Chapter 68: Chapter 68 - A Forbidden Romance Between An Elf and Fox
Chapter Sixty Eight
"Your Grace! You are coughing blood! Come inside first."
Alisa’s voice rang in the woods as she rushed in my direction, dropping the basket in her hand to the ground as the berries rolled out.
What is going on? Ugh.
"No," I rasped, the metallic tang of blood coating my tongue. "Why are you back in the bandits’ hideout— Keugh!"
I doubled over, a glob of dark crimson splattering against the white snow. The contrast was sickening.
[Ping!]
[Host should listen.]
Quiet, Sysi.
[Ping!]
[Host needs to see Lune to finish the quest and get the recovery potion.]
Haah... Is this your way of apologising? It’s fucking trash. You need to work on it, Sysi.
[Ping!]
[Host is really mean. You deserve to be single for life!]
Whatever. I don’t really care.
"Stop being stubborn, Your Grace," Alisa pleaded. Her breath hitched in small white puffs of mist, her face twisted in a mask of terror. "Lukas! Get out here!"
Crrsh!
The sound of a wooden door splintering against a frame echoed through the clearing. I forced my head to turn, my vision swimming as a blurry figure burst out of a nearby hut.
Crunch. Crunch.
"What happened, Alisa— Your Grace!?" Lukas skidded to a halt, his eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets as he took in the sight of me, drenched in my own blood. "What happened here?"
"Lukas! Grab him!" Alisa barked, her panic taking over her body as her hands shook terribly. "Take him to the east hut. I’ll fetch some Garseta leaves and Eve berries from the stores!"
"Understood! Your Grace, lean on me—"
"No." I shoved his reaching hand away, my fingers leaving smeared red streaks on his sleeve. "Where is Lune? Keugh!"
I doubled over again, my chest feeling like it was being squeezed by a giant’s fist.
Damn it. I hate being this weak.
"The fox-kin you saved, Your Grace?" Lukas asked, his voice cracking with worry as he tried to steady my shoulders.
"Yes," I hissed through gritted teeth. "Where. Is. She?"
"She’s inside talking to my teacher, Your Grace," Alisa stammered, her hands trembling as she tried to wipe the blood from my chin but I turned my face away. "They actually know each other. I was going to request a formal meeting, but my teacher... he was rather impatient. I—"
"Keugh!" A violent spasm racked my body as I felt the warm spray of blood hit the back of my hand that I placed over my mouth.
Haah... I need to form second circle soon. This much weakness can’t go on.
How long will my fake benovelence last? How long will everyone treating my words so lightly last? How long will I be weak? How long will I feed them candy?
Haah... It’s high time I get a stick.
"Your Grace, please let Lukas take you into a hut, right now!" Alisa cried, her voice rising to a frantic pitch. "We need to get you treated first. You are coughing up too much blood!"
"No," I growled, forcing my legs to keep me upright even with my vision swimming. "I must make sure Lune is alright first."
"Your Grace, please don’t worry! My teacher won’t harm her!"
Haah... Everyone is treating me lightly. Do my orders mean nothing?
I guess, after returning, I must set an example using Vische now that I can’t hand him over to the Emperor.
"Did you not hear me, Miss Thorne!?" I snapped, my bloodshot eyes flashing in her direction. "I must see the fox-kin now!"
"Who the fuck is yelling?"
The voice carried a weight that seemed to still the very wind in the trees.
The door of the largest hut that I rested in before opened as a tall figure stepped out into the biting cold alone.
"Teacher!" Alisa gasped, stepping back from me.
I squinted, my hand tightening on the grip of my bow. Long green hair and those unmistakable pointed ears.
Haah... An elf. Just as I guessed.
"Human," the elf’s gaze locked onto my bloodshot ones. "How did you breach this village? I’m quite certain I placed high-end elven warriors on the borders of these woods."
"None of your concern," I wheezed, my chest burning as if I’d swallowed hot coals. "Why did you kidnap Lune?"
"I didn’t kidnap her. We’ve known each other for longer than you’ve been breathing." The Elf crossed his arms, his expression one of haughty boredom. "Stop causing a ruckus. You’re too weak to be demanding anything."
Haah... This fucker. I hate that look. That look when someone looks down on me like they hold more cards than me. I wish I could gouge those eyes out.
"I haven’t caused a ruckus yet," I growled. "But if Lune has even a single scratch on her body... I’ll kill you. I’ll tear this village down." I shook Lukas arm that supported me as I stood upright despite the pain coursing through my body.
How dare a mere Elf take away my money bank’s favourite thing and make her cry?
The Elf tilted his head, a thin smile touching his lips that seemed to say I know you but you don’t me. "Like how you killed the Lithovar?"
The air in my lungs froze. My grip on the bow tightened until my knuckles turned white. "...How do you know that?"
Could it be that the purple mana stone cave felt alive wasn’t because of the Lithovar... But, this Elf’s power going berserk? But, how?
... Is he some high ranking elf?
"Don’t act like you didn’t know I was watching," he replied, stepping closer. "Thanks to your little display, I managed to slip away from the Lithovar before it could finish me. If you hadn’t fainted like a damsel, I might have even been noticed by that human knight following you."
Haah... So, he was injured. That’s why. Now, that I look back at it the baby Lithovar’s strength wasn’t enough to make my soul threatened.
It was this fucker. No wonder, I defeated the Lithovar so easily despite my state. Haah.
Miss Throne looked between us, her jaw dropping in shock. "Teacher... you know His Grace too?"
"No, he doesn’t," I spat the leftover blood in my mouth, wiping my blood smeared lips. "He just sounds like another delusional elf."
"Your Grace, that’s—"
"I am the Elven High Priest," he interrupted, his voice making the very trees around us vibrate in fear. "Second in rank only to the Elven King. I don’t need to ’know’ you to see you, human. I can sense being sensed."
Looks like he is convinently misunderstanding me. It sould be fine to bluff a little, huh.
I need to get to Lune faster to get the recovery potion of the task.
"Haah... You’re irritating me, Elf," I growled.
I, The Greatest Archmage, to exist had to bluff to a Elven High Priest when I could defeat an Elf King with the power I had in my past life. How shameful.
"Maybe you’d be better off dead. Wouldn’t you yap less in that case?"
He didn’t even flinch. He just looked at the weapon in my hand with pure disdain. "You can’t kill me with that measly bow you brought. I thought you knew that much by now."
"I don’t need to kill you," I hissed, my vision tunneling as my annoyance suppressed the pain in my veins. "I can stab you again and again with it. I’ll make you scream until those pointed ears bleed—" My words came to a halt as a clutter shiny sword tips was pointed at my neck.
Cling!
Haah. About time. I wonder how long they were going to watch me threaten their precious High Priest.
"We apologize, High Priest!" one of the knights barked, his voice tight with shame as I rolled my eyes. "We don’t know how this human infiltrated the village."
"Teacher! Stop them!" Alisa’s voice broke, her panic visible. "You can’t harm His Grace! My dad is loyal to him! He’s a nice person!"
Guess, benovelence still has some use, huh.
The High Priest let out a long sigh, his eyes never leaving my cold, emotionless ones. "Haah... Put those blades down. You guys are no match for this human. Plus, I don’t really intend to kill the person who saved my life and Lune’s life."
Oh... A fox and an elf having a forbidden romance. How amusing. I thought they were just friends.
The guards stiffened, their pride clearly wounded. "We are elves, High Priest! That’s an insult!"
They’re not much different than humans. I wonder if they know their dear High Priest is having a forbidden romance.
Hmmm... I like the sound of it.
"I said, put them down!"
The knights hesitated for a fraction of a second before retreating, their movements robotic and stiff. "Y-Yes, High Priest."
The Elf turned back to me, his expression unreadable as he gestured toward the hut next to the one he came out of. "You, human. Come with me and wipe that disgusting smile off your face. You look like a demon incarnation."
"Teacher?"
"Stay here with your lover, Alisa. I’ll heal him, first."
"I told you I don’t need healing. I can heal myself after. Take me to Lune first." I muttered, irritated.
"You humans are really stubborn. Lune is sleeping, right now. Come with me first."
"I must see-"
"Enough. Don’t make me say it out loud. Do you want everyone to know what you are?"
...Does he know my real identity?