The Banquet Continues (Part 2)

"Two—my lords—" The muscular maid standing to the left of the door spoke first. "Our master wishes to see you both. Please change your clothes—"

"Um... could you leave first...? I don't dare change while you're watching..." Denolan curled up at the bottom of the pool.

"In theory, we could—" The maid on the right spoke as well. "However, to ensure our master's safety, we will conduct a complete physical and spiritual inspection before you finish changing—"

"Physical and spiritual..." Every hair on Denolan's body stood on end. "Um... isn't that a little too... frightening...? We were invited to this banquet..."

"To ensure our master's safety—" Maid Number One brought her fists together, then shouted, "Rise—"

The force of her punch blasted the entire pool's water into the air.

"Please forgive us—" While the water hung in the air, Maid Number Two thoroughly inspected the two of them.

"Nothing unusual—" Maid Number Two said, kneeling on one knee. "Not monsters. Safe—"

The pool water came crashing down, drenching Tiadam and Denolan.

"It feels like you just wanted to take advantage of us two men..." Tiadam rubbed against Denolan beside him. "Don't you think...?"

"You are mistaken—" Maid Number One had apparently heard Tiadam's whisper to Denolan. She gave them a burning yet stern look. "You two are too small. We have no interest—"

Tiadam: "Hm?? Hm!! Hm?! What the hell do you mean, you XXXXX, XXXXXXX!"

Denolan: "Calm down—calm down—"

After changing, Tiadam and Denolan, dressed in noble attire carefully selected by the manor's master, headed toward the banquet hall.

Beneath it all, Tiadam wore a tight garment woven from silk and gold thread. Over that was a silk-wool shirt, a sleeveless vest made of Damascus Leather, and tall leather boots. He looked just like a nobleman from the royal capital.

"I feel like... these clothes are a little tight..." The clasps on Tiadam's clothes made him uncomfortable. "And these buttons and clasps are digging into me..."

"Bear with it for now—" Tiadam straightened the Central Asian-style cap on Denolan's head. "I don't like wearing these clothes either, but... for our cause, so..."

This bandit was unexpectedly gentle. He looked at Denolan and said, "Please endure it for now..."

Denolan could see a certain pride in Tiadam's eyes. Yet the confident smile Tiadam gave him next left Denolan somewhat confused.

Then this fool who knew no fear shouted toward the banquet hall, "Just wait! One day, we'll leave this city and become kings who rule an entire land—"

"Kings—what interesting fellows..." A high-ranking noble upstairs in the banquet hall watched the two inexperienced youths below. "You two...? Don't make me laugh..."

The noble sneered at Tiadam's unrealistic dream. "Mere pawns dreaming of becoming kings—what a joke."

"O-okay..." Denolan stammered. It felt as though lightning had struck his heart. Being watched, having hope placed upon him—this was a feeling Denolan had never experienced before.

"I was joking. Let's go—rather than becoming a king, I'd prefer to become a wealthy man with no worries about food or clothing~" Tiadam stepped into the resplendent banquet hall ahead of Denolan.

Music echoed through the golden hall as countless elf maidens danced gracefully...

"A king... a king's power is supreme. Does that mean a king can fulfill any dream? If so, then..." Denolan whispered, "I want to become a king too..."

Shadow was part of light, and light was part of hope. The maidens had golden hair and green eyes, gentle and refined. Their translucent, luminous skin was like milk, and their slender hands linked with those of their companions as they whispered together.

"Are... are all these banquet guests... elves?" This was Denolan's first time seeing living Forest Elves. Most of those he had seen in Elrina Forest before had been corpses corrupted by monsters.

"Yeah—this is my first time seeing so many Forest Elves too. Looks like the owner of this manor is quite wealthy, if they can afford to keep this many Forest Elves." Tiadam's tone was far calmer than Denolan had expected.

"Forest... Forest Elves... You're looking at Forest Elves! My grandmother said that as long as a mortal sees a Forest Elf, they'll have a whole year of good luck!"

"Huh? What kind of superstitious nonsense is that? Forest Elves are just ordinary creatures." Tiadam picked up a glass of red wine from the table. "Compared to that, I'd rather have a beautiful human girl soothe the heartbreak I suffered before."

"Aren't there plenty of elf girls here...? Aren't they good enough?"

Tiadam: "Don't joke... They all came with their boyfriends..."

Denolan: "Aren't they all girls? Where would they get companions?"

Tiadam patted Denolan's shoulder. "It's hard to tell a Forest Elf's gender by appearance."

Denolan: "What do you mean...?"

"Look carefully—" Tiadam pointed at a Forest Elf "girl" talking with someone. "Look at his ears. Male Forest Elves have earlobes, while females do not. Then look at his chest—isn't it flat...?"

"Now that you mention it... there really is a difference..." Denolan asked, "But why do you know so much about this?"

"Simple. My previous girlfriend was a half-elf. She taught me." The moment Yalila was mentioned, Tiadam's expression darkened. "That damned half-elf... If I see her again, I'll definitely—I'll definitely—"

"Definitely do what?" Yalila suddenly appeared behind Tiadam.

"Y-Yalila..." The instant Tiadam saw Yalila, the wineglass in his hand shattered with a crash. "Why are you, a half-elf, here too...?"

"Why can't I be here~?" Yalila stroked her freshly dyed golden hair and said disdainfully, "I'm an elf too~ Of course I can attend this banquet held by the Elven Grand Duke~"

"As for you two—" Yalila pointed at Tiadam and Denolan, shouting loudly to the surrounding elves, "Two worthless humans! This is an elven banquet! What makes you worthy of coming here? Someone! Someone!"

"Humans—humans—two humans snuck in here! Everyone, come look!"

"Um... um... could you stop shouting...?" Denolan tried to step forward and stop Yalila. "We aren't bad people..."

"Not bad people?" Yalila viciously slapped Denolan across the face. "Not bad people? You're humans! Elrina Forest was ruined by that human hero Okasht! And you say you aren't bad people? What a joke!"

"Humans..."

"Humans..."

The Forest Elves at the banquet began to gather in response to Yalila's cries.

"Humans..."

"Humans..."

Denolan took two steps back and leaned against Tiadam's left side, whispering, "These Forest Elves... they... don't seem very welcoming toward us..."

Denolan could clearly see the fury and resentment buried deep in the Forest Elves' eyes. No matter how splendid their clothes or pure their makeup, it could not conceal that hatred. It was malice—malice born of hatred buried so deeply in their hearts that it had become instinct.

"Um... do you have any way... to escape...?" Denolan whispered. "I feel like they want to kill us..."

"Let me think..." Tiadam quickly surveyed the banquet hall from every angle, then moved Denolan behind him. "The walls are smooth on all sides. There isn't even a single foothold. There are no lamps on the walls; everything is lit by light magic. If we really need to run..."

Tiadam tugged at Denolan's clothes. "Have you ever fought anyone?"

"Uh... rarely... But when I was little, I went into the mountains with the old man next door and fought monsters..."

"That'll have to do..." Tiadam rose onto his toes. "Do you see that main door to the banquet hall? I'll make the first move and draw their attention. Take the chance to run over there. If anyone stops you, hit them here, at the navel. Forest Elves are physically fragile. Hitting the navel will make them lose their fighting ability without hurting them."

"Oh—"

"If you understand, then let's begin—"

"Wait, what about you?" Denolan turned back and asked. "What will you do if I run?"

"This... I really haven't thought that through... Whatever, if one of us can escape, that's enough!" Tiadam let out an angry roar. Three steps became two as he threw a punch at the nearest Forest Elf.

"Foolish human—"

A surge of magical energy emerged from the Forest Elf's eyes. The immense wind pressure sent Tiadam flying backward, while blue-white arcane energy drifted around the Forest Elf. These high elves, who had once worshipped the Forest Goddess, appeared to have turned to another faith.

"Hasn't Elrina Forest already withered away...?" Tiadam tore off all his heavy formal clothing, revealing his muscular chest. "By all rights, you shouldn't have any magic left. So, ladies, would you be interested in introducing me to whoever's backing you?"

"Human... you must pay for the sins your kind committed—" Dozens of Forest Elves began gathering arcane energy within themselves.

"That answer that has absolutely nothing to do with the question really is characteristic of Forest Elves..." Tiadam mocked.