Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 203

203.

“Ah, was that too much of a shock?”

Isana and Alisa, of course, and even Sibelius, who had been lost in thought, seemed stunned by the situation. Kanos smiled leisurely at our speechless figures. He seemed a little embarrassed at first, but once things got rolling, he seemed to be enjoying the situation quite a bit.

“Oh, dear, what are we going to do about this, Eluien? Everyone’s so shocked they’ve frozen. Did you want to see me in trouble that badly? Our Eluien is such a little devil.”

Eluien’s face twisted instantly at the cheesy remark. I thought he was born with hardly any change in expression, but I’d already seen it several times today. To be able to elicit such an extreme reaction from him… Even amidst the shocking revelation, I was newly impressed by him.

“Don’t put any horrible titles in front of my name. Besides, where exactly are you in trouble?”

“Oh, come on, I really am in trouble, you know. I didn’t want to reveal it to Deron, at least. I’ve been perfectly disguised all this time, in my own way.”

“It’s your own fault.”

“Yeah, it is.”

Kanos answered cheerfully, as if the cold rebuke was meaningless. Everyone clearly felt dumbfounded by his nonchalant reaction.

His unpredictable behavior certainly resembled Lucarhem’s. I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t thought of him sooner. And since he said he didn’t want to reveal it to Deron, it seemed he wasn’t just imitating him, but was really Lucarhem himself. Still, I couldn’t help but ask one more time.

“Are you really Lucarhem? Are you joking?”

“Hehe, do you wish I was joking?”

“But Lucarhem is one of the Four Great Dukes of the Demon Realm. Aren’t dukes supposed to be under the Demon King? Why is a Demon God acting as a demon?”

“Hmm, I wonder. Just because I was bored?”

I was speechless for a moment at his innocent smile. I could see Eluien frowning again behind him. A chilly voice said, “If you’re so bored, get to work,” but Kanos acted as if he hadn’t heard anything. He didn’t seem serious at all, so even at this moment, I was more inclined to believe he was joking. But before I had a chance to confirm the truth, Kanos changed the subject.

“By the way, are you sure it’s okay for you to keep coming down to the Middle Realm, Eluien? You must be reaching your limit?”

His playful gaze blatantly swept over Eluien, who was standing silently. The eyes of my party, including me, naturally turned to him as well. Eluien frowned slightly, as if displeased by the attention focused on him.

“I know that without you having to emphasize it.”

“Hehehe, even as we speak, you must have years’ worth of paperwork piling up?”

“Shut up. It’s all your fault.”

Only after hearing Eluien’s cold retort did I realize what was going on. The time for him to return to the God Realm was approaching.

I had heard that gods had a limited amount of time they could stay in the Middle Realm. I remembered that when Eluien first came down here, he had to return almost forcibly before long. Compared to then, he was holding out for quite a while now.

As I looked at him with a nervous feeling, Eluien slowly nodded, as if he had read what my gaze meant. It was really time to say goodbye.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. It’s time.”

“I see…”

Even though I had already guessed, all the strength drained from my shoulders when I confirmed the fact. Eluien and I had a relationship as a foster family, but we communicated almost unilaterally. Unless he came to me, it was difficult for me to visit or contact him. All I could do was look forward to the next time.

I had never really been dissatisfied with that fact, but perhaps because I had so strongly confirmed his existence today, I felt a sense of emptiness. Maybe that’s why I was making a sad face. He stroked my head as if he couldn’t help it.

“Contact me whenever you need me. I’ll visit as often as I can.”

“But Eluien… you’re busy.”

“No matter how busy I am, I have time for my son.”

In his usual nonchalant tone, Eluien casually lied to me. I knew better than anyone that making time amidst his mountain of work was not as easy as he made it sound. Still, I smiled brightly because I was grateful that he said so. Eluien, who was looking at me gently, suddenly gave me a serious look.

“By the way, El, there’s one thing I want to confirm before I leave.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Who am I?”

The moment I thought it was a question I had heard somewhere before, a forgotten memory came to mind. It was the question Eluien had asked me over and over again when I was trapped in an illusion created by magic. I realized only now, hearing his question, that it didn’t just mean his identity. I also realized what the real answer he wanted to hear was.

“Uh, um… Father…?”

Eluien smiled when I answered after hesitating a little. “Good job.” His face, praising me like that, looked so genuinely happy that my mood also warmed up (although I felt complicated, as if I was being trained like a dog).

“From now on, don’t call anyone else ‘Father,’ even in your dreams. It’s quite unpleasant.”

The added remark was a little curt, unlike his passing tone. I didn’t think he was the type to hold a grudge, but he seemed quite upset about what happened in the dream. Come to think of it, he was quite displeased back then, too.

“Okay, I won’t do it again.”

Eluien nodded at my vow. At that moment, as if it were a signal, a cluster of light slowly began to rise from his body. It was the same sight I had seen at the temple the last time, so I immediately understood the meaning of the phenomenon. He was being forcibly summoned back to the God Realm.

“It’s really time to go now. I have to go now.”

I nodded bitterly at his sigh-like words. As if to comfort me, Eluien stroked my head once more. But the tender feeling of the moment of farewell was only for a brief moment, and the words that followed quickly brought me back to reality.

“It’ll probably be difficult, but just ignore Kanos as much as possible. Most of it will be useless words, so there’s no need to take it seriously or listen to it. If something feels strange, just beat him up first. It’ll be too late after something happens.”

“Okay, I got… Wait, hold on. What do you mean by that?”

I was startled and looked up, having answered without thinking. Eluien, who had been calmly listing his requests as if he were explaining how to use a tricky tool, looked at me with a ‘what’s wrong?’ expression.

“Just like you see. I’m telling you how to handle that sly bastard.”

“Ah, no, that’s not it… Why are you telling me that? Isn’t the Demon God going back?”

“He said he’s on vacation. I’m the only one going back.”

“Oh, really?”

Emergency lights went on in my head. I never expected the Demon God to stay here. I had suffered a lot because of him, so I naturally thought Eluien would take him back with him.

“You don’t have to worry too much. He won’t be staying here for long anyway.”

But even Eluien, who said that, was making a face that showed he didn’t like the situation. It was the first time his words didn’t sound so trustworthy. I glanced back and saw Kanos smiling meaningfully at me. It was the same face he had made when he casually revealed himself as ‘Lucarhem’ a little while ago, and my shoulders flinched. It seemed I was destined to suffer a little more because of him. He was already a formidable opponent, and now Eluien, the only one who could stop him, was leaving. Somehow, I had a feeling that the time ahead wouldn’t be smooth sailing, and it wasn’t just a feeling. It was like saying that the shackles holding a grizzly bear were about to be released.

But regardless of how I felt, Eluien soon disappeared into a pure white light. Just before he disappeared completely, I saw him send a silent gaze to Kanos, but I couldn’t read the meaning in his eyes. Only Kanos seemed to understand, shrugging his shoulders lightly.

Come to think of it, Eluien must have already met Kanos when I was unconscious. Could there be another reason why they weren’t going back together? He was so sure that the Demon God wouldn’t stay here for long, and it was clear that there was something I didn’t know.

Soon, even the afterimage of the scattered light completely disappeared, and the disturbed air calmed down. It felt like waking up from a dream. Of course, I felt more clearly than ever that it was not the end, but the beginning. I also knew that I had to solve the biggest problem from now on.

“Wow~ I guess this is what they mean by ‘surprising’? I can’t believe that ice statue Eluien has a son, but he even came all the way here to take care of him so meticulously. I guess you live and learn?”

That very troublemaker spoke.

When I forced my stiff neck to turn, Kanos’s face came into view as he looked down at me. As soon as our eyes met, he smiled.

“So, shall we continue our conversation?”

* * *

“What conversation?”

“Anything. I think you have a lot to say to me?”

Kanos replied leisurely to my wary question. The way he stretched vigorously looked like he had been freed from his restraints and found freedom, and I automatically broke out in a cold sweat.

Things to say? Of course, I had a lot to say. Just the conversation we hadn’t finished properly a little while ago was already piled up like a mountain.

…So, this person was really that Lucarhem.

I calmly looked him up and down from top to bottom. I didn’t notice it well when he was with Eluien, but his presence was really distinct when he was alone. His overwhelmingly tall height and the fierce aura surrounding his entire body naturally drew attention. Perhaps that’s why, despite his gentle impression, he felt unapproachable overall. He was just standing still, but it felt like his whole body was a weapon. Judging from the fact that he wasn’t trying to show off, it seemed to be just his natural aura.

Indeed, a Demon God is a Demon God. Just by making eye contact, the pressure from him made my hands and feet tingle. ‘El’ and Lucarhem were strong, but they didn’t give off such a threatening feeling. No one would have associated them with a Demon God. So, I shouldn’t be ashamed that I was helpless. Yeah, that’s right.

I comforted myself inwardly and looked back on his past appearances. Like El, it was still hard to accept that the demon who popped up every hour to tease and bother me was a Demon God.

No wonder he was so interested in the divine mark on my forehead. I thought it was just simple curiosity, but it seemed he had noticed that I was Eluien’s adopted son at that time. Come to think of it, he seemed to have started approaching me more actively after that time. Could he have been preparing this prank since then? The thought was quite likely, and my face automatically frowned.

“So, what’s your question?”

“…”

Kanos’s black eyes suddenly popped up right in front of me. He had brought his face very close. I could see his determination to get an answer from his piercing gaze.

He could have just said what he wanted to say, but I don’t know why he had to get a question. Despite my dissatisfied gaze, he smiled like an eel. Even when he was Lucarhem, he never backed down easily. Now that he had revealed his identity, it would be even more so. I stopped glaring at him and sighed deeply.

“I don’t know what question you want me to ask. You’re not going to answer seriously anyway.”

“Huh? Why do you think so?”

“You said the reason you acted as Lucarhem was because you were bored.”

Kanos looked bewildered, as if he didn’t know what I was talking about, as I replied with a sullen voice.

“Why?”

“What do you mean, why! Who would hear that and think it’s a sincere answer? I heard that gods have a lot of work to do? Demon Gods must be especially busy, so how can you say you’re bored?”

“Oh, that makes sense. How about I say I’m bored because I’m not doing my job?”

“Are you kidding me?”

“Hmm~ Does this not work either? Then what do you think it is?”

If I knew, would I have asked the question in the first place!

I resisted the urge to shout that and rubbed my head. It was always like this when he was Lucarhem. Talking to this man is always like playing Twenty Questions, which is harmful to my mental health. I felt like I was getting a headache that I couldn’t possibly have. I should have pretended not to know when Eluien told me to hit him. Why did I miss that golden opportunity? It’s like regretting after the ship has sailed. I guess I’m exactly like that. I guess this is why you should listen to your parents(?).

“Is it to monitor us?”

A stiff voice cut through our conversation at that moment. The owner of the solemn voice was none other than Deron. He was standing with a firm expression, staring straight at Kanos. He seemed much calmer than he was at first, but his complexion was still pale.