NOVEL NEXT Chapter 366: Elven Settlement: Before and After
“We shall be there soon~, Earth.”
A hidden place said to be located deep in the mountains, wading through roadless paths.
It’s the kind of place that would be hard to reach, even by chance, if you didn’t know where it was.
In addition, the place is covered by magic barriers and spells to repel people.
Well, in the first place, it seemed that this undeveloped and untouched mountainous area as far as the eye can see is the private property of the elves.
So, other than the rogue Hunters who had trespassed the mountains without permission like earlier, there didn’t seem to be much danger.
“With a mountain this big, it won’t be that easy to find the settlement… will Slayer be able to come?”
“Worry not. Brother has visited many a time before, so he knows the way quite well~”
It seems that Slayer will take the rogue Hunters to the town at the foot of the mountain and give them a lecture and question them.
―― You really did something so ‘unnecessary’……He seemed very angry, so I felt sorry for the hunters, but let’s not worry about it.
Well, and after a long walk……
“Here we are, Earth! This is our Elven settlement, ‘Tapir Bael’!”
“O…… oh …….”
I couldn’t help but shout out.
It was a peaceful landscape that resembled the village where the elves lived fifteen years ago… but on a slightly larger scale.
“Wow…… it’s gotten pretty big.”
“That’s right, Big brother. There are more people than in the past era, so we made it a bit bigger, put in fields and watermills, raised livestock, drew water, and more.”
“Eh? Earth…… Sister, what do you mean by ‘in the past era’?”
Each wooden house stood at a suitable distance from the next.
A canal ran through the settlement, drawing water from the river and feeding the mills, and there were large, beautiful, splendid terraced fields, it’s amazing that they could create so much just by being given a previously untouched mountain.
And above all, there were elves wandering about the settlement. Elves of all ages, young and old, children, men and women, all seemed peaceful.
There was no gloomy or bleak atmosphere at all, which made it seem like a very pleasant place to live.
“It looks nice.”
“Eh?! Earth, you approve? That gladdens me…… Ehehe. Later, I shall show you around every nook and cranny! Leave it all to me!”
“Yes, yes, Amicus. Let’s calm down for a moment.”
She’s happy to hear praise for her home…… but I feel a mix of other emotions too, Espie hugged Amicus with a wry smile and pulled her a little away from me.
Uhm…… what’s happening here……
“Oh? Amicus, what are you doing in such a place…… oh, that’s Espie, is it not!”
At that moment, one of the young elves in the settlement looked over and noticed Espie, and with a happy smile, called out.
And then……
“Huh? Espie dear!”
“Wow, it’s Espie indeed! Come to visit, have you?”
“Eh? Espie is here… then mayhap Slayer is also about?”
“Oy! Espie!”
One after another, they all looked over at Espie, waved at her, and ran over happily.
“Ehehe, hi, everyone! How are you~?”
That alone shows how much Espie was adored by the elves.
And……
“Hm? Espie, who’s that by your side?”
“Eh? A human!?”
“Ah, come to think of it, Espie did mention she would soon bring a guest…….”
“Huh? … do my eyes deceive, or have I seen him somewhere before……”
Their gazes turned to me.
As expected, there seemed to be a wariness of humans other than Espie and Slayer, and everyone almost backed away as quickly as they could, as if surprised.
“Oh, Big brother, I didn’t tell them, but I did say that me and Slayer will be bringing guests, but only Mr. Chieftain and Lal know that Big brother is coming… and about traveling through time. I’ll explain it to everyone later.”
“Oh, I see…… Hmm? Lal……?”
Still, Espie had said some things beforehand, and most importantly, everyone squinted their eyes when they saw my face and said, “he looks familiar.”
In that sense, I didn’t have a conversation with them either, but I did see some familiar faces……
“Everyone, let me introduce you to this person –“
“Everyone, wait! This is Earth, and though he is human, he is no threat! He’s a good man! Moreover, he is… most gallant, strong… and a truly remarkable soul!”
Perhaps Amicus felt she had to ‘protect’ me, because she grabbed my arm and desperately pleaded with everyone.
No, you don’t have to be so desperate…… and Espie was holding her face, going “Acha ~”.
And then it happened.
“Pray, wait a moment! Is it true that Amicus has returned alongside Espie!?”
The voice of a woman came rushing in, pushing her way through the crowd. I knew that voice.
“Espie, you are most welcome! And Amicus, you have ventured into the forest once more without leave… tte, eh?!?”
“Oh…….”
“Hold, Amicus! What do you mean, clinging to a human male? Release him this instant!”
Wow, it’s been more than fifteen years, but she hasn’t changed at all!
A cute elven woman with peach-colored hair.
She was shorter than Amicus, and with a less curvaceous body… but……
“Mother, fear not! For Earth is not dangerous in the least~”
“What do you speak? All boys are beasts and brutes, and humans are thrice the monsters! That, um, uh, w, with that bosom, being only slightly larger than mine, you surely attract those perverts who pant like hounds in heat!”
Amicus’ mother. Mr. Chieftain’s wife, Mrs. Yitea.
Nothing has changed at all.
She looked more like a sister than a mother, though she was genuinely worried about Amicus and trying to get her away from me.
“And, you! Though you appear to be Espie’s guest, what are your intentions towards….. my daughter……. what……”
Then the wife glared at me and looked like she was about to complain.
But as soon as she saw my face, she froze…… and then……
“Eh? …Eh? Huh? You… eh? Ah, you’re, surely… eh!?”
Apparently, the wife noticed it right away.
“””””…… Oh!?? Th. this man!?”””””
“Eh? E, everyone, what’s wrong? Why were you astonished upon gazing at Earth…….”
And finally, the other elves seemed to come to their senses.
But, as expected, it seemed they couldn’t believe it.
It’s not surprising.
To the wife and the others, the man they met more than fifteen years ago appeared before them looking exactly the same as back then.
“Oh, hello, ma’am. Long time no see.”
“Huh!?”
“It’s not possible!!? It couldn’t be you!? B, but, being but a mere human…… how have you remained unchanged after these fifteen years? Are you perhaps the brother or son of that fellow?!”
Since she’s an elf, it’s natural that her appearance hasn’t changed at all. But it’s strange that I, as a human, haven’t changed.
“Not possible…… after all…… because……”
“What!? Earth, you know of my mother? And mother, you’re aware of him as well!?”
Well, both Espie and Slayer have arms and legs that stretch so much, so it’s not that easy to believe.
But……
“Ma’am.”
“Wh, what is it…”
I have a way to make you believe me. And that is……
“If you don’t believe me… I’ll turn into a pouty, pouty grumpy cat, nyah~”
“Eehhh!??”
There it is.
I said that to the wife while making a cat’s paw pose.
“Buha! B, big Brother…”
“Eh? Earth, what has befallen you so suddenly?! Why do you act in the manner of a cat?”
Espie, who knew what was going on, burst out laughing, while Amicus, who didn’t seem to know, looked confused.
Yes, this was the same one that his wife used……
“Fugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!!”
Her face turned bright red and she yelled.
Yes, the only people who knew this were Mr. Chieftain, Espie, Slayer, and me.
“Aah, yo, u, oooh, yooouuuuuuuu!”
“Say, mother, what vexes you so? Hey, what is amiss? Answer me!”
Her gaze suddenly changed from the wary glare she had earlier given a man for approaching her daughter.
She glared at me, her ears turning red with embarrassment.
And……
“Master, I heard a most loud noise just now! All the adults are gathered there~?”
“Master.”
“I wonder what Father and Mother, and the uncles, are about.”
Hearing the strange noise, some young children from the back of the settlement showed their faces.
“Hey, everyone. The play presentation is coming up soon so you need to focus on it…… or…… hmm. Everyone is indeed gathering there… what’s going on?”
A group of small children were playing together…… with some kind of …… bunny ears on their heads……
“Hmm…… Well then, let’s hop on and see what everyone is doing, pyon! We’ll go singing along, pyon!”
“Let’s go, pyon ♪”
Someone also came out who seemed to be playing with and looking after the small children.
She was wearing bunny ears on her head along with the children, smiling kindly…huh? I was under the impression that elves had pure white skin, but this lady is dark, perhaps tanned.
No, rather than dark-skinned……
“By the way, Espie. That beautiful lady with the bunny ears and costume coming over here singing with the smiling small children… who is she? I… I… I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before……
“Haha, well, you might be surprised……”
“Ah, it’s Master! Earth, allow me to introduce her. Hey there, Master~!”
I see Espie smiling at me. Who is she? Someone I know?
Apparently, she was also a master to Amicus, as she waved and called out to her.
“Little bunny hop, hop, hop in the sky, so happy~♪”
“”””Little bunny hop, hop, hop in the sky, so happy~♪””””
The children seemed to be having fun and smiled a lot. They must really love the lady who was playing with them.
No~, who is that person?
『Oh, oh……』
It made even Tre’ainar groan.
Yeah, I actually have an idea of who she might be.
But, I was more convinced that I was wrong.
But still, the bunny-eared lady approached me……
“Well, everyone’s here, what are you all doing, Pyon?”
“”””Pyon?””””
She smiled at me with the children and asked…… …… Ms. Black Rabbit.
Or rather, she was dressed in a way that was not good for the children’s education.
She wore a furry costume with her legs, arms, and navel exposed, and wore rabbit ears on her head.
It’s like a black bunny outfit that you might find in a “forbidden store”……
“Oh, Espie. And…… Hmmmm!!???”
Ah, the black bunny looked at me and froze.
And then, her mouth was opening and closing… ah… there was no doubt about it… this fellow…..
“Y, you! Ragaan-man! No, Earth Lagann! You’ve finally arrived!”
A lady who was once known as the Ebony Witch.
Torn from her loved ones by the tragedy of war, she resented and cursed everything in the world, and walked the bloody ordeal-ridden path of hell……
“Oh, what a surprise!?”
She was dressed in a well-crafted costume.
“Um… I’m here as well… No, um, young man? Do you not notice me?”
“Ah, Father!”
Oh, and by the way, Mr. Chieftain was there too, mixed in with the crowd. He hasn’t changed at all.
Actually, the impact of the bunny was so big that I couldn’t pay any attention to that.
Author’s Note
Thank you for your support. As many of you may already know, the latest chapter of the manga has been updated, so please take a look.
The Imperial Graduation match… you know, that’s it… yeah.
https://www.comic-earthstar.jp/detail/break/Also, the second volume of the manga adaptation will be released next week on Friday, February 12th, so please check that out as well. I don’t want it to end in an “I beat you” kind of way… so please…
TL’s Note
I want to announce a new series I will be releasing soon…
Executed Necromancer
The first chapter is up on my Patreon Page. Look forward to the post here soon.
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