In the forest on the outskirts of the Royal Capital, where the morning mist still clung to the trees, the man in the black robe slowly lowered his hood.
Long silver hair, pointed ears, and clear emerald eyes—an elf.
A faint residue of the barrier's magic from the previous night still clung to his fingertips. However, it wasn't the barrier he was probing for. He was searching for something deeper inside. Something far more nostalgic.
"...There is no mistaking it."
His voice was low and trembling.
Pale pink magical power. A resonance that was sweet and soft, yet possessed a depth that felt bottomless.
Years ago, he had held that child once, back when she was still an infant. Small and warm, her cries had echoed through the cottage. In that moment, he had etched the sensation of her mana into his very soul. There was no way he could ever forget it.
"So, you were alive..."
She was his granddaughter, the final memento of his daughter.
On that day, the forest had been stained with blood. His daughter and her husband were slaughtered. Humans had murdered them as they traveled by carriage from the Empire, seeking a life of quiet seclusion after retiring from adventuring. By the time he had reached the scene, all that remained in the scorched carriage were their bodies.
But the infant was gone.
There was no corpse and no trace of her belongings—only a lingering residue of her magical power.
So he had searched. For eight long years.
He had wandered through countless nations and even scoured the Demon Territory. He had stepped into human cities, nearly driven mad by the sight of the same species that had murdered his daughter swarming all around him. He sustained himself with a single hope: the belief that someone sharing his blood was still out there.
And then, yesterday happened.
In the middle of the crowded Royal Capital, he caught a glimpse of pale pink hair that looked exactly like his daughter's. At first, he thought it was a cruel trick of the light. But when the girl turned, he saw her profile. She was smiling, a silver flower adorning her hair. She had the same kind eyes as his daughter.
Her magical power was being suppressed, but the quality was undeniable. Through the high-precision magical power sensing unique to elvenkind, his race did not merely "see" mana—they felt it. Once they touched a specific magical signature, it was carved into their souls forever.
"...She is well-guarded."
He had investigated the house that night. A formidable barrier surrounded the perimeter, and the guards were clearly veterans. If he acted recklessly, rescuing the child would be impossible. He didn't want a fight; his goal wasn't to snatch her away by force if he could help it. He simply wanted to bring her home.
"I will have her back, humans."
It was a resolution forged from a mixture of grief and hatred. The blood of the forest belonged in the forest. An elven child belonged in an elf village. That was the natural order of things; he had believed from the start that humans were never to be trusted. At least, that was his conviction.
And yet, as he had probed the mansion the night before, he felt something unexpected.
The black-haired girl standing beside the boy. Her mana possessed a will that was unwavering despite its immaturity. Protection, love—what was that resonance? Above all, she possessed a peculiar "color" unlike anything he had ever seen. She would be a problem.
"For a human, what a bothersome child."
He let out a short breath and began walking deeper into the forest. He couldn't afford to rush now. He had waited eight years; he could wait a little longer. But the next time they met... would it lead to a conversation, or a rescue?
In the morning mist, the elf’s figure seemed to melt away into nothingness.
The atmosphere in the mansion shifted just before noon.
"...He’s here," Yuka said quietly.
You've got to be kidding me... He’s back already?
He was standing right in front of the main gate, just outside the barrier's edge.
"He's being strangely bold," Tarinuka noted, watching through the window.
"No attempt at concealment. It could be a provocation," Yuka added.
Thinking about it logically, does anyone actually show up like that? He didn't look like he was planning to run; it was more like he was a challenger showing up at a dojo.
In that case—
"I’m going to go talk to Mother and the others."
Yuka narrowed her eyes slightly. "Surely you don't intend to negotiate with him?"
"Yeah."
If I’m standing safely behind the barrier, it should be fine.
In the drawing room, Mother had already grasped the situation.
"He's standing at the front gate, isn't he?"
"Yeah. I guess he gave up on being stealthy."
Fazil crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "Who knows? I can't tell what this guy is playing at."
"What do you want to do, Luka?"
Mother looked at me directly. It wasn't a look meant to test me; she was genuinely giving me the power to choose.
After a moment of thought, I spoke. "I want to talk to him."
Silence fell over the room. Fazil was the first to break it.
"It’s dangerous."
"I know."
"He might be the same person who tried to break in last night."
"I just feel like... there’s a reason for all of this. I want to know why."
Mother’s eyes wavered slightly at my words.
"He might have been able to break through the barrier if he really wanted to," she mused. "But he stopped. Perhaps he was just testing the waters."
Fazil sighed. "Come on, Luka. It's almost certainly a trap."
But really, would someone go through all that trouble? If he's so bad at hiding that he just walks up to the front door, this place really is just a magnet for berserkers.
Mother set her teacup down. "And?"
"I'm going to talk to him through the barrier. And I’ll be taking my ultimate party with me."
The air in the room grew heavy.
"I see."
"I don't think I can just kill people or do something terrible without knowing why they're here."
Maybe that’s a naive way to think in this world.
"If we don't know what he wants, let's just start by asking."
Fazil gave a small, amused smile. "You've certainly grown bold."
"I learned from the best, Brother."
Mother slowly stood up. "Very well."
She made the decision instantly. Apparently, Mother’s philosophy was to let people make their own choices.
“If Luka-chan ever turns into a bad boy, Mommy will just have to go scold him!”
...I really do have a wonderful mother.
"However," her gaze turned sharp. "If I decide it’s dangerous, your father and I will step in immediately."
Ah, that’s the "it’s all over" flag.
Fazil nodded. "I’ll be close by as well. Yuka, I am granting you full combat authorization."
I felt like they were over-preparing a bit. I only intended to have a chat. Still, knowing they cared enough to be this protective made me happy.
"Thank you."
Mother spoke one last time. "Luka."
"Yes?"
"When the time comes, you must be the one to make the choice."
Her words were the final push I needed.
In front of the gate, the barrier shimmered with a faint light. Beyond it stood the black-robed figure.
The wind picked up, causing the man’s hood to sway. Fia clutched my sleeve tightly. Why was she here? Because she had flat-out refused to stay inside.
"...That person... from yesterday," she whispered.
"Yeah. But it's okay."
As I spoke, Yuka stepped forward. Tarinuka stood ready, his hand never leaving the hilt of his sword.
"..."
"Thanks, you two."
I stepped up to the edge of the barrier and raised my voice. "...I want to talk!"
The man in the black robe slowly turned his gaze toward me. After a long silence, he spoke.
"...Are you the human who took that child from us?"
His voice was low, but it didn't carry the heat of rage. I didn't back down.
"And who are you?"
The wind died down. Slowly, he reached up and pulled back his hood.
Long white hair and pointed ears were revealed. Yuka immediately dropped into a combat stance.
"...!"
Fia let out a tiny gasp.
The man didn't touch the barrier. He simply stared. His gaze was fixed entirely on Fia.
"I have come to take that child back."
The tension in the air was thick enough to choke on. I took a steadying breath. 'Take her back'? So he was claiming she belonged to him?
"I'm sorry, but this child doesn't belong to any—"
"I am her grandfather."
"...Huh?"
I wasn't the only one who froze. Even Yuka and Tarinuka's eyes went wide.
"...Wait just a m-m-m-minute, please."
Wait, grandfather? As in, a grandpa? A second-degree relative, better known as... a grandfather?
"...Fia's grandpa?" Fia stood there, stunned.
"That child is the only daughter of my daughter, her living memento. I will have her back, no matter what."
Oh, this is bad. If that's true, I can't win when it comes to family ties.
N-No, hold on, I’m Fia’s big brother too! (No, I’m not.)
I can't let myself be shaken. The elf stood before me, reaching out his hand.
...But seriously, what am I supposed to do now?