The Forgotten Forest, where the high elves reside, was a sanctuary that even the elven elders dared not set foot in.
Elven law could not possibly apply to such a special and noble being. It was the same in the world of high elves.
All high elves are equal beings.
There was neither authority nor reason to exert force on each other. That's exactly why carnivorous high elves like her can exist.
Even if she was like that, she couldn't eat meat openly in the human world because it was obvious that the dignity she cherished above all else would be damaged.
'Ugh... I need vegetarian food too. I need it!'
Convincing herself, Hiresia put the chickpea mushroom stir-fry and roasted vegetable salad on her plate.
She walked over to an empty table, sat down, picked up a knife and fork, and began eating a moderate meal—a figure perfectly adapted to human eating culture.
"When I see a noble person respecting and learning human culture in such a way, I feel something new in my heart."
"Yes, it is true learning."
"You could say she is a role model for other students."
Conversations with faculty and staff filled her hungry interest. But she wasn't in the right frame of mind to care about that right now.
'Fuck, it tastes bad. It tastes bad!' Hiresia shed tears of pain inside.
She barely managed to eat her meal, pretending to be calm, and headed to the place where she returned her tray.
"Did you enjoy your meal today, Hiresia?" the restaurant staff greeted with a smile.
'Even this is cooking!'
She felt like throwing her plate away, but, "Yes, I ate well," she replied, not letting a hint of her true feelings show on her smiling face.
"Then come again tomorrow."
'… It was dirty being together, but there's nothing I can do about it, so let's meet again tomorrow.'
She gave a very efficient greeting and hurried out of the restaurant.
---
Saint Leferia is a city bordering a fairly rugged mountain range to the north.
The southern starting point of the mountain range called the Central Mountains was Mount Hakin, north of Seongdo.
As the starting point of a mountain range, it has dense forests, steep roads, and a mountain with a fairly high elevation.
However, there were hardly any monsters.
This was because the mountain was adjacent to a large city, and the police periodically managed it by subduing monsters that came down from the mountain range.
There was a person climbing that mountain.
No, it would be more correct to say that they soared rather than climbed.
They floated up the cliffside, which was not even a path, and ascended. Then they stopped a little past the middle of the mountain.
"This will do."
Swoosh.
The figure landed lightly on the ground.
Silver hair, silver eyes, and long ears that resembled the color of the World Tree's leaves. Elves with silver hair are rare, but not uncommon.
But there was no elf with silver eyes. Except for the high elves.
That person was none other than the high elf Hiresia.
She had flown all the way from the foot of the mountain to here, borrowing the power of the wind spirit.
Why had she come here? There was no need to ask.
"Meat."
She knew how to whet her appetite.
That's right.
This was one of her frequent hunting grounds to satisfy her appetite. It was a great place for secret hunting as there were few human traces.
Whoosh.
After confirming that there were no humans around, Hiresia took out her bow.
Although it was a wooden bow, it felt like it was full of vibrant energy. It was natural because it was a bow made from the branches of the World Tree.
The branches of the World Tree are extremely strong, yet at the same time incredibly elastic and bendable.
And they never rot.
It is truly the best material for a bow.
That is why it was a treasure whose price could not be placed on it.
She lifted such a treasure into the air.
Food slurp.
She saw a few birds flying far away in the sky.
Whew.
Bam!
Tak!
Hiresia fed arrows in an instant and fired two shots in succession. It was a tremendous rapid fire. It felt like it was shot without any sincerity, but...
Bam! Bam!
The arrows pierced exactly two birds. It was a skill in archery that would have made others' mouths drop open in surprise.
A distance at which it is difficult to hit a fixed target. But she hit the fast-moving target accurately.
Truly a ghostly skill.
The person who showed off such skill picked up the fallen bird with an innocent smile.
"Hoo hoo hoo, it's meat, meat." Hiresia sat in the shade under a big tree with a very happy face and lit a fire.
Then she quickly plucked out the feathers and spread the intestines. Finally, she took out a long skewer and stabbed two birds onto it.
Settled in the fire as is.
Now all she had to do was wait until they were golden brown and cooked well.
Chiik.
She looked at the ripening bird with an expression that said it was so pretty. After a while...
"Haha, that's it." She pulled the skewer out of the fire and opened her mouth wide.
"Thank you for this food. Yes."
"Oh? I'm seeing you from here, senior."
At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared from somewhere.
"…"
Suddenly, Hiresia froze like a stone with her mouth wide open.
---
Mount Hakin.
I was lying in wait there, lying flat on my stomach in the thick bushes.
Of course, I knew that hiding like that was very likely to get caught.
That's why I was secretly holding the Invisibility Scroll in my hand because this is a scroll I bought for this occasion.
My gaze was fixed intently on the cliff.
Then I felt a black shadow appear.
'Now.'
My hands quickly tore the scroll apart.
Sizzle—!
Soon my body became transparent. In that state, I waited. May the decisive moment come.
---
"…"
"…."
"…."
"… ."
"…."
I showed mercy to the high elf who had frozen like a stone and could not even breathe.
"Senior, take a breath, take a breath."
Only then did her eyes blink.
"Where, where am I…? Who am I…?"
She had completely lost her mind and lost her sense of humor. I kindly gave her the answer.
"This is Mount Hakin, and you are a high elf."
"Ha, Hakin Mountain? Ha, High Elf?"
"Yeah, yeah."
"Oh, I see."
She woke up with a dumbfounded face.
But I didn't miss the moment when she secretly let go of the skewer she was holding in her hand.
'Haha, this girl.' I laughed.
"Go, I have to go."
"Where?"
"To the dorm."
Hiresia muttered and walked unsteadily.
"Oh, where are you going?"
I grabbed her quickly. Her long ears twitched, a reaction that came out when she was truly embarrassed.
"Why, why?"
"Senior, were you planning to eat meat here?"
"Wh, what are you talking about?"
"Why is there meat here?"
"Why, why is it there?"
"You were holding it, senior?"
"Oh, no?"
Hiresia desperately denied it. I gave her one last blow.
"Hehehe, this is really well taken."
A magical crystal ball that can record video.
It was something I bought at the top of the mountain for a lot of money just before coming here.
To use at this very moment. I kindly played the video in front of her eyes.
-Hoo hoo hoo, it's meat, meat.
-Whoosh.
-Chiiik.
-Haha, okay.
-Yes.
The video stopped just before she opened her mouth wide and started chewing on the meat.
"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh… ugh, ugh…"
Gulp.
Hiresia's eyes rolled back.
Dump.
And then she just passed out.
"Oh my, was that too much?" I felt a little guilty. But what can I do? Life is a real battle.
"I'm sorry, but go to sleep. I won't wake you up forcibly."