novelraw Chapter 57 : The Emperor and the Elf (5)
Chapter 57 : The Emperor and the Elf (5)
Chapter 57: The Emperor and the Elf (5)
Irena walked forward without hesitation. She was the Emperor of the Empire—naturally, she was to be treated with the utmost respect befitting her status.
However, not a single elf stepped forward to greet her.
The reason was simple—the presence of Amon, who stood by her side, was overwhelmingly powerful.
Was this how it felt to stand before the sun itself?
A burning heat seemed to radiate from Amon’s body, as though his very skin were aflame. It wasn’t killing intent, nor was it simply a released aura.
The elves were unable to move an inch, paralyzed by his sheer presence alone.
“Riolfolt! I came to hear the answer you spoke of!”
Irena’s voice rose sharply—a cry filled with both excitement and fervor.
Leon looked at her.
In Irena’s eyes gleamed a madness so intense that even the nearby elves instinctively recoiled.
‘She came to hear an answer?’
Leon thought quietly.
‘It seems she’s had quite a conversation with the elves while I wasn’t aware.’
Could it be something related to the World Tree? Most likely.
For the Emperor herself to make the journey, it must be a matter of grave importance.
“Your Majesty the Emperor.”
It was then that a voice answered her.
An elf with striking silver hair spoke to Irena. Even among the elves—beings often called the race of beauty—his appearance stood out.
His clear, androgynous voice carried a certain charm that made it impossible to ignore.
“So, you have come.”
Irena muttered, a cold sneer curling at her lips. Her eyes, sharp and icy, turned toward the elf.
“Riolfolt, I’ve granted the favor you desired. Now it is your turn. Have you prepared your answer?”
“……”
The silver-haired elf, Riolfolt, turned his gaze toward the carriage. A ripple of mana flickered in his eyes—he seemed to be sensing the kin within.
Soon, he closed his eyes gently and spoke.
“First, I must offer my gratitude. You have returned the future of the elves to us. Naturally, we must treat you accordingly. Please, follow me. A feast shall be prepared at once.”
“That will not be necessary. The only thing I require from you is your answer. So tell me—can you grant my request?”
Irena’s voice was cold as her burning gaze fixed upon Riolfolt. The weight of the Emperor’s stare bore down upon the High Elf—the ruler of the elven race.
Riolfolt did not answer. He merely looked at Irena in silence.
His eyes, deep with the weight of years, carried a sorrowful calm.
Finally, he opened his mouth.
“Emperor, I can guess what it is you seek. But I cannot grant your request.”
“……”
In that instant, a clear trace of killing intent flared in Irena’s eyes. It was not the intent of a warrior nor of a mage—it was the killing will of an ordinary person. To the elves, it must have seemed laughable.
Yet tension flickered in Riolfolt’s eyes, as though he believed that if the Emperor before him were to lash out, even he might not be able to stop her.
A heavy silence descended. Though calm for the moment, no one could predict what might happen next—it was truly the calm before the storm.
Leon’s eyes shifted toward Amon.
Amon’s fingers twitched slightly. It looked as though he was waiting only for the Emperor’s command before slaughtering the elves before them.
“Amon.”
Shaaaa—!!
The name was spoken softly, almost as if muttered to herself. But the moment Amon heard it, he shot forward toward Riolfolt. His speed was like lightning—impossible to stop.
In the blink of an eye, Amon’s dagger was pressed against Riolfolt’s throat. A sharp blade kissed his skin, drawing a thin drop of blood.
“……! Your Majesty!”
The elves reacted too late. Mana surged in their hands—it was clear they were preparing high-level magic.
But no one cast a spell. Riolfolt raised his hand to stop them.
‘Such loyalty…’
Leon thought quietly.
Their king’s life was in danger. No matter how loyal they were, this was not something one could simply stand and watch.
Servants were meant to protect their king—even if it meant defying orders for the sake of the realm.
Several elves bit their lips, clenching their fists so tightly their knuckles turned white. Yet not one of them moved.
It was because their king had commanded them not to. That single reason alone was enough for them to suppress all emotion. It was an astonishing sight.
‘The problem is us.’
They were humans. Worse yet, humans from the Empire. If things turned for the worse, they could easily be swept into the conflict.
Fortunately, the elves paid no attention to the Black Dragon beside them—their focus remained entirely on Irena and Riolfolt.
One wrong move, and both nations’ rulers could die here today. Even if nothing happened, this would still go down as a moment of historic tension.
“Riolfolt, I will grant you one day. That should be enough time to think. If, by then, you fail to give me the answer I seek—”
Her gaze sharpened like a blade.
“—then I shall erase Aurel from the pages of history.”
“……”
Riolfolt’s eyes lowered heavily. Conflict shadowed his somber face.
Her words were no less than a declaration of war. For a ruler, there could be no heavier burden.
Leaving only those words behind, Irena turned and exited the Great Forest.
She had given him one day. Judging by her declaration of war, it was likely that she already had her forces stationed nearby.
He was a man with no openings.
“Damn it…”
At that moment, Garan muttered. His voice carried deep sorrow, and anger twisted across his face.
“So that’s why the Emperor came along… it was because of this.”
It was the lament of a human left behind in Aurel, uttered without realizing it.
The elves did not attack the Black Dragon. It was thanks to Rahan and Lenel. The elves prioritized the words of their royal family—there was no choice but to obey.
Besides, their reasoning was sound. The Emperor had secretly followed the elven delegation on their journey.
Had they been more cautious, they might have noticed—but who in the world could have foreseen such a situation?
Instead, the elves looked upon the Black Dragon with pity, their gazes filled with sympathy—as though they were seeing a commoner exploited by those in power.
‘Of course, Garan and I already knew.’
There was no need to say it aloud.
As a result, the Black Dragon was treated as an honored guest. They had escorted members of the royal family, and those royals had personally offered them protection. Such treatment was only natural.
Inside a wooden house built by the elves—
Just as they were about to rest, Elbin came to see them.
“May I have a moment of your time?”
“What is it?”
Garan replied, his voice heavy with fatigue.
“I came to express our gratitude once more. Without your help, we would never have seen Rahan and Lenel again. The King had urgent business, so he asked me to convey his thanks in his stead.”
“Urgent business… do you mean what just happened?”
“Yes. I apologize that I cannot share the details.”
“It doesn’t matter. I don’t really care to know.”
His words reflected what all of his comrades felt. In a single day, war could break out.
If it were up to them, they would have left immediately. Yet they could not—not because they wanted to, but because of Riolfolt’s request.
—Wait until tomorrow. There will be no war. Please trust me and wait.
It was an uncertain promise. War often erupted without warning. If such things could truly be controlled, the world would have known peace long ago.
No, that’s not right… come to think of it, this is the age of peace.
In ancient times, there had been frequent conflicts between races. War had once been an ordinary affair.
But for centuries, not a single major war had occurred. Truly, this was an age deserving of the word peace.
And yet the Emperor seeks to shatter that peace.
What was so important about her damned castle? About her damned empire?
Countless lives would vanish because of it.
Even in the Martial Alliance, there had been times when they were dragged into war.
Not wars between nations, but between martial sects.
Of course, those wars differed in scale. When the great sects—like the Nine Great Schools or the Five Noble Families—clashed, their battles became part of history itself.
Their ferocity was no less than that of any war between nations.
Leon let out a deep sigh without realizing it. Of course, there was nothing he could do.
A day passed.
Irena stood at the edge of the Great Forest, leading tens of thousands of soldiers.
Even the ones visible numbered in the tens of thousands. Considering the hidden troops, the actual count must have reached into the hundreds of thousands.
She truly intends to see this to the end.
It was a moment destined to be etched in history.
Humans and elves stood face-to-face—not in a simple skirmish, but at the brink of war.
The pressure was so immense that Leon felt his breath catch in his throat.
Then—
The two leaders began walking toward one another, maintaining a distance of about a hundred paces. When they stopped, their negotiation began.
“Riolfolt, the day has passed. Have you come to a decision?”
“Emperor, do you truly intend to destroy this peace? It is a peace our ancestors worked so hard to achieve. You must not shatter it in vain.”
“Then grant my request. If you do, there will be no war.”
Each word made Leon’s heart pound violently. Even during his years as a wandering ronin, he had never experienced something like this. Even with a second life, he could not remain calm before war.
“…Then if you fulfill one condition of mine, Emperor, I shall fulfill yours as well.”
Riolfolt’s voice was solemn, his expression hardened with resolve. It was the look of one delivering his final ultimatum.
“As you know, the names of both the Empire and yourself are bound to the World Tree. What I ask for is simple—do not touch the root, the Blessing of Yggdrasil.”
“Do you swear to that?”
“The Blessing is the very source of our power. Should it vanish, our race—the elves—will soon fade from this world. Leave the Blessing untouched, and I shall grant you the life of the World Tree.”
No answer came. Irena looked at Riolfolt, her gaze dark and deep—so deep it was like staring into an abyss.
For eyes belonging to an emperor, they seemed far too ominous.
Soon, she spoke.
“If you swear upon Lord Solar, the god you serve, I shall accept.”
“I swear it.”
“Very well.”
Irena raised her hand. With that single motion, her soldiers began to withdraw in perfect unison.
The ground trembled beneath their marching feet. Feeling the vibrations through the earth, Leon thought—
Ah, there will be no war.
The elves, too, began to retreat. Now, only a few of each leader’s closest aides remained by their sides.
Those few still carried swords and spears, likely as guards.
“I feel like I’ve aged ten years,” Garan muttered, wiping the cold sweat trickling down his temple—it showed just how tense he had been.
His comrades were no different.
Ryan exaggeratedly patted his chest with relief, while Rhuin unclenched his fists to ease his tension.
Kazan and Retina hid it well, but they too seemed relieved.
Riolfolt began walking toward Irena, perhaps to open the way through the Prison Forest Ground.
It was then—
Kirrk—?
A chill of terror swept over Leon’s entire body. A sense of death loomed—an all-too-familiar feeling.
He turned his head to the side. In the distance, several beastlike creatures were watching them.
But Leon knew.
He knew they were no mere beasts.
He could feel it—the vile, repulsive energy rising from the depths of his being. The taint of the Evil God emanated from those creatures wearing the shapes of beasts.
“Demon Beasts…”
Boom—!!
The moment he spoke, a single figure fell from the sky.