Demi-human Girls Completion Manual
Chapter 122 - 42. Great Terror

Chapter 122: 42. Great Terror

"Mr. Fisher, who is this?"

Elizabeth looked at Fisher, seemingly merely inquiring about the identity of the newcomer. Fisher glanced at Renie, who clearly hadn’t stayed properly at home, and a multitude of plausible explanations flashed through his mind, but he didn’t speak out.

If it had been before he kissed that beautiful lady this morning, he might have been able to speak confidently.

Fisher thought this.

He sighed and was about to move closer to Renie to introduce her to Elizabeth, but as he started to step forward, he found that Elizabeth was gripping his arm tightly, preventing him from moving an inch toward Renie.

Renie sharply caught Elizabeth’s subtle movement and blinked dangerously, stepping toward Fisher first and introducing herself,

"Let me introduce myself, My name is Renie, a nominal professor at Kado Theological College and a friend of Fisher. I was invited by Fisher today to visit his school."

She gave Elizabeth a quick glance and then her smile grew even wider,

"I’ve heard Fisher introduce his esteemed friend before and have always wanted to meet Your Highness at the Holy Church. Now that I have met you, indeed, you’re extraordinarily elegant."

The two sentences essentially contained the following message:

I am a scholar from the academic world Mr. Fisher met in Kado years ago, and being at the Holy Church also means my status is quite noble, no less than you, Princess of Nali, but I am very humble, not as spoiled as you.

Mr. Fisher invited me here today as his female companion for the event, and for some reason, my male companion has been taken by you, but I’m not angry or anxious, I am just reminding you to promptly return him to me.

Fisher caught a glimpse of Renie out of the corner of his eye. Her usual casual flirting and mischievous smile had all but disappeared, leaving only devout humility and purity, making her really seem like the purest Holy Maiden in the Kado Holy Church.

A vein popped on Elizabeth’s forehead, but she still didn’t release Fisher’s arm, simply smiling and saying,

"Not at all, the historical and cultural charm of Kado is indeed surprising. Compared to that, Nali is somewhat lacking."

Princess Elizabeth essentially declared, So I’m a barbarian, what can you do about it?

I rudely took your male companion, if you can, take him back.

As these few sentences were exchanged, both confronting parties were quite "polite," but even Moli, who was the least adept at sensing the atmosphere, had started to notice that something was off.

Isabella looked at both sides some confusion, unsure how to intervene; Lady Lao Fang silently downgraded Fisher’s character, but didn’t speak, keeping out of it as if it didn’t concern her; Moli, clueless about the situation, just kept looking at Fisher, recalling the moment when she first met this teacher in front of the swimming pool.

Only Milica was smirking maliciously, silently wishing that the two of them would start fighting soon, and that neither side would win, because she felt that neither woman was suitable for Mr. Fischer.

How could Fisher allow the two to continue arguing like this? He gently grasped Elizabeth’s hand, withdrawing it from his arm, and moved to the middle of the two ladies, following Renie’s comments,

"Your Highness, this is the scholar Renie I met while traveling in Kado. She has a deep understanding of magic and is very interested in the customs of Nali. I especially invited her today to participate in the event, not expecting Your Highness to be here as well."

Renie quietly glanced at Fisher’s back, her heartbeat quickening for a second, but her face still maintained a dignified appearance.

"Oh, then it seems I’ve come at an improper time."

Elizabeth removed her hat, and now the pressure fell on Fisher, an invisible and terrifying presence causing everyone unrelated to scatter for fear of being caught up in the aftermath. Even Isabella pursed her lips, clearly uncomfortable with such a sister.

Yet Fisher’s expression remained unchanged; he looked straight at Elizabeth in front of him,

"Not at all, Your Highness’s wishes are naturally of the utmost priority, and I have not wavered from this point. Since Your Highness has doubts about this, it so happens that there’s a poetry event going on, I shall offer a poem as compensation to Your Highness."

"Yes, yes, it’s a poetry event, Sister, would you also give me a verse?"

Elizabeth’s expression paused a moment as she looked at Fisher, then she smiled warmly, the previous pressure vanishing without a trace. She gently touched Isabella’s hand, her gaze, however, shifting toward Renie,

"Then, Mr. Fisher, let me hear the verse you have for me. Lady Lao Fang is here as well; any sloppy verse won’t do."

"Rest assured, Mr. Fisher is very talented. The verse he gave me before, I still keep it to this day."

At the worst possible moment, Renie stoked the fire again. Her simple remark once again cooled the atmosphere, and she herself went so far as to blatantly position herself beside Fisher, speaking with the tone of a ’family member,’ suggesting that Fisher had previously experienced many ’Gedelin Festivals’ with her.

Fisher turned his head to look at Renie, only to find she wasn’t looking at him, instead bombarding Elizabeth with all her firepower.

It was only because Fisher had been mediating that Elizabeth hadn’t continued quibbling with the lady, following Fisher’s lead. But she truly hadn’t expected this lady to be so tenacious, determined to go head to head with her.

Well then, since this is the case, neither shall cower!

"Very well, let me be enlightened. But let me remind you, Mr. Fisher, this is a poem for the Gedelin Festival gifted to the Gedelin family, it is not the same quality as one for any other random person, do not disappoint me."

She savored the phrase "among the others" with meticulous attention, a clear insinuation that Renie was not of the same class as herself.

The tension between the two ladies had almost reached a point of being too apparent. Any other lady might have retreated out of deference to Elizabeth’s status, but Renie was an exception.

She appeared and disappeared like a shadow, and even Fisher had to admit that finding Renie at the time had been sheer luck. Other than the confrontation at the scene, Elizabeth had no other trump card to threaten Renie with, unless she called in the Royal Fleet to blast Fisher’s rental house into a giant crater.

Fisher had intended to dismissively cobble together a poem according to the usual formula, but since Elizabeth had spoken, he could not afford to neglect her request. After hesitating for a moment, he recited a poem praising Gold.

"’Traveling against the current of the river, seeking light in the darkness of night; as the sun and moon flee afar, darkness clenches my limbs in lonely grasp; warmth, where are you? Light, where are you? It was you all along, the dust-covered Gold; it was you, the buried Gold.’"

In Nali’s literary works, Gold commonly symbolizes the Royal Family, namely the Gedelin family.

Elizabeth offered no response, but turned her gaze to Lady Lao Fang beside her and smilingly asked,

"Lady Lao Fang, what do you think of this poem?"

Lady Lao Fang paused for a moment, and after thoroughly contemplating Fisher’s poem, said,

"This poem does not follow any established pattern, and must be an improvisation by Mr. Fisher. Although the diction may be somewhat plain, the theme is very clear, and it can be considered a fine piece."

Lady Lao Fang’s assessment was quite fair, devoid of excessive emotional hue, amounting to a smooth handling that offended neither side. You could say she had praised, and you could also say she had criticized, but either way, her comment was impeccable, showing that Lady Lao Fang was well-versed in the art of moderation.

However, Lao Fang still pondered, wouldn’t it be suicidal to imply that Elizabeth was Gold that is dusty and buried?

But considering the unusual relationship between Fisher and Princess Elizabeth, there was no need for her to touch upon this delicate subject, so wisely, Lao Fang avoided mentioning the imagery Fisher described in her review.

After listening, Elizabeth smiled faintly, turning to Fisher with praise,

"I really like this poem, so I will accept it as your apology. It seems that, as the lady said, Mr. Fisher, you are indeed talented. As a reciprocal gesture, I should present you with a poem as well."

"’I am but a cloud, basking in the vast blue sky, shielding you from the Sun; you are the traveler, wishing only for the beloved in the shadow, to beckon me down with a curl of your hand.’"

Elizabeth held her hat quietly in her arms, her golden hair invoking a sense of summer. With a smile, she offered these beautiful lines to the gentleman before her, causing the other young ladies nearby to look at Elizabeth in surprise.

Milica puffed her cheeks, while Isabella glanced at Fisher, her face growing quite flushed.

Moli was eyeing the cakes on the waiter’s tray.

Fisher too opened his mouth, slowly committing the verse to heart, and said,

"Thank you for the poem, Your Highness."

Behind him, Renie, seeing the situation taking an unfavorable turn, quickly moved to Fisher’s side. With elegance, she touched her red lips with her fingertip, seemingly in pensive consideration,

"Ah, what kind of poem should I present to you? The poem for Fisher must be chosen with great care."

Obviously, she intended to gift Fisher with a poem as well.

Fisher glanced at Renie, who seemed like a Holy Maiden, and for a moment, couldn’t fathom how someone like her, with her kind of brains, would even write poetry. After all, he believed Renie was accomplished in nothing but the art of teasing people.

"’The river flows from the Ocean to your doorstep, the leaves grow from the soil to the treetops, the hound goes from Death to birth, and as for the affection between us, it goes from you to me.’"

The short poem flowed into his heart as she gazed at him, like a song of the soul that was truly melodious.

Her attractive purple eyes seemed like an intoxicating wine, and without even taking a sip, Fisher was already somewhat inebriated. Now that she was close, Fisher caught the signature fragrance she wore, which hooked onto his fingers with a tangible presence, tempting him to grasp Renie’s tender hand.

This guy, she could actually write such things?

Elizabeth, looking at Renie’s smiling face, felt a twinge of irritation she couldn’t express. She smiled lightly and slowly approached Renie and Fisher, imposing like a mountain that separated them.

First, she looked at Renie and praised,

"I didn’t expect Lady Renie to be so skilled in poetry. The eloquence of Kado Holy Cathedral is truly exceptional."

Renie, devoutly making a gesture of prayer, responded to Elizabeth’s praise,

"Your Highness flatters me, it is merely the Blessing of the Mother Goddess."

"Then..."

Elizabeth seemed to suddenly recall something, and with a "gentle" turn of her head towards Fisher, she inquired as if it were nothing,

"Mr. Fisher, what do you think, whose poem is better, mine or Lady Renie’s?"