Chapter 4: The Fate of the Twins

☆47 A Nostalgic Scenery 

A familiar forest stretched out before me. 

Even though we hadn’t parted on bad terms, I felt a little embarrassed about meeting the dark elves again. Without thinking, my feet carried me not toward the village, but toward that cave—the place where I had been abandoned. As always, towering trees blocked out the sun, and the cave’s mouth gaped ominously in the darkness. 

Unlike back then, I could now control mana freely. 

The cave was pitch black. But I gathered mana in my palm. I used its glow to light my way as I silently ventured deeper inside. 

I didn’t have a particular goal in mind. 

And yet, for some reason, my heart was drawn to this place—the sacred site where I first awakened to my vast mana. 

As if that moment was waiting for me once again. 

In the deep, silent, breath-holding stillness, I took careful steps forward, one by one. 

Before long, I reached a sacred space that shone as brightly as daylight. 

The glow of mana that had illuminated my feet was no longer necessary. Blinding light filled the depths of the cave. 

And the moment I stepped into that space, I felt a presence. 

Someone was there. 

The person was carefully selecting plant seeds and fruits. 

My heart jumped at the sight of their back. 

There was no way I could forget. 

“Nactis!!” 

Before I knew it, I had shouted his name. 

The man had dusky skin and silver hair, tied back. As my voice echoed, he turned around in surprise. 

Then, with a puzzled expression, he walked toward me without hesitation. 

“Hm? How do you know my name? Who the hell are you?” 

No way… you’ve got to be kidding me… 

I was so stunned by Nactis’ unexpected words that I couldn’t even react—I just froze on the spot. 

Seeing me like that, Nactis smirked and casually placed a hand on my shoulder. 

“I’m messing with you. Been doing alright, Souta?” 

At his lighthearted words, I finally let out a breath. I felt the tension in my shoulders ease a little. 

“So, what brings you here all of a sudden? Thinking of coming back?” 

Nactis teased with a grin. 

“Yeah, about that… You know about the recent movements of the Valford Knights, right? I wanted to talk to the chief about it.” 

“Hmm… Then why’d you come here instead of heading straight for the village? Wait—don’t tell me…….… You were too embarrassed?” 

“…… Yeah, something like that.” 

“Hah! You really let the dumbest things get to you. Alright, I’ll go with you.” 

Nactis shrugged. He was laughing as he looked at me. 

Something about his carefree attitude made me chuckle as well. 

◆◆◆

We left the cave and headed toward the chief’s house together. 

As we walked along the village path, shaded by the towering trees, familiar faces called out to me one after another. 

“Hey, isn’t that Souta?! What’s up? Long time no see!” 

“Huh? Souta? You got taller, didn’t you?” 

Their expressions were a mix of surprise and nostalgia. 

Seeing their smiles made me smile too, almost without realizing it. 

The friends I spent my childhood with still welcomed me just as they always had. 

Each time someone clapped me on the shoulder and asked, “Been doing well?” I was reminded that this place had once been my home. 

Next to me, Nactis smirked as he watched. 

“Man, you’re really loved around here. No wonder you felt embarrassed.” 

Hearing that just made me feel even more self-conscious. But at the same time, a warm sense of nostalgia spread through my chest. 

The chief’s house looked exactly the same as before. 

A large wooden roof, a spacious yard, and the quiet trees surrounding it—it was as if time had stopped. Even the chief himself hadn’t changed a bit. He still looked as youthful and dignified as ever. 

“It’s been a while, Chief.” 

The chief gazed at me with a quiet smile. 

“Ah, Souta. You’ve grown. I’ve heard rumors about you from the adventurers who pass through now and then.”

His calm voice carried the same dignity and kindness as before. 

The chief’s gaze met mine directly. It was filled with both nostalgia and a sense of pride. 

“Now then, what brings you here today?” 

At his question, I felt a slight nervousness. But I steeled myself and spoke. 

“Yes. I’ve been growing increasingly concerned about the recent movements of the Valford Knights.” 

I took a deep breath and got straight to the point. 

“To put it bluntly, would you all consider evacuating to Celestia, where I currently live?” 

The chief’s eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment. Then, he studied me with a serious expression. After a short silence, he responded in a low, steady voice. 

“You mean the Elysia Autonomous Territory? I’ve heard rumors that refugees from Valford have been flocking there.” 

“Yes, that’s correct. I understand how important it is to protect this sacred cave. But I don’t want to see you all resisting the knights only to be wiped out—or worse, submitting to that weakling I was reincarnated with.” 

“Protect the cave? We just happened to settle here over a thousand years ago and made use of the mana source nearby. Honestly, we don’t think of ourselves as its protectors.” 

Wait, seriously? 

The unexpected response left me momentarily speechless. 

I quickly tried to recover and was about to say, “Then in that case—” But the chief raised a hand to stop me. 

“However, that autonomous region is ruled by elves, is it not? Unfortunately, we dark elves would not be welcome there.” 

“That won’t be a problem. I’ve already taken care of that.” 

The chief’s eyes widened again, this time in clear surprise. He stared at me skeptically for a long moment. 

“Alright then, let’s start packing and move out immediately.” 

I declared, standing up with determination. 

“H-Hey, Souta, what exactly is going on here?” 

The chief was clearly bewildered. But I pressed forward, pushing the conversation in the direction I wanted. 

Without wasting any time, I started rallying the villagers. I urged them to prepare for the relocation. I wasn’t going to let them hesitate—I was already moving forward.