Chapter 179 - Storming the Elven Palace and a World That Will Never Know Peace
Next to Augustus, Claire’s face was taut, completely drained of color.
What are you doing? she asked me in her flapping language. I wonder why I’m able to understand it so fluently in these kinds of extreme situations.
I came to take your daughter, I replied, flapping my hands in the shape of a dove.
You won’t be angry if I pretend not to know you?
I won’t. Just wait a little. I’ll solve this.
I believe in you.
As we nodded to each other, Cecily jabbed me in the head.
"What are you two talking about?"
"Oh, just that from now on, we’re strangers."
"What? You’re the one who brought her here. Besides, who do you think you’re fooling, flapping your hands at each other like that?"
While we were talking, knights surrounded us. Most of them were elves. This must be the magic unit Marianne mentioned. It was unlikely any of them possessed a special skill. From what I’d gathered from those around Marmie, elves protect the purity of their race.
"Where is Wake?" Augustus asked, confirming he wasn't among us.
"...He was in the way, so we tied him up on the way here," Moos said.
At Moos's words, Augustus gave a signal with his eyes. Two knights broke away from the group.
"It’s strange to continue this conversation here. Shall we move?" he said.
"I thought a conference room would be fine for a discussion, but if we’re going to fight, cleaning up the blood would be a hassle."
We were escorted to the courtyard. I scanned our surroundings. It was a well-maintained garden. A fountain stood in the center, with waterways branching out from it. In a place like this, even if someone was hiding in the mansion to ambush us, they’d be within range of Racshell’s bow.
"Does that mean you intend to draw your sword against House Wanland?" Marianne asked.
"You've already stormed our home. What are you talking about now?" Augustus said, tapping the pommel of his sword. It was the gesture of someone confident in their swordsmanship.
"So, what was your reason for dropping a giant stone on the front garden and shattering the facade's windows and the furniture inside?" he asked, his gaze fixed on me.
"A small token of my gratitude for kicking me out yesterday. I had a feeling this mansion wasn’t designed to handle an enemy attack, so I thought I’d let you know."
"I see. A repayment for our discourtesy, is it? However, you abducted my only daughter. You can’t complain if I take your head for it."
Just yesterday he was kneeling before me, addressing me with 'Lord,' and today I’ve been demoted to a contemptuous 'you.'
"I hear that elves come of age at twelve. By that custom, Marmie isn't a child, is she? Aren't you the one ignoring her will? And you call yourself a parent?"
"I don't need to hear that from you. My daughter has a fiancé. She understands this."
"And isn't he the one who plans to change Marmie's very personality to suit his tastes? You might never see this Marmie again! Are you truly okay with that?"
Augustus’s eyes widened for a moment, and he glanced down at Marmie.
"...Mash. I want to be the one to explain the situation," Marmie said.
Marmie's betrothed, the House Leafclout, was also a family skilled in magic. However, unlike the House Starunion, they did not operate in the open. That was because their research focused on immortality. The current head of the family and Marmie's fiancé, Zeno Leafclout, was a man whose name was often spoken alongside her mother, Marina, as one of the most powerful mages.
The union of the two houses was a matter of elven circumstance. Their total population had fallen below three hundred, and Marmie was the only child born in the last two hundred years. She was called the last child of the elven race, and to avoid their extinction, she was to be entrusted to Zeno.
"Is the research into immortality also research into creating life? Isn't it just that your long lifespans mean you have a longer cycle for childbirth?"
Marmie shook her head at my question.
"...The roots of us elves lie in the great sea of trees to the far west. There's a settlement there, governed by a council of elders."
Some, like Marmie's family, live away from the settlement. It was possible that fewer than two hundred people lived there now.
"...Among them is one who possesses the ability of prophecy. My future was decided by their words."
"And this Zeno fellow agreed to it?"
Marmie nodded.
"...An agreement was made that I would go to the House Leafclout, and any child born would be given to the House Starunion."
It seemed her engagement wasn't motivated by political concerns, but rather to solve a racial problem. But could that truly be called a marriage? It sounded like she was just an experiment.
"I have a few questions."
Marmie nodded at my words.
"First, if you have a child, that child will be the last one. That doesn't solve the problem, does it?"
"...That's a possibility. But we believe there's some reason why elves have become unable to have children. Zeno thinks that by identifying that cause, there's a path to our race's survival."
Was it an environmental issue, or perhaps a disease? There was also the possibility of a curse, like with Fam. As I considered it, countless possibilities came to mind.
"Is fortune-telling a form of magic?"
She shook her head.
"...I'm not sure. I think it's something like a Divine Blessing."
"In that case, there's a high probability that the prophecy is wrong. I know someone with a similar special skill. Multiple people can't possess the same special skill."
If prophecy was the ability to read the future, then that was Wake. It also overlapped with the ability of the chieftain of the Wandering People. Still, there were an immense number of special skills. I couldn't deny the possibility that some skills were similar in nature.
"If you're going to bet on a possibility like that, then I'll take Marmie with me after all."
Augustus’s expression twisted at my words.
"You didn't know any of this until now, and you were planning to take my daughter without knowing a thing about her? And you really think you can take her in this situation?"
"I don't give a damn. I want to take Marmie with me because I love her. That's all. And you're the one who doesn't understand the situation. I don't know the abilities of the people here. But I'm confident I can defeat every last one of them. Stop with the pointless threats. If you want to become an enemy of the gods, then draw your sword. I'll give you that much time."
Hearing my words, Augustus glanced at Wake, who had appeared at some point. He gave a small nod, confirming that I wasn't lying.
"That is enough," a voice said. It was Marmie’s mother, Marina.
"Hero from another world, if you and my daughter are so inclined, then you may take her. However, you say you will take my daughter on a journey. Will you protect her from danger and guarantee her safety?"
Marina spoke. Her gaze was much gentler than it had been in the library.
"I can't guarantee her safety. But I will protect her. And if there's anything she wants to do, any dream she wants to fulfill, I will help her."
"As my daughter just said, she has a duty to the elven race."
"The fact that you've stopped having children? I have an idea about that myself."
She nodded at my words, and I decided to continue.
"It’s in the myths. The one about how the human race multiplied by interbreeding with all sorts of creatures."
"That is a fictional story created by humans. The elven race has its own legends."
Maira moved to interject, but I held up a hand to stop her.
"I don't think it's the truth either. I can understand dog-eared and cat-eared people, but Flower-Kin seems impossible. Well, I suppose a hundred people have a hundred different views on love."
I looked at Patricia. She was as rigid as ever. If I made a lewd comment right now, would she come over and punch me? I wanted to test it, but I restrained myself.
"However, I don't think it's a complete fabrication either. I believe myths contain a certain amount of truth, and hold a certain implication. What I want you to consider is the point that humans interbred with many other races. The depravity of humans incurred the wrath of the gods, and a purge began. In other words, humans have enough vitality to anger the gods."
"That is—"
Marina started to speak but stopped herself.
"There's one more thing I want you to consider. It’s about the founder of the House Starunion, was it Mammamia Starunion...?"
"Mama-sama. Mama Marmi Mam Starunion," Patricia informed me, her voice strained.
"Right. She left the elven settlement to travel, didn't she? And her descendant is now called the last child."
"Are you trying to say that the reason elves can no longer have children is because they don't permit marriage with other races?"
I didn't know how many generations removed Marmie was from her, but there was an anecdote that Mama had borne a child with a human. Seeing Marina's surprise, I guessed it was likely true. Protecting the purity of a race meant closing oneself off in an isolated world, risking the loss of diversity and eventual extinction.
"And you will solve this problem with my daughter as well?"
"It's just a possibility. But even if Marmie becomes the last of the elves, I won't let her be alone. Even after we're gone, our descendants will always be by her side. I will create such a world."
Marina smiled at my words. Had I finally managed to quell her anger?
"In that case, you must become a statesman, just as Lady Marianne says."
"That's impossible for me."
"Why is that? I have met several people transferred from another world. This world, I am told, is similar to a historical period in your world called the Middle Ages, is it not? If you connect the two worlds, it means you have come from a future world with advanced civilization."
"It's true that this world resembles a period from over five hundred years ago in our time, so I suppose you could see it that way."
"Then, for you to become a statesman and guide the world in that direction—"
"The world I lived in had a larger population and more advanced science than this one. Laws were established, and under them, equality and freedom were guaranteed. People held the right to vote so their opinions could be heard, representatives were chosen from among candidates, and politics were conducted."
"Democracy, is it?"
"To get to that point, we fought countless wars. The scale gradually increased until ten million, or even forty million, people died in a single war."
"..."
She didn't so much as twitch an eyebrow at the death toll. Perhaps it didn't feel real to her, or maybe another transfer had already told her.
"I don't think any of that was necessary. And in the end, it did not bring peace to the world."
I paused, gauging Marina's reaction, but she just stared at me silently, waiting for my next words. She had a beautiful face, like a work of art. I wondered if Marmie would grow into such a beauty in my lifetime. I cleared my throat to bring my thoughts back on track.
"Many other political systems were born in my original world, but there was no right answer. I don't know if maintaining peace is the proper state for a world to be in. It’s meaningless if the people living there can't lead satisfying lives. It’s not like I'm trying to hoard the knowledge I have. But I can't be the one to decide. I believe the affairs of this world should be decided by the people of this world."
I had neither the philosophy nor the spirit to try and build an ideal society. Hearing my words, Marina began to laugh.
"Fufufu, hero from another world, it seems Lady Marianne's assessment was correct. But that is a matter for the future. For now, let us put that aside."
With that, Marina raised her wand and pointed it at Marmie.
"Marmie. Ready your wand. Let me test if you are a mage worthy of accompanying the hero from another world."
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