Chapter 45: Secret Order for Leaffa

Good morning. I am Leaffa.

I think I’ll introduce myself a little bit more clearly. I, Leaffa Alheim, am the second princess of Alheim, the Elf Kingdom.

Last night, I received an important mission from my Father, the Elf King.

I have to marry Halt, my classmate from Ifrus Academy of Magic, within approximately one month.

Yesterday, Halt got married to Lady Tina, the Heroine. Why I have to marry a person who just got hitched—well, let me recount the course of events that led to this.

──＊＊＊──

Last night, Papa and the Ministers were talking about Halt and Lady Tina’s future.

I had some business with Papa, so I unintentionally eavesdropped on their conversation when I went over there.

“I am going to say this over again; do not lay a hand on Halt and Tina, no matter what.”

“B, but Your Majesty, they both possess an unimaginable amount of power, and there is no way we would let them freely roam! We need something that will bind us to them In order to prevent them from turning against us!”

“That is right. Since it can’t be helped if they do not want to accept the peerage, let us use the [Bracelet of Slavery] to restrain that person. If we do that, then Lady Tina will surely follow.”

“That is unforgivable!”

Th, this is terrible!!

The Ministers are getting out of hand.

Papa desperately tried to stop them, but all the Ministers are bent on restraining Halt.

I have to tell Halt and Lady Tina!

Even if this is an act of insult towards my country, I still want to help them.

The [Bracelet of Slavery] they mentioned is a magical tool that was passed on to Alheim.

The person forced to wear this bracelet will continuously be assaulted with powerful brainwashing magic until he becomes a puppet of the person who placed it on him. Elves are resistant to magical mental attacks, but they are still susceptible to this bracelet.

If that is used on Halt, then—

Even if the bracelet is removed, there is a possibility that Halt will never be the same again. I decided to go to Halt and Lady Tina’s room.

However, at that moment, something entered Papa’s study.

“!?”

“Th, this is!!”

“Sylph-sama, why are you here!?”

Sylph-sama apparently manifested herself. The state of panic of those Ministers is evident even outside the room.

“Hey, what were you talking about just now?”

“O, our conversation just now?”

“Using the [Bracelet of Slavery] on Halt… were you serious?”

A cold murderous aura permeated the air, and it even reached me. It was Sylph-sama’s fury.

Ah, my legs are shaking, and I can’t move.

“I, it can’t be helped! It would be too late if that person becomes this country’s enemy. After all, Tina, the only person who could oppose him, is already on his side!”

“Hmm, so you were thinking Halt will become this country’s enemy.”

“Evil must be nipped in the bud! That person is from the human race, and there is a huge possibility that he might attack this country in his greed for Yggdrasil!”

“In that case, if Halt is supposed to be an antagonist of this country, then you must also consider me your opponent, as well.”

“Huh!?”

All the Ministers raised their voices in alarm.

…What?

Sylph-sama, guardian of Yggdrasil and protector god of the Elves, will become our nemesis?

Why would that be!?

“Halt is my Contractor. If Halt is your enemy, then I will consider all of you as my foe, too.”

!?

What does that mean?

Halt formed a contract with Sylph-sama, according to her.

I already knew Halt formed a contract with Ifrit-sama, the Fire Spirit King, and Undine-

sama, the Water Spirit King. Even Sylph-sama…

He’s so amazing that I can’t help but laugh.

I can see now how unbelievably foolish I was for worrying about Halt.

I crawled back to my room. My legs still won’t move as an aftereffect of Sylph-sama’s murderous aura.

I was shocked just a bit, just a teeny tiny bit, so I had to change my underwear.

Sylph-sama is really scary.

I called for a maid and had her assist me in taking a bath and changing my clothes, and finally, I managed to lie down on my bed.

Let’s forget everything we heard tonight.

So I tried to sleep but—

“Leaffa, are you still awake? I wish to talk to you.”

Papa visited me.

“Papa, what is it?”

“Leaffa, forgive me. Please, become Halt’s concubine!”

“…What?”

Wh, what on earth is he talking about!?

I asked Papa for an explanation.

After I left the office, Sylph-sama’s anger finally subsided as Papa and the Ministers apologized profusely. In return for forgiveness, she gave some conditions instead.

“You said that there should be something that would bind Halt to this country so he will not antagonize this country. In the same way, there should be something that would bind you so that this country will not attack Halt. Hmmm, for the meantime, let’s have this country’s princess as Halt’s bride.”

Apparently, Sylph-sama said that. All of the Ministers protested greatly.

However—

“No big deal if you don’t like it. I can just give you a punishment for trying to enslave Halt,

my Master. From here on, I will no longer bestow the blessing of Yggdrasil upon you.”

The Ministers were dumbfounded upon hearing those words. Without the blessing of Yggdrasil, Alheim will perish.

Yggdrasil protects the country from the demons. Not only that, the Miasma in this area is quite strong, so plants cannot grow naturally, but because of Yggdrasil, agriculture became possible, and food became obtainable.

That is why Papa did not have any choice but to send me to Halt.

I am the second princess, so I have been prepared long ago to enter a political marriage. I have long since given up on the notion of freedom in love.

However, I have had several conversations with Halt back at the Academy of Magic, and he even saved me from demons. I’m at ease since I’ll belong to someone I know, even if the relationship is shallow.

Halt is a good person, and more than that, he is the husband of Lady Tina, the person I idolized. Lady Tina will be the First Wife, and I am but a concubine, but that’s totally fine.

Isn’t it splendid to have the same husband with Lady Tina?

I started to look at this marriage talk positively.

“However, I was told that it should not be done forcefully. No matter what, make Halt like you, then form a bond with him.”

The hurdle went up a little.

However, I think that’s fine.

I’ll take the time to get along with Halt, and then we’ll get married. I am the second princess of the Alheim, the Elf Kingdom—Leaffa Alheim. I studied the art of seduction. I… don’t have real-life experience, though.

“This is for the Kingdom. I will entrust this to you.

“Oh, my beloved daughter Leaffa, I am indebted to you. By the way, Sylph-

sama

ordered that you are to be wed while you are in this country.”

“Eh?”

“Ah, actually, I already suggested for him to take you as a concubine to Halt the other day, but he refused. I know this is really difficult, but please do your best.”

“W, what were you thinking!?”

What should I do?

I don’t have much time left.

Not only that—the fact is, Halt already rejected me, without me knowing about it.

I received a great blow that is on par with the level of a Spirit King.