The alfar elder just isn’t waking up, so we’re on our way to Katima’s room, but…
“Eh? But doesn’t that make you the granddaughter of the chief?”
“Yes. That’s why Katima’s so important.”
Katima puffs out her chest, and even though her expression is the same, I can kind of see her looking proud.
She did emphasize that, when we were talking about high elves on the way to the village. Maybe she values that more than I thought.
“Well, Katima was abandoned, so it’s not like Katima and the chief are blood related.”
“…”
Reina looks a little awkward about that sudden comment, but Katima herself doesn’t seem to care.
I feel like I’m starting to understand how she feels a little more.
The day I came to this island, I suddenly found myself without a single relative.
But I don’t feel lonely at all, because I met Reina, Luna and Elga, Tiltue, Wil… And my days are never quiet. In a way, I feel like I also have a family not related by blood.
“So the chief is your family?”
“Yes. He’s always nice to Katima. Ah, but grandma is a little scary.”
“I see.”
Even as she calls her scary, I don’t sense any ill feelings, surely because they’re family.
Katima is talking like a kid, and a smile naturally forms on my face.
“Well, the chief will wake up at night, so let’s take it easy.”
“Katima?”
“…Well then you two, Katima is going out for a little walk!”
Katima suddenly takes off running at an incredible speed.
“Don’t run!”
“G-grandma sto…!?”
The moment Katima leaves, a small shadow gets on her back and brings her down. And then, it stays on her back as it pins her down so she doesn’t move.
“Good grief! Roaming around and not coming home!”
“W-wait, don’t bend Katima’s back like… Ah!”
The small being grabs and lifts Katima’s legs and bends her back.
This makes Katima’s voice sound muffled, and eventually, it turns into groans that sound like her breath is escaping.
“Ah… Ah… Ah…”
“Pathetic.”
And once Katima reaches her limit, the girl smacks her hands together while getting off her back.
“Are you the guests Katima talked about?”
She also has silver hair, although in a ponytail, and the same brown skin as Katima. She turns to us and laughs, showing her white teeth.
◇ ◇ ◇
Reina and I are taken back to the reception room where the elder is sleeping, and the pressure coming from the girl makes us sit with our backs straight.
She also dragged Katima here, who is still twitching and on the ground.
“We should introduce ourselves. I’m Saria. I look like this, but I’m a little older than you.”
“A little…? Grandma… Fuguh…”
Saria stops Katima by stepping on her back hard.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing…”
“Good girl.”
The girl smiles as she looks down at Katima, and from a glance, they clearly look the same age.
But judging by how they interact, and my experiences so far, I’m guessing the girl being called grandma is actually many times older than us.
“You look confused, but this is normal for alfar.”
“Then the elder…”
“Ah, he’s been alive for a particularly long time.”
“The elder… Is over a thousand years old…”
I hear Katima as she gasps, and think about how we probably have different ideas of what a ‘long life’ is.
“Well, that’s why he’s hard to wake up once he falls asleep. You can talk to me instead.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Don’t be all stiff, relax.”
That’s kind of hard, as I look at Katima looking languid under her foot.
Reina is looking pretty nervous too, because she can probably feel the power emanating from her as well.
“Well, I guess you can’t just tell someone to relax. Still…”
Suddenly, she starts looking back and forth between me and Reina.
“I’ll say you’re human, but what about you?”
“Me?”
“I’ve never seen something like you. Where is your territory?”
“Well, near the divine beast people’s village…”
When I’m asked that, I realize that I don’t really have an address of sorts.
“Divine beast people? Tch, those people?”
I guess what I heard before is true, alfar and divine beast people don’t really like each other. Her expression turns sour from just hearing about them.
I think to myself that she’s ruining her pretty face, but suddenly, I’m being glared at. With a lot of pressure too.
“…”
“W-what?”
“…Well, you saved Katima.”
Is all she says before she turns to Reina.
“Eh? What?”
“Is she your woman?”
“Wai…!?”
“Hum, we’re kind of like family, I guess?”
Reina is shaken, but it’s best to stay calm, or it could lead to more trouble later on.
And maybe that’s why Saria is looking at me with a bored expression.
As I thought, she shifts her attention from me, not to Reina, but to Katima on the floor.
“Hey Katima.”
“W-what?”
Katima responds, seemingly frightened, and Saria speaks with a serious expression.
“Be his mate.”
“…!? What are you talking about, grandma!?”
“He’s an excellent man. If you’re a girl, do what you gotta do right away. And give me great-grandchildren.”
And then, they ignore us and start fighting like sisters.
“Arata has Reina.”
“Wai…!?”
“That doesn’t matter! A girl of age has to be ready to get herself an excellent man even if she has to pry him by force! Don’t lose to that chest!”
“Eh? Kyah!?”
Saria suddenly goes behind Reina, and pushes her chest up.
And then she starts fondling those two hills, that are already pretty prominent to begin with.
“..Big, uh?”
“Wai… Sto…”
“Hmph… Heh…”
“Ahn…”
I turn away without thinking, but it’s hard not to be conscious of what’s happening when I can still hear it.
“Ah, where are you going!?”
“I’ll be back when this is over!”
I’m performing a tactical retreat.
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
