Evading the Hero’s Party with Full Effort

Chapter 159

Ch.159 My mind works well in this kind of situation, you know?  

A single tear rolled down Mia’s eye.  

“I thought so. When I heard Lady Aria telling you to seduce Selena despite having no feelings for her, I wondered—maybe you approached us for the same reason.”  

She wiped away her tears.  

“Then why did you accept my vow? You know full well how weighty an elf’s vow is.”  

“Because you said you’d die if I didn’t.”  

As a human, Mia had claimed her honor was tarnished and that she’d rather die.  

With the King of the Dead already emerging, I couldn’t afford to let her—the only one capable of summoning the Spirit King—perish.  

After all, the Spirit King’s power rivals even that of dragons.  

True, Mia’s summoning duration isn’t long, so I reserve her for emergencies—but that doesn’t mean I won’t call upon her when absolutely necessary.  

I couldn’t possibly let someone like her die in vain.  

“How could I possibly refuse in that situation?”  

“Then do you understand the obligations that come with accepting my vow?”  

The Elven Vow.  

It’s an eternal bond—binding two souls together forever.  

Elves love only one person their entire lives.  

Even if that person dies, they spend the rest of their days mourning their lost half.  

That is the sacred promise between elves.  

“Then why did you act that way back then? When my homeland was in peril, you appeared to warn me. When I was in danger, you came to save me. You sent me the items I needed… Was it all just to kill the Demon King?”  

Mia, tears welling in her eyes, glared fiercely at me.  

“Why won’t you answer?”  

“You’re right. Back then, I knew your future. I knew exactly what you’d need at this time, which enemies would trouble you, and what items would make you stronger.”  

Her hand trembled slightly.  

“Then… then not even once… did you ever see me as a woman?”  

“Mia. I know exactly what kind of woman you are.”  

“What kind of woman?”  

Fueled by anger and sorrow, I told her what I truly knew of her.  

“In the game I used to play, the Elf Kingdom was destroyed by a joint invasion of humans and demons. The World Tree burned, and you—the last remaining high elf—could no longer summon the Spirit King.”  

I paused briefly, then continued.  

“You became the sole survivor among high elves, destined to be Elf Queen. You swore vengeance on humans and demons alike. You didn’t hesitate to flay human captives alive or break their bones. How could I possibly love someone like that? I know full well your cruelty and brutality.”  

In the game, Mia truly enjoyed torture—so much so that she crafted tools from human skin and bones, making her little more than a savage.  

In fact, when playing as Scarlet, one way to recruit Mia was through an event where you freed her from an imperial prison—proof of how notorious she was.  

Later, after defeating the Demon King, she received a reward from the Empire: every human and their families who had attacked her kingdom. She became known as the Bloody Queen.  

Undeniably beautiful—but loving such a woman would require the most twisted of tastes.  

“No! I’ve thought about flaying humans, yes—but I never actually did it… How could I, when the one I love is human?”  

She gazed at me with desperate, pleading eyes.  

But according to what Giovanni told me earlier, her ambitions were grand.  

Her desire to use dragon-level power and Concept Artifacts to build a vast domain felt threatening to me.  

Politics isn’t simply about raw strength—noble schemes are terrifyingly intricate.  

Even if you’re unbeatable in combat, enemies can bribe your servants to poison you or hire assassins while you sleep—and all your power means nothing.  

On top of that, if they stir up rebellions, you’d be buried in endless, exhausting work.  

I’d rather spend money and enjoy life than endure such suffering.  

And for the sake of my peace… maybe it’s best to get rid of her now.  

Mia gently grasped my hand.  

“Not even for a single moment… did you ever love me?”  

“I never loved you. I only ever saw you as a friend.”  

Truthfully, I did consider her a friend—enough to visit her occasionally.  

Did she really think I liked her?  

“Then… you should’ve refused my vow! Let me die if I wanted to!”  

Furious, she spat the words at me.  

I replied coldly, “Why would you want to die just because I wouldn’t accept your vow? Isn’t that your own fault?”  

Mia shook her head violently.  

“Regardless, from the moment you accepted my vow, we can never be separated.”  

She stared at me with intense eyes.  

“It’s too late to turn back. You belong to me forever.”  

Her grip tightened fiercely around my hand.  

“W-wait a second?”  

In that instant, her arms wrapped around my neck.  

“You think I’d let you go? After doing this to me? You should’ve refused me back then!”  

“Huh?”  

Before I could process my confusion—  

Mia pressed her lips to mine.  

The sweet scent of fruit.  

Her hot breath.  

My mind went completely blank at her unexpected action.  

“I won’t let you go. If you want to leave me, kill me instead.”  

With those words, Mia kissed me again.  

—Mmmph!  

I tried shaking my head to escape her embrace, but she wouldn’t release me.  

Oh no… this is bad!  

Panicking, I flailed—but her strength was overwhelming.  

I can’t just let this happen!  

In a desperate motion, my hand grabbed a nearby teapot.  

This’ll do!  

I hurled it straight at the wall.  

—Crash!  

The sharp sound echoed through the room.  

Just in case, I threw a teacup too and shouted,  

“Baron! Are you alright?!”  

Thankfully, soldiers passing by rushed in at the commotion.  

At the sound of their voices, Mia clicked her tongue and stepped away from me.  

“Tch.”  

“Ahem… the porcelain broke. Come help me clean it up.”  

“Yes, sir!”  

—Creak.  

The door opened, and the soldiers glanced at the shattered teacups and porcelain.  

“Oh! Clean that up right away! And Mia—you should head back now.”  

Mia gave me a displeased once-over and snorted.  

“Hmph!”  

Phew… Thank goodness. I wasn’t devoured after all…  

***  

While Hans’s chastity was under threat, Cecilia and Leah were chatting in the same room.  

Though they’d never gotten along before, they’d grown quite close recently.  

Sharing stories about their lovers—stories the other didn’t know—they were piecing together who Hans truly was.  

Back when they were teenagers, neither knew of the other’s existence—but Hans had been seeing both of them simultaneously.  

After all, both Cecilia and Leah had met Hans at age fifteen.  

Scarlet and Mia came later—so technically, these two were the first to meet Hans.  

“Still, I was earlier. It was Imperial Year 915, February.”  

At Leah’s words, Cecilia puffed out her cheeks.  

“That’s only because you were in danger! If you hadn’t been, he would’ve come to me first.”  

“Heh. Either way, I’m the rightful wife.”  

“No, you’re not! Father Hans confessed to me first!”  

It was true—Leah met him first, but Cecilia had received his (somewhat coerced) confession earlier.  

“I dated him first, so I’m the rightful wife.”  

Leah said coldly, arms crossed.  

“For someone who basically blackmailed him.”  

“Well, if you’re jealous, you should’ve blackmailed him first!”  

“Tch! I won’t accept it!”  

Cecilia glanced at Leah’s folded arms and asked,  

“By the way, does Father Hans know we’ve agreed to live together?”  

“Yeah. I told him already.”  

“What did he say? Was he tempted?”  

Leah fell into thought.  

“He seemed less tempted… more worried, actually.”  

From Hans’s perspective, this was a nightmare ‘buy one, get one free’ deal—but Leah interpreted his panic differently.  

‘Does he feel unsatisfied with just two of us?’  

In the past, she’d never imagine her teacher capable of such a thing—but given his dazzling accomplishments lately, maybe two women really weren’t enough for him.  

After all, there was the entire Hero Party, plus Selena—the fanatical Church of Death follower.  

And recently, he’d grown especially close to Aria.  

Leah and Cecilia were starting to worry that Hans might end up not just Aria’s older brother—but her father.  

“So… he really is aiming for all four of us, isn’t he?”  

“And it might not stop there. You know Aria, right?”  

“I was just thinking the same. That lizard woman is clearly flirting with Father Hans.”  

“I’m not entirely sure… but they do seem awfully close.”  

Dragons, famously proud since ancient times, rarely show such intimacy toward humans.  

And Hans? He’s not the type to settle for ordinary women.  

Every woman he’s been with so far has been stunning and exceptionally talented.  

Scarlet—the Hero who slew the Demon King.  

Leah—the genius mage.  

Cecilia—the saint.  

Mia—the high Elf who can summon the Spirit King.  

That alone was legendary.  

And now, the reincarnated Church fanatic, Selena.  

Given Hans’s clear preference for capable women, it wouldn’t be surprising if he set his sights on Aria next—even if she’s married.  

With this many conquests, he’d already cemented his status as a legendary playboy—whose infamy would never fade.  

And if he brazenly juggled four women at once…?  

“We must stop him from taking on more than two! Living with every woman he fancies is absolutely unacceptable!”  

Leah shook her head vehemently—she couldn’t even imagine it.  

She’d accepted Cecilia only as a strategic alliance to block future rivals.  

If their number grew any further, neither she nor Cecilia could predict how things would end.  

“That’s one thing we’ll never allow.”  

Both Cecilia and Leah had compromised enough—they wouldn’t yield further.  

“Exactly! We’re already showing incredible patience! If he adds anyone else… crunch…!”  

Cecilia might actually crush Hans’s skull.  

In all the novels she’d read, reverse harems existed—but never harems.  

She never liked reverse harems much to begin with.  

But a harem?  

As someone who never imagined herself as a harem member, the thought was humiliating.  

Still, her love for Hans had forced her to swallow her pride once.  

But how could she possibly accept more women?  

Then again…  

“Now that I think about it, when I last saw Giovanni, Mia’s behavior seemed… odd.”  

Leah frowned in suspicion.  

“Mia?”  

“Yes! I approached Giovanni to recruit him—he was the one who sent me that letter—but Mia got to him first!”  

Both women felt a chill.  

Weren’t they the three who’d sworn never to associate with Hans—Scarlet aside?  

“Could Mia also be after our master… like us?”  

Cecilia gave a small nod.  

“It’s possible. We should prepare. Since I’ve recruited Giovanni, I’ll have him spread some unfavorable rumors about Mia.”  

Leah nodded in agreement.  

‘She seems foolish normally—but her mind works well in this kind of situation.’  

Leah trusted Cecilia.  

But what they didn’t know?  

Scarlet and Mia had already formed their own alliance.  

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