Chapter 208 - Love is Blind
Over ten seconds passed after Langus's shocking declaration, and finally, time began to move again.
"L-Langus... What, suddenly, such—"
Edra spoke in a hoarse voice, trying to confirm. Langus shook his head left and right, placed a hand on his chest, and opened his mouth.
"Edra. Love cannot choose its time or place. Sometimes, love is born in an instant. Yes, just as it has now—as I said earlier, I believed no one could ever surpass our king. But for that to be overturned so easily, and by such a young and beautiful girl... Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed it. That is how impossible this would have been for any citizen of the elven kingdom."
Langus said this and let out a heated sigh. He likely thought he was answering Edra's question, but his manner of speaking made his self-absorption painfully obvious, and the content barely registered in my mind.
Still, why on earth had it suddenly come to this? It was so abrupt that I had no idea how to respond.
At times like this, I wish there were magic that could read another's emotions or thoughts—but if such magic existed, it would cause enormous problems, so perhaps it's better that it doesn't.
No, that's not what mattered right now. The issue was Langus's declaration.
"...May I say something? In the first place, I participated in this gathering because I wanted to see if I could do something about the elves' discriminatory attitudes toward other races. And yet, to suddenly be chosen as a marriage partner is a bit—"
When I timidly voiced that, everyone's eyes turned to me.
"What, do you intend to refuse?"
For some reason, Rivett muttered this in an irritated tone. At that, the council members hurriedly opened their mouths to intervene.
"O-Our king—"
"Please wait a moment—"
"If she says she doesn't want to, then isn't that fine...?"
For some reason, the council members suddenly took my side. Well, rather than siding with me, they seemed to be acting to prevent me from becoming the elven royal family's consort—so it was a complicated sort of alliance.
But Langus did not back down. He looked back at everyone in turn and spoke in denial.
"Please wait. My king, council members... I believe there is no law in our kingdom that prohibits marriage with other races. The fact that elves have predominantly married among themselves has been nothing more than an ancient custom."
When Langus declared this loudly, Rivett furrowed his brow and spoke.
"...No, is there not a law that forbids the royal family from marrying anyone other than elves?"
When Rivett answered thus, Edra and the others timidly agreed.
"Y-Yes, that's right."
"Indeed, the royal family may only marry among elves... I believe..."
"Since such a situation has never arisen before, we have never even considered it..."
The council members sounded somewhat uncertain, but they followed Rivett's lead. Hearing these objections, Langus snorted and laughed.
"If such a law exists, then we simply change it!"
"You fool."
At Langus's bold and outrageous declaration, even Rivett looked exasperated and hurled an insult at him.
But Langus did not yield.
"Your Majesty, please abandon your old ways of thinking. Long-standing traditions and customs are important, but the times are always moving. Our kingdom, which has cut off contact with the outside world as much as possible, has finally come to learn of the currents of the age. If that is the case, then we too must change our shape to match—"
"Fool."
Again, Rivett uttered a similar retort.
There was slightly more anger in his voice this time. It was clear from the atmosphere that Rivett was growing displeased.
Frightened by that anger, Edra and the others stepped forward as if to persuade Langus.
"Langus. You are young, and it is natural for you to be dazzled by new things. However, if you are to become the next king, I hope you will place importance on what has been passed down from ancient times."
When Edra said this, Hedniz nodded with a stern expression.
"Precisely! There may be times when laws need to be changed. But we cannot have you taking the vital task of preserving the royal bloodline so lightly! For over ten thousand years—counting from the age of myth—the elven royal bloodline has been passed down without interruption. Langus, what do you think of that noble lineage?"
And once again, Hedniz spoke words that seemed to echo elven supremacy. Still, when it came to preserving the royal bloodline, perhaps that was a separate issue. It didn't quite feel like a simple case of "human = unacceptable."
It was difficult to judge whether I should deny or agree. Since I didn't want the marriage talk to progress, perhaps it was best to say nothing.
While I wrestled with the two opinions, Langus also fell silent with a troubled expression. But then, an unexpected objection came from a surprising direction.
"I agree with Langus's opinion—in part."
It was Spire. At his words, the council members reacted most sensitively.
"Wh-What are you saying! Stile!"
"...Could you be plotting the decline of our kingdom?"
"Have you been bought off by the humans?"
Perhaps because he was not of the royal family, several members openly attacked Spire with hostility. Smiling wryly, Spire countered.
"I said 'in part,' didn't I? I do not fully affirm Langus's opinion. However, everyone here is aware of the problem our kingdom has continued to agonize over."
When Spire said this, those who had raised their voices exchanged glances and fell silent. Confirming that he had gained the floor to speak, Spire opened his mouth once more.
"...Yes, the problem of population decline. In the span of about two thousand years, the elves have lost half their population. Since no children have been born for over a decade, it will naturally continue to decrease further. In contrast, half-elves are born every year. True, their lifespans may be about half, but many are talented, and aside from lifespan, I see no major issues."
When Spire said this, Hedniz made an angry face and tried to say something. But Spire raised a hand to stop him and continued.
"Please, let me speak a little more. His Majesty will understand, I am sure—but I believe that eventually, no matter what, pure-blooded elves will disappear from our kingdom. Whether that is several thousand years from now or ten thousand, I cannot say. Nevertheless, it is a future that will surely come. Moreover, if we reject half-elves, our kingdom could already be said to be in an unviable state. In about a hundred years, the half-elves will outnumber the pure-blooded elves—that is also an undeniable fact. If that is the case, then while we may reserve judgment on the royal bloodline, we must change our view toward other races—humans, beastmen, and dwarves. If we do not, the attitudes toward half-elves will ultimately remain unchanged as well."
Calmly, as if admonishing, Spire spoke thus. Hedniz looked as though he wanted to complain, but he could not find the words right away.
It seemed that the population decline Spire mentioned was the kingdom's most serious issue.
"...Child of the Stile house, I understand what you are trying to say. Certainly, I too must acknowledge that this human is a formidable mage. I never held any particular bias against half-elves, but it is true that I have left those who did hold such views unchecked. Going forward, I do not mind issuing a decree to ensure that no one looks down upon humans, beastmen, or dwarves. However, I cannot agree to mixing other races into the royal bloodline."
Rivett said this with a pressure that brooked no objection. Even Hedniz could only lower his chin in silence. Spire did the same.
The direction had become strange, but as a result, a discussion that aligned with my goal of eliminating discrimination had emerged. This was an unexpected gain. At this rate, I could even return to Fiddiq Academy.
However, it didn't seem like I would be allowed to leave just yet.
"Please wait a moment. If marriage with Lady Aoi is not permitted, then I am prepared to step down from my position as a candidate for the next king."
And with that, Langus dropped yet another bombshell.