Chapter 124: Advisory (2)

Although she said she was taking a nap, Siris slept soundly without moving for about an hour. I even wondered if she might be dead, but when I put my finger under her nose, she didn't even react.

Fortunately, after confirming her steady breathing, I was able to relax. However, considering an elf's physical abilities, I could roughly guess how tired she must have been.

Unlike humans who would experience physical problems after not sleeping for two or more days, elves knew that they could go for a week without any problem. Even Cindy, who was closer to an ordinary person, would only groan after staying up for a few nights and would have no trouble with daily life. Dark circles were inevitable, but when reminded of the importance of sleep, it was still manageable.

'But Siris didn't even sense my presence...'

A bodyguard knight should have a sensitive enough sense to detect even the slightest movement. Especially if that person is an elf, let alone a dark elf accustomed to darkness.

However, Siris was still sound asleep even after I approached and checked her breathing. It wasn't exaggerated to say that she might not even notice if I picked her up.

Seeing her resting instead of escorting Arwen, it seemed like she was on vacation or had a day off, and I felt sorry for calling her for nothing.

'For now, let's wait until she wakes up.'

As my dates with Marie and Cecily had been postponed due to the test period, there was plenty of time. Since the exams will be over this Friday, why not meet some acquaintances then? And I'll spend a fiery Friday with Marie.

I thought about Marie's matured beauty, whose sex drive seemed to have decreased slightly recently, but still remained steady, adding firewood to the fire. Moreover, she always took me to an inn to relieve any stress she had, so she's probably working hard to relieve the stress that has piled up due to the exams. I briefly recalled Marie's beauty, which made her seem more mature, but quickly shook my head and looked at Siris.

Siris was sleeping deeply with the blanket up to her neck. Since no one would come anyway, and it would be rude to wake her up forcibly, it would be better to write something instead.

I sat at the desk and took hold of my magic pen. The remover I had received from Marie's father, Dimitri, was lying beside the manuscript paper.

Scribble- Scribble- Squeak-

The sound of writing with a magic pen and erasing with a remover filled the room where I stayed. I focused as much as possible and wrote Xenon's Biography.

Despite the environment, thanks to the presence of the remover, the efficiency of my writing doubled. Sometimes, I would realize typos belatedly and had to make extensive revisions, but now I no longer had to worry about that.

However, my habit of tearing up and rewriting everything that I didn't like still remained. The trash can still contained shredded manuscripts, and I planned to burn them all later.

'Now, I'm debating whether to make the devil obstructing Xenon's party... Satan (wrath) or Lilith (lust).'

There is a devil executive who obstructs Xenon's party, preventing them from returning while Alvenheim is under attack.

Xenon, having awakened after Kair's death and Mary's confession, was much stronger than before, and the demons grew to be skilled individuals whom the devils couldn't disregard.

Furthermore, the party consisted of Mary, an elven wizard, Jin, a first-generation demon, and Lily, who was designated as the next saint. Considering the party's overall strength, they were very powerful.

'The beastmen are ambiguous because I don't know their combat style, so let's pass on that. In the end, the only option left is Lilith.'

The power of the Seven Sins is formidable, as they have been bestowed with power by the Archdevil, Diablo. Each individual's strength is formidable, except for the strategically valuable "Sloth." The rest of the sins will face the army individually.

And the demon who governs desire, Lillis, possesses a fatally captivating beauty that can enchant both men and women. Born as a demon, she also wields magic. However, during their first encounter, the purpose was to buy time, so she dealt with it roughly and left. Nevertheless, even in that brief battle, she thoroughly imprinted the strength of the Seven Deadly Sins on Xenon and his party.

'Lillis' fighting style is indeed...'

I should consult Cecily. As she is destined to become the next Demon Lord, I know her martial prowess is incredibly strong.

It might be a half-joking remark, but she once said that if she were to lightly swipe a mountain peak with her finger, it would split in half. She has even learned swordsmanship, claiming that she will never fall behind in close combat.

'But I haven't seen it in person. I should ask her later.'

I plan to ask her when the exams are over and the weekend comes. We can meet then, have a conversation, and I can casually inquire about it.

I briefly covered the notes outlining the development and picked up my magic pen, placing it on the manuscript paper. It hasn't been long since the 11th volume was released, but I have already written about half of the next volume.

With more time available and the presence of the remover and advice from acquaintances, I could swiftly progress like a ship with its sails catching a favorable wind. Perhaps I can even release two volumes consecutively this month.

"... ..."

"... Hm?"

How focused was I on my writing? I stretched and yawned to relax my stiff body, then suddenly felt a gaze from behind and turned my head.

As I turned my head, I noticed that Siris, who knows when she woke up, was staring at me with half-covered blankets. I also quietly looked back at Siris.

Having just woken up, the sharpness of her eyes had softened slightly, and her slightly exposed shoulders and chest emitted a captivating atmosphere. Not completely covered by the blanket but not completely bare either, she wore it halfway, creating a sense of secrecy.

"When did you wake up?"

"I woke up exactly 5 minutes ago."

I listened to her response and checked the clock. It was around 5 o'clock. Since Siris was summoned around 1 o'clock, it meant that she had slept for about 4 hours.

I ran my hand through my hair and glanced at Soris. She was still in a daze, cutely yawning. When she was a guard knight for Arwen, she was like a sharp blade, but now she seemed quite relaxed.

Well, most guard knights are like that. They have to be vigilant for their master anytime, anywhere, so they can't help but be on edge. It's only during rest that they can let their guard down and relax for a while.

So it's not strange for Siris to show such a relaxed appearance. Especially since she secretly guards the Elven Queen, Arwen, her job must be extremely difficult.

"If you're tired, you can sleep more."

"No, I'm fully awake."

Looking at her sparkling golden eyes and the glimmer of anticipation in her gaze, it didn't seem like a lie. So instead of saying anything, I decided to seek advice and got up from my seat, approaching her.

Siris didn't react or make any moves even as I approached closer. Well, the moment I do something strange, she'll probably grab my wrist.

After a while, I arrived in front of her, and I pulled up the fallen corner of the blanket to hide the slightly exposed bluish skin. Thanks to that, nothing was visible except for her face...

Flutter-

As soon as I lifted the blanket up to her neck, Siris swung her arms and made it fall back down even lower than before, revealing her underwear.

For a moment, my face burned with anger and confusion, and I asked Siris in a bewildered voice,.

"Why are you taking it off?"

"It's hot."

"Can't you bear it?"

"No."

"... ..."

She answered with a stern tone, leaving me speechless. Since she was a messenger and not a complete servant, I couldn't dictate to her as I pleased.

In the end, she threw the blanket completely off and found myself facing Siris in underwear. She may be a dark elf and lenient in general, but she causes a lot of problems for a man like me.

Is seeking advice such a difficult task? Even though I barely covered her with the blanket, it was frustrating to see her throw it off so easily.

"Are Dark Elves more sensitive to heat, or is it just Siris? They seem to wear clothing with a lot of exposure."

"The attire is closely related to the unique combat style of Dark Elves. Dark Elves are more sensitive to mana floating in the air than regular Elves, and furthermore, they possess the ability to blend in with their surroundings. The more exposed areas there are, the higher the blending ratio becomes. Occasionally, if the shimmering effect occurs in the spot where a hidden Dark Elf was, it's all due to their attire."

"So, does that mean they feel hot?"

"Dark Elves circulate mana during normal times to be able to conceal their bodies in darkness anytime, anywhere. As a result, their body temperature is high."

"But doesn't that consume a lot of mana? Even for Dark Elves, it must be quite intense."

"You don't have to worry about that. Dark Elves have a kind of heritage that allows them to absorb mana from the air through their skin. It's an ability that only we possess."

"Oh..."

Yeah, that's what consultation is about.

I quickly jotted down the important information in my notebook, my eyes sparkling. Although the beginning was strange, it was intriguing as valuable information kept flowing.

Thanks to that, I was able to focus solely on the advice without being distracted by Siris' seductive figure. Siris herself didn't seem to mind, so there was no problem.

"What is the structure of the Dark Elf village like? Like how Alvenheim has a queen, council, and a Warrior's Commander, what is the structure for Dark Elves?"

"First of all, each Dark Elf belongs to a specific tribe. There are a total of three tribes: Latna, Kumir, and Dron. Each tribe is governed by its own elders."

"Which tribe does Siris come from?"

"I am from the Latna tribe. It is known for producing warriors. Kumir specializes in magic users, and Dron is famous for producing technicians."

"It seems to be more than just a simple village, more like a city-level structure?"

"Yes, you're right. In terms of lifestyle, it is no different from any other city. It's just that we live in a sparsely populated forest."

It's fascinating. The more I hear stories about Dark Elves, the more they exude mystery. Following Siris's guidance, I diligently wrote down notes and envisioned the future story in my mind.

I'm determined to draw inspiration properly, at least as thoroughly as the research, so today I intend to get a proper hit.

"What ranks does Siris have? Like how there are warriors for the Elves and knights for humans, I don't know much about the ranking system of Dark Elves."

"Well, except for the Elders, we don't really have ranks. When a significant event occurs, we call upon renowned warriors and grant them positions."

"What do you mean by positions?"

"Scout leader or assault leader, for example. I suppose we don't appear to have a military on the surface since we prefer combat methods that don't involve direct confrontation."

It's amazing how different their approach is, even though they likely originated from the same roots.

Unlike the Elves who insist on direct combat, Dark Elves specialize in assassination and infiltration. Perhaps due to these ideological differences, they must have fought each other in the distant past.

Dark Elves, with their notably distinct personalities, were appropriate to be shunned even among other Elves.

"What do the Dark Elves think of the Elves from Alvenheim? Oh, by the way, I'm asking about the general opinion of Dark Elves, not Siris's view. Although Arwen has pursued a policy of integration, the deep-rooted animosity wouldn't have dissipated."

"Well... the generations that experienced the racial war view them favorably, but the subsequent generations don't. The newer generation is currently protesting, questioning why they should even join Alvenheim, which refused to offer any help due to their meager pride. On the other hand, the older generation, having experienced the bitterness of the racial war, believes it has now become harmless."

"Wow..."

I couldn't help but be amazed sincerely. I never expected such an accurate contradiction.

Then, a sudden thought crossed my mind. How old would Siris be, presumed to be from the new generation?

At first glance, she appears to be in her early to mid-twenties, but she looks favorably upon elves. She doesn't even complain about running errands, despite being a messenger.

With that in mind, I paused for a moment, pen pressed against the notebook, and looked at Siris. She was still blinking her golden eyes, dressed only in underwear.

"Um... excuse me, may I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"I'm curious about Siris's age..."

"Well... can you see this?"

Upon hearing my question, Siris lightly tapped her partially severed ear with her finger. As my gaze shifted in that direction, I could see that she had a golden earring hanging there.

The left ear had nothing, but there were about two earrings on the right ear. As soon as I began to wonder, Sirius opened her mouth.

"We have a tradition of adding one earring for every hundred years that pass. You can see that I have two, which means I am exactly 241 years old."

"...Indeed, it's an age that seems unfathomable to humans."

"For humans, even a hundred years is difficult to comprehend, isn't it?"

Siris responded, maintaining her characteristic expressionless face. Whenever I heard about Cecily or Arwen living for over a hundred years, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of unease.

I continued to ask several more questions and obtained the information I needed one by one. Siris faithfully answered each of my questions without any hesitation.

After about an hour of questioning, I finally decided to close my notebook. It was time for me to grab a bite to eat, and I could always call Siris again if I needed further assistance.

"Thank you. You've been a great help."

"You're welcome. By the way, are you planning to write about us in your book?"

Siris looked at the notebook with a curious gaze. I tossed the notebook onto the desk and replied.

"Yes. Don't worry, I won't include any negative stories."

"May I ask you one thing then?"

"Go ahead."

"Are all the people portrayed in the book based on real individuals?"

Upon hearing Siris' question, I turned my head toward the manuscript lying on the desk. Although the story was based on reality, most of the characters emerged from my imagination.

However, I did plan to draw inspiration from real people for some future characters. Lily will be based on Cecily, and the elven hero will resemble the legendary warrior, Ikehr.

Nevertheless, since the question was about using real people as inspiration, I responded positively.

"It's possible that some characters are based on real people. Just as I asked questions to Siris, I lack knowledge about different species, so I have no choice but to seek advice."

"I see."

"But why is that? Should I include Siris as well?"

In my previous life when I was active as a web novel writer, there was a joke that my friends occasionally made. They would say, "Put me in your novel too." Of course, it was just a joke, but I unknowingly ended up including them in my story. Since those guys never even read my novel, it didn't really matter.

Honestly, there aren't many distinctive characters in real life like my friends. By slightly modifying my friends' personalities and including them in my book, they turned into remarkably unique characters. So, I casually asked Siris as a joke, fully expecting her to brush it off.

"Really?"

"Yes?"

But to my surprise, Siris's eyes sparkled.

"If you're offering, I'd be honored to be included."

She perked up, even raising her short, rabbit-like ears, expressing her excitement.

Later on, I learned that Dark Elves have a tendency not to take jokes lightly.

"... ..."

I chuckled at her look filled with anticipation.

Translators note:

Chapter 1/5 this week