Kuishinbo Elf Chapter 83 (Patreon)

Something Dark and Dreadful

"Team [Peach Guardians], may I?"

The referee called out. What the hell?

He came up to us and held out a golden card.

"Yes, congratulations! This is the card you will use when you register for the main tournament!  Make sure you don't lose it!"

I took the golden card and looked at it carefully.

The card is labeled [Participation in the Grand Golem Masters Tournament].

On the back...the team name [Peach Guardians] and my name.

And Musel's name was written.

"Wow...cool!"

I was excited beyond my years!

....Nn? Well, it doesn't matter! I'm just a little old....

"nufufu... this is simply a little something, you know? It's actually a form of identification. It's especially good for the Golem Guild!"

"Hee~ this is a big deal!"

Pururu is overjoyed as he slips the card on his cheek.

I'm glad he's happy. I'm happy too!

"Un...I'm happy, but Shishiou's name..."

Give it up! That kid is already marked by your rivals as [Tsutsuou]!

Tsutsuou, who is not one step ahead of the golems that outrank him, has somehow become...

"What an amazing Golem!" and is being admired and looked upon with admiration... it seems.

I can't say for sure, since I only picked up his voice whispering to me from afar...

In fact, Tsutsuou's record is tremendous.

I can't speak for the content, but...yeah, it's all pretty bad!

If you win, it's all good! (I'm sure)

"Well, now we can participate in the Grand Golem Masters main tournament! No way, a newly created team can suddenly make it to the main tournament... lucky me!?"

Pururu says, "No, I don't think so".

"I guess because we're all here... we made it to the main tournament, huh?"

Pururu looks over at me, Riot, Musel and Tsutsuou.

Then...he hugged me and Riot.

"Thank you! My wish came true!"

"Not so much."

"Hehe...I'm kind of embarrassed."

I answered humbly, as I had learned from the man I respected so much.

Pururu, I am so happy for you!

The qualifying round is over...and it's time to go home.

I have to take the stray beasts home with me...

But first, I had to drop off Lily-chan and Julianne-chan.

Lily-chan and Julianne-chan looked very satisfied after watching the match.

The wild beasts were also discussing their impressions of the match.

... Since when do I understand what these guys are saying...?

Well, I suppose I haven't figured it out yet....

"Well, let's go home, shall we?"

"Yeah, right? I'm sure you've had a long and tiring day... shall we go back and have a rest?"

"Yeah! My dad wouldn't be proud of me, but my mom... maybe I could tell him.

Riot! That's... a flag of discovery!

Riot gets ready to go home with Tsutsuou on his shoulders.

The only way to get recognition is to win!

If we show him the result, he won't complain!

Looking around, the spectators were also getting ready to leave.

It seemed that all the matches were over.

"We're going home too...!?"

Suddenly, something hits me.

What is it? This...?

Hatred? Anger? Sadness? Envy? ...murderous intent! A raging hunger?

Something black, an unusual presence.

Something that shouldn't be here... but I sensed it.

"...!?"

I looked around for a moment, but... there was no one there.

Soon, there was no sign of them.

"Elle~ let's go home... what's wrong? Elle?

You're drenched in sweat, aren't you!

"...eh?"

I didn't realize it until he said it, but... I was drenched in sweat.

It must have been due to the extreme tension.

"It's...it's okay, it's nothing."

I tried to act nonchalant... but in reality, I was still upset.

Is this the first time you've felt something that black and emotional? I don't know.

I don't know, I think it used to be... or maybe not?

"Hey, hey, hey... are you okay? You want me to give you a piggyback ride again?"

"...piggyback? ...!!!"

Riot! Riot, don't make me relive my black history!

Absolutely no more, Ah~nn. I won't do it! I promise!

"Ah, are, are you... okay! It's all right! Yes!"

I ran out of the game hall with Musel in my arms.

Hee~! What a thing to remind me of! Ugigi...!

The stray beasts followed me as I ran away.

Pururu, too, chased after me with a bad look on his face.

Riot is chasing after me with a scowling expression on his face.

Ah~! For once, I hate myself for being so slow on my feet!

My roar of rage is sucked up into the sky...

◆◆◆

"Raizen-san, I brought Lily-chan!"

"Oh, hey? I didn't see you, were you at the foodie place?"

Raizen-san's house is located in the grazing area east of the shopping district in the center of town.

For some reason, Lily-chan seems to like me.

"Meeh~"

"Haha...you look pretty content, don't you? Did something good happen?"

I explained what had just happened.

Raizen-san listened to our story with a smile.

"Well, that's great! I used to do well when I was little... but I never made it to the main tournament!"

Raizen-san laughs as he strokes my head.

Uhehe...I'm so happy!

"Well...I'll have to go and cheer for you in the main competition! I'll be there with lots of cheese!"

Raizen-san and Lily-chan waved us off.

We waved them off, too, and headed to our next destination...Rickard-san's house.

The time was around 2:00 p.m.? The sun was shining brightly...it was hot, hot, hot.

If I don't do something, I'm going to dry up!

"Yoshi! I've got to hydrate!"

I took out a peach from the free space and cut it into easy-to-eat pieces.

Nn~ The fresh pulp shines in the sunlight! Delicious!

"Bon appétit!"

"Bon appétit!"

and everyone was chomping down on the peaches one after the other.

Of course, the stray beasts were also cut into pieces. Of course!

They were all wagging their tails...and eating with great delight.

All of them, as if to thank Peach-sensei!

Afterwards, we took a break under a big tree.

It was cooler in the shade.

We fed the potato-boys some of Dr. Peach's leaves. He can't eat the pulp... too bad!

...he eats it like it's delicious! Good for him!

"Fuu~...it's a nice breeze!"

The breeze blowing through the air lowers my elevated body temperature.

If you look around, the whole area is green.

Looking up at the sky, I see a bright blue sky.

"...Nature is so nice."

Riot and Pururu giggle at the words that come out unintentionally.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nufufu...right? Nature is good, isn't it?"

They both look up at the sky.

The stray beasts were looking up as well.

The green of the vast meadows, the blue of the sky. Sometimes the white of the clouds.

In my old memory...I've never seen anything like this.

Gray stones and black roads. Stagnant skies and stale air.

When I think about it now, it seemed like a trivial world in exchange for convenience.

There are things that one must not lose.

I wonder if it was my world that I lost that...?

"Whew, good! Let's get going!"

I stood up tall and briskly... then lost my balance and tumbled down the hill.

"Muweeeeh!?"

Hurriedly, the stray beasts chased after me.

Fortunately, the place where I rolled was Rickard-san's house.

Well...that was the plan! (Trembling Voice)

"Nn? Oh, Julianne! Have you been to the foodie's place again?"

"Rickard-san, did you bring Julianne-chan?"

Julianne-chan rushed to Rickard-san's side.

I guess being with family is the best.

"I'm sorry, is Julianne always bothering you?"

"No, she's a good girl, no problem."

Then I explained to Rickard-san what I had explained to Raizen-san.

He listened with a smile and said, "Yeah, yeah.

"Well, I guess I'll have to go and cheer him up!"

Rickard-san and Julianne-chan waved us off.

We waved to them and left.

By the time we arrived at the Healer's Association, the sun was setting and it was getting dark.

Riot and Pururu also went home, saying "see you later" and "thanks for your hard work.

Normally, I would be sad to see my friends go, but...

I had Musel and the other hobby golems, and a couple of stray beasts, so I was fine.

"Yoshi, we're going home too."

And so, the long day was coming to an end.

But...something dark and black I felt at that moment...I couldn't get it out of my head.

What was it?

I walked around, thinking... and bumped my forehead against the wall of the Healer's Association. Oh, boy...