20. Life is a Dream, Each Unique (3000 words)
The brief confrontation with the second princess was set aside, and the elven saint Izalis did not refuse the request. She quickly began to fulfill the duties that came with her identity, appearing before the citizens of the city the following day.
Naturally, as her protector, I had to accompany her throughout, vigilant against the death script that had already begun to unfold around her, ready to strike again at any moment.
At this moment, beneath the statue of the “Goddess of Order,” which was nearly the same size as the main city, Izalis’s appearance once again drew the reverence of all the elves present. This elven figure was certainly not here merely to “harvest the chives.” Her presence not only dispelled the rumors stemming from the previous attack but also served to maintain the “stability” in the hearts of these white-haired elves.
Moreover, unlike Ikusis, who merely put on a “goddess’s smile” and acted like a foolish vase with nothing but mush for brains, this elven saint truly possessed the power to stabilize hearts.
“O people of the Rodland elves, our kingdom, our civilization, born of order, built upon order, the will of order governs balance. As long as the order of this kingdom does not collapse, I shall not be defeated by the heretics who disrupt that order…”
The last time I heard such mystical ramblings, it was from the elven saint Urasilu. Judging by their incessant chatter about “order,” the rhetoric of these two elves is surprisingly similar. However… unlike Urasilu, who only knows “judgment” and disregards the order of others, Izalis’s words, in light of the current state of the kingdom, truly resonate with the common folk, both in sound and appearance…
After all, Izalis indeed appeared here at great risk. Even now, I can discern elements in her script such as [Izalis encounters danger]. And it was then that I realized why this elven saint so easily captured my attention: her actions seemed so perfect that they didn’t resemble those of an elf, or rather, of an ordinary being at all…
“Lord Oqilid.”
The next moment, the voice of an elf interrupted my reverie.
Coming back to my senses, I realized that during my moment of idle thought, Izalis’s “speech” to “inspire” had already concluded. The fervent admirers were reluctant to leave, but Izalis herself needed to depart quickly before chaos ensued.
She glanced at me, reminding, “Today’s event has ended. If we don’t leave soon, everyone will be pushing through the guards to swarm us. If you enjoy looking at my profile so much, I’ll make sure you get a good view of it when we return.”
“Cough, cough… shh!”
I hurriedly stopped Izalis’s dangerous statement, and then, under the protection of the other elven white knights, I took the lead in escorting Izalis away.
If someone had accidentally overheard that remark, it would have caused a major problem! She could present herself with the elegance and nobility of a goddess descending to earth, yet occasionally reveal a cunning side. This elven saint might be even more unfathomable than I had initially thought.
Moreover, even after returning to my residence under the protection of the guards, on the way back to her resting place, this elf seemed unwilling to let go of this rare opportunity.
“Lord Oquilid, thank you for your company today. After appearing before everyone, I believe the ‘order’ in this town can return to a state of balance.”
I certainly knew why Izalis spoke to me on the way back; after all, the beginning was merely a prelude, and what mattered was the next line.
“However, aren’t your wives with you today?”
【Izalis wants to understand Oquilid.】
The familiar script unfolded, and sure enough… the elf before me had chosen this moment of solitude with me. As for why she had to ask about Kephiel and Nilu, perhaps it was her way of trying to “hook” me.
Because…
“They have other matters to attend to.”
After I answered Izalis’s question, the elf, now emboldened, quickly closed the distance between us, coming to my side shoulder to shoulder!
Completely replacing ordinary walking with “floating,” her height made me realize, even with a nervous glance, that at this moment she was almost “leaning against me”! I wanted to push this elf away immediately, but Izalis was merely “leaning over,” maintaining a distance that was both close and far, just enough to leave me without any excuse to step away!
In the next moment, the fragrance emanating from the girl enveloped me, making me involuntarily exclaim: no wonder my two big shots were so jealous last night, because just standing next to Izalis was already a challenge for any normal man! What had previously been a mere “glance” now brought her face close before my eyes.
Her cascading white hair remained dazzling; upon closer inspection, I could even faintly see the golden fuzz on her face, illuminated by the setting sun; and from the side angle, I could clearly see the eye hidden beneath her bangs, deep and tranquil, as if it held countless emotions.
I…
Indeed had an “impression” of Izalis! However, this was not some cliché line about “we’ve met before” to charm a girl, but rather a genuine recognition of her appearance.
In such situations, there are usually only two possibilities: either, as my wives said, I was enchanted by her, captivated by a single glance, and kept insisting ‘we’ve met before.’
Or, it was because Izalis resembled…
“Lord Oquilid, if you truly intend to stay here as my protector, then you may look at me for as long as you wish.”
In the next moment, Izalis’s words interrupted my wandering thoughts, forcing me to hurriedly avert my gaze!
What she had just expressed might no longer be a “hint,” but rather a “clear indication.”
“Sorry, Izalis, I also came here with a purpose; I cannot ‘exist forever.’”
Even a fool could hear Izalis’s attitude towards me, and because of that, I had to respond properly. “But at least during this time, I will definitely fulfill my responsibilities.”
“Do you… not wish to stay within this ‘kingdom of order’?”
It’s not that I don’t want to; it’s just that I don’t belong to this era at all. However, this secret cannot be spoken aloud, so I can only respond with a cliché.
“Izalis, have you ever heard a saying?”
“?”
“Life is full of dreams, each splendid in its own way. I’m sorry, but once my ‘purpose’ here is fulfilled, I might leave Rodlan. After all… our group’s identity cannot allow us to linger here for long.”
My response was seamless, yet Izalis’s reaction unexpectedly startled me.
“Then… may I come find you?”
“Uh, but you are the Holy Maiden, right?”
Our plans still rely on the advantages brought by Izalis’s identity. At this point, I can’t just say something like, “Don’t like me, get lost!” So, I can only use a common excuse to counter her.
But then, Izalis’s next response left me a bit bewildered.
“The title of Holy Maiden is merely an ‘identity,’ a ‘title.’ I exist here to maintain Rodlan, to uphold the ‘order’ of these elves.”
“Lord Oquilid, every era, whether long or short, will have its moment of conclusion. When do you think ‘the end of an era’ begins?”
“Every ‘era’ needs ‘order’ to be sustained. The moment ‘order’ no longer favors us is the beginning of an era’s decline. By then, perhaps no one will be able to escape. However, while ‘order’ is so important, there are things even more significant than merely ‘maintaining’ order…”
【Izalis wants to get closer to Oquilid.】
A strange script emerged, but more than this current script, I couldn’t grasp the meaning of the elf’s earlier words.
“Lord Oquilid, I feel that there is something special about you, something so similar to me, as if ‘fate’ guided our meeting. So, would you mind if, at some point, I find you and come to your side?”
“Uh? Izalis… Holy Maiden, what did you mean by that just now?”
At a time like this, please don’t play cryptic games with me, Izalis. Sometimes, it’s not a bad thing to speak plainly and express your feelings, but you always have to dress it up in such ‘high-class’ language that I don’t even know how to respond.
“Ah… I await your answer, Lord Oquilid. Please don’t think too hard about it. Your actions will speak for everything…”
However, before I had the chance to respond, Izalis seemed to have reached a sense of “satisfaction.” In the next moment, she gradually distanced herself from me, and… she didn’t even intend to follow my pace back to our residence.
Accompanied by her words, a new script emerged around Izalis! It informed me of her upcoming actions!
“Lord Oqulid, the time ahead is when I will meet with Princess Adrel. For now, could you please allow us to part ways? You don’t need to accompany me any longer.”
[Izalis meets Adrel.]
The script appeared, and its content left me with no choice but to nod in a mundane manner, watching as Izalis, whose attitude seemed to have suddenly “shifted,” slowly “floated” away from me.
Could it be that she wanted to shake me off out of spite for the “feelings” I had just rejected?
Cough, cough, no, it’s better not to think about such things for now, after all…
The emergence of the script detailing Izalis’s actions made me tense up, and it certainly wasn’t the time to ponder any “emotional issues.”
Because…
The “main storyline” I had been waiting for might truly be about to unfold!
——
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