The Nymph Wants to be Plundered - Chapter 140

“Wow… So that’s how it was. That’s really amazing.”

These were things she had never thought about when living in the countryside. She had simply lived as just one person among many. Everything surrounding her felt newly wondrous, so she asked another question.

“Um, then. Lord Cassis. Is the first king who established the Kingdom of Jupiter also among these?”

The clay dolls, as far as she could see, generally had pointed ears. Evelyn looked carefully to see if there were any clay dolls with wings, but there weren’t any, so she set aside Nike and felt like looking for that person she had seen in the thin book, even if it was a substitute.

When her curious eyes, revived by his fanning, swept over the dolls, his hand came to rest not on anything in the diorama, but on her shoulder.

“No, there isn’t. At this time, our clan members lived scattered and homeless. Literally running through forests and mountains, making suitable shelters and staying for days at a time. Then when they found a place worth settling, they progressed to huts and tents, and some of them decided to gather together and live. This diorama is the fruit of that.”

“Then it’s a story from a very long time ago.”

Evelyn’s eyes, repeating what had already been said, held a light of admiration. What could be so interesting about it? In reality, this was a musty history full of the smell of dirt and crushed grass, so no residents came to see this diorama they had worked hard to create. Cassis nodded with a gentle smile.

“That’s right.”

“Lord Cassis. Then, well. At this time… well, it doesn’t have to be the Kingdom of Devran specifically. During this period, where were our humans and what were they doing? Oh! Are there nymphs among these too?”

“Hmm……”

His murmur grew quieter and quieter but continued longer than expected. Since he had never let out such a long groan before, Evelyn simply waited innocently. After a moment, he opened his mouth.

“As far as I know, humans were probably either before birth, or not in a fixed form like these clay dolls.”

“Wh… what?!”

At the unexpected words, she opened her eyes wide. Even though it was a diorama lacking in color and full of dirt, Evelyn felt that if the scenery inside this became actualized, she could live here if asked to. But to think it was a time when humans weren’t even born yet… Humans and elves were starkly different. It was a fact she knew but often forgot, and it felt strangely new.

“It’s because it was a very long time ago.”

“…I, I see.”

“This is probably my mistake. It seems I went back too far up in time. In reality, today’s festival and this diorama’s composition don’t match up perfectly either.”

She was busy denying Cassis’s self-reproach as if it were the end of the world.

“No! It was really interesting.”

“Me too!”

“Uh… huh?”

There was a voice that suddenly interjected even though she hadn’t answered. What was that, what happened? Bewildered, she looked around where the sound came from and was startled. A small doll was standing all alone near her feet where there had been nothing before. Was it something that hadn’t been put into the diorama yet? But the colors were too vivid for that.

No, it was moving! The thing wearing a cloth cone hat was clearly a living, breathing creature. Evelyn was so surprised that she just stared blankly. Soon, the small something that had jumped up onto the support in front of the diorama opened its mouth.

“Hello, Your Majesty the King!”

“So you were here.”

“Yes! I’m sorry I didn’t have enough time to paint any colors on the dolls at all. To dare present such an unfinished work at the festival, I am unqualified as a small folk.”

“No, you worked hard.”

At Cassis’s casually thrown words, the small folk person started to tear up. Though small in body, his eyes rippled like pebbles sparkling in a stream.

“Ah, Your Majesty the King! It’s not enough that you saved me, but to bestow such grace upon me like this, sob sob. Thank you.”

“This is Daius, Evelyn. He probably made several items that went to you.”

As soon as Cassis’s introduction ended, the small folk person spun around and chattered away.

“Oh! This lovely young lady is the rumored tree nymph? I’ve heard many stories. Are you using the rose embroidered handkerchief, palm tree patterned cushion, flower patterned dish, and golden pen nib that I made for you? And what else was there… Phew, there are too many to remember them all. Anyway, all the women’s items I’ve made recently are yours, miss.”

As familiar items poured from his mouth in a stream, she was surprised and bent her knees to meet Daius’s eyes as she asked.