Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf! Volume 6 E-Book

Makishima Suzuki

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Welcome to Japan, Ms. Elf!
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 403

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Kazuhiro and Marie officially start dating after he confesses his love to her. After taking care of the aftermath of defeating Zarish, the gang discusses the details of how to spend their summer in Japan. Kazuhiro and Marie are excited to have Wridra visit Earth for the first time in a while, but when they awaken, they realize Shirley tagged along for the ride...

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Chapter of Diamond

Episode 1: Dinner Party of Jewels

Episode 2: The Ruined Prince and the Detested Race

Chapter of Midsummer

Episode 1: It’s Summer in Japan, Ms. Elf

Episode 2: Let’s Eat Summer Vegetables

Episode 3: A Sudden S-Rank Mission

Episode 4: Shopping During a Sky Voyage

Episode 5: Welcome to Japan, Ms. Floor Master

Episode 6: Scattering Seeds in the Land

Epilogue

Afterword

Color Illustrations

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Table of Contents

Color Images

Chapter of Diamond, Episode 1: Dinner Party of Jewels

There stood a young girl, staring with her light purple eyes.

The shades of color within them changed depending on the angle, like glistening amethysts. Her hair, flowing in the wind, was as white as the clouds drifting in the sky. Graceful and vivid in color, those who saw her as they walked by couldn’t help but do a double take at the elf’s mystical appearance, but the young woman in question didn’t even notice their stares as she spoke.

“I wonder why there are always flowers at the monuments here. And so many of them, too.” It seemed the boy she spoke to wasn’t aware of the elf’s value, as he just yawned with a sleepy-looking expression. He looked toward where the girl was pointing and smiled faintly.

“Ah, these are offerings,” he said in a calm tone that didn’t seem to match his age.

The two were the same in height, but the age difference between them was quite astonishing. The long lifespan of elves was quite well known, and it went without saying that the girl was much older than the boy. However, the boy wasn’t exactly as young as he seemed either.

“Offerings? But there are so many of them, and they’re maintained so well that none of them have withered.”

The elf looked at the boy curiously, as if she relied on him for an answer. This was likely due to her trusting the knowledge he had gained through his travels. He did, of course, know the answer. The bits of wisdom he had acquired through his long, long journeys were thus passed on to the elf girl one by one.

“Well, the household of the Blackrose family, also known as the Blackrose Clan, is really famous. They actually used to govern over this desert country. I hear that ever since they improved river management and blocked out those horrible sandstorms with a magic tower, people decorated Arilai with lots of flowers.”

The boy picked up a single flower and showed her. He then placed it back where it was and stood up again.

“But this only went on until the king’s reign began, and they weren’t allowed to pay respects that way since. These flower offerings are remnants of that old practice.” The boy scanned their surroundings as he finished speaking.

There must have been a very capable gardener at the manor, as the branches were well kept, and the black roses, the origin of its name, were in full bloom.

Knowing the history changed one’s perspective. When he arrived at the remnants of the castle during his journey, knowing that a battle had taken place there certainly changed the boy’s impression of the place. Yet, the elf girl had her hands on her hips as she pointed something out.

“Oh, so we were playing haunted house at such a distinguished manor.”

“I guess you could say that. But considering its long history, maybe our classic approach was just right for the setting. Old houses are scary, after all.”

“Like the stains on the walls,” they both added at the same time, then laughed.

The rainy season had just passed, and the wind and clouds lazily drifting by were quite pleasant. It was better to spend time in leisure rather than working on days like these. That is, at least while the two enjoyed their dreamy time together.

“In any case, let’s take our boxed lunches and go visit Mewi. I’m sure he’s starving right about now.” The boy nodded in agreement and lifted his bag up to his shoulder. Colorful flower petals danced in the air as the two began walking slowly with a basket full of sandwiches in hand.

It was just recently that the boy had confessed his love to the elf girl. At that time, she had taken his outstretched hand in elation.

Although they were now officially in a relationship, their actions hadn’t changed for the most part. Though, the robed girl’s steps were noticeably lighter than they were before. As she turned around and urged the boy to hurry, her voice and smile seemed a bit brighter, as well.

§

Puseri, the last of the Blackrose Clan.

She reached out her hand and let her fingertips touch the glass window. The woman watched as the two of them walked away, and then a sigh escaped her crimson lips.

There was a somber expression on her face and a gentle curve to her wavering, lustrous hair that was reminiscent of roses. It was the color of twilight, like a moonless night, and her eyes framed with long eyelashes were the same color.

From an outsider’s perspective, she must have been the very image of a somber young woman. An artist probably would have been willing to pay for an opportunity to draw her face on a canvas.

However, she was actually utterly troubled.

She had grown up in a privileged environment, and having inherited the noble blood of the Blackrose Clan, she had the appearance to match. Not to mention, she was an extremely talented and mighty warrior, but she still found herself at her wits’ end.

So much so that she wanted to escape reality by going off somewhere with that couple outside.

She let out a sigh, making the window fog up a bit.

“Ah, how awful. I would be able to go out if not for this abominable piece of paper.”

With that, she picked up the single sheet of paper she hated so much, pinched between two of her fingers. It was spotted with the sunlight peeking through the leaves of the trees above, and it was completely covered in fine text.

The reason for her somber expression was obvious.

The paper with a wax seal pressed upon it indicated that it was an account of payments owed, and the price indicated was enough to make a commoner collapse right then and there. Despite this, there were many others like it nearby.

It was enough to cause headaches even for someone of a noble bloodline like her.

“What are you lookin’ at, Puseri?”

The paper was swiped from her hands. Puseri turned around to find a dark-skinned woman, Evelyn—also known as Eve—standing there.

Wearing very little to cover up in the garden of women, not only were her thighs exposed, but her healthy-looking bare skin could be seen from her shoulder to her armpits, as well. Her body was soft, yet protruding in all the right places, and her physical beauty drew stares even from other women. But the eyebrows of the woman with the alluring figure crinkled dramatically as she saw what was written on the paper.

“Gah, the heck is this?! Just how much debt did you have built up?”

“I do not know. At the time, I had no plans to become the next heiress. In other words, you could say this debt had nothing to do with me.” She responded with an unconcerned tone, and Eve made an exasperated face.

Puseri Blackrose grew up in a wealthy household, just as her appearance suggested, and she was coddled as a child due to her tendency to use her cuteness to her advantage. This meant she’d had a rather sheltered upbringing, and as such, she was completely unaccustomed to facing situations like these. Strangely enough, it was actually the free-spirited dark elf who was exasperatedly holding her head in her hands instead of Puseri.

“Huh... But I thought the Blackrose Clan was supposed to be famous. Whoa, this thing is expensive enough to buy a big mansion! Are you guys actually just famous for being big spenders?”

“Do not be foolish. It is only natural for a lady such as myself to take care of my appearance. This is merely a proper way of spending money.”

She spoke with a nonchalant attitude, and her dress was indeed classy and mature attire fit for an aristocrat. Though, her statement just now did detract from said classiness.

Eve could only feel despair. She could imagine that Puseri’s late predecessors had ignored the issue of this massive debt, accruing more of it rather than lowering their standard of living. Being a member of the same team, the situation was absolutely horrible to consider.

Come to think of it, maybe Zarish didn’t even need to do anything... Eve gulped and shook her head.

She couldn’t explore that thought any deeper.

The boy that had visited earlier was responsible for putting an end to their lives as slaves, but it occurred to her that the manor could have wiped itself out even without Zarish, the root of their anguish, getting involved at all.

“B-But what are you gonna do about that debt? You have any idea how you’re gonna pay it off?”

“This debt has already vanished. Isn’t that right, Zarish?” She spoke in an accusatory tone as her eyes of twilight glanced to the corner of the room, where a young man wearing an eyepatch was sitting.

He stood with his hand to his chest and his back straight like a butler, but he seemed scared... or rather, he was acting strangely. His body shuddered, and his one remaining eye darted around erratically.

The man was the former hero candidate, Zarish.

He once boasted that no one in all the land could defeat him, and he drew the attention of not only Arilai, but the entire continent as a force to be reckoned with. This wasn’t surprising, considering he could nullify any attack that was slower than the speed of sound and immediately turn any who stepped within range of his sword into a corpse. Even if he was completely alone, he could have walked right through an enemy’s line of battle.

“Yea—yes... Everything I own also belongs to you, Lady Puseri.” With his teeth chattering as he spoke, he was hardly a shadow of his former self. He once ruled as the king of this manor, doing with his servants as he pleased, but the roles had since been reversed.

Eve’s long ears wavered, and only she seemed to find this situation strange. Her blue eyes widened as she stared at Zarish. It was only natural that she would wonder why he was subservient to Puseri, despite not wearing one of the rings.

After all, she was the one who had dominated Zarish’s mind with her Engagement skill, which allowed her to control his violent tendencies with the ring they each wore on their finger. But through that night of occultic horror and physical and mental abuse spanning over multiple days, Puseri had succeeded in implanting severe trauma into Zarish’s mind.

“Hey! You’re showing her even more respect than me!”

“Ow ow ow! Iron Claaaw!!!”

“Shut up, I’ll show you the power of my ring!”

Though, it was more like the power of her grip on her ring as she clenched her fist. Meanwhile, Puseri was completely unfazed by the commotion around her and let out a melancholy sigh. She then covered her mouth with the closed folding fan and uttered to herself.

“Very well. Then that means there is no more reason for me to worry about these liabilities.”

Eve’s grip, which was so tight that it could have crushed skulls in her hand, loosened on her ring as she noticed the unusual look on Puseri’s face. Supposedly, Zarish had already paid off the debt when he had acquired the manor and Puseri along with it. So why did she look so somber?

Eve then realized something.

Despite having her entire clan murdered, even her will to seek revenge had been taken away by the ring’s dominance. Now that she was free, it had to be absolutely humiliating to get a handout from the one who was responsible for what she had gone through.

That was why Puseri had been like a raging tempest for the past few days, but she’d gradually shifted to thinking about what she would do from now on. In Eve’s eyes, it seemed as if the young lady was facing the detestable remnants of her debt in order to grow past her sheltered upbringing.

The dark elf nodded, then rushed over to Puseri.

“Puseri, I know this is pretty sudden, but why don’t you be the master and lead everyone? You’re responsible, kind, and strong, so everyone will probably count on you. In fact, I’m sure of it.” Eve smiled and took Puseri’s hands in her own, and Puseri’s eyes widened in surprise to find her so close. Her cheeks gradually turned red, and she hesitantly squeezed Eve’s hands back.

“Th-Thank you. I was actually debating on whether or not I should bring up that very idea. Team Diamond is on the brink of collapse without a leader, and I am well aware of everyone’s concerns.”

“Yeah, everyone seemed really worried. It hasn’t been decided what’s gonna happen to the team yet, so I think it’s a good idea. If you feel the same way, I think you should go ahead and volunteer. Then we can all live together happily!” Puseri was so full of negativity just a few minutes ago, but she could now feel happiness spreading in her heart. It was surprising just how much a few words could change things. Eve’s friendly smile didn’t waver no matter how many times Puseri blinked.

She cleared her throat, then squeezed Eve’s hands that were well-trained by the sword. Then, with her cheeks still flushed, she parted her lips to speak.

“Whether I can become the master of Team Diamond or not is dependent on all of you. I will muster up the will to bring it up during dinner tonight.”

“Yeah, you totally should. The Blackrose Clan has a history of leading Arilai, too. I’m sure everyone will be thrilled, and it’d make me really happy.” Puseri couldn’t help but clear her throat again. Taken aback by the pleasantness of seeing such a friendly smile so up close, she could feel her cheeks flushing again. She gently moved Eve a step away as she told her she was standing too close, then coughed lightly.

“We will need to make preparations, then,” she said.

“Hm? For what?” Eve asked.

“Why, it should be obvious. Let us get ourselves Briman furniture as a celebration of Team Diamond reforming. I have always found the furnishings in this place too masculine for my tastes, and they don’t fit Team Diamond’s image.”

Eve had no idea what Puseri meant and cocked her head in confusion. However, Puseri assumed Eve had understood her, and she laughed in her classy fashion. It was clear from the look on her face that she believed she was saying something completely reasonable, which made the dark elf nervous.

“Whaaat? Why are you trying to spend money now?! You’re putting yourself on the course to bankruptcy already!” Puseri flicked her folding fan closed... and the only thing Eve could think about was when that fancy, lustrous black fan had been purchased. The dark elf felt sweat beading up on her forehead for some reason.

“Hmhm, please do not lump me in with your typical nouveau riche. As a member of the Blackrose Clan, I will accept nothing less than top-of-the-line quality.”

“Wha...?!”

Puseri flashed a look of utmost confidence, and Eve felt her knees go weak. Then it hit her. Eve realized that Puseri may have looked capable, but she was one of those useless rich girls. She screamed internally and held her head as sweat continued to pour out profusely.

Th-This is no good... She’s an airhead aristocrat down to the core...!

She used money like water despite not having any. Such foolish things could have been possible if she put up the mansion for a mortgage, but that still meant she would have been heading straight toward the edge of the cliff. In order to keep herself from crumpling to the floor, Eve grasped at Zarish’s shoulders, who was standing nearby.

“Th-Then, how much of your funds are still left, Zarie?”

“Don’t worry, Eve. It would be impossible to use up my entire savings. I’ve been investing with the future in mind all this time.”

In...vesting? Eve was unfamiliar with such concepts of human culture, so the term went in one ear and right out the other. Even so, she understood the situation was dire and could instinctively tell that this was something that would greatly affect their future, so she inquired further, her voice trembling. She really shouldn’t have asked at all.

“F-For example, what are you investing in?”

“This may surprise you. First, there’s the promising oil fields and mines of the neighboring country of Gedovar...” Eve’s brows furrowed as Zarish explained with a confident expression.

Gedovar was a place where half-demons congregated, and they often waged war against neighboring nations. This reminded her that he had once planned to defect over to Gedovar. But now that those plans had gone south, what would happen to his investments? The answer was quite obvious...

That really was surprising! Eve screamed internally again.

Her eyes spun as she tried desperately to think of some sort of solution despite her lack of knowledge regarding finance and investing, and then she eventually slammed her hands hard against the table. The other two started in surprise.

“NO! DEBTS! Absolutely not! We’ll do some honest work, then buy things with whatever is left over after paying off living expenses! This is how you’re supposed to do it!” Eve slammed the table again as she enunciated her words, but Puseri... didn’t look impressed. She looked at Eve with a confident expression, then laughed as if to admonish someone who was bad at handling their money.

“Hmhm, whether we pay now or later makes no difference. So why not acquire what I want when I want it? This is common sense.” The young woman was so horribly out of touch that Eve could almost feel her vision distorting. She was hopeless.

This was the statement of someone who dove headfirst into self-ruin, and they would eventually end up saying, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” The shock was too much, even for Eve. She slid down to the ground and sat with her legs curled under her.

“So, Eve, now that we’re in agreement, I would like you to give me your support at tonight’s dinner party. Please let everyone know that I am the one who is worthy of being the master of the Blackrose Clan, and that I will lead us all to happiness.”

Eve was completely dumbfounded by Puseri’s absolute confidence. Not only would she fail to make everyone happy, but she would bring misery upon them all. So all she could do was retort with a trembling voice.

“Look, there are all sorts of expenses we need to pay for the manor’s upkeep, and you’re on the brink of being completely broke if Zarie and I leave this place. So please, if you’re gonna be the master here, don’t waste any money on fancy furniture.”

“You will leave your entire life savings, won’t you, Zarish?”

“Yes, of cou—”

“Of course you won’t!!!” Eve hit her beloved Zarish with a raging headbutt as she rose to her feet. Being used to violence by now, Zarish made a strange “Hwuah!” sound as the blow connected.

§

That night, when Eve unfortunately failed to stop Puseri’s habit of excessive spending... the women began gathering one by one at the candlelit dinner table.

Each of them were beautiful in appearance, ranging from young girls to mature women. This was no surprise, considering exceptional talent and beauty that rivaled the glimmer of a diamond were the conditions for joining the team in the first place.

In any case, the women were quite strong. Despite their terrible past, the ladies were full of cheer as they were drawn by the appetizing smell. Now that their days in slavery were behind them, it was heartwarming to see them holding hands in joy.

They gathered before the owner of the manor, each spinning in place to show off their matching dresses. Seeing this, Puseri couldn’t help but break into a wide smile.

“Oh my, how lovely. These dresses fit you all perfectly. Now, everyone, please take any seat of your choosing. It is time to begin the dinner party.” There were no designated seats, and the women had no obligation to wear their dresses. The motto here was to have fun and be carefree while upholding manners that were becoming of a lady. Propriety called for them to follow a dress code as residents of a noble household, but this was a way of distancing themselves from the long restrictive days they had spent as slaves.

The eight women were illuminated by countless candles. Each of them seemed to be enjoying their meals, and more and more dishes were brought out to keep them satisfied.

They had waited a long time for this dinner party. However, they each wore a rather difficult expression on their faces. This was because Zarish was smirking as he left dishes on the table. Although he wore a servant’s outfit, many of the women still feared him as their former oppressor.

“Hey, Zarish. Wipe that stupid smile off your face. You look like you’re trying to make advances toward us. It’s disgusting.”

“I agree completely. Makes me sick just looking at it.”

It appeared they didn’t fear him; they were simply revolted. However, it was far more hurtful for a man to be told he was disgusting rather than being feared. Zarish’s shoulders drooped, but he continued distributing the dishes.

It was no wonder the women were rather bewildered. They had never sat around the table together like this, and they used to be the ones bringing the dishes out for Zarish instead. It was hard to believe the one who had brought about this change was such a young boy.

The former ruling system had come to an end.

But that didn’t mean all of their issues had been resolved.

Zarish was merely under control due to Eve’s ring, and he was like a ticking time bomb. They had no idea if or when he would revert to his old self, and it felt as if they had temporarily sealed away a demon.

There was another surprising thing upon the table.

The dish placed in front of everyone demanded all of their attention. The intricate presentation made it seem like it had been prepared by a master chef, and it was certainly fitting of the Blackrose clan’s dinner table. Everyone drew in close and whispered amongst each other.

“Wow... Did anyone know he had this hobby all this time?”

“Hmm, such ornate decorations... How can someone make floral decorations like this using mashed potatoes?”

“Did he base the design off of the manor? It’s so intricately made that it’s kind of weird.”

Although they didn’t remember much from when they were under Zarish’s control, the fear ingrained in their bodies still remained. But seeing such a stark contrast between his former demonic appearance and his current state, they were taken aback to find he was such a perfectionist. His well-groomed blonde hair, handsome features, and good posture made him look quite attractive as long as he kept his mouth shut.

As they chattered among each other, Eve called out to Zarish to stop him.

“This is amazing! You arranged the dish like the restaurant food I saw in Japan just from my descriptions. Come here, Zarie. You deserve some praise.” She grinned, then hugged him as he kneeled before her. He seemed somewhat happy as his nose was buried in between her breasts. Though, the other ladies around them broke into more cold sweat at the sight.

“This makes me so happy. You still haven’t forgotten the dishes we made together when we were still novices,” Eve said.

“Yeah, I couldn’t lower the quality of our food even when we had to pinch every coin to get by. Those days were so hard, I don’t remember how many times I cried.” Maybe it was the lighting, but Zarish’s expression changed, making the others actually empathize with his pain. Everyone couldn’t help but wonder just what had happened between these two in the past.

They each took a bite of their food, and their eyes lit up with joy at once.

Despite the dishes having been made with the same ingredients they’ve always had, they were surprised by the burst of umami and smooth flavor.

The somewhat hard meat was seared after being prepped, then slowly cooked in a stone oven. It was cut thinly to make it easier to eat, then mixed with a sauce made with citrus fruit to remove the odor. The women were thoroughly impressed by the cooking skills that had heightened the ingredients to their fullest potential.

Some of them were full of excitement and cheer, but others drooped their shoulders in disappointment. Among them was Darsha, the barbarian warrior, and Miliasha, a descendant of the gods.

“I can’t believe it... It’s way better than my cooking. I think I’m gonna cry.”

“Don’t say that! M-My sense of taste is different, so all I can do is slice bread. You’re far better than me in that sense, Darsha.”

Seeing Darsha biting her lip and trying to hold back tears, Miliasha couldn’t help but hug the female warrior’s shoulders.

Having endured the cuts all over their fingers in the past as they tried to cook, they didn’t expect to be shown such a massive skill difference at this dinner party. Tears quietly rolled down their faces as they embraced.

“Damn it... I worked so hard, too...”

“Ah, Darsha. Look, look over there!” Miliasha pointed as Darsha sniffled and complained.

“Huh? What the... Zarish has such a satisfied look on his face! Are you kidding me? He was enduring our cooking all that time? Kinda pisses me off to know he was being needlessly courteous...” Delicious food was not a crime... but, sadly, bad food was. The two gritted their teeth against the taste of defeat, but this experience would help them grow. Perhaps. Probably. Maybe.

Pop! The cork on the wine bottle they had gotten as a gift was removed with a satisfying sound.

They had received it from the black-haired boy in celebration for their team being reformed and as a token of gratitude for letting him stay at the manor. For some reason, Kazuhiho had said “I didn’t get to have a taste of this after all...” as he handed them over.

Zarish poured the ruby-colored wine for Puseri as the owner of the manor, then distributed it to the others. Puseri stood up shortly after, drawing the attention of all those in attendance. She then straightened her back, her calm voice reverberating through the hall.

“Please listen, everyone. I would like to make a decision on something regarding our future.” All of those gathered looked glanced at each other as if they had been anticipating this moment.

There was a reason they were all nervous. Now that they were no longer under the dominating influence of the ring, they were able to regain their will, as if waking up from a nightmare.

But each of them were there due to different circumstances.

Those who were bought as war orphans or slaves, those who were found on the streets and forced into servitude without knowing what was happening, and those who had lost in a duel... They were all anxious about what would happen to them moving forward. Seeing their expressions, a look of sadness filled Puseri’s twilight eyes.

“We have all suffered abuse and had time taken away from us because of him... because of Zarish. But thanks to the efforts of that black-haired boy and Eve, we have been freed. You are all released from everything that bound you before.” Some of them let out a sigh of relief. The head of the manor was indirectly telling them that those who were purchased with money were freed of their debts.

Just then, Eve, who was standing nearby, stepped forward and placed both hands on the table. It seemed the shirt framing her slim body couldn’t contain her large breasts, and it was open down to the second button. The necktie hanging between them rested there by chance, rather than being positioned there deliberately. But the candlelight cast a shadow on her cleavage, and her colleagues chattered amongst themselves, noting how sexy it was. Eve then parted her full and alluring lips to speak.

“Hey, all. Let’s skip all the formality stuff and get right to it.” Eve cleared her throat, drawing everyone’s eyes on her. The beautiful array of colors that met the dark elf’s eyes took her breath away for just a moment. They really were like a box full of jewelry. Their former owner, Zarish, was pure evil, but he certainly had an eye for beautiful women.

“Freedom may have a good ring to it, but I’m sure it made some of you worry, too. To be honest, that’s how I feel. I don’t know what I’m gonna do starting tomorrow.” She frowned, troubled, and some of them agreed encouragingly, “Of course,” and “We’re jobless, after all.”

It was just a seemingly insignificant conversation. However, this was indicative of just how much things had changed.

Although it was self-deprecating in nature, they were able to speak their minds and laugh together. After being denied the right to speak freely for so long, they could feel the taste of freedom at last, along with a feeling of pure joy welling up inside them. They enjoyed laughing together from the bottom of their hearts, and before they knew it, the tension in their shoulders was gone.

“So, here’s my idea. Why don’t we all keep living together? Luckily, we’re a bunch of really skilled people, and Team Diamond is one of the best around. Besides, you know... You’re all so cute, you could easily find a rich guy to marry if you want.” Eve gestured with her thumb sticking out between the fingers of her closed hand, and those who knew what it meant either chuckled at the vulgar dark elf or turned pink. Meanwhile, those who didn’t get the message just cocked their heads in confusion.

Then, a woman with silky blue hair raised her hand. She was born of demonic descent, which was evident from the whites of her eyes being black and the irises being white. Not only that, but she had curled horns reminiscent of a devil.

“Give us your pragmatic view on this. Our only options are to remain here or to join another team. Is that right?”

“Hmm... it’d be a different story if you had some place to go home to. If you wanna go home, I’ll send you off on a carriage, and I’ll introduce you to other teams if you want to transfer.” Everyone looked at each other in surprise.

Eve was the biggest victim out of all of them, having nearly lost her life. She had endured more persecution than anyone present. It felt strange to see she was the one who was willingly putting in work for everyone else’s sake. Perhaps something came to mind, as the horned woman, Isuka, hesitantly spoke up again.

“Eve, don’t tell me... Is this your way of making amends?”

“Urgh... That whole situation was because I didn’t manage my rings properly. I feel so bad about what happened to you all because of me. So... I’m sorry. For putting you all through so much suffering.” She pinched the inner corners of her eyes to prevent herself from crying and spoke with a pained voice.

It was clear that she wanted to atone for her mistakes. After all the pain they had endured, Eve wouldn’t have felt satisfied until she ensured the other women would find happiness. It weighed heavily on her mind. But the reaction she received was an unexpected one.

“What, is there someone who has a grudge against Eve? Who is it?”

Eve watched blankly as the others all looked around at once as if they had no idea what she was talking about. It was just recently that she had told them about the rings, and she had assumed they all hated her for it.

“Come to think of it, I am a little pissed... at him.”

“Yeah. I don’t blame Eve, but I will never forgive that man.” With that, they pointed at Zarish, who was standing back by the wall. He looked at them with an apologetic expression, but it was only because he was under the influence of the ring. Just as was the case with Eve, the personality of whoever was under the influence of the ring changed to become more like their master.

Isuka took a big bite of meat, then stared back at Eve.

“Why not ‘re-educate’ him thoroughly and completely? The way I see it, you should inflict fear into his heart just as much as Puseri did. An eye for an eye, as they say.”

“How rude. I have never given him any cause to fear me. Isn’t that right, Zarish?” Puseri turned to Zarish with a smile elegant enough to make roses bloom, and his knees began to tremble violently. He looked as if he was facing a massive dragon before him.

“O-Of course... Ha ha...”

“Yeah, that’s definitely effective,” everyone agreed.

At the same time, Eve came to realize just how generous her colleagues were. They had their will forcefully taken from them and had spent years being treated as slaves. It was clear they were traumatized despite the smiles on their faces, but they always made sure they were being considerate of their friends. They really were as pure as quality diamonds, she thought to herself.

She felt warmth spreading in her heart, and she cared for them so much that she didn’t want to let them go. She then realized that what she needed to do wasn’t to atone for her mistakes.

“I know Zarish is under control now, but I don’t think you have to forgive him. It’s true that he made our lives miserable, and it was horrible how he forced us under his hand. That’s why I shouldn’t ever be forgiven either.” Such dark words were not fit for a dinner table. Although their memories may have been fuzzy, there was still trauma within some of their hearts. But unless they overcame their pain, they would never have been able to laugh from the bottom of their hearts again.

Before they left this manor, they had to regain their own selves. This was the first and most important thing that Team Diamond had to accomplish. They all came to this understanding without saying it directly, and each of them nodded.

There was a man among them that looked as if he wanted to say “But I’m being controlled right now...” but no one would pay him any mind.

“So why don’t we all live here together? We could work together, eat together, and help each other out. I think that would be best for all of us. I know it’s selfish of me to say so, but I love all of you.”

The dark elves were a widely hated race. They were said to be evil, powerful fighters and were supposedly lurking behind every horrific incident that occurred. But there was another common rumor about them. Dark elves were said to be lonely creatures. This rumor seemed to be true, as Eve’s tears continued to roll down her face despite her wiping at her eyes over and over again.

But dark elves weren’t the only ones that had a tendency to get lonely. Cassey, who had a tail and triangular ears, had features very much similar to those of the Neko Tribe. Clad in an outfit that revealed her healthy thighs, the young girl slammed into Eve as she wrapped her limbs around her in an embrace.

“I’m living with Eve-nyan too!” Her body was warm, as if she had just been laying out in the sun, and Eve was taken aback by the narrow-eyed expression on her face, as if she was hoping for head pats.

“Whoa! Oh, Cassey, I wasn’t done talking yet.”

But one by one, each of the others stood from their seats, as if to show her that they already understood what she was trying to tell them. Despite their differences in race, skin color, and age, not one of them could bear to leave the lonely crybaby dark elf by herself.

Outstretched hands wiped away her tears, stroked her hair, and gave reassuring pats on her shoulders and back. She begged them to stop because it would only make her cry harder, but they ignored her pleas. They each knew just as well as Eve how painful it was to be alone, and the dark elf finally burst out crying aloud.

And so, the dinner party of the jewels went late into the night.

Chapter of Diamond, Episode 2: The Ruined Prince and the Detested Race

So, I ended up crying after all.

Such thoughts went through my mind as I took a seat. As one of the older ones in the group, I wanted to reassure the younger girls, but I couldn’t help myself from getting emotional. Calmness was supposed to be one of the advantages of species with long lifespans, but I was acting like a kid earlier. To be honest, I was really embarrassed.

But for some reason, I was totally over it by now. This was the first time I felt totally relieved after crying it all out. Come to think of it, it’d been a while since I let myself cry without holding back. I wondered why it had come to me so easily earlier when I stood up from my seat.

Earlier, Puseri had declared herself a candidate to be the new team master.

She was the most skilled of the group, and no one questioned her virtue. She was immediately met with a round of applause, so there was much positive conversation about how they would move forward as a team and how the members would contact their friends and family they had left behind.

“I see you’ve calmed down now, Eve.” As Eve watched the others with a gentle smile, Isuka approached her. It appeared she had been watching over her from nearby. Eve smiled, embarrassed, wondering if she truly deserved such happiness from kind friends.

“Ah... Sorry for crying so much earlier. I’m fine now.”

“Seems so. Ah, by the way... Earlier, we were talking about how you and Zarish met. We couldn’t help but wonder how the country’s ruined prince and a dark elf ended up traveling together and arrived here in Arilai.” She lightly tapped the gold ring on Eve’s finger. It seemed Isuka was also curious about the ring.

The question came out of the blue, but the others turned around to face Eve at once. Apparently, they were interested enough to cut their conversations short and listen. She could see the celebratory wine was running low. Now that they had finished talking about their plans moving forward, they were more curious to know about the details of the past.

“Whaaat? You want me to talk again? No way, I just cried my eyes out earlier... You might end up getting mad at me this time.”

“Eve-nyan, I have a seat for you right here. Come on!” Cassey beckoned as she pulled up a chair, and the others clapped all at once.

Eve took note of how they really didn’t listen... but many hands lightly pushed her by the back and butt, leaving her nowhere to run.

The last of the wine was poured into a cup. A glass was placed before her, indicating that they wanted her to wet her lips and dig deep into the story.

The array of colorful eyes stared back at her once again.

And so, the untold story was about to unfold before the beautiful women collectively known as “the collection.”

The story took place many years ago, long before Eve had met any of the others.

§

One particular day, the young girl had awakened.

She would likely never forget the moment she reached out toward the evening stars and touched something that fell from the sky.

It gently tapped at her as it flew around her still-youthful arm. The nameless spirit that no one had seen before spent its time carefully examining Evelyn like a bird seeking the optimal spot for a nest.

Eventually, it seemed to be satisfied, and the spirit sank into her forehead.

“Wow...”

The change came immediately. Her senses grew sharper, and the sight before her was as bright as day. Vigor surged through her body, making her feel as if she could run forever and ever. Her skin grew darker before her eyes, but she could feel that this change was “something good,” making her heart race with exhilaration.

And so, the spirit dwelled within her mind and body, transforming the elf living by the shore into a dark elf. In other words, she was compatible. She had accomplished a feat that was impossible for an ordinary elf, proving that she had an aptitude for taking in a spirit within her.

This was a little known fact, but most newly-born spirits were terribly unstable, and most of them vanished from existence. The spirit from earlier had chosen Evelyn as its host, granting her great power in exchange. Thaumaturgy was the word that most closely described such cases. Some gained access to magic, while others obtained the power to control spirits they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. In Evelyn’s case, she had acquired extraordinary physical prowess.

But due to the anecdotes surrounding dark elves from long ago, they were looked down upon as corrupt or cursed by the gods. This was clearly prejudice that had carried on since some individuals had betrayed their allies in the Human-Demon War.

Evelyn hadn’t known about this incident until she returned to her village. She would never forget the look on the face of her mother, who had once been so kind to her, as she gasped in horror. Her father had the same reaction. Her little sister was too young to understand what was happening, but she seemed to realize something grave was going on when she saw Eve tied up with a rope.

And so, she was misunderstood due to how rare her kind was, and she was abandoned even by her own family.

She was suddenly left with no option but to live on her own.

Even to this day, she couldn’t clearly remember what she had done for some time after.

Evelyn had a feeling something similar would happen today.

She let out a sigh, and water droplets fell from her robe that was soaked with night dew. Everything other than her eyes was completely enshrouded in darkness, and she mentally noted how her outfit looked so much like that of the typical detestable dark elf. The color blended into the night, much like she had done until now.

“Our meetup time should be coming up...” Evelyn muttered to herself as she looked up at the sky.

Bits of moonlight shone down between the leaves above, illuminating the scale-like tree trunks. The tree was big enough to completely cover her body. She sighed, thinking about how she had to hide all the time now.

Even dark elves needed money to live.

And most jobs that were done so late in the night weren’t exactly the most legitimate. This country wasn’t the safest of places, and there were bandits lurking about intending to rob others of both their valuables and their lives. Her job tonight was to guide such scoundrels to their roost.

She never could get used to the look of contempt that was always cast her way. No, she did get used to it to a degree, but it changed her for the worse at the same time. Frankly, she kept her contact with others to a minimum so she wouldn’t have to kill her own heart any further.

That was why the night was far more comfortable for her. She never got lost in forests or mountains even in unfamiliar lands, and she used her powers to earn a bit of coin by helping with searches or working as a guide.

As Evelyn waited, soaked in night dew, she noticed a lamp light shining through between the trees.

Her client tonight was named Zarish, if she remembered correctly. She felt herself tense up slightly to find he had a companion and a large horse, despite being in his teens. After all, she didn’t have much experience fighting against armed men.

Evelyn took in a deep breath and released it. She mustered the courage to step away from the large tree, then walked up to the panting horse and raised her hand.

As the newcomers unmounted and Evelyn led the way, the man named Zarish and his companions introduced themselves. The men lived with their lord of a castle nearby, and they were investigating the bandits around the area to secure the region.

Evelyn didn’t understand it. Someone of high stature should have just left the grunt work to his subordinates and rested at home. Why would anyone reveal all of this to a suspicious robed figure like her?

Her eyes were covered under her deep hood, but her voice immediately gave her away as female. That was probably why they had started up a conversation with her. Or perhaps they were frightened of the dark path in the night now that the lamp was put out.

“So, what’s your name?” the man asked persistently as they stepped out of a bush.

She had been moving at a quick pace to avoid trouble, but she was surprised to find Zarish keeping up without issues, unlike his exhausted attendants. He stepped lightly, as if not fatigued at all, and she got the impression that he was well-trained, despite his slender build. She paused.

“Will my pay increase if I tell you?”

“Who knows? But I wouldn’t mind giving you half of my food if you do,” he said, one eye closed in a smug expression.

There was something about the way he spoke that gave her pause. Zarish’s wording made it sound as if he wasn’t the one handling the money. And even though he had handsome features, his smile seemed strained and fake. She couldn’t prove it, but it felt as if his big shot demeanor was all an act.

“Fine, I’ll tell you just to shut you up. My name’s Evelyn.”

“Evelyn, Evelyn... What a lovely name. If only you’d show me your face, I could picture you whenever I lay upon my bed.” She had told him her name as he asked, but now he wanted more. Evelyn let out an exasperated sigh, and Zarish drooped his shoulders in disappointment. His attendants saw this and laughed awkwardly, as if they were used to it. But the young man was unrelenting.

“How about this, Evelyn? I’ll give you one thing you wish for in exchange for a look at your face. Then we’ll both get a happy memory out of all this. What do you say?”

What a foolish idea. She already knew his attitude would do a complete 180 as soon as he saw her skin and ears. He would immediately distance himself from her, then forget all about the despised dark elves as soon as tonight’s job was over. Such thoughts circled Evelyn’s mind as she aggressively walked through the night path.

As the angle of the waning moon changed slightly, Evelyn found herself staring with her mouth agape. Zarish was washing his sword with the river’s water as he spoke.