“Why are you so resistant to me?”

Two people sat in the bathtub. Golden Memory Wine sloshed over the rim with Evelyn’s every movement.

Maur’s hands were bound by vines, completely immobilized. His legs were magically pinned down by Evelyn. Her palms pressed firmly against his chest. Leaning close, she licked wine from his nipple—her cheeks flushing deeper with each motion.

“I’m leaving Divine Grace Academy soon. I must find my friend’s daughter.”

*Friend?*

Someone with Evelyn’s personality actually had a friend?

Maur couldn’t fathom what kind of person would befriend such a perverted Forest Fey.

Evelyn caught the shock in his eyes and continued calmly:

“Queen Dominica of the Dark Elves. Have you heard of her, Maur?”

“Hah, of course—mmph!”

Evelyn spoke while moving. Maur bit back another involuntary sound and fell silent.

*Damn Forest Fey! Is she deliberately changing the subject to lower my guard?*

*Impossible. Not happening.*

Maur would never let himself show *that* side of himself while fully conscious.

“The High Archbishop of Light used Divine Descent at the critical moment, temporarily ascending to demigod status. The intelligence I seized was incomplete. I must go to the Flower Capital next to investigate further.”

“So I’ll be leaving Divine Grace Academy soon.”

“This may be our last meeting, Maur.”

That was why Evelyn refused to rely on the Roukou Fruit this time.

She wanted Maur fully aware beside her.

Elves naturally lived over a thousand years. As elven branches, both Verdant Elves and Dark Elves possessed immense lifespans. Yet due to the “predatory” nature ingrained in Dark Elf blood, any child born from unions with other races remained pure-blooded Dark Elf—unlike Verdant Elves, who produced half-elves with humans.

Thus, Dominica’s daughter with her human lover was undoubtedly a long-lived pure-blooded Dark Elf.

Because of the brutal war Dominica ignited twenty years ago, surface races despised Dark Elves with visceral hatred. If Daina still lived, she was likely enslaved—or worse.

Finding one hidden Dark Elf across the vast Kachibia Continent would be a long journey. Evelyn might spend decades only to learn Daina was already dead.

But centuries meant little to her. Before becoming a Legendary Spellcaster, she’d often stayed sealed in her Mage Tower for over a hundred years.

Maur, though… was merely human. Frail. Short-lived.

By the time this quest concluded, Evelyn might never see her lying, careless student again.

“Flower Capital?”

Hearing the familiar name, Maur—having vowed silence—instinctively glanced toward the bathroom door.

Where Daina had collapsed.

Maur: “…”

His turn was obvious. Evelyn followed his gaze. Only a fallen figure was visible. The half-open door blocked the face, revealing stray black strands and a sliver of arm. Fingertips twitched slightly—straining to wake.

“Your maid?”

Evelyn assumed he’d noticed Daina’s movement. Her timid student always tensed with others nearby. Just like in the haunted house. *More… “active.”*

Fulfilling her teacherly duty mid-motion, she explained:

“Her magical aptitude is strong. Though the level gap prevents her from breaking my sleep spell fully, her consciousness is slowly returning.”

*Slowly… returning?!*

Maur’s eyes widened.

*Damn it—she can hear everything we’re doing?!*

*As expected. More active.*

Evelyn’s soft chuckle carried cheerful certainty: “Yes. So we must finish before she fully wakes. I need your cooperation, Maur.”

“Or shall I cast a higher-tier sleep spell? Her resistance means I’d have to intensify the magic… possibly causing irreversible harm.”

Since all living beings in Violet County Manor were fragile humans, Evelyn had deliberately weakened her spell. To her, Daina’s struggle was just a talented human maid fighting back. Restoring deep unconsciousness required only more power—but as a Legendary Spellcaster, even a “normal” high-tier spell could shatter a human’s mind.

Blocked by the door and utterly indifferent to anyone but Maur, the arrogant Forest Fey never considered the fallen maid might not be human at all.

—but the very race she sought.

—Dark Elf.

Uncharacteristically hesitant, Maur asked casually: “If… *if* you find Dominica’s daughter… what then?” He held her gaze tightly.

Evelyn dismissed it. *Human curiosity.*

“I’ll bring her to the Golden Forest. Protect her.”

“Surface races hold only hatred for Dark Elves. The outside world is too dangerous.”

Maur’s eyes widened. “You’d *lock* her up?! Calling it ‘protection’? The Golden Forest is isolated! That’s imprisonment!”

And if he recalled correctly, most elves despised Dark Elves. Even if Evelyn befriended the Queen… would Verdant Elves truly treat Daina—the Dark Elf Queen’s daughter—kindly?

“You never asked her opinion! This isn’t protection—it’s captivity!”

The Forest Fey corrected patiently: “No. Protection.”

“When she reaches Dominica’s strength, she may leave freely. But if she cannot protect herself… she stays in my Mage Tower.”

Dominica’s enemies were countless. Once Daina’s identity surfaced, endless pursuit would follow—even from the High Archbishop of Light, who could force demigod status via Divine Descent. Evelyn would never leave her in the outside world.

Daina’s fingers twitched faster.

Evelyn’s smiling eyes settled on Maur’s thoughtful face.

“Decided yet, Maur?”

“She’s waking. Her body won’t move, but her mind grows clearer.”

“Drag this out… and she’ll hear everything.”

“And teacher might just feed you the Roukou Fruit—the one that makes human bodies… *honest*.”

“So? Have you made up your mind?”

“This time… why not *ask* your teacher… willingly?”