Chapter 73

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"Oh, there you are."

Despite her words, her voice sounded indifferent, as if she truly didn't care. It was a voice that could make one's ears want to fall off, a voice that sent shivers down the spine.

My mouth was completely dry, not even a drop of saliva could form, and my body was frozen in place.

I had seen this scene before. It was a memory from long ago, when I accompanied her on a journey to save the world, a time when I still didn't know the true nature of her princess.

"What is it? You're so annoying. Just disappear, I can't stand it."

She tossed her long hair and turned her back to me. Behind her, the remnants of the beast, now reduced to fragments, and the earth, as if clawed by a giant talon, lay in disarray. The elven princess didn't even look back.

Blood splattered on my cheek. Only then did I start to hear my own heartbeat.

I would have died. I was dead. If I had been even slightly in her path just now, I would have been dead. My heart confirmed this, pounding loudly to remind me that I was still alive.

I was terrified. The only emotion that rose in my chest was fear. It was overwhelming.

Of course, her power was terrifying. The ability to slay a large beast with a single swing of her arm, without even breaking a sweat, was terrifying.

But the truly terrifying thing was different.

What truly terrified me were her bright, emerald eyes.

The moment I looked into them, I understood. She didn't see me as a human, no, not even as a being of any value. She probably never even recognized me as having any value.

So, even if she were about to take my life, there would be no flicker of emotion. It would be like a small insect passing by.

I wasn't the only one. Perhaps to her, everyone except her hero was like that. No matter how much we traveled together or had conversations, it would never mean anything. To her, I was nothing more than a lowly creature.

Crushed by this fear, I heard something large in my chest crack.

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The same emerald eyes that I saw back then are now looking at me.

Her appearance is completely different. Her male attire suits her wonderfully. Of course, she could easily pull off any outfit. Unlike in the past, she now wears a hat and has short hair, which gives off a different kind of charm.

Her aura, while still somewhat intimidating, has a softer edge. At first glance, she seems like a completely different person.

But I remember. Those emerald eyes and that tone of voice are unmistakably etched into my soul.

A grating sound, like an unpleasant creak, echoed in the depths of my chest.

"Apologies for the sudden visit. However, Lord Eldis, we are merely—"

Before I could speak, the emblem knight who had regained his composure spoke. But as soon as he started,

"Don't call me by my name so casually. It's annoying."

Eldis's voice cut him off, clearly showing her displeasure.

Her voice was openly hostile, and it wasn't just from her. The wind, the trees, everything around us seemed to be radiating hostility. The knight's words faltered.

Of course. It's no wonder that our first meeting with an elf in the midst of negotiations would be so hostile, leaving us at a loss for what to do next.

Forcing my dry throat to work, I managed to speak.

"Then, as you wish, I won't call you. We don't have the time to waste each other's precious time, do we?"

The holy maiden of the emblem faith wishes to meet with the elven king. I conveyed this message succinctly, trying to keep my voice as neutral as possible, avoiding any hint of emotion.

Eldis, whether she knew my feelings or not, smiled sarcastically and said, shaking her shoulders,

"King. Ah, you mean Fin—no, he's gone. Fin hasn't come out since he put on the mask."

Her words made me widen my eyes.

Fin is a title of respect for the elven king. Only those who become king are allowed to add Fin to their name. It is a clear sign of respect and reverence.

So, when Eldis spoke of Fin with such disdain, I blinked in surprise.

Fin is a symbolic figure for the elves, not something to be spoken of so lightly. That's why I deliberately used the word "king" to avoid offending her further.

But her demeanor was different. It was as if Fin was insignificant to her.

Fin, the elven king, is supposed to be your father, isn't he? Why? As I was about to delve deeper into the truth, she spoke again,

"Besides, I already told you, didn't I?"

Her bright blue eyes, wide open, came closer and stared at me. I saw a dark gleam in them, a menacing and angry hue.

The moment her eyes met mine, the words that were about to come out of my throat were pushed back down. My throat dried up instantly, and not even a drop of saliva could form. My body seemed to be trying to escape from the elven princess in front of me.

"You shouldn't go to the Gazaria aerial garden. It's annoying. Humans always try to break taboos. These are words from my vow, and they are also out of kindness. Absolutely, do not take another step."

She spoke these words as if the wind was whispering them, and then, just as she appeared, she vanished into the forest in the blink of an eye.

It was truly a case of being impossible to reason with. Everything was self-centered. She didn't even try to listen to our words. No, to them, this was the right thing to do. After all, the words of the elves are always right, not those of humans. So, to Eldis, her actions were perfectly justified.

The sound of hooves hitting the ground came from the path behind me. I see, I had been dawdling enough for the carriage to catch up.

The guard knight regained his composure and, probably to report to Mathia, bowed to me and turned his horse back toward the carriage.

As for me, my mind was still unsettled. I took several deep, slow breaths.

My insides felt frozen, as if they had turned to solid iron.

I understand now. I haven't overcome her yet. I swallowed this fact along with the saliva in my mouth.

This emotion is not burning anger, nor is it hatred that could melt my insides. It is simply, the primal emotion of fear.

I am undoubtedly terrified of that monster.