Chapter 64

"May I have an audience with the ruler of this town, please?"

Eradia, who wanted to understand their situation, first asked the Zoan female warriors who had been taking care of them to arrange a meeting with Sōma.

However, she was told that Sōma was absent, having gone out of town with everyone for training. But the Zoan female warriors, who were sympathetic to the plight of the Elven women, used a drum to contact Sōma and even managed to get a response.

"You can meet him after evening."

The response, which the Zoan female warriors thought was for the best, made Eradia sigh inwardly, "Ah, as expected."

Based on her past experiences, the fact that the meeting was set for after evening meant that it was likely a pretext to take her to the bedroom.

Therefore, Eradia, after cleansing herself with well water, applied rouge to her lips, had her sisters comb her hair, and dressed in the finest clothes available, prepared for the meeting with Sōma.

Thus adorned, Eradia's beauty was so ethereal that it seemed almost unreal. Her sisters, realizing that she was about to offer her body to the humans for their sake, could not hold back their tears.

Eradia, sent off with her sisters' tears, was led to a room where Sōma and the main figures, including Garam, were discussing strategies against the punitive force.

Eradia, who had expected to be led to a bedroom or at least be alone with Sōma, was slightly confused.

Nevertheless, she quickly adjusted her thoughts and quickly observed the people in the room.

According to the Zoan women who had been taking care of them, the rebellion was led by humans.

There were only two humans in the room.

One was a frail-looking boy, who was unlikely to be the leader. The other was a middle-aged man with the air of a seasoned soldier. He must be the one who led the rebellion.

Eradia tried to gauge what kind of women the man preferred, but the Zoan female warrior who had escorted her called out to the boy.

Confused, Eradia watched as the boy approached her and smiled warmly.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Sōma. Um..."

Eradia, behind her smiling mask, was flustered.

As a high-class courtesan, Eradia was confident in her ability to read men. However, the boy in front of her did not seem like someone who could orchestrate such a grand scheme.

However, observing the dynamics in the room, it was clear that the boy was the center of attention.

Surprised by her rare moment of uncertainty, Eradia took a small breath to calm herself.

"Excuse me, may I have your name?"

Sōma, who had been asked her name, first inquired about her name.

Eradia, finding his unusually humble manner curious but not showing it, introduced herself.

"I am honored to meet you. My name is Eradia. Please remember me."

As she said this, she smiled softly. This alone made the inexperienced Sōma blush and avert his gaze slightly.

Noticing this, Eradia thought, "He seems less formidable than I expected."

Unaware of her thoughts, Sōma, scratching his cheek awkwardly, asked, "I heard you wanted to talk to me?"

Eradia, thinking it was some kind of game, smiled faintly.

Among the men who had taken her body, some had forced themselves on her without a word, others had praised her beauty with lecherous smiles to win her favor, and still others, understanding her powerless position, had pretended to be innocent and made her say submissive or lewd words, enjoying her compliance.

Therefore, Eradia, as usual, spoke words to please the man and flatter his vanity.

"I seek the mercy of Lord Sōma. My joy is in Lord Sōma's joy. My body and soul belong to you. Please, show your mercy to this humble one."

Spreading the hem of her dress like petals on the floor and kneeling, Eradia made Sōma gape in surprise.

Seeing his reaction, Eradia regretted her approach. Perhaps he preferred a woman who resisted more. Pretending to hide her humiliation, she averted her gaze and trembled slightly.

However, Sōma's sudden flustered reaction confused her.

"Wait, wait a moment!"

Finally, Sōma realized there was a misunderstanding.

"What do you mean by that!?"

Makuronis, unable to bear the situation, explained to Sōma.

"She is seeking your favor. You could say it's a form of submission."

But even after this explanation, Sōma blinked, clearly not understanding. Realizing more direct language was needed, Makuronis elaborated.

"You can do whatever you want with her. She will gladly accept it. In return, she is seeking your protection."

Sōma finally understood. His face turned bright red, and he opened his mouth wide in shock.

"Huh!? What!?"

Sōma was a man. He had read novels in modern Japan where the protagonist, transported to another world, created a harem and indulged in various activities with cute girls. He had even dreamed of creating such a harem if he were transported to another world. Of course, he had intended to include an elf girl in his harem.

However, now that he was actually in another world, creating a harem was the last thing on his mind. Even if he had the time, Sōma, who had never dated a woman, lacked the confidence to do so.

Looking around for help, he saw that the men present did not understand why he was so flustered.

In a world where violence still ruled, it was natural for conquerors to have the right to do as they pleased with the conquered. No one would criticize him for making her a sex slave, as Eradia had suggested.

Sōma understood that this was the norm in this world, but he could not easily accept it. If he had the courage, he would have led a different life.

Moreover, the unwavering trust of Shemul, who muttered, "Don't lump Sōma with such a despicable person," was very intimidating.

Sōma did not have the courage to accept Eradia in such a situation.

To clear up the misunderstanding, Sōma, using gestures and body language, desperately tried to convince Eradia. In a sense, he might have been more desperate than during the "Iron Declaration."

"Is that really what you mean?"

Thanks to his efforts, Eradia finally realized her mistake. Her face, which had seemed artificial until now, took on a more human expression as she looked bewildered.

"I have no intention of making anyone a slave! I really don't! You are all free."

From his desperate attitude, Eradia judged that Sōma was not lying.

Suddenly, Eradia's consciousness, which had been detached, fell back into her body.

And she cried.

Despite being defiled in both body and soul, she had continued to protect her sisters, relying on her father's last words. It felt as if all her efforts had been rewarded.

"Father...! Father...!"

Occasionally sobbing, Eradia wept.

Confused by her sudden tears, Sōma and the others watched as Eradia cried for a while.

Finally, after shedding all her tears, Eradia smiled radiantly, apologized for her earlier rudeness, and then addressed Sōma.

"Would you need Elven archers?"

Currently, whether it was the Zoan, the dwarves, or the dinosaurians, all of Sōma's forces were excellent warriors with strong physiques. However, their strength was best utilized in close combat, making them weak in long-range battles.

Sōma had been struggling with how to deal with the enemy's archers, but the mention of Elven archers was exactly what he needed.

However, while the elves in the fantasy works Sōma knew from modern Japan were naturally skilled with bows, he wondered if that was true in this world.

Noticing his doubt, Eradia smiled and suggested he see her skills with a bow.

A target was set up in the courtyard of the lord's residence, and Eradia, standing about thirty meters away, prepared to shoot.

Hesitating slightly as she reached for the bow, Eradia was concerned that the bow might reject her, a defiled one.

However, she resolved to take the bow.

The feel of the leather-wrapped grip, the presence of the wood, and the sensation of the bow drawing blood back into her body as she held it, all filled her with excitement.

Ah, I am an elf after all.

Eradia, feeling the bow she had not touched in decades, was moved to tears.

After savoring the moment, Eradia carefully examined the bow. The grip, the bow's flexibility, and the tension of the string. The bow was larger than her ideal, and the tension and rebound were less satisfying. However, considering her diminished skills from not using a bow for a long time, she decided it was better than a stronger bow.

Facing the target, Eradia checked the contents of her quiver. There were seven arrows.

"Since this is the first time I'm using this bow, I'll take two practice shots."

Eradia, exposing her elf's long, pointed ears, prepared to shoot.

Elven ears are not just large for no reason. In the dense forests where visibility is poor, they evolved to detect prey and sense approaching dangerous animals by hearing even the slightest sounds.

Moreover, they are not just large. The inner part of the ear, which is not easily visible, has intricate ridges that are believed to act as an acoustic lens, efficiently collecting sound.

Furthermore, it is said that elven ears can sense wind direction and speed, temperature, humidity, and even air pressure. In fact, the earlobes of elves are much more finely innervated than those of humans.

Elves instinctively knew that exposing their ears allowed them to better sense their surroundings.

Eradia shot the first arrow. It veered far to the right of the target and fell short.

The second shot flew straight but also fell short of the target.

Disappointment spread among the onlookers, who had heard rumors about elven archery.

Eradia nocked the third arrow.

She was not entirely calm, but she had a good grasp of the bow's characteristics and the decline in her skills after not touching a bow for decades.

However, she had to show the strength of the elves to avoid falling behind other races.

Eradia's nerves were as taut as the bowstring.

At that moment, a gentle breeze brushed against her ears.

"You're putting too much force, Eradia. It will veer to the right."

Words from her father, when she was learning archery, echoed in her ears.

Elves rarely become attached to anything. Their long lifespans allow them the leisure to enjoy whatever interests them at the moment.

However, the exception is the bow.

Elves are born with a bow in their hands.

This is a common saying in the Seldias continent to praise the archery skills of elves.

While it is an exaggeration, elves are given toy bows as infants and receive a bow as a gift to celebrate their growth, which they begin to practice with. Eradia, too, had trained daily with her father as her teacher from the time she could understand things until she was captured by the imperial army.

For elves, this was a short period, but in reality, it was equivalent to the time it takes for a human to grow from birth to adulthood. The foundation built over this long period still lived within Eradia.

"...I understand, Father."

Eradia made a slight adjustment to her aim.

She shot the arrow.

A light thud was heard.

At first, no one knew what the sound was, but upon closer inspection, an arrow was standing in the center of the target, trembling slightly.

"...Wow!"

A murmur of amazement rose from the crowd.

The next arrow struck slightly above and to the right of the first. Sōma and the others thought it was a bit off target, but as the following arrows struck the target's throat, between the eyes, and the head, they realized the first two arrows had hit the sternum and heart.

Sōma, not well-versed in archery, asked Shahata, who was the most knowledgeable about bows.

Shahata, with a resentful look, replied, "Sōma, you're being mean. Asking a candle about the brightness of the sun is too much."

At that distance, Shahata could hit the target, but hitting vital points with such accuracy was impossible. Feeling defeated, Shahata's shoulders slumped.

Impressed by this, Sōma turned to Eradia, who had finished shooting, and bowed gracefully.

"I am ashamed to show such poor skills. This is the best I can do."

"Is it the bow's fault?"

Surprised by her tone, as if a better bow would have produced better results, Sōma asked.

"No. It's a good bow for a human. But knowing the Elfin Bow, I can't help but feel unsatisfied."

"The Elfin Bow?"

"It's the bow passed down among us elves. If I have the time, I would like to make one, but for now, I'll have to make do with this."

Eradia's words conveyed a strong sense of pride. Clearly, she had great confidence in the Elfin Bow. Intrigued, Sōma asked casually.

"Really? What kind of bow is it?"

"Are you interested?" Eradia's eyes gleamed. "The method of making the Elfin Bow is a secret that must never be revealed, but if Lord Sōma insists..."

At that moment, a strange sound was heard.

"Ugh!"

It was a strange sound made by Dwarin, who had tried to suppress his shock.

Among those present, only Dwarin, besides Eradia, knew the value of the Elfin Bow.

The range and power of a bow depend on the archer's skill, but generally, they are determined by the bow's tension and elasticity. To increase range and power, a larger bow with greater tension is needed, i.e., a longbow.

However, for elves who hunted in forests, a large bow was impractical in the dense foliage.

So, elves strengthened their bows by improving the materials rather than the size.

The result was the Elfin Bow.

While bows of that era were made from a single type of wood, the Elfin Bow was made by laminating multiple materials, including wood, metal, animal horns, bones, skin, and tendons. By combining materials with different hardness and elasticity, they adjusted the tension and elasticity, and the layers were designed to withstand the forces applied to the bow.

Through such material combinations and design innovations, the Elfin Bow, despite its small size, had the range and power of a longbow or even more, making it a superweapon.

It was natural that human countries, including the empire, sought the Elfin Bow and its manufacturing method. However, the method was a closely guarded secret of the elves, and human craftsmen who attempted to replicate it all failed.

The emperor of the empire, upon capturing an elf king who knew the method, tried to torture him into revealing it. Despite the torture, the elf king refused to speak. Enraged, the emperor had the king's wife and daughter brutally raped in front of him, but the king still did not speak. Finally, he jumped out of a window, sacrificing his life to protect the secret of the Elfin Bow.

Unaware of this history and the value of the Elfin Bow, Sōma, with a typical Japanese sense of politeness, said, "No, if it's that important, you don't have to tell me."

Dwarin, who had been listening intently, sighed.

For Dwarin, a dwarf craftsman, the Elfin Bow was a complex matter.

Dwarves, who boasted that there was nothing they could not make, had failed to create the Elfin Bow. Even after disassembling and thoroughly examining the few Elfin Bows they had obtained and replicating them with the same materials, they could not match the original's power.

One famous dwarf craftsman, in a moment of humiliation, offered a mountain of gold and silver to the elf king in exchange for the method. The elf king responded, "Would you teach me the method of making glass if I offered you a mountain of treasure?"

For dwarves, the method of making glass was a closely guarded secret