.｡.:✧ Chapter 60 ✧:.｡.

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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In the dark forest where not even the moonlight could penetrate properly, the sight of the blood-red clots he was shedding was indelibly etched into my mind.

“Sherpa, Sherpa!”

Suddenly, a sinister black spear was deeply embedded in his chest, and his focus slowly became cloudy.

“No, Sherpa! You can’t! Please don’t leave me like this!”

Tears streamed from my blue eyes.

I embraced him, seemingly on the verge of collapsing, and screamed for him to regain consciousness, my expression filled with fear.

“I love you, I really do love you! I can’t live without you, please… Sherpa, please.”

Did Sherpa hear my voice?

Slowly, with blood dripping from his hand, he placed it over my head.

Even this act seemed too arduous, but Sherpa slowly parted his trembling lips.

“Daniel… my name.”

“Daniel… Daniel… That’s a beautiful name. It’s too late for you to tell me now.”

Yet, that was so characteristic of this man that, even as I clenched his clothes, I looked up at him.

“Don’t cry, quickly es…cape.”

“I won’t leave you. Where would I go without you?”

Tears streaming down my face, I pressed my lips to Daniel’s. It was brief, but our kiss was filled with heat and many emotions exchanged.

As Daniel slowly lost his vitality, I whispered reassuringly into his ear.

“It’s okay, I’ll find you in the next life. Please be in a place easier to find than this forest.”

“…”

“I love you, Daniel.”

A giant black spear pierced through my heart.

Sniffle.

My nose felt unbearably cold.

The tears kept flowing, blurring my vision, but I noticed that the darkness around me had brightened, even through my blurry sight.

‘What’s this?’

The pain from the spear piercing my heart was gone, aside from the agony of losing my loved one.

I wondered if Artemis had guided me to the afterlife. But then, an unexpected voice rang in my ears.

“Eris, it’s time to wake up and get ready!”

“…Hmm?”

“Huh? Are you awake? What’s the matter? Is there a problem?”

“Serdi?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m Serdi.”

Serdi, a small-statured elf maid I hadn’t seen since entering and living in the Demon Realm Forest, left me bewildered.

“What’s going on?”

“Are you hurt? Should we cancel the speech scheduled for today? I’ll tell the queen you seem ill.”

“A speech?”

As I asked, puzzled, Serdi puffed her cheeks in frustration.

“It’s the Life Festival of Yggdrasil today! Why do you ask?”

“Life Festival?”

The Life Festival, occurring once every hundred years, celebrated Yggdrasil sharing its infinite warmth with the continent, the only day Yggdrasil bloomed.

‘A Life Festival with Serdi?’

And there was a speech?

With a sense of disbelief, I hurriedly got out of bed and stepped outside in my pajamas.

“Eris?”

Leaving a bewildered Serdi behind, I opened the door.

Yggdrasil, previously a ruin overrun by the corpses of elves turned monsters, now lay before me.

***

Many elves looked up at me from before the podium.

Seeing the living kin, I felt a swell of emotion, yet I couldn’t understand how this came to be, no answer forthcoming.

‘It seems I’ve been given another chance, regardless.’

This isn’t a dream.

Nor is it an illusion.

This was unmistakably reality, and I had returned to the past.

“Let us welcome the Guardian of Yggdrasil, Lady Eris, with applause!”

At the call of the Elf Queen, I slowly walked forward.

As the guardian of Yggdrasil, I had prepared a long and passionate speech about the greatness and abundant love of this magnificent tree.

‘I can’t remember any of that.’

How many years did I think had passed?

I had long forgotten the Life Festival speech.

Glancing at the Elf Queen and then at Serdi, the Queen signaled encouragement with her eyes, while Serdi clenched her fists, offering her strength.

As if remembering a speech practiced years ago was suddenly going to happen.

“Sigh.”

I took a deep breath and looked down from the podium. The eyes of many comrades were focused on me.

Deciding it was now or never, I boldly declared to everyone.

“I, am getting married.”

[T/N: Ahahahahhaahahahha wtffff lmaooo this is getting crazy]

***

Daniel managed to conceal the tears welling up in his eyes with a grimace.

Late at night, Daniel, having packed his belongings, opened the door to his dorm room.

Today, he had been expelled for reasons such as sexual harassment, violence, and failing to attend exams.

Though all the accusations were baseless, Daniel chose to flee without putting up any real fight.

He glanced back at the room he had meticulously packed up.

Even though his time here was short, he vividly remembered the excitement of first arriving.

The joy of being admitted to the prestigious Aios Academy.

Daniel’s hopes of only experiencing joyous moments had been shattered in less than a month.

Click.

He closed the door behind him, dragging his luggage through the hallway.

It wasn’t too late yet, so the murmurs and laughter of the other male students branding an innocent boy a criminal filled the air.

“Ugh, a criminal.”

“It’s always the timid ones who can’t distinguish between fantasy and reality.”

“Doesn’t he just look the part? A born criminal.”

“Ha, agreed.”

“……”

Daniel took a final glance at Ares’s door.

His childhood friend from his hometown.

With all this commotion, one would expect him to come out, but his door remained firmly shut.

Curiosity got the better of Daniel, and he approached slowly.

“No, but seriously…”

“Really?”

“Ares, you’re hilarious!”

Inside, Ares was having a grand time laughing with a group of women, completely oblivious to the world outside.

Daniel raised his hand to knock but ultimately decided against it, turning instead toward the stairs.

“Whoa, what’s that?”

“Crazy.”

“Is that a real elf? It’s my first time seeing one.”

The commotion came from the staircase.

A pointy-eared woman was leading a group of male students, but she paid no mind to the others, walking through the hallway.

This caused a stir, and most of the male students, including Ares, emerged from their rooms.

Finally, she stood before the small, timid boy.

“Daniel, right?”

Her golden hair cascaded down, and her blue eyes sparkled.

Her fair skin and voluptuous figure made Daniel wonder why such a person was looking for him, but he nodded anyway.

“What’s your last name? I only heard your first.”

As Daniel awkwardly scratched his cheek, Eris listened intently.

“McLean. Daniel McLean.”

“Alright, Daniel McLean. Daniel McLean.”

Eris repeated his name, smiling as if she liked how it sounded, then knelt on one knee before him.

“Uh…?”

Confused, Daniel stepped back, but Eris had already gently taken his hand and kissed the back of it softly.

“Daniel McLean, as promised, I’ve come to find you. You heeded my request to be somewhere easier to find than a forest.”

“What? No, I don’t understand what you’re saying…”

Despite Daniel’s confusion, Eris looked up at him with a smile.

“As the Guardian of Yggdrasil, Eris, I’ve come to fulfill our promise, Daniel McLean.”

In front of all the students, Eris declared,

“Will you marry me?”

***

Yggdrasil, Eris’s home.

Daniel, dragged here without understanding why, looked around nervously.

Having been expelled and not wanting to return to his hometown, he had nowhere else to go, but he hadn’t planned on coming to an elf village.

“Here, try this.”

Eris, wearing an apron, handed him a plate.

On it was something that resembled food, which Daniel nervously tried.

“How is it?”

“I, I don’t know.”

“Really? Not to your taste? Hmm, I guess this isn’t for you.”

Eris crossed her arms and tasted her own cooking.

‘It’s strange. Daniel always cooked, and I never really had to. It’s hard without him.’

In truth, she had tried once, but after that, Daniel had strictly forbidden her from even nearing the kitchen.

“It’s okay, Daniel. I’ll learn to cook to your liking. After all, I am your wife.”

Eris blushed at her own words, while Daniel stuttered, finally gathering the courage to ask.

“Why are you being so nice to me? And what’s this about marriage…”

“Finally asking?”

She had heard he was shy, but she worried when he didn’t ask any questions from the academy to Yggdrasil. At least he was asking now.

“Do you believe in reincarnation, Daniel?”

“Reincarnation? If you mean a life before this one, then yes…”

“In your past life, Daniel, you did something incredible, so you’re receiving blessings in this life. Think of it that way.”

“Something incredible? Me?”

“Yes, something incredible.”

Disbelieving, Daniel looked at his hands, and Eris approached gently, embracing him softly.

“So, it’s okay. Forget about the false accusations, the strained friendship. Without all that, you’re still a wonderful and handsome man.”

“…Sob.”

As Daniel broke down in tears, Eris held him tightly, letting him cry until he was exhausted.

After a long cry, Daniel slowly pulled away and asked,

“What was the incredible thing I did in my past life?”

It seemed his current self lacked confidence, curious about his past.

Eris playfully laughed, pulling him close and lying him down on the bed, whispering in his ear.

“You seduced the most beautiful and revered elf among many who admired her.”

“Excuse me?”

“You were quite adorable when you were younger.”

Laughing softly, Eris lay beside Daniel, her face flushed as she said,

“I realize there’s still one promise I haven’t fulfilled.”

“Another one?”

“This is the last one.”

Eris moved closer, embracing Daniel tightly, whispering,

“Half-elf.”

[T/N: 0_0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ]

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