Elqueeness [EN]: Chapter 582

582.

“By the way, is it okay for Trowell to leave the Spirit Realm?”

Only then did I ask about the crazy thought, and Trowell slightly avoided my gaze. I knew it wouldn’t work! “It’ll be fine if I go back quickly,” he said, making excuses in a small voice at my dumbfounded look. He was the one who scolded me with a stern face when Ifrit and I went to the Divine Realm. I couldn’t help but laugh, realizing Trowell had this side to him too. Just then, Ellyuen, who seemed to be calculating something, turned to me.

“So, El. We don’t have much time left. We should hurry.”

“Huh? With what?”

“We need to go home now.”

I inadvertently took a deep breath. Ellyuen stared straight at me and held out his hand.

“Let’s go, son.”

I stared blankly at the outstretched hand, waiting for me to take it. I knew I had to grab it quickly, but my body wouldn’t move, as if it were broken. Ellyuen seemed anxious when I didn’t readily take his hand.

“Why that face? Don’t tell me you don’t want to go back?”

No, that couldn’t be. How long have I been waiting for this moment? But unlike those feelings, my head was full of things I hadn’t finished here. I haven’t said proper goodbyes to everyone. I have to go to Lantasha and Diagon’s engagement ceremony next year. But more than anything, Lapis was on my mind. If I leave like this, it will be the end with him.

“Hey, what are you hesitating about?”

I suddenly snapped to my senses at the low voice.

“Don’t tell me you’re having useless regrets about saying goodbye or something? All the relationships you’ve built here are just a dream. You know better than anyone that they’re all like bubbles that scatter when you wake up.”

‘But Lapis, I…’

“Don’t even think about saying it’s because of me. I’ll get angry.”

His voice became even colder. I was speechless and couldn’t say anything.

“You’re not doing this for me at all. You fell into spacetime because you’re clumsy, making me come to find you, and now you’re holding me back from going back? Sorry, but I refuse. It’s already enough that I’m left as someone who can’t even do my part. Don’t make me feel more pathetic.”

I bit my lip tightly. I thought Lapis would say that. I know it too. This is just my lingering attachment.

“You’ve done enough. You’ve even gone too far. Stop clinging to the past and go back to reality. Go and live your real life.”

I wiped away my tears with my arm and looked up. Ellyuen and Trowell were looking at me with gentle smiles. I grabbed both of their outstretched hands. Soon, a bright light began to spread from under my feet. A beam of light soared high into the sky like a soaring hawk, instantly enveloping us.

“Thank you for everything.”

I heard a gruff voice in the sensation of being sucked somewhere.

‘Thank you too, Lapis.’

I smiled, forcibly suppressing the urge to cry. I squeezed the hands I was holding even tighter. Finally, I’m going back. To where I belong.

* * *

“By the way, Father, do you know what the keyword for returning is?”

Ellyuen hesitated for a moment at my question. It seemed like he was being careful not to shock me rather than not knowing. In fact, an answer came that I had never expected.

“Perhaps, you have been constantly thinking of that keyword.”

“Huh? I’ve been thinking of it?”

“Yes. Even though it was twisted, the structure itself hasn’t changed, so you would have thought of it whenever you wanted to go back. There are actually traces of it matching several times… However, it wasn’t activated because you didn’t say it out loud.”

“Seriously? No way. I’ve really said almost everything! What was the keyword anyway?”

He looked at me as I asked in a flustered manner. Affection, pity, and yet sadness. A gaze filled with numerous emotions drew a single word.

At that moment, I knew. Ah, that’s right. There was a word that had been dominating my mind all along. I thought of it whenever I wanted to go back, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it. A word that I forcibly swallowed because I felt like I couldn’t bear it anymore if I said it.

“I miss you, Father.”

* * *

I opened my eyes to a strange sensation.

Elquines slowly looked around. The scenery of the light-filled water was as peaceful and cozy as ever.

Recently, the Spirit Realm had been in a state of tranquility that couldn’t be better. Minerva’s sealed state was also steadily improving, and Trowell, who had been stirring up the ground for a while, was also quiet. There were no particularly annoying problems. But for some reason, I felt strangely down today.

I wondered if I was missing something, but the fact that there was nothing to catch my attention made it even worse. It didn’t make sense that I was missing something in the first place, but I still felt that way. I felt like I had to go somewhere right now, but I didn’t even know where that was. It was a feeling I had never experienced before.

The feeling flowed in an even stranger direction as I greeted an unexpected visitor. Flames soared before my eyes, and a man with red hair appeared. It was Ifrit, the King of Fire.

“Hey, Elquines. I have something to ask you.”

I had never faced Ifrit in a good way in my life. He was very competitive and had been very hostile to Elquines from the beginning, who was his opposite. Elquines was not of a gentle nature either, so he punished him every time he provoked him, which built up animosity. Even if we happened to run into each other, we were busy growling, so there was no conversation. But now, the way he was talking to me comfortably was as natural as it had always been. Although the business he brought was not.

“I had something to say to you. What do you think it was?”

“…What?”

Elquines narrowed his eyes and soon accepted the situation. Now that I see it, it seemed like a new way of picking a fight. Then Ifrit immediately waved his hand.

“No, I’m not kidding! I’m sure I had something to say to you? But I don’t know what it was.”

“Is it time to disappear already?”

“It’s not!”

After retorting in a fit of pique, Ifrit glared at Elquines with a sullen expression.

“That’s weird. Why don’t I feel angry when I see you? Is it because I haven’t been at war for the past few years? But why didn’t I fight with you?”

“Not my business.”

“Look at this. It’s not like your attitude or personality has changed. I would have been angry before, but now I can stand it?”

Ifrit, who had been muttering seriously, finally raised his head with an enlightened face.

“Am I just too nice?”

“Get lost.”

“Geez! You keep telling me to get lost! Don’t you think that’s too much?”

Of course, I didn’t think so at all. But had I ever told him to get lost before? Elquines frowned at the strange sense of incongruity and easily recalled the memory. I certainly had. But I couldn’t understand why it felt so unfamiliar, as if it were a strange thing. Like a novel that unfolds without coherence, with the cause and effect cut out and only the situation remaining.

“Anyway, Elquines, listen to me. I unconsciously went to some forest earlier? But I have no idea why I went there.”

“Is it time to disappear?”

“I’m telling you, it’s not! Anyway, there was only one dilapidated shack there. It was so old that there were no traces of anyone living there, and everything was rotting. It made me feel so bad.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I don’t know? I just feel like I have to tell you?”

Elquines looked at Ifrit, not hiding his bewildered feelings. What was even stranger was that he also felt like he had to see the forest and the shack he was talking about. Even though he thought it was an absurd impulse, Elquines opened his mouth.

“Where is that forest…”

“Oh, who is this! It’s Trowell?”

But before he could finish speaking, a new situation unfolded. This time, Trowell appeared. Today is a really strange day, Elquines frowned again. The King of Earth, who had just undergone a generational change (in his standards), had never visited the Water Realm before. There had even been a dispute not long ago.

Originally, Elquines didn’t care what the other Spirit Kings did, but this time, he thought Trowell was crossing the line. He knew he wouldn’t listen if he told him, so he struck the Earth Realm. The Earth Realm that collapsed at that time was still being restored, and Trowell couldn’t possibly have good feelings for Elquines in any way. At least, they weren’t on such familiar terms that he would suddenly come to visit.

“Trowell, what brings you here?”

“…Why are you here?”

“I feel like I have something to say to Elquines.”

It was an absurd answer that anyone could see, but instead of snapping at him for talking nonsense, Trowell slightly widened his eyes. Ifrit, who guessed the reason, gasped.

“What, don’t tell me you too?”

“…I felt like I had to come.”

“Wow, what’s going on? I felt exactly the same way. Don’t you feel like you had something to say?”

Trowell, who had been hesitating, slowly nodded.

“It’s not like I have no business at all.”

“Oh, really?”

“I saw a future where Minerva awakens. It seems like there’s not much time left, so I was going to tell you…”

“Gasp, really? It’s much faster than I expected! That’s really happy and congratulatory news. But you were going to tell Elquines that?”

It was an even more absurd reason than just feeling like he wanted to come. He quietly closed his mouth as if he thought so too. It wasn’t that he wanted to tell Elquines, but this was the only place that came to mind. The excuse came a beat late, but it was still not convincing.

“Elquines, what kind of evil trick did you do to us? If you tell me honestly, I’ll forgive you even now.”

“Shut up and get out, both of you.”

Elquines said coldly, not having any reason to accept the accusing gaze. Of course, Ifrit was not one to be intimidated by that.

“Wow, I’m so scared. I’m going to tell the young master that Elquines keeps scolding me.”

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“Huh? Um? Really?”

Ifrit, who was bewildered and asked back, covered his mouth with a fuss.

“Oh my, what’s going on. It seems like the aftermath of the last play hasn’t worn off yet. Well, that was kind of fun.”

“Your last play was 50 years ago.”

“What does that matter? Did I tell you? Listen, Trowell. I was an incredibly loyal knight back then. The son of the head of the family followed me very well. The kid was gentle and very docile.”

“I don’t care.”

“But he ruined the family later. He did everything from alcohol and gambling to drugs. Wow, you can never know what will happen in human life.”

“I said I don’t care.”

Elquines rubbed his furrowed brow. He couldn’t understand why he was listening to such pointless talk. If it were normal, he would have chased them out before the conversation even got this far. As soon as he thought that far, he no longer felt like watching this farce.

“Get out now.”

“Uh, wait a minute…!”

In the end, he decided to use force. The faces of the two bewildered Spirit Kings were swallowed by the rushing whirlpool and disappeared in an instant.

The Water Realm, where the uninvited guests had disappeared, became quiet again. Elquines buried himself in the soft waves and let out a long sigh. It was good to have regained peace, but once again, complicated thoughts flooded in.

The same daily life as usual. But why does it feel different from before? It was as if the last part of the sculpture was not completed, and I felt empty. It felt like I had lost something, something very important.

* * *

I felt like I had woken up from a very long dream. The first thing I recognized was the sound of bubbles rising in the water. A pleasant sensation gently enveloped my whole body. A sparkling and refreshing energy like carbonation, and a soft energy like silk. It felt like I was wearing the most comfortable clothes in the world that fit my body perfectly.

—Elquines has returned!

—Our King has returned!

—Life of the entire continent! Rejoice!

—Praise the King of Water!

I heard the spirits chanting in unison. The overwhelming joy they felt was conveyed to me as it was, and my mood swelled up with it. It was a sensation I had forgotten for a while, as if I were connected to the world.

When I slightly lifted my eyelids, I saw the surging waves. Large and small water droplets embroidered the blue space, and the flow of brilliant light that swam with it was dazzling. I spread out my palm and moved it little by little, then took a deep breath. It was clearly different from air, but it was easier to breathe.

Ah, that’s right. I really came back. I felt a strange emotion and entrusted myself to the flow of the waves a little more. Still, I laughed at the fact that I wasn’t as flustered as when I was first born because it was my second time. Rather, I only felt a sense of stability that I had returned to my place. It seems like the self as a spirit is bigger now, even though the time I spent as a human is longer than the time I spent as a spirit, but that doesn’t matter anymore.

“Why are you smiling like an idiot by yourself? You should say hello first if you’re back.”

I suddenly snapped to my senses at the voice I heard. When I quickly turned my head, I saw someone standing with their arms crossed. A girl with abundant red hair draped down in a splendid manner was looking down at me with a sulky expression.

“Ifrit!”

Wow, how long has it been since I’ve seen you?

Seeing a familiar face makes me realize that I’ve come back even more. It was when I was about to jump up with joy.

“Am I the only one you see? I’m here too.”

This time, I heard a voice from the opposite side. What was there was a small, cloud-like white girl. I couldn’t help but recognize her moonlit eyes and her unique expressionless face.

“Mine!”

“Yes, it’s me, El.”

Mine, who nodded in response, grimaced strangely. Her eyebrows were raised sharply and the corners of her mouth, which seemed to be forcibly lifted, were trembling, but what you need to know is that that’s not an angry expression. Her unique way of smiling is still the same. It was a new feeling to see her after a long time.

“How have you all been? It’s been a long time!”

I hugged the two Spirit Kings tightly in turn with a happy heart. Unlike Ifrit, who was disgusted, Mine hugged me tightly.

“Welcome back. I don’t know how bored I’ve been in the meantime.”

“You were bored because I wasn’t here?”

“Yes, only interesting things always happen around El, right? Because you’re the one who creates things that don’t exist. I tried to imitate you diligently, but it didn’t work out.”

“Ahaha, I see.”

I guess it’s a compliment. It must be a compliment. Mine had already returned to her expressionless face after taking away the laughter. But her eyes were shining like stars.

“How was your trip?”

“So so. It wasn’t bad.”

“What kind of race’s body did you wear? That’s what I was most curious about.”

“It was just an ordinary human.”

“Is that so? El has quite a deep connection with humans.”

I thought so too. I had two opportunities to live as another race, but both were humans. The first spirit contract I made was also with a human. At this point, wouldn’t you say it’s fate?