Chapter 5

Do not touch Eldemia Eg - Chapter 5 (5/599)

Time always flies when you're doing something seriously. If it's something you're passionate about, it really flies by.

So it must have flown by quickly. It's already been three years since I've been with Ashleigh.

If military service went as fast as this, I wouldn't even need a vacation. And through those years, I've become confident in saying:

Ashleigh was truly a lifeline sent by God. There must be a God living and breathing in this world.

It didn't matter how good she was as an adventurer. As an elf, she was an excellent hunter, a resilient woman, and a perfect teacher. Now, even the thieves from that day feel like agents of God, Ashleigh was that perfect.

If nobles truly want to educate their children, they should hire elf tutors.

"Really, what a strange idea. Elf tutors? Have you ever even seen a noble with a tutor?"

"Eldemia Chan-s!"

"There it is again..."

Eldemia Chan-s!

It's nothing. It's just a signal to not ask. Eight years is a long time, and a time when you can't ignore the bond that forms, but that's for later. Although every action she took over the past three years benefited me, and even if she was my solid support and lifeline, the fact remains that I couldn't open up to her completely as a person from a previous life.

But Ashleigh smiled without complaint and stroked my head. Her sparkling platinum hair and radiant skin showed no trace of the time we first met. In fact, those traces began to disappear within a week of our meeting.

When I asked, she said that being in the forest improved her recovery in many ways. I couldn't help but be amazed at the truly world-appropriate racial characteristics.

"Do humans not have such things?"

"Humans... uh, no."

As I watched Ashleigh blush while saying no, I was convinced.

There really isn't anything useful.

If the only racial characteristic that elf can think of is something that makes her blush, that's it. Thanks to that, I have a lingering memory of feeling unnecessarily depressed for a while.

But the human race doesn't need to be special, but Eldemia Eg is special!

I'm not joking; it's really true. I can use mana in its entirety.

Actually, Ashleigh strongly opposes it, so I can't use it openly, but comparing it to the method of refining mana she taught me, it became even more certain.

However, I still don't know why. It seems to be related to my reincarnation, but ultimately, the knowledge of a human who has just been born and an elf who has lived for a century is not enough to figure it out.

Additionally, for some reason, while physical enhancement is possible, using magic is not. According to what Ashleigh told me, if I refine my mana, I should be able to use magic, but I'm curious as to why I can't use it when I try to use mana, but I can't bring myself to ask.

Ashleigh will definitely lecture me for a long time just for attempting it. If it were in the past, I might not have known, but now the waves of uncontrolled lectures come crashing down.

"By the way, the village is buzzing because a hero has been chosen by the Imperial Holy Assembly."

As soon as I got home, Ashleigh told me a story she had heard while putting away the things she had bought. I stopped organizing the soot from the fireplace and, without realizing it, turned to look at Ashleigh in surprise.

"Wow, there really are heroes?"

"Indeed. I only heard about it from my parents, but I never thought I'd actually see someone chosen."

I've really come to live like family with Ashleigh.

It was a bit refreshing to realize that even the tone of voice I thought was natural was actually a bit awkward.

"Here, try this on."

While letting down her platinum hair from a ponytail, Ashleigh showed me a pair of men's pants and a coat with a bright smile. I couldn't help but smile at the sight of new clothes after a long time.

"What's this, sis? I can still wear the old ones, why did you buy these?"

"Our little brother is growing so fast. After wearing them three times, that's a lot. You can use them as rags later, so don't be picky and put them on quickly."

Smiling, she wiped her dirty hands and handed me the pants. I turned around after changing into them, and Ashleigh smiled in satisfaction.

"Right, I knew they would fit. Don't grow any taller for a while."

"That's not possible. I need to grow more. I'll be at least 180."

"Trying to become a giant?"

"Most minor problems are easily solved with a larger build. You should grow while you can."

At 11 years old, my height is almost 160. I've grown nearly 40 centimeters in three years. Thanks to my rapid growth, I'm only about 5 centimeters away from being as tall as Ashleigh, whom I used to have to look up at. At this rate, I'll easily be 170 by the time I'm 14.

"Really, not only your words but your build as well, who would think you're 11?"

Ashleigh tousled my hair with a mischievous smile, and I smiled back.

"Sis, you don't look 120 years old, so you don't have to worry."

I teased her by mimicking her old tone of voice, and she pinched my side, making me scream.

"Teasing the sister who went to the trouble of getting these for you?"

"Ah! It hurts! Sorry! Help!"

The attack didn't end there, so I had to dodge and avoid. I was so pinched that I thought I might have a bruise on my side. Finally, Ashleigh was satisfied and gestured for me to come outside.

"Come on. Since I thought of it, let's cut your hair today."

"Oh, I was feeling stuffy anyway."

I carried the worn-out robe and silver tray under my arm, picked up a chair, and followed Ashleigh outside.

The hair-cutting tools at Ashleigh's salon are spirits. The idea of cutting hair using wind spirits, which I couldn't even imagine, was more than a culture shock; it was pure fear.

The first time I had my hair cut, led by Ashleigh, who claimed that no elf in history had ever cut their neck while getting a haircut, is now a pleasant memory. When I mentioned this, and she started tidying up my back and side hair, she said:

"There was actually an elf who lost an ear. A historical elf who left a lesson to not play around during haircuts."

I was left trembling with deep betrayal and fear, waiting for the styling to end.

The movement of the spirit, which felt soft, suddenly felt like a wild dance of a knife!

"Liar. Liar! Sis is a lying elf magician!"

"What? There really is no case of cutting the neck. I didn't say there was no case of cutting the ear. How does it look?"

Ashleigh showed me my reflection in the silver tray she held up, and I examined it, deepening my sense of betrayal. In fact, there was no need to check, given Ashleigh's excellent skills.

In the silver tray, a handsome boy with short black hair and a slightly longer top was shivering with betrayal.

"Seeing a handsome boy shivering with betrayal from a trusted family member."

"You're not really a handsome boy."

"Well, you can't judge by elf standards, sis. By human standards, isn't this considered handsome?"

"Even your own claim ends in a question. What can I add to that?"

With a swish, Ashleigh used the spirit to brush my hair, then picked up the silver tray and robe to tidy up, and I grumbled as I picked up the chair.

Honestly, it looks sharp but handsome.

"Well, at least I'm more presentable than the humans in the village."

Ashleigh said with a thin smile as she entered the house.

"Right? I'm not just imagining it, am I?"

Ashleigh is the best!

"Oh, by the way, didn't you have a fight with some kids in the village last time you went down?"

I was really surprised, despite my cheerful demeanor.

"What, what? That was a while ago, how did it get to sis's ears now?"

It's been at least a month. I went down to the village around that time.

"I heard the rumor when I went to the guild. Why did you fight?"

Three years is a long time. Ogwen, which was on the border between the village and the city, had been marked on the map as the border city of Ogwen a year ago, and the adventurer's guild had been established. It wasn't large, but it was a measure by the kingdom to deal with the changes and monsters that appeared in the area along with the rise of the Demon King's army.

It's been about half a year since Ashleigh, who was originally an adventurer, re-registered and started taking simple commissions to supplement our living.

"I fought for my beliefs."

"Stop making excuses."

"No, I'm not making excuses. It's true."

It wasn't a lie. I just dealt with some thugs who tried to take my practice longsword when I went to the blacksmith to get it fixed. Maybe the village has grown, and there are more of these kinds of people, so I didn't bend my beliefs and disciplined them.

The belief that no one should touch Eldemia.

"I disciplined them with one hand, keeping the other in my pocket, to protect sis's honor."

At first, I was careful to sell the equipment I took from the thieves, but after that, I didn't hide the fact that I was an elf when visiting the village. The combination of an elf and a human child was rare, and naturally, we were one of the famous gossip topics in the village. It wouldn't do to slander the family as a bunch of troublemakers while they were active in the adventurer's guild.

"Why would I go around beating up kids for no reason? Honestly, I did it as part of my training, but I didn't go around looking for trouble."

"Those kids are at least four years older than you..."

"Does it matter who was born first? They were acting like kids."

She answered nonchalantly, and Ashleigh smiled with a complex expression.

It didn't seem like she was angry about it. After all, I didn't do anything wrong, and I didn't fight impulsively, so there was no reason to scold me.

"But how did you suddenly hear about it?"

"Someone is looking for the person who beat them up, apparently."

"Huh?"

What? Are there hypocritical parents in this world too? That's strange.

They all seemed to lack parents.