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"In any case, while I may show some reluctance... if they bring up a concrete proposal, I am fully prepared to refuse it clearly, so please rest assured."

The old man, Sodi, said this, his eyes narrowing.

"As before, I'll leave that to you."
Koai had no particular instructions to give.

"However, about that matter, is there a reason why not just I, but you as well... would not want to accept it?"
But she wanted to resolve the points she was curious about.

"I have lost both my wife and children, and as you can see, I am an old man now. I wish to quietly pray for the peace of my wife's and children's souls."
Sodi lowered his face slightly, and his gaze seemed to grow distant... as if looking far away.

"That is my true feeling, but... it also serves as a convenient excuse to refuse."
Then, he raised his head and popped one of the shuna from the small plate into his mouth.

"Oh, is that so?"
"If it were Your Majesty, it might be a different story, but for us... no matter how you look at it, it would sow the seeds of unnecessary conflict all over the place."
"Why is that?"
Sodi seemed to have some concerns, so Koai decided to hear him out.

"First of all... as I mentioned earlier, we would not interfere with the act of taking a human wife itself... as long as the individual in question is content with it. It is the custom among all of us."
First... it seemed there were several reasons.

"However, if it comes to bringing a human into this Great Forest to live together... there will undoubtedly be those who resent it, those who detest the intrusion of humans."
Currently, a transit permit from the Yarlit Trading Company is required for humans to enter the Great Forest... the elves' stronghold. She had heard this was a consideration by Sodi for those elves who particularly disliked humans and did not wish to meet them.

"At least under the current circumstances, if we, who could be called representatives of the elves, were to invite them in for personal reasons... someone would surely raise a fuss."
It seemed the elves' aversion and hostility towards humans were deep-rooted.