Kuroka still didn’t know what exactly had happened to him. Nevertheless, she understood that he was in a position where he had to hide the fact that he was alive. That was why Zagan and Chastille didn’t tell her about it. And now he was letting her meet with Raphael and was even giving her a new place to stay. Raphael calling him ‘a man with a wide bosom’ seemed entirely justified.
“...Your invitation makes me really happy, Dad. I’m also... thankful to him...”
“Then...”
“That’s why... I’ll pass on that,” Kuroka replied, accompanying her words with a shake of her head. Then, she smiled like she was about to break into tears and said, “If he shows me more kindness, I’ll definitely fall in love with him.”
She knew from their very first meeting that he already had a woman he loved. Being so immature, she would surely just become a burden to him if she stayed by his side.
“I’ll start back from square one and try my best over there. I don’t know if the people will accept me, but I think it’s something I have to do,” Kuroka said as she turned to the church behind her.
Raphael said nothing, and gently brushed Kuroka’s head. And in response, Kuroka grasped his kind hand.
“I’ll come to visit you, Dad. Since you came to cheer me up when I was down, next time I’ll come over and do the same for you!”
“I see. I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”
So ends the long-awaited reunion between an awfully odd father and daughter.
◇
“Miss Nephteros ended up staying at Chastille’s place?” Nephy asked, smiling in relief as Zagan told her of the details of what happened in town. With an elbow planted on his throne, Zagan made a strained smile down at the lovely girl embracing his lap.
“Yeah. They seem to get along quite well now,” Zagan replied. He had attempted to invite her to live at his castle, but when he did, Nephteros was tightly squeezing onto the hem of Chastille’s clothes and wouldn’t let go.
“It’s good fortune that she was able to find someone who would cry for her sake,” Zagan claimed, believing that may have been the same as being saved by someone. At the very least, Zagan himself was saved because Nephy cried for him. It wasn’t something just anyone could do. Sure, Zagan intended to shelter Nephteros, but he had no confidence that he could shed a tear for her.
Chastille was different from him in that respect. After finding out about Nephteros’ circumstances, she wailed like it was something that had happened to her. There wasn’t a hint of selfishness to her actions, as she was truly crying from her heart. That was why Nephteros was able to regain her footing.
“Then... what about the other group...? What happened to Kuroka and Kuu?” Nephy asked as the tips of her pointy ears quivered.
In the end, I guess I couldn’t get any information on Azazel from the church... Zagan thought, unable to answer her right away.
A secret organization that took on the name of the Thirteenth that shouldn’t have existed in order to assassinate both internal and external enemies of the church. That was the dark side of the church, Azazel. It seemed they trained children like Kuroka who had no relatives to be their soldiers, and because of that, Raphael had been chasing them.
Zagan had ended up right back at his starting point with regards to the Thirteenth. However, he still had one worry about it.
Nephteros’ celestial mysticism resonated not only with Chastille’s Sacred Sword, but with Kuroka’s shortswords as well... He had read a note saying a high elf’s power could be used to amplify the strength of a Sacred Sword, but why did it work with those shortswords?
“It seems the two of them will stay at the church. Well, Chastille should be able to put them to good use, right?” Zagan answered as he shook off such lingering thoughts. It wasn’t clear whether Orias actually erased Kuu’s memories or not. However, it didn’t look like there was a single cloud over her smile when she was with Kuroka.
“Master Zagan. That’s why you sent Raphael out on an errand, right?” Nephy’s asked, her ears quivering as if she found his answer strange. In response, Zagan simply averted his gaze as if to feign ignorance, then took a deep breath.
He had already made preparations as to where they would walk. He had taken care of Bifrons, who seemed like the type to get in the way. And, he had even resolved the issues with Nephteros to an extent, which were the root of Nephy’s anxieties.
In that case, isn’t this the perfect time to invite her!?
“Anyway, Nephy!”
“Yes?” Nephy responded, looking straight into his eyes with an innocent expression on her face.
“This case with Bifrons has been settled, so I was thinking things may calm down for a while,” Zagan said as both of them blushed and turned pale.
“I see...” Nephy stared at him with a puzzled expression on her face, but her cheeks turned even more red, as if she was expecting something.
Ugh, is this Nephy showing her affection for me despite being all flustered? Her eyes were telling him that she would wait no matter how long it took. And so, after clearing his throat in a grand manner, Zagan spoke with resolve.
“Hear me, Nephy! Would you like to try going on that date or whatever it’s called?”
“Yes. With pleasure,” Nephy replied without a single moment’s hesitation.
“Huh? R-Really? No, before that, do you even know what a date is?”
“I don’t know the meaning of that word, but I will do anything that you desire, Master Zagan,” Nephy said as she shook her head. Unfortunately, her dangerous words had left Zagan at his wit’s end.
I thought that would be the case... Even Zagan didn’t know what the word date meant before Gremory and Foll taught him about it. The environment Nephy grew up in was pretty similar to his, so there was a lot that both of them didn’t know. However, Zagan was far too embarrassed to tell her what it was in a straightforward manner. That was why he mumbled out a crude explanation because of how nervous he felt.
“That thing called a date, is, um, you see... Well, it’s apparently what people call... a man and woman in love walking around town... buying things... and going around with just the two of them together.”
“I see... Huh?” Nephy muttered, her ears turned bright red right to their tips as she took in the meaning of his explanation. She then covered her face as if finally unable to bear it any longer, but eventually looked up at Zagan through the gaps in her fingers.
“With pleasure. I’ll accompany you anywhere you want,” Nephy finally replied in a wistful, near silent voice.
It wasn’t clear whether the way he invited her on a date or her reply was correct or not, but with that, the two of them ended up setting off on their first date.
Afterword
It’s been a while. This is Fuminori Teshima here with An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride Volume 5.
Going into this volume, Zagan can finally call himself Nephy’s man! But, as expected, he has no idea what to do. At the same time, Nephteros, who previously vanished, is on the run from Bifrons. And the one who saves her is the gallant Maiden of the Sacred Sword. When the cold dark elf meets the crybaby, the secrets of the Sacred Sword may just be unraveled!
Anyway, that’s the gist of volume 5. Sorry, it’s pretty bulky. I even shaved off about 50 pages, but we still ended up going over 350. I’ve caused quite a lot of problems for my chief editor, K.
Also, starting in February, the manga adaptation of Elf Bride will be made available on the internet. The artist is Hako Itagaki. Thanks to him, the manga is quite popular, so I’m jumping for joy as the original author. It’ll be updated every month, so please look forward to that as well!
Incidentally, progress on the next volume is going well, and I think I’ll have something out by summer. Next time Zagan will shrink! Foll will grow! All sorts of new races will show up! And good old granny Gremory will be overjoyed!? Maybe!
Now then, allow me to offer my gratitude to all those that
have helped me.
To my chief editor, K, who I really troubled a lot this time around. To the illustrator, COMTA, who provided such delicate and beautiful illustrations (Kuroka is cute, but Kuu is even cuter). To Hako Itagaki, who took charge of the manga adaptation. To the editors at Comic Fire. To everyone involved in the cover design, proofreading, and PR. To my dear children, who have been running about and even taking care of my laundry and other household chores on my behalf. And to you, my dear readers, who have taken this book in hand. Thank you very much!
March 2018: Enjoying Lunch After Finishing My Taxes — Fuminori Teshima
Bonus Short Stories
A Common Sickness
“It’s unusual to see you in the castle, Sir Barbatos,” Kimaris said as he happened across Barbatos at night, alone in the kitchen knocking back a drink.
“Huh? Kimaris? Oh, yeah, guess I haven’t talked with you all that much.”
“...Did something happen? You don’t look well,” Kimaris asked. Barbatos was usually a vulgar, loudmouthed individual, but currently, he was acting rather docile.
“Well, I guess... The other day, I got cut up by that Azazel guy, and I’ve been feeling out of it since. I thought it was some church curse or something and came to get Zagan’s bride to give me a checkup, but she said there was nothing wrong with me.”
“...What manner of symptoms do you have? I’ll assist you if I am able,” Kimaris replied. Unable to ignore Barbatos after seeing him act so meek, he took a seat next to him.
“Let’s see... I guess you could call it irregular heart palpitations? Don’t know why, but my heart keeps beating like crazy. Oh, my head gets all hot when I’m not even pissed. It’s weird. Well, at least it’s not so bad that sorcery can’t fix it, but when it happens so many times a day...”
Kimaris’ expression turned grim as he pinched his brow. A foolish thought passed through his mind when he pondered Barbatos’ dilemma.
“Sir Barbatos, could it be that at such times... a lady was nearby?”
“A woman? Well, yeah, I am a bodyguard right now, so that crybaby’s always around... Hm, hold on. Now that I think of it, I feel like most of these spasms happen when I look at her face.”
“Um, Sir Barbatos. This is mere conjecture, but I think you just have measles. It is a light sickness that every human experiences at least once in their lives, and will pass in time, so there’s no need for you to worry.”
“Really? What a relief. Thanks for the help, man. You’re a good guy. I’ll treat you to some nice booze next time around.”
“I look forward to it,” Kimaris responded. And upon seeing that Barbatos had regained some of his spirit, he made a firm vow to himself.
I must keep this a secret from Miss Gremory!
A Daughter’s Confusion
“Raphael, did Zagan and Nephy fight?” Foll asked when she dropped by the kitchen while Raphael was in the middle of making preparations for dinner. Raphael honestly doubted his ears. The thought of those two fighting seemed silly.
“Hm... Why do you believe they are?”
“They’ve been acting weird since we visited the hidden elf village. They don’t look each other in the eyes, and when they talk they stop right away. It’s like they’re avoiding each other... Seeing them not get along makes my test feel tight...” Foll muttered sadly, leading Raphael to let out a groan.
“Err, Foll, that is incorrect. It’s not like they hate each other now. In fact, they have the exact opposite problem. They most likely don’t know how to act now that they’ve confirmed their love for each other.”
Raphael didn’t know what exactly happened, since he’d been asked to watch the castle, but he believed that some event occurred where the two of them confirmed their feelings for each other.
“Huh...? But Zagan and Nephy were already a couple when I first met them. Why now?”
“Uh, this is rather difficult to explain, but the two of them likely weren’t conscious of that fact. And now that they are, they’re confused, right?”
“Does that kind of thing happen?” Foll inquired, looking like she didn’t really understand what he was getting at. However, Raphael wasn’t someone who was capable of answering that particular question, while left him at a loss for words as Foll followed up by saying, “I want something like what they have... A Zagan to my Nephy, I mean...”
“There’s no need for you to rush. You’ll surely meet a bastard like that one day. It’ll make me feel somewhat lonely, though...” Raphael replied as he brushed her head, which made Foll cling to his leg.
“You’re not alone, Raphael. I’ll live a long life, so I’ll be with you forever.”
Those words left Raphael staring back in wonder before he eventually gave in and smiled. Orobas. Your daughter has grown quite nicely. She reminds me of the girl I once raised...
A Sense of Guilt
“Haven’t you had enough, sir?”
After being reprimanded by the waitress, the man poured even more liquor into his glass. This man was the auctioneer who hosted the dark auction. People counted among the merchandise he sold, and even though he knew that was a sin, the man continued his work in order to make more money.
I wonder what happened to that elf... One among those products he’d sold was a most pitiful girl. The man had never even spoken to her, but he felt sorry for her nonetheless. Unfortunately, that girl was purchased by a devil of a sorcerer. He would never forget the terrifying smile that sorcerer made in the end. The auctioneer believed that he would surely go to hell for that transgression, so he was drowning his sorrows with alcohol when...
“Huh? Wuh!?”
That devil of a sorcerer and the elf sat down at a table close to him.
HUH!? What’s going on? Am I hallucinating? The two of them ignored the man’s shock entirely and went on to order food. The girl didn’t seem used to handling a fork and was in distress at not being able to pick up a cherry tomato.
The sorcerer was watching over this on the edge of his seat, and when the girl managed to finally scoop up the tomato, he pumped his fist. Next, the sorcerer tried to consume a tomato himself, but he also failed to use his fork and entered a difficult battle of his own. And that was the moment the girl used a spoon to scoop up the tomato, then held it out to the sorcerer.
Huh? Why are these two feeding each other in broad daylight...? The two of them looked like a pair of ten-year-olds who were meeting for the first time. Frankly, it was hard to watch.
Goddammit... Don’t screw with me. I’ve been agonizing over selling her this whole time, and this what I get? The man glared at them, and the two of them must have felt his gaze, since they looked back toward him. Their eyes met, and the sorcerer and girl turned bright red to match the food they were feeding each other. Embarrassed by the situation, they rushed off in a hurry.
“Someone remind me what a slave is...?”
The man eventually paid his bill and left. Surprisingly, the world may have been a far better place than he imagined.
A Fateful Encounter
This meeting was preordained by the world itself. Gremory was walking about town as a beautiful woman when she suddenly came to a stop in front of a certain clothing shop. Once there, she met an avian girl with green wings. She could tell at first sight that this girl was the same as her. And so, Gremory brushed back her long hair and put on a proud smile as she began to speak.
“Which would you show more love, a dragon or an elf?”
“If you’re going to show love, then love everything equally! I’ll love them both right down to the bone!”
The two of them shared a firm handshake after she said that.
“I am Gremory. I have heard many rumors of you, Manuela. It appears my liege buys clothes from you quite often.”
“It is an honor to be recognized by the great evangelist of love power, Enchantress Gremory!”
The two of them began snickering ominously after that short exchange.
“Tell me, Miss Gre
mory, how are Sir Zagan and Nephy progressing?”
“I’m glad you asked! Are you aware that they confessed to each other at the hidden elven village?”
“A confession! Finally!? They were practically already married, but Sir Zagan couldn’t even say ‘I love you’ at all. I’m glad he’s finally taken a step forward!”
“Still, the followup’s been terrible. Now they’re just constantly awkward around each other. Sure, that’s a great event in its own right, but their progress has been so slow that I feel like vomiting blood.”
“Yeaaah, I can already picture it. It’s like a ten year old’s first crush...” Manuela said as she looked up at the ceiling in despair. However, Gremory simply smiled like a wise sage.
“Have no fear. I have a plan. I will guide those two down the proper path and ensure they go on a date!”
“A-Are you sure you can pull that off? Can you really make those two innocent kids do something that bold...?” Manuela asked as she gulped audibly.
“I can, but soon enough, I’ll be stuck in Archdemon Palace for a while. It’s a real shame that I won’t be able to spy on their date...”
“Then, do you want me to be lovestruck... I mean, observe their date and report back to you?”
“You catch on quick. In exchange, I’ll treat you to stories of their interactions in the castle.”
This was the moment a great evil began to stir without anyone’s knowledge.
Sign up for our mailing list at J-Novel Club to hear about new releases!
Newsletter
And you can read the latest chapters (like Vol. 6 of this series!) by becoming a J-Novel Club Member:
J-Novel Club Membership
Copyright
An Archdemon’s Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 5
by Fuminori Teshima
Translated by Hikoki
Edited by DxS
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 5 Page 21