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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 178
“Melvria…! How long has it been…!”
Eldir looked at Melvria with disbelief in his eyes.
Though her skin color had changed, and dark mana was seeping from her entire body… the elf before him was undoubtedly Melvria.
“You’re safe!”
She had changed too much to simply be called safe.
But Eldir didn’t care about that at all.
Even though dark elves were beings that elves instinctively kept their guard up against, he didn’t hesitate. With open arms, he ran toward her.
Seeing Eldir remain unfazed by her changed appearance, Melvria widened her eyes briefly before scoffing and dodging his approach.
“Melvria?”
“How long has it been? It hasn’t been that long since we met.”
“What?”
“Don’t you remember losing to me at the tavern? I remember it very well.”
At Melvria’s words, Eldir was startled.
That humiliating moment—when he had lost a drinking match to a human—flashed through his mind.
“W-Wait… don’t tell me that human was…?”
“Yes. I still vividly remember how my husband was desperately trying to get me drunk.”
“Ugh… Then that nightmare I had after…”
Eldir’s face twisted in shock.
The woman who had bested him in drinking—Melvria.
And the nightmare that tormented him the next day, urging him to fulfill the Elves’ Vow—
It was all her doing.
“I don’t care that you drank with a human woman. Distance naturally leads to emotional detachment, after all.”
“W-Wait, Melvria! What do you mean by emotional detachment—!”
“Just listen.”
Pressed down by her chilling aura, Eldir could only nod.
“Fine. I can understand you fooling around with a human woman without thinking of me. But for the leader of the Elven Guard to completely neglect the Elves’ Vow and indulge in drinking like that… And even after I warned you in your dream, you’re still here? Have you completely given up on going to the Spirit Realm? Are you just going to sit back and watch as your kin faces destruction?”
“No…! I’m not neglecting it… It’s still in progress.”
Eldir tried to refute her when the Elves’ Vow was brought up, but his voice lacked conviction.
‘Ah… Why did I make such a stupid mistake at the tavern…?
I only joined the drinking match because that human woman could hold her liquor well.
Who would’ve thought she was Melvria?
How could my luck be this rotten?’
As Eldir lamented his past self—
“Tsk. So, a husband finally reunites with his wife after a long time, only to get nagged… Your son-in-law is completely under Melvria’s thumb.”
“Right? I didn’t know their relationship was like this.”
“Anyway… From what I’m hearing, the Elves’ Vow involves going to the Spirit Realm. Is that right?”
“…It is.”
The human’s casual tone should have been irritating.
But Eldir, gauging the atmosphere around him, cautiously answered.
“To reach the Spirit Realm, do you… absolutely need those eyes of yours?”
“This is an elven secret. I can’t answer that.”
“Is that so? The Emperor needs that ‘eye’ to complete the Wind Sword… but how about this instead?”
Johannes gestured between himself and Kaylen.
“We will open the path to the Spirit Realm for you and the Emperor. If there’s anything threatening the elves there, we’ll take care of it as well. That way, you won’t need that eye anymore, will you?”
“If His Majesty were to assist, that might be one thing… but you?”
Eldir eyed the human before him with suspicion.
It was hard to believe that a man who looked barely in his late twenties or early thirties could be making such bold claims.
Johannes seemed to pick up on his doubt and smirked.
“I get it. The Emperor is a Grand Swordmaster, so you’d trust him, but I’m another matter entirely, right? However…”
Srrrkk—
Johannes’ face suddenly disappeared, revealing a pitch-black skull beneath.
At the same time, an overwhelming surge of dark mana poured out of him.
It was even more ominous and oppressive than the dark mana Melvria emitted, sending chills down Eldir’s spine.
“A Lich who has lived for a thousand years… the greatest mage in human history—Johannes. Surely, that name is one you can trust.”
“Johannes…?”
Eldir’s eyes widened.
He knew the name well.
During the Meyer Empire’s conquest of the continent and its battle against the Demon King, Johannes had played a crucial role, second only to Ernstein.
“What do you say? Is this enough to convince you?”
“…I will return to the Fairy Tower and discuss it with the council before giving you an answer.”
“This is urgent. The Wind Sword must be forged.”
“Old man, but that eye under the eyepatch… what happens to Eldir if it’s removed?”
At Melvria’s question, Johannes smirked.
“So, you do worry about your husband after all?”
“Of course. So answer me properly.”
“The Spirit Stone has completely fused with his body. If someone else tried to extract it, there would definitely be complications. But if I remove it myself, there won’t be any problems. You can rest easy.”
“…Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. What would I gain from harming your husband? If you’re that worried, you can stay by his side during the procedure.”
Hearing their exchange, Eldir couldn’t help but feel somewhat reassured.
Just a moment ago, she had been scolding him mercilessly…
But she still cared about him as his wife.
Feeling a bit more at ease, Eldir turned to Johannes and asked,
“Sir Johannes, is it alright if I reveal your identity at the Fairy Tower?”
“Yes. Just get an answer as soon as possible. Time is the most critical factor right now.”
“Understood. Then… Melvria, you should—”
“You know I can’t go. Look at me.”
Eldir closed his mouth.
Bringing Melvria—who had become a Dark Elf and was now filled with dark mana—to the Fairy Tower was out of the question.
“…Alright. I’ll be back soon. Stay here in the castle, okay?”
“Got it. I’ll stay with Father.”
“…Lord Emperor, I leave her in your care.”
With a determined expression, Eldir bowed to Kaylen and left the office.
Melvria silently watched the door he had exited through.
A brief silence settled over the room.
Then—
“Um…”
From one corner, Violet, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.
“I don’t understand what’s going on. The fact that His Majesty’s daughter is a Dark Elf is one thing, but… Sir Eldir is actually His Majesty’s son-in-law?”
It was a reasonable question for Violet, who was unaware that Kaylen’s true identity was that of Emperor Ernstine.
At this point, Kaylen realized he needed to explain himself to her.
“The truth is…”
“Your Majesty… You’re actually Emperor Ernstine?”
“I apologize for keeping it a secret until now.”
“No, Your Majesty. I can see why it would have been hard to believe.”
Kaylen was said to be the one who inherited Emperor Ernstine’s sword. But to think he was actually Ernstine himself?
If someone else had made that claim, it would have sounded like nonsense.
But now that she heard it—
Somehow…
It made sense to Violet.
The abilities that Emperor Kaylen had displayed were simply too far beyond common sense.
A man who had been known as a mage suddenly picked up a sword, split a fortress in two, and cut down demonic beings? The feats that once seemed inexplicable now fell into place.
“Mage girl. Your name was Violet, correct?”
“Yes, Sir Johannes.”
“My son-in-law interrupted me before I could finish what I was saying. About the mixed blood of another race.”
Violet looked puzzled at his words.
“Mixed blood from another race? That doesn’t make sense. Both my parents were human.”
“Neither of them was unusual in any way?”
“Well…”
Violet recalled her mother.
Queen Diana, who possessed an extraordinary healing ability.
In the end, to suppress that resistance, Violet herself had been subjected to Black Skull’s experiments.
Since Violet couldn’t bring herself to say it, Kaylen answered in her place.
“I heard that her mother, Queen Diana, was once a candidate for sainthood.”
“A candidate for sainthood?”
“Yes. It was said that her wounds would heal instantly. Moreover, the World Tree’s will claimed that sacred blood had been spilled in the Lily Palace, where she resided.”
“I see. If her mother was a saint candidate, then that faint trace of non-human blood might have awakened. That would make sense…”
Johannes nodded as if he had reached a conclusion on his own.
Then, he spoke directly to Violet.
“You. You carry the blood of a mermaid.”
“…What? A mermaid?”
Violet looked at him in disbelief.
The Kingdom of Bormia was completely landlocked, with no seas in sight.
She had never even laid eyes on an ocean in her life—
And now she was being told she carried mermaid blood?
“That’s impossible.”
Johannes looked at Kaylen as if he had expected that reaction.
“Kaylen. Do you remember the bones of the dwarves from the Continent of Earth?”
“The race you assumed were gnomes? Are you saying your conclusion about Violet’s mermaid blood is based on the same reasoning?”
“Exactly. Look here.”
Johannes opened his palm, and mana coalesced into a floating map.
“All the newly discovered continents so far have each been dominated by a single elemental attribute. Even excluding the lands assumed to be the Celestial Realm and the Demon Realm… there was a continent steeped in earth mana, another in fire mana, and yet another in wind mana.”
“But no continent of water has been found, so you assumed it might be submerged.”
“Exactly! And what kind of race could survive in an underwater continent? There’s no one else it could be but mermaids!”
“…You’re seriously claiming that’s enough proof Violet has mermaid blood? Even a con artist wouldn’t make such a weak argument.”
Kaylen questioned in disbelief.
“Ah! I know. The evidence is flimsy for now. But if she comes with us to the Spirit Realm, we’ll have solid proof.”
“You’re saying Violet should go to the Spirit Realm too…?”
“Yeah. Aren’t you curious about your own identity, Mage girl?”
Violet gently shook her head at the question.
“Even if I do have mermaid blood, it’s not like I actually want to be a mermaid…”
Mermaids were a race with human upper bodies and fish-like lower bodies, weren’t they?
She had lived just fine as a human all this time—why would she need to change now?
Seeing her discomfort, Johannes let out a small chuckle.
“Knowing your origins won’t suddenly turn you into a mermaid. If anything, you’ll just be able to control water mana more freely. And if that happens…”
Tap. Tap.
He tapped his cheekbone.
“You’d finally be able to take off that mana suit.”
“…That actually sounds pretty nice.”
The Glacia, an S-rank mana suit that would eventually freeze her entire body over if she wore it too long.
If going to the Spirit Realm meant she could get rid of it…
It was an offer that was hard to ignore.
“The Spirit Realm, huh…”
While Violet was starting to warm up to the idea, Kaylen’s expression remained thoughtful.
Right now, the Demon King was scattering sacrifices left and right.
Should they strike first before Geysir’s forces could recover their strength?
Or should they go to the Spirit Realm, fulfill the Elves’ long-held wish, and complete another sword?
Logically, launching an attack now was the right choice.
But…
Three swords alone won’t be enough.
Kaylen’s instincts whispered that this wasn’t enough.
From his past life, he had learned that whenever reason and instinct clashed, it was best to trust his gut.
“…Alright.”
Kaylen made his decision.
“We’ll clear the path to the Spirit Realm first.”
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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