Chapter 302   - 301 - Reconnaissance(Part 6)

Point-of-View: Sylvar Miirphys

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"Stop right there! Who are you!?"

I halted and turned to my left, where two women had just teleported in. The one who addressed me had bronze colored hair tied up in two buns, similar colored eyes and a freckled face. She also had two short spears in her hands, and was watching me warily with narrowed eyes.

The other one had long, straight dark blonde hair, light blue eyes, sharp-looking teeth and gills on her neck...and she kinda looked like she didn't want to be here. She was also staring at my ears with a look of curiosity...well, they've probably never seen an Elf before, so fair enough.

She also had a closed third eye on her forehead...not good, that means Demonic Magic...and with the exception of Mimic Magic, all the other types of Demonic Magic are a handful to deal with. Okay, no need to fight, let's handle this peacefully...

"I asked you a question! Why is an Elf here?" Inquired the freckled girl, lightning crackling around her spears threateningly, "I thought your kind was supposed to be on a hidden floating island or something. So how come our Adventurers have had multiple encounters with your people recently?"

"This is an Elf?" Asked the other one, looking at me with intrigue.

"Hello there, my name is Sylvar Miirphys...I am the Wind Sage of the Laus Domain, and I mean you no harm. See, we were brought back down to the planet by Belia Lasmodeus, we just want to assure the human nations that we mean no harm," I remarked in an amiable tone, putting on a friendly smile.

Okay, so some of that wasn't quite true, the vast majority of the Laus Domain wants to wipe out all humans for good. Though if Sant explicitly commands them not to, they won't...but the problem with that is, that even though he discourages their hatred, he himself doesn't seem totally against the idea of eliminating humanity, he clearly has a distaste for them, even if he himself hasn't quite realized it.

"Wind Sage? Mind explaining what that is? And I'm assuming 'Laus Domain' refers to Santa Clau-...I mean, Sant A.C. Laus and the other races?" Asked the freckled girl.

Huh? Was she just about to say Santa Claus? Oh, I get it, she must be someone who reincarnated here from a world like my old one. But talking about that is forbidden...which sucks, because I think she's the first person I've met who's reincarnated like I am. At least, as far as I know.

Definitely the first that I know of, anyway. She's smart, she's clearly wary of me, but she's also looking to get info out of me...well, I suppose the questions she asked aren't that big of a deal.

If answering them helps ease the tension around us, that could lead to us negotiating a peace treaty or non-aggression pact...I'm fairly certain that Sant will never approve of attacking a group that's agreed to remain peaceful...it'll probably tick off most of the others, but hey, as a former human, I feel like I should at least try.

Alright, let's answer her questions...hm, but it seems like she doesn't know about the Water Sage in Abyss, so I won't give that away...

"I'm an Elemental Sage, one of five...there are five Elemental Spirits, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind and Lightning, and those whose bodies they inhabit gain drastic boosts to their Elemental Magic and physical strength. And I'm the Wind Sage. As for the Laus Domain, you're exactly right."

"Hm...you suddenly changed the way you talk...are you mocking me!?" She growled, looking irritated.

Crap, I accidentally slipped back into my normal way of talking! Wait, why is she so pissed off though?

"Sorry, I-...I mean, my apologies, I tend to do that sometimes, however...I do not understand why that would offend you."

"...wait, are you also a-...," She began suspiciously, before her face suddenly went blank and then returned to normal, "Huh? What was I saying?"

Huh? Okay, that was, uh...kinda unsettling. Is that what happens when you try to talk about reincarnation? Scary! Looks like some kind of brainwashing that kicks in before someone can say something about reincarnation. The blonde woman was also looking confused by that, staring at Freckle-face with a bewildered look.

Also, just then, Freckle-face dropped the haughty tone and spoke pretty normally...yeah, she's definitely the same as me, reincarnated here from a different world with her past memories intact.

And that explains why she got ticked off earlier, she likely slips up between formal and informal when she talks just like I do, and she must have thought that I was making fun of that...but I wasn't, especially considering the fact that this is the first time I'm meeting her.

"Are you alright, miss?" I inquired politely.

"Hmph, whatever," She huffed irritably, before her expression turned serious, "You say that you're here to assure us that you mean no harm...but I doubt that the other Elves and the rest feel the same as you do."

She's pretty sharp...she may have not been able to say out loud that I've reincarnated too, but she's obviously realized it...and she's totally right, pretty much everyone in the Laus Domain was all for eliminating the humans, even at best, they were indifferent, none of them were actually against the idea.

"Well, I suppose I can't deny that...but Lord Laus is a peaceful being by nature, he does have a dislike for humans, but if I can convince him that this nation will keep to themselves, he'll definitely stop the others from attacking you," I assured her.

"Somehow, I find that all hard to believe...for all I know, you're just saying all this to get us to let down our guards and then hit us when we least expect it," She remarked suspiciously.

"That won't happen...deceit is a part of human nature, but it's not something that comes naturally to the other races. That's a fact, the other races are biologically incapable of dishonesty, which can make them very blunt since they don't really hide their feelings, but you can be sure that anything they say is not a lie," I stated.

"Hm...that does match up with the history we know...," She muttered with a frown, "But then, all of that becomes irrelevant if your leader declares an attack on us. Sure, you say that the other races can't lie, and I'm inclined to believe that...but technically speaking, I'm fairly certain that you yourself aren't-..."

Again, her face went blank and she trailed off...but she'd said enough, there's no doubt about it, she's definitely figured out that I've got human memories.

"Why do you keep doing that? And both of you keep changing the way you speak, it's strange," Remarked the blondie, with a bemused look on her face.

"Well, yeah, I get what you're trying to say, but biologically, I'm an Elf now, so I do have a strong compulsion to be honest," I insisted.

"Huh? Wait, what are y-...hold on, what was I thinking about...I...I...," She stuttered, her eyes looking dazed as she struggled to process what I just said.

What the hell is this? Does this brainwashing only affect humans for some reason? After all, I'm the only one in the Laus Domain to have my past memories as a human intact, so maybe I'm immune to it?

Suddenly, five more humans appeared behind the two that were already here...reinforcements, huh? Not a problem, I just need to continue playing this from a peaceful standpoint, and-...

"Sorry, but we can't trust anything you say, the risk is too great and there are just too many unknown variables to even consider taking that risk," She remarked, lightning crackling around her spears as she assumed a battle stance, "From what I've gathered from what you've said, the Elemental Sages are the strongest of the other races, right? The Rustlands is at an overwhelming disadvantage as it is...so any opportunity to weaken our enemies, we have to take. Nothing personal, but we're going to have to kill you, Wind Sage of the Laus Domain. A-Ranks, surround him from behind, do not let him get away! Miss Lidui, Minise, and Niski...we shall take him down."

I let out a sigh of disappointment as they surrounded me, their intent to kill quite apparent. Strategically speaking, yeah, this was a good tactical move they were opting for...on paper, anyway. What was I thinking, how could I have been so naive and optimistic...as a former human, I know all too well what a disgusting species they can be.

I shouldn't be surprised or disappointed, but still...I was really hoping that we could resolve this peacefully. Well, lesson learned, and I won't make the same mistake again.

"What a shame...I really was planning to convince Sant to spare the Rustlands if, unlike the other two human nations, you lot had not responded with aggression...but it's a moot point now, isn't it?" I remarked with a wistful sigh, as I reached for my spear-...oh, right, never mind, that Kuro guy destroyed it.

Well, whatever...I don't need it against the likes of these weaklings...

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