Ch. 272
“Don’t you really remember? I saved Daria. Your sister.”
“……You, by any chance…….”
“It was disgusting to meet you! Let’s never run into each other again! That’s what you said to me.”
I raised my middle finger right in the Dark Elf’s face.
To curse him out, and to remind him of me.
“You were that……!”
He remembered faces better than Rovenin, at least. Considering we were different races, he caught on relatively quickly.
“Yeah, it’s me.”
[Hi! It’s Rai!]
[It’s Undine!]
“The genius Mage who saved you siblings! Ah, among humans. Don’t compare me to the Elves.”
With Undine and Rai fluttering around between us, the Dark Elf noticeably softened.
He was still a guy whose name I couldn’t remember, but it felt strange watching the light in his eyes change as he stared straight at me.
The animosity slowly drained from his bloodshot eyes, replaced by relief.
I could see the tension leaving his shoulders, and his beastlike expression shifted into something like a child who’d been lost and finally found his way home.
That aura that had felt like a curse seeped into me with his whole body had vanished at some point.
“Recognizing me now? Well, how could you forget this body’s noble aura.”
“……Not really.”
“Hey.”
“I remember that arrogant look in your eyes.”
“You little…… Aren’t you lacking in courtesy to your benefactor? I spent a fortune to save you!”
Whatever the reason, the fact was that I’d saved him.
As the ominous atmosphere dissipated, I removed the shield and held out my right hand to the Dark Elf.
He hesitated, but this time he didn’t avoid me.
‘……Human…… Can I trust…….’
Tears of Truth didn’t discriminate by race.
Maybe it was because his mental strength was as strong as his dirty personality, or maybe it was because he didn’t trust me, but I could only catch fragmented thoughts from him.
Not that I was curious anyway.
I started by untying his bound hands.
“Ha, ha…… To receive help from a human.”
As I finished undoing the shackles around his waist and feet, the Dark Elf let out a hollow laugh, like he couldn’t believe any of this was real.
“Not all humans are bad. There are also humans who are a little bad like me. You might get lucky and meet one.”
[A little?]
There were so many restraints that it took a while. I got busy digging through keys.
“By the way, how are you going to live with that personality? You would’ve died if it weren’t for me.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Yeah. Even if you became a slave, you should at least think about staying alive. Saying things like ‘just kill me’ only makes you look pathetic.”
“Look who’s talking. When I saw you freaking out at the snake, I thought you were the Mage with the worst personality I’d ever seen.”
“I am a bit fierce. Well, even if it were me, I’d rather die than become a slave.”
“……And yet you tell others…….”
“That’s it! All done.”
The moment I released the last shackle, the Dark Elf got up immediately.
But something was wrong—he staggered in place. He grabbed the bars and steadied himself, but his fingertips were trembling like he couldn’t put any strength into his body.
The problem was the bracelet-shaped Suppression tool dangling from his wrist.
“Give me your hand.”
“…….”
I grabbed his hand and examined it, and I could tell right away how disgusting it was.
The Mana Suppression tool was one thing, but the Strength Suppression tool was terrifyingly powerful.
If I had even one of those on me, I wouldn’t be able to move a finger. I might not even be able to breathe.
But he had four of them on.
And that was only on his hands. There were even more on his feet.
I made a face like I was about to throw up.
“You were making that much of a fuss with these on……?”
“It’s better than just taking it.”
“You’ve got quite the temper.”
I picked up the key ring again and started removing the Suppression tools fastened to both wrists.
Two Mana Suppression tools and four Strength Suppression tools. And judging by his feet, there were still six left.
“Feeling any better?”
“Much.”
Only then did I notice the color of his eyes properly.
For the first time, his gaze met mine without a scowl, and it wasn’t just one shade.
Like an old, deep lake, multiple colors blended in an exquisite ratio, giving off a mysterious light—completely different from human eyes.
It was so beautiful I almost got lost in it.
“You…… You have pretty eyes?”
“……Thanks?”
It was no wonder the slave traders were hunting Elves.
“I didn’t know that? And you should’ve said thank you before hearing the compliment.”
“I’m also grateful for the favor.”
“I’ll take off the rest outside. It’s too cramped in here. Ah, don’t climb up. You’ll get drool on me.”
I stopped Rai as he tried to crawl up my leg.
[Huh? This is all because of Master! Hey! Undine! Wipe it off!]
[……Master said, don’t do it…….]
[That’s too much!]
Ignoring Rai’s whining, I stepped out of the cage and stretched my back.
Then I realized the Dark Elf—slowly climbing down from the cart behind me—was taller than I’d expected.
He was about half a hand taller than Ash, and looked similar to, or maybe a little taller than, Rovenin.
When I stared at him, he stared right back. Then he parted his lips.
“My name is Zekarda.”
“Zekarda! That’s right.”
Hearing the name I couldn’t remember at all made me smile.
That’s right. It was Zekarda.
“The seventeenth son of the Watcher, the peace of the vegetation where Cloud of Clairvoyance slumbers.”
His voice was indifferent, but neat.
“I remember that greeting too. Daria did it that way too.”
“I never thought I would sincerely thank a human…….”
“You’re grateful, right? Make sure to repay me.”
“……You haven’t changed.”
“Do you have a bracelet? A bracelet?”
My purpose was clear, and my palm was already outstretched.
I wanted the Dark Elves’ special accessories that increased affinity with Spirits. Zekarda looked openly disgusted.
“As if I would have one. I was stripped of everything I had when I was captured.”
“Then you have nothing to show your sincerity?”
“What do you want?”
“Anything! Are you just going to say thank you and be done? Huh? If you’re sincere, you can’t just wipe your mouth like this!”
If I didn’t get anything, it meant I’d just done a good deed.
When I looked at him with a disappointed face, Zekarda fell silent for a moment.
And somehow, the way he looked down at me came closer. Closer and closer.
We were already standing near each other, so it only took a moment for him to be right in front of me—and because I was distracted by his strange eyes, I didn’t realize I’d kissed another man in front of Ash until my chin was lifted.
[Gasp…….]
[Oh, that’s naughty!]
“……What the.”
“……?”
Judging from the commotion around me, I wasn’t mistaken.
It wasn’t a coincidence—Zekarda openly kissed me.
In front of everyone. Without warning.
He spat on my face earlier, and now he’s kissing me?
What the hell is this bastard doing?
“……What is it?”
“You told me to show my gratitude, right?”
“So?”
“Where else is there a better sign of friendship than touching skin? It’s the first time I’ve kissed a human.”
I was taken aback that I was getting kissed just because I’d pushed him to repay me…… but Zekarda’s face was so dry, and there didn’t seem to be any other meaning, so I decided to let it go.
It’s not like my lips will wear out from kissing. And it’s not like the other person is Rovenin, so what does it matter.
“Do Dark Elves show gratitude with a kiss?”
“We do when we’re very grateful.”
“Humans don’t do that.”
“We believe we must touch lips at the moment we convey sincerity. Otherwise, it’s an insincere greeting.”
That wasn’t a bad cultural difference.
If it had been my first kiss, I would’ve been furious, but it wasn’t, so I relaxed my brow.
It was just a greeting in a foreign country.
That was what it was like in the world I used to live in.
More than anything, I knew he hated humans to death, so I couldn’t deny it was a considerable sign of sincerity.
“Hmm…… But are Dark Elves’ body temperatures lower than humans’?”
“Maybe.”
“It was cold.”
The chill of the lips that had touched mine was memorable.
As I nodded, Zekarda blinked with the same indifferent face.
We both knew better than anyone that the kiss had meant nothing beyond gratitude.
[Master? Take a look at Ash?]
[Why, what’s wrong with Ash?]
When I turned around, Rovenin was mechanically shaking Ash by the shoulders.
Ash looked dazed, like he’d been hit with shock, and I clicked my tongue at the sight.
‘Sigh. How is he going to live being this innocent…….’
“Hey.”
I turned back to Zekarda and parted my lips.
“Geenie.”
“What?”
“My name is Geenie. You’ve probably forgotten, of course.”
“I’ll keep it in mind. Geenie.”
‘I wondered when it was that I stopped being called Jinny.’
‘Probably around the time my age became older than the one I’d lived in back then—when I got sick of it because no matter how much I taught them, nobody could pronounce it right.’
‘There was only one person. One person who pronounced it correctly. But I think it was just coincidence.’
“I’ll ask you for this too.”
Zekarda stretched lightly, then sat on the cart and crossed one ankle over his knee.
There were still six Suppression tools left, three on each ankle.
I could’ve had Rai remove them, but with Rovenin watching, I decided to do it myself.
“I’ll take them off, but don’t kiss me again.”
“I don’t do it just any time.”
“Too bad.”
“……?”
There were twelve Suppression tools total on Zekarda’s body—four Mana Suppression tools and eight Strength Suppression tools.
From that, I could roughly tell his physical abilities were superior to his magical abilities.
I’d thought all Elves had excellent mental ability, but it seemed it depended on the Elf.
After removing every last Suppression tool, I carefully packed them into my bag.
If I fed them to Rai, they’d lose their function, so I planned to keep them and use them later.
‘Lululu, who should I put them on so it’ll be rumored that I put them on well?’