Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 441

Chapter 441

“What, not confident?”

“Ah, no. I’ll try anyway. But, um, can you give me one more chance?”

“Chance?”

“Let me persuade you.”

I didn’t have the courage to test whether things would change right then. So, I had to recreate the situation as I knew it first. As I looked at him anxiously, Trowell frowned.

“Persuade me about what?”

“From my point of view, the reason you’re trying to eliminate humans is that you haven’t met a human you like yet. You’ve never mingled or connected with humans, have you? Have you ever been deeply involved in their lives?”

“Why would I?”

“See, you haven’t. Of course, humans change. There are hardly any who remain pure until the end. But not all of them deteriorate badly. Trowell, you can’t not know that. You just haven’t realized it yet, so you’re not paying attention. Seeing from afar is different from experiencing it directly. Your thoughts might change if you actually spend time together.”

“…Are you suggesting we travel together?”

“That’s right. I’m asking you again for the favor I asked before. Let’s travel the world together.”

“You…”

“We’ll definitely be good friends. I’ll prove to you that there are humans you can trust.”

Silence hung in the air for a while, and the surroundings became quiet. Trowell just stared at me silently with a searching gaze. I couldn’t guess his thoughts at all, and my heart grew anxious. It felt like a minute was an hour as I clenched my fists tightly. Finally, Trowell’s mouth opened.

“I thought I explained it clearly enough back then. But you’re still trying to befriend me? Do you really think that’s possible?”

“You won’t know unless you try.”

“I don’t know if you’re being clever or foolish. If I were you, I’d rather ask my contractor for help. You don’t seem to know how lucky you are; Elquines is the strongest of the Spirit Kings right now. He could suppress me and stop me, even if it meant forcing me.”

“No, I don’t want to ask for such a favor. Besides, that wouldn’t change your mind. It wouldn’t change anything.”

“…Well, fine. I don’t know what your confidence is, but watching you struggle to make the impossible possible won’t be bad.”

Was this a positive sign? I quickly lifted my head, which had been looking at the floor. When our eyes met, Trowell chuckled.

“You, your name was El, wasn’t it?”

“Ah, yes! That’s right, it’s El.”

“Okay, El. I’ll give you the chance you so desire. I’ll stay with you for the next three years. During that time, try to change either the future where Minerva is betrayed or my thoughts on humans. If you can change just one, I’ll consider you the winner.”

His whispering voice was sweet. His magical eyes, deepened and tinged with a dark color, clung to me intensely.

“But if neither happens, I’ll kill you first.”

…I did it.

The suffocating breath finally eased. Surely, Sibelius would have scolded me for taking such a reckless gamble at this time. He would have said to kill me first, grumbling that it was a deal with my life on the line. I didn’t ask for it first, but this was a similar result.

I must have smiled without realizing it because I was so relieved. Trowell paused for a moment and looked puzzled. Come to think of it, I’m being threatened with death right now, but I’m happy. Thinking from his perspective, I must look like a really strange guy. But I couldn’t help being happy, so I couldn’t stop grinning. This was also a starting line.

* * *

“So, we agreed to travel together until then.”

The face listening to the story remained expressionless throughout. The light blue eyes nestled in the deep eye sockets emitted a calm light without revealing any emotion. His hair, the same color as his eyes, flowed down as if flowing, and his appearance was beautiful and even mysterious. It was Ellyuen, whom I was seeing again exactly one week after going to the Spirit Realm without any explanation.

In the meantime, I had safely crossed the border of the Epen Kingdom and boarded a ship bound for the Empire. He had suddenly disappeared when we left, and his return was just as sudden, appearing in front of me out of nowhere and startling me. After looking around quietly, he gave me a look that said I should explain everything now, which was so chilling that I almost lost my mind.

“…Let’s just assume this was supposed to happen.”

His tightly closed lips opened a long time after all the explanations were over. This? *The father of this era* seems to need to relearn the usage of demonstrative pronouns. [Referring to Ellyuen, who is powerful and ancient]. Of course, whether I pouted or not, his gaze had already left me and reached elsewhere. Trowell, who was sitting leisurely on the sofa in the simply decorated cabin, drinking alcohol in the form of a boy, shrugged lightly when he felt the gaze.

“Trowell, why are you going along with this?”

“Because it looks fun.”

The answer that followed was as light as his attitude. Ellyuen glared at him for a moment, then turned his cool gaze back to me. The words that followed made my heart sink.

“If you wanted to prove how ridiculous you think I am, you’ve succeeded.”

“No, that’s definitely not it.”

“What did you say would happen to you when this contract ends?”

“I’ll die…”

“Didn’t you think I would end the contract if you did something like this?”

“…Will you end it?”

“I’m asking if there’s no such thing as worry in that head of yours.”

His voice, lower than usual, was calm, but that made it even more eerie. It seemed like he was really angry this time. Well, I thought I had done something a bit reckless. He had kindly told me not to provoke him, but I had instead made things bigger with all my might, so he had no choice but to think I was rebelling.

“What, you made such a promise?”

I couldn’t bring myself to make excuses, so I just gave an awkward smile, and Trowell’s voice continued. Ellyuen frowned as he saw him approaching.

“If you end the contract, you’ll die. That means you can die at any time. I was wondering how to get your consent, but in this case, I should be the one getting consent, right?”

“…Don’t interfere, Trowell.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that, Elquines. This is something that concerns me too.”

“So, you’re going to oppose me?”

“Surely not. I’m suggesting we cooperate. You know that I can’t ignore my promise to you as much as my promise to him. As fellow kings, I hope you’ll respect that. But let me tell you, I didn’t create this situation.”

Ellyuen’s fierce gaze reached me again. Yes, that’s right. I made it. When I smiled awkwardly again, his gaze became even more ominous. Even at this moment, Trowell was still saying what he had to say, which seemed amazing.

“It’s going to be a problem if he dies before he fulfills the term I promised. Even if you want to end the contract, please bear with it for the next three years.”

“And you’re just going to watch him die?”

“Wouldn’t that be better for you too? Warning about the end means you’re thinking of breaking the contract someday. I don’t think you’d feel comfortable killing a former contractor, no matter how much it is you. I’m just asking you to pass that role on to me. Wouldn’t this be a win-win situation?”

…Hey, everything’s fine, but can you think about how I feel listening to this?

This isn’t like choosing a dessert after a meal. Even if the Spirit Kings lack awareness of human rights, isn’t it too much to say ‘you kill him’ or ‘I kill him’ in front of someone? I really hope you don’t have a win-win situation on this topic.

Especially Trowell, you weren’t this kind of person, were you? Even though it’s the past, can you be so different from the way I know you? Besides, why are you both assuming that I’ll fail? I can accept that you might think I can’t persuade Trowell, but I can also change the prophecy! Of course, I won’t change it!

‘No, wait a minute. When I say it like this, there’s really no hope, is there?’

Even I felt pathetic when I thought about it, and my heart felt depressed. But there’s still nothing wrong, so it’ll be okay. Unless I deliberately change the situation, the flow won’t change. Yes, the result of this bet is already determined. Humans will not become extinct. The countless humans that existed in my time, the existence of Isana and Alisa, are proof of that. I straightened my shoulders more confidently, thinking that I shouldn’t lose heart. Ellyuen, who saw me, smiled coldly.

“Do as you please. I’ll wait about three years.”

It was a condescending tone, but it was actually an acceptance. Trowell smiled brightly and turned to me.

“That’s good. You’re safe until the promised deadline thanks to me.”

“…Haha.”

No, I think it’s more dangerous now.

I couldn’t bring myself to answer honestly and swallowed the burning inside. I definitely felt it when I saw the fleeting look just now. If he was just watching until now, now a definite grace period has been set in his mind. Come to think of it, I heard about preventing the extinction of mankind, but I didn’t hear the story after that. It seems that what I have to worry about in three years is not Trowell but Ellyuen.

Why does it seem like nothing is working out since I came here? When one thing is solved, another is twisted, and when I think I’ve solved it, it becomes more complicated. It was a situation that made me sigh, but one thing was clear anyway. I have to find Lapis no matter what within that time. If I’m not careful, I might die before I can even find his whereabouts. And to face death at the hands of my loving family, I absolutely refuse.

If that happens, I’ll have to run away first. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll have to be prepared to return to my original world. When I thought of home, I suddenly missed my father so much. Even though Ellyuen and Trowell are right in front of me, it feels terribly lacking. To be honest, I felt a little wronged. Who told him to leave me alone? If Ellyuen hadn’t left his seat in the first place, my meeting with Trowell wouldn’t have been so fierce. Of course, thanks to that, the situation proceeded as I knew it.

“Come to think of it, Father. Why did you go to the Spirit Realm?”

At the sudden question, Ellyuen, who was stealing a glass of wine from Trowell, frowned. He was already in a bad mood, but he seemed to be in an even worse mood. As I was about to wonder, Trowell, with an interesting expression, asked.

“Father? You call Elquines Father?”

“Oh? Ah, sorry. I think I made another mistake. It’s just a habit.”

“That’s an interesting habit. How does it feel to have a child, Elquines?”

“Nonsense.”

The reaction that came back was so cold that I was upset, even though I knew it would be. Yes, it might seem like nonsense now. Let’s see later, Father. I’ll call you Mister until you say you’re sorry. While sharpening the blade of revenge, I didn’t show it on the outside and waited quietly for an answer. However, even with his eyes staring intently, Ellyuen silently drank his wine. Just when I was about to feel sullen because I thought he wasn’t going to tell me, Trowell gave an answer because he couldn’t stand it. It was also an answer I never expected.

“There was a battle.”

“Huh? A battle?”

“Ifrit attacked the Water Territory.”

Who did what to whom? I couldn’t help but open my mouth because I didn’t know what this meant. Does ‘attacked’ mean he attacked? A war broke out between the Spirit Kings?

“What is that…”

“The two of them don’t get along very well. But they don’t usually think of going to all-out war, but this time Ifrit came out strong for some reason. He must have thought it was a great opportunity to strike since it’s rare for Elquines to leave his territory.”

“You must have instigated him from behind.”

While I was dumbfounded and just opened my mouth, Ellyuen muttered dryly. Trowell’s smile seemed to deepen, and he silently filled Ellyuen’s glass with wine. The sweet scent that had been vibrating all around since earlier became even stronger. As an aside, I also know that this scent is only emitted from the special wine that Trowell makes himself.

…So, that’s why you prepared the alcohol. I watched the scene of Trowell offering bribes with a complicated heart. It seems that the fact that he appeared while Ellyuen disappeared was not just good timing.

“Still, it took longer than I thought to drive him out. Ifrit seemed to be determined, so you had a hard time this time too?”

“That can’t be.”

“Then?”

“It just took some time to completely destroy the Fire Territory.”

He wasn’t just repelling the invasion, he was even counterattacking. Moreover, he was destroying the entire territory, but was that theoretically possible?

“…It’ll be hard to see Ifrit for a while.”

As much as Trowell, who had become somewhat detached, I also became polite. Indeed, he was worthy of being called the strongest Elquines in history, leaving Kanos behind. It wasn’t for nothing that Ifrit compared me to Ellyuen and scolded me.

‘But Ifrit fell in love with Ellyuen even after being treated like this? In some ways, that guy is also pretty amazing.’

There’s a limit to getting attached while fighting, but at this point, I have to admit that it’s true love. Oh, wait a minute. Come to think of it, the Ifrit I know was just over two thousand years old, wasn’t he? Then this era is still the previous generation. I naturally thought it was the Ifrit I knew, but when I realized it wasn’t, I felt a bit dazed. Still, the overall assessment doesn’t seem to change much in that he suffers because of Ellyuen. I felt sorry for the Spirit King I had never even met.