Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 554

The busy shop owner, engrossed in cooking, didn’t even seem to notice the new customer who had entered. What was most unsettling, of course, was the question the person had posed earlier: *”Do you really think so?”* It was as if they knew what he had been thinking. A chilling sensation ran down his spine. Ahin cautiously asked,

“Who are you…?”

At that, the person chuckled and pulled back their hood with one hand. Beneath the raven-black hair, the face of a boy with dark skin was revealed. The moment Ahin met the radiant eyes, like molten gold, he swallowed hard. It was a face he had never seen before, but he felt like he knew who it was.

About El, though little was known, there were a few scattered details. One was that he lived with his brothers, and all of them were strikingly beautiful.

Thanks to their lack of concern for public attention, the descriptions from those who had seen them were detailed. The eldest brother, who was also their adoptive father, was a young man with hair as mysterious and blue as the sea and eyes like lapis lazuli [a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone]. The second brother, who looked like a boy, had silky black hair, dark skin like a dark elf, and dazzling golden eyes.

However, the one known as the eldest brother turned out to be the Spirit King Elquines. That in itself was a huge revelation, but at the time, no one paid much attention. Later, people wondered about the identity of the second brother. Ahin thought that the fact that the Earth Spirit King Trowel had black hair and golden eyes was no coincidence. Seeing the boy appear so casually before him, he felt as if his guess had been confirmed.

“Does that answer your question?”

At the smiling face, Ahin swallowed hard. His fingertips curled with tension, but anticipation also surged. The fact that a Spirit King had appeared before him might mean there was still a chance to turn things around.

“Yeah, you still haven’t come to your senses.”

Of course, the words that followed made him sweat. Ahin looked at the boy, Trowel, his face unable to hide his anxiety.

“I know that anything I say now will sound like an excuse, but please, hear me out.”

“Speak.”

“That day, I wasn’t being sincere. I didn’t mean to say such harsh things. I was so shocked that I lost my reason and blurted out things without knowing what I was saying.”

“Oh, really?”

“I know I deserved to have my contract terminated. I don’t know why I did that. I sincerely regret it and am reflecting on my actions.”

Trowel was a Spirit King who could read people’s minds. Lies wouldn’t work in front of him, but Ahin didn’t shrink back at all. All the words he was saying now were sincere. He truly didn’t intend to hurt Minerva in that way. He really wasn’t in his right mind that day.

In fact, even now, he didn’t think he was saying anything wrong. No matter how angry he was, there was no need to kill the princess. He was shocked that Minerva, whom he had only thought of as gentle, had killed an innocent person so casually. It felt like everything he had known until now was being denied, and he was confused.

But even so, he had said too much. He should have considered that Minerva wasn’t human, so the standards for killing were different from human ethics. No, he shouldn’t have committed such a foolish act in the first place. He thought he was quite desperate at the time, but looking back, he didn’t seem to be that attached to the princess. In comparison, the memories he had with Minerva were so numerous. Once he realized the void, he saw what he had lost.

He wasn’t just talking about the fame and wealth he had accumulated. It was someone who had been with him since the moment he was born, someone who was his whole life. He could imagine a life without the princess, but he couldn’t imagine a life without Minerva. That’s why he couldn’t even bring himself to say that his affection was directed towards someone else, because he was afraid that he would leave him. Yet, he couldn’t believe that he had let a moment of anger ruin everything.

“Please, let me meet Minerva. I want to meet him in person and talk to him. I want to apologize for all the wrongs I’ve done and beg for his forgiveness.”

“…You’re saying something interesting.”

The muttering voice was dry. His lips were curved in a smile, but his eyes were so cold, as if frozen, that Ahin couldn’t even think he was smiling, even as a delusion. Nervous, Ahin swallowed hard again. The palms of his hands on his knees became damp.

“I know you must be displeased. That I Minerva…”

“If you know it’s displeasing…”

The lowered voice cut off the words that followed.

“Don’t call him with that filthy mouth.”

“…”

Ahin, who had swallowed his breath, opened and closed his trembling lips several times. Even though he didn’t make eye contact, his whole body was overwhelmed by the feeling of facing a giant mountain. But as Trowel got up as if there was nothing more to see, his heart grew impatient.

“Plea- Please, I beg you. Just once, just once, let me see him!”

With the thought that this would be the end forever, he squeezed out his last courage. But the answer that came back was merciless this time as well.

“Well, it’s not like it’s even possible right now. Even if it were, I wouldn’t want to grant that request.”

Trowel, who was walking away, didn’t even look back at him.

“You’re not qualified.”

The one word that was uttered felt like a death sentence. There was not a shred of room for negotiation in his departing figure. Ahin, who had been frozen, belatedly came to his senses and hurriedly chased after him.

“Wa- Wait! Please wait a moment! Just a little more of my words… !”

But maybe he shouldn’t have done that.

Everything started the moment he stepped out of the store. Unlike the Seike Empire, which was still in the middle of winter, February in his homeland was the beginning of summer. Today, the weather was especially nice, and the world was full of vivid greenery. But starting from the ground he stepped on, the surroundings began to lose color at a rapid pace. The soil, which had been glossy, instantly became parched, and the grass faded to gray. The trees, which had begun to lose their vitality, shed all their branches and leaves in droves. The crops, which had been freshly bearing fruit in anticipation of the harvest season, were all withered and shriveled.

‘What… is this?’

Faced with a sight he couldn’t believe even with his own eyes, Ahin could do nothing but sit there blankly. The sounds of panicked people scurrying about erupted from all directions. People fainting in despair, people screaming in terror, people trying to stop it and wailing, and countless other cries were so loud that his ears rang.

“See? It’s happening because of you.”

But even in this moment, one person’s voice was clearly heard. Ahin lifted his pale face. Trowel was looking down at him from right in front of him, with a calm and indifferent appearance that one could not even imagine as the one who orchestrated this cruel disaster.

“Don’t get sick, and live a long life. Don’t die too blandly.”

The face with a gentle smile whispered softly. Ahin still couldn’t say anything. Tears streamed down his face, distorted with despair. The face wiping away the tears was even more tender, as if his sorrow was a precious treasure.

“That way, you’ll be even more desperate and miserable.”

* * *

“Hey, did you hear the news?”

The restaurant, which was crowded at mealtime, was extremely busy. The interior, filled to the brim, was filled with all sorts of noise, making the entire space hum. Better hearing than others is a disadvantage in times like these, so it’s best to let the sounds flow by without being as conscious as possible.

“The Tara Continent has become a desert! That vast land has dried up overnight!”

But no matter what, I couldn’t ignore the shouting that echoed loudly. Moreover, it was content that I couldn’t ignore even if I wanted to. Ah, right. So it finally started. There was a reason why the late spring felt like a warning. As expected, this kind of premonition never betrays you. Is it thanks to my already being prepared? I thought my heart would sink, but I felt calmer than I thought.

“The entire continent? Hey, what a joke.”

“I’m not kidding. My cousin lives in the Laban Empire, and he sent me an urgent report earlier. Everyone there seems to be in an uproar right now. The Earth Spirit King Trowel cast a curse.”

“Huh, why would the Spirit King do that?”

“It’s because of Ahin Idris. That Wind Spiritist is from the Tara Continent.”

“Heh, was it true that he betrayed Minerva? But that’s a bit too much. It’s happening because of just one person?”

“They say he’s the most ruthless Spirit King…”

The problem is that once you start being aware of it, you keep hearing the conversations. Words that I don’t really want to hear are embedded like blades, so no matter how much I want to ignore them, I can’t. I stopped eating and slowly put down the tableware. The meat, which had been edible until just now, felt strangely fishy, so I couldn’t put it in my mouth anymore. Sibelius, who seemed to have lost his appetite as much as I did, sent a firm gaze.

“El, those stories right now…”

“Um, let’s just not say anything.”

Kind Sibelius understood my words well. His open mouth closed obediently, but not everyone was as docile as him.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but to incur the wrath of the Spirit King, you must have committed an outrageous act.”

Weldy, who had finished his meal across from me, said as he wiped his mouth elegantly. Sibelius, who was embarrassed, gave him a look, but he didn’t care.

“I heard that the Wind King went on a rampage a while ago. I heard it was very dangerous, but was it because of the human Spiritist he contracted with? To dare betray the Spirit King. It’s so human that it’s not even surprising.”

“Weldy.”

“It’s just a personal impression.”

Sibelius’ strict gaze was not a warning. Weldy, who took it with a smile, looked at me.

“Is your spirit okay?”

“My spirit?”

“I was wondering if the spirits would no longer be friendly to the human who deceived the king. I was wondering if it’s becoming more difficult to get help from the spirits as before.”

“Ah…”

“It’s best not to be too relieved if there aren’t any big changes right away. The Spirit Kings don’t just let these insults pass. The Earth’s revenge is just the beginning. The Fire and Water Spirit Kings won’t stand still either. They may even target the human contractors first.”

Without realizing it, I inadvertently looked back at Ellyuen next to me. What do you think, Father? When I sent him a look, he chuckled. Weldy looked at him with a burst of anger.

“Why are you laughing?”

“You act like you know the Spirit Kings well.”

“At least I know more than you guys.”

“I don’t really think so.”

“What?”

“Weldy, stop it.”

The person who causes the accident is Weldy, but the person who suffers is someone else. Sibelius, whose face turned red, couldn’t lift his head and was in pain.

“But Sibel-nim, that person laughed at me. I didn’t say anything wrong. El is especially said to be a Water Spiritist, right? So you should be more alert. The Water Spirit King is said to be the least merciful of the Spirit Kings.”

“Please stop it.”

He almost looks like he’s about to cry now. How did the topic flow like this? I was embarrassed and scratched my face awkwardly. It wasn’t like I was trying to hide it, and I just didn’t think it was necessary to let them know Ellyuen’s identity between just meeting for a while, but I think I should really reveal it now.

Anyway, it was good to get rid of my miscellaneous thoughts thanks to you. Maybe it’s because I can see his inner thoughts, but I didn’t feel too annoyed by his blatant picking of fights. But I couldn’t keep tormenting Sibelius like this, so I decided to help him out.

“More than that, shouldn’t you two be leaving now? You said you have other schedules in the Epen Kingdom. When are you planning to depart?”

As expected, Weldy soon became quiet. Sibelius, whose complexion had barely returned, let out a long sigh like someone whose torture had ended. He was a Rune who suffered in many ways because of his own kind.

The official place name on the map is the Silver Fox Forest, but Siren’s Sanctuary, which is now more often called the Mermaid Forest, was surrounded by a black magic barrier throughout the forest. If it were just Ellyuen alone, there would be no problem, but because coordinate calculation was not possible inside the barrier, it was impossible to enter with movement magic. I had no choice but to compromise with a nearby point and move from there. On the way, I came into the village to replenish my supplies, but Weldy, who was supposed to part ways there, didn’t think of moving.

At first, he insisted that he was not familiar with the human world, so he asked me to accompany him to at least the vicinity. But when that didn’t work, he nagged me, saying that it was too heartless to part ways without eating, and clung to me. I had no choice but to visit a nearby restaurant and after finishing my meal, he said that it was right to eat dessert after the main meal, so we stopped by a confectionery store. I also granted his request to take a walk, saying that he needed time to digest. And now, I had just finished touring the village as promised.

“Are we parting ways now?”

“Well…”

“It’s quite a distance to even the nearest train station, so it’s best to leave before it gets dark. Shall I arrange a carriage for you?”

I wondered what excuse he would make this time and stared at him intently, but Weldy couldn’t easily continue his words. It seems like he can’t think of any more ways. Sibelius, who was watching him fidgeting with his fingers, sighed.

“So you lied after all.”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Weldy, who finally admitted honestly, raised his head with a wronged expression.

“I wanted to follow Sibel-nim no matter what, even if I had to do that. Is that not allowed?”

“Is it a good thing that you left your escorts while lying? Do you know how dangerous you are doing right now?”

“What about Sibel-nim! Sibel-nim went out recklessly!”

“I’m a warrior. I can protect my body.”

“I’m okay because I have Karian! And Sibelius-nim of Seraphin is by my side! Sibelius-nim is stronger than all those escorts combined, so what does it matter?”

The argument was not at all inferior in terms of logic. The fact that the person who is indebted is saying that is shameless. Honestly, I felt a little guilty. Does Ellyuen look at me like that now? Thanks to you, I think I know how he feels. The reason why he sometimes sends me a look that says, ‘What is this?’ is not somewhere else. That unique dumbfounded expression could be seen on Sibelius’ face now. Weldy was confident even as he watched him sweep his hair back, at a loss for words.