Why Is My Big Sis Here? (2)
I stared blankly at the person before me. Her long, flowing light-green hair was neatly styled in a half-up braid, the knot shaped like a tiara. It gave the impression of someone wearing a crown. And her face? Pure and delicate, yet with a hint of unyielding resolve that kept her from looking fragile. It was the kind of elven beauty that looked like it had been painted into existence, far surpassing the average of a race already called the epitome of aesthetics.
But her body from the neck down? Not very elven at all. Though modified in places for ease of movement, her traditional elven dress still flowed like something closer to a gown. And around the waist, where it should have been loose and billowing, she'd cinched it with a corset. The result emphasized her figure in a way that was no joke. Even by the standards of this continent—where women were open about exposure and took pride in their bodies—it was the kind of proportions that would turn heads anywhere. Compared to her refined face, it was downright indecent. Not quite on the level of Rydia, whom I'd glimpsed before, but for elves, who were mostly slender, it was exceptionally rare. Even the men of this world, with their low sex drives and passive approach to romance, would probably be desperate to strike up a conversation with someone like her.
The problem was that a single element completely flipped the image of that beauty.
“Hehe. My name is Eve Nirvana. It's a pleasure to meet you... or should I say that?”
Her eyes curved into perpetual crescent moons in a merchant's smile, and her tone carried an air of mystery that made even a simple greeting feel tense. The suspiciously ominous aura she gave off transformed her beauty into something intimidating. It was enough to make Rydia, who had been excited just moments ago, narrow her eyes and go on high alert.
...But I knew better. That was just a pure, innocent greeting. There was no hidden meaning like trying to seize control, or implying she knew us while we didn't know her. The reason I could be so sure was simple: Eve was a character I'd created, just like Elly.
That hesitant question at the end of her greeting was probably because she'd lived so long that she often mixed up people's faces. It made sense—she was likely the oldest living mortal in existence. A high elf born from the last flower the World Tree left behind right before it became part of the labyrinth and fell into slumber. Roughly a thousand years old, and with another thousand years ahead of her as a living piece of myth. That was Eve Nirvana Yggdrasil.
...Though she seemed to be hiding that last name, Yggdrasil.
Think about it. The current Pan Continent was a civilization rebuilt after total destruction. And there existed someone who'd witnessed it all from the very beginning? With an appearance that shady? Elves would probably cheer, calling her the World Tree's eldest daughter and living proof of their former glory. But to other races, she'd come off as a sinister old hag pulling strings behind the scenes. Especially since the despairing elves had embraced capitalism and seized control of the continent's financial power—it made the rumors hard to deny.
On top of that, Eve still possessed the authorities left behind by the World Tree. As high elves were created to act as intermediaries between the World Tree and their kind, her powers weren't for combat but for rule. That didn't mean they were insignificant, though. Eve had been granted two: a body that would never decay until her predetermined lifespan ended, and the Eye of Truth that could pierce through lies.
Yeah. No point hiding it. I'd lightly borrowed some traits from the elves in old-school fantasy novels.... These days people call it generic and bash it, but honestly, I thought that worldview had real charm back then. That's probably why it was so popular.
...Though I can't erase the feeling that I'd seen too much of it and gotten tired.
Anyway, because of those authorities, those around her saw her as even more dangerous. During the height of the elves' despair after losing the World Tree, she had somehow led her people as their queen. Without Eve, the elves probably wouldn't have lasted until they discovered capitalism. They might not have gone extinct, but their decline as a race would've been inevitable.
With that kind of bloodline and achievements, she could have reigned as queen until the day her life ended if she'd wanted. But Eve didn't. From the start, she saw herself only as someone to help the elves adapt to a world without the World Tree. The World Tree had left her behind for that purpose, and she herself had wanted it that way. Just because she'd been born with the ability to rule didn't mean her personality matched.
Deep down, Eve was like the pastoral, ordinary elves of a bygone era. To put it bluntly, while she acted like a shadowy mastermind on the outside, she was actually a total shut-in whose hobby was talking to succulents alone at home.
So the moment the elves found a new hope in capitalism, she immediately retired. Now her greatest joy in life was tending to plants without a care, doing odd jobs, and watching the world gradually develop. She was the very picture of harmlessness.
The reason she was genuinely happy about what I'd said earlier was simple. Those who didn't know Eve were wary of her suspicious aura, and those who did were even more so. That was the story of her life—a thousand long years spent without friends or lovers, in loneliness. If someone sincerely expressed joy at meeting her and treated her warmly, of course she'd be delighted. It was like a lonely elder taking a shine to a young person who played with her nicely.
That said, just because she was a character I'd created like Elly didn't mean I could trust her unconditionally.... That wasn't quite the case. Unlike Elly, who was positioned as an ally who would never betray from beginning to end, Eve's role was that of a mid-boss. The kind who grows close to the protagonist early on, builds emotional bonds, but eventually blackens for some reason and dies tragically at the protagonist's hands.
Bloodied, cradled in the protagonist's arms, her smiling eyes character. Her face, always curved in a smile, twists for the first time as she leaves behind a single apology before drawing her last breath. That's the scene I'd wanted to write, so that's the character I'd made.
...I really shouldn't have.
I should've just planned a happy ending instead of worrying about the protagonist's mental growth or whatever. But put another way, that meant right now—before she blackened—I could trust her. And if I could prevent the blackening entirely, that trust could last forever.
Since I'd only roughly outlined the setting, I didn't know exactly why she'd blacken or how she'd try to burn the world down.... But if I could stop it, I wanted to. This was the bare minimum responsibility I felt as the author toward this world that had become reality, and at the same time, my unfiltered sincerity as a possessed person dropped into a world with no one to trust.
To do that, I first needed to get close to Eve. I'd stay near her, carefully watch for any signs of trouble, and step in immediately if something dangerous seemed imminent.
With that resolve, I sat down across from Eve. Then I patted the seat beside me.
Pat pat!
“Lady Rydia, come sit too.”
“...No need. I'll just stand. This is your matter, Yona, so it's right that I don't interfere.”
Her expression remained as blank as ever. But the slight stiffness at the corners of her mouth told me she wasn't letting her guard down just yet. Rydia might be a skilled adventurer, but she wasn't high enough in status to recognize Eve's true identity.... Still, even without knowing that, it was obvious this person was suspicious just by looking. She was probably staying ready to move at any moment.
Eve must have sensed that Rydia's words were just an excuse, because she nodded with a slightly downcast voice.
“Oh dear. You must be the Noble Rydia, right? I was curious just how noble you were, but what a shame.”
I wonder how long you'll stay noble (X) I'm genuinely disappointed I can't talk to you (O)
“Ahaha! Lady Rydia's just a bit shy. We'll come back as customers later, so let's chat in a more relaxed atmosphere then!”
“That sounds lovely. A life where you can look forward to the next meeting is truly beautiful.”
Do you even think you'll have a next time in your life (X) You're really coming back, right? (O)
As I mentally translated Eve's words while listening, Rydia's expression grew increasingly serious with every exchange. On the other hand, Eve seemed slightly excited, happy that I hadn't told a single lie. Her crescent eyes curved even deeper, and the way she licked her lips with the tip of her tongue poking out made it obvious.
...At this rate, Rydia's misunderstanding was going to reach a point of no return. I needed to move things along quickly.
“I'd love to chat leisurely with you, Miss Eve, but... it's getting late, isn't it? Unless you want to keep me here all night, shall we get to the main topic? I assume Apple and Lemon have explained the situation?”
“Of course. ...I'm truly sorry things turned out this way.”
I'll kill you (X) I'm sorry (O)
“You don't need to apologize, Miss Eve. And I'm not here just to hear an apology.”
“I suppose that's true. The amount of cash I can give you right now is the best I can do... I hope it's satisfactory.”
Take this and get lost (X) This is really all I have (O)
Eve smiled brightly as she handed over a small pouch. When I opened it, it was filled with a jumble of sparkling coins. Gold, silver, and copper all mixed together made it hard to tell exactly how much.... It wasn't that she'd mixed them to mess with me, but that she'd hastily scraped together whatever cash was in the shop. Still, if I counted it all, it would probably be a hefty sum I'd never touched before.
...Though it would still fall far short of 46 gold.
Forty-six gold was a lot of money, sure, but for the oldest living elf and the World Tree's eldest daughter, respected by her kin, it wasn't something to scrape by on. If she went next door to the Cradle Merchant Guild right now and said, “I'm the former queen, give me 46 gold,” they'd hand it over without question. But Eve wouldn't do that. Unlike the modern elves who worshipped money, she was an old-school elf who cared more about growing plants. She'd lived a long time, but most of what she'd saved had been spent on her people. The little wealth she had left, she'd used to start a business, but her lack of business sense meant she'd been running it into the ground for centuries... that was the setting.
If she weren't truly desperate, there was a high chance she'd refuse even the money she was offering. Otherwise, she wouldn't be apologizing to me in this shabby little shop.
After a moment's thought, I took out two gold coins and handed the pouch back as it was.
“This is enough for cash. Instead, I'd like to take the rest in other goods. Would that be alright?”
“That would be fine with me... but the items in my shop are rather... peculiar, you know?”
Can someone like you even handle them? (X) Some of them are dangerous, so I'm worried (O)
I grinned at Eve, who was tilting her head with one hand cupping her cheek.
“I may not look it, but I have a pretty good eye. If the gains outweigh the risks, I'm willing to overlook a few minor issues.”
The things Eve sold were varied: elixirs, equipment, magic tools, spirit stones, subcontracted labor, ordinary succulents, and more. True to the name of a general store, she dealt in all sorts of things... but most of them were just items she'd made as a hobby and put on display. As a result, many had concepts that missed the mark or came with unexpected side effects. That was probably why business was bad. But as the twin elves had told me earlier, their performance was top-notch. In other words, it depended on how you used them.
For example... like that necklace hidden between Eve's ample breasts.
I pointed at her chest and asked.
“How much for that?”
“...Oh my?”
Eve ran a hand over her chest with a meaningful smile.
...It seemed like she was misunderstanding something.