episode_0053

After breakfast, we went to Arna’s bed, read a book together, and then took a nap together.

A young body that gets tired quickly but recovers quickly.

As I took a short break, my memories of meeting Elena faded away as I felt her soft skin smiling and accepting Arna’s pampering.

When I woke up from a nap that afternoon, I heard a sound as if someone had come outside, so I left Arna sleeping and went outside.

Has Isella come?

The only person who bothers to come is Isella.

When I opened the door, Isela was walking in, just as I expected.

“What.”

Isella, who came closer and looked at me, frowned and scratched her head.

Then he looked at me awkwardly for a while, unable to say anything.

After a long time, she spoke carefully.

“Jihoo… Is that right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, I know. Ms. Isela. Please come in.”

Isella tilted her head and entered the house.

I was curious how she would react to my appearance, but Isella continued to stare at me with an expression of embarrassment.

“You’ve gotten younger, huh?”

“Yes. Hehe.”

I got younger. Now, we’ll have to see if we can do the same again, but it’s clear that becoming younger is the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Now I can continue to be with my sister.”

“As expected… That thing had such power. It seemed like something would happen.”

Isella smiled and stroked my head.

“Anyway, I thought I would come today, so when did you come back?”

“Yesterday.”

“Then I guess I guessed it roughly.”

Isella let out a small breath. And a shadow immediately appeared on the face that was smiling at me. Did something happen?

The last thing here… Carmene and Arna fought and eventually got permission to watch over us.

Even if there is a change of heart again… … ?

“What’s going on?”

At my cautious question, Isella looked at me.

“Arna?”

“He’s probably still sleeping. I took a nap while resting together earlier in the morning.”

“Wake me up. Let’s listen together.”

It seems like something serious. Well, Isella actually doesn’t have anything else to say just to me.

When I returned to the room, I pulled Arna’s arm as she woke up at the sound of my return.

Perhaps because of her small body, it is difficult for Arna, who is drowsy, to wake up.

“Ugh, wake up.”

“Why?”

Arna got up and leaned against me.

He pressed his big chest against my small body and exhaled softly again.

There was a heated reaction, but… I grabbed Arna’s shoulders, pushed her, and shook her. So she quickly rubbed her eyes and nodded.

“Isela came. He’s waiting for you because he has something to say.”

“Huh?”

Arna tilted her head, tied up her loose hair, and stood up.

We quickly left the room and went to Isela.

“Aunt, what’s going on?”

“It’s about mom.”

“Mom? … Why?”

I knew it.

I thought it ended well, but what else is left?

Arna’s expression seemed to be frozen as if she was thinking the same thing as me.

“I got stuck in the cave again. Maybe I won’t be able to come out again.”

“Yes?”

Being stuck in a cave… It seems like you go somewhere and take a dive.

Well, wait a minute.

“No way… .”

“Jihu seems to be more perceptive.”

Arna looked at me, and I needed to check if my guess was really correct.

“Isolation… Did you do it?”

“That’s right.”

Uh, this… How should I accept it?

I couldn’t react.

Isella’s expression was that she had just come to convey that fact, and Arna… … .

“Mom is going to die?”

“You mean that could happen?”

Isella shrugged as if it was no big deal.

Perhaps because of that reaction, Arna looked a little more like he didn’t understand than worried.

“Perhaps… Are you still not accepting Jihoo?”

That thought occurred to me. I haven’t taken it out of my brain, but just in case.

‘Kim Ji-hoo, are you my mom? Even if your mother dies, will you still be with that person?’ I was anxious about whether he was trying to pose a difficult question.

“It’s not because of you. I don’t know if you heard what happened a long time ago.”

Isella glanced at me and continued speaking.

“I was still insane until Arna was born.”

In terms of elf time, it wasn’t long before Arna was born.

“You lasted well for a few years.”

“Uh, are you Mom? What’s not sane is… I knew it. Because it was strange to anyone who saw it… .”

“Anyway, I think it’s reaching its limit. Before that, I went in and came out after 100 years.”

If you roughly think about time, 100 years means that Carmene went out at the age of 100, the time she spent with the warrior was roughly 100 years, and she spent the remaining 100 years in isolation.

And the reason it came out like that was the reason I had Arna… … .

“If you don’t mind, can I ask you a question?”

“It seems very rude to ask that, doesn’t it? What is it?”

Isella spoke as if she was seeing my question right through.

So I guess I can’t ask any more questions.

I swallowed my saliva, but nevertheless confessed my curiosity.

“In that elf quarantine zone… It looks like making a baby is possible, right?”

“Are you crazy?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. So, I ask for your understanding in advance… .”

Isella snorted and shook her head.

“Of course, such a personal thing is impossible. Looking at my sister’s condition at the time, it didn’t seem like she would do something like that, even secretly.”

“Are you mom?”

I know yeah.

“Your mom, it’s been like that since you were born.”

Then what did you do and how did you do it? Should we assume that the mystery of the elves has occurred again?

“I’m not sure what happened… That’s how it happened.”

“Ah… .”

Arna and I sighed lightly and nodded.

After hearing the story up to that point, I started to get worried.

No matter how much my terrible mother, no, my mother-in-law, opposed me, I couldn’t let her go without even showing her grandchildren.

“If you have any questions, go ask your mom. Don’t you like it this time too?”

Isella and my eyes turned to Arna at the same time.

Now a lot has changed. Arna wouldn’t want her mother to die either.

“I want to go.”

“Yes, it was worth coming.”

Isella’s purpose from the beginning was to take Arna with her. also.

“Let’s go to Jihu Island.”

“Uh, okay. Can I go too?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

So unexpectedly, I went to visit my mother-in-law, who said she might die.

–

What kind of place are elves isolated?

According to the information in the book, it is said that it was a place where they dug up the roots of a ‘sacred tree’ that they worshiped like a god and created a space inside.

Part of the roots of the huge and strangely shaped sacred tree were exposed outside the ground, and it was said that these spaces were all used by the elves to confine themselves.

As I headed toward the sacred tree with Arna on my back, I was able to see other elves for the first time. As if they were not interested in each other at all, we didn’t even glance at each other as we passed by, and I was the only one looking around in curiosity.

As other elves were visible, there were places that took the form of villages.

Strictly speaking, compared to places where humans live, there was an infinitely large forest between the houses, but workshops to make things or gardens to grow crops were often seen in the middle of the forest.

“It looks like quite a few elves live here.”

“Arna lives in the outermost forest, and my sister and I live in the farthest place within the boundaries of the village. This is near the sacred tree, so it’s close to the center.”

It must be quite difficult to live here and get to and from the human village. No matter how much you move using magic, magic power is consumed equal to the distance you move.

For someone like me, if I even tried to go out of the forest from here, I would faint.

“Here.”

Soon we arrived in front of a tree root.

An elf guarding this place smiled and greeted us as we approached.

“Uh, hello. Isela. This is… .”

“Arna, Carmene’s sister’s daughter.”

“Ah! You are Arna. It was so big.”

It was so big? When I suddenly lowered my head at those words, I saw an elf the size of me now hanging on the elf’s leg.

That… You’re a young elf. It’s so cute.

Arna must have been like that too, right? I can’t believe I lived that long and had such a cute moment. Something is disappointing.

“Arna, do you remember me?”

Arna opened her eyes wide and shook her head.

“Ha, it’s because I only saw it when I was young, right? I guess I should introduce myself again. My name is Lutia.”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

Arna greeted awkwardly, and the elf named Lutia smiled brightly and opened the door blocking the quarantine area.

“Are you trying to go inside now? then… What should I do? Isella, can you look at him for a moment? I’ll take you to Carmene.”

“Okay.”

Lutia left the baby elf with Isella and went inside the door.

We followed Lutia, who led the way, into the tree roots. I asked, looking at her light steps that seemed to be humming.

“Is this your daughter?”

“Yes. Hehehe, isn’t it really cute?”

Lutia looked back at me, and then her eyes widened as if she was aware of the human child being carried by Arna.

“Ah… Are you preparing Arna already? I’m still young.”

already… I’m doing it.

Arna smiled brightly and nodded, just like when she boasted about breast milk.

“I’m working hard with Jihoo every day. Jihoo really wants to get me pregnant.”

“Hey, I’m jealous. People usually get scared when they say elf.”

“Jihoo and I like each other.”

“Yes, that’s good. If you are happy, your mom will be happy too. Now, this way.”

Ms. Lutia didn’t seem to have any particular hostility towards humans. No, in some ways it feels like it doesn’t matter what you do?

While it was dark and she couldn’t see anything, Lutia turned and soon stopped.

She took the lead and hung the torch she had brought with her on the wall. Through that light, I could see Carmene crouching in the dark.

Are you doing this in such a dark place?

Isn’t that too much?

Lutia must have seen my surprised eyes and smiled shyly.

“Carmene asked me to do this. The environment here is tailored to suit the wishes of the elves who come in. I’ll go. Stay as long as you want. Let me know if anything happens.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Lutia returned, and Carmene slowly raised her head.

Then he looked at Arna and smiled at her haggard face that seemed to have no energy at all.

“Arna.”

“… … mom. Why are you doing this?”

“I’m sorry. Just keep… Because I don’t have much control over it. I’ll be out soon.”

Arna dropped me off. As I stood next to Arna, Carmene’s eyes turned to me.

“That kid… . It got smaller?”

“Yes, I feel young again. Contrary to what my mom worried about, I think I can live with Jihu for a long time.”

Carmene laughed weakly.

“I’m jealous.”

Even though they are mother and daughter… I don’t know if this is salting it too much.

“Hey, Mom. I have a question.”

“Say.”

“What was Mom doing here before I was born?”

Arna asked exactly what she was curious about.

Carmene stared at Arna with dead eyes. Carmene, who was looking at Arna with eyes that did not know what she was thinking, soon looked away.

After saying nothing for a while, she twitched her fingers and then slowly opened her mouth.

“… … I proved it.”