Ilyas stubbornly flipped through the book.
At first, she merely scanned the introductory chapters mechanically, attempting to prove to Onyxia that she was not someone who knew nothing.
But soon, she stopped at a specific part of the page.
Her breath hitched almost imperceptibly.
Immediately after, a faint blush spread with startling speed from behind her ears, instantly staining her entire ear a deep red.
She quickly lifted her eyes and stole a glance in the direction Celia had gone.
Then, as if she had been burned, she abruptly retracted her gaze and stared back at the page.
However, the words on it seemed to come alive, linking themselves vividly and embarrassingly to her memories of Celia’s stiff body, her reddened ear tips, and the way Ilyas had snuggled against her earlier that day as a form of declaration.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the spine of the book.
Onyxia had been observing her languidly the entire time, taking in every one of Ilyas’s subtle changes.
“It seems,” Onyxia’s voice said softly, carrying a perfectly measured hint of curiosity, “the contents of the book are a bit more interesting than you thought.”
Ilyas did not answer immediately.
It seemed to take some effort for her to make her voice sound less airy.
“…It’s just some details I didn’t notice before. Besides, Celia would never be like that.”
“Celia… she really can’t be judged by common logic. She is the first Dark Elf in history to approach adulthood while still possessing a Pure Body.”
Her gaze fell upon Ilyas’s face, and the scrutiny in it made Ilyas’s back instinctively stiffen.
“Furthermore, looking at you now… it seems that even after she reached adulthood, she hasn’t had any intention of laying a finger on you.”
“W-What are you talking about!”
Ilyas looked up instantly, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
“Celia isn’t that kind of person! She… she’s just…”
The words of rebuttal rushed to her lips, but she couldn’t find the most convincing evidence for a moment.
However, an urgent need to prove that there was indeed a special connection between her and Celia overrode everything else.
In that moment of being at a loss for words, the subtle touches from the past few days, Celia’s instantly stiffened back, her burning-hot red ear tips… those images flashed through her mind with incredible clarity.
That’s right! That weakness!
Like grabbing a literal lifeline, and perhaps to completely deny the verdict that Celia had no interest in her, Ilyas blurted out urgently without even thinking:
“Her body is clearly very sensitive… I-I’m not afraid of her!”
A faint glint of success flashed in Onyxia’s eyes.
“So… it really is just as I thought.”
Her gaze drifted seemingly at random toward the shadows where Celia was keeping watch.
“A Dark Elf with a sensitive body… that is truly an unexpected discovery. It seems my interest in this trip is growing stronger and stronger.”
Those words were like a bucket of ice water, causing Ilyas to suddenly sober up from the heat of her outburst.
Her eyes widened as she realized what private information she had just exposed in her haste—secrets that should have belonged only to her and Celia.
A wave of shame and anger at being fooled instantly flooded her heart.
“You… you were baiting me.”
“How can you call that baiting? When I shook hands with her last night and she had such a big reaction, I already had my suspicions. Now that you’ve said it, it only confirms the point.”
“How can this be considered baiting?”
Onyxia tilted her head slightly.
“When I shook hands to say goodbye to her last night, her reaction was anything but normal. Her fingertips trembled, her body temperature rose sharply, and even her mana fluctuations were momentarily disordered. For a Dark Elf to have such a distinct physiological reaction to such common contact… I already had my suspicions in my heart. Your words just now merely proved my hypothesis.”
“I don’t care. Celia belongs to me alone.”
Onyxia’s movements froze.
The campfire crackled, sending several sparks flying.
“Alone?”
Onyxia finally spoke again, letting out a sigh.
“Miss Ilyas, your understanding of dark elves truly remains stuck at the general theories in books.”
“In Dark Elf social tradition, having only one wife is actually rare. You think Celia has only been out for a short time and has already met two of us with ulterior motives—don’t you think she’ll encounter even more people on her future travels?”
“Then I don’t care!”
Ilyas’s voice suddenly rose, sounding exceptionally clear at the edge of the silent camp.
She straightened her back and looked directly at Onyxia.
“I was the first one to come to her side! Therefore, I want to be the Main Partner!”
The term Main Partner, which was heavily colored by the marriage customs of Surface Human nobility, sounded somewhat absurd when spoken by her in such a solemn tone.
“Fine. Since you are so insistent, and coming first is indeed an undeniable fact… then I shall let you have that position.”
She saw Ilyas’s tense shoulders relax by an almost imperceptible margin, and Onyxia smiled silently in her heart.
Too naive.
There is no such thing as ‘Main Partner’ among the wives of a Dark Elf.
As long as you sign your name on The Pact, she will love every wife equally.
Onyxia continued, “However, Miss Ilyas, shouldn’t we talk about how to deal with those… latecomers with ulterior motives who might be on their way?”
“Just call me Ilyas. So, what are your thoughts?”
Onyxia’s fingertips lightly tapped her knee, the campfire dancing in her eyes.
“My thought is, before the real competitors appear… we should strike first.”
“Strike first?”
Ilyas was stunned for a moment before she realized the intimate implication behind the words.
Her cheeks turned crimson again, and even her breathing became ragged.
“T-This… for Celia, isn’t it too… disrespectful? And, and I… I have no idea how to…”
Her voice grew quieter and quieter, filled with shyness and panic.
Her gaze shifted around and finally, with a look of disbelief and suspicion, she stole a glance at Onyxia.
“Don’t tell me you… Onyxia, you…”
“What are you thinking?”
Onyxia interrupted her.
“How could I have any… actual experience in that area.”
She continued, her tone full of mystery.
“However, before I set out, considering the… various complex situations I might encounter, I did prepare some… Onyxia’s Reference Materials.”
She took a small, thin booklet from the side pocket of her exquisite luggage and handed it to Ilyas.
Then, she began to explain a plan so bold it made the tips of Ilyas’s ears burn.
Ilyas listened to phrases like “take direct action, she is so pure that as an adult she won’t be able to handle it…”
Her face was red, but she couldn’t help but nod gently.
“…If there is a chance, we can try it directly.”
Ilyas’s fingers unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, her ear tips so red they looked as if they might bleed.
“…But, would this be unfair to Celia…”
Onyxia leaned closer, her tone carrying a hint of seduction.
“Fairness? When more people come later, do you think they will talk about fairness with you? Or rather—would you actually prefer to watch others snatch her away right in front of you?”
“…I wouldn’t,” she retorted quickly and urgently.
“That’s more like it.”
Onyxia straightened up, returning to her poised and composed manner.
“You just need to… not stop me. Leave the rest to me.”
Ilyas was silent for a long time.
The campfire cast flickering shadows across her face.
Finally, she gave an extremely soft, tiny nod.
“…Fine.”
The word seemed to be squeezed out of her throat, carrying a burning sense of shame and a certain reckless determination.
“But… if Celia is truly unwilling, you… you must stop.”
Onyxia smiled.
That smile was breathtakingly beautiful in the firelight, and blatantly cunning.
“Of course,” she said, her tone as light as if they were discussing tomorrow’s weather.