, do what you can! Isn’t it the honor and glory he deserves? I only knew he was a warrior after I came back here!”

Eleanor gritted her teeth. Whatever the excuse, it was true that he hid the fact that he was a hero.

However, the others only pondered Nerwen’s proposal with a subtle expression, but did not agree.

“Do you think he wants honor and glory? I’d rather be relieved if he did.”

“what?”

“If that’s the case, there must have been a solution to handing over the throne on condition that you marry my daughter. Those who are greedy for power may give up something for it.”

Farseer laughed.

“You? Eleanor? You’re telling me to believe that, kid?”

“I could have given up at that level. But, from the start, he didn’t want that… It’s an absurd situation to negotiate with someone who doesn’t want anything.”

Eleanor bit her lip.

“Maybe I… could have understood. I didn’t hate him.”

“I remember that your words were quite harsh, fake warrior?”

“I’m sorry…”

Eleanor kept her mouth shut and said nothing. The level of verbal abuse was no different between Nerwen and her, but she didn’t know how to blame herself.

“So, money and women?”

Within her common sense, the elf continued to list factors that could reward him.

“Mr. Nerwen. You really didn’t know anything about Enerel. I knew you weren’t interested, but…”

“In the first place, you have to decide whether he likes it or not. Do you think you can change his mind with just a few words of apology? In the first place, there is no alternative. You have to show sincerity.”

“…What he wants is to return.”

“Then why don’t you let it go?”

Elves also used to wield supernatural powers, but they were different from magicians’ abilities. I didn’t understand how difficult and arduous the magic was.

“It’s hard to get materials that can be obtained right now. You’ll have to rob the imperial safe again, and it will take time to transport.”

The emperor explained the reason why it was difficult with a trembling face.

The things that the emperor could obtain ‘forcibly’ meant that they demanded the blood and sweat of the people of the empire.

Adventurers are driven by money after all, and you can’t force them to do anything. Dangerous and tedious tasks eventually require the military to be mobilized.

If you don’t steal the labor of those who have been conscripted and extort money from merchants, you can’t get magic materials.

“Still, it’s nothing compared to materials that can’t be obtained. Where can I get the remains of a phoenix? The dragon’s heart?”

Even Parseers, who didn’t care about that, couldn’t easily give him what he wanted. Nerwen’s face twitched slightly.

“Then, you guys do as you please. I will apologize to him as I am.”

Nerwen left the room without looking back. Those left behind fell into deeper sorrow.

/////

“Nice to meet you! I said I would definitely follow you, right?”

A silver-haired maid appeared out of nowhere in the castle and greeted me with a bright face. I was taken aback for a moment by her act of suddenly approaching and holding her hand tightly.

“It’s nice to know you.”

Cristina, who was walking ahead, smiled lightly.

“long time no see.”

It wasn’t that shocking because I had almost lived in the imperial palace, but her house was also luxurious and beautiful.

However, neither the maids nor the beautiful decorations and artworks that I hadn’t seen in a long time caught my attention.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t go out to meet you in person.”

It is slightly dry, and the beard is neatly trimmed. Although he wasn’t big, his presence was huge, and he didn’t seem to lose in a fight, but it seemed dangerous if he became an enemy.

It was a complicated look. There was a mixture of profoundness and passion, brutality and charisma.

“This is Creon Altdore. Has my daughter not bothered you?”

“…Thank you. Thanks to you, the fuss was avoided.”

However, I couldn’t let go of my guard.

It’s not like he approached me in a pure sense, so he is also a person who wants something from me after all.

However, it didn’t seem like a person who couldn’t even coexist.

“Ever since we found out that the hero we knew was a fake, the nobles are confused. The disappointment of the Emperor… is pretty big.”

His voice, which had settled down coldly, stimulated my nerves little by little.

“Hero, what do you think?”

He didn’t spit out a few words, but he released more information than he thought. Like a merchant who puts a price tag on a product, he honestly laid out the terms of the deal.

If it was a noble like this, it wouldn’t be strange if he didn’t bring up the main topic, and looked at me while reducing his vigilance with expensive alcohol and delicious food.

Even when I heard that I was invited to a meal, I expected such an action, but he obediently asked my intentions.

Looking at his face, he didn’t look impatient at all. I had to think deeply with my sane mind.

“Cristina, pour yourself a drink.”

“Yes, Father.”

She was wearing a dress that was a bit more cut-out than before, and poured red wine into a glass.

“No matter how you think about it, the premise seems wrong.”

But I couldn’t ask for something that wasn’t mine. Even if he wanted, he had nothing to give.

“I am not a warrior.”