Vol 4 Chapter 51: The Two Leaders

The following day, and the day after that, Shin and his group continued their interactions within the elven village.

Perhaps due to sparring with Grace or playing with Nina and the children, the villagers—both adults and children—began to approach them hesitantly, their curiosity evident.

While fear and suspicion were still visible, they had noticeably softened compared to when Shin and his group first arrived.

“Onee-chan Nina, let’s play!”

“Alice-chan, can you braid my hair?”

Nina energetically ran around with the children, while Alice taught the girls about the latest human fashion trends.

“Tch, can’t be helped! All right, kids, let’s run!”

“Why is it only Nina who gets called Onee-chan? I’m an adult too, you know…”

Though they muttered different complaints, both wore faint, satisfied smiles as they continued interacting with the children.

Meanwhile, Lena spent her time chatting with the adult women, watching her companions and the children from a distance.

“Lena-chan, you’re such a sweet girl.”

“Hey, do you have a boyfriend?”

“That boy in your party—he’s cute, isn’t he? You two look good together.”

“Come on, tell us—what’s the story there?”

The conversation soon turned lively, centering on romance. The women were especially curious about the dynamics within a party with only one male member.

“Um, well, Shin and I aren’t exactly a couple yet… but, maybe someday, I’d like us to… uh, you know, be together…”

“Aww, how innocent and adorable!”

“Don’t worry, Lena-chan, you’re so cute!”

“With your beauty and that figure, any guy would fall for you in no time!”

As Lena stammered, her cheeks flushed red, the women became even more enthusiastic.

“Listen, men—whether they’re humans or elves—are all the same. Make them fall for your charm, and they’ll be yours!”

“That’s how I got my husband!”

“Especially someone as captivating as you, Lena-chan—you’ll have no trouble! Don’t you want to be a mother?”

The bold advice came rapid-fire. Overwhelmed, Lena could only stammer as her imagination took over.

“My charm… hehehe… Shin’s child… me, a mother… ehehe, haha…”

Her face bright red, Lena drifted off into her own world, eyes unfocused as though she were dizzy from a hot bath.

“Humans are… peculiar, aren’t they?”

“Are they all like this…?”

The elves, observing the scene with bewilderment, were left with a strange impression of human behavior.

Meanwhile, Shin, unaware of the gossip surrounding him, found himself surrounded by many adults.

“You’re the human who beat Grace, aren’t you?”

“I’ll avenge her!”

“Let me show you elven swordsmanship!”

As Shirley predicted, one elven warrior after another approached Shin to challenge him. Their eyes gleamed with eagerness as they gripped their wooden swords, requesting duels.

Feeling slightly awkward but remembering his promise to Shirley, Shin took a deep breath and forced himself to appear confident.

“A-All right! I’ll accept your challenge!”

Though nervous about facing several strong-looking elven warriors, Shin felt a certain excitement.

The thought of his victory over Grace filled him with anticipation—how far could he go without support magic? How much had he grown?

The sharp clashing of wooden swords echoed through the village, a lively sound carrying the thrill of battle.

Elsewhere, Kaguya continued teaching cooking techniques, while Fana stayed glued to Shirley’s side as usual.

Although subtle, the elven village was beginning to experience undeniable changes—shifts that were favorable toward humans.

As the days passed, two individuals in particular began to sense this transformation.

One was Shirley, the talented mage and next leader candidate. Walking through the village with Fana, Shirley could feel that the wall elves had built against other races was beginning to thin.

Women running joyfully with kind-hearted human adventurers, children excitedly learning about human fashion.

Women chatting animatedly about love with a young human mage, who was practically a child in their long-lived eyes.

Warriors, though brimming with rivalry, still showing respect as they challenged the human magic swordsman.

Housewives intrigued by the new culinary techniques shared by a maid and listening intently to the details of human food culture.

And then there was the human sage walking beside Shirley, exuding a beauty and allure that rivaled any elf, capturing the envious yet admiring gazes of the elven men.

It was too early to claim complete trust. Truthfully, Shirley was still evaluating Shin and his companions.

And similarly, Shirley was aware of Fana’s gaze, which seemed to be measuring her as well.

At the very least, the sight of the elves slowly opening their hearts to these humans—who could now be called good neighbors—was the very vision Shirley had longed to see.

Interaction with the outside world for their once-secluded village. New techniques and discoveries. This small, yet significant step toward progress for the elves was something Shirley wanted to nurture beyond this single opportunity. For that very reason, she reaffirmed her determination to become the village leader.

The beautiful elf kindled a small yet fervent fire in her heart, renewing her resolve.

Meanwhile, another person was also sensing the changes in the village.

“—Lord Edgar, wh-what is your decision!?”

It was Edgar, the other candidate for the village leadership, who was receiving a report from his subordinate.

Having gathered the conservative faction to oppose Shirley, Edgar listened to the voice with an irritated expression, his eyes narrowing in thought.

The setting was Edgar’s underground chamber. A secluded, dimly lit room devoid of sunlight, with only the faint flicker of flames from a candelabra illuminating the space. There was almost no furniture, save for a small flower pot placed as an afterthought. Several elves had gathered in this somber location to hold a meeting.

“In that case, why not just drive out or eliminate those humans—”

Before the elf man could finish his suggestion, Edgar’s eyes snapped open, glaring at him.

“—Silence. Do not interrupt my thoughts.”

His voice was low and oppressive, carrying an air of authority.

With just that single command, every elf in the dark room straightened their posture and fell silent.

Edgar knew that such a simple solution would be the easiest, but acting recklessly during the process of electing a leader would be a grave mistake.

First, the humans carried a royal letter from Queen Ramielle. Any rash actions against them could spark conflict with humans as a whole.

Furthermore, causing trouble with these innocuous humans would give Shirley, who advocated for interspecies exchange, an excuse to attack him politically.

“—Do not be hasty. Nothing has been decided yet. The true nature of those lowly humans will soon be revealed.”

Despite the setback caused by the recent events, Edgar maintained his composure outwardly, exuding the dignity expected of a leader.

“Grace… it seems you’ve failed.”

“My deepest apologies. It was due to my lack of skill…!”

Edgar’s cold voice targeted Grace, the elven female warrior standing quietly in the corner.

“Well, no matter. I have a task for you. Can you do it?”

“—I will carry it out with my life!”

At Edgar’s question—more accurately, a command—Grace gave a reverent nod.

Edgar, his expression unreadable, stared at her with piercing eyes. His next words, spoken in a low voice just loud enough for Grace to hear, carried a small yet clear directive. Grace, somewhat bewildered and hesitant, responded with, “Y-Yes… I understand.”

After issuing additional instructions to the other attendees, Edgar dismissed the meeting.

Once everyone had silently departed, leaving the room empty, Edgar, still seated, finally let his emotions erupt.

“—Damn it! Those damn humans…!”

His voice, thick with suppressed rage, echoed through the chamber as he slammed his fist on the table with a loud bang.

While his subordinates had been present, he had refrained from giving in to his fury. But now, left alone, Edgar could no longer contain his indignation. The thought of lowly humans strutting around his—what would soon become his—village was an unbearable affront.

“—You seem rather agitated, Edgar.”

A mocking voice echoed through the room as if to sneer at him.

Despite being alone, Edgar responded naturally to the disembodied voice.

“You… here to mock me?”

“Oh, scary, scary. Don’t look so tense. Let’s get along, shall we?”

Edgar’s cold, blade-like tone was met with a frivolous reply from the voice’s owner.

“…Our interests align, don’t they? Let’s help each other out.”

“Humph. …Fine, then. I’ll accept your help. To rid myself of these meddlesome humans and prove that I am the one most suited to lead.”

As he spoke, Edgar’s lips curled into a faint, sinister smile.

“Very well. I’ll grant your request. I’ll make preparations on my end.”

The voice, sounding both childlike and impossibly deep, reverberated through the dark room before vanishing without a farewell. Its owner seemed to have left.

“Humph, untrustworthy fool… but I’ll use whatever tools I can. I’ll prove that I am the one fit to rule the elves—and show that Shirley is no match for me!”

Edgar’s voice, filled with malice and hostility, echoed through the empty chamber.

Elsewhere, the owner of the vanished voice muttered to themselves.

“White Lightning… and the magic swordsman Shin. Do entertain me, won’t you? Fufufu—”