Silence pervades the room. The elves can communicate without speaking, but they do not seem to be doing so. The rustling that I have felt in this room so far is completely absent.
In the watery silence, the queen is standing in front of the back door, looking at me with hatred. Her jaw is gradually lifting. She seems to be thoroughly contemptuous of me.
"...... father asks that we continue our conversation."
Meek mutters in a small voice. I cough at his prompting and slowly open my mouth.
Who do you elves owe your lives to?
My question makes everyone pause. Even the queen was like, "What are you talking about? I can't help it. I started talking without thinking about the plot at all, and now I'm in this situation. I need to clear my head. .......
Let's see... ....... It seems that you are talking about eliminating all races except elves, which I think is very wrong to begin with. Because people can only live in relationship with other people.
Oh, shit. I'm thinking that elves are not people, but I dare not go there. I look around at the elves, who still have a blank expression on their faces, and continue to speak.
"For example, the clothes you are wearing....... Certainly they were made by one of the elves. But who made it in the first place? I don't think they are elves. Furthermore, it was not the elves who developed the clothes and made them what they are today, was it? What I'm trying to say is that you ...... of course that includes us, the human race, but we live in relation to others. Elves, Men, Dwarves, Beastmen....... We live with the help of others. It is mutual. Yes, it's mutual. I sympathize with you that the princess was kidnapped......, but I think it is too much to cut off communication with other races. If you do that, they won't grow up."
The queen's expression changes to one of dismay. She does not seem to get the message at all. I look at the Elf King, ...... but he still seems to have a cushion mark on his head.
"The point is that my husband says that when something difficult happens, we should not run away from it, but face it.
Sadie opens her mouth in a clear voice. Yes, that's what I'm trying to say.
"The elves must be very upset and saddened by the abduction of their beloved princess. They are afraid of repeating the same thing if they stay on the ground. With this in mind, they set out for an unexplored land. But my husband would like to say that it is the fact that they have cut off relations with other species that has caused this incident."
Sadie squeezed the hem of my dress. It's okay, I'm here for you. How reassuring.
"...... father is asking why it is wrong to exclude other races. I would like to hear it too.
Meek asks with a forlorn expression. I look at her and nod slowly.
"Eliminating other species will surely lead to their decline. And in the end, they will be destroyed.
The elves are stunned by my words. The people who do not speak are raising their voices involuntarily. The atmosphere is indescribable.
"I am very sorry to have come to this village this time. No, it's not because I was threatened. It's not that I don't have a feeling of why they're trying to kill me. ....... Well, that's okay. The point is that what you're doing is against the ways of man and you're going to make sure that you're unhappy. I always thought the elves were a very good race. I still think so, but it is a pity that they seem to be on the way to certain destruction.
The Elf King stood up quickly and turned to me. He looks at me with very cool eyes. I feel a sense of calmness in my heart.
"You should have at least a minimal amount of contact with other races," he says. The reason for this is, for example, the clothes you are wearing. Who makes them? It may indeed be made by one of the elves. But was it invented by the elves? Perhaps it was invented and developed by a human race. I got it through Ohihi-sama ...... the fox-god. Am I wrong?"
No one speaks a word. Or rather, no one seems to understand what I am saying.
"It is said that the world is a haves and have-nots world. You are benefiting in some way from the species you are excluding. So you must return the favor in some way.
The faces of some elves became distorted. The feeling that why should we return the favor to a lower race is palpable.
"The race that does not do so will surely perish. ....... I'm now convinced that I'm on the right track."
Next to him, Sidhi nodded his head and clapped his hands in small claps.
"In fact, you have been trying to kill us, and you are trying to kill us now. If you had come to kill us fair and square, you would have tried to assassinate us. Not only that, they are trying to kill your precious compatriots and hold you responsible for it. This is a mess, no matter who you are. If we had forced ourselves on you, that would be understandable. But we informed you about Princess Janice beforehand and asked you what the elves wanted. You are welcoming us to your village: ....... I take this to mean that my proposal is open for discussion. Or rather, anyone would interpret it that way. Despite that, they are trying to kill you....... I don't understand. I hate to say this, but I'm sure they are just making up their own ...... self-serving, convenient logic and imposing it on us because we have cut ourselves off from fellowship with other species."
"Enough!"
Suddenly a loud voice interrupts our words. I look over to see Ortó with a distorted expression on his face and his hand on the sword at his waist.
"Don't say another word! I'm sick of it!"
Ortó steps forward in front of us, his face bright red.
"Then let's take your life, fair and square!"
...... that way? No, that's not going to happen, judging from the flow of the story. As he thinks about this, the elves are gathering around him one after another. There must be close to twenty of them.
Suddenly all of them, including Ortó, turned their gazes in different directions at once. I followed their gaze and saw that the Elf King was telling them something. It seems as if he is telling them to stop this nonsense. But Ortó shakes his head slowly and looks at me again. There was a definite look of murder in his eyes.
"I have no choice. Shall we do it?
With that, I stood up. Then I look at the Elf King.
"I beg your pardon, sir, but may I punish them?"
The Elf King has a look on his face that says, "What in the world is this guy talking about? Sidi calls out to him.
They have already rebelled against the king. I have heard that in this village the king's orders are absolute. If they do not obey his orders, they deserve to be defeated.
She quickly came up to me and grabbed the hem of my dress.
"Perhaps magic will not work on Master Linos. You can fight with confidence.