Fantasy in Love

In the ancient forest where the elf resides, a problem is brewing.

Two figures hopped swiftly across the tops of the tree branches.

One was an elf, and the other, a human.

"Stop right there! [Tracer Arrow]"

With that declaration from Elf-san, an arrow shot swiftly from her bow.

The arrow's tip held a yellow stone, surrounded by a faint green glow.

The arrowhead, a yellow thunderstone, crackled with energy as it flew through the air.

If a creature were struck by the arrow, the thunderstone's magic would leave them paralyzed for a time.

As for the green glow enveloping the arrow, Elf-san had utilized [Tracer Arrow] to guide it, allowing the arrow to pursue Human-kun relentlessly, even as he leaped from branch to branch.

She aimed to conclude this pursuit swiftly and decisively.

The arrow drew nearer. 

Even closer. 

Closer still, until, at last, the arrow— 

Missed.

Human-kun, without even glancing back, deliberately skipped over a branch in his path, allowing himself to drop down while still sprinting forward. The arrow that had been aimed at him struck the branch instead, its thunderstone tip shattering on impact. A small, concentrated electric blast erupted, singeing the branch and leaving behind a faint trail of smoke.

('He is getting better')

Elf-san felt a small sense of awe and a bit of respect for his skillful dodge.

She acknowledged the growing skill of Human-kun, as normally, the arrow would have hit him, ending this chase.

('I have to end this soon...')

Elf-san glanced up at the sky, a flicker of distress crossing her features. The sun was climbing higher, signaling the approach of noon. She had an important meeting scheduled, and this chase was taking longer than expected. Time was running out.

"I won't miss this time!"

After making this declaration, Elf-san nocked two arrows onto her bowstring.

She focused her aim on Human-kun, predicting his next movement with keen precision.

"[Binding Arrow]"

The arrows launched from her bow as she activated her skill.

The arrows split apart mid-flight, connected by a thin, green tether that shimmered from the nock.

The [Binding Arrow] is a skill that transforms the arrows shot by Elf-san into a binding weapon, resembling a bola as they spiral towards their target.

Once the target is struck by the green tether, it coils around them using the arrow's momentum, anchoring itself securely to the ground.

The arrow surged closer, poised to close in on Human-kun.

Just as it seemed inevitable, he turned back, locking eyes with Elf-san.

*Thump*

His piercing glare, brimming with bloodlust, sent a jolt of shock through her.

Human-kun fired an arrow from his arm, slicing through her [Binding Arrow] with ease, and sent it flying straight toward her.

It was utterly unexpected; after all this time, Human-kun had never dared to fight back during their chases.

Mid-jump, Elf-san realized she couldn't evade his attack.

The timing was perfectly calculated—checkmate.

With the grim realization of impending doom, she resigned herself to being struck by Human-kun's arrow. But luckily for her, like a divine intervention, the arrow missed her by a hair's breadth, passing just above her ear and severing a few strands of her hair.

She stopped and stood in silence, her heart pounding from the near-death experience.

Elf-san was trying to process what had just happened until—

"Ah!"

*Thud*

A loud thud resonated below, jarring her from her thoughts.

It was Human-kun, bound tightly by ropes, struggling to free himself.

Seeing him like that, Elf-san let out a weary sigh.

('I guess that was just a fluke')

She descended from the tree branch and approached the struggling Human-kun.

Elf-san looked down at him disdainfully, her gaze cold as if he were nothing more than a wriggling worm.

"You have gotten better, Human-kun"

"Hehe, well, I gotta when you are the one chasing me, Elf-san"

She scoffed, ignoring his compliment while Human-kun chuckled, writhing on the floor.

"So tell me, why did you do it?"

"D-did what e-exactly, Elf-san?" He looked away nervously.

"You know your own crime."

"I-I am not sure what you are talking about, Elf-san." He looked more nervous than before.

Elf-san pinched the bridge of her nose, visibly irritated. 

"WHY. DID. YOU. STEAL. HER LUNCH. AGAIN!?!"

*Phwoueet~*

Human-kun whistled awkwardly, trying to ignore Elf-san's interrogation.

Yes, the entire chase between Elf-san and Human-kun stemmed from the fact that he had stolen the lunch of her chatty partner, Chatty-san.

"This is your 50th offense of petty crime! And not only that—the victim is always Chatty-san! Why?! Do you have some kind of grudge against her?!"

"Um... I, uh, exercise my right to remain silent...?"

Elf-san sighed, knowing that would be his response.

"Fine then, I usually would let you go after a stern warning, but this time is different"

"Wha-what?! Why?! What did I do?"

"Oya? You don't remember what you did?"

"Yeah! I didn't do anything wrong other than stealing Chatty-san's lunch"

Elf-san grabbed Human-kun by the collar.

"This time you attempted to retaliate against an officer"

She recalled the near-death experience she had just endured.

Through her time serving as an officer, there was never a single moment where she felt her life was in danger. Even during the war when the elven forest was attacked by the evil god, she had never experienced a close call like this.

Elf-san felt humiliated, and seeing Human-kun so confused and unaware of her dilemma only irked her further. She wanted him to experience a fraction of the embarrassment she felt, even if just a little.

She drew a carving knife from her waist, playfully inspecting the blade as its glint caught Human-kun's eye, forcing him to squint against the sudden glare.

"So Human-kun since it has come to this I'll be merciful"

Elf-san leaned in closer, her expression a mix of seriousness and mischief as she pressed the knife gently against his neck.

"How would you like to die?"

Human-kun's eyes darted around in extreme distress with his mouth flapping about, and a chuckle bubbled up in Elf-san's mind as she observed his panic. Just as she was about to draw back the knife, Human-kun met her gaze with a determined look, surprising her with his unexpected boldness.

"Um... The way I want to die..."

"Oya? And that would be?"

Arching an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued by his sudden bravery. The playful glint in her eyes shifted to one of intrigue, wondering what could possibly compel him to stare down the edge of her knife.

"I want to die of old age happily living with you, Elf-san!"

"Eh? Eeeeeh—??!!"

Of all the responses she'd anticipated, this one left Elf-san utterly speechless.

----------------------------------------

In the elven capital, within one of its offices, an elf was busy handling paperwork.

She worked with efficiency and precise movements, occasionally adjusting her glasses as she navigated through the pile.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Come in"

Without looking away from her pile, she allowed some visitors to enter.

"Elf-san reporting for duty Commander!"

"Heya Comander~! Chatty-san reporting~!"

The visitors were Elf-san, who was saluting, and Chatty-san, who was winking with a peace sign.

The two were currently on duty for reporting this time, which is why they visited the Commander today.

"Alright, at ease"

With that, both Elf-san and Chatty-san lowered their hands. 

They waited patiently as Commander-san continued her work, rifling through the papers on her desk. After a moment, she looked up at them, letting out a sigh.

"Chatty, I know I sound like a broken record, but please wear your uniform properly while on duty"

"Boo~ Boo~ Commander! This looks way cuter though!"

Elf-san stood in her usual white uniform, sleeves buttoned up with a straight green tie neatly fastened. Her black pants and polished leather shoes complemented her officer-like appearance. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was meticulously arranged, and her beret rested on her shoulder. The badge on her chest, symbolizing her rank as chief, gleamed in the light, underscoring her disciplined demeanor.

Commander-san wore her uniform with the same meticulous precision, her orange necktie neatly fastened and sleeves buttoned up. A knee-length black skirt, paired with black stockings and polished high heels, completed her formal, no-nonsense appearance. Her pixie-cut blonde hair gleamed under the sunlight, framing her sharp features. Like Elf-san, she wore her badge on her chest, but hers bore a prominent star, signifying her higher rank and the quiet authority she commanded in the room.

Chatty-san, the dark elf, wore her uniform with her own distinct flair, her cheeks puffed in mild defiance. Her necktie hung loosely around her neck, and several buttons of her shirt were deliberately left undone, teasing the edge of propriety as her chest seemed on the verge of spilling out. Her sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, giving her a laid-back yet rebellious air. Instead of plain pants like her colleague, she fashioned a checkered short skirt. The badge signifying her rank as vice chief was pinned to her beret, drawing attention to her silver side ponytail that swayed with every movement—a bold expression of her unmistakable personality.

Seeing Chatty-san protest, Elf-san let out a tired sigh.

"Commander, with all due respect, please give up on that. Even I, her partner of 79 years, haven't managed to change her mind"

"Fine then, just wear your uniform properly when visiting the office. Got that, Chatty?"

"Wai~ Thankies, Commander~"

Both Elf-san and Commander-san let out another sigh at Chatty-san's carefree response.

Continuing from there, Elf-san proceeded with her report.

She read through the document she had prepared. The report noted an increase in monster sightings recently, yet there had been no incidents or attacks.

"And that is all for my report"

"Good, thank you as always, Elf-san"

Elf-san saluted, then paused, as if she had just remembered something.

"Right, I'm sorry, Commander, but I forgot to include a small incident that happened today in the report."

"Is that so? Alright, let's hear it."

Elf-san nodded, reaching into her bag and carefully pulling out a neatly wrapped lunchbox and a small orb with yellow flame inside it.

"Is that a... lunchbox and an orb?" Commander-san tilted her head in confusion.

"Hey! That's my lunch! Wai~! Thankies, Elfy~!" 

Elf-san dodge Chatty-san advance to hug her.

"Yes, Commander. This here is Chatty-san's lunch, which was stolen by the petty thief, Human-kun"

Elf-san place the orb on the table

"I found this orb after collecting my arrows"

"I understand your reasoning for reporting the orb, but why did you put him in the holding cell for his it? Surely you know our protocol for handling petty crime"

"Cause, cause Commander~ It was his 50th offense! Ain't that amazing, Elf-san?" 

"No, it is not amazing, Chatty-san! He is a repeat offender, and you are his only victim! More like, shouldn't you be more angry?!" 

"But 50 times was the same amount of gold medal you got in the academy, though." 

"That was an achievement! This one is a crime!"

Elf-san and Chatty-san were bickering while Commander-san was deep in thought.

('50 times, huh...')

A soft smile tugged at Commander-san's lips, stirred by the recollection of a fond memory.

"Alright, enough, you two! Elf-san, you need to explain more in detail, while Chatty-san, you may return"

"Understood"

"Kay, kay~ Can I have my lunch back?"

With a sigh from Elf-san, Chatty-san left the room with her lunch in hand, leaving only Elf-san and Commander-san behind.

"I swear, Chatty-san just never learns" Commander-san shook her head slowly.

"Commander-san, it's just the way she is" Elf-san shrugged in resignation.

Both of them sighed in unison, a shared moment of exasperation over their mischievous colleague.

"Anyway, Elf-san, would you like to join me for some tea?" Commander-san asked, her tone warm and inviting.

"Yes, I'd like that"

Elf-san sat comfortably on the sofa as Commander-san approached, carrying a tray with a metallic kettle, a teapot, and two cups. She set the tray down on the table, opened the kettle's lid, and extended her hand. Her blue eyes glimmered behind her glasses.

"Water.

gather here.

—shape to my will. {Water Ball}"

Commander-san recited. A magic circle materialized above her palm, and water swiftly coalesced into a fist-sized sphere. It dropped neatly into the kettle, filling it precisely. She closed the lid with a soft *click*, and the kettle began to hum softly, ready for use.

"While we wait for the water to heat, shall we chat for a bit?" 

"Sure," Elf-san replied, smiling wryly as she glanced at the kettle. "Honestly, every time I see this magic device, I can't help but think how convenient it is" 

"Exactly," Commander-san sighed. "Boiling water is difficult"

Elf-san nodded in agreement.

Elves rarely cook, relying on the World Tree's bounty, while dark elves, craving flavorful meals, often master cooking, especially meat dishes. Even boiling water can be a challenge. 

"Cooking is such a hassle. I don't get why anyone bother" Elf-san shrugged. 

"To each their own" Commander-san replied with a wry smile. 

Cooking with firewood takes effort, from preparation to execution, so Elf-san's aversion made sense. However, cooking tools were gradually becoming more convenient, like the humming kettle beside them. 

*Piiiiii*

Steam whistled loudly from the kettle, signaling the water was boiled. Commander-san clicked it off and poured the hot water into the teapot, releasing a fragrant herbal aroma. 

"While the tea steeps, tell me about this Human-kun," Commander-san said. 

Elf-san recounted their chases, detailing his strategies, abilities, possible motives, and how unusually he had been acting today.

"Normally, he'd steal at lunchtime when Chatty-san was about to eat, but this time he managed to grab her lunch directly from her bag," Elf-san said, hand on her chin.

"From the bag? You mean the guild-issued one?" Commander-san asked, surprised.

"Yes, that one," Elf-san confirmed.

"He's quite skilled, then"

"It surprised me too"

The guild bags, enhanced with spatial magic, appeared small but offered ample storage, roughly the size of a one-meter-long box. For Human-kun to snatch the lunch so swiftly, he either knew its exact location or had some clever trick up his sleeve.

"You mentioned he retaliated, right?" Commander-san asked.

Elf-san jolted slightly. "Y-yes, he did," she replied, avoiding eye contact.

"What exactly did he do?"

"H-he shot an arrow when I used my [Binding Arrow], b-but it completely missed before he got caught by my skill!" Elf-san blurted out quickly.

"I see... And how would you rate his skills?"

Elf-san pondered for a moment, recalling Human-kun's abilities and his reaction to her interrogation, which still irked her. 

"At first, I'd say he's F- rank, but with his constant improvement, he's probably at the top of E+ rank now," Elf-san scoffed.

"That's all?" Commander-san asked, slightly surprised.

"Yes. If he has the skill, why stick to petty crimes?" Elf-san replied with a huff.

"Fair point," Commander-san nodded.

In the guild, ranks assess individual strength, ranging from G (lowest) to A (highest), with each rank having a low and high tier. Elf-san is B rank, Chatty-san is B+, and Commander-san is A rank. Based on this system, Human-kun could only take E+ missions, like hunting a bear or lesser magical beast.

"So, what do you think his motive is?"

"Targeted harassment, maybe? His only victim is Chatty-san," Elf-san replied with a shrug, sipping her tea.

"Hmm... Is that so?" Commander-san murmured, her hands clasped in thought.

("Is Human-kun just trying to get Chatty-san's attention?") she wondered, a faint blush creeping onto her face.

This thought came to her after listening to Elf-san's explanation and observing the scene on a monitor. The screen showed Chatty-san happily eating her lunch outside Human-kun's cell while chatting with him.

("With Elf-san's personality, he has a steep hill to climb,") Commander-san thought, glancing at her ring with a small smile. ("Maybe I could help him somehow... but how?")

As she pondered, the monitor suddenly showed Human-kun collapsing face-first to the floor, with Chatty-san panicking beside him.

"Eeehh...?!" Commander-san exclaimed, utterly flabbergasted.

"Wh-what happened, Commander-san?!" 

"I-I don't know! Human-kun just fainted and—" 

"He fainted?!" 

Elf-san quickly moved to Commander-san's side to check the screen, spotting Human-kun on the floor. However, she seemed to overlook the distressed Chatty-san nearby. 

Shocked, Elf-san's mind raced. She recalled her report about increased monster sightings and how she hadn't seen Human-kun in the usual hunting areas recently. 

("Could he have been struggling to hunt?") Elf-san wondered, a sinking feeling twisting her stomach. 

"This is my fault," she muttered, panicking as she grabbed a sheet of paper from Commander-san's desk. "I need to take responsibility." She began furiously scribbling. 

Commander-san, watching Elf-san's frantic behavior, fell into deep thought. ("I'm not sure what just happened, but maybe I can fix this.") A sly grin crept across her face as an idea formed. Silently apologizing to Human-kun, she prepared the perfect plan.

"Elf-san, listen to me" Commander-san said firmly. 

Elf-san stopped writing and looked at her with a blank expression. 

"I have the perfect solution for this," Commander-san continued, taking the paper from Elf-san and jotting down her idea. At the top, she wrote, Human-kun Rehabilitation Plan (Temp Name). 

The plan proposed that Elf-san rehabilitate Human-kun, guiding him away from his criminal ways, and train him to qualify for guild registration. 

"This should resolve his criminal status," Commander-san explained. "And it allows you to take responsibility for the situation. What do you think?"

Elf-san's eyes lit up with excitement as she grabbed Commander-san's hand. 

"Commander-san! You're a genius!" she exclaimed, letting go and brimming with enthusiasm. "Rehabilitation! Why didn't I think of that?" 

Commander-san, slightly startled by the sudden energy, tried to speak. "Er... yes, about the pl—" 

"I have no time to waste! I need to prepare!" Elf-san interrupted, grabbing her belongings and rushing out of the office. 

"Thank you for the plan, Commander-san!" she shouted, her voice and footsteps fading into the distance. 

"Elf-san!? ELF-SAN!?"Commander-san called after her, but Elf-san was already gone.

With a sigh, she picked up the paper again, rereading the plan. ("I am so sorry, Human-kun.") She could only hope he survived the grueling training ahead.

Then, she noticed writing on the back. Remembering how frantic Elf-san had been, she flipped it over—only to find a meticulously written letter of resignation.

Commander-san let out a wry chuckle. ("You're too serious, Elf-san.")

She knew Elf-san well enough to guess that, by now, she was probably drafting a full training schedule. ("Everyone deserves a break sometimes") With that thought, she made a plan to ensure Elf-san took it easy.

Unbeknownst to her, the orb Elf-san had left behind had vanished from the desk. It now nestled deep inside Elf-san's bag, hidden among the stacks of paper. In the corner, its tendrils slowly retracted, and its eerie flame flickered dimly, casting an ominous glow.