The Elf Is a Freeloader Chapter 8

Chapter 8
Chapter 8: A Freeloader?

「Well then!! To celebrate Eru-chan and our meetingーー」

Standing up, Takas.h.i.+ held up a cup of soft drink as he, as a representative for everyone present, gave a toast.

「KanPpPpaaAai!!」

Because of the weird intonation of the toast, Yasutaka and Aoi looked puzzled.

「What? That weird p.r.o.nunciation for 『Kanpai』 is……?」

Having heard Aoi’s question, Takas.h.i.+, with a triumphant look, explained.

「Nu-uh? I heard that the chief priest of Ōsu Kannon[1] toasts this way, so I imitated him.」.

「…… as usual, you know some odd trivia……」

Astonished, Yasutaka’s muttering resounded in the living room of the his house.

Yasutaka and the others left I-ON. Enlisting the help of Takas.h.i.+ who also came to I-ON on his bike, they distributed the shopping bags between the three bicycles so it could be brought to Yasutaka’s house.

And after the bags were carried into Yasutaka’s house, Aoi and Takas.h.i.+ temporarily returned to their respective houses.

So they could stay over at Yasutaka’s house, they prepared a change of clothes and informed their parents.

It is likely that the two’s parents won’t object to them staying at Yasutaka’s house.

Yasutaka, Aoi, and Takas.h.i.+ had often stayed over at each other’s houses. They’ve been doing this since they met in elementary school.

Especially since Yasutaka’s parents live elsewhere, they gather at his house more often.
Because Aoi and Takas.h.i.+’s parents know the situation in Yasutaka’s house, they seem to let their children do as they like.

While waiting for Aoi and Takas.h.i.+ who would return soon, Yasutaka made preparations for dinner which included Takas.h.i.+ and Aoi’s portions, and brought in the dried laundry.

Meanwhile, Eru was engrossed in the picture book that Yasutaka bought in I-ON for her.

As one would expect, the translations earrings can’t translate the characters, but even so, Eru still found looking at the coloured picture book, enjoyable.

「If you’re fine with me, I can teach you the characters and language here?」

「Would you really!?」

When Yasutaka who was watching Eru look at the picture book with so much enthusiasm, nonchalantly offered to teach her, the girl’s eyes sparkled with desire.

「Then, let’s do it little by little starting tomorrow. But, even in this world, j.a.panese is said to be a hard language……」

「I’m sure it would be fine! Though it may not look like it, I have learned not only elven language and lingua franca, but also dwarven language. I’ll definitely learn the language of Yasutaka-san’s country!」

Adorably, Eru clenched her fists as she was filled with motivation.

He later learned in detail that Eru used to only understand elven language which could be also be called her mother tongue. When she left to become an adventurer, it seems she learned other languages with the help of the her magic earrings.

「Fuun. Then, after you memorise the alphabet and basic words, it might be a good idea to watch TV to get used to j.a.panese.」

Thinking it would be a good way for her to familiarize herself with j.a.panese, Yasutaka suggested it to Eru.

「T V……?」 What is a T V?」

「This, is a TV.」

Picking up the remote controller from the coffee table in front of the sofa, he turned on the TV.

As soon as he did, the TV’s black screen brightened and it projected the evening news programme.

「Eh…… th, this is…… an illusion……? Or are there lots of brownies[2] inside this thin slab-like box……?」

If Aoi and Takas.h.i.+ were here, they would say 「Thank you for th

e promised reaction!」and do a thumbs up, but unfortunately Yasutaka doesn’t have any knowledge regarding this.

Which is why, Yasutaka just explained what a TV is to Eru.

「……I don’t know the detailed principles but electromagnetic waves from afar transmit information which is then projected into this screen…… was it? That’s why, it isn’t magic.」

Although he said that to Eru, Yasutaka remembered hearing the theory 「Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.[3]」 from somewhere before.

Certainly, from Eru’s perspective, most of the science and technology of this world wouldn’t seem much different from magic.

(Language won’t be enough, in the future, I’d have to teach her common sense as well.) Yasutaka grumbled internally.

As Eru was being given explanations by Yasutaka on how devices that use modern technology such as TVs and phones work, Aoi and Takas.h.i.+ came back to the house.

Not only did they change clothes, but they each brought food and drinks with them.

That having been said, this was already the usual for them. They have an unspoken agreement that whenever they stay at another’s house, they would bring something over.

To begin with, the party called「Eru’s Welcome Party」started because Takas.h.i.+ has always loved celebrations and Aoi doesn’t dislike lively occasions either. The merry-making of his childhood friends was already a usual thing for Yasutaka, and for Eru who is an adventurer from the other world, it was typical for them to have a feast after a hard job.

And so, the welcome party began. Most of the food and drinks from this world are things Eru had never encountered before. She asked the three about all sorts of things about the foodstuff as she tried them.

Occasionally, her eyes would flicker when flavours she’s never tried before burst in her mouth.

Yasutaka and his friends would laugh loudly at Eru’s appearance, and would take turns to share some hilarious episodes of their past to her.

The four people truly enjoyed the welcome party, however, it wasn’t like all their worries have disappeared.

Considering that Eru is in an unknown world, unaware of how everything works, there’s no way she’s not anxious.

From here, the childhood friends, too, do not know what to do with Eru, who drifted here from another world. Of course, they had no plans to abandon her, but even though she’s just one person ーー an elf, to be preciseーー it’s completely different from picking up and raising a dog or a cat.

In a way, Eru is currently no different from an illegal immigrant. With how it is right now, if she were to get seriously ill or injured in the future, she can’t be brought to the hospital.

If they did, Eru’s true ident.i.ty would be exposed immediately.

What will they do with her from now on? For senior high school students such as Yasutaka and his friends, it was a question that they could not answer.

Someday, a time would come where they have to consult with an adult they trust concerning her.

However.

Just for now, they’ll solve the problems they can manage by themselves. This is what they, along with Eru, decided after some discussion during the party.

「ーーーso, let’s first resolve the problem in front of us.」

The one to speak up was Aoi.

With the food Yasutaka and Aoi prepared having mostly settled in their stomachs, they were now talking about the differences between the worlds while snacking on sweets.

「And what is this problem in front of us?」

「Where Eru will stay for tonight, of course.」

At Aoi’s words, Yasutaka, Takas.h.i.+ and Eru looked at each other.

「There’s no way we can make Eru, a girl, stay at the house of Yasutaka, a guy who’s living alone, right?」

「That’s true…… So then, Aoi’s place?」

「I had that idea at first too but…… that’s definitely impossible.」

With her index and middle finger on her brows, Aoi looked like she’d swallowed a bitter bug.

「Why can’t it be Aoi’s house?」

When Yasutaka asked with a curious look, an extremely complicated expression rose from Aoi for just a moment then she muttered why.

「……………………my brother.」

「Eh? Aoi’s brother…… Takanori-san? What’s wrong with him?」

Kimura Takas.h.i.+ is Aoi’s older brother, a young man striving to become the shopkeeper of a coffee shop, their family’s business. Also, being 26 years old, he has a bit of an age gap with Aoi.

Although he’s shorter than Yasutaka, he weighs about 30 kilos more and has a somewhat portly figure, but Takanori is a virtuous person that would do no harm to Eru.

Just like with Aoi, Yasutaka and Takas.h.i.+ also socialize with Takanori, so they know him very well.

「He’s not the kind of person who would do something bad and take advantage of someone, right? That having been said, since Eru-chan would be with you, it’s not like he’d have the guts to do anything bad either?」

As Takas.h.i.+ had said, rather than a virtuous person, Aoi’s brother is the timid type.

Yasutaka and Takas.h.i.+ couldn’t imagine Takanori having the guts to play a prank or cause mischief at all.

「With regards to that, as her sister, I also agree with Takas.h.i.+. But that’s not the problem. I sense that my issue would be that Eru is a genuine elf.」

A genuine elf. When Aoi said that, disregarding Yasutaka, Takas.h.i.+ was completely convinced.

Aoi’s brother, Takanori, is even more of a severe fantasy otaku than Takas.h.i.+ and has an abnormal obsession with elves (Elf Mania). He would become a warrior in order to obtain any figure or goods related to elves.

What would happen if that Takanori ends up living with Eru, a real elf?

「If that brother of mine lives with a real elf, he would be moe all day and we’d lose the normality of our daily lives!! I’m sure of it!!」

As Aoi clenched her fist in emphasis, Takas.h.i.+ was repeatedly nodded his head in agreement.

「I see…… The goods Takanori-san collects…… Those were elves……」

Although Yasutaka knew of Takanori’s hobby, he only knew that they would be characters of an anime or something, and was unaware that the goods Takanori collected were elf related. Or rather, it reeked of too much danger that he didn’t try to find out.

「So that means……」

Yasutaka and Aoi’s gaze turned to Takas.h.i.+.

「U~n…… There’s an extra room in my house so there’s no problem there but…… there’s an extremely loose-tongued person there……」

「Akira-san, huh……」

Akari is Takas.h.i.+’s elder sister, and as the younger brother has said, she’s an extremely talkative person who can’t keep a secret.

If Eru lived in Takas.h.i.+’s house where Akira is, it is likely that in three days, Eru’s existence would spread not just to the neighbourhood but the whole of Niss.h.i.+n City.

「……So then…… Yasutaka’s house is the only choice, after all.」

Aoi spoke her mind as she realized it. At least among the three, the only place Eru can live in secretly was here, Yasutaka’s house.

However, her complicated thoughts didn’t allow her to realize it so readily.

「Alright!? Yasutaka!!」

Aoi was severely looking daggers at Yasutaka.

「Just because there would only be the two of you, if you do anything weird to Eru…… I’ll kill you?」

「Y, yeah. I won’t do that.」

Aoi glared at the visibly frightened and nodding Yasutaka suspiciously then faced Eru.

「I’ll come to this house as much as possible. If…… If Yasutaka does anything, you’ll make sure to tell me, right?」

「Va……Vaーsu」

Right now, Yasutaka is the one wearing the earring so Aoi can’t understand Eru’s words. But she understood that the words just now was equivalent to a 「Yes」.

「It won’t happen so…… Eru, best regards.」

「A, anoー, Yasutaka-san. I have an opinion as to where I will be living…… or rather, where I plan to……」

At the conclusion, it seems that the person concerned, Eru, finally had some sort of proposal.

Not just Yasutaka but Aoi and Takas.h.i.+ were also eagerly waiting for Eru to continue talking.

「I am truly grateful that you would receive me here, however, I would be a nuisance…… Therefore, if you could point me to a cheap inn around this area, I plan to move there.」

「A, an Inn?」

「Yes, an Inn, An establishment for adventurers would be even more convenient. Though it may not seem like it, but I am a bit experienced as an adventurer in the town of Prius. Al, also, may I ask you to inform me where the Adventurer’s Guild in this town is located? If so, then I believe I can register by myself. Actually, when I left my hometown, the elf village, this is…… a, are? What is the matter, Yasutaka-san?」

Eru noticed that Yasutaka was looking at her in blank amazement. She couldn’t understand why he was making such an expression.

It was a matter of course for adventurers to register at the adventurer’s guild and get work from there. This was common sense for Eru.

Meanwhile, having come to his senses, Yasutaka interpreted her words to Takas.h.i.+ and Aoi.

When the two heard it, they had the same expression Yasutaka had not long ago and were staring at Eru blankly.

「You see, Eru-chan……」

Just how long did the three stare blankly at Eru? Coming to his senses at last, Takas.h.i.+ opened his mouth.

「Yes, what is it, Takas.h.i.+-san?」

「ーーーgot none.」

「None? What has none?」

「This town…… No, this world’s got no adventurer’s guild. Of course, there’s no jobs or systems for adventurers too.」

「Eh……? Th, there’s no…… adventurer’s guild……? And no adventurers either……?」

In this world, there are those who call themselves adventurers but it’s entirely different from what Eru calls adventurers.

After hearing Takas.h.i.+’s explanation, it was Eru’s turn to look dumbfounded.

With Eru’s common sense, it’s not unthinkable for a big town to not have an adventurer’s guild. But with no adventurers in this world, it’s logical that there would be no adventurer’s guild.

「That’s how it is, so…… Eru-chan, what are you gonna do now?」

Takas.h.i.+ asked with a teasing smile.

Eru who was dumbfounded was trying desperately to think, while looking at the three in turns.

And then,

「……Yasutaka-san, thank you for taking care of me at your house……」

She faced Yasutaka and bowed deeply, and then the three laughed and once again welcomed Eru.
And so,

An elf girl who lost her way from a parallel world, came to live at the Akatsuka residence in Niss.h.i.+n City, Aichi Prefecture as a freeloader.

 

Footnotes:

大須観音 / Ōsu Kannon is a Buddhist Temple in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. As for the intonation, priests have a certain way of saying a sutra. Imagine it that way. ブラウニー / Brownie is a household spirit in English and Scottish folklore. Third law of Clarke’s three laws. Raw was written in English, followed by a j.a.panese translation.