Chapter 90 – The Elf Groom (3)
Time stopped for a moment at Saya’s words. Even those who know the truth. People who didn’t know didn’t say anything.
But that time wasn’t very long. Soon, everyone’s gaze was directed towards only one person, Duke Anbert. Embarrassed by the excessive attention, he spat out a very shabby excuse.
“Ah… No.”
“…”
“No. That’s…”
His gaze, which had only meaninglessly waved his hand, turned to Saya’s father. Only then did the duke realize his mistake and hastily added his honorific title.
“No Chief. That’s not true. Something’s definitely wrong.”
“It’s not true.”
“Yes. Maybe so…”
“Does that mean my daughter is a liar?”
“It’s not like that! It’s just… Just… That…”
The Duke was very embarrassed and prepared an excuse. However, once his lips began to slip, there was no way he could utter the right words.
In the end, the cool gaze soon turned to Saya. He still asked Saya in a calm voice.
“Buy.”
“Yes.”
“Is what you said true?”
“This is a story I heard directly from the family member of the Anbert family, father.”
There was not an inch of shaking in his voice as he answered. There was no hatred or anger in it, only emptiness. Saya continued to speak as if talking about someone else’s business.
“As he said, you can’t save all the family members with just two. That’s why I sent someone to rob her mother of the pattern.”
“Your motive is clear.”
“I even tortured her mother for information on her. Based on that, I had her daughter wreak havoc on the academy to get her emblem.”
“…”
“Of course he didn’t hurt her mother himself. He probably never met him. But…”
Saya looked into the Duke’s eyes for the last time. Then, as if to pronounce a death sentence, he spat out the last word.
“…If it wasn’t for that person, her mother wouldn’t have died.”
“No!”
Then the Duke went into a fit and screamed. The sound was almost deafening, so the elves nearby frowned at the same time.
“That’s not true! Never. I swear by the name of the Anbert family. It never happened!”
“The name Anbert has no value in this land. Duke.”
“That…And even if it’s true, I never ordered it myself. It’s probably my subordinates doing it on their own…”
“The sins of the children are the sins of the father, Anbert. It is especially true if it is committed by subordinates who are like limbs.”
“Oh my God, such nonsense!”
“Are you even questioning the authority of my words now?”
“That…!”
The duke clenched his fists with a puzzled expression as if he was speechless. However, that did not mean that the rage within him had disappeared. Crushed pride and resentment. And helplessness ignited a fire in his heart even more.
The anger that had no place to go was eventually directed at Saya. As if he thought he looked relatively easygoing, he approached slowly with the momentum to swing his fist.
“How dare you accuse me of this… What the hell are you…”
“…”
“That… To lie like that… How dare you…”
“…”
“You dare me!!!”
No matter how much he screamed, Saya didn’t move. In the meantime, the Duke came almost within reach of him and flinched at his arm. I took a step forward in preparation for the unexpected.
But the chief moved first. He gestured lightly, and someone’s shape flashed in front of his eyes in an instant.
“Uh…?”
At the same time, the duke let out a futile groan. And very slowly, blood began to flow from his eyes.
“Uh…Uh…Uh?”
“…”
“Who…Who turned off the light? Why suddenly…”
“You crossed the line first, Duke.”
“This…What the hell…”
“Go and wipe the blood. It’s ugly.”
“Yes. Chief.”
At his word, an elf quickly approached and wiped the blood from the duke’s eyes. Every time he wiped his eyes like that, his eyeballs rolled around in their eye sockets.
As if the nerves that fix the eyeballs were all severed.
…
Could it be that he pulled out his eyeballs in an instant and put them back again?
Apparently, the ability of a pure-blooded elf was beyond my imagination.
“Who…The eyes…My eyes…”
“I’ll ask you about the rest of the story. I’m sure you’ll hear more from your daughter.”
“Ahhh…”
“Go and rest today. You’d better ask your daughter to nurse.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, since you’re the child you decided to throw away first, it won’t be easy to convince him.”
“…”
“Take it. I don’t want to see any more blood today.”
His authority was absolute. The duke was dragged along like a load. Saya and his father. He looked at the miserable figure and said nothing.
But one day was different. He heard him being dragged along, pursed his lips, and finally uttered a word.
“Welcome to my world, old man.”
“…Day.”
“What is it, senior. I was ignored like that, but I can say a word.”
“Okay. Well done, now be quiet.”
I stroked Haru’s hair and looked the other way. And I watched the chieftain approaching us.
No, to be precise, he was approaching Saya. He stood in front of the bowed Saya and opened his mouth again in a nonchalant voice.
“The story has leaked to a slightly different place.”
“…”
“So is Helen really dead?”
“Yes. Father.”
“Lonely by yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Okay.”
His tone fatally lacked any notion of warmth and friendliness. To the point where I couldn’t believe it was the voice his father gave to his daughter.
It even felt like a rebuke. He continued talking as if he were talking to someone, and he turned his gaze to us for the first time.
“Did you bring a friend?”
“Yes. Haru is the most precious little sister to me.”
“Then what about the boy?”
“Rope is…”
Suddenly, Saya’s hand was wrapped around mine. Then, for the first time, he lifted his head and made eye contact with his father.
“I love you, father.”
“…”
“I’m serious.”
“…So.”
There was emotion in his voice for the first time. Indifferent eyes passed me and Saya one by one, then turned toward the air.
“After all, you love humans too.”
“…”
“Do whatever you want.”
He turned around at the last word. Saya, too, was not disappointed with his father’s attitude and just lowered his head. There was a sense of distance between the father and daughter that could not be explained by the fundamental racial gap.
As he left, he suddenly stopped. At first I thought he was trying to add a word of encouragement out of politeness. But what came out of his mouth was so cruel advice.
“I hope you love your child.”
“…”
Saya couldn’t answer. He just stared at his father’s slowly growing shadow. Saya pursed his lips until the persistent shadows under the sun had completely faded.
All I could do for her was hold her hand. I called her by name with the gentleness that her father had given her.
“Buy.”
“Let’s go, Lope.”
Only then did Saya raise her head and look at me. Then she kissed her lightly on the cheek and whispered.
“I want to rest.”
The elves led us to a secluded house. The fact that it was quiet, remote, and hidden among the trees reminded me of the dormitory I used to live in.
However, the size and facilities were incomparably more comfortable, and there was a village a little further away. As I passed by, I glanced at it, and it looked like a community of humans who had fled to the land of the elves. No matter what day it was today, there were some people holding flowers and heading somewhere.
Although they were worried about their destination, as Saya said, it was time to rest. As soon as I arrived at the resting place, Haru immediately threw herself into the bed.
“Ahhhhh?”
“Take off your shoes and go up for a day. And there was a bed on the ship, too.”
“It’s different from that. The bed here doesn’t tilt because of the waves.”
“Well…That’s true. Anyway, you can use that room.”
“Really? The bed is too big for that? No, that’s fine. There’s no change now!”
One day, as if she really liked the bed, she hugged the blanket as tightly as she could. He looked so satisfied that he didn’t bother to mention that the room across the room was almost twice as large. Instead, I went over to take off his shoes myself.
But as soon as I touched the shoe, Haru struggled with her and refused. And then, with a quick glance, he turned his head.
“Oh, don’t take it off as you please. Not even pervert. Do you want my feet to be touched like that?”
“Aren’t you supposed to wash up when you come home? Are you going to make a mess from the first day?”
“It’s okay. I’m going out again anyway. I’ll slowly look around the house later and see the outside world first. They say they’re already thrilled at the thought of messing with the elves.”
“You’re leaving? Now?”
“Yes. Unlike the old seniors, I’m still full of blood.”
One day, as soon as she said that, she jumped up from her seat. Then he whispered softly in my ear.
“Besides, wouldn’t it be nice if I wasn’t gone for a while? Just for this moment.”
“That…”
“I have to go out for an hour or two. No, would 30 minutes be enough?’
The guy smiled mischievously until the end, and then ran out of the house energetically. Worried, he screamed, but to no avail.
“Hey! You don’t even know the way!”
“Elves will know what! They have such good hearing, so if I scream, they’ll come to me on their own!”
“Day!”
“Oops! There’s a lost child here! If there’s an elf there, anyone can help!”
When Haru screamed like that, surprisingly, many footsteps followed behind him. Maybe this is the best land for that blind girl. At least I won’t be lost wandering around outside.
Rather, the problem was with me. At first, I was scared because I didn’t know what to do, but now I’m more scared because I don’t know what’s coming. Only then did I sneak a glance towards Saya.
Fortunately, a smile returned to her lips before she knew it, as if the day’s eccentricity had worked. Saya looked at the place where Haru had left and she leaned her head against me.
“I’m glad you seem to like it.”
“That’s Haru’s strength. It’s also her weakness.”
“How are you, Lope? Do you think you’re okay?”
“It’s the best place I’ve ever been. I think my father took care of it. Other people’s houses weren’t this far.”
“I see. I guess you still have a little bit of love for me.”
Hearing Saya’s bitter voice made me think that she brought up the story for no reason. But she couldn’t help but tell this story. Saya knew that too, so she opened her mouth first.
“I was very surprised, Lope. My dad is such an elf.”
“I wouldn’t say no. But I thought you’d be a little more family-friendly.”
“If it were, she wouldn’t have sent Mom and me to that land in the first place.”
“Hmm…”
I couldn’t answer anything. Then Saya sighed lightly and led me towards her bed.
“Of course, it was unavoidable from the father’s point of view. It was an obvious mistake to have mixed with a human as a patriarch in the first place. Since the relationship was based on a mistake, there was no reason to hold on to it.”
“It was a mistake? How did you meet your mother in the first place?”
“She went to the land of humans for a regular meeting and fell in love at first sight with her mother who worked there as an attendant. Isn’t that a bit funny?”
Sitting down on the soft bed, Saya smiled lightly. She wondered if maybe she inherited her beauty from her mother and not her elf traits. If the elf fell in love with you at first sight, she was probably very beautiful.
I sat next to Saya and enjoyed the feel of her bed, grateful for his kindness. The thought that this would be my home now stirred up subtle emotions.
“Anyway, in the end, it was my mother that my father loved, not me. I’m just the result of an accident. Maybe my father hates me. It was my mother who wanted me back alive.”
“Don’t think too much of it.”
“Lope. Elves are ruthless animals. They’re a race that didn’t even inform the existence of dragons even to the humans they interacted with deeply for fear of getting the situation confused. My father is the epitome of such an elf.”
“But you sent me four patterns. For you.”
“That’s for my mother, after all. She would never have left the land without me. Maybe she sent the rest of the symbols as a way to enlist people to help.”
“That…”
“But don’t worry. It’s just that you don’t love me, not that you hate me. I won’t bother you, Lope.”
“Hmm…”
“What is it? Were you worried?”
Saya playfully tapped my cheek. Only then did I reveal her honest heart.
“Actually… I wonder if I will become the son-in-law of the leader of the elves. I was worried about that.”
“Did you really think that you might be the next chief candidate?”
“I didn’t think of it that far.”
“What is it, Lope? You had a cute side.”
“Because it’s not.”
“If you thought so, we should have talked more. Maybe it really suits you.”
“Buy it…”
I was about to say something, but before that, Saya hugged me first. Then he said, scattering the scent of forget-me-nots, thicker than ever.
“Don’t worry Lope. That’s not going to happen.”
“…”
“It will never happen again.”
“I know.”
…
“Now I’m really fed up with getting attention from anyone.”
The words he threw with sincerity lingered in his ears for a long time. It was the same for Saya, but her pointy ears pricked up little by little. For some reason, I lightly kissed it.
As if it tickled him, Saya sighed and shook his shoulders. And then I threw out an unexpected word.
“Anyway, Lope, you smell a little. Wash up quickly.”
“What are you going to do after washing up? Do you have any plans?”
“I’m just going to rest today. You’re very tired.”
“Thank you for being considerate. Seriously.”
“And there’s plenty of time starting tomorrow. Take a good rest today, Lope.”
“Hmm…”
I couldn’t help but laugh because it didn’t feel like a joke. I quickly got out of Saya’s arms and headed to the bathroom. For some reason, her eyes seemed to follow her tenaciously.
After closing the door, I carefully undressed. Although the elves’ bath facilities were somewhat unfamiliar, they were able to learn how to use them without difficulty. Soon, warm water poured in without delay and a sigh came out naturally.
“Whoa…”
The steam that rose along with his breath clung to the mirror in front of his eyes. After I erased it with my hands, my body, which was a mess, caught my eye.
There were still countless scars drawn there. To the point where I thought I would never be able to go to the sea naked. Some of them may be erased, but it was clear that most would have to live with them forever.
And the scars will probably remain even where you can’t see them. They weren’t the kind that could be erased either.
…
Maybe, as others say, time is the answer.
It was a laughable paradox that the time that had been pressuring me so much had now become my only hope.
“Whoa…”
I surrendered myself to the pouring water, lost in thoughts. But then I heard a small noise from behind. I didn’t look back on purpose and pretended not to know the sound.
Of course, I couldn’t be consistent with that attitude until the end. Moments later, along with the sound of footsteps snapping, the soft skin pressed down on my back, and I burst into laughter without realizing it.
“He said he would rest today.”
“I’ll just take a shower with you. No more than that.”
“Are you sure?”
“I told you, Lope. I’ll let you rest today.”
“No, I mean, maybe I can’t stand it.”
When she glanced back, she saw part of her breasts sticking out from under Saya’s wet hair. However, as soon as Saya saw it, she forcibly turned her head away and pressed her body closer to me.
“No. Just hold on a little longer.”
“Being strict like a princess.”
“Please don’t call me that.”
I thought I would be pinched out of spite, but instead, soap bubbles covered my back. And Saya’s gentle hands began to rub my body here and there.
“I guess I should have unpacked and showered. Then I’ll get dirty again.”
“I don’t have much luggage anyway. It’ll be over soon.”
“You didn’t have too much. So I brought some of your things. Like the clothes you were wearing before, or your backpack. And… The sword you used.”
“…It’s good that it wasn’t broken then.”
“I brought it because I thought it was something I cherished. Could it be that I was wandering around for nothing?”
“Not really. Rather, thank you. Everything.”
I turned back with those words. Then Saya was startled and clung to my chest. A dimple dug lightly on both cheeks as he smiled awkwardly.
It was a new feeling, but it was a small face that seemed like it could all come in if I held it with both hands. I couldn’t stand that subtle desire and put my hands full of Saya’s face.
Actually, that’s what I thought when I came here. If it was here, Saya might not be alone anymore. Even if he had no friends, he thought he could at least be held in the arms of his family.
But still nothing changed. I was the only one by Saya’s side.
And it was the same for me. Originally, I had no one, but now I have you.
…
Well, of course there are days. I laughed at the thought that he would be disappointed if he heard it.
Saya laughed along with me without knowing why. Then he gently raised his hand and pulled me by the neck. I let her relax and gave her body to her without any resistance from her.
“I love you, Lope.”
Then a sweet whisper tickled my ear. Sharing my heart in such a comfortable atmosphere felt like a miracle to me.
But the whispers didn’t end there. Saya let out a pleasant breathing sound, but without hesitation, she added another word.
“I will be very tired from tomorrow.”
“Hmm…”
I smiled awkwardly and closed my eyes. An ominous feeling slowly crept into his chest.
Knowing that Saya’s words were not a joke at all, I quietly closed my eyes. I didn’t even know that today was the only rest that an obsessive elf could allow.
Meanwhile, another whisper tickled his ear. It’s a story I’ve shared in the past, but there’s a subtle reality in it, so this time, the tension rose even more.
“At least five people.”
