Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 243

243

“It’s over.”

“Yeah…….”

As expected, this generation’s Minerva had a youthful appearance. In human terms, she looked like she was in her early teens. Her figure was slender and graceful enough to tell at a glance that she was female. I cautiously glanced at Trowel. Minerva, in her proper form, had an appearance very similar to the previous Minerva, who was now her predecessor, except for her younger age. The indifferent yet pure atmosphere, and even the length and shape of her hair that fell below her waist, were exactly the same. It was as if she was his younger self.

I was worried about how Trowel, who had been through a lot after his predecessor left, would accept this fact. Ifrit and I also liked the previous Minerva a lot, but there was a more special bond between Trowel and her. Even if I couldn’t define that feeling on my own, it was clear that it couldn’t be emptied in a day or two. The lingering feelings of farewell probably hadn’t even disappeared yet, so seeing a face that looked so much like her might be uncomfortable.

But unlike my worries, Trowel was calm as he looked at the new Minerva. A bitter smile flickered across his face, but it wasn’t enough to hide his expression of welcoming a new colleague. It seemed like he was enduring it well in his own way.

After that, Minerva’s body, which had been floating high, slowly descended, and the clouds that had been scattered like mist began to gather again to form a shape. First, the floor and ceiling were created, and then large and small pillars were erected one after another. By the time Minerva landed on the floor, the domain of wind had completely returned to its original appearance, like the world in the clouds, from the empty space it had been during the storm. The lower spirits, who had been invisible during the storm, had also appeared and were densely surrounding her. It seemed that they had been mixed in the wind and had regained their original form.

And finally, the long-awaited (?) last step arrived. Minerva’s tightly closed eyes began to open. As her pure white eyelashes lifted slightly, clear silver eyes, as if engraved with moonlight, slowly revealed their existence. At that moment, a thunderous voice echoed from all directions.

―Our lord, we greet the new king!

―Glory to the new wind, the new breath of the world! We celebrate the birth of the king!

Whoosh! As if their cries were a signal, a rich wave of wind arose. Minerva was 본격적으로 [in earnest] opening her influence. The power more than filled the emptiness that felt like a missing puzzle piece. For the first while, I couldn’t even 정신을 차릴 정도로 [come to my senses] from the air that poured in as if I was wearing an oxygen mask.

The new wind even seemed to have a different texture and temperature. Thanks to that, I realized once again that the previous Minerva was not in a complete state. When I heard that he had sealed half of his power in the spirit sword, I didn’t think about it deeply. Although he had divided his power, the power itself had not disappeared, so it did not have a big impact on the balance. But when I actually experienced the complete power, the difference was bigger than I thought. It was like the freedom and liberation that comes from the fact that what should be is in the place where it should be. It was like escaping from a stuffy city and 올라선 언덕 위로 서풍이 부는 기분이었다 [feeling the west wind blowing over a hill].

“……It’s been a while since I’ve felt this way.”

At this moment, Trowel couldn’t hide his sad expression. His memory would still have the image of the previous Minerva when she had her full power. It would be hard not to reminisce about the past while looking at the same girl as he was back then. I silently held his hand tightly. Then, Trowel, who had slightly widened his eyes in surprise, turned to me and soon smiled softly.

Until then, Minerva hadn’t shown any movement. Judging by the fact that her eyes had become clear, it seemed like she had also gained consciousness, but she was just standing still like a doll. She didn’t even react when she looked at us.

“Why is she standing still?”

I was wondering and muttering when I felt a hand poking me from behind. It was Ifrit, who had a face as anxious as mine.

“Go talk to her.”

“Huh? Me?”

“What are you doing? Go quickly.”

“Uh, uh, wait a minute!”

By the time I felt the hand pushing me forward, I had already jumped forward as if I was about to fall. When I raised my head in a state where I barely avoided falling, I saw silver eyes right in front of me. Minerva was staring at me intently with a blank face. I desperately tried to choose my words and decided to start with a normal greeting.

“Ahaha. Ah, hello, Minerva? Nice to meet you.”

“……Yes. Hello, Elquines. I’m glad to meet you too.”

Unexpectedly, the answer came right back. To be honest, I was surprised because I was prepared to be ignored. It was also a very polite tone, so I felt like I was hit in the back of the head in another sense.

“Trowel, Ifrit too. Nice to meet you all for the first time. I’m glad to meet you.”

Minerva greeted the other two spirit kings as well. Her face was still expressionless, as was her stiff tone. Perhaps that’s why they both just nodded with embarrassed faces. I’m sure she said she was glad to meet them, but I don’t know why I felt more distant. The previous Minerva wasn’t a friendly person either, but I had a strong feeling that this one was even more so.

“But what brings you all here?”

“…….”

The feeling was right. A heavy silence fell for a while at the sudden question. It seemed that not only I but also Ifrit and Trowel couldn’t find the right words to answer. It was even more so because the face asking the question looked genuinely puzzled.

When no one spoke, Minerva stared at me, who was closest to her. It was a gaze urging me to answer. It didn’t seem like the problem would be solved by avoiding her eyes, so I carefully opened my mouth.

“Um, well… what should I say? A new colleague was born, so we came to welcome you and say hello. Did we make you uncomfortable?”

“Yes? Ah, that’s what it was. No. I’m not uncomfortable. I’m just a little embarrassed because it’s an unexpected reason.”

“Huh? You didn’t expect us to come to say hello? Why?”

“Isn’t there no reason to do that?”

“Uhh?”

There’s no reason to come to welcome a colleague. I was speechless at what this meant. I felt like I had heard a very cold-hearted remark, but I knew that it wasn’t meant to make me feel bad. She’s just saying what she really thinks. That’s why I didn’t know what to say.

“Hahaha! That’s right, this is a normal reaction.”

Trowel, who had been blank for a while, burst into a light laugh. Ifrit also nodded with a slightly complicated face. I was embarrassed and looked back at them.

“A normal reaction? Is this normal?”

“Ah, don’t think too strangely, El. Actually, it’s been so long since you were born that everyone ran over with one heart, but it’s rare to come to say hello on purpose at the time of 소멸이나 탄생 [extinction or birth]. It’s just that if you happen to meet each other while passing by, you pretend to know each other.”

“Huh? Re, really? But everyone saw you off and waited without saying anything.”

“Yeah, I know. Why is that? I just felt like I had to.”

After muttering 의아하다는 듯이 [as if wondering], Trowel looked at me with an interesting expression.

“Is it the influence of being 감화된 [influenced] by El?”

“Uhh? Me?”

“Yeah, I’ve learned how good it feels to 교류 [interact] since I met El.”

I think the biggest advantage of Trowel is that he can say these things so refreshingly. I kept 헤실거렸다 [grinning] even though I thought it was an 과분한 평가 [overgenerous assessment]. Ifrit glared at me with a 시큰둥하게 [lukewarm] look while watching me.

“Well, I’m just acting as I please. Don’t 착각하지 마 [get the wrong idea] because it’s not just because of you.”

“Hmm, you mean it’s not just because of me, but I have an influence?”

“……Can you not interpret it only in a good way only at times like this? You’re getting more and more 뻔뻔해진다 [shameless] like Elquines.”

After lightly clicking his tongue, Ifrit turned his head so that a cold wind blew. But unlike his dishonest words, his cheeks were flushed. Trowel and I exchanged glances and burst into laughter at the same time. Meanwhile, Minerva, who had been watching us quietly, slowly nodded.

“I understand. You’re all getting along well. I don’t think this atmosphere is bad either. I will also actively participate in 교류 [interactions].”

“Ahaha, yeah. Hey, Minerva. You can just talk comfortably……?”

“I’m talking comfortably enough?”

“Re, really? I see. Well, if that’s comfortable for you…….”

That 말투 [way of speaking] is comfortable, so it seems that this Minerva was born with a very 격식 있는 [formal] tendency. I was muttering 속으로 [to myself] and scratching my cheek when I felt a gaze staring at me. Minerva was staring at me again without saying a word. I 반사적으로 [reflexively] became nervous and asked.

“……Why?”

“Ah, I’m sorry if I made you 신경 쓰이게 [uncomfortable]. It’s not a big deal. Can I ask you a question? I’ve been 고민해 봤는데 [thinking about it] since earlier, but I don’t know no matter how much I look at it.”

“A question for me? What is it?”

“Is Elquines a female or a male?”

“……Huh?”

“If my eyes are not wrong, Trowel looks like a male, and Ifrit clearly looks like a female. But Elquines is a little hard to distinguish. If I judge him as a male, he looks like that, and if I try to see him as a female, he also has an 외모 [appearance] that can be seen that way.”

“Ahaha…….”

Is it that again? I’m so used to this situation that it doesn’t even feel new anymore. Rather, I was grateful that he didn’t judge me as a female at once and asked about my gender.

“I think I’m a male.”

“Is that so? Anyway, Elquines can use both genders, so it’ll be convenient. I’m a little jealous.”

“Umm, is that so? If you look at it as an advantage, it is…….”

“Can it be a disadvantage?”

“It’ll be a bigger disadvantage for him, Minerva. El’s 의식 [consciousness] as a male is 확고한 [firm].”

Trowel explained instead of me, who was 난처해하는 [embarrassed]. Minerva tilted her head as if she couldn’t understand.

“Is it possible for a 무성인 [genderless] spirit to establish a 성 정체성 [gender identity]? If you are consistently treated as one gender for a long time, it may become 굳어질 [fixed], but in the case of Elquines, it is very 모호해서 [ambiguous] I think the 판단 [judgment] was 갈렸을 [divided] even among humans.”

“Yeah, that’s right…… El has a special experience. He lived as a human male before he was born as a spirit king. The influence is still strong.”

“……A spirit king has a 전생 [previous life]?”

For the first time, an expression appeared on Minerva’s face, which had been the same since birth. But it was just a slight widening of her eyes. Because she was so 무표정하다 [expressionless], even that small change felt very 드라마틱하게 [dramatic].

“It’s 원래라면 [originally] an impossible thing. It seems that El’s soul was sent to the 중간계 [intermediate realm] due to an 착오 [error] in the 명계 [underworld]. So the water seat was vacant for a while.”

“Ah, I see what you mean. That’s what you meant when you said it was 태어났다는 오랜만에 [born after a long time].”

After lightly nodding, Minerva looked at me again. While her expression returned to normal, her eyes became more intense than before. It was like she had met a celebrity.

“Then Elquines is the first spirit king to have a 전생 [previous life]?”

“Uh, um. Is that so?”

“That’s amazing. I like that kind of thing. Having your own experience or 특질 [trait] that others don’t have.”

“Th, that so?”

“Yes, I’m really jealous. Compared to that, I think I’m too 평범한 [ordinary].”

No, that can’t be.

I think it wasn’t just my 착각 [illusion] that Trowel and Ifrit’s expressions became 미묘하게 [subtle] at this moment. Of course, I was well aware that my expression would not be much different from theirs.

“I think Minerva is special?”

When I 조심스럽게 운을 떼자 [carefully broached the subject], Minerva blinked 멀뚱히 [blankly]. She looked like a rabbit 쫑긋거리는 [pricking up] her ears. She’s cute, but I think she’ll 물릴 아프게 굉장히 [bite painfully] if I touch her. I barely pressed down on my hand that I almost 쓰다듬을 무심코 [absentmindedly stroked].

“Is there a 독특한 [unique] part of me?”

“That…… your expression or 말투 [way of speaking].”

“Expression and 말투 [way of speaking]? Is that strange?”

“No, it’s not strange, but…… should I say it’s an 흔치 않은 분위기 [uncommon atmosphere]?”

“Is that so?”

Minerva looked back as if asking for confirmation, and Trowel and Ifrit nodded at the same time. It seemed to be the first time that the two of them acted with one heart and one mind.

“……I see. I don’t know well, but if everyone feels that way, then that’s probably it. My 분위기 [atmosphere] is 흔치 않다니 [uncommon], it’s not bad.”

But unlike her words, Minerva 기묘하게 일그러뜨렸다 [strangely distorted] her face. I was worried that I might have 상하게 마음 [hurt her feelings], so I carefully looked at her expression. But the feeling was a little strange for being 화난 [angry]. Her eyebrows were 잔뜩 찌푸려진 [furrowed], but the ends of her lips were faintly 올라가 있는 [raised]. It seemed that she was supporting it with quite a bit of force, and even her 턱 근육 [jaw muscles] was 부들부들 떨리고 [trembling]. I could tell at a glance that she was 억지로 들어 올리고 입술 [forcing up her lips].

‘Wait a minute. 올리는 입술 [raising lips]……?’

There are exceptions, but 보편적으로 [universally] there is only one case where you 올리는 입술 [raise your lips]. When I thought that far, I asked with a 심정 싶은 설마 [feeling of ‘no way’].

“……Hey, I’m sorry if I’m 착각하는 [mistaken]. Are you 웃은 혹시 [smiling perhaps] now……?”

“Is that so?”

Minerva answered with a face asking why she was asking something obvious. Our eyes met, and for a while, an 어색한 [awkward] silence fell between us.

“Puhahaha! This Minerva has a pretty 재밌는 [interesting] personality. It’s completely 정반대 [opposite] with El, isn’t it?”

The 분위기 [atmosphere] was 전환된 [changed] when Ifrit started 폭소를 터트리기 [bursting into laughter]. When I turned around, Trowel was 움켜쥐고 배 [clutching his stomach] and 주저앉아 [collapsed] on the floor. It seemed that the 웃음보 [laughing fit] that doesn’t stop for a long time once it 터지면 [bursts] had 터진 [burst] again.

“Why am I coming out of there?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know? You have a 풍부한 표현 감정 [rich expression of emotion]. I can tell what you’re thinking just by looking at your face.”

“Th, that’s not true?”

“It’s not true. I can see that you’re 발끈한 [getting angry] right now. Anyway, it’s fun to watch the two of you with different 성향 [tendencies] 붙여 놓으니까 [put together]. You guys, it’s fun, so talk more.”

“Are you treating me like a 장난감 [toy]?”

I 외친 버럭 [shouted angrily] and then immediately turned to Minerva. Since there’s no way my 화내는 [anger] will 통할 [work], I was going to try to 걸어볼 희망 [place hope] on him.

“Minerva, say something too. Isn’t it really too much?”

“Yes? Ah, I see. By the way, I have another 궁금한 것이 [question] to Elquines.”

“…….”

Yeah, there’s no way my life will 풀릴 [unravel] easily like that.

I could clearly feel the 불씨 희망 [spark of hope] that was 타오르던 [burning] in front of me 꺼지는 훅 [going out suddenly]. Maybe Minerva is the most 강적인 [formidable]. Now even Ifrit was 주저앉아 [collapsed] and laughing. I sighed while looking at the two spirit kings who couldn’t 정신을 [come to their senses]. Minerva, who was the 주범 [culprit] of this state, was 평온한 홀로 [calm alone] like the eye of the storm.