Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 475

Chapter 475

Even though I was shouting, Ril didn’t react at all. His stiff body looked like he was deliberately turning away. Of course, Ellyuen didn’t seem inclined to let it go. He grabbed Ril by the scruff of his neck, lifted him up, and forcibly tore something off from around his neck. Then, his dull blonde hair began to shine with a dazzling gold, the color of a burning flame’s heart. The change began to affect his face as well. As if a layer covering it had been peeled away, his features instantly became clearer and more three-dimensional.

The man with the vague impression that I wouldn’t recognize even if I ran into him by chance was gone without a trace, and a flamboyant man remained. It was definitely the same face, but the atmosphere was completely different. I was so surprised I couldn’t speak. Trowell gave me a wry smile as I gestured wildly.

“Yeah, that’s Ifrit.”

“……! …! ……!”

“I know you’re surprised, so calm down.”

In the meantime, Ril, or rather, the man who turned out to be Ifrit, was thrown back to the floor. He sat down with a tired look and sighed, running his hand through his hair, and the brightness of his hair calmed down, becoming closer to red. It was the same color as the Ifrit I knew. Seeing that familiar hair color made it really sink in. It was real. It really was Ifrit.

“He tormented you, his contractor, to mess with Elquines.”

“Huh…….”

If I could die from being dumbfounded, this would be the moment. I thought it was ridiculous that someone with such incredible skills was playing around in a slave market. I wondered what kind of human he was, but it turned out he wasn’t human at all.

“Revenge was his goal…….”

That was Ellyuen?

I stared in disbelief, and he subtly avoided my gaze. His face, as he swallowed curses, was full of dismay, embarrassment, and guilt. I expected him to be brazen, but that was a bit unexpected.

“You should have been prepared for this when you messed with someone else’s contractor.”

Ellyuen stomped on his upper body again and aimed an ice spear at him. Ifrit’s eyes, which had softened a little, immediately turned sour.

“How is this all my fault?”

“If it’s not your fault, then what is it?”

“Damn it! You son of a bitch! You screwed me over first! If you hadn’t destroyed my territory, I wouldn’t have gone this far……! Argh! Stop hitting me! I was wrong! I was wrong! Ugh! Just go to the main world and hit me there instead!”

After that, it was a one-sided fight. Honestly, I don’t even know if I can call it a fight. Ellyuen really beat Ifrit thoroughly. He inflicted pain enough to make him scream, but he controlled it so that he wouldn’t be reverse summoned, which was truly an art. It seemed like he had somehow made it impossible for Ifrit to escape.

The reason he was bothering him here even though the influence from the main world was greater was obvious. He wanted to hurt not only Ifrit but also his contractors. Indeed, he didn’t become the God of Punishment later for nothing.

“It’s going to be hard to get through this unscathed this time.”

Trowell’s muttering followed like a sigh. It seemed like he was already used to this sight, and he even looked a bit bored. Come to think of it, I had seen a similar scene before. Back then, Kanos was in Ifrit’s position. I thought it was quite severe back then, but after experiencing today’s events, I changed my mind a little. Compared to the current Ifrit, Kanos was relatively relaxed back then. Ellyuen couldn’t have been lenient, so it seemed like Kanos had deliberately taken the hits.

‘……Anyway, is it all over?’

I relaxed my body a little and took a deep breath. To think that I feel at peace while someone is being brutally beaten in front of me. I guess I’m not quite normal either.

“He’ll probably be reverse summoned soon anyway. I’ll go back to the spirit world again. I came as soon as the barrier was lifted, so there’s still some tidying up to do. I’ll tell you the details when I get back, so wait for me.”

Trowell, who was explaining, turned to me. He’s going back again. Well, if he just caught Ifrit, the spirit world must still be a mess. In the meantime, I should clean up the situation here. I nodded, but his expression was a bit strange. He looked somewhat embarrassed.

“El?”

For some reason, his voice seemed distant.

It was strange because he was right next to me.

* * *

At some point, my eyes suddenly opened.

At first, I was momentarily bewildered. When did I close my eyes? Opening them implies that I had closed them, but no matter how much I thought about it, I had no memory of closing them. The next thing I felt was embarrassment. The scenery in my field of vision had changed. The ice statues that I saw everywhere I turned were all gone, and instead, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling that I had never seen before. I realized that I was lying in bed a little later.

“You’re awake.”

I was so flustered that I jumped up, but I heard a familiar voice. I turned my head and saw Ellyuen. He was sitting in an armchair right next to me. His snow-white appearance had returned to his original water-colored hair and blue eyes.

“Huh? Why am I…….”

“El, are you back to your senses now?”

Then the door opened and Trowell stepped inside. Behind him, Ril, no, Ifrit, followed. I blinked blankly at the even more incomprehensible sight. Why is the person who was being beaten up just a moment ago so fine? Ellyuen only glanced at him and remained silent. I knew that some time had passed, but I couldn’t understand what phenomenon this was.

“What’s going on?”

“You fainted.”

“Huh, really?”

“You just opened your eyes after two days.”

“……Huh?”

I fainted. And two days have already passed in the meantime? I looked at Ifrit with a dumbfounded feeling, and he flinched and avoided my gaze. Well, otherwise, all this wouldn’t make sense. I still don’t believe it, but I really fainted, and I was moved to another place in the meantime. No, wait, then what about Chris and the others? Were they left there? My heart sank at the belated thoughts. As if reading my mind, Trowell continued.

“By the way, your unhelpful guild members are all safe. They’re all staying at the same inn, so you can meet them whenever you want. The situation has been entrusted to them, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Ah, is that so?”

It seemed like he had figured out the situation to some extent and came, so Ellyuen probably didn’t touch the inside of the tent. When I fainted, Trowell immediately went to Chris, released him, and took over all the remaining work. So, he seemed to be running around and cleaning up the situation. I was a bit dumbfounded because it seemed like it was resolved somehow. I should have fainted sooner if I had known it would be like this.

“But why did I faint?”

I wasn’t attacked, and nothing happened? No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t understand, so I mumbled blankly, and I heard a clicking of the tongue. All three spirit kings had the same expression.

“It’s stranger to ask why. Your organs were too damaged. If it weren’t for Elquines’ healing power, it would have been difficult for you to live normally.”

“Huh, really?”

“That’s why we’re sticking by your side right now, right? All the plans changed because you suddenly collapsed. As you can see, we postponed returning to the spirit world too.”

Ah, come to think of it, I was about to return to the spirit world. I lost consciousness right after that, so how absurd must it have been. I felt embarrassed because it seemed like I unintentionally held them back.

“Sorry for surprising you.”

“……I was surprised. You seemed fine, so I thought you were okay. When I think about it, it didn’t make sense. How could you be okay after being hit by black magic.”

After muttering, Trowell looked at me with a stern expression.

“Holding back isn’t a good habit. You have to get the help you need. Did you forget that I can’t read your mind? No one will know unless you tell them.”

“Huh? No, I really wasn’t okay at all. I was too distracted, so I didn’t even feel bad. I really was fine, so I don’t even understand why I collapsed at that exact moment.”

“That’s because you were relieved and let go of your tension.”

The answer wasn’t from Trowell but from another voice. I turned my gaze and saw Ifrit, who had suddenly intervened, shrug his shoulders. Trowell narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

“What do you know, Ifrit?”

“I’m not pretending, I really know! Honestly, what do you guys know about humans? You don’t even go around much, and you only read negative thoughts first. If it’s about humans, I know better than you. They originally have this side to them. They push themselves to the limit with their willpower, and when they come to a place where they can feel safe, they suddenly break down.”

“……Where was that place where you could feel safe?”

“You guys were there.”

Trowell closed his mouth at those words. Ah, I definitely felt a bit relieved after meeting them. I must have let go of my mind too much at that time. I nodded to myself, and for some reason, Trowell frowned. Ifrit, who looked at him with a pathetic face, grumbled.

“Honestly, you don’t even treat her well. I have no idea what you believe in to follow them! Look at you now. Instead of asking a person who fainted from serious injuries and woke up after two days if they’re okay or how much it hurt, you’re lecturing them. And Elquines, what’s the point of talking to him? He knows that his contractor has been suffering, but he’s just spraying ice everywhere. He doesn’t even think about the weak human body.”

“Shut up.”

Although he immediately became quiet at Ellyuen’s words. I don’t know why he’s picking a fight when he’s no match for him. I looked at him with a pitiful heart, and he scratched his cheek with an embarrassed face. The following words were quite unexpected.

“Um, well, I’m sorry.”

“……Huh? No?”

“I’m sorry. You didn’t do anything wrong, but you just got caught up in it. I thought I should apologize. ……Why are you making that face?”

“Ah, well, I didn’t expect to receive an apology. No, sir?”

“Just speak comfortably. What’s with the formality.”

“Do you know the saying ‘giving medicine after making someone sick’?”

“……If you’re too comfortable, I’ll get hurt, you know?”

Ifrit, who muttered with a dumbfounded face, smiled bitterly. Only then did I slowly examine his appearance. The first thing I saw was his brilliant red eyes, as if they contained the sun. His features were cool and handsome, and his face had a neat line. He parted his flowing crimson hair to the side and slightly swept it back, which suited him well. If Trowell and Ellyuen had the atmosphere of beautiful sculptures, he had the atmosphere of a fierce warrior with dark skin and a sturdy physique. It was a different feeling from the Ifrit of my era, so it was amazing.

“How did you hide that appearance?”

“With this.”

Ifrit, who readily answered, threw something at me. When I received it, it was a necklace with a small medal attached. Judging from the mana [magical energy] I felt, it seemed to be a type of magic tool.

“It’s a magic tool that blurs the impression. I can originally adjust my hair color a little, but if I use that in that state, I can disguise it to look like ordinary blonde hair.”

“Ah, I know this. I bought it before too. But the one I bought wasn’t very useful.”

I bought it almost as if I was possessed by the words that it would hide my appearance. The one I bought back then was in the form of a brooch. I wore it with a lot of expectations, but Chris asked what was different. So, I remembered selling it back the next day. As I was about to become sentimental about the bitter memories, Ifrit laughed as if he knew.

“The level of what humans make is obvious. That was made by a dragon. It’s also a work of Lantasha, the leader of the Red Clan.”

Lantasha? Lantasha. I’ve heard that name somewhere.

I tilted my head and soon remembered who that person was.

“Lapis’s mom…….”

“What?”

“No, it’s nothing. Is that dragon your contractor?”

“That’s right. But she’s not the only contractor.”

I see. Lapis’s mom was the leader of the Red Clan. I’ve never actually met the dragon, but it felt strange to hear that. It felt like I was realizing the four thousand years of time anew.

“But does that contractor know that you’re doing this with the work she made?”

“Ahahaha.”

“I didn’t know Ifrit would do such childish things.”

“I’m really sorry…….”

Ifrit, who apologized again, had a sullen face. Seeing him looking like a large dog that had been rained on, I couldn’t make fun of him anymore and chuckled.

“I’ll forgive you if you promise not to do this again.”

“Really? I won’t. I won’t do it again. Honestly, that was the only way I could think of to mess with him, but I was really uneasy too. Why are you so kind and have a different personality from Elquines? It makes me feel more guilty.”

“So you caught me and let me go? Were you the one who helped me with the black magic?”

“Well, I couldn’t just stand by and watch.”

So that was Ifrit. Considering Elquines’ healing power, I could have been more daring, but I don’t know if I should say I lacked decisiveness. He looks the fiercest among the four spirit kings, but he seems to have a more compassionate personality than he looks. Maybe it’s because he’s a spirit king that I’m accepting everything in a good way. I clicked my tongue inwardly and returned the magic tool to him. Ifrit, who received it, stared at me for a while. It was a searching gaze.

“Why?”

“No, there’s something that’s been bothering me a little. I felt it from the beginning, but it keeps getting stepped on. Do you often hear that you’re lucky?”

“Um, I do. But I don’t know.”

“Really? Has a stranger ever kissed you when you were young?”

“Huh? What?”

“Maybe when you were a baby. Did you hear anything from your parents or people around you?”

I frowned, wondering what kind of creepy sound that was, but his expression was more serious than ever. He stared intently and then reached out and pressed my forehead. I flinched at the feeling of being hit off guard. Ah, that’s right. The kiss of blessing. He must have sensed the blessing that the modern Ifrit gave me.

“Well, if I did, I would have remembered. I don’t have a fire attribute, but rather the opposite, and I don’t have a mark of blessing either. No matter how I look at it, it’s true that I have nothing to do with me. It’s just strangely bothering me. Ah, right. Have you ever made offerings at the temple of the sun or fire? Or does one of your parents have a relationship with that side?”

“Um, not really…… but my sister is a bit…….”

“Ah, I see?”

Ifrit, who smiled brightly, laughed heartily, saying he felt relieved. “It seems like that sister is praying a lot for you.” Seeing him thinking on his own, it seems like he passed it off appropriately. I was relieved inwardly, but Trowell turned to me with a surprised face.

“You had a sister?”

“Ah, yeah, I do. I have an older brother, an older sister, and a younger sibling…….”

“……Well, you didn’t say you didn’t have a family.”

Trowell’s expression as he muttered was somehow strange. His gaze towards me seemed to be examining something new. I suddenly wondered what kind of expression he would make if I said, “That older brother is you.” He would definitely be taken aback, but if he’s quick-witted, he might notice something.