The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 486: The Elf Girl’s Love

The time to depart for the Elven Homeland quietly arrived.

That day, Melika woke up at the crack of dawn. After washing up, changing her clothes, she began to pack her luggage.

Her luggage consisted of a change of clothes, magic potions, magic tools, and her staff.

“Should I bring some gifts for everyone back home?”

Melika wondered as she packed.

Because of the Elven Race’s unique nature, elves didn’t have blood relatives, but their fellow elves were their closest companions, their relationships no different from true family.

Melika had received a lot of care from her elders in the Elven Race, and she also had a childhood friend she had grown up with for over a hundred years. This made Melika want to bring them gifts.

But it was almost time to leave. Even if she wanted to prepare gifts, it was too late.

“It’s all my fault. I forgot about the Peace Festival.”

Melika sighed.

Actually, it wasn’t entirely her fault.

The Elven Race’s Peace Festival was a grand event held only once every hundred years. Melika, only a little over a hundred years old, had only participated in the Peace Festival once. How could she remember it so clearly after leaving home for her journey?

If it weren’t for her childhood friend from the Elven Race sending her a letter and mentioning it, Melika would have definitely missed it.

Under such circumstances, being able to make it back in time was already good enough. How could she ask for more?

Fortunately, the elves were somewhat detached from worldly possessions and weren’t interested in luxury goods. Even if she didn’t bring any gifts back, no one would mind.

“I’ll carefully choose gifts for everyone next time.”

Melika made a mental note of this, then checked the items she was carrying.

“Magic potions for restoring magic power… a magic scroll with an intermediate lightning spell… magic crystals for repairing my staff… magic books on fire and ice magic… and…”

Melika checked carefully.

This was a habit she developed after the crisis in the Atlus Gorge.

After that incident, not only Vivian and Diere felt that the squad was underprepared, but Melika also often thought that if her magic power hadn’t been depleted so quickly, she could have contributed more and protected everyone in the squad.

At least, if they had been better prepared, Diere wouldn’t have needed to risk everything and enter her demonized state.

Therefore, since then, Vivian had been paying close attention to equipping the squad with the necessary recovery items and various support magic tools, and Melika also used her savings to secretly purchase some potentially useful items from the magic tool shops in the capital.

This way, in times of crisis, she could ensure that she had enough magic power reserves and could recover quickly, better handling emergencies.

However…

“My magic power seems to be growing faster and faster…”

Thinking of this, Melika felt a little uneasy.

Since leaving Larmigion, her magic power, for some reason, had started to increase continuously, and the rate of increase was accelerating over time.

At first, Melika was quite happy.

After all, the substantial increase in magic power was undoubtedly a good thing.

But seeing the increasingly rapid growth, the reason for which remained unknown, Melika’s joy turned into a faint unease.

Because she didn’t know if this abnormal situation was truly a good thing.

An abnormality in magic power couldn’t be taken lightly.

Magic power was converted from life force, and any abnormality in magic power would usually be reflected in one’s life and body.

In the past, there were many cases of magicians dying suddenly for no reason due to their excessive magic power causing abnormal conversion of life force.

As a proper magician, and an elf, considered a natural magician, Melika naturally knew the importance of this.

Therefore, recently, Melika had been worried about whether the rapidly increasing magic power in her body would cause problems with her life force.

Melika even wrote to several elven archmages to ask for advice, but they didn’t seem to have any clues either.

Vivian had told Melika that if necessary, she could arrange for an expert in magic to examine her.

But Melika refused.

Although shy and easily nervous, she was still an elf who valued her purity.

Having a group of complete strangers, whose genders she didn’t even know, examine her body made Melika instinctively resistant.

Vivian, seemingly understanding Melika’s situation, didn’t force her, but repeatedly advised her to ask an elder within the Elven Race to examine her.

As a naturally magical race, there were many highly skilled archmages within the Elven Race, including legendary-level experts, far surpassing magicians of other races. Coupled with their understanding of elves, they might be able to immediately see the problem with Melika.

Therefore, in Vivian’s eyes, Melika returning to the Elven Homeland this time was also a good thing.

This way, Melika could ask someone to examine her and find out why her magic power was growing so rapidly, and whether this situation would cause any problems.

Melika was well aware of this.

This was also one of her reasons for returning to the Elven Homeland this time.

“It’s a pity that Vivian and Lumia can’t come back with me.”

Thinking of this, Melika felt a little regretful.

She had gone on a journey, made trustworthy friends, but couldn’t invite them to return home with her and introduce them to her people. This was indeed a pity.

But Melika also understood that Vivian and Lumia couldn’t leave now.

“Fortunately, Mr. Shien will be going back with me…”

For some reason, Melika’s mood improved.

Being able to invite Shien to her homeland was undoubtedly a happy thing for Melika.

Even though Shien was already engaged, and to that perfect and beautiful princess whom she couldn’t help but admire, Melika still couldn’t help but feel happy.

This faint feeling might never be known to anyone.

But Melika was willing to savor it, to taste all its sweetness and bitterness.

The reason was simple: this was her first love.

Elven love was very pure.

Because elves were born from nature, not through reproduction, and because of their nature, their love lacked the element of lust and was very pure.

For elves, falling in love with someone was very difficult.

Their fellow elves were all women.

The gods they worshipped were also all goddesses.

And their emphasis on purity made them instinctively resistant to men from other races.

Under such circumstances, ninety-nine percent of elven girls remained single until the end of their lives.

Only a very small portion of elves would be attracted to men of noble character from other races.

But elves were a long-lived race. For them, a hundred years was just a blink of an eye, but a hundred years was often the entire lifespan of a human male.

Under such circumstances, of the very few elves who fell for men from other races, more than ninety-nine percent would choose to silently watch over their beloved for their entire lives, not choosing to be with them, let alone form a union.

Because of this, for elves, love was both pure and sacred. All elves respected and yearned for love, and in the end, they would often choose to dedicate and sacrifice themselves for this love.

Such elves, either wouldn’t fall in love for thousands of years, or if they did, would only love one person for their entire lives. After witnessing their beloved’s happiness or death, they would return to the Elven Homeland, never to leave again, spending their long lives in peace, tranquility, and subtle bitterness, until they faded away.

In the eyes of others, this might be a pitiful thing.

But for elves, this was normal.

Such a relationship, mostly destined to have no outcome, would become something they would constantly recall, cherish, and savor throughout their long lives.

Therefore, whether it was sweet, sour, bitter, or spicy, for them, it was worth savoring.

Melika was the same. Sometimes she felt jealous, sometimes envious, sometimes melancholic, but she would never regret it.

Like before, when Shien became Lucy’s fiancé, she was troubled by this relationship. Now, with things settled, while silently blessing and envying them, she also sincerely felt happy and blessed to be able to return home with Shien.

Yes, Melika had come to terms with it.

Since Shien was already engaged to Lucy, and she wasn’t the one who could be by his side, then, like her ancestors, she would silently guard him for his entire life.

After seeing him start a family, have children, and live a happy life, she would quietly leave, return to her people, and live out the rest of her life. That would be enough.

As for now…

“As long as I can be with him, be able to see him, I’m content…”

Melika murmured.

Even though it was a bit painful and sad, it couldn’t be helped. This was the fate of an elf who fell in love with someone from another race.

“Oh, right, don’t forget to bring this.”

Melika seemed to suddenly remember something and took something out from under her pillow.

It was a flower crown.

A crudely made flower crown, as if it was casually woven.

However, this flower crown had been carefully preserved, its colors still vibrant, without a single blemish, as if it was freshly made.

This was only natural.

Melika had put in a lot of effort to maintain its original state, not only channeling magic power into it every day, using the elven trait to maintain its vitality, but also sprinkling it with expensive preservation magic potion.

It was obvious how much Melika treasured this flower crown.

Wherever Melika went, she would carry this flower crown with her, even holding it while sleeping to feel at ease.

“Hee hee.”

Looking at the flower crown, Melika seemed to recall the scene of its creator giving it to her, her face slightly flushed, a happy smile on her face.

When Melika came back to her senses, she realized that it was already bright outside.

“Roar—!”

Outside, a dragon’s roar echoed clearly, as if signaling something, calling for people to gather.

“Oh no!”

Melika quickly put away the flower crown, placing it inside her robe, close to her heart, then grabbed her staff and luggage, hurriedly rushing towards the garden.

Within her arms, inside her clothes, the carefully preserved flower crown emitted a faint light.

This scene happened every day, yet no one knew.

…

Buztout Mansion, Garden.

When Melika hurried out of the house, she found that not only was Yulin roaring towards the sky, but everyone else had also basically gathered.

“Coming so late, that’s not like you, Melika.”

Vivian noticed the commotion, turned her head, looked at Melika, and chuckled gently.

“Have you… finished packing, Melika?”

Lumia also asked with concern.

“If there’s anything you haven’t packed yet, please don’t hesitate to ask, Miss Melika.”

Lasha, standing at the edge of the group, said with an impassive face.

And then…

“Good morning.”

With these simple, clear, and pleasant words, the princess also stood there, looking at Melika and greeting her softly.

Besides Lucy, who else could it be?

“P-Princess Lucy…?”

Melika’s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly stepped forward, bowing her head to Lucy.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness, for making you wait.”

Melika was a little nervous.

She had complicated feelings towards Lucy.

But overall, Melika still admired and respected Lucy.

Moreover, with the difference in their statuses, Melika didn’t look down on Lucy because of Shien, but remained respectful and polite.

Lucy, on the other hand, didn’t seem to want to put on airs.

“There’s no need to be so formal, Miss Melika.” Lucy shook her head, looked at Melika with a smile on her face, seemingly in a good mood, and said, “Thank you for the invitation, Miss Melika, giving me the opportunity to visit the legendary Elven Homeland.”

“N-no, it’s my pleasure.” Melika quickly waved her hands. “With Your Highness’s status, if you want to visit the Elven Homeland, the Elven Race would definitely welcome you.”

This wasn’t flattery.

Lucy was favored by the Divine Race, blessed by Lildas, the Goddess of Fate, a direct descendant of the Hero, and even inherited the Hero’s Holy Sword. Her special status would also be recognized by the Elven Race.

If such a Lucy wanted to visit the Elven Homeland, the Elven Race would indeed welcome her.