Chapter 47: The Three High Elf Sisters + Griselda

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“Long time no see, Alisha.”

“Eh~? It hasn’t been that long at all. We just saw each other the other day, didn’t we?”

“…We haven’t met in nearly twenty years, you know?”

“When you stay in the village, your sense of time gets weird…”

Alicia and Astrea had gone all the way to the border to welcome their youngest sister, who had been invited from the Elven village.

Alisha la Aeras.

As the youngest princess, she had been doted on greatly within the village. If not for the <Prophecy>, she likely would not have even been permitted to hold a bow. Compared to the other two, she was smaller in stature and more modest in figure, but her face was as refined as befitted a High Elf.

“Astrea-nee-san looks great too. I’m glad you didn’t die!”

“Yes, that’s right. You should be glad you were able to leave the village.”

“Yup! Thanks to that, my engagement got canceled and I’m free now~”

Alisha flashed peace signs with both hands. In truth, one sister’s death had been certain, and the other had set out on a journey where she might have died. Being the only one left behind in the village to wait probably had not been easy. The way Alisha’s expression softened into a silly grin when she saw her sisters spoke of the trust she placed in them.

“So, what about you? What do you want?”

After the brief reunion with her sister, Astrea called out to the elf standing behind Alisha. Her tone was not gentle. Unlike the words directed at Alisha, this remark was cold and barbed. The elf flinched for a moment but quickly regained her composure and spoke.

“Yes. I have been appointed to serve at Alisha-sama’s side and have accompanied her. I deeply apologize for the trouble I previously caused Astrea-sama.”

“Hmph. You understand, don’t you? If you do anything to Finn…”

“I will do nothing. I intend only to express my gratitude. Interfering would be unthinkable.”

“Good. Then that’s fine. Welcome.”

The short-haired beauty, Griselda. Having come as Alisha’s attendant, she bowed her head to Astrea. Though she had expected a high chance of being sent back, she was inwardly relieved to be permitted to remain.

(Ahh, thank goodness. I went through all the trouble of laying the groundwork in the village to come along. I couldn’t be turned away at the gate.)

In truth, there were many in the Elven village who had provoked Astrea and angered her just as Griselda had. Being protected by Finn, treated like a gentleman by a diminutive human male, and developing feelings of love… Such things were not uncommon.

Thus, when Alisha was to enter human society, it was decided that sending a sheltered young lady alone would likely cause trouble for both elves and humans. So an elf with experience living in human society was selected as her attendant and sent along.

Naturally, the competition had been fierce. Over a hundred had wished for that single position. By emphasizing her record as a former close aide to Astrea and her achievements as a Silver-rank adventurer on the verge of promotion to Gold at the Adventurers’ Guild, Griselda had gained the High Elves’ approval and been chosen.

“Hm? Did something happen?”

“I had someone who’d been egged on by my uncle come to me. She messed up once too, but Finn told me to stop, so I reluctantly forgave her.”

“H-Heh, Finn-kun did…”

Alicia looked at Griselda with a strained expression. It was unclear why she was being looked at that way, but it was obvious she was being suspected of something. To prove she had nothing suspicious in mind, Griselda spoke a single line.

“I hold no ulterior motives toward Debyura-sama.”

(Alisha-sama will be acting alongside these two from now on. That means it’s obvious I’ll be acting alongside him as well… I can use my position as an attendant to get close under the pretext of meetings and such. Astrea-sama likely won’t forbid me from meeting him to deepen our relationship as part of an apology. How one repays the savior who saved their life depends on the individual, doesn’t it? I’ll offer my thanks with my whole body and soul. Yes, and in the process, if by chance our bodies overlap without anyone knowing, that’s all it would be. I’m an adventurer too, after all. I understand the customs. I used to think it was vulgar and indecent, but if I’m the one doing it, it’s surprisingly not so bad. Hehe, I’m looking forward to seeing him…)

“Oooh… I seeee. Keep it reasonable, okay?”

Alicia said with a twitching smile.

“More importantly, Astrea-nee-san, how are things with the guy from your party?”

“…What’s with that all of a sudden?”

“It’s a hot topic in the village, you know? That Astrea-nee-san overturned the <Prophecy> and joined the harem of a human hero.”

“It’s not a harem. In the first place, he hasn’t laid a hand on anyone.”

“Huh? So… Basically he’s not interested in you at all?”

“Do you want to get punched?”

“Aaah, Astrea-nee-san is scary~”

(Wait? He hasn’t laid a hand on anyone? Even though he’s an adventurer!?)

Pretending not to notice Griselda’s quiet agitation, Alicia cut in.

“Well, Finn-kun is…He’s  a good kid, and an amazing one. But since Vasily raised him, he doesn’t act like the stereotypical rough thug.”

“Vasily? That old lady?”

“Old la— y-you’ve got a death wish, don’t you?”

“If the Great Elder is a grandpa, then she’s beyond grandma, right?”

“If you say that, then all of us look like old hags to humans.”

“-!?”

(W-What!? B-But! Isn’t it fine as long as we look young!?)

Griselda, who had believed from past experience that adventurers would go after any elf, was further shaken.

“Hehe, I’ll tell you, Alisha. In the party… Sometimes they call me grandma.”

“Gra-grandma…?”

“Yes, grandma. You’ll be called that too.”

“Ehh!? Th-that’s a bit… I don’t like that.”

“Give up. From a human’s perspective, one hundred fifty years old is an old hag.”

“A-Alicia-nee-san! Astrea-nee-san is bullying me! It’s not true, right? I’m not a grandma, right?”

Alicia silently shook her head. The one who was usually teased about her real age was supposed to be Vasily, but three thousand years was so long that calling her elderly almost felt presumptuous. Thus, Alicia—moderately long-lived yet still youthful from a human viewpoint—often became the target of such jokes.

Mainly by Aria, though.

“Unfortunately… From a human’s point of view, we’re old hags.”

“A receptionist I knew…She got married and had a kid. Before I knew it,she was already starting to look older. That’s the reality…”

“N-No way… I’m only one hundred fifty…”

Alisha muttered while her eyes spun.

“Th-Then what about that guy? Are elves hopeless? Is looks alone not enough?”

“…………Heh. That’s what I’d like to know…”

Astrea said with darkened eyes. Alisha glanced at Alicia. Alicia only shrugged. Seeing that, Alisha roughly grasped the atmosphere.

(Umm, this feels less like there’s no chance and more like… no one’s making a move? If it’s not even a harem, are they all holding each other back? Wow, that’s intense. It’s like one of those hostile harems in stories.)

Though Alisha had been ordered to remain in the village, she had grown up hearing many tales like her older sisters and thus was well-versed in the way of the world. On top of that, unlike the two of them, she had been forced to stay behind in the village. She had truly wanted to leave as well, but she had been engaged to a man of her sisters’ generation and made to wait in the village for the hero. She had resigned herself to probably never being allowed outside… and yet…

(Well, he’s the one who changed my fate, after all. It’d be sad not to give him at least a little service, right? Unlike those idiots in the village, he’s a hero who’s changed all sorts of destinies. If that kind of big-brother hero listened only to my orders and served me, it’d feel so good…)

Among Johan’s notes kept by Vasily, information about Alisha was recorded. In the <original work>, her position had been that of the sheltered daughter of the Elven village.

Unlike her two older sisters, she had been caught between the <Prophecy> and the village’s will. Living under suppression had twisted her personality into something aggressive. She mocked the elves of the village and treated them like slaves, drawing criticism—yet since it was the elves themselves and the Great Elder who had engineered things to become that way, they could not oppose her.

Up until her CG scenes, she had been popular as the small-statured girl who continued to act in a way that belittled others. In other words…. She was a bratty girl.

(Hehe! The dependable hero everyone relies on would grovel pathetically, obeying only me. Ahh, I want to see it… that cool hero big brother writhing miserably…♡)

(…Ah, this isn’t good. We can’t go back now. If I leave this be, the royal capital might disappear. Why is this girl getting excited? It’s scary. And this Griselda is seriously aiming for Finn-kun too! Geeeez! Why does it always turn out like this!? Is there no one normal!? …Ugh, my stomach…)

(…Nee-san should be fine, but Alisha needs to be watched. I can’t imagine Finn falling for a woman like that, but she’s definitely more charming than I am. Griselda is openly hostile, so Finn won’t waver for her. Tch… another rival, huh…)

(If I steal his first time, he might resent me. I’m not saying I need to be first, so maybe I’ll just get involved moderately. If Astrea-sama glares at me, I’ll die.)

The wind had completely stopped around the four elves. It would not become a storm. It would not rage. Each of them was simply wavering just a little. A small amount of magic leaking from their emotions balanced the air currents, creating a miraculous stillness.

“…This is going to be fun.”

“Yes… it’s going to be fun…”

“Hehe, I’m looking forward to it. Tell me if there are any good shops!”

“Before that, we should prepare lodging.”

Astrea with darkened eyes. Alicia with lifeless eyes. Alisha with shining eyes. Griselda with a wry smile.

A new spark was about to be brought into the royal capital.

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T/N: Alisha, Finn would be delighted to serve as your human chair, you know?