Twilight Harem: Reborn as an Elf, Conquer Every Foe and Rise to Power - Episode 5

Hoofbeats striking the cobblestones echoed through the twilight of the royal capital, Fontir. Sera Fina dismounted and looked up at the city walls. The massive five-tiered city loomed black against the madder-red sky. "So this is the royal capital. It's huge." Beside her, Gilda pulled on the reins and stopped the wagon. Under the canopy, the three elven girls they had rescued—Muriel, Sylphi, and Liliel—huddled together. "Yeah. Your ears stand out. If anything happens, let me know right away. Before we head to the slums, I'm going to see an acquaintance first." Gilda pulled her hood down low over her eyes again. This was a place where her face as a former slave trader was known. Running into a business rival would mean trouble. The two of them guided their horses into the narrow alleys of the Mercatore commercial district. The smell of roasting beast meat and spices drifted from the food stalls, and the clamor of people coming and going filled their ears. Their destination, the tavern "Amber Cup," was tucked away deep in the alley. The sign bore the picture of a cup glowing amber. Stepping through the door, the mixed smell of cheap liquor and sweat stung their noses. "Welcome." A low, husky voice came from behind the counter. The proprietress. She looked to be in her mid-forties, her black hair streaked with silver tied back in a single bunch, her sharp eyes sizing them up. "It's been a while, Marta." When Gilda removed her hood, the woman called Marta opened her eyes wide for just a moment, then let out a deep sigh. "It's you, Gilda. So you haven't kicked the bucket yet. And who's the long-eared one with you?" "She's my new partner." "I'm Sera Fina. Nice to meet you." Sera Fina raised a hand lightly. Marta stared at her with appraising eyes, then turned back to Gilda. "What do you want?" "Marguerite's husband. Tell me about that man." The air inside the tavern froze in an instant. Marta didn't move her hands from the counter, only turning her eyes toward Gilda. She shook her head, a tiny, truly tiny shake. "Drop it. He's not someone a small-timer like you should stick your nose into." "I'm asking you. Tell me." Silence fell. The laborers drinking at the table behind them sensed the ominous atmosphere and lowered their voices. Marta thought for a while, but eventually let out a deep sigh and leaned over the counter. "...Do you know where the captured elves are taken? Beneath the royal capital. A vast underground cavern connected to the waterways under the noble district. The rumor is that man is performing some kind of ritual there." "Ritual?" "I don't know the details. But it seems he's using something called elven mana. None of the captured elves ever come back." Sera Fina listened in silence. (An underground cavern, huh. So the bastards who caught elves before us are already down there.) Deep in her chest, a black flame flickered. It was a powerful anger she hadn't felt in her past life as Sarasa. "Where's the entrance?" Marta looked into Sera Fina's eyes. Reading the dangerous light deep within those pupils, she caught her breath for a moment. "...On the outskirts of the noble district, there's an entrance to an old, disused waterway. The lock is broken. But..." "Guide us." "That's reckless. There are at least ten guards. A scrawny elf like you going there isn't a match for them." Sera Fina slowly twisted her mouth into a grin. It wasn't the face of an eighteen-year-old girl. It was the face of a forty-year-old adult who had survived countless brutal battles. "Scrawny, am I? Want to test that?" At that low voice, Marta stopped breathing for a second. Gilda interjected with a wry smile. "Don't bother, Marta. Even ten of you couldn't beat her. I guarantee it." Marta looked back and forth between their faces, and finally dropped her shoulders in resignation. "...Fine. I'll just guide you. I won't lift a finger. That's the deal, right?" "Yeah, that's more than enough." --- A night when the moon hid behind the clouds. Guided by Marta, Sera Fina and Gilda stood on the outskirts of the Candira noble district. Old stone walls stretched around them, and darkness untouched by the streetlights spread out. "That's it." Where Marta pointed, there was a rusted iron grating. It must have been locked once, but now it was broken and hung half-open. Beyond it was pitch black, and a musty wind blew out. "This is as far as I go. Be careful." With that, Marta quickly vanished into the darkness. Gilda placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and swallowed hard. "Sera Fina... are we really going?" "Coming? If you're scared, you can wait here." "Who's scared?! There's no way I'm letting you go alone!" Gilda shouted, though keeping her voice low, and drew her sword. Sera Fina grinned and took her own short sword in hand. "Alright, let's go." Slipping through the iron grating, the two began descending the dark stairs. One step, then another. The stone steps were wet and slippery, and cold air crept up from underfoot. How far down did they go? Eventually, their view opened up. It was a massive cavern. Darkness so deep they couldn't even see the ceiling. The walls were densely carved with ancient script, glowing faintly with a pale blue light. A natural growth area for mana crystals—ruins of an old civilization from before the Great Collapse. And at the sight spreading across the center of the cavern, Sera Fina gasped. Cages. More than ten iron cages were lined up. Inside them, over a dozen elves were imprisoned. Their clothes were torn, their hair disheveled, their eyes vacant. Some lay motionless, not moving at all. And men dressed all in black patrolled around the cages. Swords and axes in hand. At a rough glance, more than ten of them. "How dare they... so many..." Gilda gritted her teeth. Sera Fina silently stared into the depths of the cavern. There, an altar stood. An old pedestal made of black stone. On top of it, something writhed. (That's—) It was then. "Oh, guests, are we?" A cold voice came from behind. The moment they turned, Gilda's body was sent flying. "Guah!" Slammed against the stone wall, Gilda crumbled to the ground. Before Sera Fina could ready herself, an intense pressure assaulted her entire body. (What is— this heaviness—) Her body wouldn't move. Her feet felt nailed to the stone, unable to lift. Magic. A spell manipulating gravity was pinning her body down. "Two elves, is it? And one even bears the brand of exile. A rare find." Emerging from the depths of the darkness was a single man. Mid-forties, his black hair streaked with white swept back, cold gray eyes looking down on Sera Fina. His expensive silk robe glowed dully in the light of the mana crystals. Marguerite's husband—the mastermind behind the elf hunts—stood there. "You're the bastard behind all this." Gritting her teeth, Sera Fina desperately struggled to raise her body. But the magical pressure only intensified. "Such crude language. No matter. Since you've come all this way, I'll give you a special look at my research." So saying, the man walked over to the altar. Two or three of the black-clad men hauled Gilda up and pinned her to the ground just like Sera Fina. "Let go! You bastard...!" Gilda struggled, but she was powerless against the magic. The man slowly stripped away the cloth on the altar. What appeared was— An elf. A young elven girl was bound upon the altar. Her eyes were vacant, and a faint mana light leaked from her mouth. Countless thin tubes were inserted into her body, slowly siphoning her mana. The ends of the tubes connected to a complex magic circle carved into the floor. "You... monster..." Sera Fina's voice trembled with rage. "Beautiful, isn't it? Elven mana is superior. Especially the pure mana of a young specimen—it's optimal as a power source for this magic circle. Your kin are being put to excellent use as a resource." The man spoke in an enraptured tone, touching the girl's cheek. The girl didn't react at all. She was already unconscious. "Don't screw with me... how dare you...!" Sera Fina gathered all her strength and tried to stand. Her bones creaked. Her joints screamed. Even so, on her knees, she glared at the man. "That face. The eyes of an elf burning with hatred. Wonderful. I absolutely must have you on that altar as well. An elf with an exile's brand—I wonder what the quality of your mana will be. I'm looking forward to it." The man wore a cruel smile and snapped his fingers. The next instant, Sera Fina's vision went black. --- She awoke to pain. Sera Fina realized she was bound upon the altar. (Damn... they got me.) Coarse rope bit into her wrists and ankles. Every time she tried to stir, the cold sensation of the stone pressed against her back. Looking up, countless mana crystals twinkled like stars in the cavern's ceiling. Contrary to the fantastical sight, the situation was dire. "Gilda..." She called her partner's name with a hoarse voice. "I'm here, I'm alright! Damn, this rope is too tight!" Gilda's angry shout came from inside a nearby cage. It seemed she was still safe, for now. (But at this rate, we're both finished.) Sera Fina gritted her teeth and desperately racked her brain. Neither her memories from her past life nor her current power had accounted for a situation like this. "Amazing... your mana is so beautiful." Suddenly, a voice came from beside her. Turning her head as much as her bindings allowed, a woman stood right there. Long silver hair, brown skin, and long, pointed ears. A dark elf. Her name was Razuri. She was here as the man's assistant. In Razuri's hand was a thin silver blade. She gently pressed it against Sera Fina's arm. "I'll just take a little." A sharp sting. Blood welled from her arm, and that blood was drawn into the magic circle on the floor. A spell for extracting mana. A sensation like something precious being pulled out from the depths of her body ran through her. "Ugh, ah..." A wordless groan escaped her. Strength drained from her entire body. Her fingertips grew cold, and her vision began to blur. (So this is... the truth behind the elf hunts.) "Does it hurt? But it's okay, you'll get used to it soon. Everyone did." At Razuri's words, Sera Fina looked into the nearby cages. The elves staring back at her with vacant eyes. All of them looked as if they felt nothing anymore. (Like hell. I didn't come back to life just to end in a place like this.) Sera Fina mustered her remaining strength and gripped the hilt of her short sword. She had still been holding it. It was fortunate the men hadn't noticed. "Not yet... like hell I'm finished yet!" In one explosive motion, she tore her arms free, snapping the ropes. The skin on her wrists split, blood spurting out. But she didn't care. "Wh—" Faster than Razuri could widen her eyes, Sera Fina snatched the silver blade from her hand and cut the ropes on her legs too. She leaped off the altar. Her legs wobbled. Her vision warped. Still, she stood. "I'll send every last one of you flying!!" Sera Fina shouted and readied her short sword. "Interesting. You can still move." The man's cold voice echoed. He wasn't flustered in the slightest. Rather, he wore a twisted smile, as if enjoying his prey's final act of resistance. The black-clad men all raised their weapons at once and surrounded Sera Fina. A desperate situation. Her ally was in a cage. Her body was battered. Even so, Sera Fina's eyes alone still burned with fighting spirit.

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Episode 5

Name: Twilight Harem: Reborn as an Elf, Conquer Every Foe and Rise to Power
Author: Novelia

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