Pawahara Seijo no Osananajimi to Zetsuen Shitara, Nanimokamo ga Umaku Iku Yō ni Natte Saikyō no Bōke

[Reunion And Farewell]

“…One-horned oni?” Elysium gave a look of suspicion toward Leuke-san, a fellow member of his race who had appeared suddenly.

After giving us a light bow, Leuke-san went up before Elysium, got down on her knees, and said, “Nice to meet you. My name is Leuke. As you can see, I’m an oni, just like you. I interrupted your conversation because I have something I must ask you, no matter what. Hence, may I ask you to lend me a bit of your time?”

“First, answer my question. Why is one of your horns missing? It can’t be congenital; such a case has never before appeared among the oni.”

“Yes, I’m sure that is true. But I’m proud of being one-horned. It is proof that I inherited my parents’ traits.”

“…What do you mean?” Elysium’s face grew even more stern as he heard Leuke-san’s rather incomprehensible words.

However, Leuke-san gave Elysium a soft smile and asked, “A human woman, ‘Lonea’. Does her name ring a bell?”

“?!” At that moment, Elysium’s face hardened in shock.

After a few moments, he said, “…Why do you know that name…?!”

“Well, she is my ‘mother’, after all.”

“What… did you say…?!” Elysium exclaimed, dumbfounded.

I was also stunned by the unexpected reveal.

This meant that, just like Tirna, Leuke-san was a ‘half human and half demi-human’.

That was why she only had one horn, and seeing Elysium so shaken…

…she might be…

“T-that’s impossible?! Lonea died before she could give birth to her child?! Don’t give me that nonsense?!”

“No, this is by no means nonsense. It’s true that my mother was attacked by monsters and was swallowed by one of them. But although she was on the verge of death, until the very last moment, she must have given her all—using every last bit of her remaining life—to save me, I’m sure. Hence, I survived, and after you slaughtered all the monsters and humans, a woman—her mother and the one who would later raise me—found me crying in a puddle of blood.”

“N-no way…?! T-then you are…?!”

“I’m the daughter of Elysium, the strongest saint of the oni, and Lonea, the kindhearted human. I’m your daughter that had been destined to die, Father.”

『―!?』 All of us, including Elysium, widened our eyes.

So, she really was Elysium’s daughter who had been thought to be dead.

But then, why didn’t she tell us when we first met?

I didn’t mean to blame her, of course. But if I had been able to inform Elysium that his daughter was still alive, we probably could have made him stop before things reached this point.

But it seemed Leuke-san was thinking the same thing.

“…I’m sorry,” she turned towards us and said, “My mother’s name and that sad incident were the only things told to me. I had no idea of my father’s name and the fact that I’m a halfling; I didn’t even know that my foster mother is actually my grandmother. However, listening to her stories, I always had the suspicions that maybe, maybe I was the daughter that the woman from the story was pregnant with.”

“I see. And seeing Elysium’s reaction confirmed your suspicion,” I said.

“Yes. The oni whom the saintesses, the goddesses, and even you, the Savior, pursued showed such hostility when he heard my mother’s name. Is there any room left to doubt it?”

“I guess not…”

When I quietly shook my head, Leuke-san turned back to face Elysium who was in a daze. She gently wrapped his right hand, which had begun to weather, in her hands and said, “What you’ve done will never be forgiven.”

Then she smiled gently and said, “But I’m sincerely happy that you loved us so much that you were willing to go so far. I’m sure Mother feels the same way. So please let go of your hatred… it’s enough, Father.”

At that moment, Elysium’s body suddenly lost its strength. “…I see. It’s enough…”

“Yes. I’m so glad to have finally met you. Mother, too, should have been waiting for ages for you. Please spend your time leisurely with her from now on.”

“Right… It is high time I took a rest… But I have killed too many… I probably won’t be able to go to where Lonea is…”

“Don’t worry. No matter where you go, I’m sure Mother will come to you so she can atone with you…”

“I see… Looks like I would be troubling her…”

His expression somewhat softened in a delighted fashion, Elysium’s body began to crumble.

In the end, Elysium gently placed his hand on Leuke-san’s cheek and gently said, “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you… I’m really glad to meet you, too… Thank you for being alive… Leuke…”

“…Yes, Father.”

With that, Elysium’s body turned into dust, carried away by the wind.