I'm Actually Not Overpowered!

"The Hero has left us in charge of handling this situation. I suppose we all know how urgent this matter is. We will need to execute the plan tomorrow."

The one who spoke was Heshu—obviously the most sensible and oldest among the team.

Asa, Hogun, and Adu stared at him as they sat on the cold, earthen ground. With the Hero away on a mission with Lucy, saving the Elf Sanctuary fell on their shoulders.

"First things first. We convince Dustinel to assist us. Afterward, we move out as soon as possible tomorrow. According to the Hero's plan, which I agree with, we'll need to split into two teams."

They had all agreed with the Hero's deduction that they were running on limited time. The group was grateful that he had shared his phenomenal wisdom with them. Heshu, as an experienced soldier and strategist, found the plan to be adequate.

This must have been the best he could do within the circumstance—considering the odds were stacked against them.

"Adu and Hogun will deal with liberating the Elves from the West and East areas. Asa and I will handle the Elf Chief at his residence."

"B-but, we don't even know where that is." Asa murmured.

According to what Sam told her, the settlement where all the Elves lived—including her father, the Chief—had become desolate. Not only were the houses subpar, but there was no sign of the Elf Chief.

"That's why we need to get Dustinel on our side. I have just the right Magic Item to use. If it comes down to it, I can also use my Skill to coerce him." Heshu explained.

Since they were in a hurry, winning him to their side as soon as possible was imperative. Unfortunately, there was a justified reason for hesitating.

"He's currently in a weakened state. Exposure to even more energy—especially one as toxic as Miasma—could kill him." He sighed.

The gentlemanly demon felt conflicted. It was definitely something he could risk, but it was more prudent to use that option as a last resort .

"I could try persuading him?" Asa muttered. Her voice was barely audible.

As the only non-demon in the group, she had been intimidated for some time now. However, if she didn't speak up, it would do a great disservice to the people she was trying to save.

Asa knew she couldn't have that.

"What makes you so sure he'll listen to you?" Adu snickered, staring condescendingly at the Ranger.

Asa was an Elf, everyone knew that already. It was essential to the plan. Also, Sam had revealed it himself—which she was totally fine with. Everyone also knew about her status as the genuine heir.

"Didn't Dustinel betray your family or something? Your mum is still being held captive, right? Yet he did nothing about her plight, or the condition of the other Elves. How are you so certain he'll listen to you?"

Perhaps Adu's intention was to be condescending to the girl, however, the points he made were pretty solid. Everyone glanced in Asa's direction—waiting for her to refute his logic.

"I don't know what happened to him recently, but I have known Dustinel longer than any of you have. If anyone can convince him at all, it'll be me. Besides, isn't it at least worth a shot?"

Her words weren't exactly convincing, which made them wonder just how she planned on getting a subordinate of their enemy on their side. Unfortunately, her point was equally valid.

They had to try any option they could.

"Well, we can try that. If that doesn't work, then we'll use your method." Hogun nodded in agreement, shifting his gaze to Heshu.

"Pfft." The sound of disagreement came from the usual culprit.

"Got any better ideas?"

"Whatever." Adu shrugged, deciding to let go of the whole matter.

With everyone on board, they decided to count on the Elf Princess and whatever rhetoric she could rely on to bring an enemy to her side and save her people.

*

*

*

"U-urghh…" Dustinel slurred as he gained consciousness.

He could feel his body burning up and his joints aching as he moved. Wincing and groaning, he opened his eyes and took in his environment. It appeared he was in something resembling a tent.

"W-wha…?"

Dustinel groaned even more as he rose to sit up, gripping the soft mattress he lay on for support. It was a strange contraption—one which he figured was valuable.

Still, given how he felt, the sickly Elf could not enjoy the comfortable bed as much as he wanted to.

"I… I have the sickness too." He murmured.

Dustinel slowly remembered everything. How he found out his captor was human, and how he lost so easily. He remembered feeling terribly ill, and now he confirmed it. His body did not feel the same as usual.

'This is bad…'

Dustinel was a sickly Elf, which meant his frame wasn't built for stress. Contracting an illness that caused so great a harm to regular Elves would definitely kill him!

'No… no!'

He didn't want to die. He wanted to live!

Wasn't that the whole point of assisting the Chief in administering the affairs of the Elf Sanctuary? So that he wouldn't die?

"I-I'm sure if I tell him about my sickness, he'll cure me. Right? I'm valuable, so he will…"

No, who was he kidding? Dustinel knew the value that that selfish, arrogant, and self-serving glutton placed on anyone but himself. He would be lucky enough to escape death—not to mention obtaining a cure to something the Chief was most likely ignorant about.

'Worst of all, the Supervisors are coming. He'll definitely not be in the mood to help me. I'm screwed… I'm screwed.' Dustinel raked his hand through his blond hair and gritted his teeth.

'I-if only I knew things would end like this, I would have done the right thing! I would have… would have…'

Dustinel's thoughts were suddenly cut-off by a sound outside the tent. It was the sound of approaching footsteps.

'E-eeek!'

As the footsteps drew closer, the sickly, frightened Elf found himself trembling. He felt a mix of terror and horror—a state of mind that was most likely worsening his ill state.

Swiftly, he returned to his previous state on the mattress, pretending to be asleep. With his eyes tightly shut, he awaited the entry of the one who would enter the room.

'I'm too weak to stand a chance. I… I don't know what to do!'

Someone entered the room, but he dared not open his eyes, talkless of turning in the direction of the tent entrance. He simply shut his eyes, however he began to feel a glow on his finger.

'U-uh…?'

It was a faint glow, but it slowly grew brighter and brighter, and the sensation sent a spike of energy down Dustinel's spine. Enough so that he didn't need to open his eyes to see the source.

He knew it already!

"T-the ring! No way, it can't be!" Dustinel, unable to help himself, inadvertently opened his eyes and his body turned in the direction of the tent's entrance.

That was when he saw 'her.'

His eyes widened, and the gap in his memory was filled, as he recalled how he had felt the same sensation and seen the same effect of his ring before he was captured. Everything came flooding back, as he saw the beautiful form of his best friend's daughter.

"A-Asariel…?"

Her pointy ears were still not fully mature, but they indicated her heritage quite well. Her glorious green eyes and her blond hair made her look ethereal. Although she was older, she was definitely the girl he remembered her to be.

"Dustinel…" She said softly.

Her eyes were beautiful, but they stared coldly at him—and he knew why.

How could he expect any less?

'A-am I dreaming, though…? Is this a nightmare?' He thought to himself.

No, what did it matter? Whether dream or reality, there was only one thing he could do in the presence of Asariel Lucielle.

Dustinel mustered all of his strength and rose to his feet, rushing toward the Elf as his eyes glittered with tears and his body screamed in pain. He could see her shocked expression, but he didn't care.

He had to do it… NOW!

"I… Asariel… I…"

Just as he was about to reach her, he collapsed to the ground, wrapping his hands around one of her legs and crying out in both pain and sorrow.

" I AM SO SORRY!!!"

Tears gushed from his eyes, and snot dripped from his nostrils. The fact that he could touch her legs proved that it wasn't an illusion, and the unbearable pain his sick body was feeling told the bawling man that this was definitely reality.

That made it so much better.

"I'm so sorry for betraying your trust, for letting this happen to everyone, for allowing him to do this to our people… our Sanctuary!"

Dustinel knew he had no valid excuse, though his reasons were legitimate.

"P-p-p-p-p-please forgive meeeee!"