Chapter 11: Elves Who Killed Great Wolves

After turning the numerous wolf monsters into roasted whole carcasses, I sat down to smoke a cigarette and replenish my mana.

The Gate, having spat out the monsters, slowly shrank as if its power was exhausted, and then vanished.

More importantly, what should I do with these corpses? In novels and such, people sell these monster carcasses for a hefty sum.

Should I ask?

“Major Kim.”

“Yes?”

“Those corpses over there. I’d like to know how they should be handled.”

“Well, if you wait a bit, the post-cleanup team will come and collect them.”

“Ah, is that so? This is my first time, you see.”

Does that mean I can’t make money off them? Of course, they’re all burst open and burnt, so they probably don’t have much value anyway.

“Then are those corpses worthless?”

“Their mana sacs sell for a very high price.”

Mana sacs?

‘Mana sacs, bodily tissues like pouches that store mana. Since the Gates opened, many people have developed them naturally, or later generations are often born with them.’

So those monsters have such bodily tissues too. What do they plan to do with them?

“For traditional Korean medicine.”

Ah.

Even monsters couldn’t escape the grasp of K-Medicine.

Soon after, the post-cleanup team arrived.

Riding in trucks marked with ominous biohazard symbols , they wore protective suits and began loading the monster carcasses onto the trucks.

A man who seemed to be in charge approached me and spoke.

“Aigoo… quite a lot came out, huh? They’re practically covering the ground.”

“It wasn’t a small number.”

“First off, we recorded the Gate clearing process from afar with a drone, and the Dimensional Management Agency will assess the performance and provide compensation.”

“How much is the compensation?”

“Well… since you accepted the dispatch and officially deployed… you’ll receive a basic 100,000 won for the dispatch compensation.

Given this number and the stronger individuals appearing towards the end… the Vigilante Corps will likely calculate the details, but I think it should come out to around 2 to 3 million won.”

That’s quite a bit of money. But giving that much probably means the profit gained from the corpses and byproducts is even greater.

The man finished speaking and immediately deposited 100,000 won into my account and Ion’s.

Ion… is sleeping soundly. She’s even hugging her rifle.

Sleeping in the cold like that, she might catch a cold.

The man seemed to have something to say to Major Kim as well.

“Major Kim, you can’t report it as a solo operation after catching them with the Vigilante Corps like last time. It puts me in a difficult position.”

“When did I ever… haha…”

It seems this wasn’t the first or second time.

I originally planned to sleep at a motel or some similar lodging. But before that, I had to take the heavily intoxicated Ion home.

“Uuung… General… sleep over at my place…”

“Just tell me your address. I’ll take you there.”

“If the General hic doesn’t sleep over, I’m not telling!”

“Haa… fine, I get it. I get it, so just tell me the address quickly.”

“□□ Street… 12…” Zzz

Ion fell asleep again right after giving the address.

Turning on my phone, I saw dozens of missed calls from Chunshik.

“Chunshik, what’s wrong?”

“What do you mean, what’s wrong! Are you okay?”

“Ion and I don’t have a single scratch.”

“No! Not that! My car!”

So that was it. Feeling slightly mischievous, I decided to play a little joke.

“Ah, my apologies. I scratched it slightly.”

“What did you say?!”

“Haha, just kidding. The car is also perfectly fine without a single scratch, so don’t worry.”

The deep navy sky was embroidered with the Milky Way. The moonlight softly illuminated the ground, accompanied by the endless chirping of grass insects.

An empty road and flickering streetlights.

It’s quiet. Peaceful.

Of course, some might ask what’s peaceful about Pyongyang. Standards are always relative. To me, this place is very peaceful.

The faint noise of tires on the road and the loud chorus of grass insects fill the silence.

I lift Ion in a princess carry and walk up the stairs.

This is the apartment building where Ion lives. A colorless, odorless building made of gray concrete.

“Ion, the key.”

“Uuugh…”

“Haa…”

In the end, I rummaged through Ion’s pockets and found her house key.

The door opens with a click, and I carefully step inside.

I shouldn’t just lay her on the floor, right? I energetically push open the door to what I assume is the bedroom.

And what I saw in Ion’s bedroom was.

Me.

Photos of me.

Drawings of me.

I don’t know when they were taken, but pictures of me from Albheim and drawings of me filled the walls.

Honestly, I was aware that Ion had been showing affection towards me all this time.

I just didn’t realize it was to this extent.

Isn’t this level beyond typical affection and respect… bordering on love and obsession?

Honestly, I was a bit taken aback, but I didn’t feel bad or anything.

If some pot-bellied middle-aged man had done this, I would have burned him alive on the spot, but Ion… she’s small, cute… yes, lovely.

Ion is very young. There’s a vast age difference between us. If things go wrong, no, it’s certain I’ll be called a cradle robber, right? Heh heh…

Look at her sleeping form. Like a small animal purring in its sleep.

More importantly, these are quite well drawn. Although I haven’t formally studied art, I pride myself on being quite good at drawing. But Ion’s skill was formidable too.

There’s something written in small letters below the drawings.

“I love you, my General…?”

Hoo… It’s certain. This cute Ion seems to like me.

And what about me?

What’s there not to like?

Right, maybe I should prepare a small gift.

“Ugh…”

My head feels like it’s splitting.

I remember being dispatched yesterday, but my memory after that is hazy.

How did I even get home? Ah, the General gave me a ride. Though it wasn’t the General’s car.

And… the General came into my house.

No. She couldn’t have seen the bedroom. I need to get up right now and clean…

“Are you awake?”

Hiek!!

I’m doomed doomed doomed doomed! the General will despise me what if she starts hating me I shouldn’t have drunk so much yesterday…

“I asked if you are awake.”

It’s certain. She’s angry… What should I do… Should I just die?

“Y-Yes…”

“Then, care to explain the things in this bedroom?”

Let’s just die. It was a short life, but at least I lived about as long as the short-lived species (humans).

“That… please don’t hate me… General, please…”

“I like you… I love you… I only met you after dying…”

Tears stream down. The General is still looking at me with those pitying, contemptuous eyes.

“Wait here a moment. I’ll be right back.”

Is this how our connection ends? I only met her after dying. I only finally met her after dying once. She’s right here before my eyes.

My heart feels like it’s dropping at the sound of the door slamming shut.

It didn’t hurt this much even when I was hit by the truck.

How am I supposed to live now? No, why even live, I should just die. The General will hate me and despise me, probably find me disgusting.

With a sudden opening sound, the General comes back in holding two pieces of paper.

What could it be? A lawsuit? A restraining order? Whatever it is, it’s dreadful. Right… the fact that she didn’t just blast me to death with magic is already showing great restraint…

Then she holds out the papers to me…

This is?

It’s the drawing I made of the General. With ‘I love you, General’ written below it.

And next to it…

It’s a drawing of me. At the bottom, in small letters, it says ‘Me too’.

I don’t understand the situation. Could it be…

“Did the General draw this herself?”

“Yes, I learned a little when I was young.”

“What you wrote at the bottom…”

“Is my answer.”

My face turns red. It feels like it’s burning. My ears must be red too.

The General gives a faint smile. It looks like her usual expressionless face, but I know.

“Is it really true…?”

“Well, would I lie?”

“General Fride… Waaaah”

I couldn’t hold back and burst into tears. Not out of sadness, of course, but out of happiness, out of joy.

Just moments ago, I wanted to die, but now, I’m happy enough to die. Right now, I’m probably the happiest elf in the world.

“…Hold me.”

“Alright.”

The General hugs me tightly. Warmth envelops me. I’m so happy… I love you, General…

“I love you…”

“Heh heh. Me too.”

“Say you love me.”

“I love you, Ion.”

Haaaah

Since we’re on the topic…

“Live with me.”

Cohabitation, even.

“You have a more fiery personality than I thought. Fine.”

Today is a good day to die. No, I mustn’t die. I will live with the General forever. Until my life ends.

Ah, of all times.

I rushed to the bathroom. And then.

I threw up.

Damn hangover… Still, thanks to being drunk, I invited the General home and even heard her say she loves me, so it was a somewhat grateful drink.

“Ion, are you okay? Let me buy you some medicine. Just wait a moment.”

“Glehk… Yes…”

There’s really no one like the General. Someone who cares for me, loves me, and cherishes me… General…

A drawing I worked on late into the night. I used some of Ion’s paints, but she’s sure to like it.

It had been a while since I last drew, so it didn’t come out well at first; I tore up three or four sheets and started over. A perfectly finished piece, complete with coloring. I should leave a reply at the bottom.

I wrote with a pen, scribbling the words. ‘Me too’.

Ion’s appearance when she woke up was quite amusing. Like a child caught by their parents after doing something terribly wrong. Her suddenly bursting into tears was surprising, though.

I had planned to tease her more, but she cried so sorrowfully that I stopped.

I gave Ion the drawing I had left outside.

Ion’s face turned red like a beet. Hehe, she’s rather cute. Of course, her usual face is cute too, and her crying is also cute.

“Say you love me.”

I wonder if I’ve ever told someone I loved them. I was single when I was human, and after becoming an elf… well.

Of course, I had received confessions before. Which I rejected. Honestly, it felt a bit off, you know, being confessed to by a man when I used to be male. After getting commissioned, I never had the time for such things anyway.

“I love you, Ion.”

My face is getting hot too…