Chapter 09
The Traitor Elf (2)The Traitor Elf
Jingle-
Rael stood awkwardly in front of the cashier, his gaze lowered.
A mountain of North Boar meat was piled up in front of Reina.
"Ma'am, you're three copper coins short."
"Hmm. Wait a moment. I should have some copper coins."
Rustle-
Reina was shaking out an old, worn-out wallet, trying to find some coins. But shaking an empty wallet wouldn't produce any coins.
As time passed, the customers behind them grew increasingly impatient, and finally, the cashier forced a trembling smile and said,
"Please step aside for a moment and let the other customers check out."
"Oh, damn. Did I miscalculate? Ugh. What should I remove…?"
Reina looked at the pile of meat with a defeated expression. She needed to buy a lot of meat now that it was on sale… The thought of having to give up some of the meat, which could last for several days if rationed, made her want to cry.
"Sigh…"
Rael sighed deeply. He knew she didn't have much money, but he didn't expect her to be living so miserably. It was pitiful, even pathetic.
'Why is she living so hard?'
Even the cheap meat should be affordable with her guard salary. She must have her reasons.
"Excuse me. How much is she short? Three copper coins?"
Rael finally took out his wallet. Judging by the situation, if he left her alone, she would likely be treated as a troublemaker.
"Yes, sir. Just three copper coins."
The cashier looked at him with a hopeful expression, and Rael handed over three copper coins from his wallet. It was such a small amount that he could easily give it away to avoid hassle and embarrassment.
But to Reina, that small gesture felt like divine salvation.
"You… You…! Rael! You really are a kind person. I'll admit you're the kindest after Yuri."
"Please, just be quiet and let's go. This is embarrassing."
This wasn't District 5 but District 2. It was a place where nobles walked around, and he had an image as a guard captain to maintain. He couldn't let the crazy elf tarnish his carefully built reputation.
Rael covered his face with his hand and left the store.
After waiting outside for a while, he saw Reina struggling out with two large baskets in her hands.
Seeing her, Rael approached.
"Ugh, ugh. Help me…"
"Reina. Don't you have a magic pouch?"
"I sold it last month because I didn't have enough money for meat…"
"…"
A magic pouch is expensive, but still affordable with a month's salary. What kind of life is she living?
"By the way, thanks for covering for me. I usually bring just enough money, but I must have miscalculated because of the sale. I'll definitely pay you back later."
"Don't worry about it. We're comrades. Just pay me back later."
"Okay. So, as a comrade, can you help me carry this home?"
"This crazy elf…"
I save her from the water, and now she wants the bag too. What a bandit.
"I bought a lot of meat because of the sale, so I'll grill some for you too. Come on, help me out, okay?"
"…If you’re offering free food, fine. But is your house clean? From your personality, it seems like it’d be a mess."
As someone from an orphanage, Rael was sensitive to free meals. The mention of free food made him nod instinctively.
"Don't worry. My house is new. I keep it well-maintained."
"Really? Then I'll lend you my magic pouch. Let's go together."
After all, elves are generally associated with cleanliness. Growing up in the forest, she should manage her home well.
"Meat, meat. A feast of boar meat~."
"Isn't that song more suited for orcs than elves?"
Rael glanced at Reina, who was humming beside him. She looked like a typical elf but behaved so differently.
"By the way, what’s with that liquor bottle? Did you buy alcohol despite claiming to have no money?"
"No. I got expired liquor for free. Sprinkling it on the meat before grilling reduces the gaminess."
"Oh, there was such a method?"
Reina had the familiar scent of a beggar.
As they walked and chatted, Rael noticed a familiar building.
"…The Imperial Academy."
"What's with the Academy?"
"The Academy is the most well-guarded place in the Imperial Capital. I actually wanted to be part of its guard team."
As mentioned before, this novel was an academy story. Staying near the academy meant there would be benefits.
‘I once dreamed of catching the eye of a heroine or having the protagonist notice my talent…’
I had thought of such happy scenarios briefly.
But the academy guard only accepted nobles. Those discriminatory bastards. In the end, I had to cry and take the exam for a regular guard position.
"People naturally want what they can't have. It's not a strange dream."
"…"
Rael quickened his pace, glaring at Reina. An under-socialized elf couldn't understand a human's dream.
‘The protagonist should be graduating from the academy soon.’
The protagonist would be revered as a hero and lead the empire after graduation.
Of course, this had nothing to do with Rael. His youth was dedicated to the guard.
He hadn't even seen the protagonist's face yet.
‘Well, they’ll manage. I just need to prepare before the Demon King goes berserk.’
Rael deliberately avoided interfering with the novel's storyline.
Although he knew a lot about the protagonist's adventures, he didn’t touch any of it.
Having become a guard, he couldn't risk the empire collapsing due to the butterfly effect.
"By the way, Reina, are you going through tough times? How come there’s nothing in your wallet?"
"Uh… I spend my salary as soon as I get it."
"Do you have debts?"
At the word "debt," Reina's face went pale.
It reminded Rael of his father, who worried about living expenses as soon as the house loan was deducted.
"…Just a little? Not much."
"You really have debts? What happened?"
"It's personal. Don't ask too much, it's embarrassing!"
Tsk.
Rael kept quiet.
Even in this medieval fantasy world, it was impolite to pry further.
"Reina, sorry, but I have to ask. Did you borrow with compound interest?"
But this question couldn't be held back.
In this world, compound interest is a dangerous thing to deal with.
"Compound interest? What's that?"
"Oh, shit."
Rael covered his face with his hands.
What should he do with this foolish elf who borrowed money without knowing about compound interest?
Reina, unaware of Rael's feelings, opened her mouth.
"Why? What’s compound interest? Is it like fugu? Fugu poison?"
"…I don't have the confidence to explain it to you. Just come with me tomorrow to see the lenders. The world is dangerous these days. Tsk."
In a medieval fantasy world without human rights, there’s no regulation against usury.
If left alone, Reina's debt would snowball.
‘They were terrifying even in my past life…’
Cute characters singing about loans in commercials. As a kid, I would sing along, but as an adult, I shuddered at the interest rates written below.
That’s what it means to grow up.
As an adult, Rael had to help the young elf.
"Really? You’re a kind person. I'll grill all the meat for you. It's my first time grilling for someone else, so be happy."
"Yeah, thanks a lot."
At least she had some sense of gratitude.
In this world, many repay kindness with enmity.
Believe it or not, Reina offering free food made her a saintess.
How long did they walk?
Reina stopped in the residential area of District 2.
"The house isn’t bad. The vines on the wall give it a natural look."
Rael nodded, looking at the neat building.
The vines climbing naturally up the walls were quite elfish.
It wasn't a great house, but it wasn't bad either.
"What are you talking about? My house is further in."
"Not here?"
Reina struggled into a narrow alley between buildings.
Rael followed her with a worried expression.
At the end of the alley stood a house that looked ready to collapse.
"What is this?"
"My house. Haven't you seen a house before, orphan?"
Ignoring Reina's innocent but cutting remark about his background, Rael inspected the house closely.
Growing up on the streets, Rael could tell.
This house was garbage. The more he looked, the shoddier the materials and finishing appeared.
‘How did she get such a house in District 2?’
If this was a new build, it must have been deliberately made with trash materials.
Could she have been scammed?
"This dump is new?"
"Of course, it's new. It’s less than a hundred years old. I'm lucky. In the elf forest, the standard was 3,000 years."
"…Sigh."
Rael looked at Reina, chuckling, and felt a headache coming on.
Oh, god.
Why put me through this trial…? How am I supposed to deal with this foolish elf?
"What are you doing? Not coming in?"
"…Let’s go in. I should at least eat the free food."
No matter how crappy the house, free food was worth it. Without the promise of free food, he wouldn't have come here.
‘It's strange that there’s a place like this in District 2.’
At least there was a spacious yard in front of the house, but it was odd that she bought such a house
*
While Reina searched her pockets for the key, Rael looked around.
‘No one would come to a secluded place like this.’
While absentmindedly looking around the yard, he suddenly felt uneasy. Tensing his senses, Rael quickly identified what was bothering him.
‘…Footprints?’
There were footprints all over the yard. The numerous footprints were scattered as if people had danced around. But Rael’s keen senses revealed that the footprints didn’t belong to just one person.
‘They tried to erase the traces.’
The concealment was so meticulous that only Rael’s senses could detect it. Staring at the footprints, Rael traced their target. It led straight to Reina’s house.
"Wait! Reina! Don’t open the door!"
"Huh?"
Creak-
Reina opened the door to her house. Simultaneously, Rael felt a chill down his spine. His senses screamed danger.
"Shit…!"
Rael's body moved faster than his mind. He immediately grabbed Reina’s collar and yanked her back.
"Kyaa!"
Crack-!
As Reina fell to the ground, a sword shot out from inside the house. The sword, brimming with killing intent, had just missed Reina. Then, elves hiding in Reina's house emerged one by one.
"I was tired of waiting in this dump, but finally, you're here."
"A perfect home for a traitor who betrayed the pride of elves."
"Hmph. But that ends today."
They glared at Rael and Reina with murderous intent. It was clearly not a surprise party.
"The whore who spread her legs for demons has finally shown herself. Huh?"
The leader, an elf, walked up to Reina with a twisted smile. A biting insult that made the delinquent Reina seem like a polite elf. It seemed elves were generally disrespectful.
"…You’d better get out of my sight. Today’s a good day, and I don’t want to waste my energy on trash."
Reina, getting up, frowned and let out her magical aura. Her sharp killing intent could slice Rael’s neck. But the elves facing her only sneered.
"Bluffing, Reina. Did you think I wouldn’t know you haven’t touched the branch of the World Tree for half a year?"
"…What nonsense are you spouting?"
"You're the only elf who illegally acquires the branches of the World Tree. It wasn’t hard to cut off your supply. Otherwise, would we dare show ourselves in front of you? Traitor."
"You filthy bastards…"
Reina bit her lip. As he said, Reina, banned from entering the elf forest, hadn’t touched the World Tree’s branches for a long time. Naturally, her body’s natural blessings had weakened.
‘I could have gotten the branch if I paid the price tomorrow…!’
She had let her guard down for a moment and found herself in danger.
"Elves have such filthy mouths."
Then, Rael spoke from behind. Reina suddenly realized his presence and stood in front of him.
"…Rael, run away. This isn’t your fight."
"Sorry, Reina. I thought you were an exception among elves, but it’s just the nature of your race. They must have learned that arrogance from somewhere. I understand. Growing up among beggars, I’ve become foul-mouthed too."
"Rael! I said get out of here!"
Rael hadn’t fully grasped the situation. She knew he was strong, but the elves in front of them were honorable warriors of the elf race. With Reina weakened, killing a human would be like twisting a child’s wrist.
"Who is this human? Reina, have you spread your legs for humans now? How pathetic, clinging to such a useless short-lifer."
"…Keln!"
Reina bit her lip. The fact that Rael saw her like this hurt her pride.
"A useless short-lifer… I get the gist."
As Reina glared at the elves, Rael stepped forward. He knew Reina was a traitor elf, but the World Tree branch was news to him. Approaching the elves, who were smirking, Rael wore a friendly smile.
"Keln? So you're Keln?"
"Who are you?"
"Don’t you know me? I’m Rael. Recently, your mother asked me to take care of her son working in the empire, offering herself to me, the Imperial Guard Captain, for free. I still remember that hot night, so I'll spare you if you leave now."
"What the hell…? You son of a bitch!"
Understanding Rael's words, Keln's face turned red as he drew his sword.
I thought only Reina was stupid, but it seems all elves are.
"I am Rael, Captain of the Imperial Third Guard. Opposing me means opposing the empire. Can you handle that?"
"If we kill this whore and you here, what can the empire do?"
"Well, yeah. If you listened to reason, you wouldn’t have drawn your sword. Beasts only understand when beaten."
Whether elf or human, there are unsocialized beasts. Fortunately, Rael was an excellent trainer. The elves were lucky.
"Bluffing, human. Did Reina’s looks tempt you? Heh."
"Don’t worry. I specialize in training beasts into people. They’ll come to their senses after a beating."
Rael rotated his shoulders and glanced back. Reina looked at him with an unprecedented anxious expression.
"Wait. Rael. This is my fight. I appreciate the help, but…"
"Stop wasting time! Kill him!"
Shing-!
The elves around Keln simultaneously drew their swords. They never intended to let Rael leave.
‘I have to find a way out.’
Reina forced the remaining mana in her body to rise. She couldn’t let Rael get caught in this fight. But at that moment.
"Stay behind me. Don’t get hurt by stray swords."
The mana rising in Reina’s body scattered forcibly. Rael had grabbed her wrist.
"You, you…"
Reina gasped in shock. Disturbing internal mana just by grabbing a wrist was advanced mana manipulation. For a 20-year-old, it was highly difficult. But more puzzling was Rael’s behavior. Reina couldn’t understand.
Why was Rael helping her so much? She couldn’t read his intentions.
‘Right. There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Did Reina bring me here on purpose?’
Meanwhile, Rael, standing before Reina, suspected her. Free meals meant that to him.
‘Still, better to stick with the future emperor’s aide than some random elf.’
The elves’ murderous aura intensified. Rael hoped they were pushovers, but they seemed formidable. Well, coming for Reina should have hinted at that.
‘Losing while putting on a brave face is the most humiliating.’
If they hadn't picked a fight, he would have grabbed Reina and run before it got messy. But having been insulted, running away would make him a loser.
That’s the rule of the street and life.
‘Seven elf warriors… this will be a good warm-up.’
This is why men must learn to swallow their pride.
Unfortunately, he was already too late for that, so he had no choice but to win.