“Alright, we’ll head baow. If you o visit the Elves or Demons, just look fory. We’re all familiar with one another.”

  After a bit more discussion and some arras, Tiffany and Naf stood up to leave.

  “Wait.”

  Arymm suddenly stopped them.

  “I don’t like bees. In fact, I absolutely hate them.”

  “?”

  Hearing “bees” brought back memories for Arymm—specifically, the enormous is Aris had entered in the desert. Those giant creatures had been a persistent nuisance, with bees being the most troublesome. Over the course of thousands of years of fighting hordes, at least half her injuries were their doing. She hadn’t mentio earlier because her attention had been elsewhere.

  “...Alright, noted,” Naf replied, gng at the others as though she’d uood something. She the with Tiffany.

  Of course, this subtle exge didn’t escape Arymm’s notice. She instinctively sed her surroundings.

  “Why are you ughing? Is it because your ‘daughter’ listened?”

  “Not quite… but they weren’t wrong.”

  Misako covered her face, stifling ughter. Having vast knowledge of otherworldly matters and a deeper uanding of Arymm and Aris, she immediately pieced it together.

  She’d been quiet for a while—what harm was there in being a little cheeky now?

  “So, when do we leave?” Arymm ignored Misako and directed her question to Farkonia.

  “Hm... It’s still early. Let’s che with Mr. Gregory.”

  ...

  “I have the coordinates here. I teleport you directly to either the Elven or Demon capital. Ied?”

  “...Isn’t that a bit too ve?”

  Telep directly to a nation’s capital wasn’t unusual in itself, but Gregory’s ability to bypass the barriers was. Capitals typically had strict protes, including teleportatioris, which required authorized arrays to bypass. Yet Gregory seemed ued—implying both the Elves and Demons granted him uricted access.

  “I teleport yht now. Where would you like to go first?”

  “...The Elves,” they decided after a moment of thought, fog oask at hand.

  “Alright, gather closer.”

  As Misako and the others moved clregory produced a bck cube glowing faintly with blue light.

  “When you arrive, just tell them you’re looking for Naver. Let’s begin.”

  With everything in pce, Gregory activated the cube. A blue, glowing magic circle enveloped the group, and at its brightest point, they disappeared.

  ...

  Ihe Elven royal pace, a simir blue magic circle illuminated a chamber, signaling Misako and her group’s arrival.

  “May I ask who you are?”

  Several female Elven soldiers light armor addressed them.

  “Gregory teleported us here. We’re looking for someone named Naver.”

  “Naver... Notify the others! We have distinguished guests!”

  Upon hearing the name, one soldier promptly reyed the message. Shortly after, a group of elegant Elven maids ehe room.

  “Esteemed guests, please follow us.”

  The maids guided them out of the chamber, which itself was the size of a small pace. The path ahead led to an even grander building, parable te mansion.

  “What’s that massive tree?”

  As they walked, Veridith gnced around and poio a colossal tree reag the sky. Its golden trunk shimmered like metal, while its emerald-like translut leaves glowed softly without obstrug sunlight.

  “That is our sacred tree, the symbol of the Elves. Every so often, the most respected and attuned member of the royal family performs the ‘Dance of the Sacred Tree’ before it. The ceremony is soon, and with your esteemed status, you may attend if you wish.”

  One maid eagerly expined, while the others nodded in agreement, emphasizing the significe of the ritual.

  “We’ll discuss that ter. ressing matters to attend to,” they replied.

  “Uood.”

  The Elven pace was vast, requiring some time to traverse on foot. During the walk, Veridith curiously asked the maids various questions, which they answered with enthusiasm.

  ...

  ‘Something feels... off,’ Misako thought.

  While the maids maintained an air of politeness, their eyes betrayed a hint of excitement.

  ‘What’s going on...?’

  Misako suddenly noticed a lingering gaze nearby—so close it had to be from one of the maids walking with them.

  ‘...Could it be?!’

  Misako’s mind raced as she ected the dots. These maids reminded her of a certain Elf she’d entered not long ago: Maya.

  ‘Are all Elves... obsessed with lolis?’

  Pieg things together, the excited gnces and suppressed emotions from the maids suddenly made seheir fasation was directed at Veridith and Misako herself—both resembling young girls.

  Though Misako was aware of the Elves’ peculiar preferences, having studied them before the Demon War and the sealing of the Bck Demon , this was her first time experieng it firsthand iuries.

  Still, she reasohat not all Elves shared this fixation. From Veridith’ versation, she learhe current Elf Queen was a tall, elegay—proof that there was some normalcy among them.

  ...

  “We’ve arrived,” one maid announced as they reached their destination.

  Lost in thought, Misako refocused oask at hand.