An Elf's Determination

{POV: Elowen}

It's been nine days since Vel departed. After our last encounter, I decided to ask for a demotion from the boss. It was awkward. Apparently I'm the first employee ever to ask for a demotion instead of a promotion.

I simply couldn't stand to entertain any other customers when my heart had settled on a special person. It was weird that it was a female. I had been taught that it only worked between opposite sexes, but I couldn't ignore my heart anymore. Clearly she also liked me, I think, or she wouldn't keep coming back. Right?

So I was now on bartending duty. I was wearing a black dress with a wide, knee length skirt, over a frilly white shirt. A dark green bowtie sat under my neck. When I looked in the mirror, I knew I was still very attractive. The uniform did not hide the curves in my body, but it did hide the skin. I just hope she likes it.

When I appeared at work the day after, all my colleagues gave me weird looks. A uniform was not required, and it was actively encouraged that we wore the most attractive clothing possible, but I didn't want others to 'see' me now. Only one person should see.

When I think of Vel and take into consideration her mannerisms and cadence, it reminds me of a member of an old royal family. Even if she isn't that high up, she is definitely a noble. Her simple clothes, that are probably a disguise, would never fool me. They were too high quality to belong to a normal person.

Her ancestry just gave me even more anxiety than being the same sex as her did. Not only would she have to be attracted to women, she would also have to choose me, an uneducated plebeian compared to her. And even worse, she was much more powerful than me, meaning she might not be interested in someone who can't even compare to her.

That's why I have been reading books on history and magic. History, to discover where a one eyed, shark-tailed species might come from and magic because elves are supposed to have big mana reserves compared to other species, and I need to become stronger to at least be worthy of her company.

I didn't find a single mention of her species, the drakolodon, in the books I read. Besides Veldora's rampages, or a big elven kingdom being destroyed overnight, there weren't many interesting situations in the books.

The books on magic didn't make much sense. The wording was confusing, the circles drawn didn't seem to work well and the incantations were a bit ridiculous. I mean, what's the point of casting magic, if your opponent could close the distance while you chanted? Overall, the methods as written in the book were highly convoluted, and hindered the learning experience.

With those I would probably need 2 years to decently learn a single spell, and 100 to 500 years to do the same with a whole category of spells. While I was relatively young for an elf, being 56 this year, I didn't have 100 years to waste. Vel would definitely forget me if I stayed weak for so long.

Fortunately, when I visited the library yesterday, trying to find a more comprehensive magic book to borrow, there was a gathering of intellectual looking people around a shiny bookshelf, lined with golden brass, probably made to look like gold, without costing the same as gold. The bookshelf was beautiful, with very interesting designs carved around it.

There was a slot for a plaque on the top, but the plaque was missing, leaving me to guess what the books were about. I decided to approach the intellectuals, excitingly discussing some kind of intricacies on runic magic.

When they noticed me, one of them apologized and they moved to the side, revealing the books for me to see.

There were tens of copies of the same nine books filling the bookshelf. That was weird, because normally the library only carried one or maybe two copies of each book. Six of the books were on magical runes, which was not what I was looking for. The other three covered 'Aspectual Magic'.

I took one of the copies of 'Essentials of Aspectual Magic', and opened it. My eyes started widening further and further as I read the long book. It was surprisingly easy to understand. I was expecting something even harder than the others, considering the people gathering around this shelf, but I was totally blown away by the simplicity of the book.

Which was not to say the book didn't go in depth. It covered the basic elements, Earth, Water, Wind, Fire and Ice, and described in minute detail everything that was needed to cast each type of magic.

Feeling extremely excited and with a smile on my face, I used the mental image detailed in the page I was in, and used the mana invocation method present at the beginning of the book.

I was almost blown out of my feet by the strong wind current that generated from my left palm that was directed to my face in an attempt to feel a light current of air on my cheek. My hair flapped about with the force of the wind. When it stopped, I felt a bit tired. I must have forgotten to control the output of my mana.

The book was so amazing, I immediately borrowed it for a slightly higher fee than normal and went home, ignoring the looks from the researchers that were talking before.

I read until I collapsed with my face on the book. I woke up and read until it was time to work. I read when there were quiet periods in the 'Butterflies of the Night'. I was so fascinated by the magic I had done yesterday that literally nothing could distract me from the book.

It was now night-time, not that that changed that much underground, but still. I am curious. The other books had a completely different writing style, almost seeming pretentious. Did someone famous write this one? I flipped to the end of the book to check.

'C.Vel'

My mind was blank for a second. This is probably just an enormous coincidence right? Besides, 'my' Vel doesn't have two names. Unless she was from the nobility as I thought, and only gave me her last name. That would indeed make sense. But then, that would mean that her first name starts with 'C'. She must not be comfortable with sharing her first name.

The door opened with a chime, and when I looked up from the book, I saw the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. Her single eye seemed pleased with my presence, thankfully, and her tail trembled very slightly like it normally does when I hug her.

With a smile, I point her to her usual table and turn to Lorelai, the other bartender and whisper. "You wouldn't mind manning the bar alone for a few hours, would you?".

She smiled knowingly and I felt my cheeks warm up. "Of course not. Now I see why you would want to be demoted to a less conspicuous position.", she whispers back in a playful voice.

I wanted to retort, but I didn't have time to waste on such insignificant matters, so I quickly prepared two drinks, one TyriMana brandy, just like Vel loves it, and a red cocktail for me. I brought them to the table and sat down. She gave me a smile and wrapped her tail around me, as always.

"Hello Elowen. You seem different today. Care to tell me what changed?", she asked me in a cheerful voice. Something good must have happened for her to be so happy.

The smooth scales of her tail, that turned from extremely hard to soft when it embraced me, reminded me of what she said last time. 'You won't get rid of me that easily, Elowen'. The way her eye shone red as she said my name in that husky voice so close to my ear… Just remembering it makes me feel hot.

"I decided that I didn't want to entertain customers anymore, so I changed to bartending." I said thoughtlessly.

She looked at me skeptically. "Hmm… But aren't you tending to me and not the bar right now?", she said with perfect logic.

I'm so stupid. Why did I say that? Now I need a believable excuse.

Having difficulty finding one, I went for the second best strategy, behind lying. Avoiding the issue entirely. "Ahm… I… Well, anyways, I was wondering if you liked writing books?". She looked at me like my weak deflection was ridiculous, which it was, but ignored it and answered me.

"It can be somewhat pleasurable to write, and especially to be recognized. But I suppose when my books are so clearly superior to all the others, it is to be expected.", she said in a smug voice.

The pride she held for herself and the tone of voice she used when speaking were enchanting, and every time I spoke to her, I just felt myself falling deeper and deeper.

Also, for her to speak so highly of her own work means that she must have a lot of experience. The chances of her being 'C.Vel' are now extremely high in my opinion. I guess I should ask her personally, since she is right beside me.

"I just ask because I found this amazing book on magic, and the author is one 'C.Vel'." I said.

I felt her tail tense around me for a second, and she clicked her tongue, looking annoyed. I must have messed up by confronting her about her hidden identity. 

"... I forgot I signed it like that. I wasn't thinking of publishing them when I wrote them…", she murmured to herself in a quiet voice I could only barely hear.

That confirms it. She really is 'C.Vel'. I'm not gonna pry into her secret right now, but I hope she can one day tell me her secrets. 

She composed herself and looked at me. "I didn't know you were interested in magic.", she stated, obviously trying to change subjects.

I decided to not press her on this, just like she did to me less than a minute ago. "Well, you see. I believe I'm too weak. I need to get stronger in order to achieve my goals.", I said, determined to improve.

"I agree with you. I have seen a few elves wandering around Dwargon, but never did I feel one that was even close to the strength they displayed thousands of years ago.", she said.

That stung a bit. I guess either we have devolved, or we simply don't need to be as strong as we needed to before, and therefore, we don't work hard at obtaining strength. I have to work much harder than I ever have, to meet her expectations of what an elf is truly capable of, and to stand by her side as an equal.

"You seem very determined to achieve this goal you have set for yourself. I admire your determination. If you want, and promise not to waste my precious time, I can agree to train you on magic when we are both free.", she said with a curious glint in her eye.

Oh my god. She is willing to waste her time on someone like me? I really can't disappoint her now. "If you are okay with it, I will give it my all to not disappoint you.", I said, looking at her, giving her my most determined look.

She smiled. "Very well then. I will make sure to have time available for you.", she said happily.

Her smile lit up her face in a beautiful way. The only time her face was even prettier than right now, was when she smiled sadistically with a red shiny eye at me and told me I wouldn't be rid of her any time soon.

One of the only other places my eyes would rather roam, than her face, was her chest. It was a bit smaller than mine, but that was perfect. Their category was 'Big Medium', according to the 'Interspecies Breast Size Category Committee', and as I heard some vulgar men saying, 'medium is premium'. They were perfect, according to the proportions of her curvy body.

My eyes must have wandered with my mind, as I was taken back to reality by her voice.

"Are you alright? Why are you looking down?". Concern present in her voice.

I looked up and smiled. "Everything is better than fine. Would you like to play another game of chess and look at the new dresses in 'Fashion Weekly'?"

She smiled competitively down at me. "For sure, and this time I will win. The trap you set last time was definitely devious, but I've gone through it several times in my mind and I will never fall for it again."

Vel improves extremely quickly, and I know she will eventually surpass me in chess. But not yet. My father taught me the game over several decades and I'm not about to be bested by a novice. No matter how beautiful she is.

"Prepare yourself to lose in a different way then, Vel, because I'm not letting you win.". I placed my white pawn in the center of the board and smirked at my opponent.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She said with a lopsided grin of her own that made my heart skip, even if I knew I would defeat her completely in a few hours.

The moments we shared together were the best of my otherwise monotone life. I wish they could last forever, even though I knew I was not enough to stand by her side.