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Chapter 19: The Death of Hedin
The dust from the Great War Game had finally settled, but the air in Orario still tasted of spent magic and broken pride. The city was a patchwork of celebration and rebuilding, yet I found myself far from the festivities, slumped in the dim light of my hidden workshop. I was utterly drained—mentally, physically, and financially. Navigating the fallout of a script that had veered so wildly off-course was a full-time job I hadn't asked for. Between acting as a live decoy for the murder-obsessed Allen Fromel and burning through my savings to provide "item support" for the alliance, my coffers were as empty as my stamina bar.
I had relied on a high-grade cloaking device to mask my identity, but Orario was a city of gods and monsters; secrets had a way of bleeding through the cracks. I knew it was only a matter of time before someone like Finn Deimne or a particularly bored deity traced the ink back to my door.
That anxiety was realized when a sharp, rhythmic rapping at my door broke the silence.
"Good afternoon, little author," a voice sang out—melodic, yet carry a weight that made the hair on my arms stand up.
I opened the door to find the "Golden Goddess," Heith Velvet, leaning against the frame with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "You... Vana Mardel!? How did you find this place?"
"The War Game was quite the reveal," she replied, stepping inside and scanning my cluttered workspace with terrifying efficiency. "It wasn't hard to find which Familia you belonged to. From there, your little sanctuary was trivial to locate."
I felt a cold sweat prickle my spine. I had only managed to join the fray by bribing my own patron goddess—a woman whose divine dignity was easily swapped for a rare vintage and a heavy bag of gold. Convincing her had been a trial in itself; she had spent three days wailing like a child in a toy store, terrified of Freya's wrath.
"So, are you here to kill me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper as I glanced toward the shadows, half-expecting Allen's silver spear to end my career.
"Relax," Heith said, waving a hand dismissively. "Our investigation was a private matter for the healers of the Andhrimnir. The rest of the Familia is still blissfully unaware of your existence. I'm not here for blood... I'm here for a commission."
A commission? I stared at her, stunned that the Golden Goddess herself wanted to hire a purveyor of scandalous manuscripts. But as she explained the details, I realized the request was a perfect, albeit cruel, fit for my talents.
—————
"GAH!!!!"
"Hedin—!! Stop it, Heith! He's already gone! His life bar is at zero!"
"Shut up, you idiot..."
Hogni Ragnar rushed to the side of his rival, who lay face-down in the dirt of the Folkvangr training grounds, coughing up a mixture of dust and wounded pride. Hedin Selland tried to push himself up, his fingers clawing at the earth, but every time he found his footing, he was struck down again—not by a blade, but by a book.
The "punishment" for Hedin's betrayal during the War Game had been a sequence of blows from the members he had crossed. But when it came to Heith, she had decided that physical violence was too merciful for a Level 6 High Elf. Instead, she had approached me with a specific, sadistic request.
She stood over him now, a predatory smile lighting up her face as she opened a manuscript titled 『 The Sadistic Elf and the Beautiful Rabbit 』. The premise was simple: Bell Cranel, now a member of the Freya Familia, decides his "Master" Hedin is overworked and seeks a way to help him relax. The healers of the Andhrimnir then "helpfully" dress Bell in a provocative maiden's outfit to surprise him.
The moment Heith read the title, Hedin's glasses literally shattered from the psychic shock. The male members of the Familia watched in silent horror, while the women leaned in, their eyes sparkling with a dark, secondary interest.
Heith began to recite the text, her voice perfectly mimicking Hedin's own aristocratic, condescending tone:
『 "What is this? You come to me in such a defiant outfit... surely you don't expect to leave this room without being devoured?" 』
『 "Hmph. You look far more feminine than any woman in this city. You aren't as radiant as my Goddess, but you're... tempting enough to make me lose my control." 』
『 "My foolish apprentice... do you have any idea how obsessed I've become? I won't let you escape me now!" 』
"Just... kill me..." Hedin wheezed, his face a shade of crimson that defied elven biology.
"Stay with us, Hedin!" Hogni cried, though even he looked like he wanted to vanish.
"Ahahaha! This is absolute perfection!" Heith cackled, her joy reaching a fever pitch. She saved the most devastating line for last, leaning down to whisper it directly into Hedin's ear with a voice like velvet:
『 "Truly, you have trampled recklessly into the deepest parts of my heart, where only my Goddess is permitted. I shall lock you in the cage of my affection forever. Are you prepared, Bell?" 』
"————"
Hedin didn't even scream. He simply stiffened, his soul seemingly departing his body through his mouth, and fainted while still in a kneeling position.
"HEDIN IS DEAD! YOU MONSTER!" Hogni wailed, shaking the unresponsive elf.
It was a total mental annihilation. Hedin remained bedridden for days, unable to look anyone in the eye without twitching. To make matters worse, the "Hedi-Bell" manuscript became a bestseller within the Andhrimnir, ensuring that the whispers of "Master-Apprentice Love" would haunt him until the end of his days.
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