A Social Experiment

A human in a city full of high elves was an unusual sight.

Wherever he went, he became the center of attention. Every elf looked down on him, judging him as inferior. Yet, despite their contempt, no one said a word or made a move against him. The most they did was cast disdainful glances his way.

High elves were among the most lawful of races. Even if they held absolute contempt for someone, they would never resort to physical violence—simply because it was against the law.

To test whether he would face discrimination, Edric attempted to enter a few high-end restaurants. Surprisingly, he was allowed in without issue. No one stopped him, nor did anyone openly mistreat him, despite the silent disdain they harbored for 'lesser' races.

"High elves are strange beings," Edric mused. "I can tell they see me as some kind of ape, yet they haven't actually done anything to me!"

There was a law in the Elven Empire that strictly forbade discrimination based on biological characteristics. Edric assumed this was the reason why he was treated fairly, at least on the surface.

"If not for that law, they would've probably tried to throw me out of the city the moment I arrived," he thought.

Arrogant and racist, the high elves still maintained an unwavering sense of lawfulness, making their society surprisingly harmonious. It was this rigid adherence to order that allowed the Elven Empire to enact laws and alter the behavior of its citizens with ease.

"Humans are far inferior in this regard," Edric admitted to himself. "Many humans respect the law, but just as many are lawless, incapable of following rules unless there's a sword hanging over their heads. And even then, they still commit crimes, only to be punished later."

There were no fights, no street brawls, and not even patrolling guards. The city had a police force, but they seemed more focused on guarding the outskirts rather than the inner districts.

"If an orc were to enter a human city, he would most likely be discriminated against at every turn. He'd be lucky to make it out alive." Edric compared his situation to that of an orc in human territory.

It wasn't an exaggeration. The high elves viewed humans in much the same way—perhaps even worse—than humans viewed orcs.

Despite the reputation of certain orc tribes for worshiping demon kings, the Orc Empire itself was a civilized nation, and the average orc was no more dangerous than the average human.

"High elves are far more homogeneous than humans," Edric observed as he cut into a piece of meat with his silver fork.

The meat was tender and flavorful. It wasn't the most delicious dish he had ever tasted, but it was unique—an unfamiliar flavor that intrigued him.

"What kind of meat is this?" he wondered before dismissing the thought.

"Whatever. It's delicious, so who cares?"

Edric continued eating rapidly, paying no mind to etiquette. His lack of refinement drew even more disapproving stares from the high elves around him, but he hardly cared.

As Edric ate, he made no effort to be polite. He chewed loudly, smacked his lips, and didn't bother to conceal the contents of his mouth. Every exaggerated bite, every slurp, and every wet chewing sound filled the restaurant, making the surrounding diners visibly uncomfortable.

Many of them forced themselves to continue eating, though their disgust was apparent. Some, however, couldn't endure it any longer and stood up, leaving in silent outrage.

"Hmm… seems like I'm bad for business," Edric mused.

A few of the restaurant's servers looked increasingly worried. They hurriedly approached the departing customers, bowing their heads in apology. Losing patrons over a single human was not something they could afford—but there was nothing they could do. Expelling Edric was out of the question, thanks to the strict anti-discrimination laws.

"What if I come here every day? Would the owner beg me to stop coming? Or maybe he'd bribe me to start eating at his rival's place instead?" Edric thought, suppressing a smirk. The idea that his mere presence could cause such a scene was too amusing.

Despite the exaggerated disgust, his table was set at a considerable distance from the others. The elves could have simply ignored him. Yet, their pride and sensibilities were so fragile that they chose to leave instead.

"Would they react the same way if I wore fine clothes and had perfect manners?" Edric wondered. "Is it my lack of etiquette that offends them, or is it simply because I'm human?"

There was only one way to find out.

After finishing his meal, he paid the bill without leaving a tip. The servers' expressions darkened with even more contempt as they watched him go.

Tipping was a serious matter among high elves. The tip percentage was a direct reflection of one's social status. High-ranking officials, such as mayors, would be considered disgraceful if they tipped less than 100%. Because of this culture, working as a server in a high-end restaurant was one of the most lucrative—and competitive—jobs available.

As soon as Edric left, several servers rushed to his table. They swiftly replaced the dishes, then carefully sanitized the table and chair, scrubbing them down as though they had been contaminated by some plague or filthy vermin.

His visit had brought the restaurant nothing but loss. Not only had they lost customers, but they also had to waste over an hour meticulously cleaning every trace of his 'contamination.' Yet, no matter how much they despised him, they could do nothing.

Public accommodation laws ensured that all individuals—regardless of race—had the right to access places like hotels and restaurants. As long as Edric didn't cause real trouble, they had no grounds to remove him. Eating messily or lacking proper manners did not constitute disruptive behavior—court rulings had already settled that matter.

That said, not all high elves were this rigid. In cities where other races were more common, the elves had learned to tolerate such behavior. However, Eldrinvar—despite being a trade city—was located deep within elven territory. Its residents had little experience dealing with non-elves, let alone other species. This, more than anything, was why they reacted with such extreme intolerance.

...

The next day, Edric returned to the same restaurant.

This time, he was dressed in luxurious clothing—far finer than what even most high elves wore. His skin was spotless, his features strikingly handsome—so much so that he could rival even elven women in beauty. Though his rounded ears still marked him as human, he now appeared as a high-class, wealthy noble.

The moment he stepped inside, the reaction was completely different. Fewer eyes turned toward him, and the contemptuous glances were significantly reduced. There were still some who regarded him as a well-dressed ape, but their disdain was far milder than before.

"So, yesterday's hostility wasn't entirely because I'm human… It was because I looked poor and had bad manners?" Edric mused.

"Maybe they're not as speciesist and racist as I thought. Perhaps they simply look down on those who appear unrefined?"

This time, he dined with the grace of nobility—taking small bites, eating slowly and elegantly. No loud chewing, no open mouth, no unnecessary noise.

No one paid him excessive attention. No one left in disgust.

When he finished his meal, he left a generous 500% tip on the table before walking out.

The moment the server saw the tip, his perception of humans changed completely.

Just a day ago, his first encounter with a human had left him with the impression that all of them were crude and troublesome. But today, another human had visited—one more refined and dignified than most elves.

It shattered his assumptions entirely.

...

"The problem with high elves is that they're too rich," Edric concluded.

Nearly all of them wore fine clothes, lived in elegant homes, and carried themselves with impeccable manners. Compared to them, every other race—including other elves—seemed like barbarians.

"These high elves aren't necessarily racist… they just look down on poor people," he sighed.

Curious, he discreetly altered his appearance once more, transforming himself into a high elf—only this time, he dressed in ragged clothes and gave himself an unattractive, unkempt face.

As he walked through the bustling streets, he immediately noticed something interesting. The contempt in people's eyes was even stronger than when he had appeared as a poorly dressed human.

"Definitely not about race… it's about class," Edric concluded with certainty.

"High elves act like nobles who refuse to associate with commoners. If I make myself look like one, they become contemptuous—regardless of race or species."

High elves had a reputation for being speciesist and racist, but so far, that reputation seemed undeserved. They weren't looking down on others because of their race—they were simply extreme classists.

To test his theory further, Edric once again changed his appearance. This time, he became a human dressed in ordinary clothes—neither rich nor poor. In a human city, no one would have given him a second glance. He looked completely average.

But in an elven city, "normal" meant low class. And once again, the elves' gazes filled with disdain.

"I see now why they have a reputation for being racist," Edric thought. "Ordinary people of other races are treated with such contempt that they assume it's because of their species—not their social standing. And of course, it's difficult to separate how one looks from what one is."

After all, high elves were naturally beautiful. Their faces were refined, their physiques elegant—few humans could compare to them. And as for orcs… it was unlikely any orc could ever be considered beautiful by elven standards.

"In practice, this means that most individuals from other species are looked down upon because of their appearance. The fact that a few beautiful humans escape this contempt does not negate the speciesism directed at the majority of humans."

Edric thought, "Most humans are ugly from an elf's point of view, while most elves are beautiful by their own standards."

Interestingly, elves and humans shared a similar sense of beauty. The only major difference was in their views of masculinity. Among humans, strength and ruggedness were attractive traits in men. Among high elves, however, beauty in men was associated with softness and grace. When it came to women, though, the two races had almost identical standards of beauty.

Of course, beauty was subjective. Every individual had their own preferences. But there was still a general, culturally shaped sense of attractiveness—one that evolved over time.

"The fact that human and elven beauty standards align now doesn't mean it was always this way. Maybe, in the past, humans preferred more masculine women… I have no idea how human ideals of beauty have changed over time."

Then again, Edric's knowledge of human culture in this world was extremely limited. He had spent most of his time on Silver Flower Island and in the Bloodstone Kingdom—hardly representative of all humans. For all he knew, the Flicker Empire could have completely different beauty standards.

Despite being an Ultra Knight, his understanding of human civilization remained narrow, shaped only by the places he had visited. Silver Flower Island was just a tiny piece of the world, and hardly the best example of humanity as a whole.

...

As an Ultra Knight, Edric's vision was extraordinary.

Most elves, though they held contempt for him, didn't show it too openly. Their expressions remained composed, their disdain hidden beneath carefully practiced indifference.

But Edric noticed.

With his enhanced senses, he caught the subtlest changes—the flicker of a sneer, the faintest tightening of the lips, the almost imperceptible narrowing of eyes. Even the smallest microexpression betrayed their true feelings.

Over the course of his five-hour walk through the city, every single elf he encountered had at least some level of contempt for him. About half of them hid it so well that an ordinary human wouldn't have noticed.

But Edric did.

Every single one of them…

Except for one.

A female high elf.

Her gaze wasn't filled with disdain. She wasn't sneering or looking down on him. No… her eyes held something else.

Desire.

"Am I really that handsome?"

Edric frowned. It was strange. He had deliberately taken on the appearance of an ordinary human—plain, unremarkable, neither rich nor poor. And yet, this high elf woman was looking at him like he was the most desirable man in the world.

"Let's see."

Intrigued, Edric casually changed direction and walked toward her.