Chapter 79: The Elves’ Common Sense Of Persistence (4)

“Will you marry me?”

Be my political sacrifice (X)

Come on, give it to me! (O)

After chewing over the jumbled translator output, I grinned broadly.

“But I don’t want to?”

“…Eh?”

Eve, momentarily unable to comprehend what she had heard, made a foolish noise.

But it didn’t take long for her to understand what I had said, and her complexion quickly turned pale.

“Why, why not?!”

“Why not, you ask? Well…”

“Although I am a former queen, I was a queen nonetheless. I simply didn’t feel the need, but if I wish, I can reclaim the throne anytime.”

“I can also gain power whenever I want, you know? Since I’m kind of like a saint.”

“Then, then what about money? I haven’t made much due to my lack of skills, but the other elves aren’t like me. If I ask, they will all generously donate their gold.”

“That might be true. But I wonder if the Temple has collected more money than all the elves of the Continent?”

“Kkeuk…”

“More than anything, I’m not a materialist who marries for money… It’s a bit sad if that’s how you see me, Miss Eve.”

“No, not at all! I swear to the World Tree, I’ve never thought that!”

“Hmm. Well, let’s assume that’s the case. But still, it’s clear that it’s not a reason for me to marry you, Miss Eve.”

“That is…”

Eve chews her lips and eventually closes her eyes tightly and shouts.

“Then what about my appearance?! I know it’s quite something to say this myself, but I am confident that I possess exceptional beauty and physique even among the elves.”

“Wow…after money, it’s appearance. You do realize that what I said earlier applies here too? Just as I’m not someone who marries for money, I’m also not someone who marries for looks alone.”

“……!”

Having lost her words, Eve bowed her head deeply.

Of course, if appearance was a major consideration, Eve would certainly be welcomed anytime…but not yet. There’s also the matter of order.

Eve’s is merely third place…!

Muttering to myself, I look up at Eve, who couldn’t bring herself to raise her head.

Her face was marred by shame and self-loathing. At this, one corner of my mouth curled up into a smirk.

“Perhaps, as Miss Eve says, I might be your destiny. It’s possible that you won’t meet another man besides me. …But isn’t that your own circumstance?”

“……”

“Of course, your situation is unfortunate, Miss Eve. However, I shouldn’t have to devote my life to you just out of sympathy. I have my own goals and circumstances too.”

“……”

Yes. Eve, true to her forever-single ways, did get carried away with the mood and made a rash move, but by now she should have realized.

That she proposed to me simply because she was caught up in the moment…!

Well. To be honest, I’m not feeling bad about it. In the continent of Pan, where gender roles are reversed, a woman’s appearance does hold value, though it’s not extraordinarily high…but at least it’s a major matter to me.

There’s no way I’d refuse when a woman like Eve says she’s the only one for me and offers everything from money to power if I marry her.

However, as I mentioned earlier, I have a purpose to address the dark foreshadowing I’ve scattered across this world.

And if possible, I’d like to meet the Goddess of Love in the deepest part of the Labyrinth.

Now that I’ve just begun to tackle the first floor, I can’t be tied down to Eve.

This doesn’t mean Eve would be restraining me. But whether we become king and queen and reclaim power, or retire and live as symbolic figures, it’s clear that my journey would end there.

No matter how diminished the presence of a queen in the elf society became, or how the influence of the World Tree wanes, surely no one would expect a king or queen’s consort to be frequently visiting the Labyrinth.

For that reason, I decide to dissuade Eve from her plan here. If I’m not careful, I might even push her towards corruption myself, so I should leave some room for maneuver.

I reached out and grasped Eve’s face.

Squish.

The soft touch of her cheeks. Though her face is slim without baby fat, the skin itself is just soft.

Startled, Eve cautiously opens her eyes. Though to say she opens them, it’s more like her normally squinted eyes just became less so.

In that state, I adjusted the angle slightly to make her look directly into my eyes.

“Miss Eve. Don’t look away, please look at me.”

“I, I am…”

“I know, I know. You’ve been very lonely, haven’t you? The circumstances must have driven you to this.”

“You understand?”

“Of course. The World Tree entered eternal rest for the future of the elves, and amidst the despair of the surviving elves, Miss Eve had to overcome this bleak situation as the queen arranged by the World Tree. It must have been tough for Miss Eve, being young at that time.”

“That’s right… I was born with many gifts, but not with experience.”

But now that I have gained experience, I have no weaknesses (X)

Could it be that even someone like me can be forgiven…? (O)

Hmm. The fact that the Eve translator has started working again means there’s room for other thoughts.

In other words, it means she has somewhat recovered from the state of her mental breakdown.

While gently stroking Eve’s cheek, I continued speaking.

“Bearing the fate of an entire race alone is no easy task. Seeing the truth isn’t always a good thing either… Above all, the greatest sorrow for Miss Eve must have been having no one to share that pain with.”

“…It’s okay. A queen must be a dignified being, after all.”

The understanding is appreciated, but pity soon becomes an insult (X)

This man. Will he understand my tastes even in bed? (O)

Do you really only have nonsense in your head, Eevee…

It’s truly lamentable, but having endured for a thousand years, I thought it possible, and gently pulled on Eve’s hair, which she had been wrapping around herself.

Her head slowly drops. But as it bends to the angle where the neck can no longer bend, she stoops and bends her knees to adjust to me. I didn’t stop there but continued to pull Eve towards me.

The view that was once higher than mine soon became similar to mine, and now it has lowered even more.

The posture that symbolized the dignity of a queen was now bent, and her knees were already kneeling on the ground.

Earlier, I was looking up, but now, Eve is the one looking up, and I smiled faintly at this change.

“I understand why you are obsessed with me, Miss Eve. But it can’t be.”

“Then am I supposed to live like this forever? Not knowing when this long life will end…?”

If only I had lived without knowing hope… (X)

Should I just close my eyes and kidnap him? (O)

Oh, the world.

Just maybe. It’s just a hypothesis, but…

Could it be that Eve turned evil because she was rejected by the protagonist after being too clingy?

It’s like if I can’t have it, I might as well destroy it.

She ruled the country wisely in her own way, and now lives a good life adhering to the classical elven lifestyle, but I wondered if Eve would really turn evil just because she was rejected…

Seeing the content of the translator, I now think it might actually be possible.

As if hiding my astonishment, I grabbed Eve’s head and hugged her tightly.

Eve’s face buried in my chest. I gently stroked her trembling light green hair, an unexpected event for her.

Like comforting a child who has caused trouble.

Eve’s trembling slowly subsided. Only after she had completely calmed down did I continue in a low voice.

“No. That won’t happen. I won’t let it.”

“Eh?!”

Eve startled, as if my statement was a contradiction of what I had said before.

This is sincere. I can’t live just for Eve, but it doesn’t change the fact that Eve is someone I need to embrace.

Even if she has lived nearly 50 times the age of my current and past life combined…no, this elder…um. Anyway, even for a long-lived species, that part doesn’t change.

Eve is my child.

With that sentiment, I tightened the arm that was embracing Eve’s head slightly.

“It’s not that I dislike Miss Eve. It’s simply that I can’t marry Miss Eve right now.”

“Does that mean it will be different later?”

“Of course. By then, I’ll be an adult, won’t I?”

“Ah… You are so mature that I didn’t pay attention to your age, Sir Jonah.”

Indeed. Marrying a minor would attract societal criticism, so I must endure it (X)

The grooming angle is sharp (O)

I decided to give Eve, who had started to spin her delusions alone again, a dose of reality.

“And there are other people besides Miss Eve.”

“O, ther people? What does that mean…”

Stop NTR!(X)

3P…possible!(O)

I brought my lips close to the elongated ears of the helpless lewd elf.

“There’s another woman I’ve promised to marry. And Miss Eve might not be the last.”

“……!”

Eve, perhaps now grasping the situation, gasped.

I whispered into her ear with a voice full of unrestrained mischief that I couldn’t quite hide.

“Sorry. My lower half is a bit busy.”

“……?”

Oops! I meant to just soothe her…!

Eve reacted so honestly that I ended up saying it without thinking.