"Lady Lera…"Kurose Akira drew a deep breath, lifting his thumb to gently wipe the milky trace from the corner of his lips.
"Please don't worry, Guildmaster," Beiya Lera said with a soft smile as she rinsed the lingering whiteness from her hands with water. Her voice was gentle, warm, and reassuring. "I won't tell Frie or Flora about this."
"..."
Kurose Akira fell silent for a moment.That… wasn't quite the answer he'd been expecting.
What he really couldn't get out of his head was what had just happened…
Ahem—
His thoughts were a mess, the so-called "reward" replaying in his mind again and again. Even though her technique had clearly been inexperienced, the spring-breeze gentleness of her touch had left him completely intoxicated, unable to pull himself away.
"It's getting late. I should head back to the guild," Kurose Akira said as he stood up, preparing to leave.
But just before stepping out the door, something occurred to him. He turned back and asked, "By the way—do you know any way to meet the Elf Queen alone?"
"Meet the Elf Queen?"Beiya Lera looked genuinely surprised. Still, she didn't ask why. After thinking for a moment, she replied carefully, "Normally, you'd need to request an audience qualification from the elders first. Even envoys from the myriad races rarely get to see Her Majesty… unless—"
"Unless what?" Kurose Akira asked.
"The Elf Queen usually handles state affairs in the palace," Beiya Lera explained, "but every day she sets aside one or two hours to relax and clear her mind. If you know where she goes during that time, you might be able to meet her alone."
"Where does she usually go to relax?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Beiya Lera admitted. "But if it's Elina, she would know. All matters regarding the Elf Queen's daily attendance are handled by her alone."
"Elina…?"
Kurose Akira's expression grew subtly serious.So in the end, he still had to deal with that deeply calculating elven princess.
"I'll be going, then."
"Wait—Guildmaster~"
Beiya Lera suddenly called out.
"Yes?"
She hesitated, then finally gathered her courage and spoke softly, "Um… if possible… remember to come home for dinner more often."
Her voice carried a deep, earnest warmth—expectation and concern woven tightly together.
"…"
Kurose Akira froze for a few seconds. Then he smiled faintly.
"…Yeah."
With that, he hurried out of the wooden cabin.
Beiya Lera watched his retreating figure, the corners of her lips lifting as she murmured to herself, "Such an incredible child… in every sense of the word."
"Phew…"
Kurose Akira returned to the guild, but the lingering sweetness from earlier refused to fade from his mind.
His mouth—his stomach—were still filled with Beiya Lera's rich, milky scent. At this rate, it probably wouldn't disappear until tomorrow.
She really was far too generous.
Sleep.Tonight, he decided to stay logged in and sleep inside the game world.
Still, before that, he briefly returned to reality—grabbed something to eat, took a shower, used the bathroom—then logged back in.
The moment Kurose Akira closed his eyes and drifted into sleep, the Elf's Tear resting against his chest suddenly emitted a dazzling glow.
When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in his room at the guild.
Instead, he found himself standing in an endless grassland, lush and green beneath a canopy of light.
"…Me? Where is this?"
His body stiffened instantly. A quick glance around revealed nothing but rolling grass stretching endlessly in every direction.
A dream?
He realized it immediately—yet the realism of this dream far exceeded anything he'd ever experienced. He could feel the breeze brushing against the grass, against his skin.
As he stood there absorbing the sensation, a tree in the distance caught his attention.
He walked toward it.
And when he reached its base, his eyes widened in shock.
Beneath the tree lay a crystal coffin.
Inside the coffin bloomed countless snow-white flowers—and cradled among them, a woman lay quietly at rest.
Confusion flooded Kurose Akira's mind.This was the first time he'd ever dreamed inside the game world. And now he was dreaming of… someone?
Driven by curiosity, he stepped closer.
The moment he clearly saw the figure inside the crystal coffin, his expression turned rigid with shock.
Because—
Lying there was none other than the Elf Queen herself.
Perfect and flawless, she rested within the crystal coffin. Her breathing was faint yet steady, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath.
Standing beside the coffin, Kurose Akira examined her carefully.
Only then did he truly realize—The Elf Queen's figure could only be described as peerless.
Even wrapped in that snow-white, ornate gown, the overwhelming pressure of her presence still radiated outward, leaving him breathless.
But…
A trace of doubt surfaced in Kurose Akira's eyes.
Why was he dreaming of the Elf Queen?
Just then, the massive tree behind him rustled—sha, sha, sha.
At the same moment, the Elf Queen inside the crystal coffin slowly opened her eyes.
Those sapphire-blue pupils glittered like stars, deep as the ocean itself. The instant they opened, everything around them seemed to lose its color.
Even Kurose Akira couldn't help but stare straight into her gaze—and from somewhere deep within his heart, an audacious thought unexpectedly surfaced.
Ahem—
Just as he thought the Elf Queen was about to speak, a system prompt abruptly appeared before his eyes.
[Evil Thought (?)]:Even the most holy and noble queen cannot completely escape the desires and impulses born within the heart. She has merely suppressed and controlled them with exquisite skill.
"?"
Kurose Akira frowned slightly at the message.
Was the Elf Queen before him… the manifestation of the Elf Queen's own forbidden thoughts?
As he wrestled with this idea, the Elf Queen inside the coffin slowly sat up.
Her smile remained warm as spring sunlight, and her gentle, sun-like voice drifted toward him.
"Could you help me up, little one~?"
She raised a slender, jade-like hand—soft, delicate, her fingers long and elegant, like a work of art.
After a brief hesitation, Kurose Akira reached out and took her hand, carefully helping her stand.
The moment she rose to her feet, his eyes widened again.
She was actually slightly taller than him!?
Was it the height of her hairstyle—or the transparent crystal high heels beneath her feet, sparkling like starlight?
Those flawless, jade-like feet were displayed generously before his eyes.
"Thank you~"
Once standing, the Elf Queen thanked him politely.
To Kurose Akira, there was no discernible difference between her and the real Elf Queen.
Of course… that might simply be because he had never interacted with the Elf Queen prior to today.
"Are you wondering why I appeared in your dream?"The Elf Queen suddenly asked.
"Yes."Kurose Akira nodded—and with that single exchange, he realized this was no ordinary dream projection.
Smiling softly, the Elf Queen continued, "I want you to help me with something. Would you be willing, little one~?"
As her words fell, a system prompt appeared in his field of vision.
[Commission from the Elf Queen (1/2)]:There are four possible endings. You may choose one.
"Two branching paths… four possible endings?"Kurose Akira stared at the prompt, confusion flashing across his face. This was the first time he'd ever encountered a hidden quest with branching outcomes.
"What do I need to do?" he asked.
The Elf Queen's voice lowered, rich with temptation, filling the entire space with mystery and danger.
"Would you be willing… to join me, and drag that pure, immaculate Elf Queen down into the abyss?"