I'll Smash Everything with Passive Skills-Chapter 104: Side Story - Enixray (Complete)

In fact, to speak coldly, the moment they set off on this journey, it was already decided.

A couple in their prime. Moreover, they were so close that they couldn't live without each other.

If they didn't cross the line, it would be even stranger. "..."

Fresh morning sunlight poured through the window.

Since it was fully basking in that sunlight, it should have felt hot.

However, Arwen was not coming out from under the blanket. She merely peeked her two eyes out from the blanket, wrapping her whole body in the white cover.

"I... am happy."

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Arwen smiled shyly. In that smile, there was no trace of the sadness she always carried, nor the longing to stand by Veris's side.

A bright smile.

Watching her, for some reason, Veris felt his heart melt away.

"You already knew, didn't you, Veris?"

"Hmm, knew what?"

"The position I hold in Enixray... the significance of it in the Great Forest."

"Yeah. You're more impressive than I thought."

Veris's playful banter. Arwen nodded with a bright smile.

"The sorrow I carried was beyond words. Even when I was about to be sold to the slave trader in the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Vitelbach territory, I had already given up on life."

Tight.

Was it a painful memory?

Arwen was tightly clenching her fist that held the blanket.

But the expression on her face was not one of pain; rather, it was filled with relief.

"That young Veris was my salvation. It was you who defeated the slave trader and took me in... all of it was what you did back then, Veris."

Veris nodded.

It was clear that Arwen carried a past that looked quite painful. Digging up those old memories again was not something a person should do.

Thus, Veris chose silence... but it seemed that the young Arwen knew about the things Veris had done.

"You probably don't know, Veris."

"...What?"

"How happy I am right now."

Arwen laughed. Veris also smiled back at her refreshing laughter.

In that way, the two of them laughed for quite a while with silly faces.

*

"You're leaving, huh?"

"Yeah, we are."

Only after a round of playful banter did Veris and Arwen leave the inn.

Hoo!

The hastily built inn. It was only a moment before the building created with the power of magic crumbled.

Watching Veris and Arwen's retreating figures, the elven girl who had been acting as their guide wore a face full of dissatisfaction.

Thud!

The girl, who tripped over a stone for no reason, turned to look at the old man. She did not hide her discomfort and asked the elder.

"Why did you go this far?"

"Haha, don't you think it's amusing for us, who are treated well in the Great Forest, to do such a thing?"

"...Yeah. It's not like you're a love counselor!"

"Haha!"

The old man burst into a pleasant laugh.

Seeing his cute granddaughter's reaction, it seemed that he had quite a fondness for that man.

The old man looked up. Unlike last night, the sky was very clear. It felt almost like a lie that it had been pouring rain.

"I saw the red thread."

"The red thread? That's just a legend."

"Haha! It's all about what you choose to believe."

The old man placed his hand on his granddaughter's head. The girl merely pouted with a face full of dissatisfaction.

"You said that meeting someone connected by the red thread is practically impossible, Grandpa."

"Yeah, that was the case."

A grin.

The old man's lips curved into a smile.

The red thread.

For the elves living in the Great Forest, it was a term that referred to the fated partner passed down like a legend.

The red thread tied to a person... no, to a soul, leads to their destined partner.

The unfortunate truth is that even if the red thread is connected, the walls of age, gender, and race in this world block reality.

However, for the old man, who was a priest of the Great Forest and could read the orbits of celestial bodies to predict the future, it was quite a realistic story.

After all, the protagonist was visible in the distance.

"This is the first time I've seen it myself."

"...What?"

"The red thread. That elven woman and that human youth. They are connected by a very thick red thread."

"Really? Are you saying that the red thread, which was thought to be just a legend, actually exists?"

"Yeah. The owner of that red thread... is the heir of Enixray, who oversees the entire elven race. How could I not be excited?"

"Wow."

It was a fact she had not known.

With the old man's confession bringing quite a shock, the girl could only stare blankly at the retreating figures.

*

"Hehe."

A light laugh escaped her.

It was quite a long journey. Moving her feet to walk was indeed tiring, but Arwen smiled.

"Why are you laughing?"

The cause of her laughter, the man with blue hair, asked her lightly.

To that, Arwen quietly shook her head.

Even without expressing her feelings or confessing her heart, the man standing beside her would know her thoughts very well.

"Don't you know?"

"Hmm. I suppose so."

Veris shrugged his shoulders. Arwen could feel another giggle bubbling up inside her.

"Ah."

Leaving the Great Forest and returning to the Empire.

Once they returned inside the borders of the Empire, they would likely ride a carriage again. And after some time, this tender atmosphere filled with longing would come to an end.

'No.'

The two who crossed the line.

In other words, what Veris and Arwen had done was not merely a one-night escapade of fiery love.

Tightly.

Arwen's small palm clenched.

'A new beginning....'

Yes, this is not the end. It is a new beginning.

Things like romance or marriage felt incredibly awkward to Arwen.

Just thinking about such a rosy future made her head go blank, but for some reason, she did not find that uncomfortable feeling unpleasant.

"Veris."

"Yeah?"

"I like you. No... I... I love you. A lot."

In the end, it was Arwen, who had been organizing her thoughts alone, who bravely spoke first.

A blushing confession of love. Considering her past, when she would silently fidget at the approaches of other girls during her time at the academy, it was a significant development.

Tight.

After spilling that small confession, Arwen trembled her shoulders.

It was indeed a silly thing for two who had crossed the line to do...

Snicker.

"I like you too. A lot. I love you."

"Ugh!"

Veris's nonchalant counterattack came flying in immediately.

Arwen, perhaps caught off guard, clutched her heart with her empty hand.

...It seemed that it would take quite a long time for her to become immune to Veris's words.

*

In the far eastern part of the Empire, in the small city of Tullun, which belongs to the border region.

True to its heartbreakingly small nature, Tullun's market was also quiet and small in scale.

However, today, the market street felt particularly bright. The reason for that brightness was obvious.

"Oh my. I've never seen such a beautiful elf before."

"What about that man? The term 'handsome couple' doesn't even do them justice."

The merchants in the market and those passing by were all praising a couple in unison.

The man was a handsome figure with blue hair and red eyes, making one's eyes widen.

The elven woman, who was linked arm in arm with him, had bright blonde hair and blue eyes, embodying the beauty typical of elves.

It was a scene like a painting. After all, seeing such a couple in this remote corner was no ordinary sight.

"How much for this flower?"

"W-What do you mean by the flower language?"

"Yeah. I want to gift it to this girl."

The handsome Veris stopped his steps as he walked through the market.

He approached a small stall and asked, and the merchant could not hide his surprise at the unexpected visitor.

"Excellent taste. This is... the flower called Phrygia. There is a tradition in this region to gift it to a beloved partner."

"Really?"

Veris turned his head.

Indeed, Arwen, who was listening to the merchant's words, had her eyes sparkling with excitement.

Her gaze was fixed on the flower called 'Phrygia,' and it showed no signs of wavering.

'Phrygia.'

For some reason, it made him feel a ticklish sensation.

It was a flower that existed even when he was on Earth. Although Veris did not know what the Phrygia flower looked like, it was surprising that there was a flower with the same name.

"I like it. Give me a bunch."

"Oh! Thank you very much."

As Veris paid, the merchant repeatedly bowed his head in gratitude.

An excessive display of gratitude. Leaving the merchant behind, Arwen looked up at Veris, who was holding the bouquet with a fresh smile.

"You seem to already know who you want to give this flower to?"

"Hmm, of course."

Swish.

Veris awkwardly smiled as he handed over the bouquet.

It was a series of actions that had no hint of romance, but Arwen was wearing an incredibly happy smile.

Yes, that would be enough. That was Veris's thought.

"Do you know the flower language of Phrygia?"

Now it was really time to get on the carriage.

As they finished their stroll through the market, Arwen casually asked.

"Well, I don't really know."

"The flower language of Phrygia is... eternal happiness and proposal."

"Really?"

"That's right. I am truly... happy."

A conversation dripping with sweetness.

It would be easy to get goosebumps, but the citizens of Tullun were looking at the two with warm smiles.