Chapter 315: The Fall Begins
[At that time, near the Elven Forest.]
"We’re here. This is the entrance to the Elven Forest."
The Saintess stopped in a forest that looked no different from the surroundings. She’d tied up the horses they rode far away, and during a half hour of walking, the scenery hadn’t changed at all, yet she was calling it an entrance—Brug found it absurd.
"Entrance? There’s no door or sign. Do you take me for a fool? Or do elves have a different concept of territory from common sense?"
"You think elves are wild beasts? To mark territory or something? This entire forest is the Elven Forest. Can’t you sense the mana?"
"I cannot sense mana. So to me it just looks like an ordinary forest. Is the Elven Forest like a barrier made of mana?"
At Brug’s calm words, the Saintess’s face reddened.
"Sorry, I didn’t know you couldn’t sense mana. Ahem. It’s not similar—it IS a barrier. If you don’t enter through the designated path, a maze is installed that’ll make you wander the forest forever, and even if you pass through the maze, the guard force will come and thoroughly punish you unless you’re friendly. Look carefully."
The Saintess scattered divine power toward the front. Silver mist floated lightly through the air, then a wall with geometric patterns visible even to Brug’s eyes revealed itself.
"Impressive."
"It is pretty. Though the elves’ handiwork is so cruel you never know what’ll happen to invaders. Now follow me closely. Don’t go wandering around carelessly and drift to strange places."
The Saintess recalled how the Holy Knights from Taurus territory had all gotten lost as a group. Thanks to that, she’d been able to conceal the orc hero’s identity, but still, she didn’t want to create more missing people.
"Do you think the elves will see your skin first, or the Holy Sword you’re carrying under your robe?"
If even this orc hero got lost, there’d be no solution. What if he ran into elves and his identity as an orc got exposed?
"So for my mental health, just follow me obediently."
"Wait. Follow you? You’re saying to enter the barrier? What if the elves notice my presence? Isn’t that more dangerous?"
"...You’re a hero before you’re an orc, so it might be okay up to the village entrance. Since I’m beside you. Don’t take off your hood and definitely take out the Holy Sword first. Got it?"
Brug checked his gloves and nodded. Thanks to the Saintess sealing them thoroughly, at least his green skin wouldn’t be exposed.
"Let’s go. Since it’s boring while we walk, let’s talk."
"May I ask a question? Do the elves also support the Hero of the Holy Sword? From what I’ve heard, the Holy Sword seems to work well with the elf side too."
"Of course. The elves played a role in the background of the Holy Sword’s creation."
"A role?"
The Saintess parted the bushes and spoke sarcastically.
"It’s a folk tale that the church has made taboo, but I’ll tell you since you’re the Holy Sword’s hero. There’s a legend that the Holy Sword was made from a high elf who died keeping her chastity. They say they burned her and ground the remaining bones to make the sword’s material, or melted a high elf’s essence and forged it into the sword. It’s too cruel, so the church made it taboo. It also diminishes the Holy Sword’s prestige."
Brug’s expression under the hood properly hardened. The Saintess grabbed the end of Brug’s sleeve.
"It’s just a legend anyway, so believe it or don’t. If it were really true, would the elves have left the Holy Sword alone? They’d be furious trying to smash it all."
"That’s true. If the legend is like that, where on earth was this Holy Sword made?"
"I don’t know either. The Holy Sword itself is something even the goddess doesn’t know well about."
"...?"
"When I asked about the Holy Sword drawing infinite divine power, she gave an answer like ’I dunno, what’s that? Scary.’ Don’t trust the goddess too much. Most of the church’s doctrines start with ’the goddess says,’ but they’re all nonsense. The goddess definitely exists, but her interest is elsewhere."
"That sounds like something a Saintess shouldn’t say. Why are you telling me this?"
"Good question."
The Saintess exhaled with a tired face.
"...I’m just venting. You know what the goddess is saying right now? She’s telling me to attack in front of the elves with the orc. She says it’s a trope for the hero and Saintess to press bellies together in bushes where no one can see. She only says things I can’t understand."
"Got it. You’re either a fake Saintess, or the goddess is fake. Both are unlikely, so you’re lying to tease me."
"Right. Think of it as a lie. I’ll keep spouting nonsense. She didn’t even care when a man was with a woman next to her—she really has no interest in the human world."
"Should she care about the human world? There’s no reason to care at all. Once I achieve my goal, I won’t come out to the human world."
Brug answered himself and kept following behind the Saintess. The Saintess started sighing deeply and muttering.
"Then our hero of Taurus, who’ll return to where he was once he achieves his goal. Will you listen to my venting, considering it a sacrifice?"
"I’ll listen."
The moment Brug spoke, the Saintess smirked and opened her mouth.
"Being a Saintess is just listening to some crazy woman’s nonsense. But people make a fuss like I’m some great empire’s princess or something. I just wanna hang out with pretty girls, you know? You know what? Most of the high-ranking officials in the central church are half-wits who can’t even properly use divine power."
"Enough. I won’t listen anymore. Human language is incomprehensible."
"Right. That’s the attitude. But don’t get swayed later when you go to the church. You know how many heroes those snake-like politicians have thrown onto battlefields? Seriously, being a margrave at the edge of the continent blocking dungeons like Count Aries is the wise move, you know? I’m completely disillusioned, disillusioned."
"The elves might hear everything since this is the Elven Forest. I don’t care, but I’m worried other elves might hear and label you a heretic."
"...Okay. I’ll stop. I’m giving various advice you should have as a hero, but if you don’t want to hear it, what can I do? And there are no elves around right n—"
The Saintess held her breath. Brug also sensed something. They glanced at each other once and immediately changed their presence.
"Taurus."
"Already drawn."
Something was eagerly crossing through the forest, running toward them. Brug had already drawn the Holy Sword and hung it toward the ground, and the Saintess steadied her breathing and prepared to meet whoever was running from the opposite side.
"...Haah, haah!"
"...1st Elder?"
The Saintess was shocked to realize the roughly breathing high elf with a familiar face was the 1st Elder. She with slightly fierce eyes was definitely the 1st Elder.
"What brings you all the way here...?"
"That’s what I should ask the Saintess—for what reason did you come to the forest...?"
They began sizing each other up. The Saintess wondered why the 1st Elder had come all the way outside the forest, and the 1st Elder wondered why the Saintess had visited the Elven Forest with one strange escort.
"Pleased to meet you, 1st Elder."
The Saintess greeted first.
"...The reason I came is none other than to congratulate the birth of the Elf Queen."
"...Thank you. I’ll convey your regards on her behalf. I apologize, but please return today. No, please don’t visit the forest anymore from now on. Any existence whatsoever."
The Saintess frowned. Even though Taurus was being openly displayed beside her, the 1st Elder paid no attention at all. Even while conversing, the 1st Elder’s gaze kept turning backward.
"Has something happened in the forest?"
"...It’s difficult for me to explain what kind of matter it is, which is why I came out to tell you, isn’t it?"
"Has something happened to the Elf Queen?"
"It’s not a matter for humans to intervene. I apologize, but please return. Otherwise... we’ll have no choice but to use force. Even if you are the Saintess."
Those excessively sizing each other up met and only continued utterly fruitless conversation. The Saintess took one step back at the 1st Elder’s overly firm attitude.
"Tell me just one thing. Whose side are the elves on?"
"...Neither the human alliance nor the Demon King’s army. It’s been that way until now and will continue."
The 1st Elder made a complicated expression but showed no sign of lying.
"I hope those words aren’t wrong."
The Saintess turned around with a cold voice. Brug briefly nodded in courtesy and followed behind the Saintess. The Saintess, who’d been chattering ceaselessly every moment, didn’t say a single word until they exited the barrier.
Whinny.
Only when they reached where the horses were tied did the Saintess tear at her hair and sit down. Brug calmed the flustered horses and asked.
"...Seems like you could have pressed a bit harder?"
"I’m tired of power struggles with stubborn old folks. I conveyed greetings to the queen, so the Saintess did her job. Hmph, it’s not like I went to harm them... Even when you try to help, if they come out like that, it hurts people’s feelings."
"For that, your expression is still serious even now."
"It’s not important that the Saintess was humiliated. The problem is that the human representative’s exchange with the elves has been cut off. ...From the human alliance’s perspective, we’re screwed. The Elf Queen is an existence you could say is above the Saintess. An existence who can issue commands to all elves across the continent. And such a being sent that great 1st Elder to refuse meeting with the Saintess. What does that mean?"
The Saintess’s sarcasm didn’t stop.
"This means they won’t exchange with the outside anymore. They won’t take the Demon King’s army’s side, but this is proclaiming complete neutrality—"
"Hasty conclusion. Isn’t that going too far? Maybe they just don’t want to show humans the village’s confusion."
"..."
The Saintess hung her head low. Brug untied the reins from the tree and stroked the horse’s fur.
"What if you had talked calmly? You know it yourself too. Your voice became quite aggressive the moment you were turned away at the door. It’s not good to raise your voice against a flustered opponent."
"So you think if I’d talked calmly, I could have found out about the Elven Forest’s problems caused by the queen’s birth?"
"Of course. Conversation is a very important means of exchange."
"...I didn’t expect to get a lecture from you. Fine, I’ll keep it in mind. So what’s the hero’s opinion?"
"Usually in cases like this."
Brug put his palms together then separated them.
"It’s internal strife. An unexpected existence was born as queen and the elves’ factions split in two. In such a situation, the 1st Elder urgently came out because they couldn’t show the forest’s confusion to the Saintess."
"Pfft. Sounds plausible. Then who do you think this unexpected existence is that caused all that fuss?"
"...Someone who is an elf yet not an elf?"
"Ha."
The Saintess sneered at Brug.
"What, did a dark elf become queen? If that’s really true, I’ll grant you one wish."
"Someone I know said the mouth is the root of all evil, so don’t tease carelessly."
"...Actually, all the people you mention are one person, right?"
"Ahem."
Brug turned his gaze and pulled the two horses. The Saintess followed behind Brug and jumped onto the saddle.
"There’s a fundamental reason a dark elf can’t become queen. How dark elves become dark elves is by getting creampied by monsters, but queens can only be chaste virgins..."
***
"Welcome, 2nd Elder. Is it too stiff to address you by title? Should I call you Sister Nifela like before?"
"...Let me greet you first."
The 2nd Elder—high elf Nifela—bowed deeply toward Luna. The stigmata Luna proudly displayed on her lower abdomen was definitely the queen’s symbol.
"Your Majesty. I have a few questions."
"As many as you like."
"...What are you doing right now with that orc behind you?"
Nifela pointed out Luna’s peculiar posture. Luna, straddling an orc sitting in a riding position, crossed her legs and leaned forward. At the bronze skin revealed under the black dress, Nifela felt dizzy. Luna was exuding sensuality and allure she’d never had before.
"What does it look like I’m doing?"
"...It looks like you’re mounted on top of an orc."
"Right. I’m mounted."
Luna stood up as if she’d been waiting.
"Perfect timing. Sister Nifela, have you ever given birth to children?"
"Unfortunately, I’ve only received the divine tree’s blessing when I was a virgin and never since."
"Really? Then you can receive new blessings this time. It’s the queen’s command."
Luna knelt between the legs of the orc sitting upright in proper posture and pressed her face to his dick.
"Have sex with an orc and fall. Into a dark elf."
"...Oh goddess."
At the queen’s eyes burning with desire, Nifela closed her eyes.