CHAPTER 253: KIDS, PROMISES, AND PEACE ( 253 )

The next morning.

Hazuki was washing his body in the stream not too far from the orphanage backyard, humming softly as he scooped up the cold, clear water. Sunlight filtered through the trees, and the morning mist still clung to the grass.

He enjoyed the quiet.

No monsters.

No nobles.

Just birds chirping and cool water.

His arms moved lazily as he cleaned up, the ripples spreading across the stream. His black hair stuck to his face, but he didn’t care. It was peaceful.

A few giggles.

Hazuki paused mid-splash and turned his head slowly.

There, by the small wooden fence, were two familiar figures. Chasia, balancing on the top rail, and Elvia standing beside her with a flat expression and twitching ears.

"Oi!" Hazuki shouted. "Don’t stare too much!"

Elvia blinked.

Chasia grinned.

"But uncle, you’re the one who wash in the open," Chasia said, swinging her legs over the fence like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"Yeah, and it’s not like we haven’t seen it before," Elvia added, her voice flat, but her ears twitching slightly.

Hazuki glared from the waist-deep stream, water dripping down his shoulders.

"Still! At least look somewhere else when a man is trying to have his morning peace!"

"Too late~" Chasia sang, smirking while covering only one eye.

Elvia sighed. "We’re not kids anymore, uncle. Besides, you’re the one who said you don’t like clothes when bathing."

"That doesn’t mean I want an audience!!" Hazuki barked, throwing a splash of water in their general direction.

Both girls dodged effortlessly.

Ridan, who had been lounging on a smooth rock nearby like a sunbathing catfish, floated upside down and snorted. "Oi, Hazuki, you should be proud. They’re already treating you like family."

"Shut up. That’s the problem."

He grumbled while scrubbing his back with a stone.

"But really... you two should go play with the others."

"We are," Chasia said, still watching. "From here."

Hazuki groaned into his hands.

"Uncle?"

Hazuki turned toward the voice, still flicking water from his soaked sleeves.

"What? Don’t call me uncle just because I’m older. I’m still twenty-four!" he grumbled.

Chasia crossed her arms.

"But I’m twelve."

"And I’m sixteen," Elvia added coolly.

Hazuki squinted at her.

"Sixteen? You look like ten!"

Elvia’s eyebrow twitched.

"It’s the ears and the height. I’m still growing, okay?"

Chasia tilted her head.

"So why can’t we call you uncle?"

Hazuki wiped his face with his shirt and sighed.

"Because only Ellyn can call me that!"

Both girls blinked.

"Ellyn?" Chasia’s ears perked.

"Who’s that?"

"Yeah," Elvia added, her tone slightly pouty.

"You never mentioned her before."

Hazuki suddenly stood taller, placed one hand proudly on his hip, and pointed toward the sky dramatically.

"Ohoho~ A beautiful catgirl! My dream girl! The one and only Ellyn!"

Ridan, who was lounging on a tree branch, rolled in the air.

"Here we go again..."

Hazuki kept going, unbothered.

"Golden eyes, golden hair! She’s smart, she’s cool, and when she grows up..." he trailed off, a stupid grin forming.

"She’ll be the most beautiful bride this world’s ever seen."

Chasia narrowed her eyes.

"Wait... you said when she grows up. So she’s not an adult now?"

Hazuki blinked.

"Uhh..." He looked away.

Elvia frowned.

"Are you saying she’s our age?"

"No! Well... not really... I mean, technically... it’s complicated!"

"Why?" Elvia asked, this time with a serious tone.

Her usual pout was gone—she was staring directly at Hazuki now.

Chasia stepped forward too, arms crossed, her nose wrinkled.

"Yeah. Why?" she echoed, eyes narrowing. "You said she’s your bride... but if she’s a kid, that’s not fair!"

Hazuki blinked, water still dripping from his hair.

"W-Why what?" he asked cautiously.

"You made a pinky promise with her, right?" Elvia continued.

"Yeah. So?"

"So that means she’s ten? Or eleven? Around our age?" Chasia’s voice rose.

Hazuki looked at them, then scratched his head awkwardly.

"Look... it’s not what you think. I made the promise with her, yeah, but—"

"But she’s a kid!" Elvia pressed.

"She’s not just a kid. She’s... uh..." Hazuki trailed off.

Chasia raised a brow.

"She’s what? Cute? Special? Got golden hair? Sparkly tail? You like her more than us just because she’s shiny?"

Hazuki took a breath, trying to think of how to explain.

"She’s... important, alright? And yeah, she might look young now, but she’s actually more mature than most people I’ve met."

"Still unfair," Chasia muttered, pouting.

"Totally unfair," Elvia agreed.

"Oi! I’m not saying I chose her because she was a kid! She tricked me into a pinky promise, okay?" Hazuki flailed a little, but his tone wasn’t angry—just tired.

"Back then I didn’t even know what that promise really meant in this world. I thought it was just... you know, a normal promise!"

Elvia and Chasia stood still, exchanging a look.

Then Chasia suddenly smiled slyly.

"Alright then... I’ll just wait until I grow up."

Hazuki groaned.

"No way! I’m not going to make a pinky promise again!" Hazuki snapped, still dripping from the stream, waving his hand like swatting flies.

"Why not!?" Elvia huffed, her cheeks puffed. "I’m cute! I’m an elf! You won’t find anyone like me anywhere!"

"And I’m going to grow into the most beautiful human girl you’ve ever met!" Chasia added with a grin. "Don’t come crying to me when you regret it!"

Hazuki narrowed his eyes.

"Oi. Stop recruiting yourselves like it’s some bride selection contest. You’re kids."

"For now," Chasia muttered.

Elvia folded her arms.

"Besides, if a pinky promise is so powerful... that means it’s like a magical bond, right? So why can’t you make another?"

Hazuki flinched.

"Because it’s sacred, okay!? That’s what people keep saying. Pinky promise equals no turning back. One and done!"

Chasia stomped one foot forward, crossing her arms.

"And I’m going to be beautiful! Just wait—when I grow up, I’ll be the most beautiful human girl you’ve ever met! Don’t you think you’ll regret it if you don’t secure me now!?"

Hazuki squinted at both of them.

"Secure? What are you, merchandise!?"

He waved them off with a tired flick of his wrist.

"Yea yea... whatever."

Both Elvia and Chasia pouted, arms crossed in sync, then huffed.

Elvia glanced at Chasia.

"We’ll see."

"Yeah..." Chasia nodded.

"We’ll definitely see."

Neither said it out loud—but inside their minds, the same thought echoed:

"I’ll find her. The one who made the first pinky promise with him. And I’ll ask her."

After all, somewhere, they had both heard a whisper...

That a pinky promise could be made again—

If the first partner agreed.

But that only applied to girls.

"So... you’re going to leave after this, uncle?" Chasia asked softly

Hazuki stretched his arms behind his head.

"Yeah. Why?"

Elvia and Chasia glanced at each other.

"Nothing~" they both said at the same time, voices sweet but eyes sharp with unspoken thoughts.

Hazuki blinked at them, squinting.

"Weird."

He muttered, then turned his attention to drying his shirt over a nearby rock.

"You two always get quiet when you’re planning something."

"Planning? Us?" Elvia asked, tilting her head with an angelic smile.

"Don’t be silly~" Chasia chimed in, already inching away, grabbing Elvia’s hand.

"We’re just good girls."

"Uh-huh..." Hazuki narrowed his eyes

"Uncle?"

"What!!?" Hazuki shouted, splashing water in frustration.

"Ugh!! Can’t you girls give me five damn minutes to clean myself in peace? What now?"

Chasia and Elvia stood side by side, both with hands behind their backs, rocking slightly on their heels.

"Can give us money?" Elvia asked.

Hazuki furrowed his brow, halfway through rinsing soap from his hair.

"For what?"

Chasia shrugged.

"I don’t know... It’s just..."

Elvia looked down at her toes, voice quieter now.

"We never really had any. Not even a single coin that’s ours. Ever."

Hazuki blinked.

He paused mid-splash, the water dripping down his face as he stared at them.

"...Oh."

He exhaled slowly, then snorted and grabbed his pants from the rock, dug around, and tossed them a small coin pouch without even checking it.

"Split it fair, alright? Don’t waste it on dumb stuff. I’m serious."

Both girls lit up.

"Really!?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Just go. Shoo. Let me finish bathing without two tiny stalkers watching my ass!"

"Yay~! Thank you uncle!"

From above, Ridan chuckled while floating upside down.

"Heeeh~ weird guy, magnet for kids. Damn lolicon!"

"Oi!! Phrasing!!" Hazuki barked while flinging a wet towel in Ridan’s direction, missing by a wide arc.

"I’m not into kids, dammit!" He added, clearly offended.

Ridan twirled midair, arms folded behind his head, smug grin plastered across his face.

"You say that, but now you’ve got two girls fighting over you, and you’re feeding them buns, giving them spending money, and letting them hog your arms in the carriage. What’s next? Matching outfits?"

"Oh shut it! That’s called being decent! They’re kids, Ridan. Kids."

"Yeah yeah~ tell that to their sparkly eyes and wedding plans," Ridan hummed.

Hazuki groaned and wiped his face dry.

( End Of Chapter )