Yawn...

Arpia stretched as she woke up.

For an elf who starts their activities early in the morning, waking up was never difficult. Especially after her pain disappeared, Arpia no longer lingered in bed; she would rise immediately.

Her mindset was focused on reclaiming the time she had previously wasted.

And now, she was no longer alone—there were two of them.

“Hehe.”

A smile crept onto her face. Arpia didn’t bother to suppress it.

She looked around the house.

“…?”

Something was off. The familiar home felt strangely foreign today. Had the house always been this big and empty?

The reason for her strange feelings became clear when she realized what was missing—Karamir wasn’t there.

Did he go for a walk?

There were dangerous beasts and plants in the area. She should probably go find him. Just as Arpia was about to leave, she spotted a large leaf on the table, about the size of a person’s face.

The leaf was covered in writing.

Miss Arpia, good morning.

By the time you read this, I’ll already be gone. You’re probably quite surprised, and I completely understand. I’d be sad too if my cherished slave escaped in the early morning.

But what can I do? We all have our own paths to follow. That includes me. Somewhere far away, a fox is crying pitifully, and it’s my duty to go rescue it.

Please don’t feel too sad. Every ending brings a new beginning, and every farewell makes the next reunion even sweeter.

Oh, and just to be clear, please don’t follow me. Just as I have my role, Miss Arpia, you also have yours. As the hero of the elves, you must guide the young sprouts.

I look forward to seeing you leading them the next time we meet.

I trust that you won’t betray my faith in you.

Sincerely,
Your former master, Karamir.

P.S. I’ve removed the shackles. After all, you wouldn’t want those around if you were to make a pact in the future, would you?

Crack.

Arpia clenched the leaf tightly. Boom! With a loud explosion, the humble house blew apart.

Debris scattered in all directions. Birds, startled, flew away. Amid the dust, the green wind servant swirled around Arpia.

She checked her soul. Just as Karamir’s letter said, the shackles were gone. Completely, without a trace.

In Mirabel’s case, there had been some lingering remnants of his magic, but Arpia was an elf. The moment the shackles were removed, the elf’s innate abilities recognized the magic as foreign and purified it.

Any sign that her soul had been tainted was erased. The path to marriage, which she once thought was blocked, had opened like a high-speed expressway. After all, as the winner of the Fairy Festival, Arpia was now undoubtedly the most eligible bachelorette among the elves.

“Why...?”

Of course, this wasn’t something Arpia could celebrate. She stood in a daze, trying to understand his intentions.

He said he went to save a fox.

That meant he was headed to the beast kingdom of Bestia.

But why?

Did he really leave her behind just to save a single fox?

No matter how much she thought about it, it didn’t make sense.

And she didn’t want it to make sense.

“I have to go after him.”

Her mind was consumed with the thought.

Arpia, who could hear the voices of spirits everywhere and held a servant that made even spirits tremble, could easily find him by listening to the spirits and flying through the skies.

The wind servant swirled around her, forming wings on her back. Just as she was about to take flight, she heard a voice.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

It was Leon. His clothes were disheveled, as if he had rolled through the forest in a rough manner.

She didn’t know why, but she wasn’t curious either.

“He’s gone. I have to find him.”

“If you’re talking about the slave trader, he left at dawn.”

“How do you know...?”

“I let him go myself. He asked me to see him out of the forest.”

“Leon!”

Arpia, with veins visibly bulging on her forehead, stormed toward Leon. A strong gust of wind tore trees and dirt from their roots.

“You knew, and you didn’t wake me up?”

“Why would I wake you?”

“What?”

Their gazes clashed sharply in the air.

But the one in a hurry always backs down. Arpia, in her urgency, turned her head first.

“Forget it. I’m going.”

“No, you’re not.”

“And what, you think you can stop me?”

Arpia scoffed.

The Fairy Festival had already provided the answer. It would take dozens of elves to even attempt to stop her. Arpia’s power had grown far beyond the ordinary.

“You’re right.”

Leon acknowledged this without hesitation. But his eyes remained sharp.

“But didn’t the letter say not to follow him?”

“You read someone else’s letter without permission...!”

“What do you think would happen if you betrayed his trust and chased after him? He’d be disappointed. A slave who ignores her master’s words? If I were him, I’d cast you aside.”

Arpia was no longer technically a slave, but she still saw herself as one. An elf who declared herself a slave—it was absurd.

But because of this, Leon had found a way to shake her.

Look at her.

She was glaring at him murderously, but she couldn’t argue back.

“Whether you want to admit it or not, he’s an extraordinary man. He holds ideals so lofty that they’re hard to even comprehend, almost impossible to believe, considering he’s supposedly an ‘inferior species.’”

He said his goal was to free the wretched from corruption.

Many would think it was absurd, the delusions of a naive fool who didn’t understand the world. But he hadn’t left without freeing Arpia first.

He had saved Arpia, who had been isolated. Despite wielding enough power to rule the Great Forest, he had taken no reward and walked away.

If it had been me, would I have done the same?

Could I have given up the opportunity to gather my kin from across the continent and lead a great revival?

‘...No.’

Leon shook his head.

It was impossible. Where there is power, there is always desire. But Karamir had shrugged off that desire and left. How could one not reevaluate him?

It was only natural that Leon’s opinion of Karamir had shifted.

“If you chase after him, you’ll only be hindering his goal.”

“…!”

The weight of his words struck Arpia’s mind like a hammer. Her vision blurred for a moment.

Her heart hurt.

It was a feeling she hadn’t experienced in a long time. In her confusion, even controlling the spirits wasn’t as easy as it usually was. In frustration, Arpia pounded her chest.

“Then… what should I do? Am I supposed to be alone again? Forever?”

Leon’s eyes gleamed. Now, when Arpia’s resolve had weakened, was his chance.

“He will return someday. Until then, you must fulfill your role.”

“My role?”

“Didn’t the letter say so? You must teach the young elves.”

Arpia’s strength—how she had acquired it was still unknown. Now was the perfect time to figure it out and use it to train the next generation.

This was Leon’s plan for the revival of the elves.

“...Yes, you’re right. I need to repay his trust.”

Leon clenched his fist in triumph. He celebrated internally, even though it felt a bit humiliating compared to Karamir. But what could he do? The revival of the elves was his mission.

Speaking in a lighter tone, Leon continued.

“So, let’s return to the village. The elders have been—”

“I’m going to see the Queen.”

“You’re going to… what?”

Before he could even finish his question, Arpia had already spread her wings and flown off toward the village.

Leon stared blankly in the direction she disappeared. He had no idea what consequences his actions would bring.

 

The Elf Queen, Ivrelia, blinked as she looked at the fairy before her.

A defective elf.
And simultaneously the strongest warrior.

Arpia, who had come to embody both seemingly incompatible titles, had unexpectedly appeared in the queen’s chambers, 50 meters above the ground.

For a moment, Ivrelia almost forgot her composure and screamed like a child. The dignity of the queen was on the verge of being buried deep underground.

After barely calming herself, Ivrelia cleared her throat and regained her composure. As the motherly figure of the elves, she smiled gently and spoke.

“Arpia, what brings you here so suddenly? If you wish for an audience, you must go through the proper channels.”

“I’m sorry, but I have something very important to discuss.”

“Important enough to barge into the queen’s chambers without permission?”

“Yes.”

Her reply was firm, without a hint of hesitation. Arpia’s expression was so serious that Ivrelia found herself slightly taken aback.

Just how important could this be? The laurel wreath on Arpia’s head added a weight to the atmosphere. Ivrelia swallowed nervously.

“Your Majesty, aren’t you curious how I became so strong?”

“Well... that’s quite a sudden question…”

To be honest, she was curious.

If they had even just one or two more elves like Arpia, their nation’s strength would skyrocket. The only reason she hadn’t asked was that, after having exiled Arpia from the village, it felt too shameless to inquire now.

But now, Arpia was bringing it up on her own.

“I am curious. Do you know how?”

“I can’t say everyone will end up like me, but it’s possible to achieve something close.”

With a determined look, Arpia continued.

“Your Majesty, would you entrust the young female elves of the village to me?”

“The children?”

“Yes.”

Arpia had interpreted Karamir’s letter in her own way.

The reason he left her behind in the forest.
The role he assigned her.
Teach the young sprouts.

When she combined all the pieces, they pointed to one path.

‘He wants me to raise elves as slaves here!’

Arpia recalled what Karamir had said when they first met.

"Elves are a bit of a money sink at first, but once they’re trained, they’re useful in all sorts of ways. Some even know how to make potions, and once you have one of those, it’s like raking in money."

She remembered clearly the way Karamir’s eyes had gleamed when he spoke about the elves.

In other words, as a senior elf slave, she had to train the other elves. He wanted her to turn them into proper slaves by the time he returned.

What would it be like when they reunited? If she could present well-trained elves to him?

‘I can fulfill my master’s trust!’

This was a test, an assignment he had given her as a slave. If she carried out his orders properly, he would reward her by branding her soul.

She understood it perfectly now!

“Stop right there!”

A soldier blocked the path of a woman wearing a hooded robe.

They were in the city of Noctar.

A month had passed since an entire trade caravan had been erased by a mysterious pillar of light. The heightened security at the gate made it clear they wouldn’t allow anyone suspicious to enter.

“Show me something that proves your identity! If you don’t have it, get lost!”

At the guard’s sharp command, the woman removed her hood. It was just a small gesture, but an undeniable elegance radiated from her.

Red hair spilled out like silk, and the smoothness of her hair suggested she came from a noble family.

The woman smiled warmly.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Narsha Brian, of the House of Count Brian.”