Raising the Elf’s Genius Slayer

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Chapter

The Marquis, despite having unwound, seemed to feel the weight of the Sword God and mentioned that he would be leaving in a few days.

Since there was no reason to hold him back, Enok simply bid them a brief farewell as he realized he could reach Demisto in no time anyway.

Ah, before leaving, he had brought out all the items he had, and there were so many that he would need to look through them later.

“Well, see you next time.”

“Of course. You are always welcome.”

As the people hurriedly exited, it felt surprisingly empty.

The mansion was indeed large, but that didn’t seem to matter.

“How long do you think the Beastman Tribe will rest?”

Rionne, who had been quietly enjoying the breeze, nodded gently at Enok’s words.

“Sure. But why suddenly? Are you feeling like resting?”

“Yeah. I just want to lie down.”

“Oh my. You’re always welcome, sister.”

With a cheerful smile, Rionne approached and clung to Enok’s back.

“Wait! If you lock yourself in your room again for a week, I really won’t be able to stand it!”

“I won’t.”

Patting Tsukiyo on the head, Enok yawned as he headed toward the mansion.

“Or do you want to come along? I’m just going to sleep anyway.”

“Eh…? Really just going to sleep?”

Rionne frowned, but in truth, he really was just going to sleep.

“I will go! I will go now! Let’s go!”

With Tsukiyo’s agreement, there was no backing down now.

“Ugh….”

Rionne drew a pouty expression.

*

Days passed in the blink of an eye with the sun rising and setting.

While packing the necessary items for their stay at the Beastman Tribe, Roxanna approached.

“Son-in-law, how many days do you plan to stay?”

“Um… well, I’m not sure. Rionne is meeting a friend, and I don’t know how long that will take.”

At those words, Roxanna gave a faint smile.

“If there’s nothing else particularly going on, you will probably return soon. I’ve never seen her stick with a friend for long.”

“Ah, mom! Don’t say such weird things to Enok!”

“This child. Now you’re shouting at your mother.”

Roxanna pretended to cry as she left the room. She winked at him before exiting.

Getting used to it, he realized Roxanna was more playful than he had thought.

Well, considering Rionne’s playful nature, that wasn’t too surprising.

“Is everyone ready?”

At Enok’s question, Rionne and Tsukiyo nodded.

“All set!”

“Yes.”

Undine scratched her belly.

[So, when is Eri showing up?]

“Well, when things are ready?”

[Seriously, how much does she need to grow?]

Undine muttered, and Enok chuckled as he tapped his feet.

Swoosh-!

A long space connecting between realms ignited with electric power.

For a moment, bright light obscured his vision.

When the view shifted, Tsukiyo exclaimed in admiration.

“Ooh…. Father’s growth is dazzling.”

At her words, Enok shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, we came back to where we were last time.”

That was where he had met the tiger Beastman named Gunta.

“Anyway, the Beastman Tribe is all gathered in a few places, so it doesn’t really matter. Didn’t you say you were going to meet Jayura?”

“Right?”

“The Mountain Goat Tribe is also nearby, so we can head there directly.”

So, Jayura is from the Mountain Goat Tribe?

This was the first time Enok was learning that fact, and he began picturing her in his mind.

‘A mountain goat means…’

Wouldn’t she have spiraled horns on her head?

As he imagined her appearance, it began to become increasingly strange, leading him to quickly give up.

After all, he would soon see her directly.

Shaking his head, Enok poked Rionne in the side.

“Rionne, which way?”

“Uhmm…. Uh, I’m not sure…?”

As Enok made a peculiar face, Rionne hastily explained.

“Ah, no. I just haven’t been here in so long, so I can’t really remember…?”

“You’ll get to see all kinds of strange Elves.”

Tsukiyo clicked her tongue and took the lead.

“Follow me. I will guide you.”

*

Following Tsukiyo, they occasionally caught glimpses of the Beastmen.

While they shared a significant common trait of being Beastmen, the various features of the different animals present made it feel as though different races were living together, which gave him a strange sentiment.

“This is it.”

Tsukiyo pointed to a massive tent.

As Rionne hesitated in front of it, Enok gently patted her back.

“Not close friends?”

“Uh, no…? It’s not like that.”

“Then what’s the hold-up?”

At Enok’s words, Rionne nodded as if determined.

“Should…I knock?”

Swoosh—

Before Rionne could make a sound, the tent’s door swung open.

It seemed someone inside had come out first due to the commotion outside.

“Oh my. Is that you, Rionne?”

“Jayura…?”

Standing beyond the veil of the tent was an elderly woman with white hair.

As Rionne froze, dumbfounded, the elderly woman casually looked over the group and chuckled softly.

“Hehe, you really haven’t changed a bit, have you? Riraum was the same.”

“But, Jayura… why do you look like that…?”

“What do you mean? Aging is the natural order of things. You all are amazing for defying it.”

With large horns positioned on either side of her head, Jayura’s frame was frail.

However, Enok knew that wasn’t her original physique.

He faintly recalled her past self, packed with sturdy muscles and the figure of a healthy woman.

“Still….”

“Don’t just stand there, come in. I happened to bake cookies.”

Jayura pulled the cloth door aside.

As the group entered, Enok gently nudged the still-stunned Rionne into the tent and began to observe the interior.

A warm and cozy ambiance enveloped the dwelling.

It was a house that gave off a similar energy to that of Jayura.

“Now, please make yourselves comfortable.”

“Wait, Jayura! Why are you treating me like a child? I’m much older than you!”

“Tsukiyo dear… do you love cookies?”

“Ah…! I do love them!”

Tsukiyo munched on the cookies while enjoying them. Enok, watching her, poked Rionne’s thigh.

“Why? If you’re so worried, just change her back to normal.”

Both he and Rionne could do it.

He could use electromagnetic energy to disrupt biological signals, while Rionne could pour her life force into her and restore her youth.

There was no need to exert much effort to return Jayura to her youthful form.

“That’s…”

“I don’t want to. I like the way I am now. Growing old together with everyone isn’t so bad.”

Jayura grasped a copper cup placed on the table. It was filled with steaming milk tea.

“If death is looming right before me, I might think differently, but…well. Is living forever really a good thing?”

Enok and Jayura’s eyes locked.

Her gaze contained the essence of the many years she had lived through.

But Enok could assertively say.

“Of course. An eternity lived alongside Rionne would never be boring.”

Within his heart, the pathos continued to swirl.

As he ascended to the status of a demigod, he gained the ability to bring about her existence anytime he wished.

However, Enok restrained himself, holding onto that pathos as long as he lived.

Merely feeling its presence brought forth images of Rionne.

Pathos became a family photo he placed in his own spirit.

“Oh my…. Rionne, you’ve found a wonderful partner. Honestly, I thought you would live alone forever.”

“…Shut up, Jayura.”

“Don’t be shy.”

With a chuckle, Jayura rose from her seat and soon retrieved something from one corner of the home.

“Would you like to see this?”

What she handed to Enok was a thick book.

No, was it an album?

With a puzzled heart, he opened the album, and it was filled with photos.

“Whoa!? Th-That’s…!”

Rionne gasped, but thanks to Jayura blocking her way, Enok could calmly browse through the album.

Most of the pictures contained Rionne, Riraum, and Jayura.

[Wow, I miss this. Which year was this?]

“It must be well over a hundred years ago.”

[Everyone was so young. Those were good times.]

“Oh my, Undine, you haven’t changed a bit since then, what are you talking about?”

[I may look the same, but when you get older, everything gets annoying.]

Undine and Jayura giggled away.

Tsukiyo, peering over Enok’s shoulder, gasped in admiration.

“This trio used to provide stories every single day. Whenever something happened, these three names were always mentioned.”

“Really? I guess they were famous.”

“Well, yes and no. What was that again…? Anyway, they were much more famous than those heroes’ parties back in the day.”

However… Tsukiyo added.

“But actually seeing that Elf, it seems the rumors were a lot more exaggerated.”

“Rionne is a wonderful person.”

“Well… no matter how much you’re my dad, I can’t agree with that.”

Enok rolled his eyes slightly as he wondered about Rionne’s still dazed expression.

He then softly smiled and gazed up at the light gently shining from the tent’s ceiling as if it was the moon.

“If it weren’t for Rionne, I wouldn’t be here.”

If he had survived, he would have become a lone fool hostile to the world, and if he hadn’t, he would have likely become a cold corpse in some back alley.

“So, I just wish Rionne to always be happy.”