Elf Tensei Kara no Cheat Kenkoku-ki

Book 2: Chapter 2-4: Kuu

Okay, first of all eat this soup.

I said and handed Kuu the big bowl of soup I had ladled out before making my announcement to the rest.

Eh? Why are you doing this Cryil-sama?

I wont bring up the next topic until you finish eating.

But, I have my own portion already

Yeah, I certainly did give you your portionbut after I made a delicious hot soup someone ignored it and let it go cold. I cant let my pride as a cook get wounded by someone eating my soup all cold. So Im going to have you eat this hot portion. This is what I want you to do. Do you not want to?

I asked and Kuu shook her head and grabbed the spoon with a smile that looked as if she was crying. She slowly raised the spoon to her mouth.

After the first spoonful she her eyes changed as she suddenly started eating the soup with incredible speed.

Unlike the cups this bowl had more room. Kuu instantly consumed two full cups of soup.

Fuu, it was delicious. This is the most delicious soup Ive ever eaten. The meat was especially soft and the taste feels kind of nostalgic.

Hearing your words makes the effort worth it. Also Kuubefore we speak as our respective representativesI want to speak to you as friends first.

I suddenly stopped talkingI was at a loss for words because I felt a bit embarrassed.

Im glad youre alive Kuu.

I might have been embarrassed but I needed to convey it.

After emptying my heartfelt feelings I couldnt help but smile.

It wasnt like the smile I put on while giving out the soup. It was a smile celebrating the safety of my friend from the bottom of my heart.

It must have been really hard for you Kuu. You must be truly sad about your father and the other Fire Foxes. But I have to sayIm really happy that I could see you again Kuu.

CyrCyril-sama

Kuu, right now were talking as friends. Plus its only us around here. I dont want to hear you call me that.

ButI as the Chief, and Cryil-sama as the Elf, the Leader of Erucy

Kuus voice was trembling.

I was sure that she was the same as the rest of the Fire Foxesshe didnt have the opportunity to mourn.

Because the pressure weighing down on her was so great it would take much more time for her to open up. I wanted to help this process along.

Even so we are friends. It hurts to watch you pushing yourself like this Kuu. The Kuu I knew was a much more honest and lovely girl.

Cyrilsamano Cyril-kunif you tell me stuff like thatI wont be able to hold back my tears.

Its fine. I already knew you were a crybaby Kuu. You dont have to forcefully keep up appearances. If you insist, I might have to put another frog down the back of your clothesmaybe then your silly stubbornness will disappear.

Even if you say thatI know the mischievous and cheeky Cryil-kuntoo

Even now Im still mischievous and cheeky.

After hearing my words Kuus face crumpled into tears yet there was a nostalgic smile on her face.

Really, that part of you never changesbut I feel like youre more kind and grown-up than the Cryil-kun I knew.

After five years its given Id grow up. Kuu also grew up splendidly. If it was the past crybaby Kuu then you might have already ran away. But youve been properly enduring all the way up til now right? Just like I said, there are no Fire Foxes around here. Just us friends. So you can rest for a bit.

Kuu was still only fourteen. Even so she was forced to become the Chief and led everyone here.

All the way here she couldnt show her sadness or pain. She was still at the age she wanted to depend on someonebut she took on the other Fire Foxes sadness and suffering and fulfilled her responsibilities.

She had encouraged and guided everyone until they reached Erucyit must have been torturous. She must have felt such fear when Roleau started yelling at her and arguing. Even when negotiating with me the sense of responsibility must have been crushing.

But even so Kuu fought through it all without escaping.

I respected her as a friend for all she did.

UnI tried really hard.

Kuu said and shoved her face into my chest.

Im the Chief so I couldnt complain to anyone. I was scared and uneasy but I had to tell everyone everything was alrighttell them it would be fine once we reached the forest and the Elves even though I was unsure myselfbut I kept encouraging themonce we got here Roleau and the rest tried to drive us awayI wasnt afraid of RoleauI was afraid of the Fire Foxes behind me.

Thinking that theyd scream that I was a liar since I was the one who said wed be safe once we reached this village. Not knowing where wed go nextmy mind was a sloppy messI couldnt say anything because everyones hopes were resting on me

Im sure that many times during the journey here the Fire Foxes hearts were on the verge of breaking. But even so they withstood it and journeyed to reach Erucy where hope layit was because they believed in Kuu who led them here.

When I thought everything was ending Cyril-kun arrived and covered for usI felt like crying. At that moment, I felt for a second that I could run away and leave it all to you Cyril-kun. Without negotiatingjust cling onto you and cry for help.

But you didnt do that Kuu. If you had done that then I really dont think I could have accepted all of you into the village. Since you demonstrated the value of the Fire Foxes I could incorporate you into the village. At that moment only you could have done that Kuu. You should be proud.

That wasnt a lie.

I thought of Kuu as a friend. I also knew that the Fire Foxes were a helpful existence.

Even so if they had one-sidedly asked for protection and shelter, Erucy didnt have the capacity to accept them. It was because they showed they could provide valuable service to Erucy that they were accepted.

This is weirdIm being comforted by the person Im supposed to negotiate with

This is friend time. Once its negotiation time Ill be strict.

I cant switch roles that easily.

If its KuuI believe you can do it. Thats why I can treat you so kindly like this.

Youre even strict with kindness

Kuu said and wiped her eyes.

Thank you very much. Im alright now. Lets end our talks as friends for now. From now on we will speak as representatives. Cryil-sama.

Kuu emphasized the -sama when she referred to me.

This must be how she distinguished between treating me as a friend and treating me as the Leader of Erucy.

Alright. I have some things I want to ask. Why did you Fire Foxes come to Erucy? Did you find out that we escaped from the Empires control? Alsolooking at how there isnt a single male guard with youit feels like your group is insurance or a sacrificial pawn. Why would you be in this group as the Chiefs daughter Kuu?

I didnt sugar coat my words.

I had to know.

What the Fire Fox Village had done was unnatural.

Us Elves had only very recently escaped from the iron grip of the Empire.why would the Fire Foxes send their people here if they thought we were still under Imperial control?

I can understand them wanting the women to escapebut why wouldnt they provide even a bare minimum of a few men as guards?

Furthermore this group was too small. The Fire Fox Village was wealthy from the salt trade. They had a population of at least 400 people. Even if it was only women who escaped, 50 was far too few.

If you derived from therethey probably split them into groups to diffuse the risk.

By sending them to Erucy they could preserve their bloodline even if the main group failed.

That was the only reason I could think that they had no guards and only a small group.

Insurance or a sacrificial pawn huhhow unpleasant. But I cant say youre wrong. Alright then I should start from the beginning.

Kuu said without denying my conjecture and took a deep breath.

She then slowly began to tell their story.