Chapter 75

■ Chapter 74. Aftermath (5) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

The three races—demons, humans, and merfolk—physically stop growing in their early to mid-twenties, but elves only finish their physical growth in their thirties.

Reaching physical maturity in their thirties means that their adolescence is very long, and during this period, regardless of race, they learn things faster than at other ages.

Moreover, long-lived races like elves and demons share the common trait of excellent memory. When these two advantages combine, an adult elf can possess a broad range of knowledge, akin to a walking library.

However, while an elf's thirties mark physical maturity, social recognition as an adult typically comes around the age of fifty on average.

During this time, one must find their path and delve deeply into it to master a specific skill to be recognized as a full adult.

Elves, by nature, are well-suited to acquiring a broad range of knowledge, but compared to human learning ability, there is a slight drawback. On the other hand, they never forget knowledge like humans do, which is a significant advantage.

"Did I do well? Hehe."

"......"

Arwen, the elf queen who ascended to the throne at an extremely young age and ruled Alvenheim for a hundred years, couldn't even crack a smile at Rain's cheerful laugh. She couldn't easily accept what was happening.

During her hundred-year reign, she experienced a myriad of events.

She poured considerable effort into opposing the Senate that looked down on her as a child, and when conflicts arose with neighboring countries, she skillfully navigated them using her talents.

Recently, the Senate went into a frenzy over the Zeyon saga, but she had grown enough to handle it smoothly. Compared to her early days as a young queen, the change was dramatic.

'...Damn it.'

But Arwen felt the greatest crisis of her over a hundred-year life. If it were just a national disaster, she could prepare for it, but this far exceeded that.

The reason was the dark elf girl, Rain, standing before her. Rain herself seemed completely unaware of what she had done.

'Oh dear. Child...'

Arwen tried her best to maintain her composure, but she couldn't stop the headache. She desperately wanted to grab Rain's shoulders and lament.

Rain was just over ten years old, a very young age, and every action of Arwen, who was acting as her guardian, was crucial. A misstep could leave her with indelible scars.

Of course, the biggest reason was the strong premonition that a severe reprimand would lead to an uncontrollable explosion. It was better to gently counsel her now and later call her for a stern lecture.

Arwen barely shook off the chaos in her mind and calmed down.

It seemed best to explain the situation to Rain right away.

"...Rain? Do you know what you've done?"

"Huh?"

"I asked if you know what you've done."

Arwen's gentle tone was laced with deep frustration, but the young Rain didn't notice.

She only blinked, trying to understand Arwen's intent.

"Haah..."

In the end, Arwen couldn't hold back the sigh she had been suppressing. Seeing that innocent face made her feel suffocated.

Rain had brought this manuscript purely to make her happy. While the intention was praiseworthy, the result was disastrous.

"...Your Majesty?"

Rain, noticing Arwen's reaction, asked cautiously. Her big blue eyes were filled with worry and concern.

Arwen clenched her teeth and forced a smile.

"Rain, even if you wanted to make me happy, this was the wrong thing to do. Stealing someone's belongings is never right. How would you feel if someone stole something precious from you?"

"Hmm... I would do the same, or maybe take everything? That's what the teachers taught us."

This answer reflected the dark elf's unique way of thinking.

They seek revenge more harshly if wronged, and if they receive a favor, they strive to repay it twofold.

At least, it seemed she knew that stealing was wrong, as recognizing a wrong implies awareness of a bad deed.

However, the fact that she still committed a bad deed despite knowing it was wrong was deeply painful for Arwen.

As someone acting as a parent, it was heart-wrenching.

"...Just to be sure, do you know how valuable this paper is?"

"Any item that is the first of its kind is valuable. That's why I brought it. I thought it might help you."

It was a time bomb, not a help. Arwen barely suppressed a sigh and continued.

"...Do you know how important this paper is to humans?"

"Of course. If we use it well, we can gain the upper hand, right? Even if humans protest, they can't attack us. We are strong."

Knowing one thing but not ten, and above all, an arrogant mindset.

Whether elves or dark elves, this arrogance is a racial trait.

The combination of a young, inexperienced age and the racial arrogance led to this outcome.

'...I might go crazy.'

Arwen rubbed her temples, feeling like crying, and muttered to herself.

Ideally, she would return it to its original place, but it was too late. It would take time for Rain to return to the publishing house, and even if she did, the manuscript might be suspected as a fake.

Most importantly, the publishing house was under investigation by the Minerva Empire's royal court. Even if Rain's stealth skills were excellent, if discovered, it would be the end, politically and personally.

As the ruler of Alvenheim, Arwen had to avoid the worst at all costs, so it was better to choose the lesser evil. Thus, it was advantageous to leave the manuscript for now.

"Understood. I'll keep it for now. I have a lot to think about, so take a break."

"Yes!"

"And prepare for a stern reprimand later. I will also inform the elders about this and impose disciplinary action."

"Yes... Huh?"

Perhaps she thought things would go smoothly. Rain's eyes widened in shock at Arwen's cold words.

Arwen frowned slightly and glared at Rain. Even if she was family, she needed to be disciplined.

"Since you did wrong, it's natural to be reprimanded. I am your guardian but also acting as a parent. Wrongdoings must be firmly addressed. And what you did could bring great crisis to Alvenheim."

"Really? Why?"

"Because humans are much stronger than you think. They have many weaknesses, but they cannot be underestimated. And not just humans, but demons will also be furious."

"Even demons? But we are..."

As Rain hesitated to argue, Arwen could only laugh bitterly.

Rain was likely thinking:

Why should we, the chosen race of the gods, bow our heads? We may have struggled during the racial wars, but things are different now.

But moderation is always best. Rain currently harbors not pride but arrogance. Entering the emotionally unstable teenage years would only amplify this arrogance.

The reason she likely stole the manuscript, despite knowing it was wrong, was due to this arrogance.

Arwen herself once felt this way, but over a hundred years, she had several realizations.

No matter how chosen by the gods, they are mere mortals with emotions, and arrogance can blind them.

She once acted recklessly and caused significant diplomatic damage to a human nation. From then on, she changed her view that humans should never be underestimated.

So, how to correct this arrogance? Arwen resolved to properly educate Rain in the future and spoke quietly.

"Yes. We are chosen by the gods, as you think. But that doesn't change the fact that it was wrong. Unforgivable actions cannot be forgiven."

"But I..."

"What do you mean, 'but'? I'm holding back from yelling. My head hurts, so please step back for a moment."

Sensing Arwen's sincerity, Rain's expression darkened.

Arwen had never severely reprimanded her for bad behavior, but today was different.

"...I understand. May Mora grant you rest."

Rain left with a dejected voice, leaving a dark elf's customary farewell. Her perfect stealth skills made her blend into the surroundings.

As soon as Rain disappeared, Arwen immediately cast a detection spell. There was no trace of Rain or anything else in the audience chamber.

"Phew..."

Snap!

She sighed deeply and, just in case, snapped her fingers to cast another spell. A circular barrier appeared around her.

This spell was none other than...

"Kiaaaaaa!!"

A soundproofing spell. She roughly ran her fingers through her silver hair, emitting a scream like a wyvern.

The scream would have been loud enough to reach outside the audience chamber, but the soundproofing spell prevented it from leaking out.

"O Lumina! Why do you give me such trials! Ahhhh!"

The accumulated stress finally burst. Arwen strongly suppressed the urge to run out.

The current situation was undoubtedly the worst. If discovered, it would be the worst of the worst, and even if not, it was still the worst.

Moreover, being betrayed by someone she trusted made her feel even worse. She wanted to collapse and cry.

"Phew... Phew... Phew..."

After a while, she managed to calm down. Venting her frustration made her feel better.

However, her disheveled hair and venomous silver eyes revealed her extreme stress.

She was already under a lot of stress, and facing an unexpected crisis pushed her to the breaking point.

'I can't just sit here. I need to find the author somehow.'

She had to meet the author personally, not as a state but as an individual. How to approach it?

'First, I'll start with a bow. I have to do it to survive.'

The queen's authority be damned; she was prepared to bow. Her failure to stop Rain and the need to appease the author were crucial to prevent Alvenheim from collapsing.

This manuscript, considering the influence of the Zeyon saga, was as dangerous as a mass-destruction spell, if not more. It was a national treasure, and even a declaration of war would be justified.

Moreover, Alvenheim had already issued a statement about the manuscript theft. If they were caught plotting behind the scenes, they would face severe criticism.

'But what if I find the author and they go on hiatus? This could delay the book's release and even lead to protests. What should I do?'

Arwen nervously bit her thumbnail.

To return the manuscript without issues, she needed to meet the author personally. However, the author was currently in hiding and extremely reluctant to reveal themselves.

Until now, various reasons, including the Senate's issues, prevented her from finding the author, but today's situation changed. She needed to find the author, apologize, and return the manuscript to survive the aftermath.

"Ugh..."

This was a dilemma. To avoid the worst, she needed to meet the author, but finding the author risked the author quitting.

Arwen pondered how to wisely resolve this situation.

Should she blame the Senate? But if the Senate retaliated, she would be finished. They were cunning snakes and could easily turn the tables.

'I need to meet the dark elf general. Even if it's risky, I have to find the author.'

Clearly, the lesser evil was better than the worst. Arwen firmly resolved and glanced at the manuscript.

Holding a manuscript with the influence of a mass-destruction spell in the cultural realm.

'Wait. What if I use this to my advantage...?'

If she claimed to have 'accidentally' obtained the manuscript, would they believe her? It would raise suspicions, but since it was already stolen, she could act boldly.

Without concrete evidence and Alvenheim being one of the strongest nations, even the Minerva Empire couldn't say much.

But this thought was quickly discarded.

'No. The Senate will go into a frenzy again.'

The Senate was always a problem. Arwen sighed and lamented her situation, smoothing her silver circlet on her forehead. It was adorned with a blue gem, symbolizing the queen.

She removed the circlet from her forehead, smiled bitterly, and looked at it.

She had worn this circlet for a hundred years, but today it felt the heaviest.

"Really, it's a mess."

The storm had passed, but the aftermath was devastating.