## Chapter 1124 – Elven Forest

But I’ll ask about that later.

“Hehe, do I really need to use that right to ask?”
“Still, doing it this way feels like a reward, doesn’t it? A noble saintess like myself enjoying lewd acts disguised as a reward is quite nice, wouldn’t you say?”
“You’ve awakened to some strange desires, Kadia.”
“How dare you utter such nonsense.”

Anyway.

“So, about the envoy.”
“Ah… yes. I’ve already spoken with the royal family. They’ll contact you first, so just act when they do.”

Are there any special instructions?

“It’s not a particularly difficult task. Therefore, the Saintess believes a Paladin is more than capable of handling it.”
“It’s just a simple delivery, right?”
“That’s what the Saintess heard, but it’s always good to keep potential variables in mind.”
“I’ll keep that in mind then. Anything else special?”
“The only thing that could be considered special is… the elven envoy is currently residing at the Diplomatic Residence. The Paladin will soon meet with them, so just keep that in mind.”
“Nothing much then.”

Good.

“Then don’t worry. I’ll be ready to come right away when you call.”
“The Saintess has only the Paladin.”

Kadia nodded, seemingly satisfied.

“Ah, and just in case.”
“Hmm?”
“If you happen to meet the princess, report to the Saintess in detail beforehand, just like you did today.”
“Okay.”

I said my goodbyes and returned home.

* * *

Back home, I first explained to the girls that I would be going as an envoy.

The princess said she would reward me, and I thought it was appropriate to accept. We had already talked about this a lot, so they nodded in agreement.

“Katt. If you go as an envoy, can we go with you?”
“I think that elf who gave me the leaf back then said it would be possible.”

It’ll probably take some time, so I’d like to go with you if possible. When I received this last time, that elf thingamajig explained that it would be okay to have companions.

“Hmph… shouldn’t you ask again properly? They might change their minds.”
“That’s possible. Then I’ll ask. Where is the envoy staying in the capital right now anyway? I’ll meet them before going and ask them.”
“Yes. Do that. But the Elven Forest… I wonder what kind of place it is.”

Liztina said with anticipation, but the Elven Forest would probably just be another commonplace serial killer den.

After all, towns where people live are all pretty similar.

But since each member of elven society is practically a psychopath and a professional body mutilator, things are probably worse than in human countries.

This might be a perspective stemming from prejudice against elves, but I was strongly convinced that they were not normal beings.

Those guys who have lived that long and pray to trees can’t possibly be normal. Besides, they have a deep-rooted hatred of humans. Of course, they’re forming an alliance out of necessity now, but that’s just because they needed to make the offer.

Hmm… I wonder if there are street robbers in the elven country too? Since places where people live are all similar, it wouldn’t be strange if elven criminals were wandering somewhere in that deep forest.

“But Katt-nim.”

As I was contemplating the elves, Hilde said.

“What, Hilde?”
“What was Princess Karga like?”
“The princess?”
“You went and talked to the princess directly, didn’t you? What kind of woman was she?”
“No, why are you focusing on what kind of woman she is?”

At that moment, all eyes were on me.

“Father?”
“Darkie?”

No.

“Hmm… I’m just asking in case, but nothing happened, right?”

Liztina asked with narrowed eyes, and everyone approached me.

“Well, I was talking to her, and then suddenly she.”
“Suddenly what?”
“She said she wanted to get close to me and suggested we become friends?”
“What?”
“So I spoke informally to her and came back.”

The princess and I are friends.

“…What’s going on?”

Karin tilted her head.

“You’re saying you became friends?”

Risha asked with a question mark on her face.

“But being friends is just words. It’s probably nothing.”

I expressed my thoughts on the situation of becoming friends with the princess. This was partly out of personal interest, but it was also a politically motivated act. Still, there was no doubt that she was trying to pull some trick.

“I’m just really puzzled. Is our Darkie going to be playing on a kingdom-wide scale now? Wow, you’ve really made it. You’ve made it.”

Karin made a satisfied expression and patted my shoulder.

“Hehehe, of course I’ve made it.”
“But I’m really puzzled about you speaking informally to the princess. Was there really nothing strange?”
“Not really.”
“That’s a relief then… I don’t think royalty would have much reason to do that…”

I would have noticed if something was strange.

“Katt. It’s all because Katt is so capable and strong that the princess had no choice but to show that attitude.”

Claudia, who was listening to the story, put her hands together and said with a smile like a blooming flower.

“Wouldn’t it be natural, not strange? All women can’t help but be favorable to Katt. That’s the same even for a princess. And in the face of absolute power, status determined by birth is not important at all. Maybe it’s just an honest attitude.”

Hearing those words, I couldn’t help but nod naturally.

“Yeah… Claudia is right. That must be it.”

No matter how I thought about it, Claudia’s guess seemed right. Above all, it was Claudia’s words. There’s no way her words could be wrong.

“I’m so happy to see you climbing up step by step like this.”
“You’ll be even happier in the future.”

I said, hugging her shoulder.

“As you said, I’m a born hero. Such people… inevitably have to show their talent from a young age.”

No lie, I’m a person who could really be in a biography.

I vowed that when I become a king-like existence in the future, I will create a publishing company and definitely make a series of about a hundred biographies about me.

“Now is the perfect timing for that. Look. Even royalty is trying to use me greatly. This is the dignity of Kim Katt. It was only natural that the princess would try to give me an important position.”
“Katt… you’re so cool.”
“And what if royalty gives me an important position? I don’t consider it an honor that such high-ranking people look favorably on me… because it’s just others acknowledging me while treating me condescendingly. Royalty is not my superior. They’re just my business partners.”

Honor is something you earn yourself, not something someone gives you.

Therefore, Kim Katt is unstoppable.

“There’s nothing above me! Only I am normal!”
“Kyaaaa!”

As I shouted, Hilde screamed and clapped, Ari followed suit next to her, and Claudia also clapped, saying I was cool.

“Um… Darkie? Don’t just blindly trust what your sister says. Think calmly, calmly.”
“I’m extremely calm right now. Elven envoy? Winia. This is just something I’m doing because I’m me.”
“Never mind.”

* * *

After that, I received the reward from the royal family, properly organized my assets, and patrolled the prison while writing the Fusion Confucian scriptures, doing what I had to do. I feel like I’ve been doing a little less combat training lately, but I plan to make up for it properly after the envoy work is done.

Such days passed.

“Go this way.”
“It’s not far.”

The day to meet the elven country’s diplomat arrived.

“After meeting the elven envoy, I really have to go to the Elven Forest. This is really… I know you’ll do well, but I’m worried.”
“What are you worried about? Is your big chest just full of worries? I feel like I need to vigorously massage them to get them out?”
“Stop saying such bad things.”
“Then I’ll be back.”

I said my goodbyes and headed straight to the Diplomatic Residence.

The elven envoy had apparently been staying in this capital for quite some time, talking to royal family members. They said he had a lot of authority… that must mean he’s a pretty important person.

I hope he’s an elf who can communicate.

ㅡThump, thump, thump.

As I was running at a moderate speed, the appearance of the Diplomatic Residence above came into view. I immediately crossed the bridge, walked up the pure white stairs, jumped onto the roof of a private house, and then continued running over the roofs towards the residence.

I arrived in front of the residence.

There were guards in front of the residence, and I stated my identity and purpose to them. Since we were scheduled to meet today, the procedure was simple.

I was immediately guided inside and waited in the guest room for a while.

“Yes. Please follow me, Paladin-nim.”
“I understand.”

A person who looked like a servant opened the door and volunteered to guide me. He guided me to a door, and I opened the door and went inside.

ㅡSqueak.

Inside.

Beyond the inside.

“…”

An elf with long, reddish-brown hair sitting by the window and drinking tea came into view. The elf looked at me, and I closed the door and approached the elf.

ㅡSwish.

The elf stood up from the seat, pulled out the chair opposite, and returned to the seat.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kim Katt, the Paladin appointed as the envoy.”
“…Nice to meet you, human Paladin.”

Hearing the voice, it seemed to be a woman.
She was just a calm, extremely elf-like woman.

“Can I call you the elven diplomat?”
“Call me whatever you’re comfortable with.”

Anyway, I sat opposite her.

“We finally meet. My name is Serfna.”

Serfna?

“I know elves have very long names.”
“My full name is Serfna Kasabaizer Kesein Tug Di Marbia Rubing.”
“Ah, my bad. Diplomat Serfna.”
“Human names are short, so I understand you’re not used to it… but.”

Serfna said that and gave some kind of signal, and I immediately took out a small box from my pocket.

“I thought you might want this, so I brought it.”

ㅡClick.

Inside the box was a leaf from the World Tree.
Serfna’s eyes widened when she saw it.

“…A precious item.”

A precious item.

“That is the sacred leaf of the World Tree, whom we revere. Those who possess it are qualified to be our honored guests.”

Elves’ World Tree talk is still the same.

Didn’t they have some weird song back then too?
Something like a regimental song that they sing every morning during roll call.

“I actually acquired it in a not-so-great event.”
“But you acquired it through a sufficiently understandable route. I heard that you rescued our warriors in the process of annihilating the lord of another world who appeared in the frontier region.”
“Rescuing comrades during battle is just a natural thing.”

It’s nothing special.

“That was a great thing. Our elves and humans fought together, and in the process, a human rescued our elves first. It may not seem like much, but many elves thought positively about it.”

I don’t really feel it.

Is it a big deal?

“Hearing you say that, it seems a bit more understandable. But does that mean I can go inside the Elven Forest, where no human has ever been?”

In other words, the elven country’s geography and development. Those are secrets. No human knows them properly.

“Because there is a need for that.”

A need.

“Elves don’t live without any changes. If necessary, we have the rationality to do what is needed.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s right.”

Well, that’s how the country runs.

“The Paladin will now head to the center of the Elven Forest with me. There… you will greet the World Tree, our goddess and mother, whom we revere, and meet our queen.”

I’m just delivering a letter.

“It sounds like it will be a really special experience.”
“If you greet the World Tree, your perspective on the world will definitely change.”
“Huh?”
“It’s a golden opportunity to open your eyes to the truth of the world. We want to share that precious experience with you.”

What the hell is this bullshit?