“Did Iberis say anything?”
Anemone, who had been slumping her shoulders, quietly asked as if letting the words slip out.
I thought back for a moment and replied,
“She said something about being fed up with war… and not wanting to lose the knowledge she’d accumulated.”
“…Fed up, huh. I figured as much.”
“Also, her research on making a beam of light circle an entire planet was quite intriguing.”
“Wow, she actually talked a lot, huh?”
Anemone even offered a slight smile in response.
Strange. Iberis had just said a little while ago that they were friends.
“Doesn’t she hate me, though?”
“Well, if she’s already dead, hating her won’t do any good.”
Anemone let out a small sigh.
“Besides, Iberis was a volunteer soldier. She said something like, ‘I’ll end this war quickly,’ and went to the front lines of her own accord. She was the strongest among our settlement, and I’m sure she must have killed plenty of demons. So… if she got killed by demons in return, there’s no room for complaint.”
“A volunteer? But didn’t she say she was tired of war?”
“Yeah, that’s why I’m glad I got to hear that from her.”
With that, Anemone chuckled wryly.
“Iberis never said a word like that to us. But, you know, we always thought that a research enthusiast like her wouldn’t just abandon her work to go to the battlefield willingly.”
“Then, why did she go?”
“I think she wanted to end the war before conscripts like me and the others from our settlement got sent to the front lines. She was the eldest among us, and that was the kind of person she was.”
“I see. If that’s the case, she had a noble conviction. A remarkable elf, truly.”
It really is a shame. I had thought we could get along, Iberis and I.
But in the end, at that moment, there was no choice but to kill each other.
…Well then,
“As unfortunate as Iberis’ death was, let’s put that aside for now.”
“‘Put that aside,’ you say? You’ve got quite the nerve, don’t you?”
“My apologies if I offended you, Anemone. But you see, the situation we’re in now is perilous—not only for us, the Demon Nation, but for you as well. We need to cooperate as soon as possible.”
“Perilous? Cooperate? I don’t follow.”
“First of all, the issue for us is the sacred staff that you and I possess. Just as you misunderstood it earlier, there’s a danger that other elves might also approach us thinking we’re allies.”
“Yeah, it’s almost certain someone will come to investigate, thinking they’ve found a comrade.”
“The second concern is the danger to you. Those elves who come investigating, thinking they’ve found a comrade, are most likely going to… die.”
“…!”
Seeing Anemone’s eyes widen, I tried to choose my words carefully—but no, that’s impossible.
“To put it bluntly, the soldier who killed Iberis is now patrolling the area.”
Getting straight to the point would be quicker.
I know I’m being inconsiderate, but that’s the best way to convey the danger.
Looking up at the trees overhead, I continued,
“He’s skilled at ambushes. If an elf carelessly approaches, thinking we’re allies, he’ll slit their throat without hesitation.”
“…”
“So, I need to ask you, Anemone. Now that we’ve captured you, is there anyone else—a ‘friend’—who might come looking for you?”
“…Ah, damn it. I see what this is.”
Anemone scowled bitterly.
“You’re saying, ‘Do as we say if you care about your comrades’ lives,’ right?”
“Precisely.”
It’s a relief that she catches on quickly.
I have no intention of letting go of this sacred staff with its intriguing mechanisms. I’ll use whatever means necessary to stay alive and return with as much as I can gain here.
“If you cooperate with us and help detect the elves approaching, we can take the initiative and capture them.”
If being discovered by the elves would put us at a disadvantage, then we’ll turn the situation around and capture them first.
By doing so, we reduce the risk of being discovered and gain more elves in the process.
This is what one would call killing two birds with one stone!
“Capture them… You mean take them to the Demon Nation as prisoners?”
“Yes. I can’t set them free, so they’ll remain prisoners until the war ends. But as far as prisoner treatment goes, I promise to guarantee their safety and allow them to continue their research freely. I do hold a fairly influential position in the Demon Nation.”
“Whether or not I believe that, it seems like I don’t have much of a choice.”
After thinking for a moment, Anemone shrugged.
“Fine, I’ll cooperate. But when you capture my elf friends, do it as gently as possible. I don’t want them hurt unnecessarily.”
“Thank you. I’ll accommodate that as much as I can.”
“Also, I have some information to share, as well as a warning.”
“What is it?”
“First, the information. I have two friends from my hometown. I’ll call on them to surrender. They’ll probably listen to me… probably.”
“That’s helpful to know. And the warning?”
“Some of the other elves outside of those two are from the World Tree settlement. It’s best to give up on taking them as prisoners and just kill them right away. Negotiating with them will be pointless.”
Anemone continued with a tone that bordered on cold.
“You’ve heard of the Sage of the East, Marrow, haven’t you? The people from his settlement are all controlled by fear… They’ll fight to the death without hesitation.”
