Chapter 38

Chapter 38: The Deal "Wooaahhh!!" Alone in her room in the Helifarte palace, Selene waved her hands and feet wildly. Had Butler been there, he might have admonished her for being unladylike, but unfortunately, the rodent butler was out on his routine patrol. "Calm down, calm down..." Selene gasped for air as she tried desperately to take deep breaths. That's right, she needed to stay calm. "Wooaahhh!!" But it was no use! Self-control was a word absent from Selene's vocabulary. Still fuming with anger, Selene dove onto the bed and began to roll around. "Curse you!" Lying on her back and biting the nail of her thumb, Selene recalled the events from four days ago to this morning's incident—the conversation with the Red Dragon. Four days ago, upon her safe arrival at the Helifarte royal palace, Selene was greeted by cheers from everyone in the castle. The king and queen wore gentle smiles, Marie scrunched up her face and hugged Selene, and Arue, who had been summoned in a hurry, also held Selene tightly while shedding tears. "Selene! So glad! Big sis always believed everything would be okay!" "Sister!" Selene too, had gotten a little teary-eyed from being able to hug Arue after such a long time. And in the confusion, she buried her face in Arue's chest. Ah, indeed, her sister's bosom was the best. Having lost her father at a young age, Selene had never seen his face, but as long as she had her sister's chest, it was fine. In fact, she didn't even need a father. ...And things had been going smoothly up to that point, but then a problem occurred. According to Selene's plan, she should have been abducted by that Red Dragon immediately upon her return to Helifarte, along with her sister, to move to the Elven village. However, the Red Dragon failed to show up, no matter how many days she waited. She had thought the dragon would at least check in once, but whether it was because dragons and humans perceived time differently, it did not appear even after three days. Frustrated, Selene spent each day staring at the sky, waiting for the dragon's visit. And then this morning, the huge Red Dragon appeared in the skies above Helifarte. The sighting of the rarely seen Red Dragon caused panic among the townspeople, but Selene's eyes sparkled. The long-awaited dragon courier had finally arrived. "It's here! The dragon's here!" True to its intentions, the dragon flapped its great wings and descended straight into the royal palace garden. Naturally, this caused an unprecedented uproar in the palace, and soldiers surrounded the dragon en masse. Although the dragon was not an opponent that could be challenged by human strength, not a single coward fled, abandoning their lord in the Helifarte royal palace. "Wait!" Amidst the tense atmosphere, a girl's voice echoed. It was Selene. Squeezing through the gaps between the soldiers, she rushed in front of the dragon. There was no hint of fear in her stride as she put herself before the great Red Dragon. "Lady Selene!? It is dangerous!" "I Fine." Selene gestured to Kumahachi, who looked as if he was about to slash at the dragon, and then turned back to face the dragon again. "I Waiting." "Umu, it seems that you were able to return to the human nest without issue. It's a relief you're unharmed." At that moment, the surrounding soldiers murmured in disbelief. The dragon, a ruler of the world, had greeted Selene. Kumahachi's jaw dropped in amazement, and the rest of the soldiers were equally stunned. Selene seemed to have the overwhelming presence of the dragon under control, like a well-trained dog, or at least, that's how it appeared on the surface. 『Great Red Dragon, as you can see, the princess is the picture of health』 『If she's living without mishap, that's good to hear. You are my trump card, after all.』 The Red Dragon nodded magnanimously at Butler, who was perched on Selene's shoulder. To the dragon, Selene was an important ace up his sleeve. Probably wishing to keep some information hidden, unlike earlier, the dragon did not speak in a voice that everyone could hear, but through a telepathic communication using Selene's magic, which they had used before. "It can't be, Lady Selene truly has the dragon under her command..." While Kumahachi kept his readiness to draw his sword at any moment, he sensed the calm air between Selene and the Red Dragon and watched from a distance. In fact, the conversation was not with Selene but Butler, although Kumahachi and the others could not perceive this. "Red Dragon, Please." 『What is it?』 "Elf village, I want go, With sister" Indeed, she had been waiting for this moment. Selene desperately argued for a return to the Elven village, but the Red Dragon narrowed its eyes, seemingly laughing. 『After returning once, you wish to go to the Elven village again? I understand. Are you still holding a grudge because I once mistook you for an elf? Is that why you make such sarcastic remarks? You have quite the nerve to jest with me.』 "Th-that's not...!" 『To hide a tree, use a forest; to hide a person, use a crowd. That's what Butler said, right? You must live healthily for a hundred years. Thus, living among humans is best for you.』 "No! Want see. Elves!" 『You wish to go to the forest because you want to see the elves? That should pose no problem. They seem to have taken an interest in humans. Soon, they might approach from their end. You should take care of yourself in the human nest for my glory.』 "That's not—" 『And if anything attempts to harm you, let me scatter it. Rest easy. Now, farewell.』 "Wait, don't...!" Leaving those words behind, the Red Dragon took to the skies again. To come to Helifarte, the dragon had to make quite a detour from its usual flying route. Moreover, dragons lived long and their sense of time was casual. It was impossible to predict whether the next visit would be a week or a year from now. And so, Selene's haphazard relocation plan, imagined at the start, ended before it began. For the time being, she would have to live in Helifarte. The thought of it made murderous intent towards that audacious Red Dragon rise within her. "Faahck yu!" Selene clenched her tiny fist and threw it onto the bed as hard as she could. One might think she should've slammed her fist down on a desk if she was that mad, but that would hurt her hand. Unbeknownst to others, Selene possessed the unenviable skill of furiously holding back while angry. After expending her energy in a tantrum, Selene lay down muttering curses to herself. That damned flying lizard. So presumptuous. What a great Red Dragon, she thought. It's enough to call him "Splinter." The name "Splinter" came from the scales of the dragon's tail that Kumahachi had chopped off, which reminded her of a splinter from a human finger, and Selene had taken to calling the Red Dragon by that moniker. While the most splintered part was Selene's own heart, she was not in a place to realize such a detail. "Ugh, I'm going to sleep!" With that, Selene pulled the covers over herself, deciding to stubbornly go to sleep. At times like this, sleep was the best escape. Not that she wouldn't sleep at other times, but Selene, with her not-so-sharp mind but an easy time falling asleep, soon embarked on the journey of escapism called slumber. "Did I hear that a dragon appeared? Was everything all right?" "I did wonder for a moment what would become of us, but after confirming Selene's safety, the dragon departed. It seems the elves claimed that Lady Selene could command dragons, but who knew it would actually be true..." "I was surprised as well, but I'm just glad no one was injured. I apologize for not being able to rush over." "No, no, rather, are you all right, Prince? You seem to have regained some color." "Yes, I can get up without issue now. Thanks to Selene." Saying this, Milano smiled at Kumahachi, who nodded in return. At one point, Kumahachi had even contemplated seppuku, but it seemed he's finally bounced back now that Milano and Selene had returned safely. "Still, it was quite close. When I saw the prince's face upon our arrival at Helifarte, I thought for sure he was a dead man." "...It was really tough at that time. According to the physician, I would have lost my life had the treatment been delayed by a few more hours." Milano had indeed recovered now, but upon their immediate arrival in Helifarte, he had been on the verge of death. Having depleted all his magical power in the fight with Gee, his body was being ravaged by the magical energy of the White Forest. Already past his limit when they left the forest, he had kept up appearances to not worry Selene during their travels. After entrusting Selene to the castle's servants, he had collapsed and fell into a coma on the spot. "Prince is here now, thanks to Lady Selene." "Yes, that child really has the power of foresight. It's no wonder she could be said to command dragons." It was thanks to a strong tonic that Selene had previously procured in Valbert that Milano's life was saved. The physicians of Helifarte remembered that the potent tonic was stored in the warehouse, for Milano was too beyond a simple remedy. It was too strong for regular use and there'd been no occasion for it, but without it, Milano would've succumbed to his weakness. With King permission, the physician administered the tonic to Milano. It was a gamble, but the drug worked dramatically, and Milano quickly regained his health. "I always owe a lot to Selene." Milano murmured thoughtfully. Selene was reserved and her actions often appeared peculiar, but there was no doubt they were all deliberate. The appropriate meals, relieving stress, mending relations with Marie... Selene always saw the truly necessary things that he couldn't handle himself, and quietly prepared them in advance. "That girl will make a fine wife. Prince, wouldn't it be wise to formally engage her while you can?" "...You know she's only eight years old, right?" "However, not seizing a ripe paddy field ripe for harvest would be a fool's act. That wisdom, that beauty, there will be more and more suitors approaching Lady Selene in the future." "...I suppose so." "So, what will you do? Intend to become a go-between for some other man?" "Of course not!" "Then the only option is to make her your wife." "Your ideas are too extreme. Give me some time to think." Despite such lighthearted exchanges, peace once again settled into Helifarte. Yet Milano had important matters at hand—the gift he'd promised Gee in the White Forest. A few days later, fully recovered, Milano loaded ample supplies onto a sizable carriage and set off into the White Forest with the recently recruited exploration team. They reached the recently contended spring without issue. Gee and Sana had already arrived, and several other elves were waiting, surrounding a campfire—all familiar faces. "Hey, you've been keeping well?" "Just fine. Are your injuries healed?" "Injuries? No idea what you're talking about." Milano intended concern but Gee, perhaps not wanting to delve into his defeat and the beating he took, merely responded with a grin. His cheek was almost no longer swollen, and Milano too had fully recovered. Any lingering animosity was fading away. "I can't guarantee the elves will like it, but we've brought the highest quality goods we could prepare. I'd like you to check them." "Thanks for that. We've got something prepared too, just in case." "Well, this is meant to show our sincerity..." "It doesn't sit right with me just receiving. Plus, we did ambush you. It's really just a token though." With that, Gee signaled to his companions, who carried over a large wooden box and set it down in front of Milano's party. When they opened the lid, inside were whitish rocks, branches, and leaves, all packed in abundantly. "This is...!?" "I ain't sure what humans fancy, but you like things filled with magical power, right? Well, it's nothing much." Gee scratched his cheek with his index finger, a slight look of embarrassment in his response. What Gee had gathered were fragments from the stone quarry and second-class branches picked up while collecting divine wood—lodged together halfheartedly, based on the presumption that human incompetence with magic, as witnessed when Valbert adventurers tried to steal such things, could be monetarily valued. "This is incredible! It's the first time I've seen such pure magic stones!" "...Huh?" Contrary to the excitement of Milano and his attendants, Gee gave a deflated reply. From his perspective, they had prepared mere stones and branches, essentially junk. Yet Milano's group scrutinized them as though they had found legendary treasures. "If you're pleased with such items, there's a ton lying around in the White Forest." "I fear our gifts will pale in comparison to such splendid items." "Is that so?" "Yes, in our lands, obtaining anything imbued with so much magic takes considerable effort." Gee, while initially dismissing what they had prepared as mere trinkets, couldn't help but feel a bit of pride at the innocent delight shown by Milano's party. It was almost as if they were being praised themselves. This prompted Gee to say the following. "We can prepare something even better than this, you know?" "You mean to say you'd be willing to give it to us?" "Yeah, but there's a condition." What kind of condition could it be? Milano tensed up, but Gee only smirked with a laugh. "Your gifts, I want more of 'em." And so, under Milano and Gee's lead, a modest trade began between elves and humans. Though it was nothing more than bartering between acquaintances, the differences in each other's environments proved to be very beneficial to both sides. As creatures living in the White Forest were affected by magical power, many of them were white. Consequently, their decorative items were often monotone, with white as a primary color. Additionally, since elves could abundantly use magically imbued materials like divine wood, which were fire-resistant and waterproof, they lacked the custom of using metal utensils. That's when human tools made their appearance. Human-made garments, while not imbued with magic, and thus far weaker than Elven clothes, were often colorful and beautiful. These proved popular among the young female elves and sparked a frenzy as soon as they arrived in the village. Among the male elves, what garnered popularity were items made of iron, such as swords and helmets. Although divine wood was limited and sometimes substituted, these typically gravitated toward being treated more as antiques for the men. As an aside, Milano did present a proper golden crown, but Gee continued to prefer wearing an iron pot, claiming "it feels more secure because it's harder." On the other hand, humans also profited. The magical materials, which would fetch exorbitant prices in the lowlands, were abundantly available, an event that flipped their normal understanding on its head. Gradually, as they exchanged superior materials, the scale of this operation grew. "Hey, can't you bring more stuff over? This little-by-little trading isn't getting us anywhere." During one of the trades, Gee expressed his dissatisfaction. Milano's party always consisted of just a few people, and naturally, the goods they brought matched that number. Considering the necessities of travel, they couldn’t bring much. "There aren’t many among humans who possess magical power. Those who can come to the White Forest are limited." Gee nodded, understanding Milano's point. "Then how about we go to the human town? Humans get weaker with magic, but us leaving the White Forest isn't an issue." "...Lord Gee would come to Helifarte?" "Yeah, my tribe has seen Selene, so we don’t really have any prejudices against humans. But we’ve got no clue about human towns. Can you arrange for someone to guide us?" Milano couldn't help but smile confidently. "Of course. We'll welcome you with open arms. After all, I am a prince." "I'll leave it to you then. Just one problem, though." "A problem?" "Yeah, about the future. We also want human goods, but my tribe alone has its limits with what we can supply." Milano listened as Gee explained the situation of the elves. Gee was indeed the chief of his tribe and led the largest village, but as a race, elves lived scattered throughout the White Forest in small communities. The smallest groups lived just as families. "I've suggested they join the trade, but the response hasn't been good." "So they don't trust humans, then?" "That's right. We’re an exception. The elves of the White Forest detest the 'Bokkensha'(Advanturer or Bandit). No helping it." "Hmm..." Milano stroked his chin deep in thought, but couldn’t come up with a good solution. If the elves disliked humans, there was nothing Milano, a human, could do. "Then we have no choice but to continue on a small scale." "No, there's one good strategy." "A strategy?" "We’ll have Selene attend the trading." "Selene? What’s the point of that?" At Milano's question, Gee waved his index finger with a click of his tongue. "Listen up. Sure, the other elves have hardly seen humans, but every elf in the White Forest knows about the 'Dragon Priestess’. So if we have her, the Dragon Priestess, witness the trade, they’ll likely lower their guard." "So you're suggesting we use Selene as a symbol of peace between elves and humans?" "That’s right." Indeed, for elves who revered dragons as divine incarnations, Selene must have held a special place. With that in mind, no one other than Selene could be more suitable as the human envoy. "I understand the general idea. I’ll ask Selene directly." "I'm counting on you." The meeting concluded, and Milano hurried back to Helifarte. ◆◇◆◇◆ "...So that's the situation. What do you think, Selene?" "Ehh..." After a thorough explanation, Selene predictably scrunched up her face. Milano understood that Selene wasn't fond of public appearance, so this was within his expectations. "It's not by force, but this will benefit both the elves and our country. I would like your cooperation if possible." "Ugh!?" Milano's words made Selene choke. If it were just for his personal gain, she could have swiftly declined, but when it came to the welfare of the elves and Helifarte as a whole, it was different. She wanted to repay the elves she might live with in the future. Aside from the prince, she felt indebted to the king and queen, and to Marie. As someone lodging in their home, she wanted to pay back something akin to a farewell rent. "I won't demand any special speeches from you. You're sensitive to sunlight, so just a few hours of attendance in the evening to nighttime is all we ask. And of course, you'll be compensated." "Ugh..." Despite feeling it was a hassle, after some thought, Selene gave her response. "If just, sitting..." "Really? I believed Selene would agree!" Milano felt uneasy about involving a child like Selene in negotiations, but he hoped, in his naive way, that she would cooperate for the sake of elves and humans. His face lit up with a smile when he actually heard her assent. However, Selene didn't hold any such noble thoughts. The idea of getting paid to just sit for a few hours didn't seem too bad. Unlike life's conferences and discussions she previously knew, she wasn't expected to contribute productive opinions. Thus, Selene agreed to a significant mission deciding the future of elves and humans with an incredibly nonchalant attitude, completely oblivious to the gravity of her role.