It is said that the Evil God would never create a race from scratch.
All the things called monsters are created by distorting the beings created by the Great God with the power of darkness.
Among monsters, the intelligent and social-forming races are especially called demon races, but it is said that all such demons were created by distorting human races.
Dark Elves are a kind of demon race, born from elves as the name suggests.
They have dark skin and golden eyes as distinctive features. They are more muscular and physically capable than elves, yet their aptitude for magic remains unchanged.
They excel in combat in difficult terrains such as forests and became natural enemies of elves in the war between humans and demons. Therefore, elves considered Dark Elves, being a race based on elves, as irreconcilable enemies and regarded them with disgust and fear.
“You want me to …… become a Dark Elf!”
“That’s right.”
Liellamires was visibly shocked by the proposition.
Becoming a Dark Elf was something so unthinkable that she was left dumbfounded until forced to make a decision.
“To be honest, I thought it would be best to let the evil aura taint this forest if we want to protect it. And, well, it’s already starting to get tainted. This way, not only does the fortress’s strength increase purely, but it also becomes difficult for the human race to operate in a place completely under the control of the Evil God. On the other hand, our forces will be slightly strengthened. The only problem was that the elves living in this forest would suffer, but it doesn’t matter once you become a Dark Elf. In fact, it makes you stronger.”
“Turning into a Dark Elf so easily… and becoming a follower of the Evil God…”
“It’s not like you’ll die. Everyone can live as Dark Elves. This is a crossroads. Die holding onto ideals and old beliefs, or fight to live.”
“Unbelievable…!”
While Liellamires was bewildered, Jibalmagza, in stark contrast, changed his expression, literally spitting blood as he exclaimed.
“That’s not… cough… becoming a Dark Elf!? That is…!”
“Elder-san, this is her choice, you know? Although our positions aren’t equal, she has the right to choose. We won’t force anything.”
“Liella…mires…!!”
The elderly elf pleaded with a tone that could be described as tragic.
Liellamires stood rigid, as if being confronted with swords from all directions.
Seeing Liellamires hesitate, René approached her and looked down.
“Liellamires. …Have you ever thought that this world is wrong?”
“What…?”
“Why do you all have to die? What is your crime? Just because you live here, you’re forced to either abandon everything and run away or fight to the death. All because of the neighboring powerful nation with ambitions and military strength…”
René felt a slight warmth in Liellamires’ emotions.
She didn’t have the luxury of sympathizing with others’ circumstances and rescuing them.
Nevertheless, René believed that Liellamires, like herself, carried the same pain.
That’s why René’s words would likely become a motivating force for her.
“Is there no one you love who died due to the empire’s invasion? ‘Fellow human’? Not worth it. Is it better to be destroyed by fellow humans as humans, rather than becoming neighbors with monsters?”
The flame of black resentment burning in her chest, René spoke to Liellamires as if carrying that flame on her words.
Liellamires’ gaze swam.
Surprised by her own inclination towards darkness, she seemed to be trying to deceive herself.
“To participate in the world’s destruction… ”
“Do you know the teachings of the Evil God, Elf-san? The destruction of the world created by the Great God, and the recreation of the world… Those associated with the Evil God are promised happiness in that new world.”
“Do you expect me to believe that?”
“You don’t have to believe it. I’m just here to make the Evil God do it, even if I have to drag it by a leash.”
While Liellamires was left speechless, as if saying, ‘What are you talking about?’, René was serious.
René was contemplating making the Great God regret his actions someday. Even the Evil God, if it didn’t comply with her wishes, she would find a way to make it move somehow.
Though the heavenly heights were still painfully distant, she would eventually reach out to them.
The recreation of this world…
It was an overly grand story, but René saw it as a kind of ultimate goal.
She hadn’t thought she could create an ideal paradise. However, if all the tragedies had been triggered by a small misunderstanding, a slight ‘IF’ that could have been avoided…
René had secretly considered rebuilding such a world.
Of course, in the process of destroying the world, it had been crucial to take revenge on all the causes of the tragedies that had befallen René.
“I haven’t been fighting for the sake of destruction; I have chosen to embrace evil for my own prayers. To correct things that could only be rectified by evil.”
That prayer had been unfair. René had only sought to rectify the tragedies that had befallen her.
That prayer had been unjust. Even those unrelated had been trampled upon in the process of achieving something significant.
To pose as a Dark Hero would have been too selfish and excessively evil.
Nevertheless, at its core had been anger towards injustice. It had been a prayer and belief that what is wrong should be corrected.
René, resurrected to hurl the anger that couldn’t be embraced into this world.
While doubting the truth of René’s words, Liellamires had seemed to be on the verge of deciding.
Not moved or impressed by René’s words, but simply, as if she had found the path she must walk.
“If you have even a little bit of anger and resentment, follow me and fight. There are things that can only be protected through that. …I have lost everything, but you still have something to protect.”
“Stop it, don’t listen to her…!”
Jibalmagza’s desperate cries couldn’t shake Liellamires.
“If I were to turn all the elves of this forest into Dark Elves?”
“That’s the plan.”
“What if… there’s someone who refuses to become a Dark Elf, what would you do?”
“Huh? I wouldn’t do anything special. If someone shoots an arrow at me, I’ll just take their corpse. But if they choose to serve me, I’ll treat both humans and monsters fairly. Well, living in this forest as an elf might be inconvenient.”
Without needing to cite Tracy as an example, René intended to use humans if they were useful. There were things that only humans could do, and as long as they were useful, she had no qualms about employing them.
To Liellamires, this leniency from René brought a subtle sense of relief.
Elves who would willingly accept becoming Dark Elves wouldn’t be numerous, at least not overnight. However, René expressed her generosity even towards elves who rejected becoming Dark Elves.
Liellamires’ motivation was solely to protect her fellow inhabitants of the forest. If René had been rigorously sorting them into allies and enemies, she might not have followed along.
“I see… That puts my mind at ease. In that case, I will fight alongside you.”
As Liellamires spoke, Jibalmagza, with a desperate shout, tore off a gem-like amulet he had been wearing and threw it with all his might.
The gem, imbued with light, transformed into a spear of lightning, aiming to pierce through Liellamires from behind and burn her to death.
It wasn’t René or Everis but Liellamires who was the target.
“≪Elemental Barrier≫!”
The released lightning collided with a wall of light that René had conjured with magic, dispersing without reaching its intended target, Liellamires.
He had tried to take advantage of the unexpected with a magic item he had on him, but René, with her ability of ‘Emotion Detection’, could easily read hostile intentions and attack plans. A sneak attack like this was evident to her.
“Failed, huh…!”
“…Instructor-sama.”
“My subordinates, don’t recklessly lay hands on them, Elf. …Take care of him.”
With a snap of her fingers, René caused the bodies of the fallen elven warriors in the vicinity to crumble into dust, leaving only their bones. The freshly made skeletons lifted Jibalmagza, dragging him away.
“Reconsider, Liellamires… I can’t let you commit a crime… Goho, geho…”
Liellamires didn’t even glance back at Jibalmagza.
It wasn’t out of hostility or resentment, but probably because she couldn’t face him, feeling that what had transpired was something she couldn’t bear.
“Now, shall we get started? By the way…”
Everis, without reading the atmosphere, peered into Liellamires’ face, raising three fingers as if offering her a choice of beverages.
“We have a few different rituals in our repertoire. A majestic one, an obscene one, and a really painful one. Which one do you prefer?”
“…Please let me put on some appearance.”
Liellamires, seemingly resigned, bowed her head.
