novelnext Ep 201. If You Don’t Want It, Then… (2)
Ep 201. If You Don’t Want It, Then… (2)
Ep 201. If You Don’t Want It, Then... (2)
Ep 201. If You Don’t Want It, Then... (2)
“Where’s Letherien?”
“...”
“We already know this was her doing. Shutting your mouth isn’t going to keep it a secret for very long; you might as well talk while I’m being nice.”
Although iris glared down at the three elves with as menacing an expression as she could manage, they barely seemed to listen to her, much less comply.
“Even should we return, we will be killed as defects; our fates were decided the moment we were captured. You cannot scare us, human.”
“...Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
Gritting her teeth, Iris summoned a shimmering mana-based firearm into her hand. She swiftly clocked the tip against the speaking elf’s forehead, pressing the muzzle against his bare skull.
But even then, she couldn’t see any visible reaction from the shadowguard captain.
Instead, it was Serenis who reacted to the enforcer’s threatening gesture, approaching to her side to steer the firearm’s aim away.
“Settle down now. You’ve mentioned that you already know of Letherien’s quarters, did you not?”
“...There’s no guarantee she’ll be there. Especially not when there’s an active war going on.”
“It’s alright. I’m quite certain we could find her in another manner still.”
And by another manner, she really just meant having Letherien find them first.
“...”
After a short sigh, the weapon in Iris’ hand faded away as the enforcer reluctantly nodded back to the dragonlord.
And with the immediate threat no longer present, Serenis turned to examine the captured shadowguards once more.
Scarred faces, fierce eyes...ragged appearances that betrayed what difficulties they’d likely endured. Even though the three seemed relatively young for elves, it appeared as if they’d each participated in hundreds of battles already.
‘This is hardly any different to how elves were during our era. Their owners have merely changed from their fathers to their deity...’
The dragonlord let out an exasperated sigh as she reflected on the similarities between the elven race’s past and present: following demonkind’s demise, she’d expected them to have flourished as mankind did under the Twelve’s rule. But clearly, that hadn’t been the case for everyone.
Though, as Serenis mulled over her own era, a distant memory began to resurface.
Even back then, the dragonlord hadn’t been particularly close with elves: occasions where she’d encounter them were rare, and even during such occasions, she’d had little reason to establish friendly relations.
But her daughter had been different. In fact, she could vividly recall some of Eden’s closest acquaintances being elves.
‘And if I recall correctly...back then, Eden had...’
It didn’t take long for the silly idea to take root in Serenis’ mind.
And, without realizing, her lips had twisted into a devious grin when she addressed the elven captain again.
“That reminds me. You lot had always refused to eat anything besides greens. Is that still the case?”
“Naturally. We’re different from barbarians like yourselves.”
“Mhm. And you’re no different from a wild stag. Your body cannot even process meats.”
“...”
Having effectively silenced the elf again, Serenis then turned to Patrick.
“Patrick. What you made last night...can you make it here again?”
“Eh? What I made last night...?”
For a moment, the mage tilted his head in confusion, wondering what he possibly could have made yesterday – but when he eventually realized what his sibling was referring to, a deep frown crossed his face.
“Wait, you want me to make that now...? I can’t just make it out of thin air, you know.”
“This is a city as well, is it not? I’m sure you can manage to find what you need.”
“In these burnt-down, ashen streets? I doubt it.”
Both Serenis and Patrick glanced around – and, true to Patrick’s words, the surrounding streets were filled with ash and coal.
But nonetheless, the dragonlord only shrugged back at her human brother.
“Still, do give it a chance. It’s quite important.”
“Wha...you try finding the ingredients here then!”
“I do not know what goes in it.”
“...”
In that moment, Serenis could recognize the particular expression on Patrick’s face: it was an expression ridden with annoyance and reluctance, an expression that he would make when his sibling asked ridiculous things of him.
And also, it was the expression Patrick often made before giving in and doing as asked.
✧ ✧ ✧
The sounds of a crackling fire can evoke varying emotions depending on one’s circumstance.
“Mm.”
With a satisfied smile, Serenis offered a second mouthful to the elf all too easily.
“...”
No reaction came forth for the first few seconds: the noodle remained lodged in their mouth as the elf seemed to freeze in place.
...But once the initial shock had passed, the food quickly disappeared into his mouth. The elf’s eyes seemed to lose focus as he severed himself from the rest of the world, relishing in the taste that filled his senses.
Once the mouthful was finally swallowed, a newfound vigor glimmered in the shadowguard’s eyes as he lost himself in the discovery of “cooked food.”
And, as if the reaction was expected all along, Serenis grinned in satisfaction once more.
‘It’s only to be expected. They likely survived on raw greens their whole life.’
In Karia, even a cup of tea – or rather, water that was boiled with a piece of leaf in the mix – was a “complicated dish.” Given elven tendency to thrive exclusively on fresh vegetables, culinary science was practically nonexistent, and hence, it was literally the first time the elf had tasted anything that was properly cooked with spices and seasoning.
It certainly wasn’t surprising to hear their teammate chiming in afterwards, either.
“C, could I...also...”
When another elf expressed her eagerness to try the dish, Serenis repeated the exact same procedure, bringing another mouthful to their lips.
Once both had finished eating their first bites, the dragonlord exchanged glances with both, looking to the two with a devious smile.
“How was that for the two of you?”
“It’s...good. Very...”
“...Can I have another bite?...Please?”
Both were expected reactions.
And at the same time, both were reactions that she vividly recalled.
Though, in the dragonlord’s memories, the person serving the food to their elven guests was her daughter.
‘...Even now, I’ve things to learn from you.’
Despite Serenis nodding back to the two elves that were all too eager to continue eating, she only shook the dish in a tantalizing manner this time, refusing to offer more right away.
“I’m afraid you two will have to tell us where your deity is first, then.”
“B, but...”
“...That’s...”
A soldier could be trained to endure tortures far better than regular people. And it was, in fact, a common part of the training regimen in various regions.
But even then, soldiers aren’t normally trained to endure something like...this. Whatever this is.
After all, it isn’t possible to prepare against things they aren’t aware of existing.
Though, having seen the evident reluctance in the two elves’ reactions, Serenis leisurely pretended to turn away from them.
“If you don’t want it, then...I suppose I’ll eat it myself.”
“W, wait!”
“We’ll tell you! We’ll tell you, so...”
When the dragonlord managed to make his subordinates surrender all too easily, Keldrin looked to them with a fierce glare, bellowing at the two louder than ever.
“SILENCE, BOTH OF YOU! It’s merely some scrap food!”
Under normal circumstances, their captain’s bellowing orders would’ve been more than enough to make his subordinates instantly obedient.
...And right now, they were not under normal circumstances.
“We’re dead anyways, captain! Might as well eat before we go!”
“Yeah, Borok’s right! Don’t tell us what to do!”
“You crazy bastards...!”
Although Keldrin considered reprimanding them even further, deep inside, even the elven captain’s heart was beginning to waver.
They were his squadron. He knew better than anyone how capable his subordinates were.
And, if that dish was able to persuade them this easily...
‘Just...what does it taste like...?’
Without realizing, Keldrin made another audible gulp, his eyes drifting over to the dish in Serenis’ hand.
And, noticing the captain’s gaze, the dragonlord offered the dish once more – with a wider grin than before.
“Would you like some as well?”
“...”
He might as well have been staring right into the devil’s eyes.
Then again, it was a demonlord, so...maybe he wasn’t too far off.