Chapter 144: CH 140

June 29th, 2023

The political organization of Alvenheim, Elodia, included more than just a royal palace. Various politicians, including the Council of Elders, reside there, making it the seat of power in Alvenheim, boasting strict security measures.

The queen is no exception. The queen’s residence is located on the highest floor of Elodia and has much stronger defenses than the place where the Council of Elders stays.

Unless Arwen is occupied with official duties, she spends her evenings there. Numerous attendants manage the queen’s residence and even employ magic to enhance comfort.

Above all, Elodia stands right in front of the World Tree, imparting a sense of tranquility to the heart. While political institutions often buzz with noisy debates and chaotic maneuvering, Elodia’s exceptional serenity is due to this reason.

The mana emitted by the World Tree is so sacred and profound that it purifies even the darkest aspects of one’s being. Furthermore, the fact that the World Tree stands right in front signifies that the gods are always watching.

Hence, Elodia possesses somewhat unique characteristics compared to other political institutions, to the extent that one can hardly utter harsh words within its boundaries.

Although there have been disputes between the Council of Elders and the queen in Alvenheim, even that has improved.

“…I want to just hit everything.”

However, even with the mana from the World Tree, there was one person who couldn’t find inner peace: Queen Arwen. She sat on her expansive bed, her head buried in her hands, feeling defeated.

Tomorrow is the day she promised—the national address. It is scheduled to be attended not only by the citizens of Alvenheim but also by dignitaries from around the world. When leaders from other countries give a national address, unless they have a special relationship, they do not send dignitaries. Most often, only journalists seeking news headlines visit.

However, tomorrow’s speech to the nation by her was slightly different. It was her first speech since her coronation, and the situation in Alvenheim was chaotic.

It is inevitable to wonder whether she will captivate public sentiment and govern the country stably through her speech, or if it will simply be an ordinary speech. If it’s the former, neighboring countries will be cautious of Arwen, but if it’s the latter, they will likely underestimate her.

Due to these reasons, Arwen couldn’t help but feel increasingly anxious as the days went by. Even the mana of the World Tree couldn’t calm her mind, and she reached a point where she couldn’t sleep properly.

Fortunately, she was a resilient elf, otherwise, if she were human, she would have collapsed from sleep deprivation immediately.

‘Can I do well…’

Arwen looked at the paper in her hand, her confidence diminishing as the days passed. It was the speech document Isaac had delivered less than three days ago.

Normally, she should have read it once and discarded it, but due to her rapidly diminishing confidence, she held onto it tightly.

Externally, she was known as a compassionate and benevolent queen, sometimes strict and resolute, but ultimately, she was just one person. Moreover, she faced pressure even from the Council of Elders, and the stress piled up day by day.

‘There’s nothing wrong with the speech. It should be enough if I just deliver it as it is.’

She checked the speech document once again with a troubled expression. The speech Isaac had delivered in just three days was more than enough to quell the current chaos in Alvenheim.

Starting with the introduction that tells the birth myth of the elves, it describes the sacrifices their ancestors made to protect Alvenheim. In particular, the last part contains a profound maxim that Arwen believes is unparalleled.

However, I was afraid whether I could deliver such a speech well. Even though people around me reassured me that it would be fine, I couldn’t tell if their words were sincere or just flattery.

As someone who had suffered because of the people planted by the Council of Elders in the past, it was difficult for her to trust anyone within Elodia, at least.

‘It’s burdensome…’

She had never experienced such pressure when engaging in debates with the Council of Elders, but now, standing in front of the citizens, it felt like a heavy burden was weighing down on her shoulders. The fate of Alvenheim could be determined by her speech alone.

She wished for everything to go well, but she couldn’t control her trembling heart. In her heart, she wanted to abandon the throne and run away…

‘But I can’t. I am the Queen.’

Due to the immense sense of responsibility as a queen, she couldn’t do that. Arwen took a deep breath and shifted her gaze to the speech.

“Isaac…”

As she read the speech, the image of Isaac, a handsome man with red hair and golden eyes, known for shaking the world as a writer, came to her mind. The value of this speech, received from such a remarkable author, was priceless.

However, Isaac willingly accepted her request and even provided guidance on speech style to help her deliver a better speech. She couldn’t help but be touched by his warm generosity. But she was worried about how to repay him after the speech. If he asked something of her, it would be great, but if it was the opposite, it would be a different kind of dilemma.

Money, honor, women, power, and so on. Isaac had them all at a young age. Arwen wanted to give him something in return, but she had nothing to offer.

“Sigh…”

Eventually, a sigh escaped her lips. The speech was one problem, but the issue of what reward to give Isaac afterward was also a concern. Even if Isaac didn’t demand compensation, she had to give him something without fail. It was a matter of principle and a virtue necessary to navigate the world.

Human hearts are inherently cunning, so Isaac might feel disappointed. Moreover, she had made significant mistakes in the past, and she wanted to prevent them from happening again.

“Still, I’m glad to have Isaac.”

Arwen smiled bitterly and neatly folded the speech. Then she laid down on the bed with a thud.

Her silver-gray hair scattered on the bed shimmered even in the dimly lit room. Her silver-gray eyes were the same.

‘If it weren’t for Isaac…’

Although their relationship was forged through a combination of chance and her own mistakes, Arwen considered herself fortunate. While she couldn’t condone her mistakes, having a connection with Isaac was a mixed blessing for her.

If Isaac hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have been able to calm the chaos in Alvenheim, let alone write the speech. Of course, she wouldn’t know the outcome until tomorrow, but just getting this far, Isaac’s help had been immense.

And if she successfully finished the speech… her gratitude towards Isaac would only grow. Arwen placed both hands on her chest and slowly closed her eyes.

‘Come to think of it, Isaac said he was coming to Yggdrasil today.’

I have already received a report about the incident that occurred at the immigration checkpoint. It caused a commotion because the immigration officer denied entry to the distinguished visitor, namely Cecily, who had come from another country. 

Fortunately, Director Keir managed to handle the situation well and prevent it from escalating further, but formal complaints from Helium are expected to arrive soon. It was a headache to think about, but considering the current situation, it’s relatively good.

Arwen momentarily stopped trying to imagine what Isaac might be doing right now and remembered the woman with white hair she had seen at the lodging. If Cecily was a secret lover, Marie was a woman Isaac was formally engaged to. 

They even had such a deep relationship that they engaged in certain activities at the dorm. Unfortunately, because Arwen had good manners, she didn’t witness the scene firsthand, but something gnawed at her heart.

It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling for Arwen, who hadn’t had anyone she could call a “friend” for over a hundred years. 

“… …”

Arwen slowly opened her closed eyes. Her silver-gray eyes, shining like stars, revealed their brilliance.

Rather than indulging in such speculation, it would be much better for her to practice her speech to improve her oratory skills. With that thought, she was about to get up from the bed when she turned toward the full-length mirror.

“Huh?”

A faint mana ripple was detected. Someone had unlocked and entered the bedroom’s barrier. Normally, an emergency sound would ring when passing through the barrier with a physical body, but there was no reaction at all. That meant…

“Siris?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Siris was the only one who was directly informed of the barrier’s password by Arwen. Arwen looked at Siris, who had revealed herself in the darkness, with a raised eyebrow.

When Siris visited, it usually meant that something had happened within the Dark Elves or that Isaac had delivered a message, either of the two.

Recently, the Dark Elves have been gloomy because of Rain, so there should be no news to deliver. That means Isaac is the only one left.

“Did Isaac send you?”

“Yes. He did. Isaac has something he wants to convey to Your Majesty.”

“Something he wants to convey?”

“Here is a letter.”

Siris handed over a letter, or rather a note, that she had in her hand. It was a note folded in a unique way.

Arwen momentarily widened her eyes at the unfamiliar way of folding the note but received it without any suspicion. She was curious about what Isaac would say.

Finally, when she unfolded the note completely, one word caught her eye.

[If you’re nervous about tomorrow’s speech, look at the back.]

“Look at the back?” 

Arwen blinked her eyes and obediently turned to look at the back. And there, written on it was: 

[Queen, fighting!] 

It was a short message of encouragement. 

“…Heh.” 

Arwen let out a small laugh. It might seem trivial, but the strength contained within was by no means insignificant. She gazed at the contents written on the note with warm eyes and neatly folded it, albeit clumsily since she didn’t know how to fold it properly. 

Clutching the note preciously in her hand, she turned to Siris, who stood before her, and asked about Isaac’s well-being. 

“Do you know what Isaac is doing right now?” 

“Currently, he is sharing a room with his fiancée.” 

“…Is that so?” 

When the story of Isaac sharing a room with Marie came up, Arwen’s expression stiffened slightly. There was no particular issue with him being with his fiancée, but somehow… 

“…I understand.” 

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It just made her uncomfortable.

*****

The day of the long-awaited national speech has arrived. Despite the fact that I had to wake up early tomorrow, I was embarrassed because my clingy cat, Marie, kept meowing. Fortunately, I was able to wake up on time as planned.

But I was the only one. My lovely girlfriend, who was peacefully sleeping next to me without a care in the world, was not like that at all. Just like last night, she showed no signs of getting up, probably due to her intense workout.

“Wake up, Marie. It’s morning.”

“Mmm… Just five more minutes…”

“You need to wake up now, you know?”

“Give me a kiss…”

She’s not some sleeping beauty in the forest. I laughed as if I couldn’t resist Marie’s tantrums and gave in to her request. When I gently kissed her, she giggled and finally got out of bed. The edge of the blanket was teasingly draped over her chest, but despite that, she exuded no less charm.

I almost got carried away, but I managed to control myself. Afterward, the two of us quickly washed up, got dressed, and went downstairs.

As expected, when we reached the first floor, Cecily and Rina, along with their bodyguards, were waiting. It seemed that we were a bit late because I had to help Marie wash up.

“Sorry, we’re a bit late… Rina?”

“Uh, yeah?”

“Why do you look like that? Are you feeling unwell?”

However, there was something off about Rina’s condition. Her face seemed tired, as if she had trouble sleeping or was worn out, although her natural beauty still remained unchanged.

“Oh, no. I’m fine. Yeah… I’m okay.”

“It doesn’t seem like it.”.

“Well, anyway, let’s hurry and have our meal. We only have about an hour left until the speech, so time is tight.”

As I expressed concern, Rina quickly waved her hand and changed the subject. She alternated her gaze between me and Marie, and there was something strange about her face turning red.

I wondered if maybe we were overheard due to poor soundproofing, but I had heard from the innkeeper that the inn was thoroughly fortified, including soundproofing measures. Thanks to that, we could even be a little noisy without any complaints.

So why was Rina reacting like that? I glanced at her curiously, unable to meet her gaze, but quickly brushed it off.

It could be an overreaction since it’s not like she has that kind of preference anyway.

“Please come again next time~”

After finishing our meal, we bid farewell to the innkeeper and headed towards the main square. The main square was where the speech would take place, and I had heard that there was a tree, not as old as the World Tree but firmly rooted there for several centuries, at its center.

As we made our way there, I looked around. It seemed that people were gradually gathering, perhaps to secure a better view than Arwen’s.

I wonder how long it took. We were able to arrive at the main square where the speech would begin. In the center of the square, there was a podium-like platform, and behind it stood a large tree, guarding its place.

Though not as tall as the Tree of the World, it was undoubtedly a massive tree. It had a thickness that could barely be encircled by dozens of adult men holding hands.

“Where should we sit?”

“You can sit over there. I heard that the distinguished figures, including the Elders, will be sitting in the front.”

Tina skillfully showed us our seats. Being experienced in these matters, we followed silently without saying a word.

The seats for the Elders and the nobles of Alvenheim, as well as the seats for dignitaries from other countries, were far away, so there was no inconvenience. Furthermore, noble visitors from other countries began to appear one after another.

Seeing this, it meant that Arwen’s speech was equally important. I was worried if she could shake off the pressure and deliver a good speech.

Yesterday, I secretly called for Siris and passed her a note, but I wasn’t sure if it would be encouraging.

“Isn’t that woman a demon?”

“Really? A demon attending the speech…”

“Hmm…”

As time passed and more people gathered, Cecily’s presence drew more attention. Especially the gaze of the figures sitting in the front row, the elves who were presumed to be from the Elders and Alvenheim, was very intense.

Even I, who was by her side, wondered how she would handle this. I glanced at Cecily with a worried heart.

“Achoo! Oops.”

“… …”

It seems like she’s suffering because of her allergic reaction, regardless of the attention or ridicule. She seemed to be better than yesterday, but the symptoms persisted. 

Furthermore, this time her nose turned into a strawberry nose, displaying a cute sneezing sound and a fierce aspect. It was a moment when I once again confirmed Cecily’s unique charm.

“I hope it gets better soon…”

“Achoo!”

Cecily made a sound as if their nose was completely blocked, and I couldn’t help but burst into laughter. When Cecily noticed that I was laughing, they narrowed their eyes and looked at me.

“Are you laughing? Are you laughing at me?”

“Hehehe… Ack!”

In the end, my thigh got pinched. I screamed in pain as my flesh was being torn away. While I held onto my thigh and shivered, Cecily turned their head with a sense of satisfaction. It seemed like I would have to apologize later.

Chatter- Chatter- Chatter- 

Just before the speech was about to begin, a huge crowd gathered. Elves were everywhere I looked, in front and behind, and even to the left and right, the surroundings were filled with elves.

Only the people seated in the VIP section were of a different race, not elves. As I felt unfamiliar in the midst of it all, someone’s words entered my ears.

“Isn’t that the queen over there?”

The utterance caught the attention of numerous onlookers, including myself.

“It’s the queen.”

“It’s the queen herself.”

“Hey! Keep quiet!”

Queen Arwen of Alvenheim revealed herself. She was slowly walking towards the center of the stage, dressed in the tight silver gown I had seen her wear before.

Though no one explicitly told them to be quiet, as soon as Arwen appeared, the noisy surroundings fell silent in an instant. Thanks to that, all that could be heard in the vast square was the sound of Arwen’s footsteps.

Tap-tap-tap-

Arwen walked with a poised demeanor, step by step, towards the center. The cheerful atmosphere of the young girl was completely gone, replaced by an air of dignity befitting a leader of a nation.

Because of this, I doubted if she was the Arwen I knew. However, when I saw her gray hair, I was certain it was her. Sensing that the speech would begin soon, I quietly closed my mouth and switched to spectator mode.

Tap-

Finally, Arwen stood at the center of the stage and slowly turned to face the crowd. As she was wearing the tight dress, her prominent hips became even more accentuated.

In fact, one of the reasons I came to see the speech was precisely because of this. I was curious about how Arwen would deliver her speech, but I couldn’t forget her hip line from the last time I saw her.

I think the reward was not enough. I focused my gaze on Arwen wearing the Moonlight Crown, her face, and the curve of her waist beneath it.

It might seem a bit perverted, but since this is the first and last time I can openly (?) see it, I plan to enjoy it to my heart’s content.

“…Everyone has gathered.”

While I was admiring Arwen’s beautiful face and figure, her lips opened, signaling the start of her speech.

Even without using a microphone, the entire square was filled with Arwen’s voice, as if she had used voice amplification magic.

“Before I begin my speech, there is something I want to tell all of you.”

She paused for a moment, then looked at the audience once again. And that’s when our eyes met.

Since red-haired people are not so common, it wouldn’t be difficult for her to find me. As soon as I made eye contact with her, I raised my hand and clenched my fist without saying a word.

It was a sign of encouragement.

Fortunately, Arwen seemed to gain strength from that support, as she wiped away her stern expression and smiled gently. She then spoke to the audience.

“I, Arwen Elidia, Queen of Alvenheim…”

The words she uttered were…

“I am a half-blood.”

It was a confession.

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