Chapter 227 - Clovis and the Elven Domain
The Leafclout family's domain was a fortress city surrounded by high walls. The city existed in the middle of the great plain that stretched between Migul and Heilong. Our journey here had been uneventful. We hadn't passed through this city on our way from Heilong, as it was located to the east of the main road. I had heard it was a small city with fewer than a thousand people, so I had pictured a modest village, but its imposing presence surprised me. The city walls looked sooty and ancient at first glance, but the stonework showed no signs of damage. They probably conduct controlled burns in this area, so perhaps the walls were just stained with ash. A flock of crows was perched atop the two gate towers flanking the main gate, looking down on us. One of them let out a sharp cry, and the others immediately began to caw in unison. It overlapped with my impression of Clovis Leafclout, whom we were about to meet, and felt unsettling.
"Alright, let's go home."
As I turned my back, Mizuki grabbed me by the collar.
"What did we come here for?!"
"We definitely came here to do something, but in the end, I couldn't think of anything we should do!"
She let out a deep sigh at my words.
"...Let's just enter the city for now."
Mizuki said, dragging me along. The rest of Levante nodded and headed for the city gate. A guard was stationed there and asked to see our adventurer cards.
"A group of adventurers? The dungeon in this city is off-limits to anyone but the Leafclout family. What's your purpose here?"
The guard was a very muscular, stern-looking man. His question left me at a loss for words.
"Uh, um... sightseeing?"
Following Mizuki, even Fam shot me an exasperated look. I had come all this way to this city mainly for their sakes. I was a little annoyed that they were leaving everything up to me when a commotion broke out behind me.
"Mama Marmi Mam Starunion? An imposter!"
"N-no, she's definitely an elf, and her height and build are similar."
"She's a fake! There's no way someone from the House Starunion would visit this city without any prior notice!"
The guards started to make a fuss, surrounding Marmie. Her brow furrowed in the middle. She was discreetly gripping her wand. Was she planning to strike them down with magic for their insolence? Did the Empire even have a rule like that? As I was pondering such things, I remembered I had the letter from Clovis. I took it out and handed it to a guard.
"D-Don't cause any trouble... I mean, I-I'll go call someone from the castle, so please wait a moment."
The guards' attitude changed instantly upon seeing the letter. Then, a messenger ran off into the city.
"No, just letting us into the city would have been fine. We'd appreciate it if you could just tell us a decent inn."
More than anything, I wanted to decide on a plan for the meeting with Clovis, especially with Maira.
"What are you saying? We couldn't possibly do that. Lady Marmie and Lady Petra are with you. We will take responsibility and guide you."
The guard bowed his head respectfully, as if to apologize for his earlier rudeness.
Inside the city walls, wooden houses were prominent. We proceeded along the stone-paved road leading to the castle, flanked by guards as if we were being escorted to our execution. There were few people on the street, and most of those we passed were carrying farming tools. Since harvest season was approaching, most of the residents were probably working in the fields outside the city. It seemed what Clovis had written in his letter about the busy farming season was true. They stopped to watch us, their expressions curious. I had imagined that since this was a Leafclout city, the residents would be hostile and secretive, but everyone I saw seemed perfectly normal. The ruler of the city was an elf, but all the residents I saw were human. I glanced down a side street and saw that the alley was unpaved. It seemed only the main street was paved. I wondered if that would show the way for any invading enemies, but I suppose daily life took precedence.
"Where are we going?"
I asked a guard walking nearby.
"Lord Clovis is waiting for you at the castle."
"We've just traveled here. We'd like some time to freshen up."
The guard looked me up and down, from head to toe, and sniffed.
"You seem to be dressed more cleanly than we are. And... you don't have that characteristic smell."
That's because we washed ourselves with cleansing magic, I thought as I listened to the guard. They were choosing their words carefully so as not to offend us. I couldn't sense any hostility in their attitude. What was Clovis thinking? I couldn't even begin to imagine. Soon, the castle came into view. It was a building adorned with such ornate decorations that it was almost too much to be called a castle. The carvings and patterns etched into the walls created shadows that gave it an eerie atmosphere. The main door, which was about twice my height, remained closed, but a smaller door to the side was opened. Stepping inside from the sunlit outdoors, we found ourselves in a spacious area with a grand staircase straight ahead. There was no sign of anyone, and the air was dim and chilly. Maira and Marmie's expressions were unchanged, but Fam and Mizuki were looking around curiously. I wondered if they felt the same way I did, and just then, Fam gently squeezed my hand.
"Master, Sam is here."
At her words, I looked around again, but I still couldn't sense anyone other than us.
"I can smell him."
"What kind of smell?"
"It's a warm, ticklish scent, like a blanket dried in the sun."
It was a unique expression of hers that I could both understand and not understand at all.
"Do you know where he is?"
"No, I can't tell that much... but he was definitely in this place."
She said, looking up at the ceiling. A giant chandelier hung there.
The room the guards led us to also felt lacking in light. We sat in a single line on chairs arranged at a long table. In order, it was Mizuki, Fam, me, Maira, Marmie, and Petra. The master of the castle, who was supposed to sit opposite us, had not yet arrived. Or rather, the master of the castle was Zeno, and Clovis was perhaps just his proxy. The table and chairs were simple, unlike the other furniture I had seen in the castle, but because of that, the beautiful grain of the reddish-purple and dark-brown wood stood out. I instinctively traced the wood grain with my fingertip, but instead of the warmth I expected from its appearance, it felt cold to the touch.
"That's rosewood. I hear it's a tree that grows in the far eastern regions. You almost never see it in the Imperial Capital."
Maira informed me.
"Titan..."
"Rose. Wood!"
Mizuki seriously corrected my dumb joke. Maybe it was because I had been swapped with Hyakka, but I felt like my body couldn't stand it without cracking a joke. No, it was because I wanted to escape the upcoming meeting with Clovis. I looked at Fam's and Mizuki's faces once more. I would grant their wishes. I didn't want to see their disappointed faces. Just then, Petra took out a necklace and placed it on the table. It was likely made of bronze—a hexagonal metal plate about half the size of my palm, with a red stone embedded in it. Intricate patterns were carved into the plate. There were six of them.
"I made these on the spot, so don't expect too much, but they can resist mental-type magic. The stone absorbs mana to activate its effect, so keep it close to your skin."
It seemed the effect depended on the wearer's mana. Petra picked one up and put it around her neck, then tucked the metal plate inside her clothes. Seeing this, we all followed her example and equipped the necklaces.
"Won't we run out of mana?"
"It's a tiny amount, so you probably won't even feel your mana being drained."
"Is this made of orichalcum?"
She shook her head and let out a small sigh.
"If you had told me sooner, I could have prepared something decent."
Knowing that the Leafclout family excelled at mental-type magic, she must have whipped these up for us in a hurry for our meeting with Clovis. I hadn't seen her making them at all.
"Still, when did you make these?"
"I'm an alchemist, you see. I have a skill called [Workshop]."
As she was answering, the door to the room opened.
Silver strands were mixed in with his long black hair. Long ears, characteristic of elves. As he brushed his hair back, his skin, white as porcelain, was revealed. Numerous ornaments glittered on his loose black robes. Clovis Leafclout had appeared. Like Zeno, he looked young. However, Clovis's cheeks were more gaunt, and his features seemed more chiseled. Two other elves stood behind him, but only Clovis sat down in the seat opposite us. From his narrow eyes, black pupils cast a gaze that seemed to scoop us up.
"Clovis Leafclout."
His expression didn't change at all. His voice was like a machine, devoid of emotion. He introduced himself, but he didn't offer a hand or show any sign of friendliness. Just like Zeno.
"I'm Mash. I'm on a journey to change the world."
After saying something random, I leaned back in my chair, puffed out my chest, and crossed my arms in response. Another person, dressed as a server, entered the room. My eyes widened at the sight of them.
"Sameim!"
Fam shot to her feet. Clovis glared at her with a cold gaze.
"If you wish to leave, you are free to do so."
He gestured toward the door with the palm of his hand.
"Tch!"
After watching Fam sit back down, Sameim distributed the glasses from the tray and poured a grape-colored liquid into them. All the while, Fam's eyes were glued to Sameim. When Sameim set down Fam's glass, their arms and shoulders brushed for a moment, but Fam remained perfectly still.
"This was harvested on this land. It's last year's vintage, but it's a good one. This year's harvest will begin in about a month."
As Clovis reached for his wine, Sameim left the room. Out of courtesy, I took a sip, but I was so nervous I couldn't taste a thing. I was worried Fam wouldn't drink, but she just glared at the door Sameim had left through, not even touching her glass.
"So, you came all this way to apologize?"
"That was the plan, but you attacked us on the forty-ninth floor of the Crystal Palace. If it was just once, I'd call it even, but the second time is on you. So I came to complain. Sorry if you were expecting a gift."
I shrugged my shoulders in a theatrical gesture.
"That was not aimed at you. It has nothing to do with you. Besides, they were the ones who attacked our vanguard first. The second attack was not a trap meant for fools, either."
It was true that I was in Hyakka-chan's body when we were attacked, so I had mistakenly thought Levante was the target, but if their target was the New World, then it couldn't be helped. Just as they were targeting Yuuki, it was clear that Yuuki's group was also targeting them.
"You said a trap? You're the ones who set it?"
"One of Yuuki's special skills, [Kokuu Sanzou], allows him to possess and use up to three special skills of enemies he has defeated."
I involuntarily gasped. That was Emma's special skill. The fact that he revealed it so easily must have been an attempt to unsettle me, knowing about my connection with her. Had she been killed by Yuuki?
"Did you kill the user?"
"Her and the other transferrer as well."
Clovis gave a faint smirk. He was probably trying to provoke me with that. But his words, paradoxically, brought me a sense of relief. Whether it was her original body or a clone, I didn't know, but he was unaware that she was still alive. Also, I had been considering the possibility that Emma was on Clovis's side, so that also eased my mind.
"Well, either way, if you're calling us fools, then it's your fault. You didn't have a foolproof system."
He probably didn't expect me to be so composed. Clovis's eyebrows arched slightly. But it was only for a moment, and he let out a short breath.
"Very well. I will hear your demands."
"I want to buy Sameim. And I want you to create an opportunity for Mizuki here and Yuuki to speak."
"Impossible. I have no interest in pocket change."
Clovis answered flatly.
"Won't it be difficult for you to return to Migul if you're an enemy of the gods? The High Priest was Elisha, was it? I can change her mind."
"Did you not study the geography on your way to this city? The scale of this city is small, but it could serve as a bridgehead for the Demon Kingdom's army. If this city were to fall to the Demon Kingdom, Migul, which lacks fortress capabilities, would not stand a chance. Of course, Migul is the land where Lady Racshell descended. I am not concerned."
He tossed back his wine.
"Clovis, what is your objective? Why are you killing otherworld heroes? Can't we join forces?"
"It is not my objective. Kill the otherworld heroes summoned by the Five Goddesses and fill the jar of holy oil. Do that, and your wish will be granted. Is that not something you also need?"
"Did you hear that from Yuuki? Unfortunately, that's highly questionable."
"However, if the situation does not change, you will die in ten years."
"What?! You know?!"
I recoiled.
"Consider the lifespan of the elven race. How many hero transfers do you think we have witnessed? However, I only obtained confirmation just now. It was something even Yuuki did not know."
He had gained confirmation from my surprise? But it wasn't as if my being found out put me at a disadvantage. Still, an elven race that lives for a thousand years, and a transferrer who can only live for ten. The disparity was so great that a laugh escaped me. To hide it, I took a sip of wine. I could taste the alcohol more than before. Clovis watched me with a puzzled expression.
"What is so funny?"
"Nothing. Clovis, I still haven't heard your objective."
For a while, he continued to swirl the wine in his glass. Then, as if a thought had suddenly struck him, he placed the glass on the table.
"Very well. Then I shall tell you the story of the gods, as passed down by the elven race."
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