Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 127

127.

Besides his appearance, what immediately set the boy apart from humans was the pair of pointed ears peeking out from his hair. Compared to the rounder, smaller ears of humans, the boy’s ears were long and pointed, like a rabbit’s, sticking out prominently from the sides of his head.

“He really is an Elf.”

Kaitain couldn’t hide his surprised, yet impressed expression. We weren’t the only ones who noticed the Elf boy. The moment he stepped into the village, the atmosphere instantly became lively.

“He’s here!”

“Endil!”

“Endil, welcome!”

He seemed to be quite a celebrity here, as everyone who saw him greeted him with a happy smile. Not long after entering the square, he was soon surrounded by a crowd of people. Those around him rushed to him, and the boy skillfully exchanged words with them. Watching the square suddenly turn into a bustling scene, I clicked my tongue.

“He’s incredibly popular.”

“Indeed. I suppose it’s because opportunities to see other races are rare. Still, his young age is a bit concerning. He doesn’t seem to have undergone his coming-of-age ceremony yet, and for a young Elf to come down to human territory alone…”

Kaitain watched the Elf boy laughing among the humans with a worried gaze. The Elf race, known for its reclusive nature, had a rule of not letting children out of the village until they came of age. The fact that the boy was here meant he had broken the rules and snuck out. Moreover, judging by how friendly he was with the villagers, it didn’t seem like he had only been around for a day or two.

This world still had a thriving slave system, and children of other races were easy targets for slave hunters. It was only natural to feel uneasy seeing a boy who didn’t know the ways of the world exposing himself to danger so freely. I didn’t know who his parents were, but they must be burning with worry right now. It seemed that children of any race were the same when it came to causing trouble the moment you took your eyes off them.

“Don’t worry too much. Elves live longer than humans, so he might be the oldest one here even if he looks young. He probably came to the village alone because he’s confident in his abilities. He wouldn’t have survived this long if he were weak.”

“That’s true, but I’m worried he might fall for someone’s wicked schemes. He needs to know how to avoid those who approach with impure intentions, but other races aren’t familiar with human society, so they can’t sense such things well. Especially Normal Elves, who have such gentle personalities…”

“What? What did you just say!”

At that moment, a loud shout erupted from a distance. The one who shouted was none other than the Elf boy in question. I didn’t know what had happened, but he was confronting someone much taller than him, wearing the fiercest expression he could muster. It looked like sparks would fly from his fiercely raised eyes at any moment.

“Looks like a fight broke out.”

“Oh dear, we have to stop them…”

Just as Kaitain was about to get up, worried that something he had feared would happen… that was before he witnessed what happened next.

“You son of a bitch, are you done with your excuses?”

“……!”

Suddenly, a string of harsh curses burst from the Elf boy’s mouth. It was an unexpected outburst from someone with such a pure and cute appearance. As Kaitain hesitated in surprise, the boy rushed at his opponent and brutally kicked him in the stomach. It all happened so quickly that no one could stop him.

The person who was hit didn’t even scream and flew backward. That alone was enough to guess the boy’s strength. He didn’t stop there but climbed on top of the fallen man and grabbed his collar.

“You fuck! You’re such a piece of shit that even if I beat you to a pulp and shoved it in your mouth, it wouldn’t be enough! How old are you? How many more years have you lived than me that you dare to lecture me in front of me! You have such a big head, but your brain is the size of a rat’s turd? How dare you spout nonsense without thinking? I’ll rip open your belly and take out all your guts!”

“H-hey! Endil, calm down…”

“Calm down? Did you just say calm down? What are you saying, you anchovy-eyed bastard? Fuck you! You’re the one who started talking nonsense to me. So why are you telling me to calm down? Do you think I’m a pushover? Do I look like a pushover to you!”

After that, a barrage of foul language that was too embarrassing to hear poured out along with the screams. The Elf boy was unilaterally causing a ruckus, and everyone else was busy trying to stop him.

Kaitain watched the scene for a while before quietly sitting back down. I awkwardly offered him some comfort.

“Well, there are exceptions everywhere.”

“……Yes.”

* * *

We met the Elf boy again a few days later in front of the pier, where we had arrived to take the next ship. He was still surrounded by many people, talking enthusiastically about something. The audience mostly consisted of captains and sailors, and among them was the captain of the ship we were going to board. They were sitting in groups, all listening intently to the boy’s words.

It was strange enough to see grown adults listening to the story of a boy who looked much younger than them (even if his actual age was said to be much older) as if they were listening to a teacher’s lecture, but it didn’t seem to be an unusual sight here. Most of the people who were giving curious glances were travelers like us; the villagers all had expressions that said they were used to it.

The laborers were also listening to the boy’s words. They couldn’t sit down and listen like the captains, but I could see that they were all loitering nearby, eavesdropping. As a result, the work at the pier was almost paralyzed, but no one seemed to care. It was only natural since even the supervisor was mixed in with the group.

When the boy, who had been talking for a while, finished his speech (?) and disappeared somewhere, the people who had been sitting down finally began to scatter and go back to work. Most of them had relieved expressions, but the captain of the ship we were going to take was the only one who didn’t look happy. He sighed repeatedly with a worried face, then quickly disappeared as if he had made up his mind.

When he returned, he was accompanied by several priests. Their attire was the same as that of ordinary priests, but they all had black cords tied around their heads and waists. ‘Priests of Iliya, the goddess of benevolence,’ Kaitain whispered softly beside me. I had never heard of or met them before, but judging from the aura emanating from the priests, they seemed to be intermediate deities.

‘Why the sudden appearance of priests?’

The captain boarded the ship with the priests of benevolence and began to inspect the interior thoroughly. He would stop from time to time to pray or sprinkle water, performing what seemed to be some kind of ritual.

“It’s a purification ritual.”

“Purification?”

“It’s a ritual to ward off bad luck and shake off dirty energy by invoking the blessings of the gods, hoping that no misfortune will befall them in the future. Usually, people who are about to face a major event ask the temple to perform the ritual. It seems the captain was very anxious about this voyage.”

It was probably like a memorial service or a rite in this world. I was just watching because it was interesting and refreshing, but I could hear people whispering behind me.

“What’s wrong with that famously stingy captain? He’s never done a purification ritual before, saying it’s not very effective and costs a lot of money.”

“I heard there’s going to be a storm on the route we’re taking this time.”

“Aha! That’s why he hurriedly brought in the priests. Is this another one of Endil’s prophecies?”

“Yeah, that’s what I heard.”

“He made the right choice. It’s better to spend a few bucks even if it’s a waste than to die a dog’s death for ignoring it.”

“Of course, Endil’s prophecies are always right.”

I frowned slightly at the unfamiliar name mixed in with the firm voices. It reminded me that people had called the Elf boy ‘Endil’ when I first saw him.

‘Was that Elf a prophet?’

Now I understood why people were rushing to him. He seemed to be so popular because he had the power of prophecy.

Perhaps it was because of Trowel’s unique ability, Insight. Although it was rare, it seemed that some people who were strongly endowed with the energy of the earth occasionally had the ability to foresee the future. Not all of them, but most humans were curious about their future and wanted to know it. Therefore, it was only natural that the words of a prophet, regardless of the era, would attract the attention of many people. Moreover, Endil had a lovely appearance and the uniqueness of being an Elf, which was enough to win people’s favor.

The problem was that his prophecy was wrong. At least, the probability of the ship I was on, carrying the Water Spirit King, being caught in a storm was close to zero.

In this world, most natural phenomena were caused by the actions of spirits. Rainstorms and rough seas were no exception. As far as I could see, there were no plans to cause rough seas for a while, but even if it had been planned in advance, it would have been put on hold as soon as I appeared. There was no way they would dare to capsize a ship carrying their king and his contractor.

If that was all, I would have just thought that Endil’s prophetic abilities weren’t that strong and moved on. The future was the result of many variables, so if his foresight was weak, he could easily make incorrect deductions.

However, a scene I happened to witness changed my mind. The priests, who had finished the purification ritual and were returning, found Endil nearby and secretly handed him something. It happened so quickly that no one noticed, but I didn’t miss a single detail. Even the satisfied smile that appeared on Endil’s face the moment he received the item.

“……Things are flowing strangely.”

If I wasn’t mistaken, the rustling sack that was handed over was definitely a money bag. What business did the priest who was returning after the purification ritual have to give money to Endil? No matter how I thought about it, there was no reason for it.

“No way……”

Suddenly, the most plausible hypothesis that fit this situation came to mind, but I immediately shook my head. No, that’s really absurd. A prophet colluding with the temple, there’s no way that could happen. Especially not an Elf, who is said to be a noble forest race.

Although his tone is a bit rough, the fact that he’s an Elf doesn’t change. Besides, it’s very dangerous to judge someone you just met today based on uncertain circumstances. The priest may have had other personal business with him, and there’s a possibility that I saw it wrong. But because the situation was so suspicious, the scene I witnessed wouldn’t leave my head.

Is he really a prophet? Come to think of it, I didn’t feel the energy of the earth as much as someone with that ability should. In terms of compatibility, he was closer to water, but even that was faint and insignificant. In other words, he was extremely ordinary.

“Are you an Elf named Endil?”

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who found him suspicious. Several adult men approached Endil, who was humming a song with the sack he had received from the priest in his arms. They were all in uniform, so they must have belonged to some kind of organization. Perhaps sensing the wariness of the strangers approaching, Endil’s expression, which had been relaxed, immediately turned fierce.

“……Who are you guys?”

“That’s what we should be asking. Your name is very famous around here. Is it really true that you have prophetic abilities?”

The men’s eyes, filled with interest, scanned him up and down as if searching for something. What was unexpected was Endil’s reaction. I thought he would nod, but instead, he looked dumbfounded, as if he had never heard of it before.

“What? Prophecy? What the hell are you talking about?”

“It’s no use trying to deny it. We’ve already gone through all the verification procedures through a trusted informant.”

“What are you babbling about? Speak so I can understand.”

“The people in this village all say so. They say everything you say is right. They even say you accurately predict the weather during voyages.”

Only then did Endil’s expression clear of annoyance, as if he understood what they were saying. In its place was a sarcastic sneer.

“What, that’s what you’re talking about? I was wondering what you were talking about……”

“Are you admitting it?”

“The reason why everything I say is right is because I know a lot. Weather forecasting is just forecasting, you idiot. How is that the same as prophecy? Are you a blockhead?”

“……You have a very foul mouth.”

“Bastard, I’ve lived fifty years longer than you, you know? Where did a kid who hasn’t even dried the blood on his head……”

“You’d better watch your mouth. We’re from the Lord’s Hall.”

“The Lord’s Hall?”

The people dispatched from the Lord’s Hall are mostly public officials. As in any world, officials here have tremendous power. No, they seem to have even more power than Korean officials, in that they can conduct immediate interrogations and trials.