Chapter 158 Inside The Carriage
We had just left Emme Village and were taking a breather inside the carriage.
Diona, who had been timing it perfectly, called out to us in a reserved tone.
"Reinhardt is coming to pick us up all the way to the royal capital. He's already talked it over with Kasper-sama. And Marcedes-sama and the others have already evacuated, so please don't worry."
I couldn't react right away after hearing Diona's concise yet informative report.
Before I could, Elvira, who was sitting beside me, asked a question.
"Diona, is my Mama okay?"
"Yes. It seems some people were injured, but everyone is safe."
Elvira's face lit up with a smile, saying "I'm glad..." and my thoughts finally caught up.
The village where Elvira and the others were attacked...the villagers had safely merged with the people of Rustu and even managed to evacuate to the city. Now, all that was left was for me to stay in the city of Rustu's people instead of the royal capital, so I thought I should ask Kasper-san... but Diona reported that the talk was settled, and I understood it a few seconds late.
Elvira's villagers were safe, and it seemed that Kasper-san and Reinhardt-san had already discussed my staying in the city of Rustu's people. In other words, things were going quite smoothly for now.
"Laura, take care of my brother for me."
Elvira bowed her head to me, and I hastily shook my head in response.
"I can only keep an eye on things, but."
"Yeah, that's what gives me the most courage."
Elvira smiled softly, and seeing that smile made me feel genuinely happy. It was as if I had gained her trust.
I thought to myself, "I hope this smile never fades." That's what I thought, but it would be great if she didn't get hurt in battle, either...
Fighting the demon king without getting hurt is an impossible story, but I still can't help but wish for it.
"Elvira, be careful. I know you're an extremely skilled magician, but I'm still worried."
Elvira's cheeks turned slightly red as she smiled, looking like she was trying to say "it's okay" with her expression.
"Thanks. If big brother finds out, I'll get scolded, so I need to come up with an excuse before then."
Elvira said with a slightly teasing tone.
Indeed, if his sister were to accompany the Hero on his journey in his place, he would surely be shocked and might even get angry. However, I think Arnold acknowledges his sister's abilities, and if he were to hear that she contributed to defeating the demon king, he would be worried but not angry. Elvira, on the other hand, knows this even better than I do.
She's just trying to make light of the situation with a joke.
"Also, make sure to say it nicely."
Elvira looked up at me with eyes similar to Arnold's.
I smiled and nodded.
"Yeah, I'll think about what to say."
The atmosphere was surprisingly peaceful, considering they were about to head out to defeat the demon king. In other words, our conversation lacked tension. None of our friends were scolding us.
Elvira returned her gaze to her hands and slowly opened her mouth.
"Laura'll definitely like Mama because she's just like my big brother."
"Like Arnold...?"
"Yeah. The way she talks and the atmosphere she has are just the same. I think you'll realize it as soon as you meet her."
Her way of speaking and atmosphere were just like Arnold's, but her mother was a different person altogether. What kind of person was she?
"Is she similar to you, Elvira?"
"Hmm, people might say our faces are similar. Ah, but Mama has neither black hair nor black eyes. I got those from Papa."
Her face was similar to Elvira's, but her way of speaking and atmosphere were like Arnold's. If her mother was as Elvira described, I might be able to tell when I meet her.
The way Arnold speaks is similar to his mom's, I thought, and my brain started imagining his mom as a tall, beautiful woman with a strong presence. I tend to get nervous around people like that, so I have to be careful not to make them uncomfortable.
――I was indulging in such silly fantasies when Elvira's gentle voice shook my eardrums.
"Half-elves inherit the physical characteristics of their human parents. But my brother and I don't take after Papa's personality at all, Mama said. Papa was a bright and gentle person."
Half-elf heritage――I wasn't surprised since I had heard it from Arnold before. What I didn't know was that their mom was an elf and their dad was human.
What caught my attention more was that Elvira spoke about her dad in the past tense, and in a way that suggested she had heard it from someone else. From her tone, it seemed like she didn't know much about her dad, but that was strange because――
The question that popped into my head was reflected on my face, and even though I didn't say a word, Elvira nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, Papa died soon after I was born. So, I only know him through portraits."
"I see..."
Arnold had told me before that Elvira's parents wanted to meet me. From the way he said it, I thought both their parents were alive, but that wasn't the case.
Even Arnold might have hesitated to bring up the topic of losing a parent. In reality, if he had told me back then, I wouldn't have known how to respond.
Elvira continued, glancing at my face with an upward gaze.
"Our village is a bit unusual, where elves with unique characteristics gather, so you might be surprised. But they're all good people."
I remembered Arnold's words. He had said that his hometown was a small village where elves with unusual characteristics gathered. ――Just like the children of half-elves and humans.
"Mama also know about Laura. You're the person who saved my life, after all."
It's a bit unsettling to be known one-sidedly. I smiled vaguely, feeling a bit embarrassed.
After that, Elvira suddenly closed her mouth. She seemed to be searching for words, her gaze darting around, and after a few seconds, she spoke in a smaller voice.
"...So, don't worry. If anything happens, everyone will try to protect Laura."
I realized that Elvira was trying to reassure me by bringing up this topic, searching for the right words to say. Her kindness was truly heartwarming.
As I became aware of my relaxed facial expression, I gazed at Elvira's face.
"Yeah, thanks."
Arnold and Elvira's mother. They must have been acquainted with the villagers since they were young.
No one knew, but I didn't worry about it. Instead, I was looking forward to meeting them.
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