082 – Half-Elf

I was deep in conversation with His Majesty when…

“Ugh… Papa…”

I saw Princess Asher, looking weary from overusing her aether, walking towards us hand-in-hand with Miss Ella.

“My little one, tired are you?”

“Mhmm…”

Overusing aether was bound to exhaust the body.

Just like how exercising too much makes one weary.

Aether, too, required the body to rest and recharge after excessive use.

“Forgive me, forgive me. We shall head home now.”

“Sleep well, and good night, Asher.”

“G’night…”

It was difficult for young Asher, who didn’t yet know her limits, to understand how much aether she could use.

Wait a moment.

‘Why aren’t *I* tired?’

It was only natural for a child to not know their limitations.

Especially Asher, who had only recently started experimenting with aether… But what about me?

“We shall meet again tomorrow.”

“Found someone you wish to scout, have you?”

“I come to see *you*.”

“Eh?”

After using aether like a wild thing for at least fifty matches, my mind felt perfectly clear.

In every match, I pulled every last bit of aether from my body without a shred of control.

Yet my body wasn’t tired in the slightest…

‘Just how much aether do I even have?’

I had asked Lillian Isolde to extract my aether core once before.

And even after that process, I still had *this* much left?

It was a stark reminder of just how many elixirs I must have consumed.

…

For students who attracted the attention of powerful families in the sparring matches, proposals were delivered through the professors.

Most first-year students didn’t receive any proposals.

But a few, myself included, were delivered proposals from high-ranking officials.

“They’re offering a guard position for 700 shillings an hour? What about you?”

“I’m getting 4,500 shillings a day. Your offer sounds much better…”

“Because you have better grades.”

“That’s true enough.”

Through letters like these, students were to decide whether or not to accept a given offer.

Or perhaps to choose which family’s offer to accept…

—

Word arrived that this Saturday, I am expected at the Imperial Palace.

The Saturday following, you ought to visit my manor.

Margrave.

—

‘Lord Alexander… this is supposed to be a proposal… Are you writing to me like a friend in boot camp sending internet letters…’

—

It has come to my attention that there have been no doppelganger incidents of late.

I suspect you are deeply involved in this matter.

Am I wrong?

Archmage.

—

‘Archmage… couldn’t you just come and ask me directly…? It would be faster and more efficient…’

—

Good luck!

Pope.

—

‘Thank you, Your Holiness…’

Look at these geezers.

Clearly, they saw everyone else writing letters and thought it looked fun, so they just *had* to write some too.

“…No wonder they all smirked at me as they left…”

Back then, during the audience with His Majesty at the dueling grounds.

I could see Lord Alexander, the Archmage, and the Pope each seated on different sides.

Oddly enough, everyone who made eye contact with me at that moment just smirked and vacated their seats…

‘I guess men really never do grow up, no matter how old they get.’

Making a vow to become that kind of adult when *I* grew up.

I raised my head and glanced around.

“!”

“…”

The fact that the Margrave, the Archmage, and the Pope had all sent me proposals was already the talk of the town.

Rumor had it that other influential noble families, sensing the situation, had refrained from submitting their own proposals.

‘If they saw the contents of these proposals, they’d faint.’

Well, even if they *had* sent proper proposals, there’s no way I would have accepted their terms.

I wasn’t particularly disappointed.

‘Today is Miss Ella’s dueling match.’

If yesterday was the dueling match between first-year cadets.

Today was the day for the second-year cadets’ dueling matches.

‘As soon as the morning lectures are over, I’ll have to go watch with Miss Isabella.’

Thinking about watching the duels, scheduled to begin this afternoon, from His Majesty’s side…

“?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

Edmund, having sidled right up beside me, began to regard me in silence.

‘…What’s this? Why the intense scrutiny?’

“…”

Caught off guard by this sudden battle of wills, I almost blurted something out…

But the instant passed, muddled by the fact I couldn’t think what to say.

“Alright, let’s take attendance.”

Thankfully, the professor entered the lecture hall.

This unnerving gaze – over at last.

“May I sit here?”

“…You may.”

“Thank you.”

Ah… how awkward.

Even if the rumor that I’m into younger girls is going around…

Surely the rumour that I enjoy… hairy men hasn’t started spreading yet?

Of course, I’ve absolutely no interest in men whatsoever.

Scratch, scratch, scratch…

I tore off a piece of paper, scribbled on it, and slid it to Edmund sitting beside me.

“…?”

I could see the man’s eyes fixed on me, as if I’d lost my mind.

– I am not interested in men.

– …I only wanted to ask you a few things.

A moment later, the note returned with his reply: he just wanted to ask me something.

“Phew…”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

And wrote back, telling him to feel free to ask.

A moment later…

– You mentioned that you haven’t had any formal training in martial arts but your fighting instincts seem to be a gift. Is that correct?

– Why did you purposely lose the match the day before?

– What was the name of the technique you showed at the very end?

– It wasn’t visible, but it didn’t seem particularly fast either. Was that magic?

– If it is not too much to ask, I would like to spar with you again. How about we engage in mock bouts together while the second-year students are practising later today?

I could only stare at Edmund, who was asking questions with an ease unknown to mortal man.

– I apologize. I already have a lover.

– That’s not it at all!??

…

“Edmund!”

As soon as the morning lecture ended and the professor left the room, a gaggle of female students arrived to collect him.

“Care to grab some lunch?”

Wow…

To receive an invitation to eat together from a girl.

‘So that’s what a true alpha male looks like.’

I thought I was quite the alpha myself.

Seeing the real deal is… a little surreal.

“I apologize. I, uh, already have plans with Meehan today.”

“…What?”

“…What?”

This guy’s gotta be gay.

The way he’s been staring at me since earlier, too.

And how he keeps clinging even when I keep pushing him away.

Now, on top of everything else, he’s just inventing a prior engagement out of thin air…!

‘Alpha-gay…!’

It’s always the good-looking ones who go even further.

Conquering the hearts of women should be enough, why does he have to cause this much chaos trying to conquer the hearts of men too?

I frantically shook my head, signaling the girl to quickly take Edmund away, but…

“…Be careful, Edmund.”

‘Oh, really??’

Look at her not even glancing in my direction.

Right next to her, and her gaze is glued to Edmund’s face!

“He’s… a little weird.”

I can hear you, you know?

Weird people get their feelings hurt, too, you know??

‘…’

However, remembering that this girl received about three slaps on the rear from me the previous day, I decided to say nothing.

“Thank you for your concern.”

Just look at that eye-smile.

Even a guy could fall for… wait, am I falling for it?

Am I being hit on by an alpha-gay right now??

‘Emergency…!’

Staying here any longer would only lead to more trouble, so I immediately got up, gathered my things, and left the classroom.

“Meehan-nim!”

I could hear Edmund’s passionate voice chasing after me, but…

‘Just leave me alone…! Please don’t try to get me involved with a lolicon who slaps rear ends indiscriminately…!!’

Desperately pretending not to hear him, I walked away as quickly as I could.

…

“It’s fun to eat with friends, you know.”

“I prefer eating alone.”

“Shall we share the joy of eating together from now on?”

“…”

Even in the dining hall.

“Won’t you join me in watching the sparring match? I secured a good spot.”

“…This is the restroom.”

“If you need to attend to something urgent, I shall wait outside for a moment.”

“…”

Even in the restroom.

Myaong~

“I believe that is the cat Lady Mihean keeps? It’s ever so cute.”

“Seol, bite.”

Myaang!

“Whoa there..!”

Even while taking a stroll in the park with Isabella.

Edmund continued to cling and bother, as if determined to settle things with me…

The second-year sparring matches were soon to begin.

If things went wrong here, I felt he might even cause a scene and follow us to where His Majesty was.

“I yield. Sigh… What is it that you want?”

I asked, as Edmund desperately dodged Isabella’s advances.

“Just once is all I ask.”

In response to that question, Edmund…

“Show me your full power. Lady Mihean, I want to fight you when you are fighting with all your heart.”

He desired a mock duel where I gave it my all.

“…Are you perhaps, fond of being spanked? Let me reiterate, I am only interested in the opposite s*x.”

“It’s not like that, I assure you..!”

…

“My main weapon is, in truth, the bow. I used a practice sword in the sparring match, but my family has wielded bows since ancient times.”

“My main weapon is, in truth, the cat. I used my fists in the sparring match, but my family has used familiars since ancient times.”

“…Pardon?”

“Prepare for battle.”

Myaang!

I had intended to seize victory in a freebie match by using Isabella as a shield.

But Edmund’s eyes desired a proper duel with me.

“Haa… …Very well. But, no real arrows, understood.”

“Of course. They are practice arrows with blunted tips.”

“Aye… Still, getting hit with one would sting terribly.”

Left with no choice, I helped Isabella down from the sparring ring.

I kept a reasonable distance from Edmund, adopting a fighting stance.

“Begin whenever you are ready.”

“Start.”

“Huh?”

“Start comfortably,” he said, and with that, I shouted to begin.

Clad in ether from head to toe, I approached him and aimed for his backside.

*Whoosh-*

“?”

Unlike the day before, Edmund easily evaded my attack.

‘I should’ve known from his flashy appearance.’

A sudden increase in his physical abilities meant he was equipped with a magical artifact, like a Mana Euphoriant, that boosted his stats.

He didn’t seem to be wearing any visible trinkets, so it was clear that the elaborate bow he held was the item greatly enhancing his abilities.

“Instead of that attack, won’t you use the disappearing act you showed me yesterday?”

“May I ask why you’re so fixated on that?”

“…Personal reasons.”

I had no idea what kind of family matter required infiltration, but I knew he wouldn’t be satisfied unless he saw it somehow.

“Sleep.”

“Come, do come in…”

After lulling him to slumber.

I strolled leisurely from the sparring grounds.

“That’s revenge for bothering me all day.”

He was still just a greenhorn who didn’t understand that he needed to bring money to persuade me.

I had no intention of giving him what he wanted.

“Master is cunning…”

“Let’s hurry and go see Ella’s match!”

“Yeah! I want to see the mistress fight too!”

Just in case, I glanced back at the sparring grounds.

Edmund was still sound asleep.

“Ah, he’ll get frostbite sleeping there.”

But actually leaving him on the cold training grounds made my conscience prick.

“Oh, are you going to wake him?”

“No, if I wake him up, he’ll only bother me again. I’m just going to cover him with a blanket.”

“There’s a blanket?”

“I’ll just drape my coat over him, then.”

As I was about to cover the sleeping Edmund with my coat, acting as a blanket…

“…Hm?”

I’d never really looked at the back of his head before, but now I noticed.

Upon seeing the back of his ears, there were scars.

‘Scars on both ears?’

If it was only on one ear, I would have thought he’d simply been injured, but…

Since the scars were on both ears, there was a high possibility they had been deliberately inflicted.

‘Why?’

Amidst wondering just what would lead an ordinary person to carve slits into both ears…

‘…Could it be?’

Judging by that unusually handsome face.

“This one’s a half-elf, eh.”

“An Incubus?! No, never mind. I knew it.”

Edmund being a half-elf was something he could recognize right away.

“…Seemed like you didn’t?”

“Whose is Seol-i?”

“Master’s!”

“And whose thoughts are Seol-i’s thoughts?”

“…Master’s thoughts?”

“So?”

“Master recognized it right away…”

“Praise the great Mihen.”

Myaong~ Myaaong~ “But Master, aren’t we going to watch Mistress’ sparring match?”

“Oh no, I’m late…! Let’s hurry.”