The elf standing before me held out his hand.
It wasn't a hand meant to steal her away; it was the hand of someone who had come to take her home.
I still didn't know for certain if this man was truly Fia’s family.
"Fia," I called out softly.
The small hand gripping my sleeve tightened its hold.
The elf’s emerald eyes wavered slightly.
"Is that... the name you have given her?"
"Yes. I named her myself."
A heavy silence fell between us. Eventually, the elf began to speak, his words slow and measured.
"Eight years ago, my daughter was murdered by humans."
The very air seemed to turn frigid.
"They were on their way to retire after leaving the Empire. Their carriage was torched. They were found in a gruesome state."
Fia’s shoulders gave a sudden, violent shiver.
Yuka started to take a step forward, but I raised a hand to restrain her.
The elf continued.
"But their infant was missing. There was no body, no trace—only the faint residue of magical power."
His emerald gaze locked onto Fia.
"So I searched. I crossed borders and ignored the boundaries between races. I searched for eight years."
His voice carried a clear edge of anger. But beneath that, I could hear the exhaustion of a long journey and the profound relief of a man who had finally reached its end.
"Yesterday, I found her. My daughter’s child was still alive."
Fia tried to hide herself behind my back, yet she seemed to be listening to every word.
I took a breath and spoke.
"Fia is under our protection. Actually... she’s my family."
"Family? You lot?"
His voice was now thick with undeniable fury.
"I found her after she escaped from a slave merchant," I said. "And then I bought her."
The elf’s eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp as he tried to discern whether I was lying. I didn't look away.
"I treasure her. She’s my family."
After a long silence, the elf finally let out a long, slow breath.
"I... thank you, human."
It seemed my sincerity had reached him.
"And... I am glad you survived."
Those words were meant for Fia. Across the barrier, the grandfather’s voice softened for the first time.
"That hair, that magical power... there is no doubt that my blood flows within you."
Fia peeked out from behind me.
"Really?" her voice trembled.
"Yes. You look exactly like my daughter."
For a fleeting moment, a small smile touched the elf’s lips. But it vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.
"However, I cannot trust humans."
The tension returned instantly.
"Humans killed my daughter. Humans ravage the forests. You are consumed by greed, taking and destroying everything you touch."
I couldn't exactly argue with him by saying, 'Hey, I'm one of the good ones.'
"I wish to take custody of the child."
The man had likely gone through a whirlwind of emotions regarding me. The fact that he was asking for "custody" instead of just taking her suggested he was already compromising.
"I will raise her in the forest. As an elf. As she was always meant to live."
In a way, it made perfect sense. Living with a blood relative among her own kind in a safe environment was, by any logical standard, the correct path for her.
I looked down at Fia.
"Fia."
But the choice wasn't mine to make.
"What do you want to do?"
The elf’s eyes wavered again. He hadn't expected me to leave the decision to her.
Fia looked down at her feet for a moment. Then, she lifted her head.
"I... I want to stay here," she said. Her voice was quiet, but firm. "With Master, and Yuka... and everyone else."
The grip on my sleeve grew even tighter.
"I don't want to be alone again..."
In that moment, I felt as if I’d glimpsed a deep, private pain that neither I nor this elf could truly understand.
The elf’s expression hardened.
Fia’s answer wasn't what he had hoped to hear. He had his own pain, too—the memory of that day, the smell of smoke, the sudden loss of everything he loved.
He closed his eyes and let out a breath, as if exhaling years of pent-up sorrow.
"I see."
He didn't argue. He simply accepted it.
Then, slowly, he lowered his head.
"Once again... I offer my thanks."
He really was a decent person.
"Thank you for protecting my granddaughter."
Yuka’s eyes widened for a split second. Tarinuka finally took his hand off the hilt of his sword.
"However, do not think I trust you," the elf added sharply. "I do not trust your kind. I will judge you as individuals."
I thought about it for a moment, then spoke up.
"In that case..."
The elf looked up at me.
"Why don't you watch over us yourself?"
"What?"
"If you’re worried about leaving her here, then you should stay nearby."
My mother’s face flashed through my mind. She’d probably scold me for this, but I didn't want to see this family torn apart. Besides, knowing her, she’d probably find the whole situation entertaining.
"I want you to come live at the mansion."
Silence.
"Luka-sama, are you sure?" Yuka whispered.
"You could be a guard, or a gardener, or whatever," I continued.
The elf looked completely stunned.
"If you’re so worried about your granddaughter, wouldn't it be easier to just watch her from her side?"
It was simple logic. Why fight over her? I was Fia’s big brother, and he was her grandfather. Which basically made him my grandfather, too.
"You... what are you talking about?"
"Fia wants to stay here. So she’s staying. But this way, you can be with her, too... Grandpa."
Fia spoke up timidly. "Grandpa...?"
At that one word, the elf’s emerald eyes wavered violently. The granddaughter he had spent eight years searching for had finally acknowledged him.
Full marks, Fia. I'm definitely giving you headpats for that later.
After a long, long silence, he spoke.
"I shall... be in your care."
The words were quiet, but certain. I thought he’d be more stubborn, but it seemed he realized this was the best outcome for everyone.
Yuka looked at me with a face that clearly said, Are you actually serious?
I gave her a small grin. "Dialogue was a success, right?"
Fia let out a long sigh of relief. The light from the barrier wavered softly in the air.
It wasn't a case of "the blood of the forest must return to the forest." Even an elf could live in the human world. I didn't believe in segregation. Besides, in my old world’s anime, elves and dwarves were everywhere.
Fia had made her choice, and thanks to her, this man had been able to make his, too.
The elf looked at Fia one more time.
"Your name?"
"It’s Fia."
"Fia... I see." He nodded slowly.
The sky over the Royal Capital was a deep, endless blue.
Afterward, I had a hell of a time convincing the rest of the family. For a moment, I almost regretted taking "Grandpa" in because of the sheer amount of work it took to smooth things over.
But with that, everything was resolved! Or so I thought. Making choices without regrets really is the hardest thing in the world.
A few weeks later, the mansion had finally begun to settle into its new routine with our elven guest.
He was working as a combination of a knight and a butler. It turned out he was incredibly capable and could handle almost any task with ease, which earned him everyone's trust in record time.
He occasionally acted as my etiquette instructor, though he was such a harsh taskmaster that I was starting to regret my decision. I wondered if he was that strict with Fia, too.
Exhausted, I headed out to the garden, only to find that a training session was already underway. I decided to watch with Fia.
"Your posture is failing."
The voice was dry and sharp.
Yuka was sitting in a formal seiza position, her face expressionless. Standing before her was the elf—Orbis.
He had traded his black robe for simple, flowing garments. His silver hair swayed gently in the breeze.
"Do not simply let your mana flow. Knead it. Compress it. Do not let a single drop escape."
Beads of sweat formed on Yuka’s forehead. She looked calm on the surface, but I could tell she was exerting incredible effort to maintain control internally.
Must be nice. Even in the middle of a training arc, I'm stuck as a bystander. I'm really failing at this whole "reincarnated protagonist" thing.
"Ngh...!"
"Too shallow. You rely far too much on your raw intuition. It is a common vice among humans—especially those with talent."
Tarinuka was watching from a distance. Or rather, he was standing there, frozen stiff by the intensity of the scene.
Orbis crossed his arms and hummed in thought. "Hoh... to be able to knead mana to this degree at such a young age."
Fia stood beside me, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "Yuka is amazing!"
"She is, but..."
That was pure Spartan training right there.
"Stand up," Orbis commanded.
Yuka rose to her feet. In the next heartbeat, Orbis vanished.
The wind howled. Suddenly, his fingertip was resting against Yuka’s neck.
"Slow. You aren't reading the flow of magic at all."
A single drop of cold sweat rolled down Yuka’s cheek. But she didn't waver.
"Again... please," she said calmly.
She was so stoic. For all her ladylike grace, Yuka was surprisingly aggressive when it came to combat training. And Orbis was clearly taking her education very seriously.
Tarinuka leaned in and whispered to me. "Master Orbis... he is an exceptionally powerful individual, isn't he?"
"Yeah. You can tell just by looking at him."
I really did respect him for not resorting to violence during our first meeting. To find the daughter of your late child after all those years, only to find her living with your mortal enemies... "Rational" didn't even begin to describe his self-control.
Yuka began to knead her mana once more. This time, the process was even quieter than before.
I saw Yuka’s magic often, but the color was... unique. It was beautiful, but it was a blend of hues. I guess that's what a mix of Light and Flame looked like.
Orbis’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"Good."
That was all he said. But there was a hint of satisfaction in his eyes.
Fia smiled happily at the sight.
Watching them, I let out a quiet murmur. "Well, I guess this is fine."
Tarinuka looked over at me. "What is, Young Master?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Everything."
Yuka being pushed to her limits in the garden, the elven grandfather giving his stern lessons, and Fia watching it all with a smile. All of it together.
"I think this is what happiness feels like," I said lightly.
It wasn't just Yuka and Fia; I’d become involved with so many people now. But for now, I’d focus on those within my reach. I would make sure they were happy, no matter what.
After all, as their master, making the slaves I bought happy was practically my solemn duty.