The conversation between Sieg and Jutia had been proceeding peacefully, but midway through, it started to feel a bit strained. Sieg’s expression clouded over slightly—or rather, she looked like she was caught in a moment of indecision.
Even through my Sympathy Magic, I could feel a heavy sense of hesitation, as if she wanted to say something to Jutia but was struggling to find the words.
"How lovely, how lovely! It’s been so much fun chatting! But we shouldn’t loiter in the shop too long. I’m going to go buy my black tea now."
"Ah, yes. I’m sorry for keeping you for so long."
"It’s fine, it’s fine! Don’t worry about it! I had a lot of fun talking, and if the opportunity arises, let’s talk again, zei!"
While I was lost in thought, the conversation reached its conclusion. Jutia moved toward the counter to pay for the container of Glorious Tea she was holding.
I felt like I couldn’t just let it end there, so I chose that moment to interject.
"Um, excuse me… Sieg-san, don't you have something you wanted to say to Jutia-sama? Or maybe something you wanted to ask?"
"Oyo?"
Jutia tilted her head at my words. Sieg looked at me with a momentarily startled face, but she seemed to quickly recall my Sympathy Magic and her expression shifted to one of understanding.
After shifting her gaze back and forth as if hesitating for a final moment, Sieg finally spoke to Jutia.
"……Um, Jutia-sama, if it isn't a bother, there is something… I would like to ask you."
"To me? Sure, sure! In that case, I’ll just finish buying this black tea. Let’s talk a bit more once we’re outside!"
"Yes, thank you very much."
Jutia replied with a bright smile, readily agreeing to Sieg's request. Once she had purchased the Glorious Tea, we all stepped out of the shop and moved to a spot slightly removed from the main thoroughfare.
Since this was the district for the wealthy, there weren't many people around, so we quickly found a quiet area with very little foot traffic.
Jutia and Sieg faced each other once again. Sieg still wore that conflicted expression, but after a short silence, she opened her mouth.
"……The truth is, I am… an elf who has absolutely no aptitude for either Nature Magic or Spirit Magic. I’m a failure."
"A failure? Eh? Zi—Sieg, what on earth are you saying?"
"I never told you or Luna, did I, Lili? The Elf Race is a people that lives alongside nature… Perhaps you could call it a racial trait, but fundamentally, every elf has an aptitude for either Nature Magic or Spirit Magic, regardless of how much talent they actually have."
Lilia and Luna, who were Sieg's best friends, looked on in shock. I had actually heard a little bit about this from Sieg herself before.
When we had gone to Rigforresia together, she had muttered something about her lack of aptitude for Nature or Spirit Magic while we were having a late-night drink.
However, since she hadn't seemed to want me to pry into it at the time, I hadn't asked any further and had changed the subject.
Hearing Sieg's confession, Luna thought for a moment and then spoke as if a memory had been triggered.
"……Now that you mention it, there was a story in a fairy tale about a Winged Race that Cannot Fly. It said that very rarely, individuals are born without their racial characteristics……"
"Yes. Even in the history of the Elf Race, I was an extremely rare case of an elf with zero aptitude for either Nature or Spirit Magic. To make matters worse, my father was such an elite mage that the previous King personally bowed to recruit him, and my mother was a Spirit Mage renowned enough to be called a rival by the head Spirit Mage. Because everyone expected so much from me, the disappointment from those around me was quite significant."
Everyone was left wearing complicated expressions. Being born without the aptitude that everyone else in your race took for granted… honestly, the pain of that must be far beyond anything I could imagine.
"Ah, but it’s not like I was persecuted or anything. My father and mother had a lot of influence within the tribe, and I was strong enough that I didn't lose to most people in a fight. It’s just that… because of that strength, people would always say things like, 'If only she had the aptitude.'"
"……Is that why you didn't return to Rigforresia with Rei-san and Fia-san, Sieg?"
"The biggest reason was that I didn't want to leave Lilia’s side… but I can’t deny that there was a part of me that simply didn't want to go back there."
Sieg was one of the strongest individuals in the Human Realm. During the Treasure Tree Festival, even Rei had said he might not be a match for her anymore, which likely put her at the very top tier of the Elf Race.
Precisely because she was so talented, I suspected Sieg had always been deeply bothered by the fact that she lacked what was considered a "normal" trait for her kind.
And I finally understood why she wanted to ask about it here. Jutia was the Great Spirit who presided over the spirits the elves worshipped—a deity-like figure to them. Sieg probably just wanted to be heard by someone like her. She wanted to share the burden she had carried as an elf all this time.
But after listening to the story, Jutia just blinked, wearing a strangely puzzled look.
"……Hmm. That’s weird. That’s really weird. I’ll set the Spirit Magic aside, since that involves things like compatibility. But I’m shocked to hear you can’t use Nature Magic when you’re 'loved by nature enough to evolve into a High Elf.' I’m really surprised! Even I’ve never heard of a High Elf who couldn't use Nature Magic, zei."
"Yes, you're right. For a High Elf, who is supposed to be so beloved by nature that they evolve, to be unable to use Nature Magic… it’s a ridiculous joke—wait, what?"
"Hmm?"
"……Um, Jutia-sama? Am I just a normal elf?"
"……No, 'no matter how you look at it, you’re a High Elf,' zei."
……Wait. Things were taking a strange turn. It felt like there was a massive gap in how the two of them perceived the situation.