I am the heroine's godfather!

Upon hearing Loran's question, Amito was stunned. After a long while, he sighed, "You are indeed extraordinary."

He took off the mask that was covering his face.

What a face it was! It looked as if it had been scorched by flames, as if it had been sliced ​​alive, as if it had suffered all the cruel tortures of the world, and finally turned into a terrifying face.

Loran remained silent for a long while before saying, "The Tree of Death?"

"Ah."

Amito put on the mask. Elves are always very particular about their appearance; Loran's friend was like that, and so was Amito.

Would you mind telling me your story?

"of course can."

Amito was still looking at where the painter was: "It was about twenty years ago. Back then, things were different from now. The Demon King was not sealed away, and the demons were rampaging everywhere."

"I was passing by when I discovered that the villagers were offering a sacrifice to a monster to save their village from destruction."

"The girl who was sacrificed that year was a blind little girl."

“In that era, disabled children were a burden to most ordinary people, and it was perfectly normal for such burdens to be sacrificed.”

"I saved her and killed the monster, and for that I was worshipped as a mountain god."

"Because she didn't want to see the villagers who had sacrificed her down the mountain, I stayed here and raised her."

"Then, we fell in love."

At this point, Amito suddenly noticed that Loran was looking at him like he was trash.

"abnormal."

"..."

Amito remained silent for a long time, then quietly turned his head away: "This is... normal human nature, it can't be called abnormal."

"hehe."

"...Are you listening to me or not?!"

Chapter 20 After weathering countless storms, one should always cook a bowl of porridge and watch the sunset from a place of peace.

"I was wrong, please continue."

To prevent himself from running out of fun... oh no, I mean, from not being able to hear the whole story, Loran obediently admitted defeat.

Amito sighed deeply at this unconventional but powerful figure.

With that mouth of yours, won't you get beaten to death if you go out in public?

No longer arguing with Loran, Amito continued, "Elves usually leave the Elven Forest at the age of three hundred to travel. If they find a place where their hearts belong, they will never return to the Elven Forest."

"It's just that elves are a race that is mostly emotionally detached."

"Yeah, sure."

Loran nodded, thinking of his elven friend Estia, who was as cold as ice, just like Messiah now.

Interrupted once again, Amituo silently gave him a dangerous look. Loran quickly shut up, making a zipping motion with his hand to indicate that he would no longer interrupt.

"At that time, I had been traveling for three hundred years. I had planned to end my travels and return to the Elf Forest, but on the eve of my departure, I found a place of peace."

You couldn't find peace of mind for three hundred years, and now you've fallen for the girl you raised, huh?! And you still say you're not a pervert!

Although he was inwardly complaining, Loran dared not say it aloud—otherwise, if he really broke this guy's defenses, what would he do if he stopped talking?

“I thought I would stay here, and after a hundred years, I would bury her under her favorite bauhinia tree, where she would live out her days in solitude.”

"But nothing in this world always goes as planned."

Amito sighed: "It was about five years ago, when Her Majesty the Saintess had just sealed the Demon King and was performing the ritual to ascend to demigod status. During that time, the followers of the evil god were particularly active."

Loran did have a recollection of this, but he was protecting Messiah at the time, so he only learned about it later. At that time, Messiah was the only eighth-rank deity in the Holy See. During the time she was performing her ritual, everyone outside believed she was dead, so the followers of the evil god swarmed out, attempting to overthrow the Holy See.

It is said that the Holy City suffered heavy losses during that period, but thanks to the foundation laid by its predecessors, it still managed to hold on. More than half of the seventh-tier cardinals were lost, but they repelled the attacks of two eighth-tier and seven seventh-tier warriors. However, after that, the Holy City's authority plummeted, powerful nations began to stir, and followers of the evil god plotted a comeback.

That period was truly chaotic.

However, this only lasted for seven days. After seven days, Messiah returned, possessing the power of a demigod, invincible under heaven, and all demons and monsters were reduced to shadows.

"It was at that time that the Elf Forest was attacked by the followers of the Tree of Death, also known as the Apostles of Death, and I went back to provide support. Seven days later, Her Majesty the Saintess returned, the war ended, and I set off to return, but was hunted by the Apostles of Death on the way."

"The Tree of Death and the Elf race are mortal enemies, after all, the Death beings transformed from the Elf race are often the best finished products."

The Apopters are an extremely rare and terrifying race. They are incredibly powerful and born at the gold level. If an elf who is already at the gold level were to be transformed into an Apopter, it would be possible for them to reach at least the seventh or even eighth rank.

"Fortunately, the Elf Queen came and saved me before the transformation was successful. Although it interrupted the process of transforming into a Deathborn, the curse of the Deathborn Tree can never be removed."

Amito pointed to his face: "I have become like this, and for the rest of my life, I have no chance of reaching the seventh rank."

"The Queen told me that if I were to be nurtured for seven hundred years inside the ancient elven tree, a sacred relic of the elves, it might be able to restore my path, but the curse on my face would remain."

"Seven hundred years... even for elves, that's not a short time."

"By the time I get out, I'm afraid the person I love will be gone, and even their remains will be lost."

"So I refused."

"What you see next is what you get."

After Amito finished telling the story, Loran asked, "So, even though she's right next to you, you're unwilling to see her?"

“就我如今的样子，怎么再好意思每^日.发！书，群【6`5,0/5^0”2*3>3.8】出现在她面前呢？”

Amituo gave a bitter smile: "That's good. At least in her heart, I'm still the way she touched me back then, not this horrible face I have now."

Even if she can't see it?

Even if she can't see.

"I really don't understand you elves."

Lorraine sighed, but stepped aside: "But no matter what, you should ask her if she agrees, right?"

Amity was stunned.

In the distance, that bauhinia flower stands at the edge of the barrier, "looking" this way.

The wind blew her long purple hair.

"You're there, aren't you?"

She spoke, her voice not loud, but it reached Amito's ears clearly.

Amity did not answer. Was it because he did not know how to answer, or did he still want to escape?

However, the person he loved was not the inanimate Bauhinia flower, but a living, breathing human being.

So she took a step forward, wearing only a thin dress, and stepped into the howling wind and the icy snow.

"no, do not want!"

Amito exclaimed in surprise, took a step forward, crossed hundreds of meters, came to her side, and hugged the frail girl.

The girl's face was pale from the cold, and her lips were a little purple, but she still reached out her hand, wanting to touch Amito's face.

Amito instinctively wanted to back away, but in the end, he stayed where he was.

The girl finally touched the person who had returned home.

"you are back."

The blind girl touched the disfigured elf, and at that moment, the beauty seemed to fade even the snow and the bauhinia flowers.

"so good."

On Loran's back, Charlotte, who had woken up at some point, spoke softly.

Lorraine laughed: "Yes, that's wonderful."

It's wonderful that lovers can finally be together.

After all the trials and tribulations, it's wonderful to find your loved one waiting in your peaceful place.

The next day, Lorraine and Charlotte boarded the departing carriage.

As the carriage traveled along the road, Charlotte looked back and seemed to see the elf and the painter holding hands on the distant snow-capped mountains, watching them depart.

Chapter 21 It's best to book a hotel in advance.

"Lorraine, have we arrived?"

After several days of carriage travel, Miss Charlotte spoke weakly, "I don't want to sleep in a tent anymore..."

"Hmm, we should be able to reach the next village this afternoon."

Loran glanced at the map. After leaving the village at the foot of Mount Hiscana, the two continued onward. A month had passed, and they were now nearing the border of the Isnar Empire. In another week, they would be entering the empire's territory.

"Ugh... I really want to take a shower."

Although Loran's cleansing magic prevented her from smelling bad, Charlotte still felt a little uncomfortable because she hadn't bathed for several days.

"Once we reach the next village, we can find an inn to take a bath."

"Um......"

Exhausted, Miss Charlotte responded weakly and then leaned against Loran to fall asleep again.

Since leaving the village of Hiscana, the next month of my journey had been rather dull, and I hadn't encountered anything as interesting as Amito.

That's understandable, since the two are travelers, not adventurers, so their journey wouldn't be so dramatic. Back when she was an adventurer, her experiences with her teammates were truly spectacular—fighting monsters one day, navigating dungeons the next, and encountering cultists the day after.

Long live peace.

Recalling those chaotic days, Loran couldn't help but praise peace.

As the sun set, Loran and his companions arrived at their next village. After alighting from the carriage, Miss Charlotte hurriedly pulled Loran towards the inn, wanting him to sleep in a soft bed. But...

"No rooms available?!"

Charlotte didn't even have time to maintain her composure; she braced her hands on the table, her face filled with disbelief.

"The last room was booked half an hour ago. You're too late."

The innkeeper—an elderly man who looked to be in his fifties or sixties—was wiping his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone indifferent.

"Are you sure that's all? We can charge you extra!"

Miss Charlotte tried to resist a little longer, but the innkeeper calmly put on his glasses and said, "That's all, please go back."

"Well......"

"Alright, let's go, Charlotte."

Charlotte was about to say something when Lorraine stopped her. For some reason, ever since entering the village, he had felt an eerie atmosphere permeating the air.

This doesn't seem like a good place...

It feels like things are about to get interesting.

Stepping out of the hotel, Charlotte pouted, "In the end, we still have to sleep in a tent."

"Wow, what a beautiful lady!"

Just as the two were about to find a place to pitch their tent, a childish voice suddenly rang out. Lorraine and Charlotte looked up and saw a little girl who looked to be only six or seven years old, holding her mother's hand with one hand and pointing at Charlotte with the other.

Seeing the two looking over, the little girl waved and looked very excited: "Hello!"

Charlotte smiled upon seeing the cute little girl: "Hello!"

"Hello, beautiful lady, my name is Mary!"

The little girl, tugging at her mother's hand, looked very excited: "Are you travelers from out of town?"

"Yes, my name is Charlotte, nice to meet you."

Charlotte knelt down and shook hands with little Mary. Lorraine and the middle-aged woman beside her exchanged a glance and gave each other a helpless smile.

"Hello, I am Laura Del."

“Hello Mrs. Del, I am Lorran Morganfleur.”

"Hello, Mr. Morgan Freer."

The two adults greeted each other, and Mrs. Del asked, "It's getting late, where are you two headed?"

"To our shame, we are travelers who have spent several days in the wilderness before arriving at this village. We had hoped to rest at the inn here, but we never expected that there would be no rooms available."