Family

“This… bastard… My hair…!”
Inside the dilapidated building after the man had left, the woman cursed while rubbing her throbbing head.
‘He didn’t hear, did he…?’

At the same time, she hurriedly looked around, worried that the man might still be nearby and have heard her voice.
“Fuck. Fuck. Bastard. Just wait. Once I pay off all the money, I’ll get my revenge somehow.”

After confirming that the man was not in the vicinity, she spoke with an even more agitated tone, spewing profanities.
After several minutes of directionless anger echoing in the empty space, the woman – Celine – finally calmed down and began to think about what to do next.

‘It’s not here either. Where on earth is she staying?’
The place where Celine is now is where she used to live with Pfel.
She came here thinking she might be here, but… it had been long since there were any traces of people.

“Sigh…”
Why did my life turn out like this?
Because I ran away from the village to avoid marrying a young man ten years older than me?
Because I voluntarily entered the brothel out of greed for money?

Or because I had an affair with that good-looking elf? Because I got into drugs during my time at the brothel?
‘No.’
My life really started falling apart when I gave birth to that child.

“I should have aborted it back then…”
When that elf who happened to visit the brothel chose me, I stupidly thought it was love.
…When the child had grown a bit, I went into the forest to find the child’s father, but all I got was contempt.

In the end, all that was left was me, who had already lost the beauty of my youth, and a useless child.
So I abandoned her. Because there was no need to raise her anymore.

When I left for another city after abandoning the child, I could still earn enough to live on as there was some demand, but that didn’t last long.
No one sought me out anymore, and eventually, I turned back to drugs to escape the painful reality.
And now.

Unable to handle the increasing cost of drugs, I ended up being chased by those bastards.
Just before being sold as a plaything for crazy perverted nobles…

“I, I have a child! The child’s father is an elf!”
“What? Pfft. How could someone like you with an elf…”
“It, it’s true! Please believe me! She should still be in Lonzville! The child is an elf too, so she should be worth more than me!”

“…Tell me more.”
That’s how I ended up coming to this city with those guys who became interested in my words.
“My life was ruined because of that child…”

So, I’m not at fault at all.

The next day, as if the cold and body aches were a lie, my condition improved to the point where I could run right away.
“Unni. It’s this way.”
“That alley? I can smell a faint scent of herbs.”

And now, I’m heading to the shop where Pfel said she bought the potions, along with her.
It’s to express our gratitude for receiving the potions for free. Also to stock up on some potions for home.

As we entered the alley following Pfel’s guidance, the herbal scent grew stronger.
And soon after, the potion shop came into view.

‘It’s open… right?’
“…What is it, elf miss? Why are you back? Did our potions not work?”
Just as we were about to open the door and enter, a woman wearing a deeply pulled hood addressed Pfel from across the way.

“Hello! Um, we came to express our gratitude.”
Pfel greeted the woman.
Judging by Pfel’s reaction, this woman seemed to be the owner of the potion shop. Why is she wearing a hood though? It’s hot.

“Hmm, and next to you is… your older sister? No, a human.”
“…Hello.”
She exuded a strangely alien atmosphere.

My questions were cleanly answered when the woman in front of us removed her hood and revealed her face.
“Sigh. If I don’t wear a hood when I’m out, people keep staring at me. Like I’m some kind of spectacle.”

The ears of the woman who removed her hood were long like Pfel’s.
‘She was an elf.’
I can roughly guess why she gave Pfel the potions for free. She must have been happy to meet someone of her own kind.

“Shall we go in? It’s a bit awkward to talk standing here.”
“Yes.”
The shop owner naturally guided us into the store.

“Um, sit here.”
“Here, have some tea. I only have herbal tea, is that okay?”
“Are you comfortable? Are the chairs a bit dirty?”

‘…She’s kind.’
The shop owner, who had been busily moving around as soon as we entered, finally sat down after serving us tea.
…She might have been a bit bored, welcoming us more warmly than expected.

First, I should express our gratitude.
“I heard you gave Pfel potions for free. Thank you. Thanks to that, my condition has improved a lot.”
As I expressed my gratitude to the shop owner, I took out a return gift from my spatial storage.

The return gift was potatoes and carrots grown in our home garden.
At first, I wondered if it was right to give money as thanks, but judging from how she refused when Pfel tried to pay, I didn’t think she would accept if I offered money. So I prepared this gift.

“You’re a magician. Spatial magic, huh. You seem more skilled than you look. And this… I’ll accept it gratefully. Thank you.”
“Ah, I’m saying this in case you misunderstand, but when I said you seem more skilled than you look, I didn’t mean you looked unskilled. You look very young, so I meant it’s impressive. Please don’t misunderstand.”

“…Yes.”
I’ve thought this since our first meeting, but this elf seems to have a bit of a talkative nature.
She then began introducing herself.

“I’m Elleore. As you can see, I’m an elf.”
“I’m Pfel. And this unni next to me is Ariel… hmph, no, Mona unni.”
I lightly poked Pfel’s side as she was about to introduce me as Ariel without thinking.

I meant to caution her… but her reaction was interesting.
I was about to do it again but lowered my finger when I saw Pfel’s cold gaze.
‘Pfel is weak on her sides… memo….’

“Pfel… elf… Pfel…”
Elleore made a strange expression upon hearing Pfel’s name. She’s probably thinking, is it Pfel because she’s an elf?
“Yes?”

“…Sorry. It’s a pretty name. Anyway, what’s your relationship? Just friends?”
“We’re family.”
Pfel answered Elleore’s question without a moment’s hesitation.

I was slightly touched.
Elleore made a somewhat complicated expression upon hearing Pfel’s answer. Why is she reacting like that?
“…Just a moment.”

Then she put her hand into the pocket at her waist and took something out.
‘A letter?’
Surely it’s not a love letter… right?

“I’m not sure if it’s right to give this to you, but… I think you should at least have the choice.”
Saying that, Elleore handed the letter she had taken out of her pocket to Pfel.
Just a single sheet of paper without an envelope, and it was quite crumpled.

Elleore probably didn’t crumple it on purpose, it must have been in that state when it was first given to her. I can’t help but be curious about its contents.
“This is…”
“Your mother came by yesterday. She asked me to give this to you.”

‘Mother?’
…Isn’t that the person who abandoned Pfel when she was young?
For a while after Pfel came to live with us, she was afraid of being separated from me.
The cause was her mother.

Due to the trauma of being abandoned by her mother.
Pfel always had a lonely expression when talking about her mother. For me, who had seen Pfel like this, it’s natural that I don’t like this character claiming to be Pfel’s mother who’s trying to find her now.

“My mother…?”
Pfel’s face is tinged with bewilderment as she receives the letter.
…Watching Pfel like this, Elleore cautiously speaks up.

“Yes. I don’t know how you and your mother ended up living apart, but if I may say one thing…”
Eventually, she looked at me and Pfel alternately before continuing.
“…Just because you’re related by blood doesn’t necessarily make you family.”

After having a brief conversation with Elleore, Pfel and I left the shop.
“Um, Pfel. Are you okay?”
“I’m okay. I’m just a bit shocked. Why now…”

Pfel trails off, looking at the letter in her hand.
“Sigh. I’m sorry for making you worry, unni. Shall we go home then?”
“…Okay.”

Pfel soon let out a short sigh and then smiled at me, but I could tell. That smile was just an act to reassure me.
And the next day.
“Ariel-nim!! Wake up and see this!”

“Huh?”
Cherni wakes me up early in the morning while I was sound asleep.
“P-Pfel left this letter and… left home!”

“What?”
‘Pfel left home?’
I immediately took the letter Pfel supposedly left and read it.

===============
I’m going to Lonzville for a while.
I’m sorry for leaving without saying anything. I love you.

“Wh-What should we do? I did hear some rustling sounds at dawn…”
‘Could she have gone to meet her mother?’
…In the end, what we were worried about has happened.