Vol 3: Chapter 46
Sitting on a white lacquer chair on the balcony, Her Highness Anastasia’s expression beamed when she saw me and half-rose to her feet. Oh my, like a puppy… She is an astonishing silent beauty when she is in a solemn state, and when she is delighted, she looks so peerlessly cute. All the guys around might helplessly fall for her if they’re not careful.
「…………」
No, even the three female Lev attendants standing beside her are breathing somewhat heavily. Not only men, but also women are affected by her. What’s more, Her Highness’ beauty easily overcomes the racial barrier.
When I tried to kneel, Her Highness gestured with her palms not to and to stand up.
『I’m sorry to call for you so suddenly.』
She presented the memo paper that had already been written.
「It’s no problem at all. I don’t have any formal wear, so I’m sorry for meeting you in this getup.」
Beckoned by Her Highness, I went around the table and sat next to her. The style was such that our backs were towards the building and we were diagonally facing each other. This will make it easier to talk in writing, so we don’t have to rotate the paper each and every time.
This is where Her Highness lives, it seems. Such a spacious garden of greenery is extremely rare in this city. You can probably see this place from a high-rise building, but the nearest one was about 100 meters away.
「So, the reason you called for me is…」
One of the attendants served tea for us. A herbal aroma wafted from the tea, giving me a cool refreshed feeling. It was also an iced tea so it’s just perfect for having in the summer.
As we were on the 2nd floor under a protruding roof, the place was shaded and the wind blowing through was cool. Her Highness dressed in a light blue dress today was also refreshing to look at.
『I would like to ask you about mana control.』
Her Highness was not wearing a scarf today. A bandage was wound around her throat, with a sorcery formula written in catalytic ink.
「Umm, about that…」
I glanced at the attentends. And the butler was also standing 5 meters behind me.
Her Highness nodded and drove the attendants away with a gesture of her hand, and she offered me a piece of paper and a pen. Meaning, it will be a written conversation. They shouldn’t be able to see the contents from behind us.
(As I expected, her peculiar constitution is a secret after all…?)
As I was puzzled over it, Her Highness showed me a fleeting glance at a memo paper while vigilant to the surroundings.
『”My throat was cursed by an evil mage and became unable to speak”, I was handed over to this country based on that narrative.』
She immediately closed the paper, but I carved the contents into my head.
Nodding, I answered Her Highness.
『【Mana Control】is a skill orb that controls the mana in the body, and is extremely beneficial to those who cannot use magic well. I think that a【Mana Control】skill orb is the shortest way to solve Your Highness’ problem.』
After a while of silence.
『I can’t absorb anymore skill orb.』
『Why don’t you replace the skill orbs?』
If you can solve the problem of having【Fire Magic】burst out everytime you speak out by sacrificing some other skill orb, wouldn’t that be a good trade off?
Her Highness closed her eyes for a while.
『My skills are recognized as part of the “gift” to this country, which is me, and I am not allowed to remove or destroy it without permission. Also, since the details of the skill orbs are a secret, it is not possible to hire someone who detaches skill orb.』
When I read the note, I felt the pit of my stomach become heavier.
(A “gift” to this country…?)
The High Elves treat people as things?
Her Highness, who noticed the change in my expression, continued to write:
『The elves in the forest all live harmoniously. The natural enemy of the forest is fire. That is why I was a “cursed child” who used fire from the moment I was born.』
I was stunned.
Is that the reason? Since Her Highness has “fire”, which is a symbol of detestation for elves, dwelling within her body… she is a “shunned child”.
…She is the same as me.
Same as me, who was about to be killed by his real parents just because he had black hair and black eyes.
I suddenly recalled. The first “Mithril-rank” adventurer I met, Crysta-la-Crysta, was a half-elf born between an elf and a human.
He used【Fire Magic】. And he said:
——I wasn’t banished. I voluntarily left the stagnating garbage dump of an elf village.
So the weapon he chose when escaping from the elf village was the【Fire Magic】that the elves hate, huh.
In the forest where the elves live, there is the “Third Forest” which produces skill orbs. Even if the elves find a【Fire Magic】with high stars in there, probably no one will use it. So, maybe that’s why Crysta was able to obtain a high-level【Fire Magic】skill orb. It’s just a guess, though.
This world… is too prejudiced.
I was reminded of it once again.
『Your Highness. Revealing your secret to me means that you trust me, right? So, will it be alright if I removed your skill orbs instead?』
Her Highness’ body stiffened.
『I have the ability to pull out skill orbs.』
I had willingly revealed my secret which would lead to【World Ruler】. I wanted to do something for Her Highness, who was in a similar situation as meーfor this person called Anastasia, so that she could live her life with a sincere smile.
