Strongest Swordman’s Re:START

“Tem!”

“Shh! She’s sleeping.”

“Oh. I’m sorry…”

Kena exclaimed with relief once Astard returned home with the silver-haired girl in his arms. Astard then handed Tetem over to Kena with care and as much delicacy as possible.

“Phew. My shoulders are toast because a certain elf wouldn’t switch with me.”

“What did you say? I was the one who carried Tetem the most on our last visit to the professor’s home. Don’t whine.”

“Don’t lump me in with you, you ox.”

“An ox? Right now, I’m a cute elf, just so you know.”

“Please don’t call yourself cute. You’ll make me laugh.”

“Just try and do it.”

“Hu…”　

Merc silenced Astard with an elbow blow to his grumpy face at the end of their quarrel, just as he was stretching his sore shoulders. It was easier to let the hands speak instead of the mouth while dealing with witty and rational folks.

“……”

Kena, on the other hand, simply stood there, Tetem in her arms, and observed their exchange.

“Shoot…”

Shoot… I accidently showed Kena that we get along. I hope she doesn’t get the wrong idea…

The interaction was only a jest between old friends of the same sex for Merc, but in her present state, it could be perceived as an exchange between lovers. Kena had feelings for Astard, therefore Merc didn’t want her to misunderstand.

“Miss Merc, you’re an elf?”

Kena asked, her attention drawn to something else completely.

Come to think of it, I didn’t tell Kena that I’m an elf.

“What? Oh, yea.”

Merc acknowledged it, as there was no need for her to keep it a secret in the first place. Fortunately, Kena didn’t seem to have paid much attention to Merc’s exchange with Astard just now.

“So you’re an elf. No wonder you’re so beautiful. When I was combing your hair, I was puzzled as to why your ears were so strange1, but now it all makes sense.”

“Merc, was it okay to tell her?”

“There’s no reason to hide it. True, elves aren’t particularly common in human settlements, but that doesn’t mean they’re persecuted.”

“You have a point.”

Astard murmured, casting an enigmatic glance at Merc, who had divulged her secret with ease. In Merc’s situation, though, she just hadn’t had the opportunity to tell Kena. Furthermore, things had come to this point because Astard slipped up and revealed that Merc was an elf.

“An elf… It’s all coming together now.”

“What?”

“It’s only that, despite appearing to be around my age, you get along great with the Great Sage. However, I suppose Elves don’t really look their age.”

“Haha.”

Merc laughed, trying to dodge the question.

“That’s right. Despite her appearance, she is older than I am.”

Astard stated brazenly. However, if Merc’s previous life was considered, she was indeed older than Astard. Even though Merc was only 14 in this life, she couldn’t dispute Astard’s claim.

“Oh my! So you really are older?!”

Kena exclaimed, clearly fascinated. After seeing her like that, there was no way Merc could say anything.

“Miss Merc, you really are just like the elves that I’ve imagined. You’re stylish, gorgeous, brilliant, and the Mana you’re hiding is astounding. You can also produce drugs… You’re like a model Eternal.”

“Huh? You know that word as well, Kena?”

Merc asked, surprised that Kena had heard of the nickname Astard had mentioned before.

Is it really that well-known? It’s the first time in my two lifetimes that I’ve heard it.

“It’s something that almost everyone interested in magic has heard about. After all, a Magician’s ultimate objective is to become an entity comparable to an Elf.”

“Is that so…”

No wonder a swordsman such as myself hasn’t heard of it.

It’s no surprise that Merc hadn’t heard of the term given her mana had been so low in her previous life that she hadn’t been able to use any spells. Furthermore, she had ended up in the Elf village even after reincarnating. And because elves wouldn’t proclaim themselves as Eternals, she couldn’t have known about it.

“Now that we’ve safely returned with Tetem, how about we have lunch? Kena, is everything ready?”

“Of course.”

Finally, Merc and Astard left the entryway and followed Kena into the living room. As they did so, Merc’s attention was drawn to a pill that had been placed on top of the table.

“This is…”

“What? Oh. It was in the bag that you gave me, Miss Merc. It was the only one without any label on it…”

Kena, who had returned after putting Tetem to sleep in a nearby room, remarked after observing Merc’s puzzled look.

“I must have put it in by mistake. You won’t need this one.”

After picking up the small, square green pill, Merc muttered, moving her head sideways.

The pill in Merc’s palm was the one they’d discovered in the professor’s home, the one that prevented heart attacks. Merc had forgotten where she’d stashed it, but it appears she’d intermingled it with the drugs she’d given Kena.

I guess we won’t need you anymore…

The professor was supposed to be the recipient of this drug, but he had already taken his own life. Merc flung the pill out the living room window, afraid that someone would swallow it by accident. With the aid of the wind and rain, it would ultimately dissipate.

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“One more matter settled…”

Merc remarked as she watched the pill fall to the ground. She got the impression that there was still something unresolved, albeit it wasn’t as strong as Astard’s. She had the impression that they were overlooking something, but it may simply have been her overthinking things.

Perhaps she was simply shaken because she hadn’t anticipated Count Fonan to set fire to himself alongside the entire mansion merely because he had been pushed against the wall.

But it was only because of the Count’s death that we were able to reclaim Tetem. So, in the end, I suppose it all worked out.

“Kena, aren’t you waking Tetem up?”

“Tem must be exhausted after all of that. I’d like to give her some more time to rest. I’ve set aside a portion for her as well, so don’t worry.”

“I see. You’re very thoughtful… You’ll make a wonderful wife one day.”

“What? T-Thank you…”

“Hm? Is there something wrong?”

Merc smiled as she watched Astard and Kena talk while setting the table.

Those two make a good pair. I should leave before I become a nuisance.

“Merc. Don’t just stand there and help.”

Astard murmured as he pushed a plate at her, possibly in rebuttal to Merc’s thoughtful gaze. Merc smiled and politely received the plate.

“At your command, oh Great Sage.”

“Wonderful reply.”

After giving the plate to Merc, Astard, who had surprisingly chosen to take advantage of the joke, sat down with an embarrassed expression. Merc sat down on one of the chairs after giggling at Astard, who hadn’t changed at all.

After placing all of the plates, Kena sat down as well, and the three of them began eating. The table was, indeed, shared by trustworthy companions.

Silva: yea I was wondering that, don’t elves have pointy ears? How come people don’t realize it at once when they see her ears… are her ears usually hidden behind the hair? Do people not see elves often? How strange…