For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Chapter 324: Invitation (2)

Leaving the Academy went smoothly without any issues.

Thanks to the promise from Rebecca that as long as I passed my exams, I could skip classes, there was no need to write an absence note.

Since we were going to Alfheim, I decided to take Pamela’s family along this time. And it was only natural to look after Faye, who would surely be targeted if left alone.

Well, she grumbled about not being able to focus on her new research, but once I offered her the chance to study me in my dragon form, she immediately nodded.

She had always been easy to understand, back then and now.

After somehow finishing our preparations and getting ready to leave, Helena, who had been admiring her well-maintained mace in the sunlight, grabbed my sleeve, smiling contentedly.

“Brother. Could you spare some time to talk with me?”

“...That sounds kind of ominous. What’s up?”

“Think about it. Don’t you owe me something?”

“What really is it?!”

Worried that I might have done something wrong, I hastily reviewed my actions from the morning.

First, I woke up, greeted everyone, had breakfast together, which Pamela’s family prepared, and teased Iris about how many months along she was as her belly looked bloated after eating...

“Ah.”@@@@

Could it be that?

I cautiously reached out while reading Helena’s narrowed golden eyes.

Soft.

The feel of a soft, flab-less abdomen. But perhaps because she fights using her body even with divine power, there was a strangely firm muscle beneath the softness. It was quite addictive.

Gently.

“......”

“......”

Caress, caress.

“......”

“......”

But the lack of any reaction, even after all that caressing, was a bit scary.

Not this...?

Feeling cold sweat trickle down my neck, I swallowed hard. Seeing this, Helena chuckled, hanging her mace on her belt.

Then, she proudly puffed out her chest.

“Didn’t we agree to travel in my carriage? If it weren’t for me, the Saintess, this many people would have suffered, cramped in a common carriage.”

“Oh.”

Was it about that?

We did decide to use the papal carriage from Solaris, now the Saintess’s carriage, that we used last time since we could get back quickly with teleportation. Ꞧ₳Ɲộ฿ƐS

But why boast about it now...?

Blinking in confusion, Helena stepped closer, meeting my gaze from below.

Press.

Close enough for her chest to press against my upper body. With a slightly more mischievous smile than usual, Helena continued.

“You should thank me a bit more, Brother.”

“Uh, um... I’m always thankful, Helena.”

“Not just in words; show it in action.”

Then, Helena blatantly pouted her lips.

Ah? So that’s what this is about?

With a smirk, I let my hand, which had been caressing her stomach, slide down and firmly grabbed her butt.

Grip.

“Hic?!”

“You tease me first and then show such a cute reaction.”

“I-I was just surprised.”

Helena turned her head away. Following her, I leaned in this time.

While I was admiring this, Solari appeared, her lion ears and tail made of light swaying playfully. She spoke with a bright smile.

“The reason I made powerful artifacts? If my companion wants to know, I should tell! It’s not like it’s a secret!”

“Oh... So there’s a reason, huh?”

“Yep. I gave them to fight better.”

“...?”

Well, giving weapons and armor meant to fight better, sure. But really, that was it?

Such a warrior-like reason... Ah, um... it made sense for the Church of Righteous Radiance...

As I nodded, Solari continued with a serious voice.

“Paradise isn’t something you beg for from a God. It’s something you build with your own hands. I wanted my children not to dream of an ideal world that doesn’t exist but to make this world into that ideal.”

“Ah.”

“Even if evil rises again, they should be able to quell the chaos by shouting for justice. Creating a world that can run well even without the God of Justice. That’s what I hoped for my children. That’s the greatest miracle I could perform.”

After saying this, Solari looked towards the sky with a benevolent smile, as if gazing at something far away.

Humans were weak and imperfect, so while some Gods protected by confining them in their embrace...

Others, like Solari, wished for them to grow strong and independent.

I nodded in admiration, but the smile on Solari’s lips turned bitter.

“...The problem was, things in the world are never that simple. I never imagined Evil Gods would invade.”

“Hm.”

With an unexpected self-deprecating response, I shrugged and smiled.

“Well, it’s fine. I’ll become Solari’s greatest miracle and defeat the Evil Gods.”

“...Kyaa?! Th-That was divinely romantic!”

“I know.”

I did it on purpose, after all.

How long did we continue through the forest, chatting like this?

At one point, the view opened up from behind the trees, revealing a small village.

Houses made from living trees, bent to grow into living structures.

Beautiful elves, barefoot, running around in light, leaf-adorned clothing.

Carla, Faye, and Helena gaped at the scene like a painting.

“Look at that, Master! The trees are growing in the shape of stairs!”

“I’ve never been to Alfheim, but it’s like this. Glad we came, Junior!”

“This is... beautiful.”

While the rest of us remained unimpressed, Faye, who first checked my reaction, glanced at me several times before hesitantly approaching.

“Junior...? Is something wrong? Are you upset because I was all over the place, happy one moment, and complaining about leaving before?”

“You’re being too hard on yourself today, Faye. That’s not it. I just didn’t want you to expect too much.”

“Eh?”

“It’s all fake. Kind of like a theme park? It’s a tourist spot made for people like you, who are visiting Alfheim for the first time and have fantasies about elves.”

“...Really?”

Faye’s voice sounded shocked, and Elisha answered for me.

“It’s true. See that girl in the white dress playing over there?”

“Yeah. You mean that cute kid?”

“Yes. She’s one of the elders who came to congratulate me at a party I hosted before entering the Academy.”

“......”

“I later heard that she has been working here for almost 120 years and is quite a veteran.”

“......”

The light in Faye’s eyes seemed to vanish as she realized the truth.

Wow! Dead eyes!