“──Hey, Rose and Calendula. Sorry for making it seem like I was tricking you.”
Anemone’s casual voice echoed in the pitch-black forest, directed toward the treetops in front of her.
“Anyway, I’ve decided to head to the Demon Kingdom, so I’d like you two to surrender as well, okay?”
“…W-What did you just say?”
The red-haired elf glanced behind her nervously before shifting her gaze to Anemone. Standing behind her was a zombie thief, pressing the daggers in both of his hands against the necks of the two elves.
──It had been an hour since we started searching for elves. The first ones we encountered turned out to be Anemone’s friends. I considered it an extremely fortunate turn of events.
However, it seemed that those two elves were also searching for Anemone. In that sense, it might have been inevitable that they would meet.
Ah, friends are a wonderful thing.
Not that I’ve ever had any.
“──P-Prisoners, you say?!”
It seemed Anemone had finished explaining the situation to them. As expected, the elf called Rose wore an expression that perfectly embodied sheer disbelief.
“If we become prisoners of the Demon Kingdom, who knows what kind of horrible things will happen to us!”
“They said our lives, safety, and freedom to conduct research would be guaranteed.”
“That’s obviously a lie! And what’s this ‘freedom to conduct research’ nonsense? That’s far too convenient for us elves!”
“Suspicious, huh?”
“How could I not be?!”
Rose glared at me with an intense expression that practically screamed distrust. Naturally, there was no way she could trust me.
Seeing this, Shes stepped forward indignantly, but I stopped him before things could escalate.
…Forcing a decision through violence from start to finish may resolve the immediate situation, but it could lead to betrayal later.
Imposing more than necessary options carries greater risks than benefits. Negotiation should be left to Anemone.
For now, I’ll simply hope for her success and offer a friendly smile in the background.
──Grin.
“Look at that, Anemone! That wicked smile and those murky eyes glaring at us! He’s definitely plotting what kind of experiments he’ll conduct on us once we’re captured!”
“Hmm, yeah, it’s a pretty awful smile, isn’t it…?”
Apparently, my attempt backfired. Both Rose and Anemone were staring at me with strained expressions.
I thought a smile was simply raising the corners of your mouth. What kind of face was I making, exactly?
Someone, give me a hand mirror.
“Um, if I may!”
A sudden voice came from behind me. It was Swan, who had been anxiously observing the situation with the elves.
“Indeed, at first glance, Dr. Alaya ’s smile may appear highly suspicious and difficult to trust. However, I can assure you that your fears are unfounded! Dr. Alaya is someone who values life above all else!”
“And we’re supposed to just believe that? Believe the words of someone from the Demon Kingdom?”
Rose’s sharp crimson eyes pierced through Swan. He caught his breath but didn’t falter.
“Yes. Because we have no choice but to believe it. After all, Dr. Alaya hasn’t killed a single one of you, has he?”
Swan met Rose’s gaze with determination, his eyes narrowing confidently.
“There were even suggestions from the soldiers to kill Anemone. If we had done so and destroyed the sacred staff, we could have avoided any contact with you and continued our covert operations. But why didn’t the doctor choose that route?”
“…Why, indeed?”
“As I said before, it’s because Dr. Alaya cherishes life—whether friend or foe.”
Swan’s smile turned toward me, as did the stunned gazes of Rose and the other elves.
…Hmm. Swan is quite the actor.
I had simply wanted to avoid losing the elves and the sacred staff we had secured, but it seemed Swan was trying to cleverly cover for me.
Certainly, emphasizing a respect for life would leave a better impression than my real reasons.
“Yes, it’s true there were suggestions to eliminate me,” Anemone added. “But it was this human—Kiwi Alaya —who stopped them.”
With Anemone’s testimony to back it up, Rose seemed at a loss for words.
“…But even so, becoming prisoners…”
She pressed her hand to her head as if nursing a headache.
The fact she was deliberating at all was progress.
“Rose still isn’t fully convinced, huh? Oh well. What about you, Calendula?”
“Me?”
The elf called Calendula, with her wavy pale yellow hair, stared blankly upward for a moment before responding.
“Well, I don’t really mind. Whether I go to the Demon Kingdom or become a prisoner, as long as I can do research, it’s fine.”
“Whaaat?!”
Rose’s expression looked like the end of the world.
“How can you just accept this so easily?!”
“Eh? Well, Anemone seems to have already made up her mind. Besides, if we stay here, we’ll just get used up as fodder on the battlefield, right?”
“That… might be true, but…”
“Also, after today, you should’ve realized, Rose. We can’t afford to be separated anymore.”
“…”
Rose fell silent. After a moment, she ruffled her hair in frustration and turned to face Anemone.
“…Fine. Like you said, I’ll surrender quietly.”
“Great. Thanks, Rose. And one more thing—thank you, both of you.”
“For what?”
“For disobeying orders to come look for me. I’m sorry for worrying you. But I’m really happy you did.”
“…Hmph.”
Rose snorted and looked away, while Calendula gave a gentle smile. Seeing the two of them, Anemone smiled warmly before turning back to me triumphantly.
“See? I told you my friends would surrender.”
“Indeed.”
I seem to recall you adding the word “probably,” but I won’t press the matter.
In the end, the negotiations went well.
I, too, am very pleased. Once we return safely to the Demon Kingdom, there’s a good chance I’ll be able to conduct plenty of joint research with the elves.
