Chapter 36: Light and Darkness (3)

“I understand why you obsess over your guard job,” said Elsanad.

She was checking out the appearance of her earring reflected in the mirror. Elsanad tapped the jewel with the tip of her finger, and the clear jewel shook and reflected rays of sunlight from all angles. Satisfied with the radiance, Elsanad smiled, but she saw Elwina’s disgruntled face behind her in the mirror.

Elsanad continued, “...but you can’t go on like that forever.”

“It’s what I want to do,” Elwina said.

“There’s a limit to everything in the world, Elwina. If you exceed the limit, it becomes poisonous.”

Elsanad rose from her seat. As a respected mayor, she spent most of her day working tirelessly. The time she spent in the morning tending to her beauty was the only time she had to herself before she went to work at City Hall. As an elf who was particular about aesthetics, Elsanad put great effort into maintaining her beauty.

Her sole bloodline, Elwina, was the same. Luckily, both of them had been blessed with beauty that stood out even among the elves, so they didn’t experience any of the self-doubt or hatred that could result from having a high standard for aesthetics. Nevertheless, they had developed peculiar hobbies as a result of their obsession with beauty. In Elwina’s case, it was dolls.

“If your collection increases, we won’t have any space to store them,” remarked Elsanad.

Elwina’s hobby was collecting and creating dolls. She obtained joy from looking at unique dolls that didn’t exist anywhere else in the world.

“I’m tired of elves. They are only pretty. I need new material,” said Elwina.

As a guard, she was able to see various kinds of people entering and exiting Arnin. Unfamiliar species gave her different inspiration than what she got from the elves she had grown up with.

“It’s odd since you used to only like elves. At this rate, you might make an orc doll soon.”

Elwina didn’t respond.

This made Elsanad turn her head to look at her daughter, who appeared to be flustered by the comment. Elsanad burst into laughter.

“Elwina, I’m glad you abandoned your species’ prejudices, but I’m concerned because you are suddenly blushing like a shy lady. Did you meet an orc?”

“Yes.”

“It has been ages since an orc last set foot in Arnin. He must have done wondrous things for Arnin.”

Elsanad rose from her seat. Dressed in an immaculate and elegant dress, beautiful earrings, and a necklace that captivated the eyes of onlookers, she looked like a goddess from a famous painting.

The secretary who had been observing their conversation opened the door.

“Mayor, it’s time to go,” said the secretary.

“Understood,” Elsanad responded.

On her way out, she gazed at her daughter lovingly and said, “Elwina, I know I haven’t been able to spend much time with you ever since you were a child because I’m always working. I always feel sorry toward you because of that.”

“It’s okay,” replied Elwina.

“Come here.”

Elsanad extended her arms and embraced Elwina, then she patted her back. Elwina, embarrassed by the sudden embrace, glanced at the secretary self-consciously but eventually put her arms around her mother.

“I’m your mother, but I’m also the mother of Arnin’s citizens,” Elsanad said.

“I know, don’t worry. You have always reminded me of that ever since I was a kid.”

“I’m grateful you understand. If Arnin can become a happier and more beautiful place from my discomfort, isn’t the discomfort worth enduring? All of the things I had only imagined initially are now coming to fruition. If I can win the election just once more... then all of the things I have in mind for Arnin will be able to be fulfilled.”

“Yes...”

“Then I want to retire and spend more time with you.”

Elwina nodded in response.

“Show me your dolls again next time. They were truly beautiful,” said Elsanad.

“...Yes.”

As Elsanad caressed Elwina’s cheek, Elwina smiled. Just like Elsanad, her daughter was stubborn, but she looked like an angel when she smiled. Elwina reminded Elsanad of her dead husband.

“I will head to work now. Get some rest.”

“Take care,” said Elwina.

Elsanad kissed her daughter’s cheek and then left the room. Her secretary followed after her. As soon as they stepped out of the house, Elsanad went into work mode.

“How are they doing? What’s the progress on the matter related to the slums?” asked Elsanad.

“They are surely making progress,” assured the secretary.

“That’s a relief. It has been my life-long desire. I feel bad that I ever doubted them in the first place.”

They entered the carriage and headed to City Hall. When the mayor’s private carriage appeared in the streets, the citizens of Arnin excitedly waved their hands in greeting. Elsanad smiled at them through the window.

“Everyone seems happy,” she commented.

“It’s all thanks to you,” said the secretary.

“Arnin wasn’t beautiful in the past. It had always bothered me to see how dismal it looked.”

Alsien, Elsanad’s secretary, shrugged. Her boss, Elsanad, was a dedicated mayor, but Elsanad’s passions were derived from a strict personal standard regarding beauty, which sometimes created a discrepancy between her ideals and reality. It was her job to critique and bridge that gap.

“May the people of the slums also smile like that,” said Elsanad.

“They will,” assured Alsien. “But...’

“But?” wondered Elsand.

“The cost of constructing new buildings seems excessive. Don’t worry too much about the aesthetics. I understand you have a fine sense of beauty, but you must learn to compromise. In particular, erecting a statue of benevolence at the slums seems a bit...”

“...Is it not possible?”

“It’s a waste of the budget.”

“...Really?

“Yes, I strongly oppose it.”

Elsanad’s upright posture became hunched. Alsien faltered upon seeing that, but she tried to stay firm and not give in to Elsanad’s beauty.

“It’s still a no,” said Alsien.

“I understand. I trust you to handle matters well.”

“Thank you.”

Elsanad had tried to erect a statue of the goddess of benevolence at the first-aid station, and Alsien knew it was because Elsanad wanted the first-aid station to look beautiful.

After Alsien’s rejection of the idea, Elsanad looked downcast, but Alsien pretended to not notice.

Suddenly, Elsanad smiled as she looked out the window.

“Alsien, look. The clouds look like sheep.”

Alsien shifted her gaze to look. Clouds were scattered across the blue sky in unusual shapes that resembled herds of sheep. Elsanad, who liked beautiful things, stared at the herd of sheep-clouds with the glistening eyes of a delighted child.

“How pretty,” Elsanad exclaimed.

She grabbed onto Alsien’s shoulders in joy, and Alsien couldn’t help but smile.

***

Crockta managed to stop the evil of the Haedong Balhae clan from spreading further in Arnin. He had succeeded in avenging Lenox by putting the clan members in a state where they were unable to continue playing the game. However, the Haedong Balhae clan members weren’t just in Arnin.

Arnin had only been the beginning; Crockta still had to drive them out of several cities. Nevertheless, he had to fulfill the terms of his contract with Derek first. His job wasn’t done at Arnin just yet. The condition for fulfilling the contract was to either kill Elsanad or ensure Ilya was elected as the mayor.

In accordance with the contract, Crockta had to consider killing the politicians who had contributed to the acts of evil that had occurred in Arnin. Derek’s goal was for his contractee, Ilya, to win possession of authority over Arnin, so Crockta’s job would be easier if he were to kill the mayor, Elsanad, and make her misdeeds public.

Despite that, Crockta decided to keep an eye on things before he took any action. He was fine with Ilya being elected as the mayor, but he was also suspicious of Ilya. Regardless of how long Ilya had been preparing for this, it was strange that he had known the exact whereabouts of the Haedong Balhae clan members’ bases and swiftly guided Crockta through their secret passages. Most of all, a high-ranking member of the Haedong Balhae clan had recognized Ilya’s face and appeared surprised, but Ilya had killed him before he could finish talking.

Crockta, aka Jung Yi-An, had gone through many experiences as a soldier. His intuition wasn’t right one hundred percent of the time. However, Crockta had often seen figures related to authority deceive and manipulate others, and he refused to be played by Ilya.

So, instead of getting further involved, Crockta decided to observe how Ilya carried out the rest of his activities.

“Citizens of Arnin! There is something I must inform you of. It is the truth. It is the filthy and ugly truth!” Ilya was screaming in front of people at the public square.

It was election season in Arnin, but Elsanad received overwhelming support from Arnin’s citizens, so voting was more of a formality. Sometimes other candidates ran for office, but the winner had always been Elsanad.

However, it might be different this time.

“What kind of elf is the Elsanad you know? Is she an honest elf? Is she a sacrificial mayor? If you had believed these things, then you have been deceived. She is none of these things.”

Ilya had used amplification magic to amplify his voice, so his speech rang throughout the public square. The citizens who had been passing by stopped to listen. Information about the corruption of their beautiful and self-sacrificing mayor was undoubtedly attention-grabbing. All of the citizens present were interested in what Ilya had to say.

“As everyone knows, Arnin isn’t an entirely beautiful place. Slums exist. You might not want to see or acknowledge them, but there aren’t only wealthy elves like you in Arnin. There are impoverished and persecuted elves in this city, and Elsanad is...!”

Ilya then talked loudly about how Elsanad had been working with humans who had been cursed by the stars and how they were reaping immoral profits from trafficking and enslaving elves.

The citizens didn’t believe Ilya. They were certain Elsanad wasn’t the type of elf to do such things.

Yet, the item that Ilya raised high into the air at this moment was clear evidence that she had done those things.

“Look at this account book! The transactions between Elsanad and the humans who have been cursed by the stars are all recorded here!”

Ilya opened the account book and brought it before the eyes of the onlookers. After seeing the book, the crowd began to waver. Ilya refused to stop, and he passionately continued his speech. His strong voice rang incessantly throughout the public square. Gradually, people began to believe him, and Ilya’s men pressed the rest of the crowd to do the same.

Crockta quietly observed the scene and then turned around. He was suspicious of Ilya, but he was still collecting evidence. It wasn’t his problem whether it was true Elsanad had done those things. What he sought to achieve was Lenox’s revenge, not serving justice. That was for Arnin to deal with on their own.

Right then, Mayor Elsanad’s carriage appeared in the public square, disrupting the crowd. The City Hall was across the public square, so Elsanad couldn’t help but run into Ilya while commuting to work. The citizens watched with intrigued faces.

Elsanad’s coachman, who was oblivious to what had been going on, tried to direct the carriage past the public square, but Ilya ran up to the carriage and blocked its path. The coachman told him to move, but Ilya refused to budge.

Ilya shouted, “Elsanad! Reveal the truth! You can’t trick us any longer!”

The coachman murmured something to those inside the carriage. Then the carriage door opened, and Elsanad stuck her head out. The citizens exclaimed when they saw her beautiful face.

“...Ilya?” Elsanad’s eyes widened.

Ilya approached her without a change in his expression and raised his voice again.

He said, “Elsanad! All of your crimes are recorded here! Will you continue to play dumb even though there is evidence? You are a corrupt politician who sells elves and conspires with those who have been cursed by the stars for your self-interest!”

“Ilya, what is this...?” asked Elsanad.

Right then, Alsien, who had been sitting next to Elsanad, proceeded to speak to the coachman as she had a sense of what Ilya was trying to achieve.

“Continue moving past him. Start the carriage,” Alsien commanded.

“Alsien?” said the mayor.

“Let’s go, Mayor. Ignore him. He’s trying to incite the crowd right now. There’s no need to respond.”

“But...”

“You don’t need to do as he says. Let’s go first. Start the carriage.”

The coachman directed the horses to take the carriage in a different direction to avoid Ilya.

Seeing them leave, Ilya shouted even louder, “Look! Elsanad is dodging the truth and fleeing!”

The crowd murmured in discontent, and a broad smile spread across Ilya’s face.

He raised his voice once more and said, “Let’s bring down an iron mace on Elsanad, who has been deceiving the citizens of Arnin!”