Mother of the Earth - 2
The gladiators' city of Lebron, which I was visiting for the first time in a while, bustled with people just as it always had.
It was a little funny that the atmosphere could shift so much when only a few months had passed — but then again, the thrill I'd felt on my first visit was gone without a trace.
"Thank you so much for your help. May our paths cross again someday…!"
"Sure. Take care on your way."
The merchants bowed in gratitude and drifted off one by one. It was a rather bland farewell, but since we'd been paid, the debt of gratitude was settled.
"You're not entering the arena this time?"
"Nah. There's no magic sword I need to get, and I don't particularly want to be anyone's spectacle. Besides, I've learned the hard way what happens when you leave someone out."
"Ugh…! I said I was sorry about that!"
Rene — the one with a prior record of showing up in her dragon form and turning the Colosseum into pure chaos. This time, the plan was for all of us to sit in the audience together so she wouldn't feel left out.
After all, we'd managed to score four hard-to-get tickets from the merchants. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't have given a gladiatorial match a second glance, but the rumored rising star had caught my interest.
She shared certain traits with an acquaintance of mine, and I wanted to confirm it with my own eyes.
"As long as you've reflected on it, that's enough. Anyway, the match is tomorrow. Let's find an inn to stay at."
"Understood."
We tracked down the inn we'd only reserved and then abandoned last time, dropped our heavy luggage, and headed back outside. Aside from the arena and the armory shops, we'd never used any of the city's other facilities, so we decided to spend the day sightseeing — a tourist's pace through the town.
As a destination that drew throngs of visitors, Lebron had no shortage of things to see and eat. Even a short walk down the street sent the aroma of sizzling meat and sweet confections drifting past our noses.
I had enough self-restraint that it didn't bother me, but Rene only had to glance away for a moment before her cheeks puffed out like a squirrel's, stuffed full of food. Skewers and assorted candies filled both her hands — anyone looking would have sworn she hadn't eaten in days.
"I-I'm sorry! Everything just tastes so good…!"
"It's fine. Don't worry about it — eat as much as you want."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
Rene had spent her whole life in the nest eating nothing but raw food from nature. Now that she'd discovered human cuisine, she was clearly hooked on those bold, stimulating flavors. Given how curious she was by nature, it made sense that her appetite for food ran just as deep.
"Lin, Rewen — anything you two want to buy?"
"Hmm, nothing comes to mind! If I need something, I'll just ask my big sister!"
"I have no particular desires at the moment either. And as Rewen said, if we need anything, we'll take care of it ourselves — so please don't trouble yourself on our account, Master."
"Got it."
A brother and sister with almost no greed, so long as they had each other. I was nodding along at the heartwarming sight when —
CRASH!
A man came flying through the wall of a tavern up ahead on the right. He hit the ground and rolled, clearly having been thrown by someone.
I didn't step in this time. He looked like a local thug, and more importantly, jumping in to help without knowing the circumstances was never a good idea.
"S-Son of a bitch…!"
"Human. Were you taught that it is acceptable to take another person's belongings as you please?"
"I wasn't trying to steal it! I was just gonna pick it up for you!"
The one who'd hurled the man out of the tavern was an elven woman. But she wasn't the person I was looking for.
"How shameless. Did you truly think I wouldn't notice you picking up a leaf that fell from my crotch and trying to walk off with it?"
"Wh-What?!"
Even in this world of reversed gender dynamics, elven clothing was extreme — pure garments of nature, woven from leaves, vines, and branches. And if he'd been trying to take one of those leaves…
The reactions of the onlookers watching the scene began to turn distinctly cold. The man, after all, had a twisted fetish for strong women.
"N-No! I'm not the kind of guy who sees a gorilla like that as a woman!"
"Theft, and now verbal abuse. I was going to let you off with a light lesson, but it seems I have no choice."
The man desperately tried to convince the crowd that his sexual preferences were perfectly normal — which only made things worse. That pathetic pride of his was about to get him killed by the elven woman's bare hands.
"Somebody help me! Y-Yeah! The guards! Someone call the guards…!"
"It will do you no good!"
The elf seized the man's head in one hand and lifted him clean off the ground. Their builds were nearly identical, yet she hoisted him as if he weighed nothing.
I had only a moment to marvel at the sight before a thunderous shout erupted from somewhere far removed from the scene of the incident.
"HALT!!"
The voice itself was clear and pure, but the sheer volume of it was so immense that it kicked up a gust of wind. Even the elven woman gripping the man's skull let go in spite of herself.
Every spectator's gaze swung from the crime scene toward the source of the shout. Approaching from that direction was a slender elven woman with soft green hair — and her familiar face was a welcome sight.
"What kind of outrage are you committing in the middle of town?!"
"S-Saintess! This is a misunderstanding — I was merely punishing an underwear thief…!"
"Enough! How many times have I told you? Discipline a criminal with your fists if you must, but do not cause harm to bystanders!"
"I apologize!"
Even the elf who'd been so aggressive moments before slammed her forehead to the dirt and clasped her hands behind her back without a second's hesitation. Judging by build alone, it should have been the other way around — yet not a single person found the situation strange.
That was how bold the Elven Saintess had become. The fragile figure I'd first met was gone, replaced by a Marianne armed with a decisive personality and real charisma. The transformation left me speechless.
Can a person really change this much?
This body was surprised as well. I can scarcely believe she is the same person from back then. Has something shifted in her heart since last we met?
Even Frach conceded that Marianne had changed considerably. A saintess who stirred one's protective instincts was nice, sure — but a saintess with the air of a class president was strangely appealing in her own right. Something about that sacred, no-nonsense way of calling out wrongdoing made you feel you had no choice but to obey.
"From now on, please be careful not to inconvenience others!"
"I will keep it in mind!"
"And you — the one sitting there on the ground!"
"Ah…! Thank you for saving me!"
"Don't get the wrong idea."
"Guh—!"
CRACK!
Marianne drove her fist hard into the man's gut. A violent shockwave burst out behind his back, and a flood of saliva sprayed from his mouth.
"I have not the slightest intention of forgiving an underwear thief."
In the end, the man crumpled forward, clutching his stomach. His face hit the dirt — he was out cold, no question about it.
She'd clearly been training her body as diligently as her mind. Marianne had always possessed an innate, god-given physique thanks to the Earth Mother's power, but without awakening she had never truly known how to wield that strength. Looking at her now — not a hint of hesitation — she'd grown remarkably well.
"So that's the rising star everyone's talking about?"
"An elf, and yet she's pretty in a way the other women aren't. No doubt about it — that's the Wood King…!"
"Huh? When did she get a nickname like that?"
"Ugh! This is why people who don't follow the matches regularly are hopeless…! Listen carefully. After she knocks an opponent out cold, she turns her back with this cool look on her face — and right then, you can see a clear Wood character carved into her back. That's how she got the title 'Wood King.'"
"Whoa!"
Hearing the spectators' chatter, I was completely certain. The woman standing before me was unmistakably Marianne.
Among all elves, only Marianne bore the Earth Mother's sacred mark on her back. Not even her twin sister — a saintess in her own right — had received that sign.
"Hah…! You may get up now."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"I've handled the underwear thief's punishment in your place."
"Thank you, Saintess!"
"Please be careful so this doesn't happen again. If something like this occurs a second time, I will… in front of everyone…"
Marianne's words trailed off mid-sentence. The reason was simple. She'd been scanning the gathered crowd while continuing her lecture to the elf — and her eyes had met mine.
I smiled and gave a careful little wave, trying not to make it awkward. She stared blankly for a beat, then her face went scarlet as if something had detonated inside her.
In the end, Marianne covered her face with both hands and fled the spot in a frantic rush.
No matter how much she has changed, it seems she is still quite bashful before you.
Yeah…
Marianne had left without even returning my greeting, leaving the whole situation feeling rather hollow — but at least one part of me was being completely honest about how I felt.