Vol 4. Chapter 43: An Elf With No Other Choice

Two days earlier,

After conducting a series of investigations, our great Elven Prince, Audom, suddenly realized a very serious problem.

Originally, they had been forced to help the Black Rose Family set up an information-blocking barrier around Skyvault. In the end, this had directly resulted in Skyvault being completely isolated and left without reinforcements,

only to be brutally pummeled by the Abyss Demon horde...

This inevitably made Audom suspicious.

As Audom saw it, the Black Rose Family's goal had been to teach that Child of Destiny a lesson and force the Snow Night Empire under his control to stop fighting the Sadik Empire over their respective interests. As for how they intended to teach him that lesson?

It should have been the same way they treated the elves, right? Beat him up, make him behave, and that would be the end of it?

"It should've... just been a beating..."

Audom speculated.

However, reality proved that this Elven Prince had been wildly mistaken.

Skyvault was fucking stormed head-on by an entire horde of Abyss Demons?!

Xue Tianao's forces were practically uprooted in a single day, and Xue Tianao himself had even died during this so-called 'lesson.'

Although Xue Tianao appeared to have died under the assault of the Abyss Demon horde, Audom remained firmly convinced that the Black Rose Family absolutely had something to do with it!

Later, while helping the Black Rose Family construct their garden, Audom happened to notice that something seemed wrong with the pink-haired girl playing around the camp...

He could faintly sense a certain amount of Shadow of Silence Power emanating from her!!

And the aura of that Shadow of Silence Power was almost identical to that of the Demon King-class existence that had attacked Skyvault from the air!

The moment Audom realized this, the suspicions in his heart were immediately confirmed.

"Those Black Rose bastards really were the culprits!! Those animals... th-they actually joined forces with the Abyss Demons?!"

While feeling terrified and shocked,

Audom also strangely felt a trace of relief...

After all,

compared to how they had treated the Snow Night Empire, the Black Rose Family could be considered extremely 'friendly' toward the elves.

At the same time, Audom couldn't help wondering why, despite their repeated attempts to resist the Black Rose Family, their entire race still hadn't been exterminated...

In fact, hardly any elves had even died...

Of course,

setting those complicated emotions aside,

the question that troubled Audom most was whether he should tell the other human powers about his conclusions.

Although Audom didn't particularly like those people either, when it came to fighting the Abyss Demons, they could at least be considered allies.

But if he exposed the Black Rose Family's collusion with the Abyss Demons?

What would happen to the elves?

Would they suffer retaliation from the Black Rose Family?

If the Black Rose Family used the same ruthlessness against the elves that they had used against Xue Tianao, then their ancient race might genuinely become nothing more than a part of the continent's history.

However,

just as Audom was struggling with this dilemma, Xiao unexpectedly visited the elven camp.

Although Audom did everything in his power to control his emotions while receiving this ancestor-level figure,

the unexpected, unsurprisingly, still happened.

Xiao ultimately noticed Audom's nervous state and strange gaze.

After probing him with just a few questions, the fact that Audom had discovered the 'truth' was exposed to the Black Rose Duke.

However,

contrary to Audom's expectations, Xiao had no intention of killing him to silence him.

Instead, Xiao took an amused sip of tea, calmly tied Audom to a chair, and began having a friendly conversation with him.

Xiao even nodded without the slightest concern, confirming Audom's suspicions.

"Yes, we are indeed connected to the Abyss Demons."

"What?! You!"

The moment his suspicions were confirmed, Audom couldn't help gritting his teeth. He even became so agitated that, completely unlike his usual self, he roared:

"You bastards?! Bullying us all the time was bad enough, but you can even do something this utterly unconscionable?! If the other powers find out about this, they'll never let you get away with it!! Joining forces with the Abyss Demons—have you lost your minds?!"

"Hehe, Your Highness needn't trouble yourself worrying about that. We're doing perfectly well. On the contrary, Your Highness seems to be getting a little incoherent right now, doesn't he? Surely you don't actually think that, in your current situation, you'll be able to tell anyone about this?"

"You! Y-you... So you really are going to kill me to silence me?"

"Hahaha, I was only joking with you. Our Black Rose Family has always loved peace. Fighting and killing aren't really our thing. We won't kill you."

"You won't kill me? Aren't you afraid I'll tell everyone?"

"It doesn't matter~"

"What?!"

Xiao's utterly unconcerned response startled Audom, filling his emerald-green eyes with doubt.

In response, Xiao casually shook his head before rising and approaching the Elven Prince with a meaningful look.

"If you tell them, will anyone believe you?"

"You... What do you mean?"

"It's very simple. All you have is your own word. Why should anyone believe you? Compared to the elves, our Black Rose Family has a much better reputation in the human world. ...Come to think of it, as an old friend of the elves, I should probably remind you of something. If you tell everyone about this, whether they suspect our Black Rose Family or not is one thing, but they'll definitely believe that you elves deliberately erected the barrier to cut off communications between Skyvault and the outside world. After all, the fact that your people constructed the barrier is indisputable, isn't it? If we don't help you keep that hidden~"

As he spoke,

Xiao very considerately patted Audom on the shoulder.

"They'll think that you elves are the traitors who joined forces with the Abyss Demons."

"I-It was obviously you!"

"Do you have any evidence? Other than that mouth of yours? Besides... what would you gain from exposing this? In the eyes of the continent's other powers, our Black Rose Family and the elves have always had an extremely 'good' relationship. If they decide that we've joined forces with the Abyss Demons, do you really think the elves will be able to stay out of it? So... from the moment you 'helped' us construct that barrier, we became partners aboard the same ship. Let's get along nicely from now on, partner~"

With a teasing smile, Xiao gently patted Audom on the head.

"Besides, don't worry. I'll prove it to you. Abyss Demons... aren't nearly as savage as you imagine."

"..."

Audom fell into an eerie silence at Xiao's words.

Xiao remained unconcerned and simply continued speaking.

"Ah, right. There's another reason I came to see you this time."

"Hm?"

Hearing this, Audom weakly raised his head and met Xiao's dark, unfathomable eyes.

"What reason?"

"I'm taking you to meet someone."

"Meet someone?"

Audom frowned at that answer.

"But you look like... you don't actually want me to meet them?"

"Hehe."

Hearing Audom's words, Xiao froze slightly, then raised a hand and rubbed his temple somewhat self-mockingly. He made no attempt to deny Audom's question.

"That's right. I don't want you to come."

"Th-Then why?"

"It's simple. Lady Yumo has invited you so many times already, hasn't she? If you still refuse to come, Lady Yumo will be unhappy."

As he spoke, Xiao revealed an exceptionally friendly smile.

"So, to put Lady Yumo in a better mood~ Come along, Your Highness Prince Audom. Come on, give me a smile~"

Although his words were gentle,

they carried a terrifying pressure that brooked no refusal.

Audom couldn't help taking a deep breath. On the verge of tears, he barely managed to squeeze out a smile that looked even uglier than crying...

Seeing this, Xiao nodded in considerable satisfaction.

"But before we go, I'll tell you a few important things first. Make sure you remember them~"

"C-Can I... not remember them?"

"What do you think?"

Xiao smiled faintly.

The five Nightingale members behind Audom immediately sent a little warmth toward the chill running down his spine, as five guns were promptly pressed against Audom's head...

Audom: (ó﹏ò。)

--

Back to the present, in the central area of the garden within the Black Rose Family's camp,

Although he was unwilling in every possible sense and wanted absolutely nothing to do with that 'terrifying' woman, with several guns practically held to his neck, Audom's attempt to maintain some backbone ultimately ended with him resigning himself to his fate and agreeing to Xiao's request.

Thus, accompanied by several attendants whose mental fortitude was at least reasonably good, he arrived at the garden.

Inside the garden, Lady Yumo had already been waiting for quite some time.

Yumo had always had a rather favorable impression of these long-eared elves. After all, this race's naturally 'helpful' disposition was extremely endearing, and recently they had provided quite a bit of assistance to Xiao and the other children.

Yumo really wanted to find an opportunity to properly thank such a friendly race~

However,

whenever Yumo had invited the elves before, they had politely declined.

At one point, this even made Lady Yumo wonder whether they disliked her a little.

Fortunately,

Xiao had told her that the elves simply needed some time to recover from the previous Battle of Skyvault, which was why they had declined her invitations.

That made Yumo feel somewhat better.

Mama Yumo had even worried that perhaps she hadn't behaved properly when she previously met the Elven Prince Audom, causing him to form a bad impression of the Black Rose Family.

Yumo had never wanted her own behavior to negatively affect her children.

Therefore,

when Yumo learned that the elves were coming to visit this time, she had specifically called Saiboke over to help her carefully dress herself up.

She absolutely couldn't allow the Black Rose Family to be disgraced because of her behavior.

And so, Yumo finished preparing herself and waited to welcome the Elven Prince.

However,

the moment Lady Yumo saw Audom, the girl's brows unconsciously furrowed.

??

Hm?

"Why... does something feel strange?"

At this moment, the Elven Prince had completely lost the spirited vigor he possessed when they first met.

Although his appearance and clothing remained flawlessly impeccable, the most crucial part of him—his eyes, the windows to his soul—had lost all their vitality, becoming deathly still...

They could even be described as hollow.

He seemed to have completely emptied his mind, leaving Lady Yumo utterly confused.

"Your Highness... A-Are you all right?"

Yumo couldn't help asking.

"I... I'm fine."

Audom replied with an exceptionally hollow smile, occasionally glancing from the corner of his eye toward the black-haired man standing beside him with an arm slung intimately around his shoulders.

When Audom met the black-haired man's deep, unfathomable eyes, he couldn't help swallowing hard.

The man's gaze was incomparably friendly,

yet it filled the Elven Prince with terror.

Vaguely, a voice seemed to echo inside his mind.

-'I'm sure you know what you should say... and what you shouldn't, right?'-

Taking a deep breath, Audom awkwardly waved his hand at the silver-haired girl before him.

"I'm great. Couldn't possibly be better..."