AgWorld Chapter 166: Real Princess, Fake Elf
Chapter 166: Real Princess, Fake Elf
Meanwhile, Mitsuki turned his attention toward those two girls waiting for him atop the roof of that house. He couldn’t imagine how long they had been there, but they definitely had some patience for this kind of thing.
’They’re a lost cause. I can understand why people isolate them so much, even if I don’t agree with how they treat them.’
As someone who once had a past tied to people’s stares and rumors, he could understand how overwhelming that could be.
He leaped high onto the rooftop, rising into the sky with the delicacy of a feather. Then he let himself fall backward, far too relaxed for someone plummeting straight toward the ground.
The orange sky stretched before his eyes while the wind battered his clothes.
Ellegaard and Jeanne watched him with confused expressions.
In the blink of an eye, while falling, Mitsuki transformed into a cloud of ash.
The tiny dark particles scattered through the air like smoke carried by the wind.
He flew forward using his signature ability until, two seconds later, he came to an abrupt stop right in front of them.
The ash swirled around his body before slowly fading away.
"You were following me. Your stares were what I felt back at the restaurant, weren’t they?" Mitsuki said bluntly.
"Well, yes. I swear I wanted to go say hello, but Ellegaard forced me to hide. Her hatred and jealousy toward Rosie are still so huge that she can barely stay near her for more than two seconds."
"I’m telling you, I don’t envy anyone!"
The elf struck the rooftop with the tip of her staff as she said it.
Mitsuki sighed, exhausted.
’Sometimes Ellegaard’s tsundere behavior gets out of control. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with that once I recover my emotions.’
Ignoring the elf’s tantrum, Mitsuki walked past her to leave.
"And where do you think you’re going, tick?!"
Stopping, Mitsuki looked at her for a second before continuing.
"I need to continue the routine of filling my soul with prana so I don’t, you know, die. I already spent a pleasant and calm moment thinking more clearly about the things I’m going to do next, so I think it’s reasonable to focus once again on the important things."
"A pleasant moment, you say? With that filthy little mutt? You really do cling like a tick to anyone who shows you a little affection."
"Ellegaard..." Jeanne said, aware that the elf had gone too far.
However, Mitsuki answered coldly.
"I guess you’re right."
That caught Ellegaard off guard.
Even Jeanne widened her eyes slightly.
"I’d rather cling to people who treat me well like a parasite than stay beside someone who hits me with a staff every time I do something that makes her angry, or someone who constantly yells at me and insults me. If you think I’m wrong for choosing not to suffer the way you want me to, then that’s your problem. You’re an elf who’s decades old, much older than Jeanne, Rose, or me combined. Why don’t you learn to mature a little?"
Ellegaard fell silent; the expression on her face hardened into confusion.
Her fingers tightened around the staff.
"I’m not saying this to insult you or make you angry, but I think you’ve been going a little too far with your attitude. In fact, I appreciate you because you taught me how to survive in a world I don’t know; you taught me the most powerful magic of all simply because I needed it, and with your harsh methods, you made me understand that I’m not invisible and that the smallest thing can kill me."
Mitsuki’s voice remained calm, but every word struck heavily.
Ash dust swirled around him.
"There are good things about you, professor, but I think you’re too used to people hating you, so you always show everyone that annoying side of yourself. I don’t hate you. Well, I can’t feel anything right now, but I know I don’t hate you. It’s just that... I need you to take a break from being... you."
The silence that followed was uncomfortable.
Even the wind itself seemed to calm down for a few seconds.
Having said all that, Mitsuki jumped off the roof and vanished wrapped in ash.
The dark cloud descended between the buildings until it disappeared among the streets of Luxar.
Jeanne stared after him, genuinely surprised.
"By the Goddess of Light... Is that really the Mitsuki we met a few months ago?"
There was a hint of pride in her voice.
She looked at Ellegaard with a proud smile because Mitsuki had stopped being the loser he used to be, but she turned serious when she saw the expression on the elf’s face.
The elf remained completely still.
She calmly looked toward the horizon and said:
"You know he’s right, don’t you?" She placed a hand on Ellegaard’s shoulder. "Even he recognizes the good things about you, but he mostly pointed out the bad things because that’s all you ever show people. I can’t say the same because I know you better than anyone, but... that’s just how things are."
Tired and shocked by Mitsuki’s harsh words, Ellegaard sat down on the rooftop. Jeanne followed her and did the same.
"People get tired of us, but mostly of you. Don’t you think we’ve already spent enough years in a party that never grew? Do you remember what we used to think when we first began our journey?"
Ellegaard hugged her knees and answered.
"We thought we’d have lots of adventurer friends to travel the world with..."
The elf’s voice sounded much quieter than usual.
"And where are those friends now, Ellie?"
"There aren’t any..."
"Exactly. But you’re not the only problem, so don’t feel like everything is your fault. I mean, let’s not forget I’ve broken plenty of bones and ruined families with my fights. I understand my father let me go adventuring with you not only because it was you accompanying me, but also so I’d stop being... myself."
Jeanne let out a small embarrassed laugh.
Ellegaard shrank slightly in place.
"You were and still are a spoiled brat who thinks she can get whatever she wants with money or force. Sometimes you become narcissistic, and you drag us into trouble whenever you get drunk because you’re capable of destroying an entire city in one night."
Jeanne laughed again.
"Of course. And don’t think I didn’t have fun in the process. That’s simply who I am. But your case is different because unlike me, who’s genuine all the time, you aren’t cruel or aggressive, yet you try to show people the exact opposite. Besides, you preach about everyone else’s flaws, but you’re incapable of acknowledging your own. You’ve been like that ever since I met you, so I never understood what made you act this way."
Jeanne’s smile slowly disappeared.
The elf remained silent, perhaps remembering something. After a second, she said:
"That’s none of your business..."
Her emerald eyes drifted toward the ground.
"That’s the problem, Ellegaard. It’s the same problem I have with Mitsuki. Neither of you likes talking about yourselves. Maybe that’s why you think I’m narcissistic, because just like him, neither of you cares about letting people know who you truly are. I guess that’s why Mitsuki is the person you’ve treated the worst so far. Maybe he reminds you of that ’mask’ you decided to wear so you wouldn’t be genuine."
Ellegaard gripped the staff tightly. Those words stung deep within her ego.
The wood of the staff creaked slightly beneath the pressure of her fingers.
"Haven’t you thought about how the two of you are more alike than you think? I believe you are, because sometimes both of you have the same sad, distant expression," Jeanne said.
"Don’t talk about me like you know me. You don’t know me. You have no right to talk about me."
For the first time in a long while, Ellegaard’s voice didn’t sound furious.
It sounded tired.
"And do you have the right to talk about Mitsuki or Rosie?"
No answer.
The elf slowly lowered her gaze.
"That’s what I thought. In the end, you still want to be fake."
Jeanne stood up, stretching her muscles and making her armor creak. Then she let out a huge sleepy yawn.
"Damn. I’ve never talked to you like this before. Makes me feel old."
Ellegaard said nothing. She remained in the same position.
Jeanne extended her hand in front of the elf’s face.
"Come on, let’s go get some drinks. It’s getting late, and there’s nothing better than venting with an ice-cold beer."
Ellegaard looked away.
"You just want me there so I can make ice cubes."
"Not just for that. We all need to cool our heads after talking about our feelings. I’m sure that after a good night of drinking, tomorrow you’ll be ready to face the world like a brand-new Ellegaard Witherbark, complete with a terrible headache."
The princess smiled brightly.
The elf thought about it for a few seconds. She let out a resigned sigh and took Jeanne’s hand.
"You’re way too good at convincing people."
"Well, if my brother doesn’t want it, someday I’ll become the queen of all Sardonyx. I need good social skills, don’t you think?"
"You’re just a spoiled brat."
"You say that like you don’t enjoy bragging about being the pinnacle of Arcane Magic."
"Because I am."
"See? That’s exactly what I mean."
Ellegaard clicked her tongue while Jeanne burst into laughter.
Beneath the light of the crimson sunset, both girls disappeared across the rooftops.
The silhouettes of the real princess and the fake elf slowly drifted away as the first lights of the night began illuminating Luxar.