CH 287

Episode 287: Troubles of the Elves

"First, let's introduce you guys to the village chief. Follow me. Ryuuna-tachi, return to your normal duties."

""Yes.""

Sarion lightly looks back at us with a posture of walking backwards and tells us to follow him, he gives instructions to Ryuuna and the other elves and starts walking.

We follow his instructions.

"Are those humans?"

"It's been a long time since we've seen them."

"But, I wonder if it's okay. Will they start hunting elves again?"

"Ryuuna confirmed them, so it's okay."

All the eyes of the surroundings are on us.

A few elves here and there seem to be whispering to each other while staring at us.

If it's been 200 years since the last time humans visited, it's rare, so it can't be helped.

"They mean no offense. Please forgive them."

Sarion seems to have noticed that we are worried about the glances from the surroundings, and he turns around and lowers his head a little with an embarrassed look on his face.

"No, it's unavoidable because it's rare. Besides, we didn't know that there was a race like you on Earth, so we're seriously just looking at each other."

We laugh in embarrassment.

Just like they're worried about us, we're also staring at them, so it's nothing to worry about.

If it's a race that's synonymous with fantasy, it's more difficult to just say not to look at them.

"It's helpful that you can say that. Four or five hundred years ago, we lived normal lives in the forest outside, but humans who were blinded by greed tried to enslave us. Of course, we are stronger than the humans on Earth, so it was impossible for them to do that, but that didn't mean that they weren't annoying, so with some exceptions, we refused to interact with humans."

Haee ~ , so that happened in the past.

Did something like elf hunting happen on Earth.

Did that make them want to shut themselves in.

However, they only interacted with some people.

"Are they British people ..."

That's what they mutter when they see us.

"Yeah. There was a person from the royal family who whimsically came to us as a bride. Though they already passed away, they were practically like a relative. Still, there has been no correspondence in 200 years."

"Eh!? Is that so? I've never heard of such a story, but ..."

It seems that the royal family married an elf.

That's a shocking truth.

But, I've never heard of such a thing before?

"That's because most people don't know about it. Among the British royal family, only the King at the time and his wife's parents know about it. They didn't tell their siblings or children. Besides, he disguised himself to look like a human. No one would have noticed."

"Does that mean that he officially married into the appearance of a normal human?"

Is that so. Such a ridiculous thing couldn't be announced.

If they had announced it, people should have known more about the elves.

If you look at the social status system of humans, it will be like that."

"Is that so. By the way, was Sarion-san alive at that time?"

After hearing the story from Sarion-san, I suddenly become curious and ask.(TN:What!? Honorifics in his 'thoughts'? That's a first.)

"Oh, I'm almost six hundred years old. Of course I was alive."

"Haa ... After all, the scale of life is different from us."

After being surprised by the unexpected number for a moment, I let out a sigh and answer in bewilderment.

After all, he lived a ridiculously long life.

Six hundred years is a daunting number, isn't it. In Japan, 600 years ago was the 1400s. At that time, the Muromachi Shogunate was at its peak under the Ashikaga clan. It's amazing to think that he's been living from that time to the present day.

"Well, it's not unreasonable for people to think so of us. Oops, that big house is the head of this village."

When I shrug my shoulders in astonishment, he seems to have reached his goal, and points ahead and tells us.

In the direction of his finger is a particularly large wooden house. The other houses are splendid, but this house asserts the dignity of being inhabited by a truly high-ranking person.

"Wait a moment."

"Yes."

When we get to the door, Sarion stops us and knocks on the door.

"Fumu. Sarion, huh, wait."

From inside, despite sounding youthful, I hear the tone of an elderly person, and a few seconds later the door opens. There is a handsome medieval man who looks about forty standing there.

"Chief. I brought a guest."

"Hee, humans, huh ... it's been a while."

When Sarion introduces us to the chief, the chief mutters while observing us from the toes to the top of our heads.

"It seems that they don't have evil hearts, and I feel like they were destined to come to this village. That's why I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to discuss our problems with them."

"Is that how it is. It's fine to come inside."

Sarion explains why he invited us. The chief invites us into the house with a satisfied expression.

The inside of the house is built as if the trunk had been hollowed out, and most of the things inside are made of wood, and perhaps because the light is slightly reddish, it is a very warm space.

"Have a seat over there."

"Yes."

We are urged to sit at a table that can accommodate ten people, so we obediently sit down.

"Though it's abrupt, to get straight to the point, this village is slowly dying. At this rate, this village will perish in the not too distant future."

As soon as we sit down, he states a shocking fact.