章 189: Chapter 189: Shadow of Corin Part 5
Callisto couldn't believe the sight unfolding before him. The brooch attached to the insignificant human's cloak was unmistakably "that".
The "Flower Token". It was a symbol given only to the most distinguished elven heroes who performed noble deeds and among them only the most exceptional.
From what Callisto knew, fewer than ten noble individuals had ever received the "Flower Token" in all of Lysette's history. And even then, the last time had been two hundred years ago.
But now, a mere human possessed the "Flower Token"?
Callisto doubted his own eyes. Perhaps he had mistaken it for a similar-looking brooch. But the thought vanished in a single second. No elf could ever fail to recognize the Flower Token. It was the dream and honor of every elf. The Flower Token wasn't identified by its shape alone. It radiated a sacred energy, the Queen's blessing, something every elf would be proud to feel. Anyone who couldn't recognize "e it was either an absolute fool or mentally ill. Or perhaps both. Fortunately, Callisto was neither a fool nor crazy.
In that case…
Was it stolen?
Of course, even that thought was wrong. Callisto already knew. The Flower Token was such an immense honor that it wasn't usually kept by an individual but by the family as a whole. Stealing it would be impossible. Even among elves, only a few ever saw the real thing, so it was natural for humans not to even know of its existence.
Clatter…
The green gem that was intricately embedded in the leaf-shaped brooch shimmered brilliantly and majestically under the sunlight. Callisto was captivated by its beauty and unconsciously held his breath.
The "Star Emerald". This was a gem harvested from a shooting star that fell on the night of Lysette's first queen's birth; it was incredibly rare and beautiful. Its glow was so mysterious that even the haughty dwarves couldn't help but admire it.
How on earth…
Callisto couldn't finish his thought and just stared blankly at the human. The human who had been shoved and had gotten back up was now dusting off his clothes. Callisto examined him closely once more, just to be sure. But no matter how he looked, the man appeared utterly ordinary, nothing special, just as insignificant as the humans Callisto had always encountered.
"…Who are you?"
At last, Callisto asked the simple human before him with a sense of formality. It was the first time he had done so since leaving Lysette. The human seemed to be puzzled by Callisto's sudden change in demeanor and tilted his head for a moment before grinning and answering.
"Theodore. I'm a druid."
***
– Take this token.
– It bears the name of Dianta.
– The elves will never forget your help.
– And they will return the favor.
– Always, and wherever you are.
I recalled the words Dianta had said when she gave me the brooch back in Lysette. That the elves would always help me, no matter where I was. The arrogance in that elf's attitude had changed in an instant.
I never imagined it would be such a powerful item.
Come to think of it, it made sense that I hadn't realized what this brooch meant. After all, since leaving Lysette, I hadn't encountered any elves. I had no chance to experience what kind of power it held. So, I had simply been using the brooch as just that. As a brooch.
Who knew I'd witness its power here?
The elf's gaze was now fixed firmly on my brooch. Judging by his serious expression, I could tell what he was thinking. He was probably wondering how a mere human could have obtained such an item, if I had perhaps stolen it, or if it might be a fake. But at the same time, he had to know it was real, and that was likely causing him some confusion.
"You seem quite interested in my brooch."
"..."
I gently adjusted the shape of the beautiful, shimmering green leaf-shaped brooch. It still had an aura of auspicious energy and smelled cool and fresh like the scent of pine needles.
"If you'd like to continue the conversation, perhaps we should move elsewhere."
"..."
"What do you think? The owner of the inn where I'm staying is an excellent cook."
The elf hesitated for a moment, then gave a nod with a somewhat reluctant yet confused expression. Well, it seemed the brooch was proving its power in unexpected ways. As expected, the queen truly was something special.
We headed toward the inn. I racked my brain as we walked; I was trying to figure out how best to persuade this elf and get him on my side. With the brooch in my possession, trust would likely be easy to gain, but…
I still don't know how far he's willing to go.
Dianta had said the elves would "repay the favor" but I had no idea what that actually meant. If it was just running a simple errand, that wouldn't be very helpful.
If I could just talk him into joining me in this, that would be ideal.
Fortunately, it was still early, and the inn's dining area on the first floor was completely empty. The innkeeper, though curious about why we had returned so soon, greeted us enthusiastically. She seemed quite pleased at the chance to start business early. She brought us each a glass of her signature sugarcane milk and took our orders.
I ordered a plate of fried mushrooms, three sandwiches, and three glasses of apple juice. I chose things I knew the elf who wasn't fond of meat would appreciate.
Soon the sandwiches arrived; they were topped with tomatoes, olives, and thick slices of cheese. The tomatoes had been roasted in olive oil, which enhanced their sweetness, and the heat from the roasted tomatoes had slightly melted the cheese, making it ooze deliciously. The salty olives added the finishing touch, making the sandwiches both clean and tasty without the need for meat. I took a bite, chewed thoughtfully, and swallowed before turning to the elf.
"By the way, what's your name?"
"...."
"We should at least know each other's names, especially since we're sharing a meal."
"…Callisto."
Callisto, huh? It wasn't a name I had heard before. The fact that he didn't mention a family name meant he wasn't a noble elf; he was likely a commoner or even from the lower class. That would explain why he had left Lysette and was working as a mercenary in the Empire.
Callisto took a small bite of his bread, like someone who found the act of eating itself unpleasant. Well, elves don't place much importance on meals. Though they have excellent cuisine and dining traditions, they believe indulging in the pleasure of eating leads to a weakening of the spirit. Usually, their meals consist of something simple like Rlembe cookies or Rlembe bread and a simple salad.
Honestly, I'm not sure whether to admire them or call them rigid…
Callisto clearly seemed to have been a mercenary for a long time, which meant it had likely been ages since he'd eaten Rlembe food designed to suppress appetite. You would think he would have become accustomed to enjoying food by now…. but here he was, eating with a face that looked like he was enduring torture. How pitiful.
Sandwiches are meant to be enjoyed with big, hearty bites that fill your mouth. That's how you really savor them.
I glanced over at El. Sure enough, El was devouring the sandwich with her cheeks puffed out like a hamster. Eating so heartily, so contentedly. I would have to feed her a good dinner later too.
Callisto barely ate half of his sandwich before setting it down. At that moment, the innkeeper returned with a plate of fried mushrooms and glasses of apple juice.
The fried mushrooms from the Corin Forest served with a sweet and sour sauce, were considered a delicacy known only to a select few. After carefully transferring the thinly battered and crispy mushrooms from the pan, I placed the dish in front of Callisto.
"The mushrooms from Corin are very tender and fragrant. Since there are no animals in the forest that eat them, they grow quite delicately. While they aren't as superb as the ones from Lysette, the flavor should be somewhat similar."
"..."
"Go ahead, try them."
I popped a fried mushroom into my mouth in front of Callisto who hesitated. When I bit into it, the crispy coating crumbled, releasing the fragrant, juicy flavor of the mushroom. The chewy texture was more like scallops than mushrooms. Wow, this was delicious. The sweet and sour sauce cut through the slight greasiness and made me feel like I could eat these endlessly.
Callisto took a bite of the mushroom without the sauce. Unlike the sandwich, he seemed to find the mushrooms more to his liking and began to eat them readily. Hmm, seeing him eat them without the sauce, he must prefer simpler flavors. In that case, salt and pepper would do the trick. I pushed the salt and pepper towards him and then took a long sip of apple juice.
"Hoo."
"…It's not bad."
"Does it suit your taste?"
"For human food, anyway."
True, eating the meat-heavy cuisine of humans must have been a bit difficult for an elf. It wasn't like he could easily search for good inns either. He must have had a rough time while being away from Lysette. Eating is the most important thing, after all…
"Listen while you eat."
"..."
"It's quite a long story."
Finally, we were getting to the main point. Callisto looked at me with a tense expression.
I briefly explained to Callisto what had happened in Lysette. The sleeping queen, the rebellion in the Dark Elf villages, and even the rebellion of the elders. Having been away from Lysette for a long time, Callisto knew that the queen had not appeared in public, but he seemed unaware of the incident in the Dark Elf village or the rebellion of the elders.
Well, it's not exactly the kind of thing you go around talking about.
In a way, it was Lysette's and the queen's dirty laundry. No one would have bothered to inform Callisto, who was outside of Lysette. Besides, unless they were nobles, most people probably wouldn't know much about it…
"So, you…"
"..."
"You saved Her Majesty. No, you saved 'Lysette'…"
"Uh… I guess that's one way to put it?"
"And that's why Her Majesty gave you the 'Flower Token'."
Callisto spoke with a much more polite and respectful tone than before as he looked at the brooch, or rather, at "me".
"…I apologize for my earlier disrespect."
"There's no need for an apology…"
"Please, grant me the chance to help you."
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