Chapter 270 Not an Elf
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
From the latter half, it’s in third-person perspective.
Two days after Marquis Rubal came calling, I was in the office, buried in paperwork as usual today.
Diana had been on guard, suspecting there was more to the Marquis Rubal couple’s visit, but they came to say goodbye in the morning and left.
At that time, they said, “We support your path,” but could it be that they took a liking to Shiown enough to support the tunnel’s excavation?
As the proposer, it’s a greatly pleasing matter, but I’m thoroughly puzzled because I can’t find any element that would make an empire noble like Shiown.
Marquis Rubal had mentioned over dinner that he was fed up with the empire nobles who fish for compliments, but it’s hard to believe that alone would be enough to win their favor.
Although they made sure to tell me they liked it, when I asked what specifically they liked about it, they didn’t give me an answer.
Lately, I’ve been feeling this sort of hazy unease more often.
With Estesia-san, the intruder, and Golarf-san, there are too many unresolved questions about this case.
I’m starting to feel like if I don’t resolve one or 2 of these soon, it’s going to interfere with my work.
Just as I was thinking this, there was a knock on the office door.
”Neil, are you okay?”
”Lewya? Come on in.”
Hmm, if it’s a report, I just received one a little while ago… could something else have happened?
”What’s up? Don’t tell me someone else came to see me?”
”No, it’s not that. Actually, I just met with Golarf, and he asked if he could split the Gioniium pile outside the mansion.”
”Golarf-san wants the Gioniium? Ah, now that you mention it, he did say he’d help dispose of the Gioniium when we first met.”
At that time, I was so caught up in the name Golarf that I completely spaced on that detail.
But what would one use Gioniium for, I wonder.
”Sure, splitting it is fine, but did you ask what he needs it for?”
”He says he wants to use it for an experiment.”
”Experimenting with Gioniium? Why now, of all times?”
”And coming from Neil, no less?”
”Well, you know, with my powers and all…”
I was curious why Golarf-san would suddenly start experimenting with Gioniium, of all things.
”He said it was just a way to kill time. And since Elves don’t mind the passage of time, they can keep at it for years without giving up, unlike humans who might give up if they don’t get results in a few years.”
”……”
”Neil? What’s up?”
”Nah… Hey, Lewya, have you ever wanted to kill time?”
”Hmm? Hmm, now that you mention it, maybe not. Time just keeps on ticking, no matter what I’m doing… but.”
”But?”
”I’ve never felt the passage of time was painful, but lately, I find myself eager for time to pass. I never used to think like this before I met you all, so maybe it’s your influence.”
”…I see. Did Golarf-san say anything else?”
”He also said──”
Lewya stopped dead in her tracks, and before I could ask what was wrong, her cheeks flushed Crimson in an instant, and her eyes widened as she blurted out.
”Oh, yeah! He didn’t say anything else!?”
”Aー… I see, that’s good then.”
I could tell something was said, but I also knew I shouldn’t ask.
Judging by Lewya’s reaction, it was probably something on the *activity* side.
He’s the type of guy who would expose the family’s sex life without a second thought, so he might have even asked his niece some pervy questions.
”Alright, next time Golarf-san comes, hand over the Gioniium. I’m sure Golarf-san doesn’t need that much, so give him as much as he wants.”
”O-okay, then I’ll take my leave.”
After watching Lewya leave the office, blushing furiously, I leaned back in my chair, exhaled slowly, and looked up at the ceiling, muttering.
”‘Killing time,’ huh…”
If Elves really don’t mind the passage of time, then there’s no need to kill it.
If Golarf-san is lying, that’s not quite right either.
From the question I just asked Lewya, I understand that elves living in the village do not suffer from the passage of time.
However, that only applies when they remain in a village with only their kind.
Our sense of time is different from that of the elves, and while Lewya has only known us for a year, they have certainly been influenced by us during that time.
So what does that mean for Golarf-san, who has spent over 3 hundred years in the human world?
It goes without saying.
Now, the source of the unease I felt towards Golarf-san has become clear.
That person has already lost their sense of time as an elf.
When that person talks about elves, they don’t say “we” like the other elves do; instead, they refer to them as “elves,” speaking as if it were someone else’s business, because they are aware that they have deviated from being an elf.
Golarf-san has become an elf, but not quite an elf anymore.
”So that’s why Golarf-san said something like that… If that’s the case──ah, come on!”
Even though one question has been resolved, the fog in my heart only thickens instead of clearing.
”This is bad, at this rate I won’t be able to focus on work.”
Until now, I’ve been putting work aside in favor of other things, but I’ve hit my breaking point.
That said, I can’t just drop in on the Elf Village unannounced, and even if I meet Golarf-san and confirm things, it’ll merely serve to acknowledge my confusion without clearing it up.
So, I think I should tackle a different question to ease this fog in my mind a bit, but since the couple involved with Marquis Rubal has already left the frontier settlement, that’s out of the question.
The issue with the intruders is something that would have been resolved long ago if it could have been, so that’s also a no-go.
By process of elimination, I can only try to deal with Estesia-san’s situation.
Until now, I’ve avoided it to not stir up trouble, but clearing my mental haze takes priority now.
Seizing the day, I set off to find Estesia-san without delay.
* * *
In the mansion hallway, a blushing Lewya hurriedly walked away, trying to escape.
”Seriously, that Golarf, thanks to him I’m feeling so embarrassed──”
As Lewya complained about Golarf, she suddenly stopped in her tracks and turned to look back at the office.
”…I’ve been hiding things from Neil, haven’t I?”
The conversation traced back several minutes, to when Golarf had asked Lewya to relay a message to Neil about sharing Gioniium.
”Well then, I’ll leave it to you.”
”Got it, I’ll pass the message to the spirits once I confirm.”
”Alright then.”
After finishing his business, Golarf turned to leave, but suddenly recalling something, he faced Lewya and shot her a question.
”Lewya, how far have you and Neil-kun gotten?”
”What!? Why are you asking that all of a sudden!!”
”Oh, judging by that reaction, it seems you’re already in deep. Are you two an item?”
”N-no, that’s not it! Neil and I aren’t in that kind of relationship! Besides, Neil has a fiancée named Mei…”
”So it’s just a physical relationship then?”
”No, it’s not like that… Wait, why should I have to answer that question!?”
”I see, I see, so that’s how it is.”
”Ugh…!”
With all her secrets laid bare, Lewya could only groan in frustration, and Golarf launched a different question.
”Lewya”
”Ugh, What’s next? I’m not in the mood to answer Golarf’s questions anymore──”
”You’re still an ‘Elf,’ huh?”
”…What does that even mean?”
”It means what it says. I’m asking if you’re still an Elf.”
Lewya is confused by the meaningless question.
”For your information, I’ve been this way since birth. It’s not just us, it applies to other races too. At least those who don’t change like insects won’t be any different.”
”That’s not what I meant… Since you don’t realize it, you must be an Elf, and there’s still hope.”
”Hope? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
”I’m talking about you, Lewya. This is a warning from your uncle, and from someone who’s lived outside the village for a long time. Return to the village while you’re still an Elf. If you stay here with them, you’ll regret it someday.”
”…What are you even saying? I can’t understand a word.”
”That’s fine. Elves shouldn’t understand things like this.”
”That makes it sound like you’re not an Elf.”
”……”
”Golarf?”
”If that were really true, how relieved I’d be…”
”Huh?”
A small whisper that escaped from the bottom of Golarf’s heart.
Before Lewya could pursue the matter, Golarf turned on his heel and left.
”Just remember, you should return to the village. Before you end up like me.”
”Wait, Golarf! What do you mean?! Hey!”
Lewya called out to Golarf’s back, but Golarf didn’t stop.
He just walked away.
(Should I have told Neil about Golarf back then?)
Lewya remembered the exchange with Golarf in the hallway of the house, but quickly dismissed the thought.
(No, Neil’s already got enough on his plate. I can’t add more questions or worries for him. Besides…)
”I still want to be with Neil and the others,” Lewya told herself, suppressing the guilt that was welling up inside her and returning to her daily life at the frontier settlement.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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