The Agent’s Perplexing Assignment

However, could the silver-haired elf before her truly be male?

Her long ears, truly remarkable in length, were as pristine white as her silver hair.

Avira the cat gazed, overcome with envy. Sovenia’s back, her slender figure, and the intricate fishbone braid all coalesced into a single image.

An elven beauty.

Such unblemished purity stirred a potent jealousy within Avira the cat.

Sovenia continued to relieve herself. A gentle morning breeze swept through, causing the silver fishbone braid, tied with a sky-blue ribbon, to sway. Her pristine white ears also trembled slightly.

Avira the cat fixated on those long ears.

Bathed in the morning light, they appeared translucent, almost ethereal.

Avira the cat felt an ache in her own ears. She remembered how, as a child, her human mother had noticed her ears were merely pointed, never growing long, always remaining stubby.

Her mother had tried every conceivable method to make them grow, but to no avail. Frustrated and enraged, she would forcefully tug Avira’s pointed ears, muttering curses like ‘half-breed’ and ‘don’t grow up looking like a human.’

Avira the cat shook her head, dislodging the painful memories of the past.

She refocused her gaze on Sovenia’s retreating figure.

Avira the cat’s mind spiraled into confusion. ‘Is she male or female? If she’s female, why did the Hero claim she’s male? Why is she standing to relieve herself?’

‘Is *he* male or female? If *he’s* male, why does *he* have breasts, why is *he* so beautiful? And wearing a veil?’

Avira the cat had encountered male elves who bore a striking resemblance to females before, but none, she mused, had ever seemed quite *this* feminine.

Just as Avira the cat’s mind teetered on the brink of overheating, almost crashing entirely, Sovenia finished her business. She instinctively gave a slight shake, despite lacking the appendage one would expect.

Avira the cat watched her figure, inhaling sharply once more. ‘That practiced motion… it truly must belong to a male, then.’

Unaware of the cat’s clandestine observation, Sovenia turned. She made her way back, intending to have some breakfast before continuing her journey.

She rummaged through the box Wawalde had given her, discovering a letter. The envelope was unremarkable, devoid of perfume or any heart-shaped wax seals.

Sovenia opened the envelope and unfolded the letter, revealing Wawalde’s meticulous script. She scanned the contents, which conveyed Wawalde’s suspicion that the shadowy figure behind Sir Gernon had set their sights on her.

He listed several points of concern, notably mentioning a mysterious lady from the imperial capital who had inquired about her. Wawalde had deflected her questions.

The reason for his deflection, he admitted, was quite impolite for a lady, for which Wawalde offered an apology.

Sovenia’s pristine white brows furrowed slightly.

The apology was placed at the very bottom of the first page, implying one would need to turn the page to discover the impolite reason.

This clever placement suggested Wawalde wanted her to be mentally prepared. So, what exactly was this reason?

Sovenia flipped the page and read.

Wawalde bluntly stated that she was, in fact, male, and then proceeded to explain his reasoning. The explanation was simple: Sovenia’s appearance was too captivating to conceal, leaving gender as the only viable angle.

He even confessed that the idea had come to him in a moment of impulsive inspiration.

‘What’s the big deal?’ Sovenia thought, her inner self as calm as an ancient well. Her only concern was whether Wawalde’s ‘brilliant strategy’ stemmed from her own everyday behavior, making him suspect and perhaps even deduce her true identity.

‘Do I not act like a woman normally?’

Sovenia pondered this as she discarded the damp leaves and pulled up her undergarments.

She was certain her disguise was impeccable; surely that foolish dog wouldn’t entertain such wild thoughts.

Sovenia didn’t dwell on it, merely beginning to guard against unseen enemies.

As for why an enemy would target her?

Sovenia considered this while cooking her breakfast, yet after much thought, no plausible reason came to mind.

In her estimation, this elven female body, apart from being beautiful and long-legged, possessed no other remarkable qualities.

Sovenia mused further. It was strange; ever since she had been reduced to an elven female body, her memories from her past human life had grown increasingly vivid.

She sifted through various past recollections, searching for possibilities, eventually settling on a few.

‘Could it be some underground auction in the human realm, hosted by corpulent human nobles, where an all-white elven female body like mine could fetch an astonishing price?’

Though this knowledge originated from works of fiction, it was clear that the authors had never transmigrated, nor had they been as unlucky as she, falling from the esteemed First Heavenly King to a mere elven beauty.

Yet, it remained a possibility, didn’t it?

As Sovenia ate the sliced boiled potatoes, she reflected that some level of disguise was occasionally necessary for her future personal safety.

She had no desire to encounter another Demon Queen, to be fitted with a dog collar, or to have her soul branded with rules of servitude.

Upon finishing her meal, Sovenia began to pack her belongings.

It was time to continue her journey towards Eisengarde City.

Sovenia pressed onward. During the day, she traveled, and at night, during her rest, she diligently studied and practiced [Blazing Strike]. She continuously drew Cards from her Myriad of Changes Deck, using [Blazing Strike] whenever it appeared.

She would use the skill while simultaneously observing its effects. This was the same method she had employed when she was Jimi the Cruel.

Though she was far from satisfied with her practice results, she longed for a dedicated training ground—one equipped with targets, training beasts for sparring, and even a bathhouse.

After her strenuous efforts left her drenched in sweat, she was forced to slowly use [Defense] or [Shield of Fortitude] to summon ice cubes, then melt them into water to cleanse herself.

The journey had been relatively smooth, encountering only easily dispatched bandits and an abundance of overly enthusiastic human males.

After more than ten days had passed, Sovenia could now directly unleash [Blazing Strike] without the aid of a Card. Its effect was identical to when she used a Card. The sole downside was that, with her current magical power, she could only use it once a day.

To be frank, her progress had far exceeded Sovenia’s expectations. Based on her past experience, even within a dedicated training ground, it would have been impossible to master a technique like [Blazing Strike] in just over ten days.

This suggested a variable needed consideration: perhaps this elven female body was not as frail as she had initially believed.

While it might lack great strength and appear fragile, it could possess unparalleled talent in magic. She certainly hoped this was the case.

As Sovenia rode her warhorse, contemplating these thoughts while traveling, she remained oblivious.

Not far behind her, perched on a silent branch, a black cat head emerged—it was Avira the cat.

Avira the cat gazed at Sovenia from afar. After estimating her direction, she leaped from the branch, transforming into her adult human form upon landing.

An owl quietly observed her, a letter tied to its claw.

Avira muttered, “Why use an owl messenger during the day? It’s strange.”

With that, she untied the letter from the owl’s claw, opened it, and glanced at the elven script. A single look was enough to sense the writer’s profound anger.

“Mysterious Agent:

“I am the Ambassador. It was not originally my duty to liaise with you, but the intelligence you reported compelled me to contact you directly.

“I must rudely ask if there is something wrong with your mind?

“You claim that the individual, whose appearance is almost identical to Her Royal Highness the Princess, is male? And that Hero Wawalde said so? Are you certain your ears aren’t long enough? Did you mishear? You even ask me if it’s possible for a pure-blood elf to be male but resemble a beautiful maiden?

“How can you, like those impolite and foolish humans, fail to distinguish between elven men and elven women? I understand you haven’t seen many elves, but I sincerely hope you refrain from presumptuously addressing an elf as either a man or a woman.

“Otherwise, during your stay in Silvermoon Forest, your foolishness and prejudice will infuriate a great many elves.

“Men are men, and women are women. Of course, with the exception of a few deviants—these strange, fallen elves are often devotees of the Lust God and future demons; they are not considered elves.

“How do you intend to explain this to your superiors? How will you tell Her Majesty the Empress?

“I dare not report this intelligence directly to Her Majesty the Empress. I must leverage my connections, my network, to suppress this information that would undoubtedly enrage Her Majesty.

“Otherwise, even if you successfully complete your mission, Her Majesty the Empress will not accept you as a member of Silvermoon Forest. You must understand, I cannot go against Her Majesty’s wishes.

“I do not require your gratitude. Now, no matter what methods you employ, I need you to confirm whether Hero Wawalde’s mysterious companion is indeed Her Royal Highness the Elven Princess.

“Furthermore, according to Sir Gernon’s report, he states that Hero Wawalde and a silver-haired elf are in a very close, romantic relationship, and he believes the other party is female.

“You absolutely must confirm the individual’s identity, and under no circumstances allow any relationship to develop between a pure-blood Elven Princess and a Hero. If it does, the consequences will be difficult to manage later. Her Majesty the Elven Empress will be greatly displeased, and the nobles will be even more so.

“You may use any method, and whatever the cost, I will compensate you.

“Oh, and the fifty gold coins you requested for expenses? I have approved them. You can collect them at the Ashen Adventurers’ Guild branch in Eisengarde. Go find…”

Avira’s eyes swept over the final line, and the letter spontaneously burst into flames.

She snorted coldly, cursing under her breath. “These accursed long-ears still see me as a mere courtesan, to be used to protect their pure-blooded, noble princess from any unwanted advances, even if it means offering my own body as a shield.”

Despite her curses, the thought of the fifty gold coins, and the Ambassador’s renewed promise of permanent residency, made her take a deep breath and compose herself.

She absolutely had to confirm the identity of that mysterious silver-haired elf.

She patted the owl messenger, then penned a letter. Her first sentence brazenly asked if he considered her a s*x worker. Afterward, she affirmed that she would observe diligently and find a suitable opportunity to strive to fulfill her role as their messenger.

The owl messenger, once again transformed into an eagle, soared into the sky to observe the carriage traveling below.

A four-wheeled carriage progressed along the road. Ahead, the branches in the forests lining both sides of the path swayed ominously.

Avira’s gaze sharpened. She saw Goblins in the woods on either side, attempting to ambush the lone silver-haired elf.