14 – Rachel

Saying they have no place to stay, they have no choice but to take the monster that follows them in a carriage. Exhausted from the fatigue and headache caused by the monster in front of me, I entrusted myself to the soft cushions of the wagon.

I feel a little more comfortable thanks to the ride comfort that doesn’t feel even the slightest vibration and the soft and fluffy feel of the cushion.

Feeling that feeling, when I closed my eyes for a while, I opened my eyes to the feeling of pressing my cheeks. The monster presses against my cheek and thrusts a book into it.

“Is a wagon always this soft?”

I get a little annoyed at the fact that the question I asked while interrupting my rest is a trivial question, but I answer with patience.

“Only high-end wagons are like this, and normal wagons are not soft.”

After I finish answering, I close my eyes again, and soon the monster stabs me in the cheek.

“What is that huge building?”

“It is the Cathedral of the Armis Church.”

Even after that, the monster continues to ask questions. I get annoyed by interrupting my rest, but he is like a child who is curious about everything and asks questions, so he endures the annoyance and answers.

It’s funny how I think of a being who might have lived hundreds of years as a child, but how can I react that way to the life I lived as a parent of two children?

With that thought in mind, while answering the child-like monster’s questions, I arrived at the mansion before I knew it.

Get off the wagon and guide the monster directly to the empty guest room.

“You can sleep here. I’ll be in the next room, so tell me if you need anything.”

I was uneasy about leaving this monster to the servants, so I decided to stay in the empty guest room instead of the room I used to use.

“Then I need that bath water.”

My head is broken for a moment at the slightly youthful voice of a woman. Her name is Rachelo, a woman’s name, and the way she speaks is feminine, so it’s no surprise that the monster is a woman. However, I thought he was dumb because he only talked in writing, but seeing him speak well, I am dumbfounded.

“You could talk, but why are you talking in writing?”

“Oh, it was because of the rule that you cannot let your voice be heard by strangers.”

He knew that Dark Elves were shady and exclusive. As soon as I met them in my last life, I thought I felt enough when I saw them wielding knives, but that was about medicine. Dark Elves’ shadyness and exclusiveness were beyond imagination.

After knowing their rules, the balance of whether or not to visit the high priest tilts towards not going.

“Oh, it’s not that strange. There are more people who fall in love with our species and follow them and cause trouble, and a group of people who try to kidnap them to enslave them. That’s why I’m wearing this robe and mask.”

I didn’t even ask if she read my expression, but she explained. Still, the reluctance disappeared because the explanation was understandable enough.

“How uncomfortable is that rule? It’s very frustrating, like this robe and mask.”

Saying so, she takes off her baggy robe and mask. Her rich silver hair like moonlight flows down, and a healthy-looking bronzed skin without blemishes reveals a woman wearing a tight-fitting leather outfit.

“I was scolded because it was really frustrating.”

She is wearing a robe, so after brushing off her hair, she throws the robe and mask roughly on a chair. Seeing him act as comfortably as if he were in his own room, I have doubts.

“Me and I met for the first time today, isn’t it against the rules to act like that?”

At that, she smiles and opens her mouth.

“Brother A has been blessed by Master Kian. I’m not a stranger, so it’s okay.”

She laughs, but clicks her tongue because it’s not something I’m willing to say.

“I want to wash faster than that! Oh, and please give me some rice after washing.”

“I got it. I’ll order the bath water for the servants, so wait. And if there’s anything you can’t eat, tell me now.”

“It doesn’t have to be something like Kevlar’s testicles. It’s a bit too bitter.”

I leave her in the room laughing and talking about ingredients that I can’t even understand.

“Wait a little, then go to the place on the far left and wash. And I told the servants not to come near, but wear a robe and go.”

“Yes!”

Taking care of her with a bright smile reminds me of the days when I took care of each and every one of the children, and I feel strange.

Realizing that I’m having strange thoughts, I tousled my hair. It is nonsense to conceive children of a monster that may have lived for hundreds of years.

yeah that’s unbelievable…

I put aside my thoughts and went to wash my body that I worked hard for today. After washing with cold water, my head clears up a little. After feeling a little more cold water that clears my head, I finish washing and return to my room.

When I return to my room, I am greeted with a bread basket, vegetable soup, and a large meat dish. Looking at the food makes me hungry, but somewhere awaits her like a child.

After waiting for a while, she comes in with wet hair on her head.

“It smells great.”

She smiles and eats the bread with her hand. Seeing them eat it hastily, I inadvertently throw out a word.

“Eat slowly. pretend.”

“yes~.”

She answered that, but the speed at which she ate was still the same. I sighed for some reason, but I pushed it aside to soothe my hungry stomach.

As I soothe my stomach with soup and bread, I notice her sloppily slicing the meat with a knife.

“I’ll cut it, so give it to me.”

“Here you go.”

I take the plate she passes over, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and hand it back to her. She takes the plate and quickly stuffs the meat into her mouth.

“This meat is so delicious! It tastes better than Kevlar legs.”

“Is that so?”

I slice my meat and serve it on her plate, who is delighted with each piece of meat. Her eyes widen at the sight.

“Don’t you eat, brother?”

“I usually get tired of eating a lot.”

“Then I will eat them all.”

He laughs and stimulates the nostalgia of life abandoned by the appearance he likes. I feel like something is coming up from below, but I forcibly block it. It is strange that a Dark Elf, who has no resemblance at all, feels nostalgic for acting like a child.

Youth is the problem… so emotional…

I sighed at my emotional self, feeling nostalgic even for small things. As she groaned, her meal was over.

“I really enjoyed the meal. I have never tasted such delicious food in my life!”

“The chef would love to hear that.”

“Then please tell me.”

“yes. I get it.”

When she finished eating, when she got up from her seat, a question that had been stuck in the corner came up because of fatigue.

“Now that I know it, Dark Elves are very exclusive, so I know they don’t come out often in their hometowns, but for what reason did you participate in the martial arts competition?”

“Oh is that it? Kaian-sama gave a revelation and participated.”

My head hurts when I hear the name of that unknown god.

“Since there was only a revelation to participate in the martial arts competition, perhaps it meant meeting the brother?”

I wanted to deny it, but I couldn’t deny it because it was the most valid reason under the circumstances.

“Yeah… I guess. I’ve asked everything you want to ask, so go.”

“yes~”

She leaves, sighs, and cleans up after herself. Such a long, long day passes by.

—–

“Brother, get up quickly! Go faster and wait less. I went late yesterday and waited a long time.”

I woke up thanks to her making noise from dawn when the sun didn’t even rise.

“It doesn’t matter if you come late because only the finals were held today, so there are few participants.”

“really?”

“yes.”

“Well then, since you woke up early, let’s eat.”

Having eaten my share of meat yesterday, she says with a little drool. It seemed like laughter would come out instead of the annoyance caused by having his sleep disturbed.

“It’s still time for the chef to sleep.”

At my words, she puts on a shocked expression. Laughter comes out of that look.

“Brother, why are you laughing?”

“It is nothing. If the chef wakes up later, I’ll wake you up so stay asleep.”

“Yes.”

She goes back to being limp. Laughter comes out again.

After some time, I had a hearty breakfast and headed to the Colosseum. The inside of the carriage was filled with only the breathing of one Dark Elf who had a hearty breakfast. As I was observing her who was completely different from the Dark Elves I had seen, I arrived at the Colosseum before I knew it. Wake her up and enter the Colosseum.

She stretches all the way and holds a book while looking at me.

“Brother, can we compete today?”

“I’ll see you all until the finals today.”

“Then let’s bet! The loser grants the winner’s wishes!”

“That’s what kids do.”

“Brother, it’s no fun.”

Ignore her who seems a bit pouty. Yesterday, I was comfortable with something, but it’s not good to be close. Thinking so, I ignored her chatter.

As she taps me on the shoulder, who keeps ignoring me, the official I saw yesterday comes in.

“Today, unlike the preliminaries, there is an opening ceremony, so you have to come out.”

At that, she and I follow the official and go up to the stage in the center of the Colosseum to wait. After waiting for a while, a very familiar person comes up to the podium. With her beautiful lake-like hair standing out, she opens her mouth.

“In today’s martial arts competition finals, all of you as one warrior, don’t leave any regrets and burn everything.”

Iris Brandt. When she finishes talking, she looks at me and smiles.