Elf.

A fairy-like or demigod-like being that appears in folklore.

As their recognition spread, they became a staple race appearing in various subcultures.

The characteristics of elves appearing in fantasy include pointed ears, beautiful appearance, and an absurdly long lifespan of easily hundreds of years.

Perhaps because of these characteristics, in modern society, they were a race with the innate fate of being swept up in people's peculiar tastes.

Well, for example.

Gender-fluid elves with massive weapons in their groins, elves with masochistic hobbies who prefer to be slaves, elves who plunder and torture throughout the galaxy...

Actually, I didn't know about the existence of elves from the beginning.

I don't mean I'd never heard the word itself when playing games.

For cyberpunk citizens who had escaped the confined prison of "appearance," it was extremely easy to change their skin to green, make their ears pointed, or transform their entire body into metal.

Sure, they called themselves orcs, elves, and dwarves.

I just thought they were unusual skins.

But.

They actually existed.

They existed naturally as part of society.

I don't know what kind of setting there is behind it.

Before falling into the game, I wasn't interested, and after falling into the game, I didn't have the luxury to think about such things.

I looked at the "elf" in front of me while recalling the game's settings after a long time.

I wonder how long it's been since I've seen an elf other than Andrea.

I couldn't even remember seeing one except for the elf doctor I met when I (forcibly) went for psychiatric counseling.

It was extremely difficult to see elves in Neo Japan. This is probably why lower-class people have strange images of elves.

Orcs were abundant in back alleys, and dwarves could commonly be seen in specialty shops due to their unique dexterity, but not elves.

I carefully opened my mouth and asked her, the short elf.

"...Um, you are an elf, right?"

"Yeah, and these aren't fake ears from surgery. They're my real ears. It's not like you're seeing them for the first time anyway. The person behind you seems to be an elf too."

Dense blue cigarette smoke rises into the air.

The elf, who had discarded any mystical atmosphere, looked at me with an electronic cigarette clenched between her lips.

36. Our Specialties Differ (4)

In the world of cyberpunk, it's "common sense" that you can't judge "age" by "appearance."

That applies even if the other person is an elf.

I awakened the Confucian nobleman sleeping in my heart and showed the other person my utmost courtesy.

"First, let me pay my respects."

"?"

"Despite your advanced age, is your body still in good health?"

"What the hell—"

"I hope you're not offended by this young one's ignorant rudeness."

"Aren't you the one being rude right now?"

"Heh heh."

"...Where did such a strange guy come from?"

The elf frowns with an incredulous expression.

Maybe it's because she has dark circles under her eyes like me, but that annoyed expression felt twice as intense.

Small dolls that had been flying in the air gathered around the elf as she sighed.

They looked as if they were trying to comfort her.

"Ah geez, won't you all go away?"

But the elf receiving the comfort shooed away the approaching dolls with strong hand gestures, as if swatting flies.

Being comforted by living dolls is the dream of many children...

Yet the expression of the elf receiving this benefit was full of irritation. Of course, my influence might have contributed a little to that irritation, but I didn't mind.

Taking a small deep breath to calm her irritation, the elf leaned back slightly and looked down at us with her chin.

"Sit down first. My neck is killing me from looking up at you."

There was quite a height difference between the sitting elf and us standing. Her neck must have been hurting.

We exchanged glances and sat down on the carpet in front of her.

Sitting down and seeing her up close, the elf's tired face was even more prominent.

Eyes that showed the passage of time.

I'm certain.

This person must be much older than Mr. Bill—

"...I don't know what strange thoughts you're having based on your tone earlier, but I'm only in my twenties, you know?"

"Heh heh, elder. You don't need to tell such lies. There are many people around me who are as old as you."

"...Tch, I'm showing you my ID. Open your port signal."

A notification appears in my visual interface, alerting me of data output.

Ah, why do we need to check this?

But if I didn't accept it, the elf in front of me looked like she might grab me by the collar.

When I accepted the signal, the elf's city ID data appeared with important information redacted.

Name: Emily ■■■, Gender: Female.

Age—

...

"...21 years old?"

"See? Now stop treating me like an old person."

I continued thinking carefully, then asked another question that occurred to me.

"Could it be that you've been in the city for 21 years?"

"...Ugh, forget it!"

Emily the elf punched the carpet with an irritated gesture.

- Tok.

Her hands were so small that the sound was extremely faint.

Despite her irritation, her youthful appearance made her not very intimidating.

"...Anyway, you didn't come here looking for ghosts."

As Emily said this, the dolls that had fallen to the floor and were making crying gestures rose back into the air.

"But this isn't a ghost, you know? As I said before, it's a spirit. They do share the commonality of being spiritual beings, but they're more fundamental entities."

A fundamental entity...

Right now, the dolls are dancing above Emily's head while holding hands.

It doesn't look that way to me though.

I turned my head to look at Andrea, who was sitting behind me massaging her numb legs.

"Can you see something else?"

"Huh?"

Andrea looks at the dancing dolls at my question.

"...Hmm, 'something' is holding onto the back of the dolls. It's like a lump, and it's really fascinating. You guys can't see those things?"

"Nope."

"No, we cannot."

I and Eve nod in agreement.

Then Eve added:

"No signals are detected through various sensors either. It is, as you described, an 'occult phenomenon.'"

Even Eve, who had existed within the Net Space, seemed amazed by the sight, as a hint of surprise appeared on her otherwise expressionless face.

The dancing dolls flew toward Eve and Andrea as if they were swimming.

"......"

For some reason, they didn't approach me.

I wanted to see the dancing dolls up close...

I didn't show these inner thoughts and pretended to be calm.

Eve poked the head of a doll that flew toward her with her finger.

- ......!!

The doll, which looked like it was made of straw, seemed startled and returned to its owner, the elf.

Eve watched it go and muttered:

"Spirits, or ghosts, are known to be physically unobservable."

"So you're surprised too, huh."

"Yes. I am learning that this emotion is called 'fascination.'"

Although it wasn't the "ghost" we had expected.

But we had definitely found a clue to the case.

People who know about or can handle spirits like this must be very rare. Even for us, if it weren't for Andrea, who is also an elf, we would have had trouble finding clues.

The outline of the culprit is becoming clearer.

Another being who can handle spirits like an elf—

...

Just to be sure, I asked Emily, who was sitting in front of me, once more.

"...Um, you don't happen to have negative thoughts about corporations, do you?"

"What nonsense."

Emily answered with a frown.

I carefully looked at Eve. Eve slowly shook her head. It seems she couldn't detect any lies through biosignals.

So this person isn't the culprit.

After a brief silence, Emily continued with a frown:

"Anyway, if you're done with your business, I'd like you to leave now."

Dark green hair flowed from inside her hood.

Emily stood up and properly looked down at us.

She seems even shorter than Julia...

Just slightly taller than my sitting height.

Normally, I should be wary of her behavior since we're in a suspicious place, but I couldn't bring myself to feel that way.

"Especially you."

She's really tiny.

"...You, I mean."

She probably can't even ride the Viking at an amusement park.

"Damn it, you! You! YOU!"

Emily's tiny hand grabbed my head and shook it. By the way, she was so weak that my head barely moved.

Oh, she was calling me.

I raised my head (very slightly) to look up at Emily's face.

Maybe it's because she's an elf.

Except for the dark circles, her face was quite adorable.

Emily frowned deeply as she looked at me.

"...You look familiar, but whatever."

Unlike my peaceful thoughts, her words were shocking.

"The spirits are afraid of you right now, you know? See, these good kids aren't approaching you at all."

"No, even if you say that..."

"What exactly are you?"

"......"

Just an ordinary mage.

Spirits aren't my field, so I don't know.

When I didn't continue my answer, Emily turned away from me as if shaking me off and put her hood back on.

"...Anyway, forget it. You've satisfied your curiosity, right? I don't need a consultation fee, so please leave now."

That was a bit problematic.

'Spirits.'

As far as we knew, this elf in front of us was the only expert who had definite information about these beings.

Of course, we might find more if we looked, but it would be extremely difficult in Neo Japan where elves themselves are very rare.

We didn't have enough clues to leave with just the information that the culprit behind the corporate terrorism was using spirits.

"Come on, don't be like that..."

"I said forget it!"

I should have teased her less earlier.

"You too! Take the others and quickly...!"

But.

Suddenly, Emily's voice, which had been shouting, began to fade.

Her gaze was fixed like a wooden statue on Andrea, who was also an elf.

Emily takes off her hood again.

With her eyes narrowed to slits, she slowly examines every part of Andrea's face.

"...?"

Andrea, with a puzzled expression, stares back at Emily for a moment before Emily pulls out a large pair of glasses from inside her robe and puts them on her face.

Maybe because the frames themselves are large, the big glasses sit crookedly on Emily's eyes.

At the same time.

Emily's pupils dilate.

"...Ah, ah, ah."

"Ah?"

Emily ignored my interjection and stared blankly at Andrea.

Soon, a loud voice burst out.

"Lady Andrea?!"

"Huh?"

My dumbfounded response seemed to transfer to Andrea, who tilted her head in confusion at hearing her name called.

Words flowed from Emily's mouth like a rap:

"Hair red as blood! Face like a magazine cover! It's really you! In person! Wait, wait, just a moment. I, I, I'm a real fan! Look at this!"

I leaned forward to peek at the card Emily was holding out to Andrea.

【No. 762 Golden Fan, Emily Chase】

Andrea seems to know what it is, perhaps a card issued by a fan cafe.

"...Oh, so you were my fan."

Andrea takes off her round sunglasses and tucks them between her clothes and chest. I don't know why she puts them there.

Emily now looked like she was about to cry.

"Of course! Only true fans would congratulate Lady Andrea on her engagement news! I can sincerely congratulate you! If that's what makes Lady Andrea happy!"

"Thank you."

"──!!"

Ow, my eardrums might burst.

A high-pitched scream erupts.

Fortunately, it seemed like we could get more information about the clues.

I naturally walked behind them and carefully joined their conversation.

"So you'll tell us about the spirits, right?"

"Tsk, since you came with Lady Andrea..., wait a minute."

Emily's expression becomes extremely serious as she turns her head toward me. It's an expression like that of a malevolent spirit.

Emily adjusts her crooked glasses and looks straight at my face.

It seems her eyesight wasn't good, and without glasses earlier, she couldn't recognize my face.

Now she seems to recognize me.

Emily's voice came out low:

"...You piece of trash playboy?"

"...Excuse me?"

I couldn't hide my confusion at the sudden insult.

* * *

I quietly summarized the situation.

"...So, you're saying?"

"Yeah."

"That I not only hold all the titles of 'absolute scum' within Andrea's fan cafe, but I'm also so infamous among malicious fans that there's an unofficial bounty on me..."

"Yeah."

"But why are you suddenly giving such short answers?"

"You should be grateful I'm answering at all...!"

"She's someone I like. Please treat her well."

"...Kuk, of course, Lady Andrea! Now, how can I help you? I'll tell you anything, even if I have to sacrifice my soul!"

...