Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 16 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

Pearly white clouds hung over the northern mountain range, but the sun still shone through, lighting up the forest treetops. A warm breeze rustled the leaves, and a brook murmured nearby. This abundance of nature—at times kind, at times harsh—greeted whoever stepped onto this land, but whether nature was peaceful was a matter of luck.

That was a scene from the past, however. Now, barrier pillars stood on both sides of the paved road to protect travelers from monster attacks.

It’s been a while since I’ve been here, but this area really has changed.

The feeling of returning home filled Dilphina’s heart, and she smiled self-deprecatingly. She felt a twinge of sorrow as she recalled the scenery from her memories. This road led from the city of Sirius, which was still under development, to the center of the Wortenia Peninsula and all the way to her village. She’d just passed by a horse-drawn carriage on its way to Sirius a short while ago.

It wasn’t too long ago when she had to walk through these woods with the utmost of caution. Monsters could pounce out of any bush, after all. Things were different now, though. The roads weren’t absolutely safe, but the barrier pillars did make them more secure. She felt safe enough to look around and relish in the memories of what this area used to look like.

I used to hate this cursed land so much, but now I feel almost sad to see it changed. It’s strange how emotions work.

Dilphina never would’ve imagined this scenery a few years ago. One’s homeland held a special place in their heart, and Dilphina’s people, who’d lived in this inhospitable land for years to avoid humans, were no exception to that rule.

I think the others with me feel the same way.

Dilphina glanced at her comrades, who were following behind her. Perhaps sensing her gaze, the vice commander of her unit, Eustia, looked at her questioningly.

“Is anything the matter?” she asked.

Table of Contents

Cover

Color Illustrations

Prologue

Chapter 1: Invisible Malice

Chapter 2: Of Kings and Overlords

Chapter 3: The Feast Begins

Chapter 4: A Deadly Trap

Epilogue

Afterword

Bonus Textless Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

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Dilphina nodded softly, looked around for a moment, and shrugged. “I was just thinking how strange it was. We were only gone for a few months, but this place has changed a lot. I couldn’t help but feel amused by how emotional I’ve become.”

Dilphina was confused by the impulse surging in her heart, but she realized that was how she truly felt.

None of my memories here are good ones, but...

The dark elf clan led by Nelcius, Dilphina’s father, lost to the humans in the holy war some four centuries ago. After that, Nelcius’s clan along with the others were driven to this peninsula, and since then, they knew nothing but trials and tribulations.

Dilphina and her generation weren’t yet born at that time, so they didn’t have to face the hardships that led their clan to this blasted land, but Nelcius and the elders told them of their misery so many times that they’d grown tired of hearing of it. Besides, living in Wortenia meant one would inevitably part with those dear to them, and Dilphina wasn’t the only one who’d experienced that pain.

Eustia is 221 years old, and Isolde, the youngest of us, is serving as the rear guard. If I recall, she’s turning 189 this year? I suppose that’s old enough.

The average age among members of Dilphina’s unit was two hundred. To humans, they were staggeringly old, but to elves, they were still immature young women. An elf’s life span was ten times that of a human, so the very perception of age was different between the two races.

It took decades for an elf to grow to physical maturity, and for a millennium after that, they resembled a human in their twenties. They only started looking like elderly humans when their life span was about to run out. While there was no comparing a dark elf’s age to a human’s, a two-hundred-year-old elf was akin to a twenty-year-old human.

All members of Dilphina’s unit, Dilphina included, had gone through the coming-of-age ritual, but most of the adults didn’t consider them adults yet. They weren’t children, but they still lacked maturity. That assessment wasn’t meant to offend them, though. As a matter of fact, when it came to their mental ages, they weren’t quite adults yet. They were still too young to understand the transience and hardships of life.

But that was good enough for now. A century had passed since the youngest of them, Isolde, came into her own, and in that time, they’d all lived in the Wortenia Peninsula, among the terrible monsters of terrifying size and strength. It was a difficult way to survive—practically a living hell.

We hardly have any fond memories to speak of.

The best memories Dilphina could remember were learning the spear from her father and hunting for food. She mastered the spear so she could survive and hunted down prey so she could put food on the table. Such an existence was by no means fun or pleasant.

All I can remember is...battling monsters.

Monsters were a constant threat to those living in the Wortenia Peninsula. The dark elves protected their village with their advanced thaumaturgy, producing a multilayered defensive barrier. They created it using skills unique to dark elves, so it was more powerful than anything the humans could produce. Thanks to that, the dark elves were able to live deep within the peninsula while evading pursuit from the humans.

Still, their barrier was far from perfect. It was strong, but it couldn’t fully protect the village from the mightiest, most colossal of monsters. Every decade or so, a phenomenon called a stampede took place, when monsters across the peninsula were overtaken by bloodlust. In fact, during one such stampede, Dilphina saw her mother die before her very eyes.

On top of that, the dark elves’ diet consisted mostly of meat. They had tried their hand at agriculture, but given the living conditions in Wortenia, there was only so much land they could cultivate. Therefore, hunting became their main source of gathering food. However, factors such as environment and the time of year inevitably influenced their hunting activities, and because of that, many of Dilphina’s friends had succumbed to illness and hunger. The memories of their demise were burned into Dilphina’s mind.

But even though the Wortenia Peninsula invoked those memories, Dilphina still saw it as home.

If he knew of this homesickness, he would surely laugh at me. He might even say he’s envious of me.

Smiling bitterly, she recalled the teasing smile of the young man who might someday rule over all the demi-humans in Wortenia. He was also a victim of human malice; he’d been taken from his homeland by force. He hadn’t mentioned the emotions in his heart yet, and perhaps not even the dark-skinned twins who always followed him like shadows knew the true extent of how he felt.

I do think we’ve learned to be frank with him by now, though.

In the past, Dilphina had been somewhat distant and reserved with him because of their difference in race, and her time spent as the pirates’ captive had merely increased her dislike of humans. But, maybe because he understood how she felt, Ryoma had moderately yet persistently continued to engage her in friendly conversation. Thanks to that, she’d grown much more accustomed to his presence.

It didn’t just end there either. Dilphina and Ryoma were in the midst of forming a close relationship, at least as friends, if not something more. At times, they shared a table, and in some cases, they even shared the bedroom. The latter wasn’t in any way sexual; she merely served as his bodyguard.

I do think he trusts me. He wouldn’t keep me nearby if he didn’t. But maybe I should be more assertive.

Ryoma’s willingness to let her guard his bedroom meant that he accepted and relied on her. People had to sleep, and they were defenseless when they did, so he must have trusted those he relied on to keep him safe.

Dilphina had no qualms with the fact that he trusted her like this. She was a demi-human, so Baron Mikoshiba was putting his reputation on the line by associating with her. The Church of Meneos had little influence in the continent’s east, but there was still a great deal of prejudice toward demi-humans.

That was why, even when his forces assaulted an O’ltormean transport convoy in the Xaroodian mountains, Dilphina had kept her hood on and made sure to slay all the soldiers she fought. Plus, a mysterious, unknown figure slaying the enemy gave her a sense of mysticism.

But the main reason I did that was to hide the Mikoshiba barony’s association with demi-humans in general, and with my clan in particular.

Because of this, Dilphina and her forces—known as the Black Serpent unit—were mostly tasked with guarding Ryoma. As his guards, they were regarded as elites, and they were expected to always be ready for combat. Even during times of peace, they were to be fully armed and armored at all times, which meant they always wore helmets hiding their facial features.

Even during the recent siege of Epirus, the Black Serpents had worked alongside the Igasaki ninjas to sweep the interior of the castle. They weren’t fighting on the forefront like the usual soldiers, where they could gain merit and glory in battle, but instead were working behind the scenes as special forces.

A day will come when our alliance will be made public, I’m sure, but...

Dark elves had exceptional physical prowess, and they were skilled at chanting verbal thaumaturgy. If a dark elf were to seriously duel either Robert or Signus, they would certainly put up a good fight even against such exemplary human warriors. Ryoma’s resources were far too limited to not use the elves’ strength, but it didn’t change the fact that there was little for them to do right now.

Dilphina and her subordinates were exceedingly powerful in one-on-one fights. They could mask their presence and stealthily hunt down their prey in the dark woods. With that in mind, Dilphina and her subordinates seemed most suited to infiltrating the enemy, but the battlefield was a different story.

The Black Serpents had only twenty or so members. In Ryoma Mikoshiba’s military organization, each platoon was made up of a group of five soldiers, and ten platoons formed a company. The Black Serpents were just four platoons, so they were an exceedingly small force. If they wanted to influence and overturn battles, they would need to have at least one hundred members.

Furthermore, while they had plenty of combat experience, it was mostly from battling monsters. The only experience they had with other humanoids was fighting the pirates that once hid away in the Wortenia Peninsula.

Expecting the Black Serpents to fight in accordance with another species’s military conventions was asking too much. Much like dropping a wrench into a machine, forcing the elves to adopt human organization and tactics could cause problems and malfunctions. Nevertheless, fighting without gaining any merit for it didn’t sit well with Dilphina and the Black Serpents. It went against their honor and dignity. Thus, the situation they were currently in was Ryoma’s attempt at a compromise.

We still want more chances to earn additional achievements in battle.

Dilphina didn’t fault Ryoma for their current situation. Trying to force the demi-humans to work with humans could completely destroy their tentative peace. Considering the racial differences and history between the humans and the elves, it made sense that Ryoma was being cautious.

The problem with being Ryoma’s guards was that so long as Ryoma wasn’t attacked, they had no chance to make a name for themselves. Plus, covert missions like attacking Epirus were often spearheaded by the Igasaki ninjas. Dilphina was one of the strongest in her clan, second only to her father the chief, and to her, the current situation felt terribly ambiguous

When all is said and done, the immediate problems are...

Dilphina was dissatisfied with the current situation, but she recognized the advantages of it as well. Being Ryoma’s guard meant she had to remain close to him, which made it easier to build trust with him. If nothing else, she was gradually building up merit with him. Nonetheless, it fulfilled only half of the task Nelcius had given her.

At first, I suspected he wasn’t attracted to women, but according to Sir Boltz and Mike, that’s not the case.

Being a demi-human had many advantages, but it also had its share of flaws. The fact that a human led the Mikoshiba barony was one of those flaws. The events of the past still affected the demi-humans’ relationship with mankind, even four centuries later. Considering Nelcius’s position, giving his daughter to Ryoma would significantly solidify the dark elves’ standing, and the easiest way to do that would be through marriage. However, Nelcius’s plan wasn’t bearing any fruit yet.

A child between me and that man? Not to spoil father’s plan, but even if that were to happen, it would be years down the line.

Dilphina had tried to appeal to Ryoma in all sorts of ways, but it was to no avail, and it just left her feeling very weary. It hurt her womanly pride to an extent, but knowing that she wasn’t the only woman Ryoma was shunning did help abate it.

Since she’d spent her life in the village within the forest, Dilphina hadn’t needed to exhibit much feminine charm so far. This wasn’t a comment on her appearance, of course, but prior to this she hadn’t really been aware of her sexuality as a woman. That wasn’t to say she stubbornly dismissed men and thought women were superior. She just didn’t feel the need to prove herself better than the opposite gender. She always acted true to herself, never forcing herself to prove anything.

Still, Dilphina was considered curt and frigid, as if a wall around her heart was pushing others away. Plus, being the chief’s daughter and second only to him in strength greatly influenced the way those around her viewed her. The men of her clan never treated her much like a woman; they merely saw her as a warrior. From their perspective, Dilphina was a dear friend, a dependable comrade, and a reliable leader, but they were hardly aware of her as a member of the opposite sex.

Dilphina thought things were fine this way because she’d made an oath in her heart to one day follow in her father’s footsteps and become chief. But she knew that a different emotion, one which she’d never felt before, was beginning to grow in her heart. She was surprised to realize that even though Ryoma was one of the humans she was supposed to hate, she respected him and felt a sense of friendship toward him. Even she noticed that an emotion beyond duty was budding in her heart.

It’s funny. I never thought I’d harbor such emotions.

Despite claiming that she’d given up on those prospects, some part of her still sought a woman’s happiness, so when her father told her to pursue Ryoma, she’d accepted his order without complaint.

There’s no need to rush. Whenever he seeks my company in bed, I’ll be ready to accept him. Although, I probably shouldn’t do anything to earn the twins’ ire.

Plenty of women sought Ryoma’s masculine attention, the first being the Malfist sisters, but Sakuya of the Igasaki clan and Simone of the Christof Company were also attracted to him. Dilphina was also wary of Lione and Lady Yulia Salzberg too.

Thankfully, none of them were too possessive, nor did they seem the type to be jealous. That didn’t mean they’d let a woman get a leg up on them, though. They could accept not being his one and only, but they wouldn’t tolerate being secondary to another woman.

Besides, neither Dilphina nor any of the Black Serpents could simply become Ryoma’s wife. Or rather, they couldn’t possibly be his legal spouse. In noble society, marriage was a means of tying two clans together. So compared to the twins, who had no family, and Simone, who was just a commoner, Dilphina theoretically had more of a chance. Sadly, the divide between demi-humans and humans got in the way of that.

Ryoma trusted them enough to charge them with his security, and for the time being, Dilphina ought to be satisfied with that. After all, she wasn’t the only one pursuing Ryoma’s affections. If Ryoma were to oblige, she’d gladly give herself to him, but it wouldn’t be wise for her to be too assertive.

Thinking of a future with Ryoma made Dilphina flush with shame.

It all started on that day, when I first met him.

Dilphina met Ryoma for the first time back when the Wortenia Peninsula was still overrun by pirates. Dilphina had allowed the pirates to capture her so the village’s younglings could escape, and during her imprisonment, she resigned herself to her fate and gave up.

Life for a slave was difficult enough as it was, and their master could do whatever they pleased. The one freedom a slave had was the freedom to end their own life, but even that could be taken away with a thaumaturgical seal.

What was worse, Dilphina was a demi-human. Dark elves were thought of as living jewels. Since they were born with larger prana reserves than a human, they aged slower and lived longer, but this precious, envious gift was a curse when they became slaves. A long life only had value when one was free, and a longer life span just prolonged a slave’s suffering.

But meeting Ryoma Mikoshiba had changed Dilphina’s fate. He hunted down the pirates and became sovereign of the Wortenia Peninsula.

How many months have passed since then? Dilphina pondered as she looked up at the clouds sailing overhead. We helped the Igasaki clan in the Battle of Epirus, but that didn’t match the glory we would’ve gotten on the battlefield, and it’s hard to say if we did more than Gennou and his subordinates did.

The flagstone road they were following opened up as they emerged into a clearing. Looking ahead, they saw a village protected by a wooden fence and a moat. This was their home, Nelcius’s village.

There’s still much to consider, but for now, we just need to focus on the tasks he gives us. And this is the perfect chance to make ourselves seem more valuable to him. We must succeed.

Dilphina took a deep breath and then exhaled. Shrugging off the emotions bubbling up in her, she looked up to the sky, her heart full of resolve.

♱

Seeing that his beloved daughter had returned to the village alive and well, Nelcius welcomed Dilphina into his room with a bright smile. Not even the savage warrior known as the Mad Demon could keep from smiling in this situation.

“You’re back,” he said as he rose from his chair and moved to a sofa in the corner of the room.

This was Nelcius’s office, in his home near the center of the village. Though it was the chief’s residence, it was a fairly plain home. It had two stories, but the only rooms besides the living room were his office and his bedroom.

Considering the dark elves’ living conditions, a house that large was more than enough. They spent their days trying to forage just enough to live by, and they had little in the way of luxuries and entertainment. Homes were merely shelter from the elements, so having something like a kitchen was considered extravagant.

“Take a seat,” Nelcius said as he sat on the sofa. He gazed fixedly at her as she took a seat opposite him. Their eyes remained locked for an indeterminate amount of time, until Nelcius added, “It’s been a while since you’ve been here. I’m glad you’re doing well.”

Dilphina nodded. “I’m glad you seem to be doing fine too, father.”

“Yes, every day has been so busy that I could hardly catch a breath, but I’ve managed, somehow...”

“I walked here from Sirius, and I noticed the land has changed a bit while I was away.”

“Lord Boltz has been moving things along. Thanks to the road, delivering to Sirius is much easier than it used to be. But that aside, I’ve heard you distinguished yourself during the siege of Epirus. It’s a good thing I sent you over, then.”

“Distinguished myself?” Dilphina muttered, her expression clouding over with confusion and doubt.

She knew her father wouldn’t be upset about her contributions, but she certainly didn’t feel like she and her troops had done anything to merit praise either.

“No need to look so surprised,” Nelcius continued. “True, you didn’t turn the tides of battle, so I can understand how you feel, but with the position we’re in, it would not have been wise to make a show of yourself now. Letting demi-humans act in the open would not be good for Lord Mikoshiba at present.”

Nelcius rose from the sofa, walked over to his desk, and withdrew a letter from a drawer. “I have much to discuss with you, my dear, but this comes first.” He then handed the letter to Dilphina. “It’s from Lord Mikoshiba, delivered by Lord Boltz the other day. It details his deep gratitude for your assistance and exploits. He then apologizes that, given the situation, he cannot adequately reward you for your achievements.”

“I see,” Dilphina replied, nodding briefly as she scanned the letter.

There was no doubt that Wortenia’s demi-humans were in a cooperative relationship with Ryoma Mikoshiba, who was expanding his influence from his base at Epirus, but it wasn’t one of subordination. Yes, Dilphina acknowledged and respected Ryoma as her lord, but those were simply her personal feelings. Broadly speaking, Nelcius had sent Dilphina and her subordinates to help Ryoma, and they functioned similarly to mercenaries or guest generals in Ryoma’s ranks. In modern society, they were like temporary employees in a company, though the lack of legal regulations meant that their positions were even less stable than that. Perhaps that was what prompted Ryoma to send this letter.

“He’s apologized directly to us, as well,” Dilphina said.

He’d done so shortly after the attack on Epirus was concluded. Dilphina could still remember his apology as he handed them a large sum of gold coins as their reward.

“He said he’d be more accommodating when trading with Sirius, and that’s after he’s already been so generous with us in the past.”

Nelcius smiled sardonically, but the next moment, his expression darkened. Normally, one would be happy to hear that their business partner would be more accommodating, but it seemed Nelcius wasn’t unconditionally pleased with this. Dilphina could infer what her father was feeling from his expression.

“This probably goes without saying,” Nelcius began, “but Lord Mikoshiba has shown no ill will toward us and has proven to be a lavish ally. So long as we keep our end of the deal, he will always repay us fairly and accordingly. We couldn’t ask for a better business partner...” Nelcius trailed off, but then he sighed and continued. “But we shouldn’t take that for granted, nor should we make light of Lord Mikoshiba. If we become impudent, he will surely cut ties with us.”

This was Nelcius’s true fear. He had no qualms or complaints with Ryoma himself, but conversely, he had a deep fear of him. Ryoma’s ability as a ruler and statesman went far beyond Nelcius’s.

As a warrior, Nelcius had never once thought of Ryoma as an unbeatable opponent. He realized that Ryoma was skilled and that mankind’s capacity for growth matched the dark elves’ longevity. Nelcius wouldn’t underestimate a human because they were short-lived, but he didn’t at all think he was inferior to Ryoma as a warrior.

But when it comes to our capacity as rulers...

In the four hundred years that passed since his defeat in the holy war, Nelcius had served as the clan’s chief in this cursed land. It wasn’t an easy path to follow for the warrior called the Mad Demon, but despite the difficulties, he’d competently lead his clan. In addition, he proved to be good at politics. But Nelcius still had to invest his every effort into protecting his clan from extinction. He couldn’t offer his people the bright future that seemed promised to them now.

Trading with Sirius improved the living conditions of all the demi-human clans in the peninsula. The clans no longer needed to fear starvation, and they could obtain luxuries like cigarettes and alcohol. On the other hand, Nelcius couldn’t confidently say he was Ryoma’s match as a ruler. When he couldn’t even lie to himself and claim that he was Ryoma’s equal or superior, it was obvious who was the more capable leader.

He must have known that, Nelcius thought. And despite that, he’s being considerate of me. He’s probably doing it because of our suspicion of humans. 

On the surface, the Mikoshiba barony and Nelcius’s village were equal allies, but Ryoma seemed to be doing Nelcius favors at every turn, as if to demonstrate that Nelcius’s side somehow had the upper hand. But this wasn’t to say Ryoma feared Nelcius in any way. Sometimes he would back down and give Nelcius what he wanted, while other times he’d be stubborn and unyielding. This constant change of rhythm proved that negotiations were more akin to a river’s ebb and flow than a straight line. Their negotiations were like a battle of words between two masterful warriors.

“I’m sure you know this, father, but that man isn’t naive enough to only ever give us the carrot without occasionally applying the stick,” Dilphina said.

The letter praised Dilphina and the Black Serpents for their hard work while also praising the quality of the equipment Nelcius and the dark elves had produced for them. He thanked Nelcius for the cooperation, but the problem was what he wrote after that.

“You’re right, Dilphina. Lord Mikoshiba is generous with his rewards, but in exchange, he makes taxing demands. With this request, maintaining both numbers and quality in such a short amount of time might be difficult.”

Nelcius punctuated his words with a sigh. He looked like the president of a company stressed out by a large client’s unreasonable demand.

“I understand. I was only sent back here this time because I’m in charge of the security and transportation of this delivery,” Dilphina replied, directing a questioning gaze at her father. “How are the preparations for the articles in question going?”

Nelcius may have looked a little exhausted, but he didn’t seem discouraged. And when Dilphina walked here from the village gate, the villagers were working as they usually did. Still, she had to be sure. If even one of the articles Ryoma asked for was missing, it could place the Mikoshiba barony in quite the predicament.

“For the Evening Dew Mushrooms and Moonlight Herbs, we picked the finest ones we’ve cultivated in the village,” Nelcius said casually. “I doubt humans could find any with this quality. And our artisans have completed the utensils to which we’ll apply the thaumaturgy.”

If any guild officials were to hear what Nelcius just said, they would lunge at him in a frenzy. Evening Dew Mushrooms and Moonlight Herbs were ingredients for a healing nostrum, but they had other uses too, including being powerful antidotes. Due to their high demand, there weren’t many of them circulating in the market.

In addition, the plants were difficult to cultivate artificially. They only grew naturally, but the environments that could accommodate them were limited. For that reason, they were highly sought after by the guild and could be sold for steep prices. The difficulty was that when grown naturally, their quality and quantity were inconsistent. This was one reason nostrums were so expensive and only available to the wealthy. If one could reliably cultivate them, however, things would change, and nostrums could be produced all over the continent.

As for the utensils, they were each specially produced and inscribed with a thaumaturgical seal. They were high-class items worth their weight in gold, and normally, one couldn’t gather so many of them even with lots of money.

In that regard, it was clear that Nelcius’s delivery had a major influence on the Mikoshiba barony’s prospects and future. But what Dilphina said wasn’t about the Evening Dew Mushrooms or the Moonlight Herbs. She wasn’t concerned about them to begin with, and Nelcius had already sent her a letter telling her they were ready for transport. It would have been odd if he hadn’t gathered those materials at this point.

The problem lay with another product.

“Right. And what about the main issue?” Dilphina asked.

Sensing what his daughter was getting at from her intonation, Nelcius sighed. “To humans, all demi-humans look the same. I’m sure Lord Mikoshiba thinks negotiating with the other clans is easy for us, but our culture and values are different from theirs. Yes, we all fought together against the humans during the holy war, but since then, contact between us and them has been severed.”

In all honesty, Ryoma had given them a problematic task, but they couldn’t just give up and say it was impossible. The preferential treatment Ryoma had shown them in their negotiations up to now made them feel indebted to him. So even when the other demi-humans had wanted to cut off the negotiations, Nelcius had refused to back down. And those efforts were eventually rewarded.

“The negotiations were hard,” Nelcius explained, “but we were able to get what we wanted in exchange for the tobacco and tea leaves Lady Simone prepared for us. For the time being, we’ve drained them of blood and stored them in freezing temperatures, as instructed.”

“Then that means everything is in place...” Dilphina confirmed.

“Yes. All that remains is to deliver it to the royal capital.”

“Understood. We don’t have much time, so I’ll confirm it was loaded properly and leave first thing tomorrow morning. I still have to pick up the rest of the goods from Alejandro in Sirius.”

With that, Dilphina rose from the sofa, resolved to return to her beloved lord’s side as soon as possible.