Betrayed, I Met The Demon Lord

Chapter 38 - Academy

"So... The elves. Why did you and your father went there to begin with?" Liz asked after shaking off her initial surprise learning about the secret.

"...To try their game, as I said. We just liked to travel, so there wasn't a major reason. Since they let the forest animals eat the best food, their flesh was of the highest quality."

"I see..." She murmured, slightly unsure of how to answer.

"Either way, stay away from the meat if you ever visit those herbivore-nuts," he added with a sigh.

"Hmm... Do you dislike the elves, Van?" Liz asked, her curiosity piqued. Amoria also leaned in, listening intently.

"Not really. They have their traditions and rules, and we blatantly disrespected them. Honestly, considering what we did, just an execution seems pretty generous." Van replied with a chuckle and a shrug, his tone nonchalant.

'They're practically saints compared to the mermaids... I was trapped underwater for months because after they drowned me as punishment for proposing to their princess, I respawned in an underwater air pocket instead of on the surface. I managed to escape by repeatedly drowning, which increased my Vigor and Resistance stats each time. That gradually extended the time I could hold my breath. And let's not even talk about the multiple times I suffered from decompression sickness when I swam up too quickly... Ugh, now I can last over 37 hours underwater on a single breath... And that's BEFORE dying to Alicia.' he mused inwardly, the memory still vivid.

"I see... You and your father are really wise..." Liz murmured, turning away shyly.

"Wise? Did you miss the part where we ate the sacred deer?" Van quipped, slightly amused.

"Well, that part wasn't wise... But you acknowledge that despite how harshly the elves treated you and your father, they can be kind if you respect their customs. I think... Your father was wise to understand that, and you are too for seeing it the same way," Liz responded, her cheeks coloring as she stole a glance at him.

Amoria smiled, watching the exchange between Van and her daughter.

Van's eyes widened slightly at Liz's interpretation. He chuckled inwardly.

'I swear, it's like dealing with two Amorias here. Magus... You did a good job with these two, you cucking bastard.' he reflected as he looked down, slightly solemn.

Their dinner continued, with Van sharing stories of his adventures, cleverly presenting them as tales of him and his father. His narratives, filled with misfortune and his own blunt reactions, kept Liz laughing throughout the meal.

"Say, are you here for a long visit?" Liz asked after they finished eating, her voice lingering in the quiet of the dining room.

"Uhm, not really. My dad wanted to catch up with old friends here, so we split up in the city to find them. I just happened to run into Amori-... Aunt Amoria by sheer chance," he explained, his voice slightly stuttering as he corrected his informal slip.

Amoria couldn't help but smile at his correction.

"We'll probably leave after we've met with everyone, maybe tomorrow or the day after," Van added, his tone matter-of-fact.

Liz's expression fell slightly, "Oh... I see," she murmured softly.

Amoria's smile faded as she watched Liz's disappointment. She chewed her lip, thinking.

Van's thoughts wandered. 'It's not like I can really blend in with their teen daughters as a forty-year-old man, and I'd rather avoid running into Mika and Rika right now after what I did to them... Besides...' His mind drifted to Alicia's smile once more.