Chapter 33
Chapter 33
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: That Elf Wants to Mate with Daddy!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
That elf seems to want to mate with Daddy!
To cut to the chase, Lionne hadn't discovered anything strange.
She'd just jumped to a weird conclusion on her own.
"I was thinking maybe I was too harsh with him. So I figured getting a bit friendlier might be nice."
[Harsh...? You? Do you even know what harsh means?]
And I have no idea what that has to do with her acting all cutesy like that.
"What's the problem?"
[Act your age!]
"Hehe, isn't it good to live young?"
[...No way.]
She doesn't even flinch at an age jab?
Just how good is her mood right now...?
Undine shuddered in shock.
Lionne hummed happily as she unfolded the clothes in her hand.
Soft pink pajamas.
A gift from Enoch.
Matching ones with Enoch, just a different color!
Lionne grinned smugly as she changed into the pajamas and struck poses in front of the mirror.
"How do I look?"
[You're hopeless.]
"And he got the size perfectly right."
[Does he not know your measurements?]
"The fabric feels so nice too. High quality."
[You're not listening to me!]
Lionne bounced out to the living room with springy steps.
Wonder what Enoch is up to.
He must have changed into his pajamas too, so she wanted to hug him tight and roll around together.
"Enoch~!"
"Yeah?"
His voice came from the kitchen.
The kitchen? No reason for Enoch to be there.
Before puzzled Lionne could react, Undine shot out.
[Hey! What about my gift? Did you only buy for you and Lionne!?]
"Here. This."
What Enoch held out was a hat the size of his finger.
Perfect fit for a doll, but it suited Undine just right.
[Why do I get a hat!?]
"What's wrong with that?"
[Why am I the only one getting shafted!]
Ignoring Undine, Enoch got to work on the salad.
Lionne sneaked up and peeked out from behind him.
"What're you doing? Cooking?"
"Yeah."
"Suddenly? You can cook?"
"Just... whatever."
Was it okay to know how to do this?
Even as he pondered, Enoch's hands moved quickly.
Cooking talent or not, knife work was a different story.
Having learned some swordsmanship because Lionne liked it, Enoch swiftly prepped the vegetables.
"Wow...! Enoch, you're so cool!"
Praise from an elf could make even the God of Death dance.
Enoch's shoulders rose as his confidence soared!
"Hmm."
This time, it might actually work.
The God of Death's ingenuity kicked in, boosting his creativity.
Lionne likes sweet things, so sugar... and a bit of chocolate.
Maybe some jam too?
Stick to the recipe, so add this mystery tangy sauce...
"......?"
Lionne, watching from behind, sensed something off but figured Enoch had a plan and stayed quiet.
A bit of time passed, and the finished product: Kafni's special ultra-spicy salad ver. Enoch.
Undine covered her mouth at the bizarre sight.
[Is... is that food...?]
Enoch's eyes twitched too.
Inability to cook was separate from knowing what's edible.
Instinct told him this wasn't for humans.
"I-I'll do it again."
"Huh? No, Enoch! It looks tasty!"
"...I don't think so."
Surprisingly, Lionne forked into the salad without hesitation.
She stabbed a big bunch of veggies and chomped down.
"M-Mmm...! D-Delicious! Our Enoch is good at cooking too!"
The elf's eyebrows twitched.
"Sorry..."
"No! I mean it, it's really good?"
[Idiot....]
In the end, Lionne polished off the whole salad.
Luckily, no stomach issues.
*
"Hehe, our Enoch."
Lionne seemed happy all day.
Bedtime came, and as soon as they lay down, she hugged him tight and ruffled his hair.
"So, how about it? Want big sis to read you a story after so long?"
"Yeah."
Enoch nodded, and Lionne beamed, seating him between her knees and opening the book.
A picture book she used to read him as a kid.
It felt like being babied, but she looked so happy he couldn't complain.
"Once upon a time, there was a naughty dwarf. And one day......"
As Lionne read to Enoch, her body inexplicably grew hot, and she fanned her pajama top.
Not hot weather, so why?
Sweat beaded on her skin, her breath heated.
Not enough to alarm her, just a slight annoyance.
'The salad maybe...?'
Even if that salad had some weird effect, it wouldn't be strange.
She'd eaten it stone-faced, but even she had struggled midway through that mysterious concoction.
"Lionne?"
"H-Huh? What?"
Enoch turned slightly, his pitch-black eyes filling her vision.
Snow-white skin like petals, a straight pointed nose beneath.
Red, soft-looking lips that seemed ready to burst with juice if bitten.
'...Our Enoch really is handsome. Wonder who he takes after.'
She couldn't tear her gaze away.
Even as something flickered in Enoch's intense eyes, and his face drew closer.
Lionne just stared blankly into them.
"...Lionne."
His breath touched her lips.
Was her breath touching his lips too?
As she dazedly wondered, Lionne jolted back, head snapping away.
"H-Huh!? W-Why, why...!?"
"...That's what I want to ask."
Enoch licked his lips, looking somehow disappointed.
Lionne clutched her pounding chest and bolted upright in bed.
"I-I'm just gonna grab some water!"
She fled the room in a panic, gasping for breath.
Something's wrong.
Her face must be beet red; she could tell.
'Am I crazy...!'
She must be losing it.
Enoch, of all people?
She'd deserve being called a bitch in heat.
[Oh.]
Not one to miss a chance like this, Undine popped out the instant she sensed Lionne's turmoil, grinning wickedly.
[Want me to clear out? Is Sword Empress 2.0 finally getting born today?]
"D-Don't say crazy shit!"
[Well, it is kinda criminal. That age gap. With a kid who hasn't even had his coming-of-age yet. Tsk tsk.]
"The age gap isn't that...! I-It... isn't much...."
[Even you know that's not true, right?]
"Shut up!"
Lionne gulped down a full glass of ice water and sighed deeply.
"Get it together. Get it together, Lionne."
She slapped her cheeks and marched back to the bedroom with renewed resolve.
Enoch stared at her with wide eyes.
'Act normal. Act normal.'
She steeled herself.
And acted.
"Enooock~, Lionne's sleepy. Shall we go to bed?"
Undine watched the regressed elf from behind and clicked her tongue.
[That girl's done for soon.]
The spirit could see it.
The sneaky kid's eyes, waiting for an opening.
How long until this romance-noob elf gets devoured by that brat?
Especially when she's wagging her tail begging to be eaten?
[Hmm.]
It didn't look like it'd take long.
*
The next morning.
Enoch, who'd clung to Lionne a bit more than usual for no reason, stepped into the yard and patted his chest.
"Eri."
[.......]
"Eri?"
[.......]
No response no matter how he called.
Did something really go wrong?
Having grown attached to the kit, Enoch paced anxiously.
[What're you doing?]
Undine approached him.
She'd come to tease him about when he'd pounce on Lionne, but his anxious face made it awkward.
"Eri's not responding."
"Huh? Still?"
Undine floated over and hovered in front of Enoch's chest.
She tapped it, listened closely, then pondered before her eyes lit up.
[Oh?]
No way?
[Faster than I thought?]
"What?"
[Lionne taught you, right? Evolution.]
"Oh?"
Enoch pictured grown-up Eri.
A bit bigger body, fluffier fur, more tails.
"Hmm."
It'd look like the forest lord, which soured his mood.
"Don't like that..."
[What? Getting picky now?]
As Enoch grumbled,
Suddenly—
A black nose poked out from the center of his chest.
Eri fully emerged.
Enoch tilted his head.
"Didn't grow?"
[Yep!]
A clear, ringing voice.
Enoch's eyes widened, and Eri proudly swished her three tails.
[Daddy, my tails increased!]
Thrilled, Eri fluttered around before lightly landing on Enoch's head.
Undine watched Eri and said,
[Guess it reflected your dislike of her growing big.]
"That works?"
[Kinda? Super close spirits can sometimes do that.]
Undine kept her tiny fairy form, but that wasn't her true self.
Her true form was a massive water woman.
Big enough to blot out the sky.
But Eri seemed like she'd stay this size even fully grown.
Extremely rare.
Curious Undine poked at Eri here and there when Lionne peeked from afar.
She hesitated, eyes darting, then steeled herself and strode over.
"E-Enoch, food's ready, so eat first."
"Yeah."
"Huh? Eri's tails increased?"
Lionne drew closer.
For some reason sweating a bit, her intensified body scent hit his nose.
Somehow, an intensely alluring aroma.
As Enoch stiffened slightly,
[Daddy! That elf seems to want to mate with you!]
Eri dropped the bomb with a smiling face.