159 - 24 Hearts

Chapter 4. Uruun, the Land of Leisure and Culture. Yuda gave a wry smile at Wolfram's words. There was no need for such politeness in notifying him of something he already knew. Naturally, he was well aware, considering he was the creator of that very story. It was like showing off in front of the teacher. "Thank you for the advice, but I have no intention of changing my mind. All the more reason to go if there's a chance of war." "You're crazy! There's a high possibility you could end up dead!" Wolfram's face contorted in frustration at Yuda's adamant refusal. "How can someone be so stubborn? I'm not warning you for no reason. If you get caught up in a war and die there, it would be a pointless death." "I understand your concerns, but after considering it multiple times, now seems to be the only opportunity." "Why on earth?" "Elves are already known to be reclusive. If war breaks out, it will be even harder to meet them. They’ll become distrustful of humans and likely kill anyone who enters their forest. That would be their mode of survival." "Do you think they'd welcome you if you went right now?" Regardless of whether there was peace or war, it was natural for elves to be wary of humans. The beautiful beings were like jewels and humans, with their strong desire to show off, always coveted them. They envied their looks and abilities, and once possessed the power to enslave elves, they flaunted them as trophies. Consequently, only a few elves ventured into the human world, unless they were eccentric. The beastkin, however, had it somewhat better than the elves. Despite being fewer in number than humans, they formed small yet robust kingdoms with their unique physical abilities and lived in harmony with humans. Even if Yuda headed towards the Elves' forest following Wolfram's advice, he wouldn't be welcomed. Wolfram pointed this out, to which Yuda simply shrugged. "I have my ways." "Ha—then there's just one thing I have to ask." "Yes?" Wolfram glanced at Arhil. Hearing the talk of heading to a potential war zone was clearly unsettling for her. "Have you discussed and made this decision with Miss Arhil? What’s her opinion on this?" "……." Yuda fell silent for a moment. Surely, he couldn't outright ignore her opinion. But given that she was already subordinate to him, she wouldn't say she didn’t want to go. After organizing his thoughts briefly, he began to speak. "If Miss Arhil doesn’t want to go, we won’t. She will have a choice. However, I want to tell her that it might be impossible to have an opportunity to visit the Elves' forest if not now. If she trusts me, she might join me." "It's really a foolish decision if you're going solely based on trust. I'm not trying to belittle your intentions. I'm saying this because I value your lives." Yuda nodded lightly at his words. "I understand. You're speaking without any ulterior motives. So, Arhil, what are your thoughts? Shall we head to the Byron Empire? Or will you follow me to the Elves' forest?" "Uh... I... " Arhil suddenly felt like an arrow was aimed at her. As she switched her gaze between Yuda and Wolfram, surprisingly, her deliberation didn’t last long. There was something amusing yet endearing about her resigned sigh and pouting expression. "I should follow Mr. Yuda. Yes... I suppose there's no other choice since it's the leader’s decision." "But I'm asking for your opinion?" It was Wolfram who seemed more taken aback. However, Arhil's decision to follow Yuda was not made without thought. She was aware that Yuda possessed a fragment. The strength of those with fragments had been proven over the years by kingdoms and empires across the first and second continents. "Oh well—it's okay. I trust him." Wolfram then directed his gaze towards Jeanne, signaling her to intervene. However, Jeanne wasn't on Wolfram's side either. "Please don't worry too much, Sir Wolfram. Yuda is more capable than we perceive." Regardless of how capable he might be, Wolfram wanted to express that no matter how exceptional a young man barely reaching adulthood could be, it shouldn't be exaggerated. Suppressing his internal frustration, he sighed deeply, pounding his chest as if to relieve his agitation. "Alright... If that's the case, I won't say more. Do as you wish." In a resigned manner, he turned his back and headed into the mansion. Jeanne lowered her head and followed after him. "But are you truly going to the Elves' forest?" "Are you scared?" Arhil’s eyes, slightly wet with tears, looked up at Yuda. "Of course! They say there’s going to be a war, ugh. Why did I agree to follow you back then?" Yuda burst into laughter at her petulant remark. It wasn’t blame but a simple complaint. "Indeed, why did you bring it up instead of keeping quiet?" "It seemed interesting at the time." "It won’t be fun. Just like how everything in Reizen wasn't purely enjoyable. You witnessed horrors, endured hardship, and only then received the sweetness at the end. This time might be similar. Do you regret it?" "I do... But that doesn't change my mind. Even if I could go back, I’d probably make the same choice." Yuda found himself staring at her foolishly for a moment as she spoke with a pout. Going back… Although it was an ordinary phrase, it resonated oddly with him. "Mr. Yuda? What’s wrong?" "…Nothing. Let's head inside. We should have a word with the Count and Sara before we leave, shouldn't we?" "Yes~ We should~ Seeing as we'll surely face hardships, we must rest well before departing.” As Arhil's pace slowed to a lazy stroll, Yuda couldn't help but smile as he matched his steps with hers. "So, when are we leaving?" "We'll be leaving on Sunday. Someone named 'Lokshin' will come for you at dawn, so don't be surprised and follow him." Arhil tilted her head in confusion. They were leaving, but why at dawn and who on earth was this 'Lokshin'? What did it mean to follow him without being surprised? Wasn't Yuda coming along? Questions cluttered her mind, leading to deep confusion. "What do you mean?" "You'll understand everything when the time comes. If you'd like, I can explain it now, but it might leave you too anxious to rest properly before Sunday." Faced with the option, she shook her head after a moment of hesitation. Her curiosity piqued, but she preferred not to burden herself with unnecessary stress. Declining the offer, she was about to extend her hand but abruptly halted. "Saraaahhh!" Leaving Yuda behind, she dashed towards Sarah, the daughter of Count Jenure, who was waiting by the door. Sarah also called out, "Arhil!" as they ran towards each other, grabbing hands and jumping up and down with excitement. 'They've become close friends, it seems.' Despite Arhil being a commoner, her role as a priestess meant she wasn't necessarily limited by social class. Still, seeing an aristocrat like Sarah acting so warmly with a commoner was surprising. Perhaps it was because he hadn’t personally experienced class discrimination, but their camaraderie was astonishing. Feeling a bit left out, Yuda sighed and followed them inside. Later that evening, he informed Count Jenure and his wife of their upcoming departure, enjoying a pleasant dinner with them. The night was filled with delicious food and lively conversation, providing a peaceful reprieve. There were no significant events in the days that followed. He slept soundly until the morning sun hung high in the sky, took leisurely strolls, enjoyed tea time with the Count and Countess, and relaxed with books from the mansion’s library. It was a genuinely restful and delightful period. However, the relaxation ended on Saturday night. Fortunately, he finished reading his book just in time. Yuda stretched out, flexed his body, and opened the window wide, inhaling the crisp night air. "Time to get going." Ignoring the perfectly functional door, Yuda planted his foot on the window ledge and leapt outside energetically. His body, enhanced by magic, soared effortlessly, landing gracefully on the garden path before leaping again. With agile movements, he landed on the roadside by the wall and, as if nothing had happened, pulled out a leather coat made from Requiem’s hide from his <gobag>, slipped it on, and slipped his hands into his pockets as he walked away. --- #Street where the Jenure Count's mansion is located. The guards responsible for Uruun's security were struggling to catch a break, thanks to an elusive elf thief. During the day, they could at least rest a bit due to the bustling streets, but at night, they had to patrol fully armed, on high alert for the thief's possible appearance. The accumulated fatigue was considerable. Getting decent sleep was challenging given the situation. With duties both day and night, even rotating patrols meant the entire guard force was stretched thin, barely snatching sleep where they could. Naturally, the stress levels were high. "Damn it." Despite days without a sighting of the elf thief, the order from the nobles to maintain high alert hadn't been lifted. As two guards trudged along the dark street under a waxing moon, they sighed deeply. "What's with this mess because of that elf thief?" "Seriously." "He's probably cuddling an elf right now, laughing it up, right?" "Likely." "Damn it all. He's stolen so many elves; would he come back for more? Busy shaking his hips at night. I'm so envious I could die." "Exactly." "I'm exhausted. If they weren't feeding us properly or paying decently, I’d have quit this ages ago." One guard, clutching his spear, grumbled. The only thing keeping him going was the substantial bonuses from the nobles as hazard pay during their grueling shifts. The other guard, walking alongside, nodded a beat late in agreement. "That's what I’m saying." "… Why so glum? You feeling sick or something going on?" Noticing his partner's listless response, he turned to his colleague, expecting to vent his frustrations. But his partner seemed weak, prompting concern about possible illness. The other guard sighed deeply. "No, nothing special… Well, maybe. You know I'm dating Daisy, right?" "Yeah. I know." "We were supposed to go on a date a few nights ago—we planned it a week ago. But with this whole mess, I haven’t even seen her. She came by the guard post this morning and was furious, asking why I didn’t at least tell her." So it was a relationship issue. Feeling foolish for worrying, he shook his head at his partner’s love life dilemma. "Like I didn’t want to tell her? I miss her terribly and wanted to find some way to communicate. But how could I step away even briefly in this mess? I should’ve sent a message at least. At first, I was upset, but now I feel like it’s my fault... Hey, are you listening?" "…Yeah, I am." To the single guard, his colleague's woes felt debilitating. Muttering curses under his breath, he wasn’t sure if his partner heard as he gazed up at the starry sky, continuing to talk. "I was planning to propose next week. But then, with this fight happening, do you think Daisy will hate me? After this duty is over, I'll go to her, apologize, take her on a date, and... propose? Huh?" As he talked, gazing at the stars, he casually turned his head to the side. There, in the dim alley where even the moonlight and starlight failed to reach, stood a figure with eyes glowing crimson like a beast's. "Uh...?" He made a foolish sound, his feet coming to a halt as he stared blankly at the sight. ---------= Author's Note ---------= A death flag for Guard 2.