White Bird
We came to a cafe in the grounds of the vast military school.
In the military school, they basically eat in the cafeteria in the school building, but it seems that people who want to change the atmosphere or splurge a bit may come to this café outside.
It seems that if you are a special student, you can even enjoy a free meal for a certain amount of money.
After finding a suitable seat at the outdoor café, Liz and I sat down.
At first I was dreading the prospect of being bombarded with a barrage of questions, but Liz was quiet.
I was almost be attracted by her dark green hair, which was blowing in the breeze. If she didn’t talk, she really looked like she was just a lady from somewhere.
The various trees planted nearby rustled and the twittering of birds echoed. Then Liz quietly listened to that. Well, it’s like a painting. I’d like to keep it as a painting in my palace in Tenebrae.
After a while, the pancakes and black tea we had ordered arrived.
I didn’t really want to eat anything, so I ordered the same thing as her, but my appetite was quite ar*used. After gulping down the pancakes Liz happily filled her mouth and licked off the syrup that had stained her lips with her tongue. She found out that I was gazing at her.
“Theo-kun, do you like elf?”
“Cough-cough… Uh, yeah I think they are fascinating.”
After answering the sudden question like that, Liz’s reaction was unexpectedly poor.
“I see. What do you like about elf? Is their look?”
“That’s part of it, but I also like the calmness and the nobility of them.”
I’m tempted to add my feelings of wanting to r*pe that kind of woman, but I’d rather not say anything about it.
“Frankly. I don’t really like it. It’s that kind of thing with elf.”
“Really? It’s unusual thing for an elf.”
“Yeah, I guess so. I’ve been told I’m weird and strange by people. It’s just that I don’t like the arrogance of the elf who look down on others.”
Liz blurts out.
“Even the seemingly stable elf are just bad-mouthing people behind their backs. What is elegant to them is their stereotypical ideas of racial superiority. Theo-kun, they are not as noble as you think you are.”
“Well, if you ask me, there may be such a part, but I don’t really care about that.”
It’s frustrating that I still can’t say it’s fun to put the hands to that kind of woman.
Teaching the woman with racial superiority thoughts exclusively to suit your own preferences. Ah, it’s the best.
“So, Theo-kun likes that kind of elf, so you don’t care about weirdos like me?”
Lizzy was so cute when she said it in a teased way.
“That’s not true. Even weirdos kind like you are attractive.”
“Really? I can’t believe that Theo would say something like that to tease a girl…”
“I’m only going to say that to the person I like.”
“Ho-ho-? Does that mean I have a chance too? How about I come to you then?”
“Well, I suppose that kind of thing can wait until we get to know each other better.”
“Mou, Theo-kun has no ambition.”
If we were in Tenebrae’s territory, and I was in a offensive side, there’s nothing wrong with that.
To begin with, I’d been wanting to attack her in first day we met. She’s so attractive.
She’s a bit mysterious on the inside, but she doesn’t seem like a bad girl. But anyway, I don’t care if it’s a bad girl or what, just r*pe it and be done with it.
The hometown is so nostalgic.
I tilted my tea cup as I clung to my evil delusion.
“So, the culprit in the recent mass disappearance of elves, is Theo-kun who’s not picky about any kind of Elf, right?”
I grandly spewed black tea.
“Cough-cough!! What’s wrong with you? Suddenly said something weird.”
“What a great reaction! Yare-yare, I was just joking, but I wonder if it could really be true? What’s next? Are you going to abduct me and do a lot of things to me? Um, It’s a little embarrassing, but if it’s Theo-kun, I don’t mind.”
“Don’t say (I don’t mind)!! Can you stop talking about things that don’t sound good! No matter how lecherous I am, I wont be carelessly aiming at elves regardless of male or female!!”
“Hooo. So you know that male elf was kidnapped to?”
Hmm, am I overreacting to leak a little information? But well, there should be no problem so far.
Incidentally, this is also something I want to ask her.
“……… I’ve been doing a little research because it’s been circulating lately. Does Liz know more than that?”
“It’s just a number of missing people. Do you know there are already more than 900 people have gone missing in the entire Empire?”
“Have all those people disappeared?”
“It’s just what’s being grasped. Mildiana’s population is over 150.000 and the elves is 10,000 or less. When you consider it like that, that’s a pretty big number, right? If more than 60% of the missing are from this Mildiana, do you know how serious the situation is?”
The fairy tale that Roka had told of thousands of troops disappearing passed through my mind.
Although it wasn’t on that scale yet, the disappearances that were happening now were enough to be considered an abnormal situation.
“What about western territory where Theo-kun lived? The missing elves.”
The pale green pupils stared at me motionlessly. It would be bad if I didn’t say anything good. Only feigning ignorance but answering honestly.
“…… Who knows. I’m not really sure. I don’t have any friends with the elf, so I only heard about it after I came here…”
“Yeah. Well, that’s true. There aren’t many elves in that area either.”
Liz suddenly lifted her black tea cup as if testing something with her eyes.
It’s a good time to interrupt the conversation.
I’m asking about the book of riddles written in ancient characters.
Liz’s expression didn’t change as she listened silently. When I finished, she mumbled something.
“…… I think that “the Sage of the forest” was indeed an elf. I can’t think of any other…”
“What is about “Final Droplet?””
“I’ve never heard of that word. If Theo had never told me, maybe I still don’t know.”
Not sure if she was telling the truth, but at least it didn’t look like she was lying.
Her expression was serious as she squinted her eyes in deliberation.
“Theo-kun. Don’t you have any other information that you know? Whatever it is. I want you to tell me everything.”
I told her the results of my research into the archives with Julian for time being, and some of fairytales beastkin I’d heard from Roka.
And also the information that there was no mention of this in the history books of the Empire.
“That’s strange. If the army of elves disappeared like that, there must have been a dispute with the Empire. But I’ve never heard of such a thing, not even in Tsefte Aria.”
“The only fairy tale that directly touches the army is the one told by Roka, but it seems to be quite well known among the beastkin.”
“I suppose even if they can silence the elves and the Empire, it’s impossible to prevent it anywhere else.”
“Liz, what do you think is the reason for the silencing?”
“If this was just a mere silence, I don’t think so … That’s because if you think about it more deeply, there might be more serious issues like the survival of the country or diplomacy…”
Although it was a very ambiguous answer, the status quo was like what Liz said, it was proper to think that it was covering up issues that were inconvenient for the Empire or for Tsefte Aria.
However, it looks like there’s no way to know more with just this fragmented information.
And no matter what had happened in the past, it might be too soon to think that this disappearance was the same as that one. That’s true, but the situation is very similar.
“Why don’t we ask Principal Ludio?”
“Ludio-kun….. Ludio sensei won’t tell you anything. Because he’s always been like that.”
“Do you know each other from before?”
“Sort of it. You could say that we are distant relatives …….. Oh, and don’t tell anyone else about this, just in case, okay?”
“I don’t mind, but there’s no reason to hide it, is there?”
“Hmmm, there was a lot to say as an elf maiden…”
The school bell rang as she laughed in a dumbfounded manner.
“Ah, yikes! What time is it already?”
“It’s okay because I’m suspended, but I think Liz should be hurry.”
“Ah, it’s too late … I’ll not make it. Sir please another plate of pancakes.”
Lizzy seems bent on missing class.
Wasn’t Keith the only one who was serious among the people who could become a special student?
“Ahhh, that’s right. Theo-kun, that book you mentioned earlier with the ancient script in it, I want you to share it with me later-”
Liz was in the middle of saying something when a little white bird fluttered over the table we were using.
Was it lured here by the sweet smell of pancakes?
The moment I thought of it that way.
“Aah–!!?”
Making a clatter noisy sound, Liz got up like she was jumping away but her feet wouldn’t listen to her and she fell on her butt in that spot.
Frightened by this, the bird flew away in the blink of an eye. The beautiful white feathers fluttered gently and fell to her side.
She uttered a mournful cry and recoiled as if she were afraid.
I was stunned by by her uncanny appearance, as if she thought she would die if she touched the feather.
“Liz, Liz …… what’s wrong?”
The clerk has been looking at the situation from inside. There were no other customers, so there was no commotion.
When I approached Liz she stopped breathing like she was too scared.
She was crouching with her hands behind her head, her whole body shivering and shaking.
Her eyes were wide open and she was crying in the other direction, her teeth making a garrulous sound as she fell into a state of hyperventilation.
“Aaah….!”
“Liz. It’s okay. It’s okay. Calm down.”
As soon as she gently held her fear, she grabbed my hand with terrifying strength and pulled me to my feet.
It was really too unusual a reaction. What on earth was going on?
It was simply as if she had reacted by mistaking the bird for a monster or something. From always being floating and unpredictable, she couldn’t imagine that the current Liz was too weak.
“Liz. Are you okay? Liz?”
“Ahh…. Ahh…. Ah…!!!”
I don’t know what happened, but it would be dangerous to leave her unattended.
I picked her up and took her to the infirmary in the academy.
