“Don’t you know yet? Because you’re pretty.”
“What kind of talk is that?”
“At the very least, I have no intention of killing you right away. I can’t just go crunch- in front of our child when they brought you here. You’re pretty, and I’m curious why you came. It seems like you’ll be fun in various ways.”
Havi stayed silent for a long while before opening his mouth again.
“I wish you’d chase him out quickly. That one’s blood scent is harsh.”
“Karma exists in everything one carries. That degree isn’t even particularly harsh.”
“Is being pretty everything?”
“It is everything. Then, what more is needed?”
“You’re self-centered, and humans are incomprehensible. When you put strange things together, accidents are bound to happen.”
Havi spoke disagreeably again. I didn’t respond to those words. Which side Elion was on—I hadn’t judged yet. And I had no intention of making that judgment now.
Since I didn’t respond, Havi didn’t say anything more either.
Elion had already noticed that I was watching him from early on. That was all though. Except for when he’s caught by me and being dressed up, he doesn’t come near at all.
Yet for someone like that, I wonder if it’s okay for my children to hover around him. One dryad approached Elion and held out a small petal. Elion stared at it for a moment, then accepted it.
-Look! The human accepted it!
-I’ll give him something too!
Another dryad stepped forward and thrust forward a piece of moss. Elion accepted that as well and set it aside. It continued like that. Before long, one corner was piled high with things the dryads had brought.
All the while, he kept glancing and watching for my reactions. A complaint naturally slipped out of me.
“Havi, I think your words were wrong. That one still fears me.”
“…No, that one is just very suspicious.”
“No matter how I look at it, that’s fear.”
Seeing that, I recalled a very old sensation. Miros and Raha were like that at first too.
Both were afraid at first. I think that’s natural. Because it’s instinctive. Like how a mouse fears a hawk, like how a rabbit fears a fox.
Or else they’re completely ignorant. Like how an ant doesn’t fear a lion.
But just because something is natural doesn’t mean it’s good.
“Now it’s starting to get boring.”
Even a shrew would be braver than that. I can be certain. Really.
I tilted my head slightly. Though it does seem like he’s adapted in his own way.
“Elion.”
When I suddenly spoke to him, Elion flinched and looked at me. He didn’t make eye contact, but he didn’t avoid with his body either.
“Want to go outside tomorrow?”
“…Why, do you ask?”
“You’ve become too docile and boring. I want to see a more interesting you.”
Elion didn’t answer. He lowered his gaze for a moment, then nodded.
“Let’s do that.”
I was pleased with that answer.
“Good. Then, tomorrow morning, a walk.”
Havi watched this and lay down while muttering.
“Don’t torment an innocent child.”
“But activity is important for humans too.”
“He’s already moving around plenty.”
Havi spat out a complaint for no reason. What’s the problem? I’m treating him well enough.
***
Elion said he didn’t know who he had been.
However, his body remembered. The way he moved his hands, the balance of his steps, the way he held his breath and concealed his presence in silent spaces.
Havi had said so. Those are the movements of someone trained. Not the rough unconsciousness of those who grew up wild, but the flow of someone who had repeated it for a long time. Though he himself said he didn’t know, either way Elion was accustomed to combat and was someone who knew how to disappear.
To get to the conclusion, the walk didn’t yield much result. When I took the lead, Elion would watch my reactions and slink along behind me. Yet he didn’t refuse when my children approached him!
Still, I thought he’d get used to it eventually, but I didn’t know when that would be.
“What could you have been?”
“…I apologize.”
“I’m just curious. You’re quite exquisite and a precious specimen.”
I read the presence from Elion’s body. Even without listening to words, I hear emotions. The temperature of sweat, the tension in fingers, the trembling of pupils. Humans try hard not to reveal themselves, but the flesh doesn’t lie. I can tell instinctively.
“Perhaps you were a princess.”
“A prin…cess?”
“Mima was just like you.”
At my words, Elion showed a troubled expression. Oh right, maybe he doesn’t know what Mima is? I kindly informed him.
“Mima was a princess I saw before. She tore five demons apart alive and ripped off the heads of three wyverns. That’s how she saved her aging knight. The last I heard news of her, she had become the leader of seven bands.”
“Such a prin…cess existed?”
“She was a very valiant princess. So you might be a princess too.”
Elion is quite beautiful, and though I’m not sure, he has a physique very suited for combat. Havi was disgusted, but his blood scent is thick too, so his karma is considerable. Mima was like that too.
“The strongest and most splendid ones are princesses. Right?”
“Even though my memory isn’t intact, that seems… too different from common sense.”
“No? Mima said she was a princess. And Mima possessed strength that ranked among the humans I knew. Of course, Mima wasn’t as wise as Phellos, nor as clever as Lamga, nor as fun as Toto. But she possessed might and beauty that transcended human standards and approached the level of the world itself.”
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed right, but Elion’s face gradually crumpled into an indescribable shape. I deliberately emphasized even more.
“Of course, I don’t think you’re as strong as Mima. However, you have such qualities. And you’re pretty. Very, very. Well, compared to the princess I knew, you’re far too fragile, but aside from humans living in groups, they’re composed of diverse individuals, so since you know how to fight and are pretty, couldn’t you be a princess?”
“I… see. Of course, I don’t think I was a prin…cess.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t think I’m pretty enough for you to emphasize it that much, Levia-nim. And… I don’t want to be called that either.”
Elion seemed to watch my reactions a bit, then subtly moved his hips a little to create distance. Oh dear, I thought it was a fairly reasonable prediction, but it seems I only heightened his wariness instead.
“You really are pretty. It’s true. What would I gain from lying to you?”
“Levia-nim. Though I’m not certain… I’m not a princess.”
“Are you sure?”
“…I can’t be certain of that, but I know.”
Then he shut his mouth. I tried to speak to him a few more times, but he kept subtly creating distance. In the end, I gave up and withdrew. Elion had nowhere to go anyway. If I stuck any closer, it would only seem like I was taking up space for nothing.
Maybe he really isn’t a princess. Mima was more valiant than anyone!
***
Some more time seemed to pass like that.
The place where Elion usually sat was always the same. Inside the nest, near a small rock, in a shaded spot where tree leaves hung like a roof.
What in the world did this specimen do for a living? I’ve never seen anything so troublesome. Especially for something so frail. Still, I endured quite patiently. Really, very carefully and cautiously, I watched it.
That said, I couldn’t give up on dressing him up. As expected, Elion looks so good when dressed up. Pretty things become prettier. Since the usual Elion avoids me, the only opportunity I have to hold him is now. What a shame.
“Bright colors seem to suit you well.”
“Do they?”
“Why? Don’t you like it?”
“I think I prefer things with no color or dark ones a bit more…”
“I don’t like that. If you’re drab all alone, you’ll look like you’ve withered.”
“Will I?”
“Yes, you will.”
Why doesn’t Elion like pretty colors when he’s this beautiful? Everyone is desperate to show off bigger and more colorful displays. Roses work hard to make their flower heads bigger and deeper in color. Violets too, dandelions too. Even the very, very small baby’s breath wants to bloom with all its might and show off and boast.
The colors Elion likes are black, gray—colors that aren’t colors. Surprisingly, he doesn’t like white. I don’t know why, but when I dress him in white, he becomes anxious without fail. According to him, he worries it will get dirty.
I don’t know what kind of nonsense that is. By that logic, everything is the same. It’s not like there’s a law that only white can’t get dirty. He’s really funny too.
“…It’s difficult.”
“Difficult?”
“Yes. For me.”
Since he rejected it this much, I had nothing more to say. So I decided not to say anything more either.
“Then let’s move on. Either way, I like it now.”
“Is it good?”
“What would be bad about it? I like seeing pretty you every day.”
The clothes I dressed Elion in this time are clothes I received a very long time ago. Even by my standards, it’s clothing from quite some time ago, so surely humans nowadays wouldn’t even remember that era.
Clothes made by cutting fabric from the edge of the sunset and embroidering with the color of water. Can they still make these now? I don’t know. The humans I saw recently didn’t seem to have that level of skill. I don’t know why they regress instead as time passes.
“They used to make really pretty things in the old days, it’s a shame. Now, no matter how well they do, it’s just silk.”
I feel regretful. The textiles humans make now rot and crumble over time. Colors fade too. Humans must have loved pretty things as much as I do, so why don’t they make them anymore?
Elion’s appearance wearing it was beautiful, but it’s regrettable that I can’t obtain things like this anymore. Elion seemed so fascinated by the clothes he was wearing that he was busy looking around, so he didn’t seem to hear my words.
“Levia-nim, the pattern seems to be moving.”
“Of course it moves. It was made by cutting the sky’s edge as is.”
“…Mm. I should stop listening.”
“Weren’t you asking because you were curious?”
The expression on Elion’s face as he fiddled with the clothes he was dressed in somehow looked troubled.
“I felt like I shouldn’t hear more.”
“Really? Why?”
“It’s just a feeling, but… I felt it was dangerous. Like I shouldn’t know about it.”
I don’t know why he’s getting scared over such a trivial thing. I wanted to boast for once, it’s too bad. But what can I do when he says he doesn’t want to hear it? Chattering alone would be something I can’t do either.
For some reason, Elion seemed to find it more regrettable that he was the one wearing it.
“I think it would really suit Levia-nim if you wore it, it’s a shame.”
“I’ve said this many times, but if I wear it, it’s hard to see.”
“I know, but it’s a waste.”
“Why is it a waste? You’re pretty enough.”
“Because you would be more beautiful if you wore it, Levia-nim.”
“That’s obvious, but what meaning is there in beauty I can’t see?”
Elion sometimes says stupid things like this. Even though I’ve told him many times, he forgets right away and regrets it the same way. To put it bluntly, what would I adorn myself for? I am everything just by existing. No matter how much I explained, Elion didn’t seem to even understand what this concept was.
Elion adjusted his collar with a troubled expression.
His fingertips trembled very slightly, but he soon calmly retied the knot and composed himself. Then he quietly let out words.
“I want to see you in beautiful form.”
“I’m originally pretty. I know it too. If that’s a compliment, thank you.”
He seems smart but then says such dazed things. Though that’s cute in its own way too.
“Today is just a walk. Since I dressed you up prettily, I should show you off.”
In truth, the only things worth showing this to are me, the dryads, and Havi who comes occasionally. Elion took a small breath and nodded.
“…Understood.”
I was pleased with that reaction somehow. And that day, when Elion returned from the walk, he began decorating his small shelter with the things the dryads had prepared for the first time.
Watching that, I thought to myself.
“He’s finally starting to move.”
Now it’s really okay, right? Just a little more and I’ll be able to pet him like I do the dryads. Just imagining it made me feel good.
