Chapter 103: Even if We Look Different from Each Other (6)

After the elders had a serious discussion in front of the forest's Dungeon map, they agreed to Artpe's wishes. The elders gathered the Elves, and they delivered Artpe's will to them. The elders thought there would be a lot of backlash, but the situation flowed in a smooth manner.

At a basic level, they were obedient towards heroes. Moreover, there were a lot of Elves that had been won over by Sienna's healing magic. However, the decisive factor was the fact that everyone personally felt the need to change. They knew what choice they had to make if they wanted their race to persevere and prosper.

The appearance of the heroes implied that the Demon king's army was mobilizing. However, this wasn't the only reason why the Elves were choosing this route. Could the body of these small heroes really block the desires of all the other races focused on the Elves?

The recent calamity could happen again in the future. The Elves didn't want to repeat their past mistake. This was why the Elves and Dark Elves cooperated with each other in earnest. Moreover, they had to cultivate themselves too. They had to do so to protect the Elves and the World Tree.

"Mmm. My plan worked. I didn't block it too early, and I didn't block it too late. I blocked it at the most appropriate moment..... Mmm. Should I call this the half-cooked technique?"

"As expected, Artpe-nim manipulated this situation....."

The Elves and the Dark Elves were gathered underneath the World Tree. The Elven elders divided them into several thousand parties. Artpe watched all of this with a satisfied smile on his face. Mycenae approached him, and she spoke to Artpe.

"No, I just blocked it at the right time."

"Therefore, you knew how the situation would develop, and you directed the events to progress to the timing you desired. Am I wrong?"

When he replied in a sly manner, Mycenae pouted. He grinned when he saw that.

"This was for ajumma too. Look over there. I don't know what they are thinking inside, but at the very least, the Elves and Dark Elves are treating each other equally on the surface. Your friends can give you a welcome back party without worrying about the consequences. The married couples won't have to separate, because they are Elf or Dark Elf."

"Even if you say such words, I won't fall for Artpe-nim anew. Also, I'm not an ajumma. Please call me by Mycenae."

Her reply was gruff, but Mycenae's ears were fluttering in happiness. He could see a group of Elves, who were of similar age as Mycenae, watching her. About half of them had turned into Dark Elves. It was hopelessly funny.

"Hoo-ooh. I didn't want to return like this."

It seemed she realized where Artpe's gaze was headed. Mycenae grumbled in a sullen manner. When Artpe answered her, his voiced turned a little bit kinder.

"One doesn't become corrupted when one becomes a Dark Elf. Ajumma, you are a Dark Elf, but you shouldn't be embarrassed about that fact. You shouldn't feel a sense of loss, because your friends became Dark Elves."

"However, choice wasn't given to me or those children over there."

"That's true."

However, how many things in life could be chosen for oneself? One could be born as a Demon, human or a different race. Then there were the Classes. Most of it was predetermined, and it couldn't be changed. How broad was one's freedom? It was a difficult subject to talk about.

"That is why ajumma should make hell within the limits you are given. That is the only freedom we have. That is the freedom we can enjoy."

"If your conclusion hadn't headed towards such a fucked up direction, it would have been very nice.... Eh-whew. Anyways, I only have minor complaints. Otherwise, you carried out the Quest perfectly."

Mycenae let out a sigh as she took out a small crystal bottle. There was slightly translucent liquid within the bottle. The five cardinal colors were emitted when the liquid was shaken.

"This is the reward for this Quest. I lived in the human world for hundr.....a long time! This is the most precious item I've acquired over the years as a veteran merchant. Of course, Artpe-nim stopped the threat from the humans. You also stopped the conflict between the Elves. You did it in one fell swoop, so this is weak compared to your......."

"It isn't weak. It's an elixir."

Artpe was so taken aback that he replied in a slightly dumbfounded manner. Mycenae let out a gentle laughter as she explained herself.

"If it is a true elixir, how would I have been able to acquire it?"

"That's true, but... Give it to me."

He quickly took the item from Mycenae, and he meticulously looked over it with his Read All Creation ability.

[Imperfect Elixir]

[When the highest of magic and alchemy is combined, this reagent of eternal youth and immortality forms. It took a miracle to form this genuine elixir, but the alchemist infused other medicinal herbs and magic stones to increase the volume of the elixir. Of course, the effect of the elixir became diluted, and a side effect arose. There's a low probability of death if one took this elixir. Despite this fact, the worth of this elixir is worth more than any other pure drugs.]

"Ah, it is an incomplete product."

"Of course. This particular alchemist trades with me on a regular basis. He miraculously created the Elixir, but unfortunately, the quantity he created was too small. That is why he tried all kinds of methods to increase the quantity, and this was the result. Of course, his reputation would suffer if he sold it as an elixir, which is worth a lot. Moreover, he had incurred many debts in the pursuit of creating this elixir. That is why he had to sell the Imperfect Elixir at a cheap price."

"It is a coup worthy of a veteran merchant....."

Somehow, his words made her stick out her chest in pride as she exhaled through her nose. Her shoulders were retracted in a boastful manner.

"Hue hue. You are acknowledging me as a high rank Merchant?"

That's right. Mycenae had acquired her Achievement during the battle against the Kraken, and she was able to smoothly advance into the high rank Merchant Class!

Artpe snorted when he saw her show off. He once against checked the content of the crystal bottle. It was letting out a mysterious light. He knew that it was imperfect, yet he was tempted to drink it. It had that much of an allure.

"Y....you can't just drink it! If it's Artpe-nim, I thought you would have a way to use this....."

"I know. As a reward for the Quest, you gave me defective goods. Ajumma, you have a lot of guts."

"You are saying that when you received the item as if you were mesmerized?"

He wondered what he should do with it. The thought that immediately came to mind was the Reinforcement skill. If the other added ingredients were causing the imbalance, he could Reinforce these ingredients to harmonize the added ingredients with the Elixir. He thought it could work.

However, it wasn't time yet. He might need more ingredients, and he determined that his Reinforcement skill was still lacking.

"Anyways, this is acceptable."

Artpe put away the elixir into his Dimensional Pouch, and he declared the Quest to be completed.

However....

"W....what if it had been unacceptable?"

Mycenae squirmed as she spoke those words. The fluttering of her ears became worse. On top of that, her face was dyed red.

"There is something else I can give.... Do you want me to give it to you?"

Her lips trembled, and her hands moved in a very mysterious manner. Artpe instinctively shook his head from side to side.

"Nope. I'm fine."

"Eeeeeeek!"

He had merely turned down the extra pay, yet Mycenae expressed her anger.

"You are too much! I did my utmost to come to this resolution! It is a once in a lifetime resolution, yet it was all naught······!"

"It's all right. I'm fine with receiving just this"

At Artpe's kind reply, Mycenae's body trembled. When he saw this, a smile formed on his lips.

"You should go to your friends. They are waiting for you."

"Ah ah. They are so tactless..... Enough of this! Even if you ask me to do it, I won't do it!"

She looked as she was about to cry as she turned around. Artpe called out her name at that moment.

"Mycenae."

"What!"

"Please continue to take care of me in the future. Don't think about taking root in the Forest of Eternity."

"······hmmph."

She hesitated for a brief moment. Then she snorted as she walked away. She didn't even look back as she spoke.

"I am contracted to be your personal merchant. I can't run away even if I wanted to!"

Mycenae's ears fluttered as she went to the Elves, who were waiting for her. He shrugged his shoulders as he turned around.

"You used your status as the hero. Very popular. You are the worst.."

"Hey you......"

Regina was there. Thankfully, he had sensed her with his Read All Creation ability. If not, his heart would have stopped from being surprised.

"I quietly waited here until you finished talking. He rejected the older woman. I'm impressed by his attitude. He cut her off like a knife."

"You don't even bat an eye now as you spout bullshit."

"I'm talking to Pipi."

"Who is Pipi······ Hey."

Regina carefully extended the Demite towards him. It floated above her two palms as it let out a bright light. There was a ribbon decorated around the body of the Demite. Was the Demite trying to look pretty? Artpe was truly puzzled by it..

"Name. Pipi."

"Hell no."

"Pipi."

"You probably just want to give it a pretty name, but I have to use it when I chant my magic! I'm the one that'll be embarrassed!"

"I don't care. Pipi."

It was truly unfortunate. When Regina spoke the word Pipi each time, the Demite twirled in the air as it let out a brighter light. It seemed the name had been imprinted. If he knew it was going to turn out like this, he would have named it before handing it over to Regina!

"The right relationship between the Demite and a magician.... I heard it from Pipi."

"······yes. What do you think about it?"

After he resigned himself to the situation, he put Pipi away. Regina slightly nodded her head as she gave an explanation.

"Demite's Gemstone is unable to think and act on its own. A high ranking magician can refine it. The contract between the two starts at that moment."

"That's right."

"The refinement of the Demite is a form of contract. Demite receives this service, and in turn, a partnership is formed. The magician supports the Demite, and the Demite supports the magician."

A Demite couldn't do much by itself. It couldn't move freely. Moreover, it was hard for them to make specific decisions and movements. This was why a contract was made when a magician refined a Demite. It allowed a Demite to experience the world alongside the magician. It allowed their Record and Level to grow..

"It recognizes freedom. The partnership between a magician and a Demite..... Freedom."

She was correct. The Demite couldn't do anything by itself. The magician finding and refining a Demite was already a huge boon for the Demite.

The Demite had exited the palace when Silepennon had escaped the palace. Until that moment, the Demite had lived a lonely existence within the darkness for several hundred years. That was why the Demite was eternally thankful to Artpe for finding and refining the Demite.

"Pipi likes you."

"Are you able to accept it?"

"I accept it."

Regina didn't hesitate as she nodded her head. She was finally able to understand that the the fate of the Demite and her had changed in many ways thanks to him. Moreover, Pipi was living the correct life of a Demite. It was enjoying its freedom.

"I started off wrong. It was a mixture of greed by the humans and my ignorance. My situation was the worst.."

"Still, they did refine you, so you were able to think and act for yourself. They gave you a great amount of freedom. You probably felt thankful, and you would have formed a contract with the magicians in order to help them..... However, they did you wrong by trying to control you through the magic of suggestion."

"I labored for 200 years. I did enough. I'm free."

She took the lives of her masters to balance the sheets. It was a very brutal calculation. However, when he saw the smile appear on her face, he became indifferent to her methods.

"Well, it is time for you to give me an answer regarding my proposal."

"Refused."

Huh? He thought the two of them were in a good place, yet she had refused him! It seemed he had timed it wrong!

"My ability to make decisions is still lacking. I don't want to make a rash decision. Not possible."

"······I see."

From knowing her sense of value, he thought she would willingly join the hero's party. However, Artpe wanted to respect Regina's free will. That is why he didn't argue any further.

"It can't be helped. I understand. I'll give up."

After landing on Aedia, he had gone through a lot of trouble as he travelled through Daitan, Tiata and the Forest of Eternity. At that moment, one of his biggest goals for traveling to these places had gone up in smoke. However, Artpe didn't look too devastated.

'I've completely removed her restraints. When the Demon King's army mobilizes, she will inevitably join our side. At the very least, she won't become enslaved by the Demon King's Innate Ability if she knows about it.'

Why did he purposely reform her consciousness to bring out her free will? First, he wanted to free her from the shackles placed on her by Aedia. After enslaving the Demon race, the Demon King was trying to turn humans into Demons The Demon king was trying to rule over everyone, and Artpe knew what Regina would do when she found about it! It was the ultimate strategy where he would be able to kill multiple birds with one stone.

"Instead, I want a contract."

"Huh?"

He thought she wanted nothing to do with him, so the words coming out of Regina's mouth were a bit unexpected.

"I want a form a contract with you like Pipi. I'll support you with my power. I want you to to help me grow mentally and physically. Mutual dependence."

"That is a bit....."

"Contract."

Artpe was about to reject her cleanly, but he saw the worried look on her face. He shut his mouth.

'······I see.'

Regina had just been freed from her bondange from the humans. However, her sense of self had yet to be ripened. Her power was much greater than her mind.

Maybe she was afraid?

If she made a rash choice, the consequences of her actions would be massive. She was well aware of this fact. In truth, her most recent actions exemplified this. She had easily killed the king of a country.

"Contract."

"······all right. Let's form a contract. However, if you think I'm wrong, you should learn how to speak up."

"Agreed."

"Of course, I'll probably ignore you and do what I want."

"Hate you."

Artpe lightly evaded Regina's punch, then he extended his hand towards her. For a brief moment, Regina didn't understand the meaning behind his gesture, so she tilted her head in confusion. Soon, she carefully extended her hand, and she grabbed Artpe's hand. A little bit of color appeared on her pale cheeks.

"Your heart is breaking to touch me. I'll allow a little bit."

"You can just go away."

This was how the hero's party forcefully united Aedia and Tiata under the rule of Daitan. The mess within the Forest of Eternity was put to sleep, and they were successful in bringing the Archmage Regina into the hero's party.

The process was so bumpy that his thigh was figuratively bruised. However, he was able to end the Quest cleanly.

"Maetel, why did you wait up for me......"

"Artpe, come lie next to me."

"Hey, wait a moment. I did nothing wrong."

"I know everything. Just lie next to me."

"Yes, ma'am."

The night in the Forest of Eternity came to an end as Artpe had overcome a minor crisis where his virginity could have been nearly lost.