Chapter 73
Chapter 73. Would You Like to Stay at My House Tonight?
Although nobody had brought up that Aura, I was convinced that anyone present on the battlefield could not have failed to notice such an enigmatic radiance.
The vibrant display of shifting hues had manifested so boldly in plain view that overlooking it seemed entirely impossible.
Even so, Estelle maintained that she had observed nothing of the sort.
“Did you truly fail to notice it?”
“Indeed. From the very moment the clash commenced, I kept watching your position whenever I could, but… not once did I perceive anything resembling an Aura.”
“How peculiar. That simply defies reason.”
A fleeting suspicion crossed my mind: could it be tied directly to draconic energy, rendering it perceptible solely to my senses?
Yet Estelle had already explained earlier that the inhabitants of Elysium possessed far greater sensitivity to draconic essence than ordinary mortals.
Had my mind merely conjured an illusion, or did that Aura possess some bizarre, exceptional nature?
The questions piled up without answers, but for the moment, going back inside the tavern to inquire among the rest seemed like the best course of action.
“I believe I’ve had sufficient cool air for now. Talking with you helped untangle my thoughts, Estelle.”
“Hearing that brings me relief. Shall we return inside?”
“Let us do that.”
Quite some time had slipped by, so Estelle and I walked back together toward the tavern.
Once we stepped inside, however, every single inquiry yielded an identical outcome. Not a single soul claimed to have witnessed the Aura.
Kutun had certainly kept his word regarding his intention to drink right through until daybreak.
Without a timepiece anywhere in view, determining the exact hour was impossible, though by my estimate it must have been hovering somewhere between three and four in the morning.
“I believe it is time for me to retire.”
Exhaustion weighed so heavily on me that keeping my eyes open felt like a losing battle.
As I rose from my seat, crestfallen looks rippled through the gathering.
“What a pity. I was hoping to share drinks with you until the sun came up.”
“If you reconsider, just come right back. Our cups will stay full till morning light.”
Regretful remarks followed from everyone seated nearby upon learning of my departure.
“Allow me to accompany you.”
Seeing me stand, Estelle rose to her feet alongside me.
After hours spent at the table, a gentle buzz of alcohol was evident on Estelle as well.
“Let us head out, Mr. Minjun.”
Stepping out into the cool air, I exited the tavern in Estelle’s company.
The very second we crossed the threshold, however, an essential oversight struck me squarely in the chest.
“Hold on. Where exactly am I supposed to sleep…?”
Securing lodgings at a local inn was something I ought to have settled long before now.
The sheer madness of the day had pushed such practical matters entirely out of my mind.
“Would any inn still offer a vacant room at an hour like this?”
“Most unlikely. The night has grown far too late. Still, is seeking an inn truly a necessity?”
With a soft curve to her eyes, Estelle warmly took hold of my hand.
“Provided it does not make you uneasy, would you care to spend the night at my place? There is a guest chamber available, so you may settle in and rest in total comfort.”
I felt genuine appreciation that she would extend such hospitality to someone who was essentially a stranger.
Even so, four distinct words instantly converged in my thoughts: female, elf, unmarried, overnight stay.
The very second those concepts aligned, my head snapped back and forth in instinctive, frantic refusal.
“…Out of the question. My Sia possesses a streak of jealousy far sharper than most. If word of this ever reached her ears later on…”
It was obvious to me that Estelle harbored no improper motives in extending the invitation.
All the same, were Sia ever to discover that I had passed the night under the identical roof as another female—even an elf from a different species entirely—I had zero faith in my ability to survive the fallout.
Beyond that, the likelihood of Estelle escaping unhurt was just as slim.
Could separate bedchambers beneath the same ceiling make it acceptable?
Hardly, taking into account just how terrifyingly possessive Sia could be.
Though Estelle and Sia inhabited entirely separate realms at present with virtually no realistic path to cross paths, the possibility of Sia eventually finding out was never truly zero.
The moment my reasoning reached Estelle’s ears, the reddish glow painted across her face from the spirits vanished instantly, replaced by a pale, frozen blue.
“I-In that case, we must find another way…! I-I will seek out someone else immediately!”
Hastening back inside the tavern, Estelle vanished for a short span before stepping out once more with a key resting in her palm.
“One of the male dwarven folk possesses an unoccupied room at his residence, and he graciously agreed to let you take it for the night.”
Estelle gave the term “male” an unmistakable, deliberate emphasis.
“Then I will intrude upon his generosity for tonight alone. How distant is his residence from here?”
“Roughly a ten-minute walk. Allow me to guide you!”
Following in Estelle’s footsteps, we quickly halted before a dwelling.
Owing perhaps to its dwarven ownership, the building displayed craftsmanship that looked noticeably sturdier and more refined than the surrounding houses.
“Rest here just for this single night. Come morning, I will ensure you find a suitable room at an inn!”
“Understood. My thanks. You have to be exhausted as well, Estelle, so please make sure to get some rest yourself.”
“Understood! Wishing you a peaceful slumber, Mr. Minjun!”
Once Estelle had departed into the night, I stepped indoors, located what appeared to be the spare bedchamber, and threw myself straight onto the mattress without bothering to change out of my attire.
Yet right as slumber began tugging at my consciousness, the unresolved truth that only my eyes had perceived the Aura trailing from the monument continued to prick at my mind.
Had even one other soul on that chaotic field noticed it, things would be clear, yet every individual questioned gave a negative reply.
That reality merely deepened my longing to uncover the truth behind the monument and its peculiar radiance.
Had Sia or Rokan been standing beside me, an answer would likely have been provided without hesitation, but an entirely different realm now held me.
Picturing the eventual moment of my homecoming, I finally succumbed to a deep, heavy slumber.
The following morning, the instant my thoughts stirred toward wakefulness, my eyelids parted with a faint, foolish glimmer that perhaps everything had returned to normal overnight.
That slender thread of optimism crumbled immediately.
Upon opening my eyes, a completely unfamiliar ceiling stared back down at me.
Though shadows had masked the interior the previous evening, this was undoubtedly the dwarven abode where I had collapsed into sleep.
Observing the bright sun positioned high above the windowpane, the hour seemed to have already reached midday.
I resolved to step outside the room and survey the surroundings.
Venturing cautiously into the hallway, a recognizable face greeted my view.
“Well now, you are finally up. Did sleep treat you well?”
Standing there was Kutun, the very dwarf who had occupied the seat opposite mine at the tavern, relentlessly topping off my tankard the prior evening.
“Kutun…? Did you not state you intended to drink through until daybreak?”
When an individual declared an intent to drink until the dawn arrived, did that not imply setting down the mug once daylight emerged to head homeward?
“Indeed, that was the plan. Yet wrapping things up so abruptly felt like a wasted opportunity, so I drifted over to another comrade’s quarters to indulge in a few additional flagons.”
“If you are only just stepping back inside…”
“It indicates I crossed my own threshold a mere moment ago. Ah, speaking of which, observe how the hours have flown.”
Kutun cast an unbothered glance at a timepiece mounted upon the wall, leaving me gaping at him in utter shock.
Precisely what sheer volume of spirits had this individual managed to consume?
“At any rate, the urge to sleep has finally caught up with me. Ah, I happened to cross paths with Estelle on my stroll back, and she mentioned having details to share regarding the matter you requested yesterday.”
Kutun produced a hand-crafted parchment map and pressed it into my hands.
“Follow this path to reach your destination.”
“I appreciate this.”
“Think nothing of it. Drop by whenever free moments arise! I had hoped to discuss all manner of subjects with you, and it remains a shame our hours were cut short.”
Following Kutun’s farewell, I set out from the dwelling.
Tracing the lines across the map in the direction of Estelle’s home, a cluster of children seemed to spot me, falling into step beside me while clamoring for tale after tale.
Their eager warmth stirred a pleasant sensation within me.
Watching those spirited youngsters ignited a gentle yearning within my heart, a desire to soon exchange vows with Sia and raise equally delightful children of our own.
Yet in the very same breath, Kutun’s statement from the preceding day echoed back into my thoughts.
“You belong to entirely separate kinds to begin with. By what means could you reproduce? No matter what unfolds, no offspring will ever come to life between you and your beloved.”
‘Sia could not have been blind to this truth either.’
Perhaps she had grasped it from the start, quietly masking her sorrow within her own heart without uttering a word.
The realization settled inside my chest like a dull, heavy stone.
Guided by the lively children who had approached so freely and shown such enthusiasm, I reached Estelle’s residence without wandering astray.
A soft knock on the entrance prompted Estelle to answer, her tone ringing with cheer.
“Ah, Mr. Minjun. Come inside!”
“Kutun directed me here. He mentioned that you had updates regarding what I asked about yesterday.”
“Indeed. Though prior to discussing that, would you care to share a meal? You have not taken your midday meal yet, correct?”
“My stomach was just beginning to voice its complaints. I would gladly accept your offer.”
“The dishes are nearly finished, so please grant me just a brief moment.”
Estelle guided me straight into the cookhouse, where platters of finished cuisine began arriving across the surface one after the other.
Whether Estelle simply possessed a natural tendency to prepare towering portions or not, the sheer quantity laid out looked vastly excessive for merely two individuals.
The spread itself commanded attention just as thoroughly.
Platters held links of sausage, diverse cuts of unfamiliar prepared meats, a hearty meat-laden stew, and a solitary bowl of greens that looked almost as if it had been included purely as an apologetic gesture against an otherwise all-carnivore spread.
Who could possibly gaze upon this banquet and associate it with the dining habits of an elf?
I had gathered yesterday that Estelle harbored a deep fondness for meat despite her lineage, yet the magnitude of her fixation surpassed all expectations.
“Go on, eat until you are completely satisfied.”
“I am deeply grateful for the food.”
Initially, doubts lingered over whether we could manage to clear such a mountain of food, alongside worries that leaving scraps behind might appear discourteous, yet Estelle’s culinary talents proved so remarkable that the vessels cleared with astounding speed.
As the meal approached its conclusion, Estelle finally steered the conversation toward the primary concern.
“My initial intention was to consult Adil directly. However, it seems Adil is currently outside the bounds of Elysium attending to urgent matters.”
“Ah…”
Did this imply that my opportunity to examine Bellium’s monument would face a delay spanning numerous days?
Perhaps a few days was an optimistic estimate; it might stretch into weeks or possibly months.
“His return should occur either today or on the morrow, though a slight complication has arisen.”
“A slight complication?”
“We believed yesterday’s horde of beasts had been thoroughly eliminated, yet subsequent scouting revealed that a handful of scattered remnants managed to endure.”
Given the sheer multitude of creatures involved, some seemed to have capitalized on the turmoil to slip into the surrounding greenery.
Fortunately, this indicated that the circumstance remained far less grave than the crisis faced yesterday.
Even so, Adil lived as an ordinary resident completely devoid of martial capability, meaning an encounter with even a lone straggler would place his life in immediate peril.
Consequently, the objective involved rooting out the remaining beasts that slipped away yesterday, while simultaneously tracking Adil, providing protection, and guiding him safely back within Elysium.
“While this development may slow matters slightly, his absence should still not drag out excessively.”
Estelle assured me she would inform me the instant Adil, who watched over the monument, returned, advising that in the meantime I might take ease or explore the sights of the settlement.
“Have the scouts assigned to retrieve Adil departed yet?”
“Not quite yet. Their departure will likely occur within the next half hour.”
Estelle checked the wall clock as she delivered her response.
“In that case, I will accompany the retrieval party.”
Taking that path would allow me to cross paths with Adil that much sooner.
Within a stretch of woodland near Elysium, a lizard beastfolk trudged forward with faltering, unsteady footing, his forearms bound firmly behind his spine while his gaze stayed lowered in deep terror.
The lizard beastfolk answered to the name Adil.
At this very second, his freedom had been stripped away by an assailant holding him captive.
And carried beside him was the revered relic of Elysium known as Bellium’s Tear.
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