Chapter 26

After Reni returned to the village.

The couple had returned home with Reni and Sammie.

It was late at night, and Reni, being a child, should have been asleep long ago. The couple thought it was best for Reni to go to sleep soon, but there was something they needed to talk about first.

They were certain of this.

Reni was only three years old, but they believed she could understand the conversation and choose her own path.

"Reni, you might be sleepy, but can we talk for a little while?"

"Sure, I'm okay."

At the dining table that seats four.

Usually, it was just the couple, but today, Reni and Sammie were also included, making it four people. Since there were only three chairs, the couple decided to hold Reni on their laps.

Reni had no complaints and sat quietly on her mother's lap.

After confirming that Reni was calm, her mother began to speak slowly.

"You know, when I told you that Mom is the Elven Queen, what did you think?"

"I thought it was amazing. ...And I wondered why your ears are round."

"Right..."

Reni tilted her head.

Yes, if she were an elf, her ears should be pointed.

"Do you know how elves are different from humans?"

"Yes, Sammie told me about magic."

Reni nodded at her mother's words.

Earlier, Sammie had explained that elves have magic circulating in their bodies and can manipulate it, which allows them to use magic, enhance their physical abilities, and live longer.

"Mom can't use the magic that circulates in her body properly anymore."

"Is that dangerous?"

"Mom was supposed to die from it."

A pained smile.

It was different from the cheerful smile she usually had. After a moment of wandering eyes, Reni hugged her mother tightly.

Seeing this, Sammie continued.

"There have been elves in the past who couldn't manipulate magic. According to records, there were three... and all of them died soon after."

"When Mom found out, she thought it was inevitable. Although she didn't have much time left, she wanted to do what she could."

"Okay."

"Then, Dad was injured and collapsed in front of the Elven Forest."

"Dad?"

"...The monsters were a bit too strong."

Feeling a bit guilty, Dad scratched his cheek under Reni's gaze.

"Humans aren't allowed in the Elven Forest, but Mom wanted to help... Seeing a life she couldn't save and a life she could, she decided to help Dad."

"I've always had good luck. Getting injured by a monster wasn't good, but thanks to that, I have the best wife now."

Dad laughed, and Mom smiled happily.

It was a heartwarming scene, but Sammie looked as if he had bitten into a bitter bug and was grinding it on his tongue.

"Because of this human... Because of this human..."

Sammie clenched his teeth.

"We elves knew that the queen had helped a human. However, we couldn't throw her out of the forest because of her short life span and her wish. ...As a result, the relationship between the queen and the human became deeper and deeper."

Hearing Sammie's words, Reni looked at the three faces.

Dad, who was smiling sheepishly, Mom, who looked happy, and Sammie, who glared at Dad with resentment.

This must have been the situation in the Elven Forest at the time.

"...We had given up. But this human didn't."

"There was always a rumor among adventurers that there are seven jewels called 'Orbs' that support this world. Some say religious groups have them, others say certain countries do, but I had information that a dragon had one."

"Orb..."

"Dad and Sammie got the Orb from the dragon to help Mom."

"Yeah. There was a dragon in the cave. While Sammie was dealing with it, I just entered a hidden room. I just have good luck, you know."

"...This human really has good luck. I don't know how he found that place."

Reni blinked at the conversation.

She recognized the content.

--- Before reincarnation.

As a high school girl, Reni had obtained an item in a game.

She defeated the dragon, the boss of the cave, and entered a hidden passage.

What she found was the [Orb (God)].

"There are said to be seven Orbs that support this world. ...Dad and Sammie found one of them."

"The Orbs are said to grant wishes. I thought it would be good if Mom's body could be healed."

"To save the queen."

The human man and the elf Sammie, who didn't get along, were able to work together because they shared the same feelings.

Receiving their thoughts, the Elven Queen chose---

"To wish to become human."

--- To become human.

"By becoming human, the magic in her body would disappear, and she wouldn't need to manipulate magic anymore."

"I...! I intended to wish for the Orb to restore Mom's ability to manipulate magic. That way, she could remain a strong and long-lived elf..."

"I wanted to live with her as a human."

Yes, the Elven Queen chose a simple human man. To live together, she gave up everything and became human.

"...As a result, the queen lost the magic in her body and her appearance became human. ...We elves were fine as long as the queen was saved. ---But the queen left the Elven Forest with this human man."

"Because they tried to separate us immediately, right?"

"...Yes."

Elves have strong bonds with their own kind but are exclusive towards other races. The hatred towards the human man intensified when the queen became human.

The elves decided to keep the queen in the forest and drive the human man out.

"Dad, a question?"

"Yes. I kidnapped the Elven Queen."

"I am the target of all the elves' hostility."

"Hey!"

"It's the truth."

Sammie said with a resentful expression.

Then, Mom laughed.

"In that case, I'm the enemy of the world. I used one of the Orbs that support the world for my selfish desires."

"That's not true..."

"That's why I wanted to live quietly. Just the two of us, peacefully."

"At first, it was tough, but we got used to it soon."

As an Elven Queen, Mom had lived a life with magic, so adapting to human life was difficult. Still, with Dad's support, she started a new life as a human.

"I was surprised when I got pregnant."

"Yes. Elves can only have children with other elves... When Reni was born, I was relieved. She had round ears, a normal human girl. Elves and humans can't have children together, so I thought I had truly become human."

Seeing Reni, the couple decided to continue their life.

Dad went hunting, and Mom took care of the child and the fields.

"But Reni had many mysterious powers."

From the moment she was born, the couple thought Reni might not be a human child.

She was too easy to handle, and her eyes sparkled with reason.

"Not knowing what to do, we decided to keep it a secret. ...We were afraid the elves would come to take her back or that humans would drive us out."

"I also got injured and sick soon after..."

The life they had built began to crumble.

"But Reni always helped us."

"Yeah. If Reni hadn't been our daughter, we wouldn't have been able to overcome so many things. Reni is our daughter, and I'm really lucky."

For the couple, Reni being their daughter was always a source of salvation.

"Thank you, Reni."

"You must have worked hard today. Thank you."

The couple looked at Reni and smiled.

Reni looked at their faces and muttered softly,

"...I think I'm not normal."

Reni had memories from before her reincarnation.

She remembered that this world was a game, and her level was already maxed out, and she had carried over a lot of items.

"That's strange, isn't it?"

And it wasn't just that...

Before reincarnation, Reni had never fit in with society.

'I'm strange.'

Reni had always felt this way and still understood that she was different.

"But... you raised me as I am."

No matter how many times she got wet, Dad would hug her and say, "You're so cute, so cute."

Even when Reni did odd things alone, Mom would laugh and let her do as she pleased.

"Dad"

The same golden eyes as Reni.

"Mom"

The same silver hair as Reni.

"I love you."

She hugged Mom tightly.

Then, Dad stood up from his chair, and the three of them hugged each other tightly.

"Mom loves you too, Reni."

"Dad does too. I love you, Reni."

No matter who Reni was, even if she didn't look like them.

The time they spent together and the feelings in their hearts proved that they were a family---

"I want to go on a journey."

She would bear the burden of being pursued by elves and being driven out by humans.

"I want to see the world."

With her straight golden eyes.

Her silver hair swayed softly, and she was a cute girl that anyone would be captivated by.

She wanted her sparkling eyes to always shine---

"Sure. Go ahead."

"We'll be waiting for you here, anytime."

---The couple decided to let their daughter go on her journey.