Volume 2 Chapter 17 – “Fam, Who Can Relate to This?”

“Welcome home, Your~ Highness”

“Long time no see~”

“Yeah, long time no see.”

Once he landed and could clearly see his surroundings—and the person in front of him—Dylin fell silent for a long moment.

“…Why is it you?”

Indeed, earlier, because of that spatial barrier between them, the two had seemed to exist in separate dimensions, making it impossible to see the girl’s face behind the curtain.

Now, with Dylin also inside the barrier, the silver-haired girl’s appearance was perfectly visible.

The Elf girl’s long hair flowed like silver veils under a crescent moon, her beautiful eyes shimmering like violet gemstones. Her skin was like creamy-white lamb fat jade, bathed in moonlight. She wore a white dress with a backless design, and on her feet were open-toed crystal-white heels.

That radiant beauty, glowing like moonlight, made even the moon itself seem pale.

Yeah, not exactly unfamiliar—more like someone he knew but really didn’t want to see again.

“So you’re the one who tricked me into coming here?” Dylin took a silent step back, widening the distance between them.

“How could you call it trickery? To some degree, didn’t you willingly walk here yourself, Your Highness~?” The Moon Elf girl covered her mouth with a smile.

That’s right—this Moon Elf was the same attendant of Bilodis he had met during his first accidental entry into Coleman Forest.

“How do I get back?” Dylin clearly had no interest in letting this ancient Elf keep weaving her sophistry.

“Your Highness, you’ve already returned. Isn’t this your home?”

“Don’t joke with me. Only birds make their homes in trees,” Dylin stared at the Moon Elf with full alertness. “How did you find out I was still alive?”

“Your Highness, aren’t you underestimating Her Majesty Bilodis a bit too much?” The Moon Elf’s fingers, smooth like glass, twirled through her hair as she spoke with a deep smile.

“I nearly died in your sacrificial ritual—what more do you want? Trying to erase me completely now?”

“Your Highness, do you perhaps misunderstand us? How could your own elder sister ever harm you?”

“Hah.”

Yeah, sure—they wouldn’t harm Teresa. But Dylin? Who knows.

The pain from that live sacrifice—the feeling of having his blood and marrow forcibly torn away—remained vivid in his memory.

If he didn’t escape, he might be subjected to something even worse. He couldn’t afford to gamble on that.

He glanced behind him silently.

This silver-haired pain-in-the-ass kept hyping up Bilodis’s omnipotence, but clearly even she couldn’t break free of her constraints.

The fact that his mind had been manipulated at all proved one thing: for some reason, Bilodis couldn’t move freely within Kaleburn. If she could, she would’ve already come to take him herself. Why resort to such roundabout tricks and plots otherwise?

Clearly, even someone as powerful as Bilodis couldn’t appear personally at Coleman Academy. Instead, she had to lure him to some hidden realm entrance inside Coleman Forest through mental manipulation.

As long as he found a way out of this realm, there was nothing they could do to him!

“The experiment failed. I almost died because of it. And yeah, I heard the orphanage got some funding from you guys afterward. Our contract should’ve ended there—so why’re you coming after me again?” Dylin feigned ignorance to lure the Moon Elf’s attention onto the topic.

“So, in Your Highness’s eyes… your relationship with your sister is nothing more than a cold contract?”

“Isn’t it?” Dylin challenged, subtly inching backward, already planning his escape.

“This time, it’s actually Her Majesty Bilodis who—”

Now’s the time!

Just as the Moon Elf began explaining, Dylin whipped out a Flash Potion from his pajama pants and hurled it directly at her face.

“Eat flashbang!”

No hesitation—he spun and bolted.

Also known as a Blindness Potion, this low-tier alchemical tool was dirt-cheap but incredibly versatile. It had saved Dylin’s butt countless times—helping him beat orcs, Felicia, and a whole range of magical beasts.

Once again, Dylin pinned his hopes on this miracle potion, unleashing his legendary secret technique: "Boom in the Pants."

White light exploded behind him as Dylin sprinted across the shadowy grass.

He poured every ounce of strength into running, legs pumping frantically.

In moments like these, he regretted not exercising more.

Still, it seemed to work. No silver-haired psycho chasing him.

Heh. No matter how strong someone is, a flashbang still screws them over. Dylin was quietly smug.

…Wait. Something’s wrong.

Panting hard, Dylin noticed something off.

The distance he ran didn’t match what he remembered when he was pulled in—why was it taking this long? Was he trapped in some endless loop?

Everything around him looked too familiar. Like he’d run in a circle and ended up where he started.

The more panicked he got, the more determined he was to break free—but no matter how fast he ran, the scenery didn’t change. It was like being on a treadmill, running in place.

This is seriously messed up.

Then—thud. He tripped hard over something and crashed face-first into a flowerbed.

“Huff… huff…” Dylin’s chest burned. His lungs felt like they were on fire.

“Well now, didn’t know Your Highness enjoyed exercise this much. You’re far more lively than before—Her Majesty Bilodis will be pleased,” came a sweet, melodic voice.

Flat on his back, Dylin saw that smile framed by beautiful features, and gleaming eyes like polished gems staring down at him.

From this angle, he could see her smooth, plump legs, and her open-toe heels were so close he could practically taste the mint-like scent. Under her skirt, the faint outline of silky lace...

No! Focus, damn it!

“When did you catch up?!” Dylin scrambled up, panting hard.

He was out of steam. Just standing had burned his last bit of energy.

“I didn’t follow you, Your Highness. You were just running in place.” The Moon Elf tilted her head, poking her cheek with a dainty finger.

“You did this, didn’t you?!”

“Do you even know where you are, Your Highness?”

“How would I know?! You lured me here!”

“This isn’t Kaleburn,” she said, ignoring his protest. “Spaces aren’t something you can just sprint between—your legs aren’t faster than light, right?”

“To jump from one space to another, you need spatial transfer.”

“So even if you run yourself into the ground, you’re not getting out of here.”

The silver-haired Elf stood with her hands behind her back, smiling at the sweat-drenched Dylin.

“...Sh*t.”

“Language, Your Highness. That’s such a crude human phrase.”

“I’m not your damn Highness! Let me go already! What kind of self-respecting Elf Empress sends flunkies to torment a mortal human? Real classy.” Dylin launched into Verbal Counterattack Mode.

“Do you even know how much Her Majesty Bilodis has sacrificed for Teresa?”

“That’s got nothing to do with me, Dylin!”

“Just because your experiment failed doesn’t mean you can take it out on me! Banishing me to some interdimensional pit won’t bring Teresa back!”

“You really don’t understand…” The Moon Elf rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

“Whatever. Come—take my hand, and I’ll bring you to Her Majesty. She’s been waiting so long. She misses you terribly.”

“Nope. Not going.” Dylin plopped down cross-legged.

“If you’ve got the guts, carry me there. Otherwise, I’m not budging.”

“You want me to carry you? That’s quite improper. Besides, I don’t have the authority to force you.”

“Oh please. Like you got my permission to trick me here?” Dylin rolled his eyes.

“It’s Her Majesty’s command.”

“Great. Then go ahead, carry me. But I’m warning you—I won’t call her ‘sister.’ That’s just disgusting.”

“…”

The Moon Elf smiled silently.

“Well, since I’m stuck here, you’re covering all my meals, got it? If you’re gonna keep staring, it won’t magically make me Teresa.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t be so sure.” The Moon Elf suddenly took out a small, exquisitely designed golden bell from her waist. “Your Highness, you truly won’t come with me?”

“How many times do I have to say it? Do you have a comprehension problem?” Dylin snapped, thinking she couldn’t do anything to him.

“…Then I apologize.”

“Apologize? For what—”

Before he could finish, she gently rang the bell. A soft, natural tone rippled straight through his heart.

“I…”

He tried to speak, but the sound had already seeped into his soul.

It was beautiful…

Like the Mother of Life herself had reached out to bless a wounded world. All things revived.

Greenery flourished.

New shoots emerged from broken stone.

Dylin’s eyes slowly closed as he melted into that divine harmony.

Then—abrupt silence.

He snapped his eyes open. He seemed awake again, but confusion lingered in his gaze.

Something felt wrong with his body…

Looking down, he saw sunlight-golden hair spilling over his shoulders, brushing past delicate collarbones into soft, snow-white cleavage.

The feeling was all too familiar.

“…Your Highness~”

He looked up and saw that stunning smile again.

“This time, you’ve truly come home.”

“Kneeling before the golden-haired Elf girl now seated daintily on the ground, the silver-haired Elf knelt on one knee.”

“Welcome, Teresa Galnorin.”

“Me?!” Teresa’s pupils contracted.

She rubbed her cheeks.

Felt her ears.

Pointy. Soft…

No way—!

She quickly checked her head—no butterfly hairpin.

It was back home. There was no way she could’ve turned into Teresa!

No. Freaking. Way.

What the hell kind of spell did this silver-haired nut use?!

“Come, Lady Teresa. Please take my hand so I may escort you to the glorious Sacred Tree Hall.”

Fam… who the hell even understands what this insane Elf woman is going on about?!

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