Raising the Elf’s Genius Slayer

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Chapter

“Dad! That Elf wants to mate with you!”

Silence.

A profound silence, unmatched by anything else, weighed heavily in the air.

“I’m sure! Usually in heat… uh, eh…!”

Undine rolled her eyes as she blocked Eri’s mouth.

Teasing to a certain extent was fine, but this was a bomb.

A colossal bomb that could blow us all to pieces with a single misstep.

Meanwhile, Rionne’s mind went completely blank as she kept mumbling.

Mating… in heat…

The words of the innocent spirit struck deep into the heart of the Elf.

No, it was more than just a strike; it felt as if it had been torn apart.

“Uh… um…”

Rionne, unable to continue, was flustered.

Enok tugged at her sleeve.

“I’m fine, Rionne.”

“Uh, huh?”

“I’m ready.”

As she humbly gathered her hands in front of her chest, Rionne flinched.

It seemed the one unprepared was the Elf after all.

Rionne, her face flushed bright red, fled the scene like a startled deer.

Gone without a trace!

No kidding, she vanished without a shadow.

“Oh!”

Eri clapped her hands above her head, and a swift *thwack* landed on her from Undine.

“Hey, you little brat!”

“Ahh…!”

Eri rolled on the ground, hugging her head.

Undine sighed, unable to hold back.

“Ugh, another troublemaker… sigh…”

Well, Enok didn’t mind much.

*

A few days later, Rionne, who had been showing somewhat awkward reactions, seemed to start adapting, her stiffness lessening.

“Eri, this isn’t an Elf; it’s Rionne, okay? We see each other all the time.”

“Mom?”

“Uh, no, not really…”

As Rionne hesitated, Enok interjected.

“I’m fine. I’m Dad, and Rionne is Mom.”

“I like it too, Dad!”

Enok patted Eri’s head appreciatively, and her three tails swished back and forth.

“In that sense, Mom! I want a little sibling!”

In an emergency, the bomb disposal spirit Undine swiftly jumped into action.

“Your mouth! You brat!”

“Ahh…! Why are you hitting me?!”

“Don’t spout nonsense!”

“I was just stating a fact…!”

“Shut your mouth!”

Eri, overpowered and being scolded.

Rionne sighed with an exasperated look.

“Enok, you really can’t misunderstand this.”

She hugged Enok tightly and began to explain.

“Your sister doesn’t have any impure feelings towards you. It’s purely innocent.”

“…It’s fine by me.”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean… nothing, really.”

While Enok squirmed cutely, Rionne felt compelled to praise him as she lightly pinched his cheeks.

“Who do you take after to be this cute?”

“…I’m not cute.”

“Right. Instead of cute, you’re handsome. Who else is as cool as our Enok?”

Squeeze, squeeze, as Rionne played with Enok’s cheeks, he remained obediently still, enjoying it.

“Shouldn’t you be worried if another girl appears and your sister’s not paying attention?”

“I’m not worried.”

“Really? You promise? Sister remembers everything!”

“Uh-huh.”

As she stretched his cheeks, Enok’s lips puffed out, looking somewhat sulky.

So cute.

The warm feelings from a few days ago turned into blind normalcy.

The salad from that day must have been a bit off.

Rionne was sure of it.

Not realizing that her gaze toward Enok had changed slightly.

“I wonder who will take our Enok away? No matter what girl it is, she should know she’s super lucky.”

“Um… Rionne?”

“Sis? Hehe, should I just take him for myself?”

With a playful bite to his forehead, Enok’s body trembled.

Rionne smiled satisfactorily and planted a kiss on his forehead.

His cheeks flushed a lovely pink.

Even his shy demeanor was adorable.

“Alright, shall we head out for training now?”

Nodding, Enok trailed behind Rionne as they made their way to the yard.

“What the…?”

Witnessing Enok’s eyes gradually darken, the spirit could no longer hold her tongue.

“Is Rionne seriously doing that on purpose…?”

What if this was a cunning ploy concealed under an innocent facade?

Undine felt a bit scared of Rionne.

Had Enok been subtly set up since childhood, only to be swallowed whole when he grew up?

It was indeed a long-term plan!

“Well, it can’t be, right?”

One bite wouldn’t be the end of it.

Instead, he might just be the one consumed.

In the not-so-distant future, the spirit had a hunch that she’d gain some pretty sweet material to tease Rionne about for a lifetime.

“Wow, you really look like a lunatic!”

Eri got hit once more.

*

Time flows endlessly, without waiting for anyone.

Amidst that flow of time, Enok subtly swayed his tail while continuing his daily training.

In fact, no place was better for training than Rionne’s forest.

Having the Swordmaster and the Tyrant all to himself, and occasionally taking out frustrations on the Master of the Forest, not to mention the surrounding mana being clean and abundant, it was excellent for channeling magic.

Excluding the fact that there were no life-threatening real battles, there wouldn’t be a more efficient training ground on this continent.

Even institutions like academies were merely playgrounds in comparison.

[…What exactly is your deal?]

Today, after a refreshing sweat, Enok glared sharply at the Master of the Forest.

The surrounding forest had become a literal wasteland due to Enok’s exertion of power.

To recover this…

[No! I wasn’t the one who fought with that Elf, you know! You were just going wild on your own!]

“I just don’t like it.”

[You! Do you even know who I am?!]

“Fox?”

The Master of the Forest facepalmed with her tail in resignation.

She couldn’t stand how she had been reduced to a mere punching bag for the last few years.

It felt like just yesterday when all creatures bowed low in her presence.

Now, living while being ignored by this audacious little brat seemed so wrong.

“Here, this is a gift.”

[Huh…?]

Peeking by raising her head, the Master of the Forest saw Eri fluttering over, dropping a bundle in her mouth.

“Dad picked out these tea leaves with great care!”

[Oh…?]

“So hurry up and brew it!”

[…You little.]

Bang! Eri was hit on the forehead with a tail.

Ignoring the spirit crying that it was dying, the Master of the Forest sighed and set up a table.

“Come on, this isn’t how it should be.”

She wasn’t such a simple fox that a single gift would lift her mood.

How did things come to this?

Swish—

Skillfully poured tea filled the cup, which the Master of the Forest served to Enok and Eri.

[It smells good. You got some pretty decent tea leaves here.]

“Yep. I asked Capri for it.”

[Ah, that chef from before? The food she brought last time was really amazing too. She’s quite skilled.]

Capri had started a side business.

She hadn’t completely quit being a mercenary, but she opened a restaurant in her name.

That restaurant became quite popular, and now she’s making way more than she did in mercenary work.

Finding something she was suited for was truly a good thing.

[So what will you do now? It should be soon.]

Not specifying anything in particular, Enok understood immediately and kept his mouth shut.

[Did I hear you’re eighteen now? That means about two more years left.]

“…….”

[When that time comes, you’ll have to leave this place and move forward on your own… Honestly, I’m more worried about Rionne than I am about you.]

“Rionne?”

The Master of the Forest let out a shallow sigh and nodded.

[That little one relies on you more than she does on herself. She was once a strong girl, and now she looks like a tree that might break at any moment.]

“Not that bad, I think?”

[I wish it were true.]

With a bitter smile, the Master of the Forest took a sip of tea and stood up.

[Make sure to take care of her for these two remaining years. Even if you leave, come back to visit sometimes.]

“Yeah.”

That was just natural.

As Enok got up from his seat, Eri fluttered over and perched on his shoulder.

“I’m off.”

[Alright, see you later.]

*

As soon as Enok returned home, he sensed something off.

The heavy, suffocating atmosphere.

Rionne, who had come to greet him, hung her head low and said nothing.

“Rionne?”

Enok stood before her.

Now towering over her by a head, he pulled the Elf in for a tight hug.

Without resistance, Rionne clung to Enok, gazing up at him with heavy eyes, then gradually pulled back, meeting his gaze.

“…Enok.”

“Yeah.”

“Now leave.”

“…Huh?”

Enok’s eyes widened.

But Rionne remained unmoving.

“Today is the last day, Enok.”

The Elf declared coldly, marking the end.

“Get out of the house.”

That day, Enok’s world crumbled.

*

Momentarily losing focus, Enok grabbed Rionne’s arm.

His large hand held the Elf’s thin wrist tightly, but she easily shook it off.

“Enok, stop.”

“A, no… Why all of a sudden…?”

“There’s no point in staying here any longer.”

Cold.

Her cold voice made Enok’s mind sway as if it would collapse at any moment.

Crackle!

Unruly power radiated around him, flickering.

His head spun.

His strong stamina lost its significance; his breath grew heavy.

Why?

So suddenly?

His vision blurred.

Sadness, despair, all covered by anger.

The once surging anger was now stifled, making way for fresh sadness as Enok looked at Rionne with trembling eyes.

“Rionne… I… I messed up…”

As he began to speak, Enok bit his tongue and fell silent.

Now that his vision cleared, it shone on Rionne.

Her tightly shut lips, her crumpled chin, tears welling in her eyes, and clenched fists turned snow-white.

“…Leave.”

The voice he thought was cold was, in fact, one struggling to hold back tears, and her bowed head was an action to conceal the ugly expression on her face.

“…If I take any longer…. I’ll… I’ll…”

Choking back sobs, Rionne lifted her head, meeting Enok’s gaze, and her expression twisted painfully.

“En-enok…”

Wahh— the Elf burst into tears.

“I-I can’t let you go…! Enok has to live with his sister forever!”