The first meeting with Lev Denec… was definitely about Wind Archery.
“It’s okay. You can just teach me.”
“Teach you? …Me?”
“Yeah.”
“If it’s the basics, I can do it myself…”
“No, I mean Wind Archery.”
Selena was flustered.
The fact that she couldn’t use Wind Archery meant,
“Is it because you’re a Half-Elf?”
“What does an Elf have without that? Too bad.”
It was a widely known fact even at Claris.
But he was different from other humans.
While training and spending time together…
He wasn’t joking about being a Marksman, and he really thought she could master Wind Archery.
So was it a miracle that occurred?
After that, Selena felt something binding her was released.
From then on, she was on a roll.
As he said, she acquired Wind Archery, improving day by day.
Gradually, she got closer to the wish she longed for.
*
Whoosh…
A chilling wind began to blow in Flotine Forest.
With the trees being dense, the sunlight was quite low, making it feel even colder.
*…
“Get a grip…”
Selena focused her trembling hands on her thoughts.
Emotions rushed through her too quickly.
“You worked hard. So did you.”
Unexpected comfort from Lev made her emotional, pouring far too much sincerity toward him.
In that moment, an arrow shot toward him as if to signal she had crossed a line.
But… I don’t want it to end like this…
Until the last moment when he was pierced by the arrow, he tried to protect Selena.
What a foolish and nonsensical man he was.
The dark elf took a while to respond to Selena’s rebuttal before slowly opening her mouth.
“I told you I have no business with you today… Are you taking responsibility for that remark?”
“…Yeah.”
Selena had made an enemy out of Dalian, the only other Half-Elf in the world.
According to her mother, she was the dark elf featured in Kroon’s legend.
She was probably evil.
She betrayed her kin, abandoned humans, and sided with demons.
That alone was enough reason for Selena, a student of Claris, to fight.
However, looking at the situation rationally,
If they fought, she would surely lose.
There was no chance of victory.
That’s why the target of the dark elf Dalian.
It may be best to pass Lev Denec, who might be a pawn of the demons.
But she couldn’t do that.
Her feelings for him had grown larger than expected.
When did it start…?
Was it when he saved her life from Sharptiga?
Or was it when he disrupted Kaeran, taking his Royal Class Circle’s place?
When he saved everyone from the Pitbit Jae hunt?
Was it when she saw him give up his opportunity for her at the Reconta Festival?
…I don’t know.
What was certain was that Selena needed him.
That feeling might not be entirely pure.
Of course, he was the same.
He hadn’t shown his ultimate intentions yet.
But the biggest difference between Lev Denec and other humans was that,
He lived for others no matter what.
In the brutal environment of Claris, his actions were somewhat difficult to understand,
But that’s what made him even warmer.
“If you intend to protect this boy, I have no choice but to use force.”
“…Do as you wish.”
“…”
Selena, who had forcibly regained her senses, had one last gamble left.
It was Dalian’s own words.
‘Today, you don’t have business with me.’
If it was a demon’s order, even if it was a kin, she had to kill if they interfered.
That’s how demons operated.
But seeing that she was trying to convince her despite the time spent,
It meant that there was something about not just Lev but also herself.
Thud.
Selena placed her drawn bow onto the ground and knelt.
“…”
“Sorry, but begging won’t work. The more time passes, the closer the boy’s death comes.”
Swish.
Then, she laid Lev down on her knees, holding an arrow in her hand.
“What are you trying to do…?”
Before Dalian’s question could pass,
“If you’re going to take Lev, kill me first.”
Crimson blood trickled down from the point of the arrow touching her neck.
*
Dalian walked a path of betrayal.
When Kroon was around, it felt like a relationship that would last forever.
Humans that seemed trustworthy…
Everything began to fall apart simply because Kroon disappeared.
There was no need to explain further.
The memories torturing Dalian for a lifetime, sharpened like shards of glass, wouldn’t help in digging them up.
What mattered was the present.
Dalian betrayed humans and fairies and made a pact with demons.
That was the best she could do.
As a traitor to her kin, she gained a promise of survival for the elven race if the demons won the war.
She was tired of humans.
The disgusting humans would still engage in civil strife even if they won the war, repeating the same mistakes.
Thus, breaking this cycle was why she had become a pawn of the demons.
But was this also a demon’s plot?
The deadline to fulfill her contract was longer than expected, and in her current condition, she couldn’t endure it.
Therefore, Dalian had to designate a successor who would fulfill her pact with the demon.
Someone who could forsake both elves and humans.
At the same time, a person with remarkable qualities.
‘A Half-Elf like me…’
She concluded that Selena Windforce was the most suitable choice.
*
…
“Stop.”
In a moment of surprise, Dalian let slip words she shouldn’t have said.
Clearly, the suitable one was Selena Windforce, who wasn’t respected by either humans or elves.
Only she could become the vessel to inherit Dalian’s abilities…
As if knowing this, Selena pressed the arrowhead against her neck with a determined look.
“Think carefully! Humans are nothing but betrayals…!”
The more Dalian protested, the more firm Selena’s actions became.
“What does that worthless man have to say!”
In that moment, Dalian realized.
The man, now pale and gasping for his life, had only revealed his feelings to Selena…
He had only one goal: to protect her.
There was no need to complicate things.
He simply wanted to keep her safe.
Denying that simple truth was something she didn’t want to accept.
“Good. If it continues like this, both me and Lev…”
“Stop…!”
If it goes on like this, even Markosias’s orders and her own plans would go to waste.
Dalian screamed in despair.
“You! You have potential…! If you align with the demons… someday even fools like us can be recognized…”
Despite Dalian’s absurd persuasion, Selena simply smiled in disdain and shook her head.
Selena Windforce.
It was the perfect moment for her to die.
The unceasing wind comforted her,
Her parents were right beside her,
And the man she might come to cherish was… leaning on her.
“……”
Ready to face death too easily, Selena tightened her grip on the bow and,
Drove the arrow straight through.
*
…
How much time had passed?
As the wind blew, I naturally opened my eyes,
And in my field of vision was the bandaged neck of Selena.
…
This was a view that could only come from a situation where she hated skinship but I was her pillow.
“I see you’re awake.”
Selena gently stroked my head.
Every time her delicate fingers brushed by, it felt nice.
Ding!
[Passive – Spring of Souls]
Looking at the skill window, the fact that the Spring of Souls was intact meant I hadn’t died after all.
Which meant…
Ding ding ding!
Luckily, the answer was right before my eyes.
[New achievement unlocked!]
[You can receive a reward!]
[The watchfulness of Pandemonium has sharply increased!]
[You can inherit the abilities of the former war hero, dark elf Dalian!]
[Awaken the ultimate skill of Wind Archery!]
“…She’s gone. She healed you and then…”
Looking again, Selena’s eyes were like those of a rabbit.
…
‘…Did she cry?’
Originally, it was the story of the [Hwanseangaka] where Selena, unable to learn Wind Archery, gained Dalian’s powers during the Pitbit Jae hunt, which later became a reason for her to be hunted as a witch.
‘So… this must be it.’
Looking at my body, which had gone from prickly to perfectly fine, everything went according to plan.
Dalian had given me the demon’s power to save me…
Confirmation Reward
Selection Reward
My reward window flickered crimson as if blaming me.
‘What can I do?’
The moment I inherited Andras’s abilities, I was tainted with Dark Magic.
Like a guy trying to act cool by smoking a cigarette even though he didn’t want to let others know about it.
I didn’t want any trouble to come to the heroines I liked.
Selena opened her mouth with a slightly hoarse voice.
“I found out everything. I heard it all… from that person.”
…
“The things the Sharfti family wanted to do to me. The reason I couldn’t learn Wind Archery… everything. You already knew, right?”
…
“Why didn’t you say anything? I kept… doubting you.”
…
‘And…’
Selena asked with a lonely tone.
“…Did you really mean to die instead of me?”
No one likes the idea of dying, but in that moment, it was the truth.
I answered as lightly as possible to lessen her burden.
“…Well. It’s too romantic to say that only bad people exist…”
Whoa!
!
Selena pinned me down to the ground and climbed on top.
“Hold me.”
With that ambiguous request, I executed it in the lightest manner.
I wrapped her in my arms.
It felt warm.
As if I were alive and there was a glow around me.
This was a warmth I could never experience in a game or a story.
Green grass. Selena’s small space.
We lay down, sharing each other’s body heat for a while.
*
…
“It’s cold… I should have told you to dress warmly…!”
After finally calming her down from the day’s events, Yeriel waited for Lev at the nearest circulation train station to Sellafi Hall.
Every time it was late like this, it meant something had happened…
‘…I told them to be careful… so it should be fine…’
She no longer held any doubts.
She chose to trust him.
And today… she decided to move her heart a little further.
Compared to Aria, who had confessed their feelings, Yeriel hadn’t properly conveyed her own yet.
This much seemed reasonable to ask for, she reassured herself.
‘If there’s a selection test, I hope it doesn’t put too much pressure on him…’
Lev had a surprisingly deep sensitivity.
‘Don’t rush your words… take it slow…’
She whispered the words she had prepared in her head one by one.
While it was embarrassing, a shy smile escaped.
Voooom…!
“!”
At that moment, the final circulation train arrived, revealing a silhouette that looked like Lev.
“Le…!”
But there was one more person beside him.
A platinum-haired elf.
Selena Windforce.
Lev had a slightly complicated expression as usual, but,
“…!”
Selena was different.
Instead of her usual icy demeanor, she looked shy.
Moreover, there was a subtle suggestiveness, as if she was naturally inviting skinship.
And what this meant… Yeriel quietly understood.
“……”
Thud!
Something began to sprout again in the depths of Yeriel’s heart, shaken by Aria.
“…Lev really… is popular…”
This despair was soon transformed into something else, gradually consuming pure Yeriel’s thoughts.
“…Yeah… if this continues, I won’t be able to confess and I’ll be swept away…”
Crackle!
The high-density mana radiating from her body began to clash with fine dark magic, sparking like fireworks.
Thus, with her gaze completely dead, Yeriel approached Lev.
