A Brighter Future (Kuroinu)

When Rhodes was contemplating these matters, he suddenly heard General Grave’s words.

“A gift? A weapon?”

When General Grave mentioned a gift, Rhodes automatically assumed it was something practical like weapons or armor. However, his answer seemed to make General Grave shake his head.

“It’s not time for gifts like that yet, and this gift is something that I believe you’ll like.”

“Do you know what I like, General Grave? I don’t remember ever discussing my preferences with anyone, not even Celestine. How can you be so sure that I’ll like this gift?”

Rhodes was puzzled because he couldn’t recall ever sharing his likes and dislikes with anyone, and he wondered how General Grave could be so certain about his preferences.

“I can make some educated guesses, and now, please come with me to see it.”

Under General Grave’s guidance, Rhodes followed him with a sense of curiosity. Meanwhile, Cloridia followed behind, her expression filled with nervousness. The arrangement that was about to unfold was of great significance, and any problems that might arise could jeopardize all the efforts made so far.

After walking through a relatively long corridor, the three of them arrived at the door of a room. General Grave opened the door, revealing what appeared to be a bedroom. Rhodes was intrigued by the mention of a gift, but when he saw the room’s contents, he was surprised. There, on the large bed, was a carefully dressed dark-skinned girl wearing a black dress with brown skin and yellow hair tied into a side ponytail. She had red eyes, and Rhodes realized she was a dark elf due to her pointed ears.

The girl’s hands and feet were bound with chains, and her mouth was gagged. Rhodes understood that this dark elf was the gift General Grave was talking about.

“Is this the gift you mentioned, General Grave?”

“Yes, that’s correct. I purchased this dark elf slave specifically to give to you. I noticed your affection for Lady Celestine and your particular fondness for elves, as I learned from Cloridia. However, I couldn’t find an elf like the ones you prefer, so I opted for this dark elf slave. I hope you find it satisfactory.”

Rhodes hesitated for a moment. While he appreciated the sentiment behind the gift, he couldn’t help but feel taken aback by the unexpected choice.

“Is there something wrong? Don’t tell me you don’t like dark elves?”

Rhodes wondered how General Grave could be so certain about his preferences when he had never discussed them with anyone. However, he didn’t want to offend General Grave, so he carefully chose his words.

“It’s not that I dislike them, but isn’t there a potential issue with this?”

Rhodes looked at the dark elf on the bed, her hands and feet bound, and her mouth gagged. In this world, slavery and capturing dark elves might not be uncommon, but it still raised ethical and moral concerns.

“Are you worried about the ethical implications? Don’t be concerned. Relations between us and the dark elves are far from friendly. In fact, we’ve been in constant conflict with them. So, there should be no issue with this. Besides, she’s a half-human, half-dark elf.”

General Grave provided an explanation, assuring Rhodes that there would be no problems. He believed that Rhodes’s presence and potential feelings for Celestine couldn’t be openly expressed due to various factors. Therefore, General Grave decided to offer this gift to increase Rhodes’s goodwill.

“Rest assured, Rhodes. Enjoy your gift. After all, expressing your feelings to Lady Celestine may not be as straightforward as you’d like, right? Instead, you can redirect those feelings toward this dark elf slave.”

Rhodes finally understood General Grave’s intentions. He believed that Rhodes’s affections for Celestine might not lead to a favorable outcome, so he provided this alternative. However, Rhodes couldn’t help but wonder if this was an appropriate solution.

“But is this really suitable? What about Cloridia…”

Rhodes was about to use Cloridia as an excuse to navigate the situation when she interrupted him.

” There’s nothing inappropriate about it. Regarding this matter, as your fiancée, I don’t see any problem. After all, Lord Rhodes is not willing to touch me now, so someone else will temporarily serve as a substitute,” Claudia explained, while also reminding Rhodes of the current situation. Either he accepts the dark elf slave or she will be responsible for serving him.

As Rhodes realized this, he looked at Claudia with a conflicted expression. He couldn’t help but feel that this situation was a trap set by her. However, considering her care and attitude towards him, as well as the analysis of the effects of the abilities given by the Goddess, it was likely that Claudia was doing this for his sake or to strengthen their relationship.

Thinking back to Claudia’s reaction when he mentioned his liking for Celestine earlier, Rhodes felt a bit uneasy.

In this way, he realized that the current situation was indirectly influenced by his actions.

“So, I won’t disturb you for now, Lord Rhodes. Relax a bit; it’s very beneficial for your body and future training,” Gravee said with a mysterious smile. After patting Rhodes’s shoulder, he left the room with Claudia, leaving Rhodes alone with the dark elf on the bed.

When Rhodes saw the hatred in the dark elf’s eyes and how the elf looked at him, his emotions became even more complicated.

“So, what should I do in this situation? Well, let’s release her for now and ask about the situation.”

Rhodes wasn’t worried that the dark elf would harm him. He could tell from the look in her eyes that she was currently under the influence of the abilities, so there was no need to worry about safety. However, with this thought in mind, Rhodes found the key on the nearby table and unlocked the chain. But the dark elf pushed him onto the bed and assumed a position as if she were going to hit him, which was different from what he had expected.