NOVEL WEB Chapter 95 - Side Story: Zahariash (Part 1)
Side Story: Zahariash (Part 1)
One day, what we’d been fearing finally happened. I lost consciousness before them… overwhelmed by my own power.
“Yenna! This isn’t Ash right now!”
“I know! But we can’t afford to hold back!!”
If they hadn’t stopped me, with all their might, I might have broken that day. We were all battered, but somehow, they managed to defeat me. I’ll never forget that day. I’m forever in their debt.
When I came to, it was already evening. My wounds were treated, and I was laid down by a bonfire. I remembered everything, how I’d rampaged, and I didn’t know what to say, I wished I could just stay unconscious.
“…How long do you plan to stay in bed, Ash?”
“…So you noticed.”
But I couldn’t fool Eugene. I reluctantly got up.
“Ugh… it’s been a while since my body has ached this much.”
“It’s only natural, after we beat you senseless. If you were still perfectly fine, you’d be a monster.”
She’d maintained her polite tone, but her words were harsh, no doubt influenced by Eugene. Yenna was a strong-willed woman.
“Say, shouldn’t we stop keeping secrets from each other? We all have things we’re hiding, right? Why don’t we have a little chat about it tonight?”
“A truth-telling session? Sounds fun!”
They said this. I had been prepared to be questioned the moment I woke up, but their unexpected reactions surprised me.
“…You’re not going to interrogate me?”
So, I asked them what was on my mind. I was ready to confess everything, prepared to be hated. I had sensed that they were both hiding something, but it had never crossed my mind to ask in exchange for my own confession.
“Of course we’ll interrogate you. But it’s unfair if you’re the only one talking.”
“This is the perfect opportunity. Let’s all come clean.”
Their smiles were… mischievous. It was at that moment that I realized that it would be okay to tell them everything.
“Well then, I’ll go first.”
“No, I can go first if you want?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t mind going first either.”
We bickered about the order. It seemed like we all wanted to go first. Usually it’s the other way around, but it seemed that we all just wanted to get it off our chests. Birds of a feather flock together.
“This is going nowhere. Right, let’s say it at the same time.”
“…Won’t it just be a jumbled mess?”
“We can’t decide otherwise.”
And so, thanks to Eugene’s suggestion, we decided to say it at the same time. Thinking back, it was a stupid thing to do. But considering the gravity of the situation, maybe it was our way of releasing tension.
“Okay, ready? We’ll say it on the count of three. One, two, three…!”
We shouted at the same time,
“I’m the Demon King!”
“I’m not an Elf, I’m a High Elf!”
“I’m actually from another world!”
Silence followed. …Honestly, I couldn’t believe my ears. And it took a while to process, but…
“If you’re going to lie, come up with something better!”
““You’re one to talk!””
Eugene was the first to speak. But we couldn’t let his words slide, Yenna and I responded in unison.
“Demon Kings and High Elves, those exist in this world, but Otherworlders? There’s never been such a thing!”
“But this world is at war, and you’re saying Ash is the Demon King responsible for it? That’s the biggest joke!”
“I’m well-known, am I not? Surely High Elves only exist in stories!?”
We bickered for a while, an embarrassing sight. But we gradually started to find it ridiculous. And before we knew it, we were all laughing.
“Hmm, so it’s not by your own will, huh? That’s tough, man.”
When I finished my story, Eugene said this, the first thing he said. I was stunned by how casual he was.
“…Yeah, it’s tough. So tough that I’m almost not myself anymore.”
So, I replied in a similarly light tone. And then, Yenna said this,
“It’ll be okay. Everything will be fine, Ash. No matter the hardship, the light will shine upon you.”
She’d probably already seen it, the future. But I’d taken it as words of encouragement. And those words did encourage me.
“That’s right, Ash. Don’t leave our side. It’ll be fine! If you lose control again, we’ll just knock you back to your senses.”
“Yes, leave it to us.”
“Hmph… That’s terrifying.”
Confessing everything had lifted a weight off my shoulders. I realized, for the first time, how precious it was to have people you could be yourself around. And so, it was my turn to listen. I wanted them to feel the same relief.
“I… what I said earlier is all there is to it. I’m just a serious criminal, a High Elf who left the village because I disagreed with their ways.”
Apparently, Yenna had been questioning the High Elves’ teachings ever since she was old enough to think for herself. Why weren’t they allowed to leave the village? Why did they insist that other beings were inferior? Her curious nature, her desire to see and learn for herself, had led to those doubts.
She’d gradually realized how strange it all was, pretended to obey, all the while planning her escape, and finally left a few years ago. I was impressed by the longevity of High Elves when I heard that she’d spent 500 years preparing for it.
“Yenna… just how old are you…?”
“I’d love to tell you that it’s rude to ask a woman her age, but honestly, I don’t remember. It’s hard to keep track. But let’s see… maybe I’ve lived for two or three thousand years?”
“…That’s incredible.”
It was then that I learned that High Elves didn’t really think about their age. I bet they age even slower than demi-humans.
“But I feel like I’ve been aging a bit faster since I left the village. Maybe it’s because there’s something special about that place, or maybe because I’m no longer recognized as a High Elf. But if it means I’m closer to being human, then I’m happy.”
Yenna smiled as she said this. I see, she was the complete opposite of the High Elves. Maybe that’s how the Elf species had originated, maybe someone like Yenna had suddenly been born among the High Elves.
“So, I’ve cut ties with my family. And I’m not even sure if I can call myself a High Elf anymore. See, there’s not much to my story.”
She chuckled, indicating that she was done, and it was now Eugene’s turn. She looked relieved, as if talking about it had lifted a weight off her shoulders. It reassured me. Now, I hoped Eugene would also feel the same relief. But in his case, I had no idea what he was going to say.
I mean, right? I could barely believe that another world even existed.