Volume 1 - CH 12.1

The next morning, I woke up without incident and woke Elle up before everyone else did, so that she could transfer back to the mansion with Lily, the woman from the hut. I'll just tell the rest of them some random reason.

When I opened the hut, I found the two of them lying there in almost the same condition as yesterday. The only difference is that they were lying on top of each other yesterday, but today they were separated. I'm not sure if I'm the one to blame, but it looks like they've broken up.

「Well then, so this woman should be given the same treatment as Lucia, right?」

「Yeah, just throw her in the basement warehouse when you're done. You can only tell Tia about her, but don't tell anyone else about her. I'm sure Tia will handle it just fine.」

After briefly telling them how to handle her, I activate the magic circle. When the transfer was finished and the girls disappeared, the man who had been awakened by the light during the transfer was looking at us. The defiant gaze of yesterday has faded.

「.........What are you going to do with her?」

「At best, she's an experimental mother. I'm sure that's how you treat a magician who has been defeated by the enemy.」

「......」

「In a short while, she'll be in the same place as you. Until then, you'll have to wait.」

I activated the magic circle I had been drawing as I spoke, and the man disappeared into dust with a <Disintegration>. I thought now that I should have at least collected the man's semen, but I'm sure I can get plenty of dark elves later.

Speaking of which, I should get back to the capital and find Natalia's husband. Thinking about it made my stomach hurt. I've been getting into too much trouble lately.

By the time I cleaned up the hut and left, the man's dust had been blown away and was gone.

※

With the magic stone in place, I went to Elaine and give nucleus to the other high elves that were left. It was kind of intimidating to be surrounded by all these beautiful high elves, but I was glad to see their naked bodies.

High Elves are spirits, so they don't produce children like living things, but rather use their magic power to create similar individuals from one individual, like dividing a plant. Therefore, they only had the female form, just like Elaine. It was only natural that they were all originally created from a single individual.

After the treatment was over, all the business in Leshiana was over. Alec, for example, seemed to miss his life in the capital and could not hide his joy at being able to return home. For someone who was used to living as an aristocrat, living here must have been very hard, but this guy didn't do anything again after all.

Before we left, all the high elves came out to see us off. The rest of the elves could only watch from afar as the sudden event took place. They had never seen them before, so why did the elves immediately recognize them as high elves? Was it because of the atmosphere?

The preparations were going well up to this point, but then Natalia said she was going to follow us again. I had a feeling that she would, but it seems that she won't stay in this forest.

「I'll definitely go with you. You're not going to leave me behind after all the time you've spent with me, are you?」

「...... Elaine-dono, isn't it against the law for the elves here to leave the forest?」

「Right, we do not set that rule either, but if it is with you, it will be fine. I don't think she'd be willing to share her secrets against us. I'll leave her in your hands.」

「...... Oh, okay.」

「I knew you'd say that! I can't wait to see what the Yard's mansion looks like.」

Natalia said with a smile, unaware of my hassle. It would have been better if Elaine had said no, but it seems that she misunderstood our relationship. I guess this is the part where I should sabotage Natalia out of jealousy. Now that my last hope was gone, I gave up and decided to take Natalia home.

After lunch we set off for the nearest town. Elaine had gone out of her way to open the road to the nearest town so that we could reach it quickly.

After that, we met up with the coachman and leisurely swayed our way back to the royal capital.

※

As soon as we returned to the capital, we had an audience. I left Alec and the others and took Lucia and Natalia with me as I left the castle.

When I returned to the mansion, looking forward to taking a bath for the first time in a long time, I found out rumor that I was an unparalleled elf lover in royal capital. It was because I had taken the trouble to make Elle my apprentice, sent Lily, and brought back Natalia.

Tia, for example, was wearing long fake ears to imitate the elves, and I told her to stop. I denied that it was a total misunderstanding, but I guess I wasn't convincing enough, and the rumor kept spreading.

Even Sophie asked me about the rumor with tears in her eyes. Please don't do this to me.

The next day, we were once again summoned by the king and given a reward of gold coins. The reward was larger than the one we received at the fortress, perhaps because the king didn't expect us to form an alliance.

「You have done well. With your work, the kingdom will no longer be frightened by the threat of the Demon Empire.」

「That's a waste of words for us」

「Well, I didn't get a chance to tell you before you left, but I was thinking of giving you a new title when you leave for Leshiana. In addition to that, based on the fact that the alliance was successfully concluded, Baron Gilflea will be given the title of Count, Associate Baron Werner will be given the title of Viscount, and Associate Baron Sagami will be given the title of Baron.」

「Ha, I shall remain loyal to your Majesty and the Kingdom of the Henrient.」

「I'm counting on you.」

As a formality, I was given the title before we left. This is probably because they thought that if Alec, the representative who went to make an alliance, was a baron, it might be taken as an insult to the other party. It's true that an Count would be barely respectable as an ambassador of the country.

However, I wondered why I was raised to two titles. I also asked Elaine to give all the credit for this negotiation to Alec.

「Oooh, Viscount Werner. You've received a letter of thanks from the High Elves representing Leshiana for another matter. I heard that you defeated the adventurers of the Demon Empire who tried to attack Leshiana. Now they owe us a favor. You've done well.」

That was mainly for me and Elle, but I'll take their gratitude in stride. However, if two titles are raised at once, will there be a need to change the residence? I'll ask about it later.

※

The audience with the king was over, and I was now on my way to a certain store with Natalia. Both of them were wearing disguises this time in order to prevent their identities from being revealed.

Based on the information I had gleaned from Sagami, we arrived at our destination. The place was a brothel, no matter how you looked at it. It was currently not open for business since it was daytime, but even so, I was not comfortable taking a woman into the place.

However, I had heard that there was an elf who seemed to be her husband here, so I couldn't leave without seeing him. I had no choice but to knock on the door.

A few moments later, a man came out from inside. He seemed to be not just an employee, judging from his good-looking clothes. I wondered if he was the manager or owner of this place.

「I'm sorry, it's after hours.」

「I know. I came here because I heard that there is an elf called Levin here.」

「...... Oh, that's guy? So you know the guy who came in last time?」

「That's what it looks like. Can I see Levin?」

「Yeah, sure. Some of the guys are sleeping, so don't make too much noise.」

The guy who looked at me and Natalia and instantly recognized us as some kind of lovers' quarrel, gave me a disgusted look in return. I'm sure there are other people who would punch me in the face like this.

Anyway, I got permission, so I took Natalia and went into the brothel. She had never been in a place like this before, so she was looking around curiously.

It was not business hours, so there were only a few people cleaning inside. When our eyes met, I got a quizzical look, followed by a sympathetic glance. The only thing I can think of that would cause someone to come here after hours with a woman is a lover's quarrel, so I feel like it's a natural reaction.

I asked for Levin's room and went to the one they told me about. I was told that I didn't have to knock, so I let Natalia wait outside the room and went straight in to find a single elf sleeping in what had been a single room.

I wondered if it was popular to have a single room. An unpleasant image flashed through my mind for a moment, so I stopped thinking about it.

「Get up.」

「......Hmm~, I think I'm still on break.」

The man woke up sleepily. He was a little worn out, but he still looked good enough to be an elf. He seemed to be Natalia's husband.

「I'm sorry about that. I need to talk to you about Natalia.」

「Natalia? Do you know her by any chance?」

「Yes, I rescued her from bandits the other day. She's living a normal life now.」

「Is that true? Yeah, if you had come to save her a little earlier, I would have been saved too. Why didn't you come sooner?」

「It was an accident that I killed the bandits. We were actually supposed to pass by.」

「Then tell her. Tell her I'm here and I need her help.」

What the hell is this guy? It was an unexpected slight, as if he didn't like me at all. I'm wondering how Natalia came to marry this guy.

「Well, I'll tell her that story. But I'm here today for something else.」

「What?」

「I actually slept with her one night, knowing that she had a husband. My apologies.」

I'll tell him I'm sorry as I bow my head. I thought I'd be prepared to take a beating, but when I looked up, wondering why there was no movement at all, he was looking at me with the same face as before.

「Well, then, you'll have to pay for her instead of me. And then we'll call it even.」

「...... Is that what you want? You're her husband, aren't you?」

「It's okay. I didn't get along with her very well to begin with. I knew another man might have her. But if she was having an affair, I'd still have to get paid for it.」

I can't speak for others, but this guy is pretty much a scumbag. Well, if money can solve the problem, there's nothing better than that.

As I was about to take out the money I had prepared as compensation for him, Natalia came in the door, opening it vigorously. She was looking at him with an angry expression. Apparently, she had been listening by the door.

He, too, was surprised and flustered by her sudden entrance, and was trying to grasp the situation by alternately looking at me and her face.

「Levin! I had no idea you were such a lowlife!」

「Y-yaa, Natalia. I think there is a misunderstanding about what you said. Let's talk about it.」

「I have nothing to talk about! You're an asshole! I'm divorcing you!」

「Wait, wait, wait. Yes, I've been worried about you, but I've been living like this for so long, I just got a little carried away. ......」

「Shut your mouth, you piece of shit! Yard, let's go! This guy should work here for the rest of his life!」

Natalia ran straight out of the room. I wondered if it was a habit of hers to leave people alone and run off. I stayed behind, looked at the stunned guy and tapped him on the shoulder.

「Anyway, I'll pay you to get out of here for now. We'll deal with her later. ......」

「Eh, you're really going to give it to me? Thank you! In exchange, I'll leave you in charge of her!」

「...... I don't think you should decide that quickly.」

「I don't care, I'm more popular here as an elf than in a Leshiana, so I don't have much time for Natalia.」

Well, I guess that's exactly what a lowlife is. If he's okay with it, so be it. Natalia doesn't seem to have any intention of making up with this guy, so I guess this is the end of the matter.

On the way home, I paid the man who seemed to be the manager a while ago for his services and told him to let Levin go. The end was a bit more anticlimactic than I had expected, but that's okay.