An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 9

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 9   Saran’s Secret and Wedding

“Saran is, you see, a bit different from our kind.”

…Indeed, it’s quite obvious. The height, the chest size, and all…

“Her bloodline is mixed with another. Therefore, her lifespan as an elf is shorter. Not much different from that of a human. Even among elves, there are differences between races. Saran’s parents, who have passed away, and Saran herself, are different from us.”

“I see.”

“Of course, there is no discrimination or anything of that sort. She is loved and relied upon by all the villagers. She is our valued comrade. I hope there is no misunderstanding in that regard.”

“I understand. It’s clear just by observing.”

The village chief nods in agreement.

“However, if things continue as they are, Saran will remain single for life. There is no talk of marriage for her. It’s unlikely that there would be any man who would want to marry Saran, who will likely have a short life compared to elves who typically live two to three hundred years. Introducing such blood into our lineage is out of the question. Her physique is as you’ve seen, robust, and her face…”

“It’s not like that… She’s not like that at all! She’s cute, you know? She’s beautiful! And her body… Well, uh…”

…How high are the standards for elves, really?

…Well, I suppose with such a family of stunningly attractive individuals, it’s only natural.

“Indeed, that’s how it appears from a human’s perspective.”

The village chief chuckles.

“…From my perspective, all the other elves are too good-looking.”

“…I apologize for speaking indelicately. It’s rude, and I ask for your forgiveness.”

“Yes.”

“Offspring cannot be born between elves and humans. In other words, even if you were to marry Saran, the bloodline would come to an end.”

“…I understand.”

“You, who came from another world, and Saran, an elf of a different race, if you were to be together, it would alleviate our concerns as well.”

“…I understand.”

“I want you to understand this. I want Saran to be happy. I want her to have a normal marriage and experience the happiness that others do. However, a suitable partner simply hasn’t appeared. I feel sorry for Saran.”

“I understand that as well.”

There are various circumstances at play…

The village chief is also considering many things.

“Well, to be honest, if you were to return to the human city, you might not come back. I think if you take Saran as your wife, you’ll return to us. It would be a win-win situation for both me and the village! Well, I’m just, you know, thinking about such things!”

The village chief is being too frank.

There are no secrets left to keep.

“Therefore, if you go to the city, take Saran as your wife! Take her with you! That’s what it comes down to… What do you think?”

“Well, being asked to make such a decision right here and now is a bit difficult.”

“I’ve been completely honest about everything!”

“Yes!”

The village chief smirks.

That impeccably handsome face of his, it’s a bit unsettling with that villainous expression.

“Alright! That’s what I wanted to hear! You, my lad, are a true man!”

Please stop shaking my shoulders vigorously. I’m getting dizzy.

“But isn’t Saran’s feelings the most important?”

“Leave that to me!”

And off I went――――!

I ran straight to Saran’s house.

Oh no――――!

After that, I couldn’t see Saran anymore.

Apparently, it’s forbidden for unmarried couples to share a bed before the wedding. What kind of rule is that?

I ended up staying at the village chief’s house, and the preparations for the wedding are progressing smoothly. There’s a strong sense of “you’re not escaping, no matter what” lingering in the air. It’s incredibly pressuring.

“Who will be your companion for the night? Come on, choose!”

“I’ll have to decline.”

It seems that that the bride and groom, who have decided to get married,, will receive guidance in the art of love from an experienced lady. Well, that’s quite… unexpected.

“Are you prepared for this? It’s a token of appreciation for a man heading to the battlefield! Do you think you can face your opponent without any tactics?”

What kind of values are these?

It was heart-wrenching because everyone was incredibly beautiful. However, I couldn’t possibly say that they were over a hundred years older than me.

In the absence of the bride and groom, a festive banquet is being held in the village since morning, and the villagers are in high spirits. It’s one of the few bright events in this village, on the verge of becoming a ghost town with only 250 elves left. A large fire is blazing in the center, and everyone is enjoying singing and dancing.

*     *     *     *     *

As the evening approaches, we walk slowly into the lake.

I’m dressed in some kind of appropriate attire, and the village chief is already waiting in the water up to his waist.

Saran has arrived.

It’s the first time we’ve seen each other since that day.

Her face is partially exposed, covered by a thin veil that drapes over her entire body.

She enters the lake with gentle splashes and stands beside me, next to the village chief.

The veil becomes wet from the water, clinging tightly to her body.

She’s not wearing anything underneath… Oh my…

To go as a bride with only her body, that’s the meaning behind it, I suppose.

“Shin, do you vow, in the presence of this sacred water of the lake, to take this woman as your wife, to love her in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for the rest of your life?”

“Yes.”

“Saran, do you vow, in the presence of this sacred water of the lake, to take this man as your husband, to love him in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, for the rest of your life?”

“Yes, I do solemnly swear.”

“Now, seal your vows with a kiss.”

We face each other.

Oh… I feel so embarrassed…

Saran, are you truly happy with me? You have such a radiant smile.

Saran, who is a head and a half taller than me, bends down and… smack.

She stole my first kiss…

“May fortune smile upon the newlyweds.”

Oh no!

The young villagers suddenly jump into the lake, splashing water everywhere.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations!”

They scoop up water from the lake and drench us with joyous splashes!

What’s this? Is it a substitute for a rice shower at weddings?

We’re completely soaked!

Hahaha!

Ah!

Run, run!

We run and escape to our new home.

“Hahaha!”

Drenched from head to toe, we look at each other and laugh.

“Shin… About that…”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you. Thank you for accepting someone like me.”

“No, thank you. Thank you for accepting someone like me. I feel lucky to have you as my wife.”

Undressing, removing the veil, and drying ourselves off.

“I’m sorry for being like this.”

I don’t understand what she means by “like this.”

I think our standards of beauty are completely different between Elves and me.

“To be honest…”

“…”

“I find you incredibly sexy, Saran.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Are you sure?”

Hahaha. It’s easy to tell if it’s true or not.

“I don’t have any experience, so I’m not sure if I’ll be good at it.”

“I’m a virgin too, but we’ll figure it out together.”

“We’re… well, you know…”

“I’m not worried about that at all.”

Alright, alright.

I arrange the larger-than-expected bed and invite Saran to sit on it.

“It’s okay if we’re not perfect. We’ll gradually become better at it as we do it every night. We’ll do it together, just the two of us, for a long time. Don’t worry about anything, okay?”

The next morning, as we left the house, a group of young men gathered.

“You’re a real man! A true hero! I admire you!”

“You’re amazing! Just as expected! Humans really know how to do it!”

“And the frequency was incredible!”

“To be able to do that with Saran… I was truly moved!”

“Yes, yes, my eyes didn’t deceive me.”

Even the village chief had something to say.

“…What’s going on?”

Well, you see, there’s a tradition where the young men of the village peek during the wedding night of newlyweds. The more people who peek, the more the couple is blessed, or so they say.

Did everyone see everything?

Everything, you mean?

Even though I may be a virgin, I have plenty of knowledge. As someone born in modern-day Japan, I have access to that kind of information.

I knew what to do, so there was no confusion. We did it properly and a lot. Is that a problem?

In this world without AV or erotic books, opportunities for sex education like this are rare. That’s why such customs exist.

Elves have long lifespans, and they tend to be indifferent to love, marriage, and sex, so it’s difficult to get the young ones in the mood. Therefore, it’s seen as part of the efforts to encourage procreation.

In a depopulated village like this, procreation is a matter of life and death for the village’s future. Encouraging the young ones to have children is one of the important duties of the elders.

I see, so that’s why they were so attentive.

“Enough is enough!”

Saran, wrapped in fur, came out and shouted, causing everyone to scatter.

Well, Saran, maybe we should put curtains on the windows today.