The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 74

Humans and other races share similarities, yet remain distinct.

Humans, numerous but lacking unique abilities, were often scorned by other races. Conversely, humans discriminated against these other races, finding them peculiar despite their similarities.

However, this dynamic shifted with the emergence of a common enemy: the demons.

As the saying goes, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Humans and other races united to resist the demonic threat.

The Church promoted teachings of tolerance, urging people not to discriminate against other races. The Empire took the lead by arresting slave traders and implementing policies that fostered positive relations with non-human populations.

They couldn’t afford internal strife while facing the overwhelming power of the demons.

“Wow. Why has this forest been abandoned?”

“This forest has been uninhabited for millennia. An immense amount of magical energy has accumulated here, causing humans to become easily lost,” Yuri explained with a smile.

Yuri had been working tirelessly, especially with the competition for the throne underway.

Providing a new home for the elves was part of her strategy to win the throne.

Their proximity to the Imperial capital and their support for Yuri would significantly bolster her position.

“As expected, Yuri, you’re a kind human. I always believed in you,” Reina said, her face radiant as she gazed at the forest.

The forest’s abundant energy was excellent news for the elves.

Yuri had fulfilled her promise to provide them with a new home.

“The other elves are pleased as well and are preparing to relocate here. But… are you sure this is alright?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to reveal that you, Reina, spearheaded this relocation? If we told them the truth now…”

Yuri had been the one meeting with the elf representatives to facilitate the move.

Surprisingly, the elves were unaware of Reina’s efforts.

Yuri wanted Reina to receive the recognition she deserved for her love and dedication to the elves.

“Eh. It’s okay.”

“Please, tell me what’s on your mind. If there’s anything I can do to help, I will.”

“Thank you for your concern, Yuri.”

Reina smiled and shook her head.

She was already content.

As long as the elves found peace, she could bear any hardship.

‘Baslord will appear again in a few days.’

She needed to meet him before the elves settled in.

And she had to reopen the Spirit Realm to accept the magic of annihilation.

The thought of her body being torn apart was terrifying, but it was the only way to ensure the elves’ well-being.

‘If they knew the truth about Baslord… the elves would never stand idly by.’

She understood the elves’ temperament intimately.

Discovering what Reina had endured would immediately provoke them to fight.

The entire tribe would foolishly confront Baslord and be destroyed.

Reina couldn’t allow such a tragedy.

“I’ll be going now, Yuri.”

“Already? The elves aren’t arriving for a while yet.”

“I have an appointment today.”

“Ah… a date? Perhaps with Rael?”

“Why Rael? I’m meeting my family.”

Reina turned to leave, then paused, thinking.

‘Come to think of it, there’s Rael.’

Tia had mentioned that Rael’s body possessed a unique ability to absorb surrounding energy.

Indeed, the pain lessened significantly when she held his hand.

‘After meeting Baslord, maybe I should go and cling to Rael?’

With that thought, she headed towards District 3.

*

Step. Step.

Rael followed an elf who looked identical to Reina into an alley.

After venturing deep into the alley, the elf turned around.

“Who are you?”

“…?”

Rael, who had been trailing behind, was startled.

The elf, with her eyes still closed, swiftly located Rael, who had attempted to conceal his presence.

‘How did she know?’

Rael revealed himself and approached the elf.

She displayed no hostility, but rather a slight sense of welcome.

“At first, I thought you were my sister. But I don’t sense the energy of the forest on you.”

“…Sister? Are you talking about Reina?”

“That’s right. I smelled Reina on you. Are you a friend of Reina’s?”

“Ah, yeah. Sort of.”

Rael gazed at the elf with a sense of wonder.

She definitely seemed more mature than Reina.

‘Just from her way of speaking, she’s much better than Reina.’

How could this person be her sister? Where did that crazy elf learn to talk like that?

It was astonishing.

Thump, thump, thump.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the opposite end of the alley.

“Sister! I told you not to get close to humans! You bastard! How dare you, an elf… Huh?”

“Long time no see, Reina.”

Rael waved at Reina, whose hair was disheveled as if she had been running.

He hadn’t seen her recently due to his busy schedule, and he never expected to encounter her in a place like this.

“Huh? Sister, why are you with Rael?”

“So you were friends. Reina, you should have introduced me to your friend.”

“Ah, no. He’s not my friend. He’s… yeah. He’s like a coworker.”

Reina shook her head, glancing at Rael for no apparent reason.

She felt strangely embarrassed to introduce her acquaintance to her sister.

“Ahem, you two are sisters, right?”

Rael interjected, looking at the two of them.

He couldn’t imagine that Reina had an older sister.

“Yes. My name is Reine. I’m Reina’s older sister.”

“What? Rael, why are you suddenly using honorifics? You were spitting out informal language to me. Have you finally developed a mind to respect elves?”

“Shut up.”

Rael sighed and turned to Reine.

She was smiling faintly with her eyes closed.

‘So that’s why she was alone among the elves earlier.’

A traitor’s sister.

To put it bluntly, it was like being related to a traitor.

Even if the sibling had no involvement, it couldn’t help but feel awkward.

“Anyway, have a good time. I followed you because you look exactly like Reina. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Rael offered a polite greeting.

Now that he knew the identity of the elf who resembled Reina, there was no need to linger.

“Yes? No. Mr. Rael, let’s have a meal together.”

“No. I have some sense. I can’t intrude on sisters spending time together.”

“Yeah. Rael is a busy person, Sister.”

“That’s a shame… I wanted to treat Reina’s friend to a meal,” Reine said with a hint of regret.

She wanted to ask Mr. Rael how Reina was doing, but if he was busy, there was nothing she could do.

“Suddenly, my busy work has disappeared.”

“Yes?”

“If Ms. Reine is paying, I’ll follow you right away.”

She couldn’t see it, but Rael was smiling more brightly than ever.

A free meal was a godsend.

“Huh? Rael, my sister is going to hang out with me.”

“Reina, always remember this: you have to eat free meals when you have the chance.”

“What are you talking about…”

“Let’s go, Ms. Reine.”

“Ah, thank you for making time for me, Mr. Rael.”

Reine smiled and led the way to her favorite restaurant, with Rael trailing behind.

“This is my sister and my secret place. You should be honored.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

The place Reine led them to was a quiet restaurant in District 3.

Rael entered the room with the two of them.

“Rael, no matter how pretty my sister is, you can’t hit on her. Got it? Elves have a very different body structure than humans.”

“Ms. Reine, this restaurant has a nice atmosphere. You have good taste.”

“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”

Rael ignored Reina’s nonsense and perused the restaurant’s menu.

The prices were quite high for District 3, but he felt good knowing it was a free meal.

“What is your relationship with Reina, Mr. Rael?”

Reine looked at Rael and posed the question.

He was the first human friend Reina had, so she was curious.

“We’re coworkers.”

“He’s my junior. He’s always learning from me.”

“Why am I your junior?”

“You came later than me, so you’re my junior. Aren’t you?”

“…”

Rael stopped engaging with Reina.

He would gladly talk to Reine, who was treating him to a free meal, but conversing with that crazy elf would only deplete his energy.

“Ooh. Looks delicious.”

After a short wait, the food arrived.

Reina eagerly devoured the meat, while Reine closed her eyes and savored her meal.

‘She’s really blind.’

It was such a messed-up world that he thought there might be an elf who walked around with her eyes closed, but seeing Reina helping Reine from the side, she was really blind.

Rael seemed to have underestimated this world too much.

“Reina has been the elf tribe’s tomboy since she was young.”

“So that’s how that rude elf was made. Is it because she’s an elf who loves her own kind that you couldn’t properly discipline her?”

The meal was accompanied by friendly conversation.

Most of it revolved around Reina.

More than anything, he could tell that Reine genuinely cared for Reina.

“Rael, are you talking about me behind my back?”

“Of course not.”

“Ah-ha.”

Reina nodded, placing a piece of well-cooked meat in her mouth.

Reine, on the other hand, only ate fresh salad, highlighting the differences even within the elf tribe.

‘Ms. Reine is more like an ace, like me.’

Reina, to put it bluntly, was more like Carlson.

Rael observed Reine and Reina as he ate.

The two were close, caring for each other, and embodied the elf tribe’s love for their own kind.

‘Why did someone like that become a traitor to the elf tribe?’

He might ask Reine about it sometime if he got the chance.

As the meal drew to a close, Reine looked at him and smiled.

“Thank you, Mr. Rael. Thanks to you, it was a really enjoyable time.”

“No. I’m the one who feels good because I ate a free meal.”

Rael bowed his head in gratitude after finishing the colorful dessert.

A free meal always lifted his spirits.

“Reina seems to like Mr. Rael a lot.”

“Eh, no way. We’re just coworkers.”

Rael shook his head, thinking of Reina, who had excused herself.

She had mentioned picking flowers, and when he jokingly questioned whether an elf would say such a thing, he was promptly hit.

Like a crazy elf.

“No. It’s the first time I’ve seen her talk so much to someone else. At first, I thought she was just saying we were coworkers, so I thought I was meddling, but I guess she was just embarrassed to say that.”

“…You were taught by a decent person like Ms. Reine, so why did Reina turn out like that? It’s a pity.”

Rael sincerely believed that the elf tribe’s upbringing system needed reform.

That’s how spoiled elves like that were created.

“I’m glad that Reina has a reliable friend. It’s really hard for Reina, who can’t get help from her own kind, to be active in the human world alone.”

“Yes. Well… no. I got a meal too.”

Thinking about it, he had taken care of the pitiful Reina quite a bit.

Wouldn’t it be fair to receive this much free food?

“I didn’t know Reina had a friend like you. Do you have any other friends I don’t know about?”

“Probably not.”

Rael, an expert in personality assessment, was certain.

Judging by Reina’s personality, she didn’t seem to have any friends.

Only a gentleman like himself could tolerate such a personality.

“Ah, come to think of it, there’s something I wanted to ask you.”

Rael brought up a question that had suddenly occurred to him.

Since Reina’s older sister was here, he wanted to inquire about Reina.

“Can you tell me why Reina is called a traitor by the elf tribe?”

“Ah…”

Reine visibly swallowed at Rael’s words.

It was the most surprised expression he had seen all day.

“Oh, it seems like I asked something I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.”

Rael belatedly apologized.

He had asked the question thinking they had grown closer during the meal, but it seemed rude after all.

He was desperately trying to make amends, fearing the loss of his free meal.

“…No. If it’s Mr. Rael, I think I can tell you.”

Reine made up her mind.

It was something that would eventually come to light.

If it had to be revealed, she wanted Reina’s friend to know first.

“About Baslord, the enemy of the elf tribe.”