episode_0057
by fnovelpia“So, how did you two end up here? It’s quite a distance from Xeorp.”
widely. The green-haired Moana, who reminds me of Faust, placed a teapot emitting white steam on the table.
Moana’s voice was different from the fierce appearance she had just shown, with a soft tone that a good-looking old woman in the neighborhood would speak. El said that originally, elves live for a long time, so their speech goes back and forth or something.
“ran away.”
“Escape? Running away from Xeorp. What do you mean?”
Revan and L. The two were rubbing their wet hair with a towel. Even though L entered the bathtub first, her long hair had not yet dried, so she kept moving her hands.
Now they have washed themselves thoroughly and are dressed in loose-fitting clothes, but up until now, they looked no different from wild animals, to put it bluntly. It was natural. Because I’ve been wandering through the dark forest without any hesitation.
“The story is a bit complicated.”
Whoop. L, who took a sip of warm tea, explained what had happened so far. Sudden attack and escape. As the story ended, wrinkles appeared on Moana’s forehead.
“···Isn’t the story’s escalation a bit strange? Why was it attacked in the first place?”
“We don’t know that either.”
Right now, Revan doesn’t know any information about the person named Arrieta Betzler. It was only natural that Antonio was not a person who could kindly explain the complicated situation, and Faust kept his identity hidden.
“Don’t know?”
“Yes.”
“That’s strange. The Wetzlar family would have a lot to lose…”
Tuk-tuk. Moana touched the table with her index finger. It seems like he doesn’t understand the situation.
“The chase was definitely chased away. So-”
“No, that doesn’t really matter. If those guys were in their right mind, they wouldn’t mess with an elf. But… what are you doing in front of me?”
Revan, who sat next to El across from Moana, did not have a gas mask on his face. Originally, this was something that could not have happened.
“Do you want to say that you are proud?”
Revan and El’s hands were intertwined on the table. This was a measure to prevent poison from being released.
“I said I definitely wanted to wear a gas mask.”
“What are you wearing so arrogantly in front of adults? Please stay calm.”
Watching the skit, Moana fell into nostalgia for a moment. Abubu- The child I saw from the time he was crawling against me is now old enough to get a man.
“So. What are you planning to do now?”
“I do have a rough plan. For him, he needs to go home first.”
“I think I know what you’re thinking, but…”
Squeak. Moana sighed as she finished drinking and tipped the kettle into her empty teacup.
“It won’t be easy. It’s not my place to say anything, but the elves are really tight-lipped.”
“···I know it’s not easy. But returning to the capital is also impossible. If you get caught for no reason, there is a risk of being chased for the rest of your life.”
“I’m retired, so I don’t have anything to say anymore. Still, rest comfortably. There are a lot of rooms.”
“······.”
Silence came to the table where three people were sitting. Revan quietly studied El’s face.
“Senior. Are you okay?”
“···Yes. What.”
Returning to the capital was fraught with risk. Even if I had to visit, I had to hide myself. In other words, going back to Geoff was difficult.
The reason Revan enrolled at Xeorp was Faust’s request. But L had a clear reason. An identification card that will help clean up contaminated areas.
“I recovered the artifacts even before I entered Geoff. There may be some difficulty in receiving support or cooperation, but it does not mean that you cannot do your activities.”
Although he spoke calmly, an inevitable sigh escaped El’s mouth. Moana didn’t open her mouth and just drank her tea quietly. The atmosphere at the table hardened.
“Um, Moana?”
“Huh?”
“Do you mind if I ask you something?”
Even though El and Moana knew each other, it was a very awkward situation for Revan. Revan, who found it difficult to bear the atmosphere, spoke.
“What are you curious about?”
“Isn’t Moana an elf?”
Nod. Moana shook her head.
“That’s right.”
“Then why do you live here? It was clearly written in the book that elves live around the world tree…”
“Umm···.”
Sweet. Moana answered, putting down the tea cup that was near her mouth.
“The contents of the book are not wrong. In fact, all elves live near the World Tree, feeling their mother’s energy. The number of people and period of time that can be active in the outside world is strictly determined by regulations.”
“So Moana, are you working outside with permission?”
“It is a type of welfare. Should we say that it is a reward that has been kept in a closet until now?”
Tororok. Moana’s eyes moved to Revan’s side. L, who understood the intention of that gaze, opened her mouth.
“Moana was a ‘one who remembers’ in the past.”
“······?”
One who remembers. It was the first time I heard the word. A question that could not be hidden appeared on Revan’s face.
“Emotions are clearly visible on your face, my child. Is it because I wear that mask every day?”
Moana’s face, which seemed blunt at first glance, did not show any particular discomfort. Rather, a subtle line was drawn at the corner of his mouth, as if he had found something fun to do after a long time.
“Was his name Revan?”
“Yes. Moana.”
“Yes. Revan. When you think of the race of elves, what comes to mind first?”
“···Of course, isn’t it lifespan?”
Revan answered carefully, considering whether his answer was correct.
“That’s right. We actually don’t have a fixed lifespan. When it feels that it is time to collapse, it returns to its mother. In theory, eternal life is possible.”
Moana looked at Revan and nodded. Then he continued speaking.
“But the memory of elves is not much different from that of humans. It’s ironic. At least 5 times as much memory can be remembered in a lifetime.”
Tuk-tuk. Moana tapped her temple with her finger.
“So, my role is to remember what happened. Because there are limits to recording in documents.”
Sigh! Moana’s thumb and index finger hit together and made a cheerful sound. Immediately after, mana gathered.
“I don’t have the best memory among the elves. But, I made some kind of sacrifice.”
Chakang-! Suddenly, a golden chain made of mana was wrapped around Moana’s head. With locks.
“Once memories accumulate to a certain extent, they are locked with a padlock, compressed, and placed in one side of the head. When necessary, I use mana to unlock memories. So I didn’t go crazy and worked as a rememberer for hundreds of years.”
“···Is that possible?”
“Don’t you guys also have something called an officer? It’s similar. Although the working period is overwhelmingly long.”
“No, that’s not it…”
After hearing the story, Revan’s eyes showed various emotions that could not be hidden. And just as those emotions were about to turn into sympathy, Moana’s mouth moved.
“You’re a good boy, Revan.”
“···Yes?”
“But there is no need to worry. Because I don’t have any complaints. It is foolish to try to understand the way of thinking of elves through human eyes.”
Hwiik. As Moana’s finger swung in the air, the gathered mana dispersed.
“If I say this out loud, I will be criticized as a racial chauvinist, but I believe that elves and humans are fundamentally different races. Because they look alike, they are similar, so they are just tied together as a human race.”
“Which part do you mean?”
“In the first place, we elves generally don’t lust. The biggest and most obvious difference from humans.”
“Ugh-!”
Cough! L, who had put the tea cup to her mouth, coughed repeatedly.
“Oh my. Are you okay L?”
“Sa, Sare. Saregaa-”
“Oh my. I thought you were all grown up now, but you’re still a baby. I never thought you would react so sensitively to a story like this.”
El, who took out a handkerchief from her pocket and was rubbing the corner of her mouth, opened her mouth.
“It’s not that there are no elves with sexual desires, but they are quite rare.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. It’s not that I consider you humans dirty. It’s a natural thing to do for the propagation of the species.”
“···?”
After hearing the explanation, a question mark appeared in Revan’s head once again. The question of how elves maintain their numbers. Moana saw that and smiled softly.
“I felt it before, but I can’t hide my expression. We… periodically visit the World Tree. Born from mother’s flower bud.”
“···I see.”
“Yes. And it is naturally engraved in our minds to protect our people and our mothers and resist the dangers of the continent. How are you feeling now?”
They have no sexual desires and are born from the buds of trees. And the thought of caring for each other is engraved in it. Revan was now able to understand Moana’s words that humans and elves were fundamentally different races.
“Of course, it’s very different.”
“That’s right. So we control our interactions with humans. The young elves, full of curiosity about the outside world, pout, but there is nothing they can do.”
“Because we don’t understand each other?”
“Yes. I think our last interaction will probably be when we stop that woman named Sophia. As a reward for serving as a rememberer, I am permitted to reside outside. It’s a slightly different case.”
“···Are you older by any chance?”
“Hmm… I don’t know because it’s been so long since I stopped counting. Among the elves alive now, they must be older.”
One who remembers. And the knowledge you would have gained from living for hundreds of years. Suddenly, a thought crossed Revan’s mind.
“Perhaps. Do you know about this emblem?”
Revan extended the other hand that was being held by El towards Moana. The pattern given by an unknown god was clearly engraved on it.
“···Umm.”
Moana, seeing the pattern, narrowed her eyebrows. gulp. Revan swallowed.
“I don’t think I know. It’s definitely an uncommon blessing. I guess I’ll have to dig through my memories to find out…”
“Do you mind if I ask you a favor?”
Moana trailed off and did not give a clear answer. However, Revan did not back down from his words. It may be a rude attitude, but the thought that I should not miss this opportunity did not leave my mind.
Eventually, Moana, who was moving her eyes here and there, nodded.
“Okay… I’m L’s friend, so I guess I should give it a try. However, I need to prepare, so come to my room tomorrow night.”
“Thank you.”
Upon Moana’s acceptance, Revan bowed his head deeply and expressed his gratitude. I look forward to finding out the source of the pattern.
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