GalaxyTL
After Saura-san and Juma-kun left, I asked Schlie-san about elves. It was my own race, after all. I wanted to learn more about it.
It felt a little strange to be asking someone else about my own race. But you know what they say, the only shame in asking a question is not asking it at all, right? Is this the right context for that proverb? Oh well, details, details!
Anyway, his answer was surprisingly straightforward. Apparently, no race really spent much time explaining their own kind to each other. He took my question as pure, childlike curiosity and had no issue answering it.
Come to think of it, even if a child were to ask, “What’s a human?,” it wouldn’t be that strange, would it? What’s a dog? What’s a cat? What’s a human? …Yeah, you might think they’re a bit eccentric, but not necessarily strange.
“Well, the defining characteristics of elves are our radiant hair, blue eyes, and ears that are pointier than other races. My coloring is probably the most common. Meg, your hair and eyes are a bit unusual, but they’re definitely elven traits.”
I see… As for me, the only elven traits I could confirm were my ears and hair color. I hadn’t seen myself yet. Well, I’m sure I’ll have a chance to look in a mirror eventually.
“And elves are a race that traditionally lived in harmony with nature. So, we excel at nature magic. Which is why we sometimes struggle with normal daily life magic.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“It’s not widely known. But even if we’re not good at it, the effects are generally the same, so it’s not a problem.”
Gil-san interjected with a surprised tone. Apparently, even if they weren’t good at using it, they could still activate daily life magic. They just weren’t able to control it precisely. So there were different kinds of magic, huh.
“And unlike other demi-humans, we’re not referred to as elven demi-humans.”
It seemed that they existed as a distinct race, alongside humans, demi-humans, and elves. In addition to elves, Saura-san’s halflings, dwarves, and giants were also considered separate from demi-humans.
“To put it simply, demi-humans are hybrids. Monsters that can assume human form and possess a certain level of intellect and reason are called ‘Demons.’ Demons can reproduce with other kinds of demons. So, although we call them demi-humans, they’re essentially the same as demons.”
“However, the term ‘Demon’ is often associated with those who serve the Demon King. The Demon King’s followers, who subscribe to his supremacy, take pride in being called Demon, and they get upset when they’re lumped in with demi-humans.”
“Conversely, demi-humans wanted to distinguish themselves from the Demon King’s subordinates, so they started referring to themselves as demi-humans.”
I just heard something incredible. Demon King, he said? So he exists… And judging by his title, he must be a formidable being, right? Thinking that, I asked, “Demon King?” in a childlike manner.
“Among the demons, those with overwhelming power are called Demon Kings. Though, right now, he’s just the king of a single country.”
“Right now…?”
“Indeed. His reign hasn’t been very long. Just two hundred years ago, the Demon King was a real threat, invading other human territories.”
His reign was short…? Two hundred years? This must be a human’s perspective.
“His invasion was justified, though. But to those being invaded, it was just a nuisance.”
Of course. Justice takes on different forms depending on one’s perspective. There is no such thing as justice that satisfies everyone.
“It was a truly tumultuous era… back then, securing our next meal was a constant struggle.”
“But then, someone changed all that.”
It sounded like a war. No, wait, it was definitely a war, wasn’t it? I, someone who lived in a peaceful era, couldn’t even begin to imagine it. From the way they were talking, Schlie-san and Gil-san must have lived through those times. …It was so beyond my comprehension that anything I said would be shallow and meaningless.
But someone had changed that terrible era. Every world has its great figures. Key figures who appear at turning points in history… I wonder what kind of person they were.
“His name is Eugene. The founder of this guild, and our leader, the Don.”
Whaaat?! He was someone they knew personally! And apparently, he was still alive! I-I’ve stumbled into something amazing, haven’t I!?
“…A good reaction.”
“Indeed. Her eyes are sparkling, she’s absolutely adorable.”
Anyone would react like this if they’d heard such a story for the first time! I’m not the only one… probably.
“The Don would be delighted to know we have such a charming new recruit.”
“He would. And Meg is intelligent, despite being so young.”
“Indeed. She seems to understand most of what we’re saying. So, I’d say she’s probably around twenty or thirty. Old enough to understand adult conversations. …Even putting that aside, Meg is a prodigy, incredibly intelligent.”
Whoa. I just heard my evaluation out of the blue. Knowing they’d accurately guessed my age felt a bit complicated.
But it was true that my comprehension skills were probably beyond that of a normal child. Maybe I should have acted a little more like a naive, innocent child?
However, I’ve always been a terrible liar. I’d rather be myself than lie and arouse suspicion. I wouldn’t lie, but I wouldn’t tell them everything. I’d go with that approach.
They seemed like good people, but telling them that I was from another world, that only my mind had transferred… It felt too far-fetched, even in a world where magic was commonplace.
I’d finally encountered people I could trust… I was scared of losing that.
Just as I started feeling a bit down, I heard a light knock and Saura-san’s cheerful voice. …Was the punishment over? She entered with a radiant smile.
Saura-san’s cheerful voice and bright smile lifted my spirits. Thank you, Saura-san, I thought.
But why did she have such a triumphant look on her face? Juma-kun’s condition, the reason for her good mood… I was a bit curious, but I decided not to ask!
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TL Note: “Don” is a title for a head of a family or leader used in the context of stuff like mafias of syndicates.