Kaito stepped out of his chamber feeling lighter than he had in days. The intense morning release left him relieved, though his body was still achy from yesterday's brutal fight. Bruises lingered across his ribs and shoulders, but the luxurious palace bed worked wonders. Dusk settled over Valeria, painting the sky in deep purples and golds as evening approached. The seven elf maidens were still resting deeply after their exhausting ordeal, giving the palace a rare, peaceful hush.
His stomach growled. Starving, Kaito made his way toward the grand dining hall. The long table was already set for him—pristine white tablecloth, gleaming silverware, and crystal goblets. As soon as he sat down, a procession of elf chefs and servants emerged, carrying dish after dish. The food was nothing short of royal luxury: tender herb-crusted venison in a rich berry reduction, roasted root vegetables glistening with spiced butter, fresh-baked flatbreads stuffed with fragrant cheeses and wild mushrooms, and a delicate soup of shimmering moonpetals that tasted like liquid starlight.
Kaito's eyes widened with every bite. "This is… incredible," he murmured between mouthfuls, savoring the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and aromatic flavors. "I've never tasted anything like this. The venison practically melts, and these spices—this is genius!"
The head chef, an older elf woman with silver-streaked hair, blinked in surprise. The kitchen staff exchanged stunned glances. Compliments were clearly rare.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the head chef said, bowing deeply. "We are… most honored."
Kaito grinned, taking another generous bite. "Seriously, keep this up and I might never leave the palace."
As he ate, a beautiful young elf maid with sleek black hair cascading down her back and striking purple eyes approached to refill his goblet. She was so distracted staring at him—particularly at how the soft evening light caught his features and the way his glasses sat on his nose, that she kept pouring long after the cup was full. Wine spilled across the tablecloth and onto Kaito's lap.
"Ah—!" She gasped, jerking the pitcher upright. "Your Majesty! I-I'm so sorry!"
Deep crimson flooded her cheeks. She grabbed a cloth and frantically dabbed at the spill, mortified.
Kaito laughed softly, waving a hand. "Hey, it's fine. Really. Accidents happen. No harm done."
"But I spilled it everywhere!" she cried, voice trembling. "I deserve serious punishment for such clumsiness. Please, name whatever penalty you see fit—"
Kaito's smile faded into a frown. "No way. Absolutely not. It's just wine. I'm not bothered at all!" He reached out gently and patted the back of her hand. "Your service has been wonderful. And may I say… you have a very pretty face. It's hard for me not to get distracted too."
The elf maid froze. Her purple eyes went wide, and her entire face burned bright red. "Y-Your Majesty…!" She bowed so low her forehead nearly touched the table. "You're too kind! I—I will excuse myself now!"
She fled the dining hall in a flustered hurry, leaving Kaito chuckling to himself as he returned to his meal.
***
Later that evening, the same black-haired maid carried a silver tray with a fresh decanter of wine to the throne room. Queen Fiore sat half-reclined on her throne, eyes heavy with exhaustion. The long day and night had finally caught up to her.
"Ma'am," the maid said softly, pouring a careful measure of wine. "You should rest. Let the servants handle things for a while. You mustn't overdo it."
Fiore rubbed her temple. "There is too much at risk if I let my guard down…"
"Everything will be fine," the maid assured her. "His Majesty is awake. He is in the dining hall. If anything strange happens, he'll be there in a heartbeat."
The Queen's expression softened. "How is he?"
The maid hesitated, then smiled shyly. "He seems really happy here. I… I feel embarrassed admitting this, but I find him quite attractive. And nice. I'm surprised how lovely he is. Our last ruler was so selfish and horrible—he cared for nothing but himself and showed no respect to anyone. That man was purely despicable!"
Queen Fiore nodded slowly. "I agree, he is rather handsome and yes, Kaito is very kind. I didn't expect our saviour to be someone so young, yet he seems wise beyond his years. He has performed exceptionally well in the trials of kingship so far."
She sipped her wine, thoughtful. "While the elf maidens are resting, I would like to spend some time with him… I wish to get to know him better."
The maid's curiosity piqued. "The royal messenger mentioned he is very fond of elves. Why is that, Your Majesty? How do humans even know about our kind?"
Fiore smiled faintly. "Humans seem to know about everything. I know not how they possess this information, I have yet to discover this for myself. Our Kaito must know far more than we realize."
The maid blushed. "He's amazing and looks so dashing in any of his royal garments…"
Queen Fiore couldn't help it—she let out a soft, genuine laugh, her regal composure cracking for a moment. The maid covered her face in embarrassment.
"I cannot allow you to steal away my destined husband now, can I?" the Queen teased, though her own cheeks turned pink.
Fiore sighed. "He may not want just one wife. By the looks of it, he seems to admire all seven of the elf maidens greatly."
The maid looked away sheepishly. "He even complimented me earlier…"
For a brief second, a flash of jealousy crossed Queen Fiore's face but she calmed quickly. "I guess I cannot force him to remain loyal, especially after everything he has sacrificed for us."
She shook her head, amused. "Look at us—arguing about him like a pair of teenage girls."
The maid giggled. Soon both women were laughing together, the sound light and warm in the grand throne room. Kaito, still enjoying the last bites of his dinner down the hall, remained completely oblivious to the conversation.
***
The morning sun bathed Valeria's royal gardens in a warm, golden light. Morning dew still clung to the lush greenery, making every vibrant petal sparkle like a carefully polished gemstone. Birds with shimmering blue feathers darted through the ancient canopy, their melodic, ethereal songs filling the crisp air.
Kaito sat quietly beside a pristine marble fountain at the heart of the garden. Water trickled softly behind him, a soothing backdrop as he turned another heavy page of the thick, leather-bound tome resting on his lap.
The History and Heritage of the Elven Kingdoms.
He had scavenged it from the deeper, dustier shelves of the royal library. Outwardly, he appeared to be the picture of an studious, earnest hero absorbing the culture of the realm.
Inwardly, however, Kaito's mind was swimming in a very different, vastly dirtier current.
He stared at the detailed ink illustrations of ancient elven women—their high, exquisite cheekbones, their pointed ears, their supple, unblemished skin, and the graceful, flowing curves of their figures. Kaito exhaled deeply.
Gods above, he thought. They're just absurdly hot. Every single one of them. Back on Earth I was a total nobody, a fucking virgin who could barely look a cute girl in the eye without stammering. And here? I'm surrounded by otherworldly goddesses who actually think highly of me.
Kaito dragged a thumb over a drawing of an elven maiden, imagining what it would feel like to press his hands against those smooth, soft hips, to hear a soft, breathy gasp echo in his ear as he finally lost his virginity to someone so impossibly gorgeous. The thought made his blood run hot, a desperate, raw hunger clawing at his chest. He didn't just admire them; he wanted to bury his face in their scent, to feel their delicate bodies trembling under his, or him trembling under them. Kaito felt eager to drown in the absolute perfection of elven skin.
He caught himself holding his breath and hastily forced a dry cough, adjusting his posture on the cold stone bench to hide the sudden, awkward tightness in his trousers.
"Good morning, Kaito."
The gentle, melodious voice shattered his vivid, degenerate daydream. Kaito practically jumped out of his skin, snapping the heavy book shut with a loud, echoic thwack!
He looked up immediately, his heart hammering against his ribs.
Queen Fiore stood only a few paces away, smiling cheerfully. She was dressed in an elegant white gown that clung to her slender waist before flowing gracefully around her ankles. The fresh morning light caught in her silver hair, making it shimmer like spun moonlight. Her deep green eyes were warm, and kind.
Kaito scrambled to his feet, tucking the heavy history book tightly under his arm to mask his lingering flush. He bowed politely, trying desperately to keep his voice from cracking. "Y-Your Majesty! Good morning."
The Queen returned his bow with a light, fluid tilt of her head. "How are you feeling today? Are your wounds healed?"
"Much better," Kaito offered, stretching his shoulders with a tight, slightly strained smile. "Still a little sore from yesterday's chaos, but otherwise… I feel great."
"I am glad," Fiore said softly, her expression relaxing into genuine relief. "I was terribly worried about you."
Kaito rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, his fingers hot against his skin. "I seem to have a talent for worrying everyone around here."
"You certainly do," she laughed softly, a delicate, musical sound that sent a quiet shiver straight down Kaito's spine.
The Queen glanced down the winding, rose-lined paths of the estate. "Would you care to accompany me for a morning stroll?"
Kaito's mind instantly screamed yes, "I'd love to." He carefully set the heavy book down on the flat stone of the fountain bench.
Together, they began strolling down the wide, stone pathways. For the first few minutes, neither spoke. The silence was serene, broken only by the crunch of fine gravel under their shoes and the gentle rustle of the surrounding flora.
Eventually, Fiore tilted her head back, her silver hair swaying over her shoulder as she glanced casually behind them toward the fountain. "I couldn't help but notice the book you were studying so intently."
Kaito nodded, keeping his eyes straight ahead. "Yeah. I've been trying to catch up on Valeria's history. I figured that if I'm running around fighting monsters, I should at least research them a bit more."
"A noble pursuit," the Queen smiled knowingly, her hands clasped loosely over her stomach. She paused for a beat, her green eyes twinkling with a subtle, mischievous light. "Although… word around the palace travels quite fast. I have heard small, persistent rumors that you are remarkably fond of elves."
Kaito's foot caught the edge of a paving stone, and he nearly went sprawling face-first into the flowerbeds.
"Woah—!" He caught his balance awkwardly, his face instantly exploding into a radiant shade of crimson. "W-What?! Rumors?! Who told you that?!"
Fiore let out a soft, amused chuckle, covering her mouth with delicate, slender fingers. "Oh, whispers have a habit of drifting through palace corridors, my King. Maidens talk. Servants observe." She turned her head, looking at him with genuine, curious eyes. "May I ask why? What is it about our kind that draws your interest so intensely?"
Kaito's pulse spiked into overdrive. Panic seized his throat.
Oh God. Oh nononono.
He couldn't possibly tell her the dirty, shameful truth. He couldn't just look the ruler of the realm in the eye and say, 'Well, Your Majesty, back on Earth I was an awkward virgin who watched way too much hentai, and elven women are literally my ultimate sexual fantasy. I want to have sex with every single maiden in this palace, including you, because your bodies are insanely hot and your ears are ridiculously cute. I've only ever dreamed of my first time being with a drop-dead gorgeous elf.'
If he said that, she'd have him locked in a dungeon—or worse, looked at him with pure disgust.
Desperate to save himself, Kaito choked back a squeak, cleared his throat into his fist, and forced his brain to construct the most wholesome, innocent lie imaginable.
"Ahem! Well—I mean!" Kaito laughed nervously as he waved a hand. "It's... it's just that back on Earth, in our stories, elves are always portrayed as these incredible, deeply compassionate beings. And being here, seeing it firsthand... I've just been blown away by how beautiful and kind everyone is."
He forced a sincere, earnest expression onto his face. "They protect nature, they care for the helpless, and welcome total strangers with open arms... I've just always admired how gentle and caring your people are towards outsiders like me. It's a quality I really respect."
Queen Fiore stared at him for a long moment. The subtle teasing in her eyes melted away, replaced by a deep, radiant tenderness that made Kaito's heart skip an actual beat.
"That is a truly beautiful sentiment, Kaito," she murmured, her voice laced with soft approval.
Kaito let out a long, silent breath of relief, wiping a microscopic bead of sweat from his forehead. "Thanks..."
The Queen did not press the matter any further, visibly content to accept his sweet explanation without digging into the embarrassing, hornier reality bubbling just beneath his polite surface. She simply walked beside him, enjoying the quiet warmth of his presence.
After a few moments of regaining his composure, Kaito decided to pivot the conversation away from his personal taste in women. "If you don't mind me asking, Your Majesty... when I first got summoned here, I met a few elves who weren't exactly thrilled to see a human. Some of them treated me like I was dirt."
Fiore's smile dipped slightly, a somber understanding crossing her features. "Regrettably, centuries of betrayal and war have bred fear in many of our people."
"Right," Kaito said. "So... why were you so welcoming to me from the first moment? You didn't hesitate to treat me well."
The Queen answered without a single breath of hesitation. "Because you are a person, Kaito."
Kaito blinked, caught off guard by the simplicity of it.
"I have never believed a soul should be judged by their race, the origin of their bloodline, or the color of their skin," Fiore said firmly, her head held high. "Respect is a fundamental courtesy that should be offered to all living beings freely. Only a person's choices and actions should dictate whether that respect is maintained."
Kaito looked at her with profound respect. She wasn't just a jaw-dropping beauty; she was a truly incredible ruler. "I think that's amazing," he said quietly. "Honestly, I wish more people back in my world thought like you."
She offered him a radiant, breathtaking smile. "I am glad we share the same values."