Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 245

245.

“…El.”

I heard someone calling me. When I slightly opened my eyes, I felt the sensation of bluish waves gently rippling. Instinctively, I realized I was within the Water Territory. It was a refreshing and pleasant sensation. Just a little longer in this state. If possible, I wanted to stay like this forever. It felt like I had fallen into a deep sleep for the first time in a long while.

“…El? El?”

The voice calling me echoed again. I was a little annoyed because I didn’t want to wake up yet. Why do they keep bothering me when I’m finally resting comfortably? I wanted to chase them away, but I didn’t want to do anything right now. Pretending not to hear, I turned my body away from the direction of the sound. If I do this, they’ll give up and just leave. Dealing with them is annoying, so just go away quickly. I grumbled inwardly, but the other person didn’t seem to understand. I could clearly feel their presence getting closer. The languidly stretched nerves sharpened in an instant. Someone’s hand was about to touch my body without permission.

How dare they.

I jumped up and grabbed the hand before it touched my shoulder. I saw the other person’s face, their eyes wide with surprise at the unexpected action. It was a boy with chocolate-colored skin, softly disheveled black hair, and striking jewel-like golden eyes. I recognized him at once. Trowell.

“El?”

What, it was Trowell. Seeing him looking a little flustered, my rising annoyance subsided a bit. Well, okay. If it’s Trowell, I can’t help it. I gently released his hand that I was holding.

“…Ah, Trowell. What’s wrong?”

“……”

“Trowell?”

Turning back to him when he didn’t speak, I saw Trowell staring at me. For some reason, he had a very strange expression. Did his arm hurt because I grabbed it earlier and he’s angry? I didn’t twist it backward, and I don’t think I grabbed it that hard. While I was trying to figure out the reason, he suddenly asked me a question.

“El, do you remember what you were doing before you fell asleep?”

“Before I fell asleep…? Mine [referring to the newly born spirit] was born, and I was with her.”

“And?”

“I felt a little tired, so I came back to my territory to rest.”

Yes, I fell asleep right after that. The fact that I had returned to the main world gave me a sense of stability and fulfillment, and my body felt a little tired from adapting to the new wind’s energy.

“Hmm, there’s no problem with your memory. It’s a temporary phenomenon. Then it’s okay.”

…What’s a temporary phenomenon, and what’s okay? I looked at him, bewildered, but Trowell just smiled. His sparkling eyes had the expression of someone who had discovered something very interesting, which made me feel a little uneasy.

“More importantly, what brings you here?”

“Ah, sorry for disturbing your rest. It seemed like you were sleeping for too long. Is it okay to leave your position for so long?”

“Position?”

“I mean, Archadom. It’s already been four days since you left.”

“Ah……”

Has that much time already passed? My face naturally frowned. As much as I wanted to stay in the main world a little longer, I couldn’t just leave the situation in Isana unattended. It had been four days, so it was about time their waiting turned into annoyance. I had to go back before Lapis started throwing a tantrum, not to mention the others.

“Trowell, what about you?”

“I’ll be staying in the main world for a while longer. When the war starts in earnest, the Champagne Mercenary will also participate. I’m not interested in the human war, so I’ve declared that I’ll be wandering around for a while.”

“Okay.”

I replied casually and swept back my hair, but I felt his gaze again. Trowell was looking at me with a strange face again.

“Why?”

“No, it’s nothing. Seeing you like this, you really feel the same as the previous Elquines.”

“What are you talking about? Of course, I’m Elquines.”

“Haha, that’s true. Oh, right, El. Minerva asked me to look into Bluster. I thought it might be helpful, so I looked into it a bit. But it might be difficult to find.”

“…Isn’t that spirit sword with Duke Caribdis?”

“Yes, but……”

“I can’t understand your intention. No matter how much of a Sword Master he is, he’s just a human. Do you think I can’t find even one human?”

I asked with a shrug, and Trowell opened his mouth slightly. He looked like he was impressed.

“Amazing. The atmosphere changes so much depending on your personality.”

“…What?”

“Um, it’s nothing. It’s more fun to realize these things on your own.”

“What……”

“Anyway, let’s get to the point. You know that Bluster was holding Minerva’s power, right? The power itself has been recovered, but the unique ability seems to still be there.”

“Unique ability? You mean the power of concealment?”

“Yes, the corrupted Bluster has started using that power against the spirits.”

I felt a sigh escape as I seemed to understand the situation. The unique ability of Minerva of the Wind is the veil of shadows, that is, perfect concealment. Originally, it was an ability only allowed to the king, but Bluster, who had half of that power, would have been able to use the same ability. Usually, in this case, it’s a temporarily granted authority, so everything disappears as soon as it’s recovered. But Bluster seemed to have retained the influence because of the magic sword transformation.

It’s difficult for spirits to find you if you hide in Minerva’s shadow. Moreover, based on the conversation now, it seemed that the power of shadows that Bluster was using was specialized only in confusing the spirits’ vision. He knows what state he is in now and who he should be most wary of. He’s crazy, but his survival instinct seems to be intact.

Of course, it’s only the remaining influence, so it wouldn’t be that great. Still, he could easily deceive spirits lower than himself. In other words, he can’t be found with the ‘eyes of the spirits.’ The same goes for Duke Caribdis, who is being protected by that power.

“…Do I have to find out his whereabouts through human information? This has become troublesome.”

“It’s refreshing that you understand right away?”

“Isn’t it weirder if I don’t understand this? I’ve forgotten my true nature, but I haven’t become stupid.”

“Hmm, I don’t think you’ve forgotten your true nature right now.”

“What?”

“El, are you going down to the middle world right now?”

His sudden question quickly confused me. I nodded my head absentmindedly, and Trowell’s golden eyes began to glow with a mysterious light. It was proof that his unique ability was being manifested.

“Let’s see… Ah, it seems like Lapi is separated from the group. Meet that child first. It’s better to meet the other members a little later. About three hours from now?”

“Why should I do that?”

“Even though he looks like that, Lapi is quick to grasp the situation. He’s a dragon, so his mental strength is strong. It’s better to have someone who won’t cause much trouble even if something happens.”

I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I didn’t bother asking. There was nothing to lose by doing as Trowell said. I’ll just do that. I nodded my head roughly and was about to move right away, but Trowell suddenly grabbed my arm.

“Why?”

“El, what do you think of us?”

“Us?”

“I mean, me, Ifrit, and Mine.”

Why is he suddenly asking this? I looked at Trowell with a slightly puzzled feeling. He was having fun until just now, but now he had a strangely uneasy look.

“You’re my family.”

I said without much thought, and his eyes widened a little. Was I not supposed to answer like that? But I couldn’t think of any other expression. Rather, I would be angry if it wasn’t that. No, shouldn’t I just be angry in this case? Still, I didn’t want to get angry at Trowell if possible. I was inwardly contemplating an appropriate response because of these various worries.

A slow smile began to appear on Trowell’s lips as he looked straight at me. His flushed cheeks couldn’t hide his joy. Within his softly bent eyes, his radiant golden eyes sparkled even more brightly. It was a smile so beautiful that it made my heart swell, enough to evaporate the many thoughts that had been occupying my mind until just before.

“Thank you, El. I wanted to hear that.”

* * *

The place I arrived at following Lapis’s energy was a square with a huge fountain. Unlike the current situation, where everyone was busy preparing for war, the lives of the residents seemed very peaceful. There were street stalls selling fruits and snacks, and couples sitting in front of the fountain enjoying their dates. On one side, a traveling troupe was putting on a show in front of onlookers. I watched the children running around and playing with each other for a while, then slowly looked around. I had definitely followed Lapis’s energy, but I couldn’t see him.

“What is he doing somewhere?”

I was just about to go to Isana, but Trowell’s request stopped me from turning around. There was a good reason why he specifically told me to go to Lapis first. Considering that his attitude towards me was strangely odd, it wouldn’t be good to ignore it.

After letting out a light sigh, I patiently looked around again. It was a sunny afternoon, the time of day when there was the most to do. I don’t know what he’s doing in a place like this at this time, but it didn’t seem like a good reason. Just wait until I meet him. I was grinding my teeth inwardly when a strange sight caught my eye. There was a crowd of people gathered around one of the fountains. That wouldn’t be unusual, but it was noticeable that the majority of the members were women.

“Can you see him, can you see him?”

“Hey, get a little closer.”

“Shh! We’ll get caught like this.”

Unusual conversations were exchanged among them, who had lowered their voices as much as possible. At a glance, it was a scene of secretly peeking at someone. …I had a very bad feeling for some reason. In my past experience, these premonitions tend to be very accurate.

I approached the back of the gathered women and glanced at the other side. I saw a man lying on the edge of the fountain with his arms as a pillow. His hair was as red as blood, and his face was more gorgeous than any woman, so he had an appearance that would attract attention anywhere. There was someone who looked like that among the people I knew. A guy named Red Dragon Lapis Lazuli looked exactly like that.

‘…I knew it.’

The great dragon was leisurely basking in the sunlight and taking a nap. In the middle of a square where many people come and go, in the most conspicuous place. He really has a personality that likes to stand out to the point of being disgusting.

After letting out a light sigh, I parted the women and walked forward. The women, who frowned at the pushing hands, widened their eyes when they saw me going forward. The tension flowing from behind became more and more intense as I got closer to the fountain. Everyone was watching my back with nervous eyes. They were watching the moment I spoke to Lapis.

Of course, I had no intention of choosing such a peaceful method. As soon as I reached my target point, I kicked Lapis’s body as it was. Because he only had his body on the edge, he immediately lost his balance and fell into the fountain.

“Kyaa!”

With a splash, a stream of water soared high, and at the same time, the screams of women resounded from all directions. Even without looking back, I could tell that they were looking at me like a madman. No one rushed at me because Lapis immediately jumped out of the water. Perhaps because he was suddenly attacked while sleeping well, he had an angry face.

“Damn it! Who is it? Who dares to be so fearless…!”

He stopped talking for a moment when he found me standing in front of him, brushing his wet hair up. He looked a little embarrassed, as if he didn’t expect to see me here.

“…What, it was you. No wonder I didn’t feel any presence at all. What are you doing to a sleeping person?”

“I’m just pissed off.”

“What?”

“Isn’t your precious body not supposed to lie down unless it’s a luxury hotel bed? Since when did the fountain become a luxury bed?”

“You don’t know anything. Accommodation is unconditionally convenience-oriented, and the place for a nap must have romance even if it’s uncomfortable. That’s my motto.”

“Oh, is that so?”

With a splashing sound, Lapis came out of the fountain in a wet state. Thanks to this, I realized that throwing him into the water was not a good choice as a result. Even in a situation where water was dripping, his fraudulent appearance did not fade at all. No, rather, it seemed to stimulate people’s attention in a different sense. Every time Lapis squeezed the water out of his clothes, exclamations burst out from the women watching nearby. Some of them were giving me grateful glances, which made my mouth bitter.

“…I should have just stepped on him.”

“Huh? Why are you acting up as soon as you come back when you haven’t contacted me for more than four days?”

“It’s not acting up, it’s retribution. Why are you alone in a place like this at this time? What about the other guys?”

“Am I a nanny? What do I have to do with those guys?”

“It’s disappointing if you say that. If you don’t have at least a sense of camaraderie, there’s no reason for you to be here.”

“Tsk, are you threatening to terminate the contract again?”

“No, I won’t terminate the contract. I admit that I need your mana now, even if I didn’t know it before. It would be inconvenient for me to terminate the contract, and that would be a loss in many ways.”

“…It’s weirder that you’re saying you won’t terminate the contract willingly. What do you want to say to me?”

“I’m just saying that you should live as you please in a comfortable place without having to get involved in this. After all, human life is short, and Isana will die in less than a hundred years. Waiting for that period is not difficult for you. I mean, there’s no need for us to get tired of each other here.”

I thought he would react to something, but there was no answer for a while. When I turned around, Lapis was staring at me with a strange look. It seemed a bit similar to the look Trowell gave me just before I came here.

“What are you looking at?”

“Hmm, I think you’ve learned a way to convey your thoughts in a very annoying way in the meantime. I’m trying to figure out whether the technique has become high-level or whether your personality has become strange.”

“What?”

“Before that, let’s confirm a few things. The reason you’ve been away all this time, is it related to the change of generation of the Spirit King?”

“Well. Do I have an obligation to answer your questions?”

“Huh? Obligation? Aren’t you talking very annoyingly right now?”

“You say my tone is annoying? That’s the most welcome thing I’ve heard. But you’re just as bad.”

“…Okay, let’s put that aside. Anyway, answer the question. You mentioned a sense of camaraderie to me a little while ago, right? Then shouldn’t you do the same? At least a colleague should explain why they disappeared without a word.”

“Ah, is that so? That’s definitely true. Okay. Then I’ll answer. Yes, there was a change of generation of Minerva.”

“……”