As Aslan returned to Tebery, he conversed with Maria.
Even though the agenda had not been pre-discussed, Aslan praised her skillful improvisation and talked about the relief that things had gone exactly as planned.
When they finally arrived in Tebery aboard the ship heading there, Aslan also disclosed detailed plans.
These plans included the current state of King Gerald.
The elf seed that King Gerald consumed was an item in the game that would immediately result in a game over upon ingestion because the recipient’s fighting spirit and aggression were neutralized as they transformed into an elf.
The only exception Aslan knew of among playable elves chosen by players was Phey.
King Gerald was no different. He wasn’t merely gaining immortality and an elven body but was becoming an elf to his very bones.
His self remained unchanged, as did his memories. However, Gerald would ultimately become an ordinary elf who neither agreed with nor empathized with his past self.
The only difference would be his status as king.
What were the chances that such a king could govern properly? They were almost nonexistent.
This is where Maria came in.
After most of the princes had died in ‘unfortunate accidents,’ Maria remained as the sole heir to the royal family.
She would serve as regent, leading the Vida Kingdom to become part of the alliance and offer assistance.
Maria readily agreed, as at this point, there was no reason for her to refuse after having practically deposed King Gerald already.
Upon arriving in Tebery, Maria requested borrowing Richard under the guise of needing him as a minister.
Although Richard pleaded and begged not to go, Aslan personally delivered him to Maria via Angie.
The betrayed expression on Richard’s face as he left was one Aslan would likely never forget.
In the rented mansion where Aslan and the group rested afterward, Angie tilted her head in confusion.
“Why does he hate going to see his fiancée?”
Lumel, Tiamat, and Aslan, who knew the reason well, revealed expressions of embarrassment, silence with closed eyes, or awkward smiles while avoiding eye contact.
Phey, who considered discussing it contrary to elven virtues, showed little reaction, whereas Ereta admitted she didn’t know either.
“That’s strange. Prince Richard seemed like someone who cared deeply for his fiancée.”
“True. Despite his worries….”
They were probably referring to when Maria nearly had her head cut off during King Gerald’s procession.
Confirming his suspicions, Angie soon said,
“That guy asked me for help. To clear the way if the fight started. He wanted to bring Maria and protect her. So, it seems he does care…”
Aslan’s eyes gleamed with interest, and Lumel, stroking his braided hair, appeared embarrassed.
Tiamat quipped,
“Well, since she’s his woman, he cares. Maybe he dislikes being around her for similar reasons. I, a true gentleman, can’t understand this heart.”
He fondled his bow, delivering a remark typical of a nobleman trying to win a dragon lady’s favor by shooting down mountain peaks.
“Could it be… Is Lady Maria abusing Prince Richard? It happens sometimes in the church.”
Ereta responded to Tiamat’s comment with a story from her past.
Perhaps because she was once among the top three priests known for their regenerative powers across all evil deities, Ereta’s words often strayed far from the ordinary.
“Didn’t you do it?”
Angie joked back at Ereta, but when Ereta bashfully admitted, “Does it show?” Angie’s expression hardened.
Her pupils trembled and shimmered gold as she spoke.
“Oh… uh, yes, that’s right…”
“But now, I prefer the hitting. I realized I like it better that way.”
Though affection and abuse cannot coexist, Ereta yearned for both.
Aslan’s affectionate beatings—now that she had regained her regenerative abilities, she believed she could endure them.
As Ereta looked hopefully at Aslan, he evaded her gaze awkwardly.
Faking irritation, Ereta turned to Angie, whose pupils trembled as she spoke.
“Let’s talk about something else. Please.”
“Yes.”
Despite this regret, Ereta readily agreed, allowing Angie to sigh in relief.
Tiamat and Phey seemed disinterested in the current situation, while only Aslan and Lumel appeared to know what was going on.
Lumel, easy to approach, considerate, and teasingly delightful, made Angie smile.
“What does Lumel know?”
“Ahh, nyeh…”
Startled by the sudden question, Lumel blushed furiously after biting her tongue mid-thought.
She fidgeted with her braided hair, clearly displaying awareness of the matter, which made Angie chuckle.
“You seem to know something…”
“Truly, I don’t know… please stop…”
Hiding her crimson face behind her braids, Lumel turned away as the taller Angie approached her.
The closer Angie got, the more Lumel retreated until she was cornered against the wall, trembling and trying to hide her red face.
Aslan observed the two women and deduced the situation.
Clearly, Lumel, knowledgeable about sexual matters, understood why Richard acted this way and was likely daydreaming about it.
Now called out and pressured to explain, she must have felt embarrassed.
If this continued, Lumel’s face might explode, or she might reveal her fantasies and choose death instead.
Aslan separated the two women before things escalated further.
“Angie, stop. You’re making Lumel uncomfortable.”
Only then did Angie notice Lumel’s condition, exclaiming,
“Really, you’re right. She looks like she’s about to burst.”
Laughing, Angie pinched Lumel’s cheeks.
Lumel expressed her discomfort through muffled sounds despite her surprise.
Smiling, Angie released her and turned to Aslan.
“So, Aslan, do you know why Richard is acting this way?”
Shifting the topic to him.
Did she think she wouldn’t get anything useful from Lumel?
Caught off guard by the question, Lumel looked at Aslan with a bewildered expression, and even Tiamat paused from handling his bow to seriously look at Aslan.
Phey and Ereta also turned their attention to Aslan, leaving him feeling uneasy.
Certainly, Aslan realized the need for sex education at that moment.
Ereta, despite being an adult, knew nothing, and Angie, having grown up quickly, lacked knowledge too.
While they may have vague suspicions, they clearly lacked detailed understanding.
During this time, Aslan doubted his ability to provide accurate sex education to the two women who were so uninformed.
Thus, Aslan chose the next best option.
“Later… when someone who knows better is available, I’ll ask them for help.”
“Huh?”
Angie tilted her head in confusion, hand on her hip.
Immediately following her inquiry, Aslan explained without hesitation.
“It’s difficult to discuss outright, there’s room for misunderstanding, and acquiring incorrect information could be dangerous. Therefore, we need an expert.”
A chuckling sound escaped Tiamat, prompting Aslan to glance at him briefly before sighing. Angie tilted her head in the opposite direction.
“I understand you find it hard to explain now. Then, I won’t trouble Aslan anymore.”
Ereta smiled gently and slightly laughed.
Still, noticing Ereta’s persistent curiosity unlike Lumel’s, Aslan added,
“Anyway, that’s not important right now. Let’s talk about this later. Okay?”
“Hmm, alright. But you must tell me later, right?”
Adjusting her hand on her hip, Angie spoke, causing her chest to sway slightly. Aslan looked troubled.
Nonetheless, his relief at escaping the topic mixed with his unease.
Aslan then stated,
“In any case, thanks to these events, the Vida Kingdom is practically our ally. Maria originally intended to support us, and with Richard joining us, everything should proceed smoothly. …So, what remains?”
With this unexpected question, Angie, standing a few steps away, tilted her head dramatically.
“Don’t know. Should we kill the priest?”
Aslan shook his head. When Angie, puzzled, rested her chin in thought, Tiamat sharply replied,
“The Northern Empire?”
“Yes. An alliance with the Northern Empire.”
The Northern Empire.
The last remaining small country in the northern continent that hadn’t allied yet.
The next target for Aslan was this Northern Empire.
The issue was…
“The Northern Empire… really?”
Lumel’s expression darkened significantly.
“Should we really recruit those wicked ones?”
Understanding the context behind this prejudice, Aslan recalled how the Northern Empire, located centrally amidst the vast Y-shaped sea organically connecting the enormous continent, claimed to be the empire’s successor but struggled financially.
This was due to the Veil of Compassion cutting through the continent’s waist, far away in the world.
Unyieldingly emitting cold, freezing all life and space, this massive line left the Northern Empire’s land narrow and barren.
Its size was barely ten times that of the wizards’ city on the volcanic island.
The population was approximately fifteen times larger, but aside from the Y-shaped sea’s left side facing the Calus Empire, they lacked any natural advantages.
To survive, they resorted to plundering.
Crossing the ocean to raid the Calus Empire, securing as much wealth and food as possible before returning home.
Survival-driven plunder. Yet, wielding swords and axes fueled by malice, the Northern Empire people lived by killing others.
Though necessary for survival, to the citizens of the Calus Empire, the Northern Empire people were essentially treated as demons.
Those unaware of worldly affairs like Angie or priests like Ereta might not grasp this, but natives of the Calus Empire often suffered from such prejudices.
Being an aristocrat, Lumel was especially sensitive to such rumors and biases.
Understanding these elements of Lumel’s background, Aslan explained,
“You remember the Northerners we saw in Olpasbet. And as you noticed, they are ordinary humans. Simply…”
Before Aslan finished, Lumel interjected,
“I’ve heard… that warriors who accumulate merit and bathe in blood transform into monsters after receiving monster blood.”
Aslan grimaced. For her, experienced in battling many monsters and evil deity priests, the rumors about the Northern Empire gained a disturbing reality.
“That’s not true. I’ve experienced it myself.”
Despite Aslan’s denial, Lumel still seemed skeptical.
Therefore, Aslan elaborated,
“Even if some truly do transform into monsters, it isn’t a significant issue. We’re fighting monsters far worse than those. I need everyone’s strength.”
“And if they capture humans and resemble monsters, shall we accept them too?”
Lumel’s worried eyes hinted at a real concern.
While Aslan aimed to defeat the evil deity without resorting to extreme measures, he hadn’t agreed to accept outright evil.
Aslan avoided this direction because abandoning everything for efficiency would leave nothing after victory.
Thus, he clarified,
“There might be such individuals. However, I don’t believe all Northern Empire people are like that. I don’t want to judge potentially innocent people based on such acts. At least, I should meet and decide directly.”
Lumel pondered, fidgeting with her braided hair.
She seemed to agree that not all Northern Empire people were monsters or harmful beings.
Yet, she appeared troubled by the fact that some were.
Watching this, Aslan suddenly mentioned,
“While finalizing the alliance and resting, I sent a letter to Maria asking her to send someone to Olpasbet beforehand.”
“Olpasbet? Why there?”
Angie asked instead of Lumel, prompting Aslan to glance sideways and answer,
“To request they send a Northern Empire person here.”
“A Northern Empire person?”
This time, Lumel questioned, startled. Aslan looked at Lumel again, who blinked nervously.
Prejudices don’t easily disappear, so Aslan understood. He nodded honestly.
“While other companions rest or prepare, I’d like Lumel to meet a Northern Empire person with me. We need to inquire about the route to the Northern Empire and their current situation.”
“Must it be me?”
Unclear whether it was fear or prejudice toward the Northern Empire, Aslan smiled gently at her reaction.
He needed persuasion at the moment.
“Yes. Please, Lumel.”
“…”
Persuasion worked well. Though her face slightly reddened and her shoulders hunched, Aslan sensed Lumel’s agreement despite her silence.
Aslan aimed for this.
By having Lumel meet Northern Empire people directly, converse with them, and hear about their society, he hoped she’d realize they weren’t much different from others.
However, the returned letter disrupted Aslan’s plan.
It briefly stated that all Northern Empire residents staying in Olpasbet had perished.
The cause was a sudden transformation during a brawl.
Dozens simultaneously became fur-covered monsters, tearing each other apart until they all died.
Twenty soldiers were injured or killed trying to subdue them.
Aslan crumpled the letter with a despondent expression.
Perhaps the prejudices and rumors Lumel had heard weren’t mere misunderstandings after all.
