Reborn In A Perverse Monster World! My System Adapts To Everything!-Chapter 21: New Orders

Tauriel lounged in her private chambers, the heavy curtains drawn to block out the morning light. She raised a big cup of deep red wine to her lips and took a long, greedy swallow, some of it spilling down her chin onto her elegant but now-stained robes. Elves were supposed to be elegant — graceful, refined, almost ethereal in their movements and manners — but these elves were anything but that. The room reeked of spilled alcohol, sweat, and blood. Empty bottles littered the floor, and the once-pristine furniture was knocked over or scratched.

On the cold stone floor lay Haldir, unconscious and barely breathing. Huge gashes covered his entire body, his skin peeled open in ragged strips where the metal whip had done its work. Blood had pooled beneath him and dried into dark stains. He hadn’t moved an inch since the night before.

Tauriel glanced down at him as she finished another cup. "It looks like I had a little too much fun last night," she muttered under her breath. There was no regret in her voice, only a lazy satisfaction, as if she had merely overindulged in a hobby.

She set the cup down with a clink and looked over her shoulder toward the two guards standing silently by the door. "You two. Get rid of his body. Discreetly. I don’t want any questions from the council today."

One of the guards, a stern female elf with short-cropped hair, bowed slightly. "As you command, Lady Tauriel. Shall we dispose of him in the usual pit?"

Tauriel waved a dismissive hand. "I don’t care. Just make sure nothing traces back to this room. And clean up the mess before noon."

The guards moved efficiently, grabbing Haldir by the arms and dragging his limp form toward the door, leaving a fresh trail of blood on the floor. Tauriel didn’t even look at them as they left.

Meanwhile, in a hidden corner of the lower cells, Thalion used the chaos to his advantage. He knew the chances of detection were low with the high-level magic he had cast the night before. The subtle thread of mana he had sent out searching for the strange human had bypassed their usual detection wards completely. He kept his breathing shallow, pretending to still be unconscious from the beating he had received earlier, while his mind focused on maintaining the distant connection.

Back in her chambers, a messenger knocked and entered cautiously after the guards had removed Haldir’s body.

"Lady Tauriel, there is news. One of the scouts reported sighting an elf in the city of Eldrath — outside our walls."

Tauriel paused mid-sip, her eyes narrowing.

"An elf? That is impossible. All our males and females are accounted for. Every single one."

The messenger shifted uncomfortably.

"The description matches none of ours. Slender build, smooth features... but the information we have tells us that this elf is coming from outside the walls, not within."

Tauriel set her cup down hard, wine sloshing over the rim.

"Then it must be one from the high kingdom. Those arrogant pure-bloods who cast us out because we couldn’t produce ’perfect’ magical offspring. The ones who still treat males and females as equals, with their kings and queens and their precious bloodlines."

She stood up, pacing slowly. "Unlike us rejects, they live in luxury and look down on us for failing to birth high-magic elves. That is why we have this obsession — to create one single elf of the highest quality. One strong enough to take vengeance on them all. We turned this once-poor town into something serene and powerful with the wealth we still possess, but they will never accept us."

The messenger nodded. "What are your orders, my lady?"

Tauriel’s expression hardened, but there was a calculating glint in her eyes. "If there is truly an elf here, it is not one of ours. We cannot go hunting them openly. We must be on our best behavior and welcome this visitor. Send word to the border patrols — observe only. If they do spot them, treat them with respect. Offer hospitality. We cannot afford to provoke the high kingdom until we are ready."

She poured herself another cup of wine and took a sip, her voice dropping lower. "But keep a close eye. If this elf is a spy, or if they carry valuable blood... we may find a way to use them for our goal. One perfect child could change everything."

The messenger bowed deeply. "Understood, Lady Tauriel. I will relay the orders immediately."

As the messenger left, Tauriel stared into her cup, a cold smile forming on her lips. "Come to our humble home, pure-blood. We will welcome you... for now."

She glanced at the fresh bloodstain on the floor where Haldir had lain and kicked it lightly with her boot. "And clean that up before the next one arrives."