Chapter 318: A Curse Will Befall
[At that time, the Elven Forest.]
The 1st Elder waited with a tense heart only for those who’d gone to the dungeon to arrive. She was more anxious than when Luna hadn’t returned, more than when she’d mistakenly assumed the high elf Lune had been designated as queen.
"Please let nothing happen."
No matter how many troubles she’d had with Luna, she was an existence who’d been a guardian. Moreover, even if she became queen, Luna’s essence wouldn’t change.
One who judges everything for the elves’ sake.
One who would never do anything harmful to the elf collective.
Though they might have conflicts in the future, on such days they’d unfailingly resolve conflicts while enjoying nighttime fun in one bed.
That was the Luna she knew. However, the worst assumptions kept coming to mind.
’What if she was harmed by the dungeon’s monsters?’
Luna falling into goblins’ traps and becoming a dark elf after being gang-raped.
Being worked like a sex slave then somehow becoming queen and bringing the dungeon under her control, but such an ominous future kept coming to mind where she’d drive the entire Elven Forest to ruin due to irrational anger at becoming a dark elf.
’What if she brings goblins and tells us to obediently get massacred?’
Sola had visited the dungeon. Perhaps she’d been ordered by Luna to deceive her. She needed somewhere to seek help in preparation for the worst case.
’I sent the Saintess back like that, so it’s really awkward now.’
She’d gone all the way out to the barrier to prevent the Saintess from intervening in the problems facing the Elven Forest. With confusion arising from the queen’s birth, it was difficult to let any existence other than elves into the forest, even if they were congratulatory envoys.
’She’ll definitely misunderstand. She might think we’ll side with the Demon King’s army.’
In her fluster, she’d shown too much annoyance. As one representing elves, she’d acted wrongly, so couldn’t one representing humanity also act wrongly?
"Please return safely..."
The 1st Elder prayed for the 2nd Elder’s safety. As those representing elves respectively, they had to perform their assigned roles, so the 1st Elder’s job was to handle the forest’s elves.
"Right. Handling the confusion is my role."
The 1st Elder hurriedly returned to the forest. Fortunately, the elves were calmly waiting in the forest as the 1st Elder had instructed. They sat calmly, and like the 1st Elder, their eyes were full of anxiety and tension.
"Sorry for being late, young elves."
The 1st Elder smiled warmly. She had to regain composure to ease the elves’ tension.
"Elder! What happened?"
"What did the Queen say to us?"
"What happens to us now?"
The young elves clung to the 1st Elder’s side and poured out questions. Confusion continued with no courtesy toward a high elf to be found.
"Now, now. Calm down everyone. ...The 2nd Elder will come after meeting the Queen."
"How long must we wait?"
"Several hours have already passed."
"...Wait. Have patience. Not even a day has passed yet, has it? Compared to the years you’ve lived, a day passes in just an instant."
The 1st Elder struggled to calm the elves. She was breaking out in a cold sweat persuading them one by one, and her throat was parched from speaking too much.
"...Undine."
The 1st Elder called the water spirit. The small girl with blue hair gently lifted her dress toward the 1st Elder.
[You called?]
"I spoke too much and my throat is dry. Please fetch some water from the river."
[...]
Undine stayed silent and didn’t follow the request. The 1st Elder was already frustrated, and now even her partner spirits were in this state—her insides burned with anger.
"What are you doing? Is fetching a mouthful of water such a difficult request?"
[...Never, ever drink the river water! That’s all I can tell you!]
Undine strangled herself and disappeared. At Undine making the extreme choice of reverse-summoning herself to the spirit realm, the 1st Elder was so dumbfounded she couldn’t say anything.
"I’m thirsty, but what... Then elves shouldn’t drink a single drop of water?"
The 1st Elder sent relatively calm elves to the river to fetch water. If she brewed a cup of tea with flower petals and prayed to the goddess, the elves would probably calm down too.
’Suddenly telling us not to drink river water.’
Right now, calming the elves was urgent.
"Children. Let’s all have a cup of tea together."
"1st Elder, there’s no water prepared right now."
"...Then have them fetch river water."
Shortly after.
The water the elves fetched was no different from before. Rather, a sweet fragrance came from the river water. It was strange but not a major problem.
"Child, bring out the flower tea from my house. Let’s brew and drink it to calm down."
The 1st Elder believed in tea’s efficacy. She believed in the divine tree’s flower petals, the tea’s raw material.
"The divine tree blooms flowers once every hundred years, and with his permission, we dry the petals to brew as flower tea. Calm yourselves while thinking of the divine tree."
The flower tea that stabilized mind and body and relieved physical tension was sufficient for even young elves to soothe their hearts. The 1st Elder put the tea water with soaked flower petals floating in it into a cup and took a sip.
"...The tea tastes good. Elves, have a cup each. And quietly wait for the 2nd Elder to arrive."
The elves waited for the 2nd Elder to arrive following the 1st Elder’s instructions. But as minutes passed and hours passed, the 2nd Elder didn’t arrive.
"What’s going on...?"
The 1st Elder hid her anxious heart and earnestly awaited the 2nd Elder’s arrival. And after several hours passed, at the moment the sun seemed to be setting beyond the horizon.
"1st Elder---!!"
The 2nd Elder screamed and returned to the Elven Forest. Her appearance running in a rush wasn’t much different from when she’d left, but her expression looked pale and serious.
"1st Elder! What did the Queen say—"
"A curse will befall! We must quickly follow me to the Queen’s side!"
The 2nd Elder looked around with a flustered face. At the 2nd Elder’s urgent voice saying they must go to the queen’s side—the dungeon—even the 1st Elder became flustered.
"What’s... the matter? What command did the Queen give? And a curse...?"
"The Queen commanded all elves to enter the dungeon. If we don’t follow the command, a curse of going into heat will occur...!"
"What?"
The 1st Elder mulled over the 2nd Elder’s words. No matter how much she thought, it was incomprehensible.
A curse of going into heat if you don’t listen to the queen’s command? She’d never heard or seen such a curse. She wondered if the word ’heat’ she was thinking of had another unique meaning.
"I’ll ask once more. What did the Queen say? What’s the reason for coming to the dungeon?"
"The Queen wishes all elves to become part of the dungeon."
"Then to become dark elves..."
"Haaaah!!"
The 1st and 2nd Elders’ gazes simultaneously turned toward where the scream was heard. There, one young elf with a reddened face was panting. She who’d sat down on the ground looked confused at her situation with blank, unfocused pupils.
Drip. Drip drip.
Below the elf was a flood. At the honey flowing down her thighs, the 1st Elder’s breath caught. That was definitely bodily fluid that came out when elves were sexually excited.
"The heat couldn’t be...!"
"Yes! It means becoming sexually excited...!"
Drip drip drip drip!!
When one started, everyone began sitting down without exception. Someone trembled and placed hands on a tree, someone buried their head on the ground and sat down clutching their belly.
The 1st Elder didn’t notice, but all those who’d drunk the flower tea fell under the heat curse without a single exception.
Drip drip drip drip drip.
Rain began falling in the Elven Forest. The flood of honey falling from under skirts rather than the sky wetly soaked the forest ground. All elves were looking at the two elders at what the 2nd Elder called the ’heat curse.’
"If they meet monsters in this state...!"
"That would also be the goddess’s will. But 1st Elder, those we’ll meet aren’t monsters."
Clop clop, clop clop.
The moment the 2nd Elder’s words ended, hoofbeat sounds began ringing. Centered on the clearing where elves gathered, foreigners on horses began surrounding the elves.
White horses whiter than elf skin had bright yellow horns on their heads. The horses’ identity was immediately clear. All the horses were unicorns that only chaste virgins could ride.
"Whoa, whoa."
And the riders controlling the unicorns with reins were men in outfits they’d never seen before. Those dyed entirely in black had handsome faces above white shirts that even elves would fall for, but their skin was definitely dark green ’orcs.’
"O...rcs?"
"Are they really orcs...?"
They knew beings with green muscular humanoid forms were definitely orcs, but the orcs before their eyes looked somehow quite different.
Handsome, great physiques, mysterious with exotic outfits, riding unicorns, and appearances that made them feel like they’d get pregnant just receiving their gaze.
Thump, thump.
While the elves’ hearts pounded and the fruit fragrance in the forest intensified, the orc at the front adjusted his shirt’s necktie with his hand and stood beside the 2nd Elder. Arthur unfurled the parchment in his hand and shouted.
"In the name of the goddess’s proxy, Queen Luna, I’ve come to guide the elves! My name is Arthur. I’m the commander of the holy knight order [Ras Knights] following the queen."
"All elves, listen. I, Nifela, 2nd Elder of the Elven Forest, following the queen’s command, came here with the mission to guide you to the Queen’s presence. The orcs before your eyes will guide you. The taboo you worry about doesn’t exist."
"Look."
Arthur jumped lightly from his horse and grasped Nifela’s hand. At that, some elves screamed or flinched in surprise, but the 2nd Elder’s skin didn’t change despite holding hands with an orc.
"The taboo you know is not truth. It’s merely a rule the elders created worrying about you elves."
Growl.
Wolf howls were heard. This time, orcs in leather armor overflowing with wild beauty appeared riding on Worwolves’ backs and gripped the reins.
Thirty unicorns, thirty Worwolves each.
A total of 60 riders arrived at the Elven Forest. They dismounted from their horses and each took their stance.
"I’ll issue commands to the elves on behalf of the queen. First, those who wish to lift the curse and receive Her Majesty the Queen’s baptism, hold the hand of the orc you desire."
"Nifela!! Luna gave such a command?!"
"1st Elder. Please refrain from calling the Queen’s name carelessly. This command is also the will of one higher than the Queen."
"...Oh goddess."
2nd Elder Nifela covered her mouth with her hand and sneered at the 1st Elder. But the 1st Elder wasn’t in her right mind, closing her eyes and praying.
"Children, quickly approach the orc you want and hold hands. Like this."
Arthur, who’d mounted the unicorn again, lifted up Nifela who extended her hand. And he seated her in front of himself, gently embracing her from behind while grasping the reins.
"Then the orcs will immediately guide you to the Queen."
"Travel takes time. Those who wish to see the Queen first will quickly go to the dungeon. ...Those who don’t listen to the Queen’s command. Those who avoid contact with monsters and are still bound by taboo. Such people need not come. However, remember."
Arthur grinned fiercely with killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"I don’t know what will become of those who don’t become part of our legion."
***
"We’ll just leave those who run away alone, and those who betray us and attack immediately become dark elves."
"...Is that all?"
"Yep."
Kimaris, leader of the Dullahan group deprived of riders because orcs took the unicorns, hung her head while watching the confused elves from far away.
"Haa, if I were human Vivian, I’d have told them to run away immediately."
"But you’re not human Vivian now. Dullahan Kimaris, what do you think you’d do in that situation?"
"Even if they pass the first net Master prepared, they won’t pass the second net. If it were me before meeting Master."
First net.
Elves who respond to the queen’s invitation and elves who don’t. If an elf runs away suppressing sexual excitement despite being perfectly hit with the heat curse, it can’t be helped. Such a person would try to tear the net the moment they enter the second net trying to escape.
"Then what about you now?"
"How could I reject temptation when I know the pleasure of sex and know a place where I can enjoy it freely? Hehe. More than that, Master, let’s finish quickly."
Kimaris pointed at the elves beginning to move one by one hesitantly. Separate from the fragrance like being at a supermarket produce section, I had things I needed to do quickly with the Dullahan forces.
"Let’s quickly clean up before the unicorn personnel fill up."
Unicorns and Dullahans.
Since their power weakens when physical distance increases, work had to be done as quickly as possible.
"Grab everything valuable from the elves’ houses!!"
Since new family is joining the legion, we can do at least this much of a moving service.
Those who run away?
...
I don’t know about that.