Chapter 8
I was alone.
No one spoke to me, but the silly, adorable spirits liked me and followed me.
However, there were too many things I didn’t know about the world, and one day, I realized I was lonely.
That’s when I met a Great Spirit in the forest.
——“Puhihi, such a pitiable child, neither human nor elf. Have you lost your way in the forest?”
When I shook my head, she said:
——“Ah, you are lonely.”
She seemed pleased, as though she had read my heart, and I nodded in response.
The Great Spirit cared for me for a long time, teaching me many things.
When the feeling of loneliness began to fade from my heart,
She spoke again.
——“Do not hate humans, but always be wary of them. Do not easily give them your heart, and live for yourself. If you feel threatened, seek the help of spirits like me. Do not harm humans first, but if there is someone you must help, do not hesitate to use your power. Become friends with those who understand gratitude and live alongside them. Not with me, but with others like you.”
She reached out her hand to me.
——“I was happy to be with you, to be both human and elf.”
I could feel a profound sadness.
The Great Spirit faded away without even telling me her name.
When the spirits cried, I cried with them for a long time.
After that, I held her words close to my heart and wandered through forests and streets.
People argued over me as I traveled with many spirits.
When I couldn’t tell who needed help and who didn’t, the people who smiled at me ran away.
And then, one of those fighting people lowered their weapon, approached me, and extended a hand.
I hid in the embrace of the spirits, wary of him.
Through flames, waves, and barriers, he approached without harming anything, his clothes slightly tattered, wearing an awkward smile.
That smile was different from the people who had fled.
It resembled the smile the Great Spirit once showed me.
“You are a child who needs to learn. Attend the Academy. Though there is still prejudice, it will surely help you. The world is too dangerous for a pure-hearted child with power to wander alone.”
I followed him and enrolled in the Academy.
He was a busy man, so I didn’t see him often.
Still, I felt excited.
Here, I could learn many things and meet others like me.
Just as the Great Spirit yearned for others like herself, I, too, wanted to live among them.
But when I tried to get closer, people avoided me awkwardly or ran away.
What should I say?
Even in such a crowded place, I was still alone.
One day, while attending lessons from the professors at the Academy—
“You filthy half-breed.”
Something was thrown at me.
The spirits blocked it, but the filth splattered everywhere.
“Pfft.”
The mocking fingers and laughter were unfamiliar.
My mind went blank, and I felt scared.
How long did the bullying continue?
Not knowing what to do, I observed someone similar to me.
When others bullied him, he took the hits, whimpered, and began to hide.
Sometimes, when I lost track of him, the spirits found him.
When he met the spirits, he was startled and dropped what he was holding.
When the spirits helped him, he said thank you.
If the spirits got angry, he apologized.
I wanted to talk to him, but I didn’t know how, so I hesitated.
Then one day, when the bullying became unbearable, and I couldn’t hold back my sorrow and tears—
“Elenien, as a fellow Academy student, I’ve noticed something while passing by. Why do you just take it?”
He approached me first and spoke.
Startled, I didn’t know what to say and ended up blurting out harsh words.
“Hic, sob… Don’t speak carelessly when you don’t know anything. Why does everyone… treat me this way? Hic. Are you also saying this because I’m a Half-Elf? Ah, no, I know you’re trying to comfort me. But even so, talking to someone like me—a filthy half-breed—won’t do you any good either.”
What a fool.
He was being bullied, too, not knowing what to do, yet he came to comfort me.
He might’ve looked down on me for being a Half-Elf, but he treated the spirits as equals, just like people.
He tried to help me, but being involved with someone like me wouldn’t benefit him either.
That’s what I thought.
But maybe he wasn’t a fool.
Serupe gave a passionate speech to me, and just as he said, things changed.
The bullying from those who tormented me became too much, and someone in my class stepped in to help.
When I told the professor I wanted to drop out because of the bullying, they helped me.
But Serupe said he had no one to help him.
The words of the Great Spirit came to mind.
——“Do not hate humans, but always be wary of them. Do not easily give them your heart, and live for yourself. If you feel threatened, seek the help of spirits like me. Do not harm humans first, but if there is someone you must help, do not hesitate to use your power. Become friends with those who understand gratitude and live alongside them.”
Spending dark days at the Academy, I remembered the Great Spirit’s advice.
A person who approached me without greed and extended a hand first.
“P-please, give it back! It’s really important to me!”
“Th-thank you, Elenien. You truly saved me. I don’t know how to repay this kindness.”
If someone needed help, I should not hold back, and I should befriend those who knew gratitude.
That’s why I came to the Academy—I didn’t want to be lonely anymore.
“P-please… be my friend.”
“That’s easy.”
“Wow…”
I finally made a friend.
Serupe is my friend.
Sometimes, he doesn’t understand my feelings, but since he’s not a spirit, it can’t be helped. Still, whenever I sulk, he’s always the one to reach out first.
Every day, every moment with him is so thrilling.
Then, when we read a book in the library about Half-Elves, it said that if there’s someone who makes you feel this way, it means you like them.
I like Serupe, so it must be true.
Curious about what to do when you like someone, I read many books in the library.
Ehh… There were so many strange methods.
“Do you like sweet things?”
“Huh?”
When I was pouting because he said he didn’t need my help, I suddenly asked him if he liked sweet things.
The person who brought me to the Academy once asked me the same thing before treating me to something delicious… It was so tasty!
I foolishly ate it all without realizing I hadn’t left enough for Serupe…
While thoughtlessly munching on Creamia, I realized something.
If we eat the same Creamia, it means our saliva would mix, which is like sharing a kiss.
Flustered, I panicked, but Serupe handed me another Creamia, as if to calm me down.
Does this mean he’s asking me to eat his saliva too…?
That’s something only lovers do…
According to the book, men who act so forward are called players.
Serupe must be a player.
But since this means Serupe also likes me, it made me happy, so I ate the Creamia with his saliva.
Oh no, if I eat it all, what will Serupe eat?
Feeling guilty, I handed him the stick, but he suddenly said, “You lose.”
Startled, I thought he was mad, but when I looked at the stick, it had the word “Lose” written on it.
Apparently, if you win, you get another Creamia.
If I had won, we could have shared another Creamia—what a shame.
Serupe looked quite disappointed, even a little unwell.
Worried, I touched his cheek to check, and his face was burning red—he must be sick.
“Serupe, are you feeling unwell…?”
He didn’t look weak, though… His cheek was so soft and squishy.
“N-no, I’m fine.”
Serupe said he was fine.
Ah, I get it.
Serupe must have been embarrassed. How cute.
I followed him, my heart fluttering as he walked ahead.
But despite saying he wasn’t unwell,
A few days later, I found Serupe collapsed on the ground.
I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do, trembling in panic.
“What? I’ve never even had my first kiss!”
The red-haired lady angrily exclaimed before pressing her lips to Serupe’s.
Watching Serupe recover like a kissed princess somehow made me feel uneasy.
“Are you saying I have to marry him now? My first kiss…”
But it seemed the red-haired lady didn’t like Serupe.
So I whispered in her ear:
“If, if the first is what’s important, then I… I’ve already kissed Serupe by sharing Creamia… So, so isn’t it okay?”
“What…?”
She mouthed the words before bursting into laughter and said:
“Puhahaha, you’re so adorable. Fine, then it’s settled. Serupe, right? That was for medical purposes, so let’s not dwell on it, okay?”
“Y-yes.”
Serupe agreed not to think too much about it.
Although there was a commotion, everyone seemed fine in the end.
I’m okay too.
After all, Serupe and I are already lovers.
—
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