June 24th, 2023
The next day, after it was confirmed that I was heading to Alvenheim, Arwen came directly to my accommodation. Since she used magic to conceal her presence, she managed to sneak into my room without anyone noticing. At first, I was startled when I heard a voice coming from thin air, but soon I realized it was Arwen and felt relieved.
From then on, Arwen would visit my room, and before we started our conversation, I informed her of the news. I immediately told her that I was going to Alvenheim, and her reaction was quite interesting.
“What, what? What did you just say?”
“I’m going to Alvenheim soon. My friend suggested that we go together, and I thought it would be a good idea, so I agreed.”
“Then…”
“I’ll get to see you deliver a speech with my own eyes.”
“Ugh…”
Arwen, apparently not expecting me to come to Alvenheim at all, held both of her ears and groaned. It was quite fascinating to see her elongated ears being held like handles. It seemed to be a habit that came out whenever she was flustered.
Meanwhile, Arwen, in a slightly anxious voice, asked if I had to be bothered to come. Her hands were still firmly gripping her ears.
“Mm, can you not come?”
“Why?”
“It’s, um, it’s embarrassing.”
“But you’ve already seen everything, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?”
Arwen’s cheeks turned as red as the sunset, feeling embarrassed at the strange part. As someone who had witnessed my situation with Marie with both eyes, I couldn’t help but smirk.
However, it’s not that I don’t sympathize at all. Already burdened with the pressure to do well in front of a lot of people, if I were to be watched by a person that coached me, the burden would be immense.
“Anyway, it’s decided that I’ll watch your speech. Besides, I already made the teleportation reservation, and I don’t have any grounds to refuse.”
“Well, wouldn’t it be better if you instead focus on writing your book?”
“I don’t know. Wouldn’t you think the opposite? There’s such a great material, so why would I not go?”
“Mm…”
Was it confirmed that I would be watching the speech? Arwen held onto her ears and closed her eyes tightly.
After a deep sigh, she let go of her ears, which she had been gripping like a handle, and murmured quietly.
“I guess there’s no choice… But don’t get your hopes up. Even if the speech you conveyed is great, it will vary depending on the person delivering it.”
“If you have confidence, there shouldn’t be any problems if you do it like you did last time.”
“Well, I hope so…”
It seems that Arwen is feeling quite burdened. After all, this is her first nationwide address, so it’s natural for her to feel nervous. Delivering a speech in front of people is already a nerve-wracking experience, let alone a nationwide address. As the day approaches, Arwen’s emotions will likely fluctuate rapidly, and the possibility of not being able to sleep properly is high.
If she were a complete stranger, I might have ignored it, but because she is Arwen, I felt inclined to help. I was partially responsible if she messes up and in a way, she is one of the people I can call a “friend.”
Considering my limited and narrow human relationships, I want to help my friends as much as possible. Although it may seem like an intervention in state affairs, I was simply helping a friend, so it didn’t seem significant.
“What should I do? Should I cheer you on? Or should I pat your head?”
“…Don’t treat me like a child. Even though I may look like this, I’ve lived many times longer than you.”
“For a grandma, you seem to enjoy teasing me a lot.”
“You… sigh.”
Instead of getting annoyed at being called “grandma,” Arwen patted her chest as if comforting herself. After being teased so much about being a grandmother, she seemed to have grown accustomed to it.
In fact, it’s only possible to call her “grandma” because she’s Arwen. I tried it once jokingly with Cecily, and she almost tore my ear off, so I would never do it again.
On the other hand, Arwen’s reactions are quite amusing. Even if she acts like a child most of the time, when teased like this, she tries hard to act like an adult.
When she gets upset, she pouts like a rabbit that had its food taken away, and it was difficult to stop her from sulking.
“…The only human who can converse with me without any pretenses is you.”
“Is that a way of saying I’m special?”
“Well…”
I said it as a joke, but Arwen stared at me intensely. Because of that, I ended up feeling embarrassed.
Meanwhile, she nodded her head and calmly opened her mouth, speaking with a composed voice.
“In a way, it could be possible. I’ve never made human friends while living in human society, you see.”
“Huh? Weren’t you from Alvenheim?”
“I’m a half-blood with human blood mixed in. It seems I forgot to mention that.”
Arwen being a half-blood was quite surprising news. It was due to the prejudice that the Queen of Alvenheim would naturally be a pureblood.
However, as Cindy mentioned last time, Arwen didn’t receive any sponsorship from the prestigious families and rose to the position of queen through her own abilities. If she were an ordinary elf, it might have been suspicious, but being a half-blood changes the story.
“I had no idea. So, did you live in the human world until one of your parents passed away naturally?”
“My mother gave birth to me and shortly after, she left this world.”
“Uh… I’m sorry.”
It feels like I asked for no reason. I’m worried that I may have touched a wound.
Fortunately, Arwen seemed indifferent and reassured me, shaking her head. Then, with a nostalgic gaze, she began to recall past memories, one by one.
“After my mother passed away, my father took me and we traveled all around the world. He taught me to see the bright and dark sides of humans, and to make their strengths my own. It served me well in Alvenheim, and I could even become a queen.”
“Did you manipulate the prestigious families?”
“You could say something similar. I asked them to lend me their power to restrain the Council. As the power of the noble families in the Council grew, they deemed it necessary to have a means of control, so they aided me.”
“What about the Academy? Didn’t you attend?”
According to Cindy, I heard that the elves of Alvenheim receive education at a place called the First Academy until the age of 50. They say one becomes a walking library, but that’s only because they focus solely on education until they turn 50. Of course, it’s not like education is forced upon them like in some countries, so there are no complaints as they immerse themselves in what they enjoy.
And elves are considered respectable members of society only if they graduate from the Academy. However, I’m not sure what happens to half-elves.
“You can attend the Academy. From what I’ve heard from other half-elves, most of them have human parents with whom they enjoyed traveling the world and then entered Alvenheim. For elves, the doors of the Academy are always open, so there’s no problem in receiving an education.”
“Don’t you usually receive education until the age of 50?”
“That’s a general story, but it varies from person to person. If you only want to graduate, you can do it in 10 years.”
“It seems quite lenient for elves.”
“It might be a story made possible due to their long lifespan. You can’t estimate someone’s age just by appearances. Even among elves, age is often inferred through speech or demeanor.”
In a way, she shows a compassionate side, particularly towards the elves. However, seeing the current turmoil caused by mixed blood issues, it is clear that there is still a long way to go.
If this situation does not settle down, won’t they intensify mixed blood tests? I am concerned that if oppression occurs, it might truly give rise to a fascist state. In that case, Arwen could also be expelled. I looked at her quietly and asked in a calm voice.
“Will you reveal your own mixed blood during the speech?”
“Hmm? Isn’t that obvious? If not, the sense of urgency won’t be conveyed.”
“Regardless of the situation, you have a strong sense of responsibility.”
“Hmph. I’m not pleased with your praise at all.”
Arwen coughed dryly, but I could see it. A faint blush appeared on her snow-white cheeks. Above all, it was the elongated ears twitching up and down. No matter how much she tried to hide her emotions, her ears were an undeniable giveaway.
“What does it matter if you’re not pleased? How will you deal with the Council of Elders with those ears?”
“As I said before, there is no one else but you who I can engage in a conversation without prejudice. In fact, there are not many individuals I would call friends.”
Why does it feel so pitiful? Perhaps the reason she cared for Rain so desperately was also because of loneliness.
From the moment of birth, living as a wanderer and then entering Alvenheim and taking the Queen’s seat. It’s safe to say there was hardly any time to maintain personal relationships.
Although appearing composed on the surface, there are few people with whom she can speak so frankly. In fact, even if jokingly asked if I am special, the answer would be affirmative.
“As a friend… well, in life, you can make friends. You still have more days to live than I do.”
“I hope so, but… it’s a problem that I can’t easily trust people because of the Elders’ Council. I have no idea where their eyes and ears are, so I can’t help but be cautious in everything.”
“The perfect situation to catch a case of paranoia.”
Arwen nodded silently. High-ranking politicians like her know very well how ‘trust’ is futile.
Originally, politics are deeply intertwined with power, and as power increases, morality and distance fade away. Naturally, the meaning of trust also inevitably loses its significance.
Moreover, the moment power weakens, hyenas come rushing in. Historically, despots are often born when they become obsessed with power, but most of them suffer from paranoia and become violent.
‘If Arwen were to become like that…’
Will there really be a fascist elf? It could be recorded as the worst in the history of Alvenheim, where all the members of the Council of Elders are pushed aside by force and only she remains.
Of course, given Arwen’s kind nature, the probability of that happening is slim, but you never know what can happen in the world. There have been numerous cases of noble leaders falling into the path of evil due to various incidents.
I looked at Arwen with an accusing gaze. Arwen seemed to have read my gaze and spoke with a bitter smile.
“You don’t have to look at me like that. This is the path I have chosen, and there’s no point in complaining. I am not as weak as you think.”
“Why did you choose to become a queen? You could have lived an ordinary life.”
To achieve a specific goal, one must rise to a position of high authority. So what is Arwen’s goal?
After contemplating whether she could answer my question, Arwen looked me in the eyes. My face was reflected in her galaxy-like shimmering gray eyes.
Then Arwen smirked and opened her mouth in a cautious tone.
“This is a story I haven’t told anyone, so consider yourself special. I will tell you personally.”
“In that case, I don’t have to listen.”
“Y-You must listen to what people say!”
Indeed, teasing Arwen brings joy. As she saw me chuckling, her face turned red, and she stood tall.
It’s irresistible, as if teasing an innocent child. Still, it seems like a serious story, so let’s listen.
Arwen also corrected her posture and cleared her throat before glancing at me. Then, in a quiet yet gentle voice, she spoke.
“As I mentioned earlier, I have traveled the human world with my father. I observed their bright and dark sides and learned a lot. One of the things I realized is that humans experience so many failures. In other words, they constantly strive and challenge themselves.”
“Hmm…”
“On the other hand, what about us, the Elves? We simply walk the paths laid by others. The problem is, even with just that one path, we can surpass other races. It may be fine for now, but surely significant troubles will arise in the future.”
“Because of humans?”
“It’s not so much about them, but rather our complacency. Even with the lingering shadow of the Race Wars, concealed in the light, the Council of Elders fails to regain their senses. Moreover, their power, though not as great as before, is gradually growing stronger. Just look at how many times the throne has changed hands throughout history.”
Indeed, in comparison to their lifespans, the kings of Alvenheim have not been without frequent replacements. Listening to Arwen’s story, it seemed that the severe constraints imposed by the Council of Elders were likely the cause.
“I wanted to stop that. Moreover, I am in the midst of constantly challenging it. Even if conflicts arise along the way, if we can resolve those conflicts, it means some ‘change’ has occurred. If such changes happen frequently, undoubtedly our Elves will undergo progress.”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but there are many humans who dislike change.”
“But it doesn’t mean there aren’t people who embrace challenges. I simply want to encourage our people to take on challenges. Even if someone calls it an unnecessary policy, it doesn’t matter. Because even if it’s not understood now, evaluations may change in the distant future.”
The policies that Arwen mentioned were harshly criticized during her time, but they could receive praise as achievements in the distant future. She is more concerned about the future than the present.
However, there are still worrisome aspects. With a concerned voice, I asked her.
“What about you? Are you okay? You could be expelled if you make a mistake.”
“If it’s the people rather than the Council who drive me away, I would willingly accept it. That, too, would be a change.”
“Just by saying that, you don’t seem like a true elf.”
“Not seem like an elf…”
Upon hearing my words, Arwen shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly replied.
“In a way, that could be true. Being a half-blood with human thinking ingrained in me. Still, I have pride as an elf.”
“That’s a response befitting an elf.”
“Then what do you think an elf is? Do you believe they are an arrogant and stubborn race like other humans might think?”
“Well, it’s just…”
I shifted my gaze elsewhere and pondered deeply. Elves, like humans, are a race that cannot be easily defined.
As Arwen mentioned, elves possess an arrogant and knowledgeable aspect, but conversely, it is because of this that they can be seen as a proud and courageous race. If humans have clear distinctions between light and shadow, could it be said that elves have such a strong light that their hidden shadows are also significant?
Still, this one thing feels certain to me. I faced Arwen directly and opened my mouth.
“A race that only regains their senses after being hit.”
“What?”
Arwen blinked in response to my answer. It was a completely unexpected reaction.
With a slight smile, I continued speaking.
“Elves are a race that only regains their senses after being hit. It applies to the Race War and the conflict between the elves and the dark elves that you told me about. They’re all similar, right? They don’t move until someone hits them.”
“…”
“So, it means that someone has to hit them for them to progress. Do you understand what I mean?”
“…”
Arwen blinked with a bewildered expression, as if she couldn’t believe it or was dumbfounded. Her innocent face was so adorable that I almost instinctively wanted to pat her on the head.
Finally gathering her thoughts, Arwen smirked and shook her head.
“Really… That’s an outrageous answer. But I can’t refute it because it’s true.”
“If you know, you should hit harder during your speech too. You’ll give you the speech, though.”
“Thank you. And… Isaac.”
“Yeah?”
Arwen called me but hesitated to speak. With a puzzled expression, she made a small request of me.
“If I take the wrong path… could you hit me once?”
“What?”
“You’re the only person I consider a friend, and you’re the only one who can hit me.”
So, she wants me to snap her out of it every time she goes off track? The choice of words is odd, but Arwen is asking me to play the role of a brake for her.
It seems that her words about considering me a special person were not false but true. I was a little taken aback, but eventually agreed.
“Alright. That should be easy.”
“Thank you.”
Arwen gave a gentle smile and softly opened her mouth.
“I’m really fortunate to have met you.”
A few days later.
“Will Cecily come too?”
“Yeah. She’s planning to come with Balak.”
“Why is Gartz coming again?”
“Just taking him along? He’ll probably want to meet you too, so it’s a good opportunity.”
I set off for Alvenheim.
