So apparently, Esta had became fixated on the idea that I had raped her. But this wasn't her only concern.
"I can't believe this. I was violated...that too by a Human."
"So it was okay if an Orc did this to you."
"S-Shut up" she was in tears at this point "Tell me why di you do something like this."
"I would tell you everything. But first of all, listen to me. Yes, I am a healthy boy who has lust too but all I have is a healthy lust. I am not the kind of person who has lost his sanity that he would do such a vile crime as snatching the dignity of a female. Besides that, you are too cute to be pushed down by force."
She blushed by her body won't let her forget all that pain so easily, it seems.
"Then, why-"
"To save you."
"Ehh?"
"That creature. The Ibex Eagle, it hit you with some sort of magic that seems to have frozen your organs from the inside. I don't know about the anatomy of elves, but the reaction that your body had was the same as humans. To cut a long story short, you'd have died from hypothermia."
"...I see."
What? Did she accept it so easily? I thought she would throw a fit around and ready her bow to finish me off.
"The healer priests of Balkan did give details about such a non-magical way of healing the body. Us, elves do have a high resistance to cold but it's only because we are able to store it inside our body. It usually helps us to get out of emergency situations but can be a double-edged sword too. The Ibex Eagle used that against me. There are potions that could have helped me. But I didn't have anything with me at that time."
"Neither me. My pockets are empty."
"What do you even came here for? You can't fight, are weaker than mere slime, don't have any special ability, and are empty-handed too."
"Hey, Hey is that a way to talk to your savior?"
"I would rather die than being saved by a human."
"Wai-"
"Haha. Don't worry. I won't kill myself just yet. I'll tell my father about this incident, about how I had sullied by the nation's name by consummating with a creature like Human. And then, if he tells me to kill myself, I'd do it and if he tells me to leave the village, then also I'd do it."
"Wait! Why would you be killed for something like this? Shouldn't I be punished for forcing you?"
"Why would you? You only saved me. A mere human, who can't save himself, saved me..."
I was about to scowl in frustration but the smile she said while giggling after those words stopped me to do so.
"I was in the wrong from the very start. Father did tell me not to leave the palace, and still, I went and did it. I was too egoistic to think that I could take a stroll around with no equipment because I was powerful enough to protect myself. It's all my fault."
"It isn't-" I got up and went closer to her and grabbed her hands.
"H-Human..." she fidgeted on the touch. God, she is really so cute. I really don't want her to do anything rash with herself.
"Esta. I...I'll take responsibility for this."
"Responsibility? How?"
"I would talk to your father."
"He'd kill you."
"I was ready to face that fate, the moment I touched your skin. I don't know if it helps but I had already killed myself in my mind when I did those terrible things to you. It was to save you, but that doesn't excuse me from the fact that lies on the surface - I was the one to do the deed. If your father does tell you to kill yourself, I'd die in your place."
"Why? You already have done enough by saving my life. Why would you go as far as sacrificing yourself for me?"
"I have an answer, but only if you won't aim your bow at me when I say that."
"I won't. I swear in the name of my father."
"You are so beautiful, that I can get myself killed to save you a thousand times."
(Fuck.I said it. I literally said one of those crappy lines that handsome men in tv shows use to flirt around. Never in my life, I would have said that to a girl in the original world.)
"B-Beau..." she aimed her bow at me but then, with her cheeks full of crimson color due to the extreme blushing she brought upon herself, she tells me "Come with me. I'll take you to father."
I got up and began to follow her. She took me through weird routes in the forest. What kind of covert lives do these elves live?
Esta had become somewhat friendlier with me. She replies to my question with less killing intent on stupid ones but still refers to me as "Human". I asked her about it.
"Thousand years ago, Elves used to live beside Humans in harmony, but they were too greedy. We Elves like a reserved life. Things like alcohol, the delight of flesh (AN - She's talking about sex), were not known to us. So when Humans begin to encroach our lands with the intention of trade, we gave it to them, with only one condition that they won't destroy our peace. We gave them skilled craftsmanship, we gave them top quality materials from the forest, we elves live for a thousand years, and so we gave them the knowledge about different elements but what we got in return was Betrayal. The greed of humans is like an abyss with no ground to reach inside it. We gave them everything and they still wanted more. Those traders brought knights and knights brought wars. Elves led a peaceful life. We were strong, and we were more intelligent but we were no warriors. Humans captured us, males were used to doing forced labor, and females were sold as sex slaves to be raped endlessly. Libeccio, one of the strongest elf to have ever lived took the lead under his control and taught the elves to fight. Under his leadership, elves were able to push back the humans but the numbers were against us. So he hid us into different forest towns from where we can engage in guerilla warfare if the need arises. From then onwards, Elves have a deep-rooted hatred for the humans."
Sigh. So humans are screwing around this world too. I sometimes think, what was the purpose of God when he created apes and evolved them to mankind. I wonder, if he'd done that knowing that he's creating a weapon that would destroy everything that he's ever made. Even animals in my world seem to have more humanity than humans.
In half an hour, she brought me before a large iron gate. The door flung open and tap! tap! tap! running from the front, a group of elven knights with bulky armor-clad suit surrounded me.
"Princess Esta, what's the meaning of this? Why did you bring such a creature to this holy soil?"
P-Princess!!!