The Demon Lord's Bride (BL)
Chapter 134: So...another family meeting, then?

Chapter 134: So...another family meeting, then?

Unlike any other day, I had a really busy morning on the day of the banquet.

First, Arta came to the suite and got me the last fitting for the outfit I supposedly wore for the banquet. It was dark, almost midnight blue with white lining and silver embroidery, made of something that looked like silk and organza with magic because when I moved, the darkest shade of the fabric shifted and something twinkling appeared from time to time like stars. There were at least three layers in this thing, and the outermost part was a light cloak with wide sleeves.

Anyway, it wasn’t actually done yet, because they still need to do this last adjustment. But Arta assured me the clothes would be done by the time my meeting with the elves was over.

Talking about the meeting, Arta didn’t leave after the seamstresses went away with my banquet clothes, and instead stayed to prep me for the meeting with the elves.

And by prep, I meant she, along with Zia and Aleena, dragged me to the bedroom and dolled me up; chose my outfit, fixed my hair, fashioned me some accessory...

As someone who had no knowledge about this stuff at all, I just resigned my fate in the hands of those three. I couldn’t give any objective thought other than I looked neater than usual, probably more elegant. They put me in a white formal robe with deep green embroidery and all I could think was...

They tried to make me looked like a priest or something?

The three seemed to be satisfied, though, as they twirled me around and put strings of gems on my hair--whew, feeling so luxurious right now, although it was kind of heavy.

But I understood. They wanted to make me look nice in front of the elves. They must have heard that the elves weren’t approved of me being here as Natha’s bride, for a whole different reason than why three of Natha’s vassals still didn’t want me there.

Yeah--those elves thought I was being manipulated or something, being brainwashed and deceived. Because why else would a human-druid hybrid like me want to be a demon’s bride? Surely not because of love--how blasphemous!

I wondered though; if they were being that clear about their view, why would someone like Natha even bother to entertain them? I mean, he was someone who frightened one of the Elf Kings, you know...

Well...it wasn’t like I understood their politics, so, I decided not to voice it. Speaking of Natha though, he was already waiting downstairs when the three were done with me. He had spent the morning supervising the preparation for the banquet tonight, which was probably one of the reasons why the meeting with the elves was done outside of the main castle building.

So I felt rather guilty for making him wait on such busy days, and was apologizing profusely as I ran down the stairs. But there was no reaction from Natha, even as I clutched his arms while managing my breath once I reached the bottom of the stairs. When I looked up, he was staring at me wordlessly, silver eyes unblinking as I stood there waiting for him to say something.

Natha paused for a few seconds more, before taking my hand and tucking my stray hair with a smile. He rubbed my lips and kissed them the next second; soft and long and made my eyelashes flutter.

"You look great," he whispered.

So I guessed I did look better than usual.

Well, good--meaning that the three hours I spent being treated like a doll was worth it.

Along with Lesta and my usual three entourage, as well as the little bird perching on my shoulder, Natha brought me to the castle’s garden. No, not the one he made for me, which led to the lake and the greenhouse. This time, it was a garden located on the other side of the castle. It was bigger, more structured, with a very elaborate topiary and carefully articulated plantation--as opposed to mine which felt more...organic.

It was clear that this garden was made to impress, for guests to bask in the immaculate art of the gardener. It was so big that I felt like I was in a park, and the walkway was flanked by pretty fences with intricate carvings rather than flower bushes. The path led to a beautiful fountain, and further away, to a wide, beautiful pavilion made of the same black stone used for the castle wall.

Perhaps because of that, the elves looked stood out. Their luscious light blonde hair and soft, rich beige clothing with golden lining contrasted heavily with the color of the pavilion.

When they saw us coming, the elves stood up and trained their eyes...at me. Well, since it was a requested meeting with me, I already expected that much. After talking with the guys on the research floor yesterday, I gained more understanding of their character, and prepared accordingly.

The first step, was to not flinch or showed that I felt inferior.

Do you think that was easy? Well, try to imagine yourself walking toward four beautiful specimens with glowing hair and gleaming eyes, staring at you with palpable interest. I was torn between flinching and laughing at the surreal experience.

--Don’t be nervous, Young Master

I recalled what Eruha told me yesterday as we stepped into the open pavilion. Of the four elves, I remembered the female one best, the one who held the other elves from approaching me before, and seemed to be the leader.

The second step, was to not avoid eye contact.

Yeah, but they were really, really staring. Returning their gaze started to become awkward after a minute or so had passed. So I used the pretense of sending Jade flying toward one of the arching pillars to naturally break the eye contact and managed my breathing.

--Sarterians are devoted to the Goddess. And for them, druids are like the Goddess’s priests. Especially the one with royal blood, who’s able to purify nature. They’ll hold someone like you in high regard, so you just need to act accordingly.

"Your Excellency," the female elf started the greeting first, and the rest of the elves followed after, bowing while putting their palm against their heart.

Thankfully, Eruha, Lesta, and Izzi had taught me about the greeting. They weren’t putting their hands there to refer to their heart, but their mana cores. Elves, just like all children of nature, didn’t have mana cores, but mana hearts, which were located in their astral body, overlapped with the physical heart.

Mine, however, followed the structure of humans. I had a mana core rather than a mana heart, which was located right below my chest. So I returned their greeting by putting my palm above my mana core, around my solar plexus.

The elves seemed to be stunned for a second, before giving me a warmer smile. So...I guessed it worked then? I hope my smile and my gaze didn’t translate the nervousness I felt inside.

"It’s an honor to finally meet you," the female elf continued the greeting after we took a seat.

And by we, I mean me, Natha, and the female elf. Lesta and the other elves stood up behind us, while my guards and Panne waited just outside the pavilion.

For some reason...this kind of looked like those scenes of someone asking for their partner’s hand in marriage to the family. The family being the elves, since I was closer in genetics to them.

Quite a funny thought, I had to admit.

No--focus, Val! You had an aristocratic elf to face. "You praise me too much, Ma’am."

"Not at all," the female elf, who introduced herself as Issaelmier, smiled gently. I’d just call her Issa to make my life easier. "The sacred blood of the royal flowed in your vein. It’s blasphemous to not show respect."

And I kid you not, the brilliant golden eyes immediately shifted to Natha as she uttered the last sentence.

Did this elf...just openly diss the Demon Lord of Greed in his own castle? Was this like...an elven trait? I kind of recalled Izzi being like this too, just with much more...fear.

Wait--let me get this straight. From their attitude, it seemed like the elf delegations thought Natha was being disrespectful toward me. Or was it toward the Goddess?

Why?

And to that accusation, Natha just chuckled in amusement.

"Especially putting one in a binding contract."

I almost blew my eyes wide in shock at that. "Excuse me?"

"Your Excellency, do you not have any intention to...visit your kin?" ignoring my surprised reaction to her insinuation, she suddenly gave me a question.

"You mean...the druid?"

"Of course," the female elf nodded. Her soft voice that drawled long sometimes as she spoke was getting slightly more energetic. "I don’t think many would say you’re a human at this point."

Yeah--back home, that would be an insult. But fortunately, we were in a different world with a lot of non-human residents. Still, I asked her for more clarity, because I still felt very much human. "Why do you say so?"

"Your Excellency, anyone who knows what a druid looks like will say you are one," this time, it was one of the elves who was standing--which I didn’t know the name of yet. "Except...your ears, which were easily covered by your hair."

"And your mana," another one chimed in.

"Yes, and your mana," the female elf smiled charmingly, like she was talking about something delightful. "Your ability to purify it, to be more precise."

I see. So what they held in high regard was my power, it seemed--my druid power. And I got it, because they were the entity whose life was being influenced by the quality of mana where they lived. And for them, someone who could purify mana like me was a necessity.

I understood that. Didn’t mean I had to like that.

Perhaps seeing the reluctance from my silence, they talked again. "If you visit your kin, you’ll understand."

What would I understand? That I was supposed to live my life as a druid because I was a part of them?

But was I? I was a human before I came to this world, and Valmeier had lived as a human all his life. Were our roots could only be determined by our genetics?

I...didn’t like that.

When I unconsciously gripped the fabric around on my lap, Natha suddenly spoke, after being silent all this while. "And once he understands, you’d make him stay there?"

My gaze, which had been lingered on the marbled table in front of me, flicked upward just as the female elf answered nonchalantly. "If His Excellency so wishes,"

Natha raised his brow, and with a voice dipped in a sneer, responded. "Oh, not because you wish for it?"

The elves didn’t answer, just staring at us--at me--with aloof, dignified faces without even bothering to contradict what Natha implying.

"Wait..." my brows furrowed immediately. "Are you telling me to leave Natha?"