Tesvelan invited me to meet at a café on Seaside Avenue.
“Miss Livyat, you’ve been sleeping well these days, haven’t you? I can see your dark circles have almost disappeared.”
Tesvelan lounged lazily across from Livyat, taking small sips of coffee.
Sleeping well?
Did she see all those embarrassing things?
Livyat rolled her eyes and stared at the coffee in her cup.
She had lived here for five years, yet only now did she realize that coffee existed in this era as well.
However, unlike the extraction method of the other modern world, people here seemed to prefer boiling coffee grounds with all sorts of spices.
To be honest, the taste was too strong—how could Tesvelan drink this?
Looking more closely at Tesvelan, this elf lady really matched her imagination of a beautiful elf.
Unlike herself, this elven consul was dignified and poised, with light blue eyes that were both solemn and held a hint of girlish charm.
She might even be prettier than me.
Livyat silently confirmed this in her heart.
“Had enough staring, you lewd girl?”
Tesvelan’s dignified and graceful face broke into an unexpectedly mischievous grin.
“Huh? Was I staring that long?”
Livyat thought her little assessment was just a fleeting thought.
“Pfft… You really are special. So, are you getting used to things these past few days?”
“To be honest, not really. I didn’t know fingers could wrinkle—no, I mean, I didn’t know a girl’s life could be so different—I’ve become a bit sleepy lately, which meant that when I went to find Lady Julia yesterday morning, it was almost ten o’clock. Also, I feel like I can’t control my balance anymore, so I couldn’t run to find Lady Julia. And… there’s a bit of chafing…”
Tesvelan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Are you saying you didn’t wear the clothes I gave you?”
“I wore them, but I’m still not quite used to it, maybe—”
Livyat’s words were swiftly interrupted as Tesvelan dragged her straight to the café restroom.
From the restroom came the occasional shameful shriek of a girl and another voice, laughing wickedly.
Five minutes later, the two emerged.
Livyat was blushing so fiercely it seemed she might bolt at any moment.
“You’ll have to learn these things yourself from now on. After tying the straps, you have to adjust them inside to make sure everything is spread out and wrapped up properly, okay?”
Tesvelan said seriously.
“But it’s really such a hassle. Besides, aren’t they designed to fit the shape anyway? Why does it take so much adjusting?”
“If you find it troublesome, you don’t have to wear them. But don’t be so self-conscious about your size, okay?”
It was just like an older sister lecturing a younger one.
But speaking of sisters, there was something that had been bothering Livyat.
“Why do you always address me so formally?”
Livyat asked curiously.
“Do I need to repeat it again? You were chosen.”
Tesvelan smiled at Livyat.
“But I don’t want to be any kind of queen. Honestly, just picking a queen all on your own and then coming to notify me is such a dumb way to do things. Look at my homeland—they do it right. The council votes, the Supreme Court confirms that it doesn’t violate the Bronze Charter, and then you take the oath of office. If the elves did it that way, it’d be so much better.”
Livyat said it all in one breath, then, feeling her words might have sounded a bit naive, quickly took up her coffee to hide her embarrassment.
“The Ancient Tree confirming the queen is our tradition. All elves, including the current queen, respect it. After all, it’s much better than a usurper,” Tesvelan replied calmly.
“Miss Tesvelan, I know you must be a noble lady from Erindria. But you really don’t know much about Her Majesty the Queen. There’s no way she would accept it so willingly.”
“Oh? Does that mean you know Queen Larorvia well?”
Tesvelan looked genuinely surprised.
What a joke—how could I possibly know the Queen of the Elves?
But seeing her get so worked up, maybe they really are related.
Not surprising, if the one before her was a high noble.
At that, Livyat hurriedly stopped herself from saying anything more and changed the subject to herself.
With a hint of pride, she said, “Loren Green has been promoted to Director of the First Division.”
“Well then, we must congratulate Loren Green, mustn’t we, Miss Livyat?”
Tesvelan kept smiling.
“……”
I really want to karate chop her.
“No matter what, the Republic of Hobrick is my home, not the distant Elven country of Erindria. I want to live my whole life here, worry-free. Whether as an ordinary person, a secretary, or even growing old and retiring here. I think, if I have to become a woman, at least I’ll have seen magic in my lifetime. Since I can’t fight it, I might as well reconcile with my new self as a girl. As for being queen, that’s truly not on my list.”
“Retirement? I didn’t expect your plans to be so long-term. You’re an elf with a lifespan of a thousand years, you know?”
“?”
What do you mean, an elf with a lifespan of a thousand years?
“Pfft. Miss Livyat, you really are a fool. Being the Queen of the Elves—isn’t that something only an elf can do?”
Blow after blow.
This is just too unreasonable—the Book of Calling a Deer a Horse, and the Tree of Calling a Deer a Horse!
She gave these two tricksters new names using an idiom from her previous life.
“Turning into an elf is just too weird. If that’s the case, can I still live happily in Landingset?”
Livyat scratched at her hair in frustration, only to have Tesvelan chop her hand away.
“Eh?”
“A lady shouldn’t mess up her hair. Honestly, you still need so much more education.”
“Speaking of which, there’s nothing wrong with elves continuing to live in Landingset. But only if the Republic’s friendly cooperation with the elves doesn’t end or regress. As long as the Republic gradually lifts its hostility and sanctions against elves, you can live peacefully here under Lady Julia’s protection.”
“I won’t force you to return to the Elven country. In fact, it’s better for everyone if you just live well here in the Republic for now.”