How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World

Chapter 135: To Alvenheim (2)

The next day, after it was confirmed that I was heading to Alvenheim, Arwen came directly to my accommodation. Since she used magic to conceal her presence, she managed to sneak into my room without anyone noticing. At first, I was startled when I heard a voice coming from thin air, but soon I realized it was Arwen and felt relieved.

From then on, Arwen would visit my room, and before we started our conversation, I informed her of the news. I immediately told her that I was going to Alvenheim, and her reaction was quite interesting.

“What, what? What did you just say?”

“I’m going to Alvenheim soon. My friend suggested that we go together, and I thought it would be a good idea, so I agreed.”

“Then...”

“I’ll get to see you deliver a speech with my own eyes.”

“Ugh...”

Arwen, apparently not expecting me to come to Alvenheim at all, held both of her ears and groaned. It was quite fascinating to see her elongated ears being held like handles. It seemed to be a habit that came out whenever she was flustered.

Meanwhile, Arwen, in a slightly anxious voice, asked if I had to be bothered to come. Her hands were still firmly gripping her ears.

“Mm, can you not come?”Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

“Why?”

“It’s, um, it’s embarrassing.”

“But you’ve already seen everything, so what’s there to be embarrassed about?”

Arwen’s cheeks turned as red as the sunset, feeling embarrassed at the strange part. As someone who had witnessed my situation with Marie with both eyes, I couldn’t help but smirk.

However, it’s not that I don’t sympathize at all. Already burdened with the pressure to do well in front of a lot of people, if I were to be watched by a person that coached me, the burden would be immense.

“Anyway, it’s decided that I’ll watch your speech. Besides, I already made the teleportation reservation, and I don’t have any grounds to refuse.”

“Well, wouldn’t it be better if you instead focus on writing your book?”

“I don’t know. Wouldn’t you think the opposite? There’s such a great material, so why would I not go?”

“Mm...”

Was it confirmed that I would be watching the speech? Arwen held onto her ears and closed her eyes tightly.

After a deep sigh, she let go of her ears, which she had been gripping like a handle, and murmured quietly.

“I guess there’s no choice... But don’t get your hopes up. Even if the speech you conveyed is great, it will vary depending on the person delivering it.”

“If you have confidence, there shouldn’t be any problems if you do it like you did last time.”

“Well, I hope so...”

It seems that Arwen is feeling quite burdened. After all, this is her first nationwide address, so it’s natural for her to feel nervous. Delivering a speech in front of people is already a nerve-wracking experience, let alone a nationwide address. As the day approaches, Arwen’s emotions will likely fluctuate rapidly, and the possibility of not being able to sleep properly is high.

If she were a complete stranger, I might have ignored it, but because she is Arwen, I felt inclined to help. I was partially responsible if she messes up and in a way, she is one of the people I can call a “friend.”

Considering my limited and narrow human relationships, I want to help my friends as much as possible. Although it may seem like an intervention in state affairs, I was simply helping a friend, so it didn’t seem significant.

“What should I do? Should I cheer you on? Or should I pat your head?”

“...Don’t treat me like a child. Even though I may look like this, I’ve lived many times longer than you.”

“For a grandma, you seem to enjoy teasing me a lot.”

“You... sigh.”

Instead of getting annoyed at being called “grandma,” Arwen patted her chest as if comforting herself. After being teased so much about being a grandmother, she seemed to have grown accustomed to it.

In fact, it’s only possible to call her “grandma” because she’s Arwen. I tried it once jokingly with Cecily, and she almost tore my ear off, so I would never do it again.

On the other hand, Arwen’s reactions are quite amusing. Even if she acts like a child most of the time, when teased like this, she tries hard to act like an adult.

When she gets upset, she pouts like a rabbit that had its food taken away, and it was difficult to stop her from sulking.

“...The only human who can converse with me without any pretenses is you.”

“Is that a way of saying I’m special?”

“Well...”

I said it as a joke, but Arwen stared at me intensely. Because of that, I ended up feeling embarrassed.

Meanwhile, she nodded her head and calmly opened her mouth, speaking with a composed voice.

“In a way, it could be possible. I’ve never made human friends while living in human society, you see.”

“Huh? Weren’t you from Alvenheim?”

“I’m a half-blood with human blood mixed in. It seems I forgot to mention that.”

Arwen being a half-blood was quite surprising news. It was due to the prejudice that the Queen of Alvenheim would naturally be a pureblood.

However, as Cindy mentioned last time, Arwen didn’t receive any sponsorship from the prestigious families and rose to the position of queen through her own abilities. If she were an ordinary elf, it might have been suspicious, but being a half-blood changes the story.

“I had no idea. So, did you live in the human world until one of your parents passed away naturally?”

“My mother gave birth to me and shortly after, she left this world.”

“Uh... I’m sorry.”

It feels like I asked for no reason. I’m worried that I may have touched a wound.

Fortunately, Arwen seemed indifferent and reassured me, shaking her head. Then, with a nostalgic gaze, she began to recall past memories, one by one.

“I wanted to stop that. Moreover, I am in the midst of constantly challenging it. Even if conflicts arise along the way, if we can resolve those conflicts, it means some ‘change’ has occurred. If such changes happen frequently, undoubtedly our Elves will undergo progress.”

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but there are many humans who dislike change.”

“But it doesn’t mean there aren’t people who embrace challenges. I simply want to encourage our people to take on challenges. Even if someone calls it an unnecessary policy, it doesn’t matter. Because even if it’s not understood now, evaluations may change in the distant future.”

The policies that Arwen mentioned were harshly criticized during her time, but they could receive praise as achievements in the distant future. She is more concerned about the future than the present.

However, there are still worrisome aspects. With a concerned voice, I asked her.

“What about you? Are you okay? You could be expelled if you make a mistake.”

“If it’s the people rather than the Council who drive me away, I would willingly accept it. That, too, would be a change.”

“Just by saying that, you don’t seem like a true elf.”

“Not seem like an elf...”

Upon hearing my words, Arwen shrugged her shoulders and nonchalantly replied.

“In a way, that could be true. Being a half-blood with human thinking ingrained in me. Still, I have pride as an elf.”

“That’s a response befitting an elf.”

“Then what do you think an elf is? Do you believe they are an arrogant and stubborn race like other humans might think?”

“Well, it’s just...”

I shifted my gaze elsewhere and pondered deeply. Elves, like humans, are a race that cannot be easily defined.

As Arwen mentioned, elves possess an arrogant and knowledgeable aspect, but conversely, it is because of this that they can be seen as a proud and courageous race. If humans have clear distinctions between light and shadow, could it be said that elves have such a strong light that their hidden shadows are also significant?

Still, this one thing feels certain to me. I faced Arwen directly and opened my mouth.

“A race that only regains their senses after being hit.”

“What?”

Arwen blinked in response to my answer. It was a completely unexpected reaction.

With a slight smile, I continued speaking.

“Elves are a race that only regains their senses after being hit. It applies to the Race War and the conflict between the elves and the dark elves that you told me about. They’re all similar, right? They don’t move until someone hits them.”

“...”

“So, it means that someone has to hit them for them to progress. Do you understand what I mean?”

“...”

Arwen blinked with a bewildered expression, as if she couldn’t believe it or was dumbfounded. Her innocent face was so adorable that I almost instinctively wanted to pat her on the head.

Finally gathering her thoughts, Arwen smirked and shook her head.

“Really... That’s an outrageous answer. But I can’t refute it because it’s true.”

“If you know, you should hit harder during your speech too. You’ll give you the speech, though.”

“Thank you. And... Isaac.”

“Yeah?”

Arwen called me but hesitated to speak. With a puzzled expression, she made a small request of me.

“If I take the wrong path... could you hit me once?”

“What?”

“You’re the only person I consider a friend, and you’re the only one who can hit me.”

So, she wants me to snap her out of it every time she goes off track? The choice of words is odd, but Arwen is asking me to play the role of a brake for her.

It seems that her words about considering me a special person were not false but true. I was a little taken aback, but eventually agreed.

“Alright. That should be easy.”

“Thank you.”

Arwen gave a gentle smile and softly opened her mouth.

“I’m really fortunate to have met you.”

A few days later.

“Will Cecily come too?”

“Yeah. She’s planning to come with Balak.”

“Why is Gartz coming again?”

“Just taking him along? He’ll probably want to meet you too, so it’s a good opportunity.”

I set off for Alvenheim.

Translators note:

2/5

9 more days and my tests end so finally there will be no more delays in releases. And as always, I apologize for the delay.