Chapter 431 The Wyrope Assassins ④
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”And so, I intend to send those fools back to the Wielope Empire¹… You don’t mind, do you?” Queen Cecile asked.
”Whether I mind or not, the answer is ‘yes,’” Loire-Rose replied with a sigh. “But look-from the journey here to our arrival, we’ve pretty much been coasting on your generosity. I’m not exactly in a position to complain.”
”Ah, that was a mean-spirited question of me. My apologies,” Cecile said.
The scene was the royal bedroom of Cecile Canaria, Queen of the Canaria Kingdom. She had invited the Holy Figure², Loire-Rose, to explain the strategy devised by Kento, the owner of the Harvest³ shop. Or rather, in this instance, it was more accurate to say it was written by his beloved elf, Tania.
The plan relied on the words of a Hero of the Founding, a benefactor who had shielded the Royal Family for generations. The moment the assassins confessed to the existence of the elf behind them-the one they called “Mother”-Cecile had decided to play along with the script. Of course, she didn’t necessarily feel good about simply releasing assassins she’d gone to the trouble of capturing, but she saw the necessity.
”Still, I never would’ve guessed an elf was pulling Wielope’s strings,” Loire-Rose remarked, leaning back. “No wonder the Holy Figures of the past struggled so much.”
”Indeed. There is no telling how long the elf in question has been lurking in the shadows,” Cecile noted. “Slipping through a web of traps woven over centuries is a task of near-impossible difficulty.”
Even putting aside the “depth of elven emotion” Kento had mentioned, they were an incredibly formidable foe. It was like being handed a game where they were already in check, and to make matters worse, the opponent’s side of the board was invisible. All they could do was study the placement of their own pieces and try to divine the enemy’s intent. First, they had to uncover the board itself.
”So, what kind of message did you send to Wielope to get the ball rolling?” Loire-Rose asked.
”For now, simply that ‘we are prepared to negotiate.’ I sent one of the assassins back as a messenger, with strict orders to deliver the word to Mother.”
”Think they’ll bite?”
”I don’t know,” Cecile admitted. “But according to Kento and Lady Tania, they almost certainly will.”
Loire-Rose had her doubts that things would go so smoothly. However, her friend seemed to possess a certain level of conviction. Whether that was because she trusted the man she loved, or because she knew more about elves than Loire-Rose did… it was likely a bit of both.
”So, Lo. What about you? What will you do?” Cecile asked, her tone shifting.
”Hmm, I wonder. Thanks to your resident magic toolmaker, I’ve managed to blow a hole right through the convent’s regulations,” Loire-Rose said with a small smirk. “I’m not exactly itching to head back. Mind putting me up for a bit longer?”
”Well, if that is what you wish, I don’t mind. But will that excuse actually hold water?”
”I’ll make it hold. ‘Deepening ties with Saint Sister Amelia,’ ‘Coordinating the response to the Stampede’⁴-I’ve got plenty of excuses. Besides, if we don’t figure out what the Wielope Empire is up to, we’re just sitting ducks.”
”True, that is a fair point,” Cecile agreed. “Even if you were to return to the Holy City, you couldn’t exactly go back the way you came, and passing through Wielope would only make you more vulnerable.”
”There’s also the chance they’ll just decide the assassins aren’t worth the trouble and cut their losses,” Loire-Rose added, sipping her tea. “I’m only human, you know? I don’t want to die-especially not a meaningless death.”
As they spoke, the two women hammered out the details of their dangerous yet vital plan. While they would have to remain on high alert, it was a prime opportunity to strengthen the ties between the Canaria Kingdom and the Church.
”Do you have anything specific in mind?” Cecile asked.
”Yeah. You know that contact I’ve had under wraps for a while?”
”Ah, that one. I never got the impression they were particularly useful.”
”Well, everyone’s useful if you know how to handle them,” Loire-Rose said. “For starters, I’m going to have them dig into Kento and the Harvest shop. Don’t get mad at me, okay?”
”As long as you stay within reasonable bounds, do as you please,” Cecile replied.
It seemed the time for a reformation of the Church had finally arrived. Cecile couldn’t be sure what Loire-Rose was truly aiming for, but her intuition told her the winds were shifting.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the Wielope Empire, within the private chambers of the elf known as Mother, Karla, one of the assassins had already arrived to deliver his report.
”Mother, I am deeply sorry,” the man said, bowing low. “Not only did we fail the mission, but to have caused you such trouble…”
”It’s alright, it’s alright,” Karla replied, her voice soft. “I am just happy to see you home. I am sorry for forcing such a thankless role upon you.”
”Mother…”
Karla stroked his head with maternal affection. Though she told herself it was necessary for the Great Wish⁵, it still pained her to send those she had raised like her own children into such bloody work. Especially since, for the first time, her “children” had actually failed.
”Demandyl, what happened?” she asked.
”Based on what he heard, it appears there was elven intervention,” Emperor Demandyl of Wielope answered.
The Emperor watched the reunion with a bitter expression. In the long history of Wielope, he was likely the first sovereign to oversee such a massive blunder. To think they had actually traced the trail back to Mother.
”Don’t look like that, Little Dee,” Karla said. “It’s a pity we couldn’t take out the Holy Figure, but there’s no use crying over spilled milk. The Church will fall soon enough. Once it does, the bonds between the nations will crumble, and the Wielope Empire’s dominion will be absolute.”
”I suppose you’re right,” Demandyl replied.
Her attempt at comfort only made a hollow bitterness settle in Demandyl’s chest, though Karla didn’t notice. The source of his regret was the realization that he would likely never live to see that future. To Karla, “soon” meant a century or more. Demandyl had never expected his own reign to be Wielope’s zenith, but he had hoped to at least witness the beginning of its glory.
”Still, this is quite the nuisance,” Karla mused. “Why would an elf be in the neighboring kingdom?”
”In all likelihood, it is the Witch of Fresh Verdure⁶, Tania,” Demandyl answered.
He spoke while masking his inner turmoil. He hadn’t expected the Witch of Fresh Verdure to interfere. She had surfaced during the war with Coalmine last year, but for her to involve herself in the shadow wars was unexpected. He assumed Karla’s confusion mirrored his own, but he was wrong.
”Hmm… Fresh Verdure? Tania? It sounds vaguely familiar, or maybe not,” she said, tapping her chin.
”You… You don’t remember her?”
”Well, it can’t be helped, can it? There are all sorts of elves. I wouldn’t know anything about these modern half-bloods. And the old ones are all either dead or might as well be.”
She genuinely didn’t remember. This elf could remember which of her “children” were bed-wetters and until what age, yet when it came to the affairs of other nations, she was utterly hopeless.
”Lady Karla…”
”Oh, stop it! Don’t look at me like I’m some senile old woman! I don’t bother with countries younger than this one!”
”But there are records of you traveling to the capital, Canarias, shortly after its founding-“
”I said I don’t know, so I don’t know!” Karla snapped, her voice rising like a temperamental child’s.
The Mother and the Emperor bickered back and forth. The messenger’s expression softened as he watched, reminded of his own upbringing, but he knew he had to deliver the final warning.
”Forgive me, Your Majesty, but that assumption may be premature,” the messenger interrupted.
”Hmm? You think it’s not Tania, but some other elf?” Karla asked.
”Yes, the possibility seems high. Because… The elf in question appears to be pregnant with a human’s child.”
The room went silent.
”What?” Demandyl and Karla said in perfect, stunned unison.
Demandyl tried to wrap his head around the legendary Tania from the imperial archives having a swollen belly, while Karla was blindsided by the news of a pregnant elf-a rarity beyond belief.
”I was given a message to deliver directly to Mother,” the messenger said, his voice trembling slightly.
”Let’s hear it,” Karla commanded.
The messenger tucked his chin and nodded. He felt a pang of regret that he had to be the one to hurl these words at his beloved Mother, even if they weren’t his own.
”She said: ‘This is the land where the man I love dwells, and it is the land that will be the motherland of my child. Stay away. If you lay a hand on it… be prepared for the consequences.’”
—
Summary:
Queen Cecile and Loire-Rose discuss the political fallout of the failed assassination attempt, deciding to use the released assassins as bait to draw out the mysterious ‘Mother’ elf. In the Wielope Empire, the ancient elf Karla comforts her failed ‘children’ while bickering with Emperor Demandyl. The chapter concludes with a shocking revelation: the legendary elf Tania is pregnant with a human’s child, serving as a direct warning to the Empire.
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Trivia:
- Tania is the one who actually wrote the script for the Queen to follow.
- Karla has been manipulating the Empire for hundreds of years, predating most modern nations.
- The Emperor’s nickname ‘Little Dee’ (Dee-boy) signifies his total subservience to Karla.
- The elf pregnancy is considered near-impossible or extremely rare in this world’s lore
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Character Insight:
Karla exhibits a dual nature: a genuinely nurturing ‘Mother’ to her subjects and a cold, arrogant immortal who dismisses entire nations as ‘young’ and beneath her notice. Demandyl’s frustration highlights the tragic gap between human ambition and elven longevity.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the elf’s pregnancy not just as a romantic development but as a massive geopolitical deterrent, shifting Tania from a rogue element to a defender of a new ‘motherland’.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Cecile – A queen in the capital who possesses the authority to regulate business and commerce, particularly concerning moral or public order issues. She is currently investigating Kento’s shop, ‘Harvest.’ Have long golden hair, elegant, and wearing expensive white dress with gold accesories.
• Loire-Rose – The current Saintess—supreme leader of the Great Cathedral with a divine look (white hair, pale skin, blue eyes) and holy powers like manifesting light and blessings. Her modern, playful irreverence clashes with church norms, though she struggles to keep her composed “mask” under pressure.
• Kento – Lord Harvest—the unassuming owner of the Harvest magic tool shop (with a discreet adult goods side). An isekai’d Japanese salaryman resembling Kazuma Satou, with dark hair and basic magic for crafting. Recently triumphed over a Great Dragon; now juggles his harem, tinkering, and ties to Amelia and the Queen at Ddo-Buddy Manor.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• Amelia – A light blue-haired Sister of the Church of Demon-Subjugating and Kento’s shy harem member. A newly awakened “Saint” from Holy Sleep, modest and easily embarrassed with red ears and neck. Wears her habit and treasures Kento’s ring on a necklace.
• Karla – An Elf woman referred to as Mother or the Mother of the Nation. Self-titled Phantom Fairy Spirit Emperor. Has withered-leaf colored hair and pointed ears. Wears only a single length of silk cloth flowing front and back.
• Demandyl – Emperor of the Willope Empire. Known as ‘Dee-boy’ (Dee-bou) by Karla. A man past middle age approaching old age, wearing opulent robes. He has children and wives.
• Witch of Fresh Verdure – A legendary elf from the Age of Heroes. She is a true ‘magic user’ from an era before formalized magic systems. She is an old friend of the Canaria Kingdom’s founding king.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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