And thus, for elves that could live to thousand years, of course, their sense of time was different from human.
Twenty years, for elves, was nothing. And demanding Aisha to have maturity in mind and body, was actually ridiculous.
Elves need to have a lot of sleep. To let their sensitivity toward nature grow and to get a hold of their enormous mana.
That was elves pre-puberty phase, and it would last around forty or fifty years.
After that phase ended, they would start to grow taller and enter puberty.
It would last around another forty or fifty years. When their body becomes similar to twenty years old human, their body would stop growing, as if time has stopped. And then until the end of their life, they would not grow old. For those who reached a thousand years old, they would still only looked like a human in their thirty or forty.
In the third reclamation village Floria the only one who knows that truth was her father.
It was fine when they were still children.
Because it was common for children to be passive and a bit absentminded, just like how it was normal for them to be high spirited.
However, when Aisha reached ten years old, it becomes impossible to hide due to her growth difference and ability to learn.
Everyday Aisha was told,
“Useless!”
“She must be cursed! Cursed child!”
“She is a monster, right!”
like that by other children.
Although none of the villagers were educated, it’s not like none of them not know Aisha’s circumstances. Although small in number, people who could notice that she might be from a different race also existed.
But none of them support her.
Unbalanced diet.
It was the fate of those who born with elf blood in their vein.
They could not stand the smell of animals. No matter how they tried, they could not bring themselves to eat it. That also included milk from livestock and eggs. In the end, the only thing Aisha eat were grain, beans, and soup of salt and vegetables. Also, fruits, but it was a pretty rare treat.
Not only she grows slowly, but she was also a picky eater, could not help with work, and only sleep all day long. That was how Aisha was viewed by the villagers.
However, even so–
“It’s fine even if you grow slowly. Just grow at your own pace. Until then Papa will always protect Aisha. I promise.”
That’s right. Because of those words, Aisha could live until she was nineteen years old and few months without worry.
Because her father who was an ex-adventurer was outstanding in protecting the village, hunting, and pioneering.
And because his father is kind, even when famine strike she was not sold, and due to his gentleness, Aisha could grow to become an honest girl.
However, that fortune was ended abruptly.
Pandemic disease.
That disease infected a third of the village’s population, including her father.
And losing the only support, her family ended terribly.
Their food reserve dissipates slowly as time passed while Aisha could only nursing his father desperately.
Day by day as their food reserve reduced, the food on their table becomes even poorer.
But none lend their hand. Although his father has saved them not only once or twice, none, not even one soul lend their hand to them.
On the contrary, some even said that the root of the disease comes from the house with the cursed child.
Aisha understood intuitively.
The reason none of them lend their hand was that they hate her.
Because of her, none willing to save her father.
Her father’s condition did not become better.
In the small reclamation village, there was no doctor.
And her father’s dying words were–
“…I am sorry, Aisha–Father could not protect you anymore–I broke my promise–I could not protect my promise with you, and with your mother Floria–I am sorry, I love you, Aisha–”
After her father died, she was thrown away.
None willing to take her.
Of course.
In that desperate situation, none would want to add baggage who could not work and a picky eater.
After she finished her story, she cried and cried.
Surely, during her desperate time to survive, she has killed her own emotion.
The reason she did not lose herself and able to met Nacht now, just because of her father.
“Just cry whenever you wanted to cry. Let your tears flow–don’t hold back. Although I don’t have much, I could still lend you my chest.”
Nacht looked up to the sky.
Nacht felt a strange connection, as if fate, with the first person she met in this unknown world. Just like the feeling she had with her old comrades.
If Nacht was not there, this little life will surely have left this world.
“Hey, Aisha–How about you come with me?”
After confirming that Aisha has calmed down and her clarity has returned to her eyes, Nacht said those words.
“……B-but…I…don’t think I would be useful for Nacht-sama. I am weak, forgetful, and picky eater…”
“Hahaha. It’s not like I want you to fight. And I am confident with my memory. I also have a lot of food that you might like. So there is no problem, right?”
And then she tilted her head, slightly apologetic.
“Actually, when I saved you using dragon servant, there is a part of you that bound by it. I will always know where you are, and your growth from now on would largely be influenced by me–would you hate it?”
Unconsciously her expression started to turn into worry.
While surprised that Nacht could make that expression, Aisha quickly denied it.
“N-no. Of course not. I actually feel honored, but–”
Aisha knew she was useless.
That’s why she keeps troubled her father.
She didn’t want to stay beside Nacht as her useless self.
Nacht read Aisha’s thoughts.
And then after she smiled widely, she said to Aisha teasingly.
“If Aisha doesn’t want to come with me I will be troubled. Apparently, I am easy to feel lonely, that’s why it’s better if I had company–and it would be splendid if Aisha who is a beauty who accompanies me.”
“Be-beauty…! Hau!”
Regardless, due to Dragon Servant, Aisha would become stronger from now on. In the first place, Nacht could feel she has a lot of mana originally. Of course, since she was not accustomed to it, she couldn’t use it. However, give her a few years and she would be able to handle it easily.
“That’s why Aisha. Come with me–I need you.”
Nacht offer her hand to Aisha.
However, Aisha did not accept it readily. Because her mind was in chaos. Her heart beating faster and faster, and to hid the tears that flowing in her cheeks she could not raise her head.
In her heart, there was only one tremendous feeling.
It was not joy steamed from the calculation of profit, but pure happiness from the fact that Nacht said she needs her.
It was the first time someone ever said that they need her.
Everyone else shunned and scorned her.
She was thrown away because none need her.
Denied, and labeled as baggage.
That was Aisha amount to.
However, Nacht said she needs her.
She needs her.
It was the greatest joy.
It was supreme bliss.
She certainly found something new inside her.
It was a feeling that hard to describe, a pleasant feeling that rushed from inside her, flowing to all the part of her body, and wanted to burst out of her.
Words that she should not have known appeared naturally inside her heard. At that moment, she grows up so fast as if to make up the time she has lost.
To express all of that feeling, she spoke out.
“Yes, my master–Aisha pledge an eternal loyalty to you.”