Chapter 100
He was stunningly beautiful. At most, he appeared to be in his late twenties or early thirties. At a glance, it was difficult to tell if he was a man or a woman.
His long, silver hair, which fell to his waist, was tied back in a half-ponytail, the end of which was intricately braided. A few strands of hair were woven with colored thread and beads, giving him a unique air.
His eyes were a violet tinged with blue, and they held a mysterious aura of unfathomable depth.
The ears hidden between his robe and his silver hair twitched slightly; they were noticeably more pointed and longer than a normal person’s.
“…An elf?”
Watching him, I muttered to myself before clapping my hands over my mouth.
Such fairies with long ears were called Albr, Alf, or Elves depending on the region. They were a mystical race that lived primarily in densely forested areas, and the name ‘elf’ meant ‘one born from a tree.’
It was said that all of them, regardless of age or gender, were beautiful and possessed incredible physical strength. They were a deeply secretive people, rarely revealing themselves to the human world as they spent their entire lives in the forests where they were born.
I, too, knew of them only through the brief knowledge I had gleaned from books; this was the first time I had ever seen one in person.
“To be precise, I have half-human blood, so it would be correct to call me a half-elf. I am Lishar of the Silver Birch Forest.”
He answered in a gentle voice, as beautiful and harmonious as a melody from a fine instrument.
For some reason, I found myself staring at him blankly once more. I knew it was rude, yet I could not look away from his face. My gaze was especially drawn to his long ears every time they twitched.
“The recovery magic is complete. Are you still feeling any discomfort?”
“Wh-what?”
I could only repeat myself like a fool. Recovery magic? Come to think of it, my body felt much lighter than before. I clenched and unclenched my fists before slowly rising to my feet.
There were many people around. The entire staff of the Emerald Palace had come out and surrounded me. Standing with the sternest expressions of all were the knights of the White Rose Crusade. Perhaps because their trust in me had already been shattered by our previous clash, the tension radiating from them was palpable.
“The royal guards only came after hearing that Your Highness had fallen into the pond,” Delphina said, glaring at the guards with gritted teeth. I quickly tried to stop her.
“No, this time I came out alone…”
“But Your Highness, it is their job to prevent such things from happening! How did you end up here all by yourself? When I heard you had suddenly fallen into the water, I was so…”
“Well, that’s…”
The reason I had come this far was because of the waking dream I had seen. It had led me to this pond. I had a feeling that if I came here, I would see something…
“Someone pushed me.”
Delphina responded with a startled cry.
“Is that truly what happened?”
“Yes, I’m sure of it.”
Just then, Lishar rose from his seat. He pointed a hand at a woman lying on the ground.
“Was it that woman?”
“That woman?”
Where he pointed, I saw a person lying in a terribly unnatural position. It was so strange that she looked as if time had frozen her in the middle of a stride. Moreover, I recognized the face—it was Elda, the head maid I had dismissed from the Emerald Palace.
“Yes, that’s her. There’s no doubt.”
At my words, Lishar gestured in the air. Elda’s body convulsed violently, and she suddenly let out a scream.
“Aaaah! What is this! Let me go!”
“…How noisy.”
With a look of displeasure, Lishar gestured in the air again, and this time her mouth was sealed shut. Only a muffled sound, as if something were blocking her throat, escaped.
Elda continued to squirm, still unable to move her upper body, as if bound by invisible ropes. Lishar walked elegantly toward her.
“I have no wish to interfere in human affairs, but I will ask. Did you push the Crown Princess into the pond?”
“…”
Elda did not answer. No, it was more accurate to say that she could not answer, her voice blocked by some unseen force.
“Ah, my apologies.”
Lishar raised his index finger again. Having already suffered a few torments, Elda did not scream this time. She merely trembled violently and glared in our direction.
Just then, Countess Elvira approached. She first greeted Royal Tutor Lishar.
“Glory to the Holy Cross, Royal Tutor. I heard there has been an incident involving the Crown Princess.”
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