The person standing behind me is the elf assistant that took Ririi to the other room. It feels like she has considerable magic energy too, but the magic energy I sense from her is dramatically reduced. I don’t think she’s here to fight.
She bows, and repeats.
“…Please spare Miss Ladimerie.”
“…”
I’m tired of hearing people beg for their lives. The worthless people I’ve killed so far always did that. I have money, what is it you desire, I regret what I did, and stuff like that. Those words mean nothing to me.
“…And you don’t mind dying for that?”
But this is a first. Someone saying she’ll die for someone else.
I could understand if it was a parent and child we were talking about. At this point, I can understand a parent wanting to protect a kid.
But these two probably aren’t even blood related. I can imagine from her conduct that this girl isn’t just an employee, and she’s probably an attendant of Ladimerie from back when they were in the country of elves.
She raises her head, and her clear black eyes look directly at me.
“Yes. If it will save Miss Ladimerie.”
She’s not lying. Those jet black eyes are ready to die. Those are the kinds of eyes I like. But that’s that and this is this. The terrible misfortune that happened to Ririi and me isn’t something that someone’s expression can just erase.
“Why are you willing to go that far? Is she that important to you?”
Even if this assistant was the princess’ assistant back in the country of elves…
I don’t know the story between them, but I guess Ladimerie is important enough that she followed her when she left the country of elves and came to Anheim.
But putting her life on the line… Is different. One’s life takes precedence over most things, and depending on the person, all things. And that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone looks after themselves. Even I, someone with a daughter, wouldn’t throw my life away unconditionally.
She crouches next to Ladimerie, who’s unconscious next to the wall, and slowly puts her down on the ground. Then she gets up, and points her eyes at me again.
“When I was little, I wasn’t an elf… I was just an unsightly child in the shape of an elf.”
◆
“I was a vagrant in the country of elves… Which is where Miss Ladimerie and I are from.
Orphans formed a group and got involved in crime, and that is how we managed to eke out a living. It is something not at all unusual in that country, which has awful wealth inequality.”
That matches the image I have from the elven country. Elves are industrious, but don’t put out their hands to help the idle. They really stick to the ideal of if you don’t work, you don’t eat.
As a result, the wealth inequality keeps expanding, and no one questions it. That’s the reality in the country of elves.
“…I was small and powerless, but made a living stealing. And one day, I targeted…”
“Ladimerie?”
I ask, and she gives me a small nod.
“Miss Ladimerie was walking around town in a wonderful dress, protected by guards. Even as a child, I could tell right away she was rich.
And like a moth attracted to light in the night… I didn’t hesitate to sneak up behind her.”
I’m actually surprised. I don’t get that impression from her at all. She says she wasn’t an elf when she was young, and it was after meeting Ladimerie that she became an elf.
“…Daddy…”
I suddenly notice Ririi is next to me, and she grabs my hand. I then hold her small hand.
“…Needless to say, the guards weren’t naive enough to allow a child like me to touch her. I didn’t even have a plan or any skills. I was captured very quickly.
That was the moment my life was over. I won’t go into detail, but… In the country of elves, going after Miss Ladimerie would be a serious crime.”
In most cases, attempting to target royalty means death. Although I think what happened with me was pure self-defense.
“All that was left for me was death, but Miss Ladimerie said ‘if you have nowhere else, come look after me’.”
The girl closes her eyes as she runs through her past memories. I’m sure those memories are precious to her. Precious enough to stake her life on them.
“I’m an elf who died once already. Miss Ladimerie gave me a second chance at life, and for that, nothing is more important to me than her. I will gladly offer up my life for her.”
To me, Ladimerie is just a crazy elf that attacked me all of a sudden, but… Going by what she says, there was a time when she had a more gentle personality. What made her change into this aggressive personality? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t curious.
Maybe there is something out there in this world that turns someone into the kind of person that suddenly attacks any human she sees.
Still… Even after hearing that, my feelings towards Ladimerie don’t change. I know people can be villains to some people, and heroes to others.
What was done to me and the image she has of the person that did it aren’t related.
So… If I do spare Ladimerie, it will be because of something completely unrelated to her circumstances. I don’t have any intention to have her make a hat at this point, not that she would. But if I can use her to get a hat for Ririi, that’s a different story.
If I can get my hands on a hat suitable for Ririi, it wouldn’t trouble me to have Ladimerie live.
“…Ririi, let’s go.”
“Yes.”
I have a good idea, and I need to go back to the empire to carry it out. I don’t have any reason to stay here.
“Thank you… So much…!”
I hear a trembling voice behind me as we leave this extraordinary hat maker.
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Thanks for the chapter Hidamarisou! Wonder if she’ll ever find out that he saved her sister at one point.
Ain’t NOTHING changing my mind about little miss jealous psycho elf.