"Hoh... so this is the 'Morning Star of Advent: The Alchemy'... I was told it was a gemstone, but... it's quite large."

"It is indeed a shape difficult to describe. Yet, this brilliance and hardness—one can only call it a gem. Still, are you certain such an item is acceptable? Though it can transmute base metals into gold, it requires a fair amount of Magic Crystals, and it hardly seems like something the House of Solo, as purveyors to the crown, would covet."

"Merely receiving a secret treasure of the High Elves is more than enough."

The head of the Solo family, dressed in lustrous silk garments—in other words, Hetty-san and Efta's father, Solo—was speaking with Diana's father, the last High Elf.

We were in a room within the mansion of a town mayor, not far from the Elf Village. I was eavesdropping, rendered invisible by Diana's spirit magic.

"Then, allow me to explain its function. First, it requires a practitioner to operate."

"Will anyone capable of sorcery suffice?"

"Someone reasonably skilled in the arts. Ideally, a Demon. This is an old acquaintance of mine, a Demon named Dean."

"...Pleased to meet you. I am Dean."

A Demon clad in a pitch-black robe and wearing a mask bowed his head.

"Now, I shall demonstrate a basic alchemy. We place the base metal into 'The Alchemy'. Today, we shall test it with this cupronickel coin."

The man popped open the lid of 'The Alchemy' and placed the coin and a Magic Crystal inside.

While Lord Solo and Diana's father watched intently, Dean began to chant an incantation. After a short while, he popped the lid open again.

He pulled out a cupronickel coin that was now shining brilliantly gold. Perfectly gilded. True alchemy.

"...Oho. Indeed. Though, young man, you wear rather... adorable gloves."

"........."

Lord Solo remarked, as if the thought had just struck him. They were certainly distinctive—the gloves with the donkey embroidery.

"As for the rest, we in the village used it to bake bread. Since it is bread produced by a divine artifact favored by the gods during the Spirit Civilization era, we only do so during festivals."

"Bread... you say? It can do that as well?"

"If you give us some time. Dean, if you would."

"As you wish."

Dean removed his gloves and pulled something from his robe.

"I shall add the ingredients."

"What is that? Rice...?"

"It is rice."

Dean continued to load the ingredients into 'The Alchemy' while more or less ignoring him. He quickly tossed them in, shut the lid, and pressed the switch.

"Oh...!"

The divine artifact lit up and began to rattle and move. This was a motion not seen during the gold transmutation earlier.

"Now, please wait a few hours."

"That long?"

—A few hours later.

"Ohhhh! Amazing!"

A beep sounded, and Dean abruptly opened the lid. Inside, a loaf of delicious-looking bread was baked to the brim. Truly a miracle of the gods.

"It is quite tasty. Would you care for a sample?"

"Mmm! Truly a relic of the Spirit Civilization. A flavor that cleanses the soul."

Watching Lord Solo's beaming face, I felt a slight twinge of guilt.

But this man had schemed with the current Emperor, hunted Ion, killed Isaac-shi, and even pulled hunters away from Erishe with money right before the Hitotsuzuki.

Apparently, it was meant as a slight against Hetty-san for killing Dida. So, I'll take this much as retribution... Well, and I simply didn't want to hand over the real 'Morning Star of Advent: The Alchemy' either.

"Then, I shall take my leave with this. I hope to remain on intimate terms with the High Elves hereafter."

"Hahaha. It will be quite some time before the next generation arrives, but I shall count on your support again when it is time for the next 'Special Guidance.'"

Diana's father (though not exactly) is quite the fox himself. There isn't going to be a next generation.

* * *

And so, the patriarch of the Solo house departed.

Believing he had secured the secret treasure of the Spirit Civilization, he had his subordinates carry away a home bakery capable of making bread from rice. Since it included the power supply unit, it was quite heavy.

"...Was that satisfactory, Son-in-law?"

"Please stop with the 'Son-in-law' thing... but that was perfect. Thank you."

"Father, you were much better at lying than I expected!"

Diana, who had been watching the conclusion of the matter while invisible with me, deactivated the spirit magic.

"Thank you for your hard work as well, Shamash-san."

"Goodness, I'm really no good at this sort of acting. Was I alright?"

"Well, you were a bit wooden, but it came off as a nice, blunt attitude."

"It's because of this appearance. Still, to think Ancient Elves even use gender-reversal magic... terrifying."

Diana also dispelled the magic she had cast on the practitioner "Dean"—otherwise known as Shamash-san.

Gender-reversal magic.

At first, I wondered what kind of spell that was, but thinking back to its origins as an MMORPG, it made sense. Either way, it made for a great disguise.

"Anyway, we have no more business here. Let's head back. Everyone is likely waiting with bated breath."

We used Diana's teleportation magic to fly to her home—the Elf Village.

Diana, now capable of using spirit magic to its full potential, was an extraordinary prodigy. Apparently, it was normally impossible to master spirit magic to this degree without obtaining the 'Spiritmaster' Vocation.

Incidentally, she still hasn't set her own Vocation yet. She says she's a "wife" now, so it doesn't matter... Well, life is still long. We can think about it slowly during the winter.

Enveloped in glowing spirit power, the teleportation was instantaneous. Before I knew it, we were in the plaza of the Elf Village.

A massive, gargantuan tree. At the foot of the World Tree, many elves lived. The Elf Village. A paradise on earth where blonde, long-eared beauties were a dime a dozen. Well, as a newlywed, my heart was only mostly—or not at all—disturbed by such things, but regardless.

"We're home—"

The High Elf Mansion.

As we entered Diana's home, everyone was there to greet us.

"Welcome back, de-arimasu!"

"How was it? Was he as much of a villainous old man as he sounded?"

"It was a perfect chance, Jirou-sama. You should have just killed him..."

"He seemed villainous... or rather, just a typical middle-aged guy. He doesn't look much like Hetty-san."

Marina, Rebecca-san, and Hetty-san.

"Thank you, Ayase-san. I feel refreshed having gotten that last bit of revenge."

"Well, it was more of a prank or a nuisance than anything."

"...I wanted to play the role of the practitioner."

"You can't use magic, so you couldn't have used the trick to make the Magic Crystals disappear."

Ion and Elepipi.

"Huh? Where's Priestess-sama?"

"She bounced out of here with the excitement of someone visiting the Elf Village for the first time, Boss. As for me, I'm deeply moved just to be in such a rare place!"

"Etowa-chan, your fur was standing on end. I'm moved too, seeing something so beautiful."

Etowa and Aurica.

The Hitotsuzuki had ended, and we had all come here as part of a sightseeing trip.

Diana's teleportation magic could move up to ten people at once to any location she knew, which was incredibly convenient. We had come to her home, the Elf Village, to report her fulfillment of the Special Guidance and our marriage.

The Elf Village was truly in the heart of the forest. Forest as far as the horizon. In the center stood a particularly massive tree—the World Tree. It was about as tall and wide as Tokyo Tower. It wasn't just average-sized; it was colossal.

"Son-in-law. This is the real 'Morning Star of Advent.' Please take it."

"This is..."

Diana's father brought over a large, flat golden stone. It looked like a stone, or a gem, or perhaps a plate depending on how you looked at it.

"Then, if you'll excuse me... 'The Mirror of Truth: The Judgement'."

【Type】

Unique Item for Administrators No. 7

【Name】

Morning Star of the Nativity: The Alchemy

【Description】

An alchemical gemstone usable only by High Elves. Hand over a recipe and have a High Elf synthesize items for you!

【Magical Properties】

None

【Spirit Blessing】

Immortal ∞

【Owner】

Jirou Ayase

"Uwaaaa..."

It really was a genuine treasure!

If only High Elves can use it, then even if I had given it to the Solo patriarch, he wouldn't have been able to use it anyway. Well, we have Diana, so we're good.

Plus, if I decipher Mugen-san's tablet, I can probably cheat as much as I want with the alchemy recipes... I might need to show some restraint, or I'll completely wreck the global power balance.

"Furthermore, Son-in-law. There are still many treasures from the Spirit Civilization era in this mansion, and I shall leave them all to you. Please use them meaningfully."

"Is that okay?"

"I no longer have the power of a High Elf. I plan to spend the rest of my days traveling the various nations. Well, Nanna will remain, so if you ever have trouble, please ask her."

"If that's the case, I gratefully accept."

Diana's father (technically not, but close enough) and Diana would be the last of the High Elves. If Diana had failed her 'Special Guidance,' her father would have told her the truth about the High Elves; decades later, he would have created an avatar to be the next High Elf and retired, while Diana would have played the role of the mother watching over it.

And if the father's avatar failed the Guidance, Diana would have birthed an avatar, and the father's avatar would have played the father's role—High Elves had done that for ages. But that ends with this generation. The High Elves are effectively extinct.

Incidentally, "Nanna" is the former High Elf who was Diana's predecessor.

Long ago, Nanna failed her 'Special Guidance,' and the reincarnation she birthed afterward was Diana. Nanna passed all her High Elf power to Diana and is now living out her days as a normal elf.

Though, being an elf, she looks perfectly young! I was startled when Diana called her "Grandmother." Furthermore, Nanna is also the High Elf who gave birth to Selene-san. Well, since there's only one male and one female High Elf, that's natural.

"...But is this whole thing going to be okay? They won't get angry and attack us later, will they?"

"Hahaha. Son-in-law, this is the Elf Village. A place humans can never reach on their own. There is no need for concern."

"Goshujin-sama. This place is protected by a barrier thousands of times more powerful than the one at the mansion, you know?"

Well, yeah. We warped here with Diana's magic, but for anyone else to get in, they'd need a staggering amount of passion. There are plenty of hired elves in the Imperial Capital, but they're all High Elf sympathizers, so they wouldn't betray the village.

Besides, elves are on the side of the Administrators; it would be reckless for humans to challenge them.

* * *

After a while, Priestess-chan returned, and we all enjoyed an elven-style feast.

I finally ate a caterpillar—and I have to admit, it was far more delicious than I imagined. I felt a little defeated by that.

"Alright, let's head back soon!"

I called out to everyone.

Our business was finished. We'd already stayed one night, so we couldn't play around forever. Besides, with Diana's spirit magic, we could come back whenever we wanted. Even the trip back was instantaneous with the Clan teleportation magic.

"Once we return, we must prepare for the winter seclusion. Before the winter truly arrives."

"Does it snow that much? I won't be able to train; I'll get out of shape."

"...Hehe, I'm sure you won't have that much spare time, you know?"

Diana gave a meaningful, bewitching smile. Now that the tattoos covering her body were gone and she had become a true beauty, I had been feeling a bit intimidated and wasn't sure how to handle the distance.

Diana is beautiful. A 100% strike-zone elf!

I wanted to be more excited about it, but the history we shared up until now got in the way, and we still hadn't even had our wedding night. We're married now, so it should happen naturally.

But, winter. I'm not great with the cold.

"No spare time? Well... we have the mirror, so we won't lack for supplies, but being snowed in is tough."

"Goshujin-sama, what we will be doing during the winter is already quite decided."

"It is?"

"It is, de-arimasu!"

Even Marina agreed.

Was my winter schedule already packed with plans I didn't know about?

"So, what are we doing?"

"W-Well... that is..."

"Making babies, de-arimasu!"

In place of the hesitating Diana, Marina answered energetically and clearly.

"During the winter, that is what people do, de-arimasu! Aruji-dono! Don't expect any sleep, de-arimasu! Fufu!"

"Wait, Marina! I am first!" (Diana)

"I know that, Princess. Winter is long, de-arimasu!" (Marina)

"Ah—that's not fair! Me... me too!" (Rebecca)

"Then me too, me too!" (Hetty?)

"...If it's a matter of turn, I should be quite early on the list." (Elepipi)

"Is a Caanan girl no good, Boss?" (No need to ask)

"W-W-What about a maid!?" (Aurica)

"Maid Number Two is here too—" (Ion?)

"Hahaha. Seems fun. Let me volunteer as well!" (Shamash)

I found myself being squeezed and hugged from all sides.

At this point, I just had to accept it. It was a harem.

...Before I knew it, I had become a harem protagonist.

So many dreams, expectations, and hopes. Receiving more love than I could ever count, life would go on.

"O-Ohhh! I love you all! Everyone! Every single one of you! I love you!!"