LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 2
“Happy 15th birthday, Ellie. May the blessing of Lady Arisa always be with you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
I don’t need the blessing of chimps.
For the past five years, I’ve been practicing so hard that my teeth were chattering.
Now, with a perfectly crafted, radiant smile, I picked up the gift box my father handed me.
All the gifts my father had given me so far, fit my appearance, which is to say, Eliaernes Eustetia’s appearance, perfectly.
They were all very terrible, no, adorable dolls.
Starting from a small bear, then a dog, a cat, a sparrow, a rabbit, a sheep, a horse, a cow, a lion, an eagle, an elephant, and even a dragon—all dolls that got grander and larger as time went on.
Well… I know why that happened.
It’s probably because of the stiff look on my face every time I received a cute gift.
When I got a doll that looked just like a real lion, I laughed in disbelief.
I had no idea it would be the same size!
The next gift, an eagle doll, had some sort of magic on it because it flew around sticking to the ceiling every morning.
The elephant doll was so big it could have suffocated me.
The dragon doll is in the backyard.
Well… I didn’t just scowl until I got a dragon doll, which was as big as a storage room.
When I received the lion doll, I did find it a bit funny, so I laughed out loud.
…Was that the problem?
Anyway, I tried my best to smile, showing that I was as happy as I could be, but my parents could see right through that fake smile.
Which means, they would notice my manufactured smile right now as well, but what can I do?
I, as a human, can’t hide my emotions.
Still, it’s not that I truly dislike this.
Well, um. If I must say… I’m grateful.
I could feel my father’s worries reflected in the progressively larger dolls.
That said, I can’t say I’m completely happy about it.
Anyway.
It seems like it’s a doll again this time.
The size and weight definitely scream doll.
Huff. Once again, I tightly fixed my expression, untied the knot.
The ribbon, soft like skin, slipped off—swish– and the lid opened on its own.
What was revealed was a doll with pink twin tails wearing a cute dress.
But.
This…
No matter how I look at it.
“…Is this me?”
I mean, my current appearance.
It’s Eliaernes’s look, right?
“Uh, hmm. It is. What do you think?”
What do you mean, “what do I think?”
Oh, geez.
Do I really have to say it honestly?
Do I really have to say this ugly thing is ugly?
Where on earth did this shabby doll come from?
Don’t tell me I was scammed?
Scammed and rushed to just hand this over?
That can’t be. There can’t be a seamstress who would dare try to scam Duke Eustetia.
So then, what the heck is this terrible chimera?
Could it be…? Does my father think this is pretty?
Is his vision affected by the blood of a chimpanzee?
Really?
…Then as a child, I guess I have to tell the truth.
No matter how much money there is, if they make dolls here again, it will be wasted.
“This person’s craftsmanship is extremely ba—”
“I made it myself.”
“—Utterly wonderful? It’s truly only you, Father, who can capture me this well!”
Oh my, this doll is so cute.
“Oh, haha! Look at those adorable lips!”
“…That’s the nose.”
Oh right. That’s the nose.
Then, what about the lips? Wait, they’re under the chin.
Um, yeah.
“Oh, haha! These arms hanging down… oh no, the seam just came undone. No. Oh, crap. The arm ripped off. Oh, oh?”
Riiiip.
“What?”
Gasp.
The arm of the Elly doll tore off, thud– falling from my grasp.
Father’s chin dropped too—thud.
Mother, who was standing next to us, was shaking with laughter, trying to hold it in.
Father had turned pale, his face sinking low.
Oh man, how pitiful.
“Uh, sorry. I’ll tell Sara to fix it.”
“No, Ellie, you don’t need to apologize. It’s the fault of this inadequate father… and yes, it would be better to let Sara handle the mending.”
“…I still like it.”
“Thank you…”
The rare trembling shoulders of my father made him look even more pitiful.
I had gotten rid of all the other dolls, but I should keep this one on the bed after it’s repaired.
With the arm of the Elly doll ripped off, the awkward atmosphere slipped in. In this moment, perceptive mother approached, patting Father’s back.
“Ellie, happy birthday. May the blessing of Lady Arisa be with you anywhere, anytime.”
What Mother handed me was a long box.
It was about the same height as my barely surpassing 140cm stature.
And.
It was incredibly heavy!
I’m not weak.
Thanks to five years of constant training, I’m stronger than most kids my age.
My limbs may still be soft, but.
For something to be incredibly heavy even for me to lift?
Could it be…?
As I looked at my mother with sparkling eyes, she nodded.
I quickly set the box on the ground, untied the cumbersome ribbon, and after taking a moment to catch my breath—
I flipped the lid open!
“Uh?!”
My eyes widened.
“Woohoo, how is it, Ellie? Do you like it?”
I nodded vigorously.
Not only that, I answered brightly.
“Absolutely.”
And why wouldn’t I?
Because inside the box was—
A pitch-black wooden sword.
A wooden sword made of wood, as the name suggests.
But this black wooden sword is rare.
Of course, if you dye it and polish it, it can look like this, but this weight, this perfectly centered balance, you can’t fake that.
It was an overly heavy wooden sword for just that, but the balance was perfect.
And the blade absorbed all light—pitch black, rough but looking very tough.
I was certain.
This was a wooden sword made from Northern Ironwood.
My past life’s favorite training sword.
With this, I would soon see results from my training, which had hit a wall until now.
And that’s not all.
If it’s Northern Ironwood, it can withstand all the mana that I’d been consuming over the years.
Thump thump— my heart raced after a long time.
I wanted to run to the training grounds right now and swing it around. I wanted to smash the dummies standing there!
Fidget fidget— as I fondled the wooden sword’s hilt,
“Do as you wish, Ellie. But can’t you just take it easy today? I want to sleep with Ellie for the first time in a while.”
Nod nod nod—
With permission granted, I sprang up and dashed for the training grounds.
As the wind of cherry blossoms swirled around me, beneath my pink twin tails, the stuffing from the Elly doll sadly fell.
However, the doll was tightly nestled between me and my wooden sword.
The doll’s face, wedged and crumpled between my chest and the sword, seemed like it was crying.
*
A solemn atmosphere settled over the Eustetia Knight Order’s training grounds.
Knights donned in armor bearing the symbol of the Eustetia family, a scale, stood lined up, sweating cold bullets.
“Ellie has headed to the family training grounds.”
The voice, heavy and laden.
The voice of Duke Eustetia had an overwhelming power that could dominate the Eustetia Knight Order, renowned as the Empire’s spear.
Hence, the knights, the captains of each knight order, were unable to speak, merely swallowing dry saliva repeatedly.
“Julie gifted her a black wooden sword made from Northern Ironwood, and she was smiling brightly as she ran off. At least it’s a relief that she took my gift as well.”
Silence.
“Is there anyone among you who has shown Ellie swordsmanship or explained anything about it?”
At those words, the knights remained silent.
The captains couldn’t say anything.
It was inevitable.
None of those present had informed Ellie about such things.
Moreover, whenever Ellie approached the Knight Order’s training grounds, the entire order would lower their swords and feign a cheerful atmosphere.
Of course, Turius knew this fact as well.
He understood how much the order cherished Ellie.
He was well aware of the effort the order had made for her.
Still, the reason for gathering the entire order was simply…
He wanted to vent his frustrations.
Turius’s wife, Julie, and his beloved daughter, Ellie—
None of his family seemed inclined to listen to his lament, so he had gathered the order.
But the knight order did not understand the sorrow of the head of the family.
Only one person in that space noticed Turius’s intentions.
“Commander. May I say a word as a family member and an outsider?”
A man in ordinary clothing wearing an old sword tied to his waist, not armored like the knights.
A man not belonging to the order, yet stronger than anyone present.
Turius Eustetia’s younger brother, and the nameless vice-captain, handling the dirty work of the Eustetia family and the Empire.
Kerian Eustetia stepped forward.
As he did, the grim atmosphere among the knights gradually eased up.
Turius nodded at Kerian.
Kerian took a step forward and opened his mouth.
“Ellie’s atmosphere changed after reading the storybook that contains the tale of heroes, including that of our family’s founding ancestor, did it not?”
“Indeed.”
“It seems that after reading that story, she’s started to yearn for the heroes mentioned in it. After all, we are descendants of Lady Arisa Eustetia.”
“Ah… Yes. That makes sense. Ellie is indeed a Eustetia.”
The name “hero” carries with it an image of perfection within just two characters.
Furthermore, the Eustetia family is the descendants of the last hero and Weapon Master, Arisa Eustetia.
If that’s the case…
The shift from “Mama” and “Papa” to “Mother” and “Father.”
Becoming reluctant to share baths with Julie.
Choosing rugged, tough shirts and pants over cute, lovely dresses.
All of those changes could be somewhat understood.
However.
However!
He couldn’t accept that simply because of that, she distanced herself from him.
The playful gestures had vanished.
The kisses that used to greet her at breakfast, lunch, and dinner disappeared.
The image of her small, weak hands patting his shoulder had completely gone.
Turius still remembered.
The disdainful gaze he received when he asked for a kiss on the cheek.
That slowly distancing figure.
The 5-meter gap that followed after.
The pain like a stake driven through his heart!
He would never forget, not even in death.
Kerian picked up on Turius’s miserable inner feelings.
Thus, he continued.
“Alongside that, if we believe she’s entered her teenage years, we could say it’s quite understandable.”
At those words, a glimmer of light shone on Turius’s face.
“Ah yes. Teenagers. That’s something too. And Ellie’s age falls right within that period.”
“Exactly. Therefore, I think you shouldn’t worry too much, Commander.”
A faint light appeared in Turius’s heart.
Teenage years.
Yes.
Time will pass, and soon enough, even if it’s not like before, he would see that lovely, bright face again.
Turius engraved that thought in his mind.
He recalled the image of Ellie laughing while riding on his back, and her cute voice declaring him as the one she loved most in the world.
*
“Ugh, seriously, what a pain.”
Meanwhile, in the empty training ground, Ellie spat with a thick voice, cursing out loud.
Part of her Northern Wooden Sword had broken after just a few swings.
Fortunately, the break wasn’t too extensive.
It was just part of it, which didn’t affect its weight or swinging at all.
But at this rate, it wouldn’t last even half a month before it shattered completely.
Of course, if it broke, she could just ask for a new Northern Wooden Sword, but…
She didn’t want to do that.
After all, it was a gift from her mother.
“Ha, the jerk who made this isn’t worth a damn. Selling this kind of thing for that kind of money? Damn it, I should break his fingers. Ugh…”
Instead of throwing the sword down… she carefully placed it on the ground, then sat down on the floor, seemingly uncaring of the dirt on her clothes.
“The era of peace, they say, but has it really degenerated into such a mess? I feel like regular wooden swords didn’t break like this. What a disgrace, what a disgrace.”
Ellie had spent the last five years reading all kinds of books and documents. And now, she was at least able to fill in some gaps from the last 400 years.
However, her former companions.
She couldn’t find the whereabouts of Paulo, Luna, and even Kaloso, who betrayed her.
Especially Arisa.
As a founding ancestor of the Eustetia family, she thought acquiring her information would be easy, but it wasn’t.
She couldn’t find a trace of her anywhere. Neither from her mother, father, nor anyone related to Eustetia.
Not even information regarding the husband of the chimpanzee.
Naturally, she couldn’t find out if Kaloso was alive or dead either.
Without being able to find the original tales of the heroes, which were said to contain all their stories.
However, she learned the most important fact.
The Demon King hadn’t died.
He wasn’t dead and was sealed somewhere in the Demon Realm, still alive and breathing.
The Hero Party had…
Ronan Luzarack’s companions had failed to defeat the Demon King.
“What the hell have you been doing hiding for 400 years, you bunch?”
With a heavy sigh—whoosh— Ellie stood up, tightly gripping the ordinary wooden sword.
“At the very least, Arisa. As my ancestor, shouldn’t you at least show your face once? Or are you upset because I call you a chimpanzee all the time?”
Then, she swung the wooden sword at the lifeless scarecrow standing there, staring blankly at her.
“Whoever crosses my path, I swear I’ll hit you! For real!”