VIP Early Access
Eksklusif untuk member VIP
Password Protected
Chapter ini dikunci dengan kode khusus
Chapter 7: Mayor
ANTELISE Antik, the female Elf who served as mayor of Dragontan, was at the end of her rope as she sat at her desk covered in unorganized piles of parchment and liquor bottles.
“I can’t take it ANYMOOOOOOOOORE! I don’t WANNAAAAAAAAAAAA work!”
Antelise leaned back in her chair as she shouted her complaint and slammed her hand down on her desk in protest of her workload. Her wavy blonde hair and voluptuous breasts violently shook with the movement. She threw a childish tantrum despite being well into adulthood. This wasn’t a look fit for a mayor.
“I mean, why the Saints do I have to work this much?! And here I thought I’d finally gotten myself some freedom after getting out of El-Nah’s draconian forest! I thought I’d finally strike gold and get myself a handsome husband who’s so in love with me, I’d never have to work another day in my life! I thought I’d raise a family while living it up all lovey-dovey! GO UP IN FLAMES WORLD! AND TAKE ALL THEM DAMN COUPLES WITH YOU! RIGHT NOW!”
Wе bn о̆ṽ е̂l̆ Е n ũḿ а
She glared at the paperwork with dark bags under her eyes as she griped. She ran her hand over the desk until it bumped into a bottle, which she snatched up and downed in one go. Anyone could tell she was in a foul mood and that she hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.
But who could blame her for letting off some steam?
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The array of circumstances bearing down on Dragontan, especially concerning the abnormal Barbarians attacking the town and the various procedures and sanctions accompanying it, had succeeded in wearing her mental fortitude down to its limits. As if she didn’t already have enough on her table, she was notified by the capital about a new nation. This news was particularly troubling.
Mynoghra, the Empire of Ruin.
When she was informed that Phon’kaven had become allies with this nation said to be ruled by an evil god, she thought someone was yanking her chain. It sounded like the kind of stuff the boys in the office would take from some cheap novel.
But the moment she realized the information coming from Staff Holders Pepe and Tonukapoli was the cold, hard truth rather than a bad joke, her brain, which was so smart it’d gotten her appointed as mayor, instantly calculated the amount of pressure and work about to be thrown onto her and despaired.
Еǹ u m̂ ā
There was no denying that Dragontan’s lacking defenses was of urgent concern to Antelise. She’d taken every possible measure to protect the town, sometimes even getting her hands dirty. Although she hailed from the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, she’d lived in Phon’kaven long enough to consider it her second home. She had plenty of friends and attachments there.
She intended to do whatever it took to protect this country and town, and she understood she needed to be broad-minded enough to associate with various races and types of people to be a leader. However, she never expected the Staff Holders, the highest decision-makers in the country, to join hands with the forces of darkness. Nor did she expect those evil forces to move in a stone’s throw away from her town.
“If that wasn’t bad enough, they’re telling me to work with the forces of darkness to defend Dragontan?! Whaaaaat the Saints?! Are they sane?! Am I supposed to invite them over for a friendly chat? I mean, what do the forces of darkness even eat?! Can I serve them tea and cookies? They’d better not ask for Human liver and blood!”
If they had allied with another nation, such as the Holy Kingdom of Qualia or the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, Antelise would have been calmer about their decision. The forces of good may be inflexible and discriminatory, but at least they could still see eye to eye on some things.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
But she’d never seen or heard of a nation run by the forces of darkness. She did actually read about it once in some book recording something that had happened hundreds of thousands of years ago. It didn’t even have as much merit as a fairy tale at that age.
Being mayor was by no means an unimportant position. There was no way to tell the impact Antelise’s mistakes might have on negotiations with their new allies. This wasn’t the kind of situation where they could make up for mistakes by firing her and apologizing. Worst-case scenario, her actions may lead to a war between nations.
Е̌ núm̀а̌ . і d
Antelise wanted nothing to do with some farce that’d lead to people’s deaths just because she served the wrong tea cakes. She was desperately trying to gather more information, but she was left without a clue as Staff Holder Tonukapoli promptly returned to Crescent Moon, and Staff Holder Pepe was meandering wherever he wanted without getting caught by her.
This impasse was causing her to steadily increase the amount of liquor she was tossing back. She used to drink in secret while at work, but now she was brazenly taking swigs at her desk. There wasn’t a single person in town hall who’d call her out for it.
“Excuse me, Mayor Antik—”
“What?! You gotta problem, buddy?!”
Someone had dared speak to Antelise while she was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. Pushed over the edge by his interruption, she slammed her liquor bottle on the desk and shouted at him. When she looked up and saw the wide-eyed look on the wolf Beastman guard’s face, she hastily tried to gloss over her outburst.
“E-Ehehehe. Sorry for shouting. Do you need something?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Some people would like a meeting with you.”
“Huh? Who could that be? Do they have an appointment?”
“Doesn’t seem like it.”
“Too bad then. Send them away. My time is more valuable than gold dust. Make sure to tell them not to bother me again unless they want to die.”
The mask she’d donned to look more professional slid right off. She stood by the insistence no meeting should waste her time when she was already under so much stress. Dragontan was in a state of emergency, and Antelise was the most important person working at the forefront of the problem.
It’d be one thing if things were normal, but she didn’t have the time to spare on insignificant meetings during a crisis. Besides, not making an appointment in advance meant it was either someone who was going to be a pain in her butt or who had a pain in the butt reason for being there. In that case, turning them away was the best option, and while her word choice was a violent one, her decision wasn’t wrong.
Ë n̄ û m̃а
Except, the Wolfman guard didn’t budge even after she handed down her verdict. Instead of leaving, he deferentially explained who their visitors were in a way that wouldn’t further incite Antelise’s wrath.
“Er, well…are you sure you want to do that when they claim to be envoys from Mynoghra?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Why didn’t you tell me that sooner?!” Antelise exploded. “That changes everything!”
She jumped to her feet, knocking over her chair and scattering documents and a whole lot of liquor bottles, and stormed past the Wolfman guard.
The guard was left standing alone in what looked like a disaster site after a storm blew through.
“She’s a beautiful and incredibly talented woman, but that personality ruins it all…”
W еb̄ ṅоvѐĺ Е ň um̂а
The guard heaved a sigh as he glanced sideways at the mayor’s office, which looked more like a hoarder’s trash heap.
◇◇◇
THE Spirits are terrified.
Antelise was facing Mynoghra’s envoys, who’d been shown to the reception room. The first thing she sensed in their presence was the distorted atmosphere and the Spirits’ terror. As an Elf, she had a naturally high affinity with Spirits, which was further bolstered by her personal aptitude. So she could sense their abnormal reaction through the basic Spirit Artes she’d learned.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
We’re completely and utterly screwed. Why did the Staff Holders join forces with these abominations? Are they outta their minds?
Antelise put on a welcoming smile as if she were genuinely pleased by a visit with a long-term friend she hadn’t seen in years without letting her true thoughts show.
Ē n u mа̀. і d
“Welcome to the town of Dragontan. I’m the Mayor, Antelise Antik.”
“Thank you very muchest for meeting with us. I’m Caria Elfuur of Mynoghra. This is my Big Sista, Maria Elfuur.”
“I’m the big sister.”
Two young girls were sitting across from Antelise, with three creepily dressed people standing at attention behind them, showing that the girls were the ones in charge. She’d normally raise an eyebrow at the odd power dynamic at play, but she was more concerned about figuring out the hidden meaning there.
Dark Elves… I’d heard that Mynoghra had taken them in as citizens, but what role do these girls play?
Antelise was struck by a desire to commune with the Spirits to analyze her guests. But she couldn’t risk trying anything funny as long as she didn’t know what kind of magic or sorcery Mynoghra’s envoys could use. People of all ages and nations have done foolish things throughout time that have threatened their standing. Antelise had learned much from their mistakes and disciplined herself not to commit the same follies.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
I need to be especially cautious of the three in the back. I’ve heard stories of a Dark Elf assassination brotherhood…could they be them?
Either way, just standing there staring at them wasn’t going to get her any information. Judging them solely on their looks was just asking for trouble later. Thus, Antelise only noted her first few visual observations before steeling herself to speak with them further, apprehension about not knowing who or what she was dealing with eating away at her all the while.
“I apologize for not being able to provide satisfactory hospitality due to the suddenness of your visit. We are still in the middle of preparing our side of things…”
“That’s quite all right.”
“Righty-right.”
Although it was an act that could sully Phon’kaven and Dragontan’s reputation, Antelise apologized for her inadequacies without hesitation. She did so to drive home the point that they’d come without warning and to have an excuse to fall back on should anything go wrong later.
Е̌ n u m̄ ǎ. іď
Hmm… How should I interpret their reaction? These are some weird sisters. They likely have a story… Wait, the Elfuur Sisters? Didn’t Lady Tonukapoli say something about the Elfuur Sisters?
Antelise was having a hard time getting a read on them, when she suddenly remembered hearing their names mentioned by Tonukapoli as people requiring special treatment. Yes, Tonukapoli had said the Elfuur Sisters were being trained as the future leaders of their country under the direct tutelage of their king—
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Kaaahhkkk!!”
“Wh-Whatever is the matter, Miss Mayor?!”
“Meow-meow?”
Mayor Antelise strangled out an unladylike cry that sounded an awful lot like a cat throwing up a hairball. The two girls stared at her in shock. The older sister blinked at her and the younger sister gaped.
Ẽ ṅ üm̄а̌ . i d́.
“M-My throat was just a little itchy, is all, ahahaha…”
As she frantically tried to throw the clearly worried girls off her trail, Antelise screamed inside her head for the hundredth time that day.
They’re the top of the food chain! What are such big shots doing here?!
The senses Antelise had honed over years as mayor were setting off alarm bells in her head. If they were receiving guidance directly from their king, then they were guaranteed to at least be heading up some government office or another once they got older. It was quite possible they’d even be appointed as ministers or chancellors in the future.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
They were important enough to be treated as state guests.
The worst part of all was the fact they were being mentored by their king. That proved how much he favored them. Antelise even started to suspect Mynoghra’s King had a thing for little girls, given how young the sisters looked. If that was true, this was no laughing matter—she was royally screwed.
Е nu m а́. і̌ d́
There was no telling what damage would come if anything happened to these girls if their king’s affections delved into the romantic, which would make him all the more attached and obsessed with them.
This was the King of Ruin she was dealing with. These girls were cherished by a being legends said would someday destroy the world. The world was bound to be destroyed the day after anything happened to them. At the very least, Dragontan would be no more.
Antelise had a habit of shouting “GO UP IN FLAMES WORLD! AND TAKE ALL THEM DAMN COUPLES WITH YOU!” But she suddenly didn’t feel that way when she came face to face with the sparks that could literally set the world on fire.
When it came down to it, she was hosting live bombs. It was unknown where or what the fuse was to set them off.
Antelise’s smile twitched at the corners when it dawned upon her that the people who could influence the fate of her nation were sitting in her reception room. Things had already gone beyond her capacity to handle.
I mean, these aren’t the kind of people you send to a lowly town! Come on! Send us a typical civil official instead! Or is this supposed to be some kinda threat? Like “I’ve sent you my precious ones, so you know what fate awaits you if you treat them wrong,” kinda deal? Is it?
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The cute girls were giving her baffled looks.
Antelise didn’t even know what they came for. She’d tried to feel them out with the few sentences they’d exchanged so far, but that failed horribly. She didn’t even know what move she should make next as mayor. All she could do was immerse herself in internal griping.
And if that isn’t bad enough, they’re DARK ELVES! They’ve gotta be hostile toward Elves! Talk about the worst match-up in history! I left that damn, antiquated forest behind because I hated all the stuffy rules, so why did the biggest landmine follow me here?! Aggggggghhhhhhhh!
Both girls were Dark Elves, the sworn enemies of Elves. And they were still younglings who couldn’t be reasoned with, not to mention they had the affections of the childlover King of Ruin. It was easy to speculate that one mistake could lead to international trouble, so Antelise was hesitant to say anything without carefully weighing her words.
Meanwhile, the girls also seemed to be searching for the right thing to say. Maybe they were waiting for Antelise to start the conversation.
It was a soft-spoken male voice that suddenly shattered the tension in the room as each side tried to get a feel for the other.
Еñ üm а
“My lady, may I speak?”
It was one of the three people standing behind the girls like guards who’d spoken up.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Oh, sure. What is on your mind, Mr. Jiro?”
With the girl’s permission, the person gave a slight nod, bowed deeply to Antelise, and then spoke.
“The reason for our visit this time is for nothing more than to take Staff Holder Pepe up on his invitation to come over and play sometime soon. In other words, the young ladies here are essentially students who have come to learn what it is like to live in another country, per Master Pepe’s kindness.”
“O-Oh? Is that so?”
Е̊ňu ḿ а .і d
Antelise couldn’t have hoped to hear anything better than that. He’d given her something to work with amid this uncertain meeting. Now she had an idea of where the conversation was headed. If nothing else, it wasn’t going to end with, well, the world literally ending or Antelise’s execution just yet.
“Yes, Mayor Antik,” the guard responded. “Requesting a meeting with you was also just a preliminary step to help facilitate future exchanges between our people. We apologize for taking up your valuable time, but we hope you don’t interpret our presence as anything more than just wanting to introduce ourselves to you.”
“This is just supposed to be…an introduction?” Antelise asked dubiously.
“As you can see, the young ladies here are no more than children. They are still learning about politics, so we hope you will refrain from consulting them about political matters.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Upon closer inspection, it appeared Mynoghra was also unsure of how to approach Dragontan. Antelise probably wouldn’t have been this tense if she’d known they were only there to make preliminary introductions. She wished they’d told her sooner, but if the girls sitting in front of her were favored by the King, then there was likely a lot the guards had to put up with. At least, that was what Antelise deduced from the explanation given by the person wearing a bizarre mask shaped like a bird’s head.
“Once again, I hope you will recognize that this is an informal meeting,” he stressed.
W̆ ӗ b n̆ о.v еl̊ Е̇ñ u m а
“Wonderful! Then you didn’t come here to make any arrangements concerning our alliance?”
“Indeed. The person officially in charge of those matters will arrive at a later date, so please just view us as tourists.”
Thank the Spiritssssss! I had a little too much to drink today, so I definitely wanted nothing to do with any formal talks!
Antelise wanted to raise a glass to them. She felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. She could get away with making a few mistakes during an informal setting, and Mynoghra’s people seemed to be taking the considerate route. At the very least, they were showing a willingness to talk rather than making one-sided demands. That left her with plenty of options with how to handle them.
The man with a bird mask nodded with satisfaction when he sensed Antelise’s relief and the softening tension and quietly turned to the girls.
“Isn’t that right, my ladies?”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Absolutely, positively right!”
“Righty-right!”
So, this is essentially a work-study session for two precocious little girls who bit off more than they could chew? Well, it’s asking a bit much to expect these kids to effortlessly come up with and deliver the same lines their birdman bodyguard did. It’s no wonder they fell silent! Gee, they had me worried!
“I’m glad to hear that,” Antelise said. “I was on pins and needles thinking I might offend you because we hadn’t prepared a proper reception party.”
“Don’t be. We are the ones who must apologize for visiting you without a prior appointment,” Caria said with adult-like formality. “Thank you very muchest for speaking with us on short notice.”
“Righty-right!” Maria added.
W̃е b̃ n ò ṽёl̊ E num̄ а́
“My, you girls are so polite and courteous! Your country must be proud to have such dependable young ladies.”
Tranquility instantly filled the reception room. At last, they could converse with each other like proper allies without being on edge. If nothing else, the town of Dragontan wasn’t destined to go up in flames with all its couples before the King’s wrath.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Still, I better be extra careful not to upset these girls. He went out of his way to do all this to help them study… It’s settled, the King cares deeply about them. He must have a thing for little girls…
Antelise kept her disrespectful opinion to herself, a skill required of all politicians. Takuto would’ve denied her accusations to the bitter end if he’d known what she was thinking, but unfortunately for him, anyone would’ve come to the same conclusion about him, given the circumstances.
Boy, it’s pretty relaxing being around them now! I’ll go ahead and become their friend and teach them all sorts of stuff. Things regarding the Barbarians should go smoother if these girls mediate for me when the real official comes—I knew it, I’m a genius mayor! I can totally handle an evil nation.
Antelise was as merry as a grig now. She decided to pop open a bottle of liquor she’d stored away for a special occasion to treat herself for a job well done later. Meanwhile, the twins felt ashamed of their inadequacy for not handling the conversation properly, and they envied Antelise for how capable she was.
Е̇_n̊ üṁ a
Both sides had the complete opposite emotional reaction to their concluded meeting.
“With that said, it’d be a disgrace of my role as mayor of Dragontan to just send you on your way. Please leave the details of your stay, such as arrangements for your inn, to me. If you like, I could have someone give you a grand tour later. How about it?”
“Do you really, truly mean it?! We thought it’d be too muchest to ask of you, Miss Mayor, but since you offered, we’d be ever so happy to take you up on it!”
“Happy to take you up on it!”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Just like that, the twins’ first time serving as envoys had safely come to a close.
Е̃ n̆úm̆ а̊.i ď
ANTELISE showed up later that day as their tour guide. Caria was a little surprised that the mayor would take on that job herself, but given the situation both nations found themselves in, it was the appropriate response. Just as Mynoghra took steps not to offend Phon’kaven, Antelise also couldn’t entrust her state guests to just anyone. At the end of the day, showing them around herself was the safest option, and she gleefully tossed her mayoral duties aside for this justified excuse to skip work.
“And there you have it!” Antelise trumpeted. “As someone who knows every corner of this town, I can give you the best grand tour! Ask me about anything you would like to know!”
“You’re so peppy, Miss Antik,” Caria observed.
“Oh, come now, cutie. You can just call me Antelise!”
“You smell of hooch,” Maria observed.
“Ehehe, this is the real me!” Antelise giggled. “We’re together for an informal occasion. What’s the point of keeping things tense? The real trick to work-life balance is to skip work in moderation. This is advice from your big sister here, okay? But don’t tell anyone about the booze.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
After their initial meeting, Antelise had spoken with the twin girls enough to form a friendly rapport. Since she had already measured the amount of distance she needed to keep from them, Antelise determined it was fine for her to be herself, and so she immediately kicked her mask of professionalism to the side.
“By the way, are you sure you are okay being around me? Don’t you have any qualms with me being an Elf?”
She threw down the hard question the second she decided to stop playing coy. This was an extremely delicate subject, but she purposely brought it up in this way. If she didn’t figure out how they felt about it early on, it could lead to conflict between them later. Antelise had no issues with them being Dark Elves, but there was no guarantee they felt the same.
“Nope. There are good Elves and bad Elves too. Besides, Big Sista and I came as Mynoghra’s envoys. We aren’t going to judge you because you are an Elf.”
“Uh-huh!”
“That is very admirable of you both…”
W е̌b́ n̆ õvêĺ Е̌nú ṁ а́
“Does it not bother you, Miss Antelise?”
“I’m an Elf who ran away from home. I actually have Dark Elf friends, too, so it doesn’t bother me one bit.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“You have Dark Elf friends? Introduce us! Pretty please!”
“I’d be happy to. They live in Crescent Moon, so it might take some time to get word to them, but I’ll introduce you someday soon.”
They chatted at ease with each other. Caria was especially happy to obtain information on other Dark Elves without trying to. Since they lived in Phon’kaven’s capital, they probably couldn’t meet up until the Barbarian problem was solved, but she was excited that this was good news she could report back to her esteemed King.
And yet, contrary to the delight of her younger sister, Maria was giving Antelise the evil eye.
Е́n̊u m̈а
“…What’s gotten into you, Big Sista?”
Maria should be as open-minded about Elves as her little sister, and even if she had some reservations, she was smart enough not to let it show. So Caria was at a loss as to why her sister was acting the way she was. But the answer was revealed when Maria pointed…to the top-heavy blonde Elf’s well-endowed chest.
“Big boobs are the enemy!” Maria exclaimed.
“Oh, you’re right,” Caria agreed. “I’m a tad envious.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Antelise’s big breasts seemed to be a bigger problem than her race.
They really are HUGE, Caria thought as she ogled Antelise, who hastened to appease the girls.
Е̄n̄ u̇ m а̇ . ї d
“You girls are still growing. You have plenty of time to get bigger, so don’t lose hope.”
“The thing is, Dark Elves as a race don’t have big breasts,” Caria admitted sadly. “Every woman we’ve ever known has dreamed of getting bigger only to have those hopes eternally dashed.”
“Everybody in our clan is flatter than a board,” Maria lamented.
Yes, that was why Maria identified Antelise as an enemy, and Caria cast her envious looks.
“Th-There are a lot of complications that come with being big-breasted.”
“A luxury only somebody who has them can complain about.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“So sad…”
Most Dark Elves have a genetic disposition toward smaller chests, while Elves are more likely to have large breasts. Nothing can be done about genetics, and the twins were well aware that the Minister of Domestic Affairs’ secret attempts to make her breasts bigger hadn’t paid off at all.
The future was bleak, and their plight could never be understood by the well-endowed.
◇◇◇
“…BY the way, what kind of food do you usually eat?” Caria asked Antelise while being shown around the town’s various facilities. She’d never admit that staring at the older woman’s melons made her think of food.
Dragontan’s streets couldn’t be called pretty by any standard. Clay houses made of a mixture of stone, clay, and dried grasses made up the majority of the buildings built evenly spaced from each other.
É.n u̇m̃ä .ĭ d
The climate in the Dark Continent differed greatly depending on the location, and it seemed like it didn’t rain much where Dragontan was located, draining the land of vitality. No matter how Caria looked at it, she didn’t think this was an environment where crops grew in abundance, so she wondered what the inhabitants usually ate.
“We live in a wasteland, after all. It’s hard to get anything to grow here like it does to the north. We mostly live off of grains such as wheat and millet, although the yield is small. Also, we have an endless supply of edible cacti, but I hate the flavorless stuff.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
They had some food production capacity. From the sound of it, while their options weren’t the best, they were getting by all right from a supply point of view.
“We also make cheese from dairy farms,” Antelise continued. “And during times of celebration, we roast up one of the henbel birds that grow nice and plump with minimal feed. You can see one there.”
Caria looked in the direction Antelise pointed to see plucked birds hanging from several different eaves. Apparently, this was the shopping district.
“By the way, cactus cheese, which is cheese baked on top of a slice of edible cactus, is supposed to be a specialty of this town, but I don’t recommend it because it tastes horrendous.”
E n̆ ũmа̌ . i_ḋ
The owner of the store next to the one selling the birds shot Antelise a killer glare. When Caria spotted the piles of cheese and cactus beside him, she found herself feeling kind of impressed by Antelise’s ability to say what was on her mind without caring who heard.
“M-Mynoghra has lots and lots of tasty food. We already agreed to a trade deal, so I hope you’ll try it when you get the chance, Miss Antelise.”
Getting the feeling a fight might break out between the store owner and Antelise if she left them be, Caria quickly grabbed Antelise’s hand and changed the topic as she dragged her away.
“Did you say tasty food?! Count me in! But your big sister here is more interested in Mynoghra’s al-co-hol options,” Antelise said with a lilt.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Our liquor is extra tasty,” Maria chimed in.
“His Majesty told us we can’t have any, but all the adults who drink it look up at the sky and cry out, ‘is this heavenly nectar?’” Caria said, mimicking the adults.
W.е̇_ḃn̂о̌ v̌ ĕ l Е n ü_m̊_å
“Heavenly nectar?! Spirits smite me! I need to start saving up to buy some! Ahh, but I need to pay my tab at the tavern first…” Antelise trailed off, hanging her head.
“We’ll ask His Majesty to gift you with some Miss Antelise…” Caria vowed.
“OH MY SPIRITS! You precious little angels! Connections make the world, and my booze, go round!”
Antelise was rapidly coming across a whole lot less impressive than when they first met. Caria strove to collect any information she could, all while despairing at the fact that this woman was very likely to cause her stomach to knot too.
Dragontan’s shopping street was deserted because it was late in the evening. Seeing as there wasn’t even much up for sale at the various stores, the town really was impoverished.
Meanwhile, guards were restlessly rushing past them. They were all headed outside town, with visible tension and exhaustion on their faces. Caria planned to ask about the Barbarians and how the town was faring later, but things looked worse than she’d assumed.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“My lady! I bought what you asked for!”
“Thanks.”
Maria seemed to have sent one of the birdmen on an errand without Caria realizing it. The girls actually had ample funds because they’d exchanged the precious metals Takuto had given them for this mission for pocket money. He had also instructed them to randomly buy whatever caught their eye as a part of their investigation. But the girls had planned to do their shopping on the last day so they wouldn’t have to be burdened by the goods.
Yet, Maria had bought something despite what they had decided. She might’ve just grabbed it on a whim, but Caria was curious about what had caught her sister’s interest and tried to take a peek at what she was holding.
“What did you buy, Big Sista?”
“Something good.”
W̆ еb̌_n о v̂ е̂l Ën ŭmа́
Maria giggled and slid whatever she bought into her pocket as if she were up to no good.
◇◇◇
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“OKAY, girls, I’ll come to pick you up tomorrow morning,” Antelise said.
“Okay! Looking very forward to it!” Caria exclaimed.
“I want meat,” Maria said.
“Hehehe. Then shall we splurge on meat tomorrow? I can count it as a work expense, so I’ll pay!”
E ňǔ m_а̌ . і́d
“Meat! Meat!”
The twins waved goodbye to Antelise.
Since the five of them were national guests, they were given a small, vacant house managed by Dragontan to stay in. It was fully furnished, so it was the perfect accommodation for them. The twins were genuinely pleased by Antelise’s considerate choice because an ordinary inn would’ve forced them to be wary of being overheard by the other people staying there. Most of all, they were enjoying what felt like their first sleepover.
“Very good work, everyone,” Caria said, clapping her hands together.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Nevertheless, the girls had come to Dragontan under the name and flag of King Takuto Ira. Caria understood this, so she moved things along for them to discuss and examine the day’s events.
“Miss Antelise is a very free-spirited woman, but she was also incredibly kind. As far as her having a hidden agenda—”
Ènum̈ a . i d
“She doesn’t,” Maria asserted without missing a beat.
“If she did, she’s an amazing actress,” Caria agreed.
The birdmen trio hummed in awe of Maria’s confidence. Apparently, the slow older sister possessed an observational ability they did not.
“The townspeople looked more worn to a frazzle than we expected. The soldiers seemed especially frazzled. How did they look to you, Big Sista?”
“Scared,” Maria declared with certainty again and then continued with unusual verbosity. “No food. Scary enemies outside. No help coming. Not knowing what the future holds.”
“That’s something we understand all too well,” Caria said sadly.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Maria could understand the heart—or to be more precise, she could read another person’s emotions. They didn’t know when this ability manifested in her. But both of the girls remembered having a miserable life because of it.
She intended to keep it forever sealed. Maria had no desire to use this ability that only brought her misery and despair, and Caria had no intention of ever asking her older sister to use it.
It was Takuto who had changed their minds.
Maria decided to use this power again to repay him for healing their tormented hearts and giving them hope and new values to aspire to. And Caria had secretly vowed to support her sister in any way she could.
“UuuUooooOOOOOOOOOoOOhhHH!!”
“EEK?!”
We ḃn̊ о̄ ṽ е l̈ Е̇ n̊u m̆ а
One of the birdmen broke the moment between the girls with his ungodly shout.
“What’s wrong, Ichiro? It’s not like us to let out such a strange cry.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Our little ladies are growing up so fast! I’m moved to bouts of shouting, Jiro!”
“I see! This growth is a picture of HUEMANITY! And it is we Huemans who must support the little ladies in their Hueman growth!”
“Yes, you said it, Jiro! For we are HUEMANS!”
The meeting suddenly derailed into the birdman trio’s usual loud antics. From the bottom of her heart, Caria was grateful that they were given a house to themselves that should have better soundproofing than an inn room.
Е̊ n̈u m̈ ǎ .i d̃
“What am I to do with these Hueman-lovers?” Caria sighed.
“They were pretty awesome during greeting time, though,” Maria pointed out.
“Ack. You’re right.”
Maria made a valid point. Drawing a complete blank during the meeting with the mayor was entirely Caria’s blunder. Maria had actually tried to assist her younger sister in her moment of plight, but it didn’t amount to much. It was these crazy birdmen who’d offered them the help they needed when they needed it most.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Caria was apprehensive about bringing them at first, but at the end of the day, it was the birdman trio who’d helped the girls instead. Even though she had made up her mind to do anything and everything in her power for the King, she ended up tongue-tied when it really mattered. So, despite heading up this mission, she didn’t feel right scolding the birdmen for talking loudly against her orders when they had saved the day.
Except…
Ê ṅ u m̃а
“Oh, no, no. We actually just parroted the words His Majesty told us.”
The second she felt grateful to them, she wanted to take it back.
“Don’t let it get you down! Cheer up. Up! We may be HUEMANS, but even we haven’t reached that godly negotiating skill level.”
“On the contrary, it’s disrespectful to think we could ever reach His Majesty’s level. It is proper HUEMAN behavior to accurately convey the King’s words as-is.”
“Indubitably!”
“Now that’s being HUEMAN!”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
The birdmen’s spontaneous confession came out of nowhere. Why, it was Takuto who’d spoken through them to save the girls in their time of need. Caria’s heart was warmed by her king’s boundless kindness and his resourcefulness to come up with just the right thing to say to turn the tides.
But learning that made her suddenly question something else.
“Hold on, then what were you three doing all day?” she asked.
If Takuto was the one speaking through them, then did they actually do anything to help?
“Boo!” Maria booed her. “It’s mean to make them answer that!”
“Huh? I’m the one at fault here? Is that the wrong question to ask?”
W̃ е b̀ ň о̂ v е̊ l Ӗ n ů m̌a
Caria couldn’t figure out why Maria was scolding her. Meanwhile, the birdman trio was chortling away. All the laughter eased the tension out of Caria’s shoulders, and she found herself giggling along with them.
“This really is no different from a sightseeing trip,” Caria said. “Right? Trouble doesn’t really seem to be afoot.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“We can go home soon.”
A lot had happened, but the day was peacefully coming to a close. They only had two days left of their stay. The rest of their trip was bound to be easier than today, given they had finished meeting and greeting Antelise. As long as they didn’t neglect their investigation, they should complete their mission in a way that satisfied the King.
Caria thought of the day to come as she dove into bed. She wasn’t as big of a glutton as her older sister, but she was also looking forward to enjoying some meat tomorrow too.
But it seemed fate had other plans for them.
Ẽnů m̄а̂
“Oh dear, I fear that’s not the case, my ladies.”
“Be ever cautious.”
“Something unsettling is in the air.”
The birdmen abruptly ceased their wild laughter and began warning the girls, who were their superior officers on paper. Caria scrunched up her face in displeasure as she was about to go to sleep with happier feelings.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“The town’s enervation is affecting public order. Things appear to be functioning fine on the surface, but many people were sizing you girls up. There may be kidnappers and dissenters hiding in the shadows.”
“Yes, but you needn’t worry, because if anything should happen, we will put our bodies on the line like HUEMANS to protect you girls!”
Ӗ n ūm̌ а
“We will do exactly that!”
The birdman trio rarely listened to Caria and would frolic about with Maria whenever they got the chance. But they were terrifyingly skilled and undoubtedly King Takuto Ira’s vassals. With that in mind, she needed to take their warning to heart, especially since they never joked or fooled around when it came to anything regarding Mynoghra’s national interests.
Caria needed to report this news back to Takuto posthaste. She also needed to be more aware of her surroundings and potential danger from now on. She had to get word about the deteriorating public order back to the troops that were going to be dispatched for the combined defense operations in the near future too.
“Here.”
As Caria was writing down what she needed to report in the notebook she’d pulled from her pocket, Maria pulled something out of her pocket and waved it in front of her.
“What’s this, Big Sista?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Grass.”
“…Grass?”
This was likely what she’d sent one of the birdmen to buy during the afternoon and stashed in her pocket without letting Caria see it. Caria closely examined it, since her sister had shoved it in her face as if to say take a closer look, and then she gasped.
“Is this…Popil Grass? It even has the fruit attached.”
Caria remembered seeing it somewhere before, and she frowned as she recalled its side effects. Curiosity piqued by her grimace, the birdman trio noisily gathered around her.
“Do you know what that is, Lady Caria?”
Е̃nu m̈ â
“…The juice from the Popil Grass fruit gives a strong sense of euphoria and has hallucinogenic effects. It’s also highly addictive,” she explained.
“Oh, it’s a drug then. You mustn’t contaminate yourself with it, Lady Maria. Throw it away.”
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Away!”
Maria tossed the Popil Grass onto the floor. Caria scooped it up and examined the condition it was in.
“It’s in surprisingly good condition without any bug damage. Somebody must be cultivating it.”
“Someone is distributing it throughout Dragontan? That’s the opposite of peaceful.”
Ě n̄ū m̌ а̄. iď
The birdman trio began consulting each other in an unusually serious manner. Their mission was to escort and guard the twins. It was as if they knew there was no room for tomfoolery as long as they had concerns about the town’s safety.
“There will always be people who only think of themselves no matter the time or place,” Caria remarked, thinking back on that afternoon as she spun the Popil Grass in her fingers.
She didn’t bring it up with the woman, but she noted the dark bags under Antelise’s eyes. She distinctly remembered the cloying scent of alcohol and slight body odor that wafted her way whenever Antelise patted her on the head for one reason or another. She likely hadn’t taken a bath in days. Contrary to her bubbly personality, the state she was in spoke volumes about the crisis her town was in.
All the inhabitants residing in the town of Dragontan were standing at death’s door. They were on the verge of becoming Barbarian fodder. And even amid that crisis, there were still people who lived madly pursuing their desires. That disgusted Caria.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“I know you are probably already prepared for this even if I don’t ask you to be, but please be ready to take on the enemy at any time.”
For the first time ever, the birdmen bowed deeply in response to Caria’s orders. At the same time, they shrugged and started complaining like they were dissatisfied.
Ẇe b n̆о̇ v̀ӗ l̄ Е̃nu mа
“What a bother… I would rather refrain from conflict,” one of the birdmen grumbled.
“But Humans love conflict.”
“They certainly do,” Caria said, wryly agreeing with her older sister’s offhand remark.
◇◇◇
IT was early during the next day’s tour that the twins learned their wish to spend their last two days without incident would not come true. Oh, it wasn’t a big deal—just a Barbarian attack.
Naturally, the mayor couldn’t play hooky at a time like this, so she apologized to them for having to call it a day and ran back to town hall looking frazzled. Caria and the rest of Mynoghra’s envoy were left standing there with nothing better to do, so she asked Jiro to check on the state of things outside while they explored the residential district.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“We didn’t see this area yesterday,” Caria noted.
She’d been following after her older sister as she meandered aimlessly from place to place until they finally came across an area they hadn’t seen yet. The twins looked around them with curiosity.
The vacant land, which spread out like an empty clearing in the middle of the town, was filled with a kind of refreshing air that made them feel revitalized. When the girls looked down, they noticed gorgeous blue crystals were growing under their feet.
“Wow!” Caria exclaimed, crouching to cautiously stroke it. She yanked back her hand from the surprisingly cold sensation. “It’s so pretty…”
“Please look over there, my lady.”
One of the birdmen placed his hand on Caria’s shoulder and pointed into the distance. She pried her eyes away from the crystals at her feet to see that they covered the entire clearing.
Е ǹ umа̊ . і̊ d̀
“This is what we call the Dragon Vein Mine,” the birdman said. “They tried to cleverly hide it under the earth and sand, but it’s not the kind of thing you can conceal easily.”
It was a fantastic and magical sight.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
If this counted as them concealing it with earth and sand, did that mean innumerable crystals were buried beneath them? What kind of scenery would welcome them if they dug up the mine?
Before Caria knew it, her sister was holding her hand. The twins held hands and shared in the breathtaking scenery.
The world was full of new things for them to discover.
They felt like they had discovered one of the things their mother used to tell them about during bedtime stories. This was the scenery dreams were made of. They couldn’t go home and tell their mother about it anymore, but they knew she was watching over them. And they had King Takuto and a whole city of people they could share their impressions with when they got home. There were so many people waiting for them to come home and who wanted to ask about their trip.
Ӗňu m̀ ă.
The twins were no longer the same girls who cursed their wretched circumstances and longed for death.
“…Popil Grass grows exceptionally well here,” a boorish voice called out to them from behind.
Caria took a deep breath and slowly turned around. She wanted to pummel the man for shattering their special moment but put a lid on her anger because there was no guarantee he had ill intentions. Besides, the girls knew full well that causing any problems here would only sully their king’s name.
“I apologize for speaking to you out of the blue. I’m Vesta Kruklain, and I run a trading company in this town. Am I right to assume you are members of Mynoghra’s delegation?”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The slender man with nervous-looking, dodgy eyes seemed far from trustworthy. His overly flashy and wasteful attire attested to his profession as a business owner, but the fact he calmly brought up the Popil Grass proved he dealt in shady wares.
Caria made that snap judgment about him and looked to her sister to confirm her suspicions were correct. Maria was staring at the man the same way she might filth piled up on the side of the road, which told Caria everything she needed to know.
W̆ е̊ b n ō_v̌ѐ l Е́ n̂ umå.
This man was likely the person behind the rampant spread of Popil Grass in Dragontan.
“Thank you very muchest for your polite introduction… So? What business do you have with us?”
“Oh, it was nothing. And the only business a businessman could possibly have is to discuss doing business together.”
“Doing business together?” Caria repeated.
She wanted the obnoxious man to just cut to the chase. She had no intention of listening to anything such a shady man had to say, nor did she have the authority to make a business deal. Whether he knew that or not, the man named Vesta launched into a confident business spiel.
“That’s right. I’ve heard your country possesses outstanding food and goods. I would like you to prioritize doing your trade through my company. Of course, this will be a mutually beneficial transaction. Both sides will benefit immensely from it.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“…All matters pertaining to the trade agreement are being done at the state level, sir,” Caria said. “You should consult Mayor Antelise about this instead.”
The birdmen maintained their silence, and Maria was entirely uninterested in the man. Caria seemed to be the only person capable of handling the situation, but she had already grown so bored with the businessman that she begrudged her sister for getting to turn her attention back to the stunning crystals.
“A little lady such as yourself might not realize this yet, but that mayor is unacceptable. She doesn’t understand the subtleties of business and has placed worthless regulations that obstruct perfectly good trade.”
“Are you speaking about the Popil Grass?”
Vesta sneered. “As you said, the land where these crystals grow has a mysteriously high crop yield, especially for crops with unique effects like Popil Grass.”
“…Go on.”
Еn ŭ m̄ ä .īď
“Thank you. Our goal is to take control of this town. Under the current mayor, we can only grow so much in secret, but if we can turn this entire clearing into a Popil Grass field, then we would churn out a huge profit.”
“The town will cease to function if you do that,” Caria pointed out.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“We have already taken that into consideration. We plan on selling it to a different country… Like, Qualia for example. We are guaranteed to sell well in such a vast country. So well that even the productivity of this land won’t be enough to meet demand.”
“…How does this benefit Mynoghra? What should I tell my king?”
“I have already worked out the details regarding that. You will receive part of the proceeds from the sale of the Popil Grass and complete ownership of the town. Of course, that’s on the condition that you make it comfortable for us to do business… I would like to further flesh out the details with you tonight. How about it? You have an open invitation to visit our trading company.”
“Where is it?”
E̊n̂u ṁǎ
“I drew a map on this paper. The clerk will show you the way if you come to this location after nightfall… Oh, and be sure not to let that drunkard mayor find out.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
Caria accepted the paper Vesta handed her, briefly scanned her eyes over it, and stuffed it into her pocket. Vesta nodded with satisfaction and bowed with a sly smile.
“I’m certain your king will be pleased. I look forward to seeing you tonight. Goodbye until then.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The man named Vesta turned around and disappeared into a nearby alley that led out of the clearing. As soon as she sensed he was gone, Maria suddenly stood up from where she’d been staring at the crystals with disinterest.
“You going?”
W̊е b̂ňо̇ṽе̂l̊ Е̃ ňǔ m̌а̇
“Obviously not,” Caria said as if any other answer was implausible.
She had feigned interest while planning to completely ignore him. She knew full well that snakes like him would do anything to satisfy their desires, even betray their own family with a smile, and he also had nothing to do with her mission from the King. With all that in mind, he was nothing more than a waste of time. In the one in a million chance he actually had some sort of value, it was someone else’s job to decide that and take appropriate action.
Thus, leaving him be was the only choice. She actually wanted him to be grateful to her for even hearing him out.
“But, my lady, you appeared awfully interested to me?” one of the birdmen said.
“I pretended to be interested to make him go away faster. I wouldn’t thoughtlessly walk into that viper’s den.”
“Well, he did use cheap pick-up lines that hold no value to a lady,” the birdman responded.
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
“Honestly, I can’t see it benefiting us much,” the second birdman added.
The reason she pretended to be interested was because she thought it’d make him go away faster rather than the argument it’d start if she outright turned him down, and she used it as a chance to gather more information. Sure enough, she learned what designs the man named Vesta had for this area and where his base of operations was located. She’d also obtained the information that some crops grew faster than others around the Dragon Vein Mine. Playing along with his worthless spiel had netted her good results.
“Cary and Big Sista aren’t easy women,” Caria declared.
“We’re difficult women.”
The twins puffed out their flat chests and gloated.
Aren’t they promising?
Е̄ n̊ u m а̀ .і̌ d̆
The birdmen were so impressed by their temporary superior officers, they wished they could serve under them forever.
…When they returned to the inn, the birdmen couldn’t resist asking the girls to remain as their superiors, but unlike Maria, who happily agreed, Caria so adamantly refused that their proposal was swept under the rug.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Konten Bab Belum Tersedia
Bab ini belum memiliki konten teks atau sedang dalam proses penyuntingan.
