Skeleton Knight in Another World Vol. 2

by Ennki Hakari

  Ariane gave her father a puzzled look. “Is there something you need to talk with her about?”

  As she spoke, her sister’s determined face came to mind. They hadn’t seen each other in some time.

  “Ah, I guess she hasn’t mentioned it to you. She’s getting married next year. I haven’t met her fiancé yet, so it still doesn’t seem real to me.”

  Ariane’s jaw dropped. “What? No way! My sister, the fierce warrior woman? The same sister who swore she’d never get married?! Do I know the soldier she’s getting married to?”

  “From what I hear…he’s actually a farmer.”

  Disbelief washed over Ariane’s face. Her sister—one of Maple’s best soldiers, whose abilities could put even Ariane to shame—was unmatched in her love for combat. Eevin had only ever shown interest in other strong fighters, so the very thought of her falling in love with someone so different left Ariane speechless.

  By the time Ariane and Dillan left the central council tree, the bright blue morning sky had been replaced with the darker hues of nightfall. Magically powered lights shone from tree house windows, and the path beneath their feet was illuminated by lanterns overhead.

  “It’s already rather late. We’ll stay in Eevin’s quarters for the night and then head home in the morning. You and your sister haven’t seen each other in some time, so I’m sure you have a lot to discuss. I have my own questions about this wedding of hers, too…”

  Dillan turned to face his daughter, who was still staring straight ahead in shock, and gestured in the direction of Eevin’s quarters. Her tree house was only a short distance from the central council’s chambers. The two turned a corner and ducked inside.

  Unlike the special tree reserved solely for the council’s use, most other houses were split into different floors for each family or individual living there. Shared trees were common living accommodations in Maple.

  Ariane and Dillan stepped into the tube-shaped room located in the center of the tree and touched their desired floor on the crystal sphere on the pedestal. Moments later, the floor began to rise, the sound of air slipping through the gaps in the boards nearly imperceptible.

  After only a moment, they arrived at their destination. A bell rang as the tube opened out into a hallway. They walked past numerous numbered doors until Dillan stopped in front of one and knocked.

  A loud crash resounded from within, then the door swung wide. Dillan slid out of the way, but Ariane, who had been standing directly behind him, found herself on the receiving end of a full-force tackle, knocking both her and her assailant to the ground.

  “You’re sooo late! I heard my darling little Arin was going to come see me, so I took the whoooole day off to wait for you!”

  The woman squeezing Ariane’s head into her bosom was none other than Eevin Glenys Maple, her older sister.

  Eevin, a dark elf like Ariane, shared her same amethyst-colored skin and golden eyes. She wore her shoulder-length white hair tied back in a ponytail.

  Though only slightly taller than Ariane, she was also curvier than her younger sister, a striking figure that would catch anyone’s eye.

  Eevin stroked her darling little Arin’s cheek, almost like she would a beloved pet.

  “It’s been a while, Eevin.”

  Ariane offered a gentle smile, but Eevin puffed out her cheeks in response. “Arin, you jerk! I told you to call me sis, didn’t I?”

  Confronted with the pleading, tear-filled, golden eyes of her older sister, Ariane couldn’t help but let out a quiet snicker as she hugged her back.

  “Fine, fine. Hurry up and let’s get inside…sis.”

  Eevin broke out in a wide smile, satisfied with her sister’s response. “Wheeee!”

  Ariane had been worried on the way over that her sister might have changed now that she was engaged. Up until now, the only things Eevin had ever shown any interest in were her darling little sister and fighting. But when Ariane saw that she was still the same old Eevin, relief washed over her.

  Dillan watched the interaction between his daughters, an amused smile on his face. His shoulders relaxed as he turned to address Eevin. “You haven’t changed a bit, have you?”

  Eevin looked up, as if just noticing her father’s presence. “Oh, Father’s here too?”

  Dillan sighed deeply and shook his head.

  While Eevin cheerfully prepared tea for her guests, Ariane inquired about her marriage plans.

  “So, Father says you’re getting married. Is that true?” She looked around her sister’s room.

  “Yup! Oh, little Arin isn’t jealous that her big sis is gonna be taken away from her, is she? Teehee!” Eevin smiled devilishly.

  “What kind of person is he?”

  A soft, gentle look appeared in Eevin’s eyes. “Hmm…he’s nice, honest to a fault, and a little strange, I guess.”

  Ariane couldn’t help but feeling a little sad to see this new side of her sister—a woman she’d thought would never change. She wondered if she, too, might one day have these same feelings for someone.

  “So, you’re a little curious, aren’t yoooou?”

  Ariane scowled at her sister’s teasing. “N-not at all.”

  Eevin gave Ariane a mischievous grin. “Is there anyone you’re interested in, Arin?”

  For a moment, the face of a skeleton outfitted in majestic armor flashed through Ariane’s mind, though she quickly banished the thought with a cough. “No, there’s no one like that!”

  A light blush rose on Ariane’s cheeks, almost as if she were trying to hide the feelings even from herself.

  Eevin pulled her sister in close, picking up on the change in Ariane’s demeanor. “No, no, no! Big Sis won’t allow any guy to take my little sister away from me unless he can prove he’s stronger and more trustworthy than I am!”

  “W-wait a minute, sis! You plan on keeping me single forever?”

  Eevin was one of Maple’s soldiers, and ranked among some of the most gifted warriors in all of Canada. If Ariane’s possible dating pool was limited only to those who could best her sister, she would never be married.

  “It’s only natural that someone who wants to take my precious little sister would have to go through me, no?”

  “Hey, aren’t you the one who just decided to get married without telling anyone?”

  “I’m the older sister, so that makes it okay!”

  “Hey, that’s not fair!”

  Dillan sipped his tea and sighed as he watched his two daughters squabble. There was nothing he could do about it, even if he tried.

  Slowly but surely, night fell over Maple as the sisters continued to bicker.

  ***

  The next morning, my ears and nose awoke first to the sounds of birds twittering and the smell of breakfast wafting up from the floor below. I opened my eyes and glanced around the room. Despite the fact that I didn’t actually have any eyelids, it felt good to wake up in the morning.

  I lifted my head and inspected my surroundings. My gleaming armor, covered in intricate white and azure engravings, sat neatly arranged on the floor next to my bed.

  Last night had been the first time I’d taken off my armor and slept under a blanket since arriving in this world. As a skeleton, I didn’t think I actually needed a blanket at all, but I felt better having one.

  Today, Ariane and Elder Dillan planned to travel to Maple, the capital of Canada, which left me to my own devices here in Lalatoya.

  I was overwhelmed with wonder about this elf village—a place humans were rarely ever allowed to set foot in.

  I figured I should hurry up and get ready for the day.

  As I tried to sit up, I noticed a strange feeling in my chest. Throwing off the blanket and looking down, I found that Ponta had climbed into my bed in the middle of the night and curled up inside my rib cage.

  I let out a shrill scream.

  “Waugh!”

  After delicately removing my dreaming partner from my chest cavity, I set Ponta down on the bed
to resume its slumber. The whole notion of a creature being able to climb inside me left me feeling vaguely sick.

  I got up from the bed and gently stretched my creaky bones. I couldn’t imagine this did much good, considering I didn’t have any muscles, but it was a matter of habit.

  I put on my armor and helmet. Even though the elder and his family knew my secret, I didn’t feel like sharing it with the entire town of Lalatoya. Besides, Dillan had said it would be better to keep the number of people who knew to a minimum.

  Outside of Ariane’s family, the only others who knew were Sena and Uhna—the two elves we’d saved from Marquis du Diento’s estate.

  I’d heard that humans were rarely ever allowed into elven villages, so I figured word of my presence had already spread throughout the town. I wanted to avoid any additional trouble if at all possible.

  Uhna had already returned the black cloak I’d lent her yesterday, though I couldn’t imagine that the impact of a massive knight walking through town would change much, with or without the cloak. I put it back into my bag, ultimately deciding to wear the absolute minimum while I was here in town.

  My preparations complete, I was about to leave the room when I found the now-awake Ponta sitting patiently in front of the door, gently wagging its cotton-like tail. Apparently, the fox had also noticed the inviting smells coming from downstairs.

  As soon as I cracked the door, Ponta squeezed its head through the gap and slithered out, bounding down the stairs like a newly freed rabbit.

  The elves said that spirit animals were able to survive for long periods of time without food, so it was rare for them to eat in front of anyone, at least while they lived in the forest. They only began eating more often when they lived among people. None of this seemed like a problem for Ponta, though. It always had a voracious appetite.

  I made my way downstairs to the dining room where we’d eaten dinner last night. There I found Ponta, already lost in its breakfast, and Ariane’s mother, Glenys, who cheerfully watched over the creature.

  Glenys wore a traditional elven dress, similar to the one she’d had on yesterday, and an apron. She turned to face me.

  “Good morning! I hope you slept well. You know, I never imagined that skeletons like you would even sleep!” She broke out into a grin.

  It was true that a bleached-white skeleton lying under a blanket probably looked more like a long-forgotten body than anything else. However, saying this to me directly without a second thought spoke volumes about Glenys’ character. Her demeanor was much more relaxed than Ariane’s.

  “You are quite the early riser, ma’am.”

  “Kyiiii!”

  Ponta joined me in offering a greeting to Glenys, raising its face briefly from the bowl to give a shrill cry. Then it promptly went back to eating.

  “Please sit down. I’ll have your breakfast ready in a moment.” Glenys gave Ponta a gentle pat on the head before returning to the kitchen.

  “I appreciate your kindness.” I glanced around the room, then directed a question toward Glenys’ back. “By the way, I haven’t seen Master Dillan or Miss Ariane this morning. Have they already left?”

  “Yes, they teleported to Maple early this morning.” Glenys responded as she walked back out of the kitchen, a food-laden tray in her hands. She set it down on the table and sat across from me.

  I placed my helmet beside me, brought my hands together in a quick blessing, and then surveyed the food.

  Breakfast consisted of lightly toasted bread covered in cuts of dried sausage and drenched in a white sauce, along with fried eggs and vegetable soup. The toast made a delightful snapping noise as I bit into it, filling my nose with a pleasant scent. The dried sausage had a unique taste, but the herbs and spices in it created a rather delicious concoction. The thick, white sauce on top summoned up old memories. When I realized what I was tasting, I gasped.

  “Is this mayonnaise?”

  Glenys cocked her head to the side. “You’ve heard of it? The very first elder invented it. I didn’t think it had spread beyond Limbult and the neighboring human settlements.”

  Not only was it the same food, but apparently the name was the same as well. I shouldn’t have been surprised. Mayonnaise was hardly difficult to make, as long as you knew how. Perhaps the first elder, the one who founded Maple eight hundred years ago, wasn’t so different from me. Considering how long elves lived…

  “Is the first elder still alive?” I spoke around the fried egg as I stuffed it into my mouth.

  “Hahaha! Elves may live for a long time, but not that long. Our average lifespan is around four hundred years.”

  Still, to live for four hundred years… That was quite impressive, especially since humans in this world were lucky if they lived to be fifty. Though the nobility probably lived longer, thanks to recovery magic and other means.

  I wondered if the first elder had been brought to this world the same way I had, but if he was dead, then there was no way for me to confirm this. Better not to waste much time thinking about it.

  After I finished breakfast, I planned to take a tour of Lalatoya.

  With Elder Dillan’s blessing, I’d spend the day wandering around with Glenys serving as my guide…or chaperone, quite possibly. Given the relationship between elves and humans, I wouldn’t have been surprised if they wanted to keep an eye on me. It didn’t bother me much.

  Dillan had said that he still had a few things he wanted to discuss with me, so I figured I should stay within the village limits. Glenys’ dinner and breakfast were a delicious extra bonus.

  The majority of the food the human peasants ate was only lightly flavored and consisted largely of beans, porridge, and potatoes. Though there was an abundance of meat from beasts and other animals in the meals, there was little in the way of spices. Spices were probably too expensive for most peasants.

  Eventually, I planned to start preparing my own meals. More than anything, I wanted my own place, where I could eat good-tasting food; and my own bed, where I could lay my head at night. In the meantime, I hoped to build a good relationship with the elves and secure access to all these delicious spices.

  Just as I was about to pop the final bite of dried sausage into my mouth, I caught sight of Ponta out of the corner of my eye. Its head was tracking every movement of my fork, as if connected to the piece of sausage by marionette strings. I offered my fork, and Ponta pounced, gnawing happily on the meat.

  From across the table, Glenys watched the scene with a soft smile on her face. A skeleton’s face, however, never changes, so I cleared my throat to change the subject.

  “Thank you, ma’am. It was delicious.”

  After I put my helmet back on and stood up, Ponta summoned a magical wind to resume its rightful place on top of my head. We descended to the first floor and left the house.

  It had already been quite dark by the time we’d arrived last night, and I only had a vague sense of my surroundings. Now, under the morning sky, I was finally able to see the mysterious mixture of nature and artifice that came together in elven architecture.

  Human buildings often had an old European feel to them, while Dillan and Glenys’ home looked like something straight out of a storybook, a place where a fairy might live. However, not all of the homes in Lalatoya were built like this. Off in the distance, I could see several more of the same design, but most of the homes resembled wooden mushrooms, unlike anything I’d ever seen the humans living in.

  No sooner had I finished taking in the sight of the massive tree house than Glenys—now without her apron—stepped outside. A smile graced her lips as she saw me staring in wonder at the buildings.

  “Are these houses much different from where the humans live?”

  “Yes. I have absolutely no idea how you were able to construct these.”

  “We probably wouldn’t have been able to do it without our spirit magic.” Glenys turned to look back at the tree house.

  If each of these buildings had been constructed usin
g spirit magic—at an exorbitant cost, I had to imagine—then it made sense that there were so few.

  “From time to time, we are visited by cottontail foxes, like little Ponta, nesting in the hollows of our home. They typically live in groups, and travel along the wind.”

  Ponta tilted its head to the side curiously as Glenys spoke. Ever since I’d cured its injuries and given it some food, Ponta had been my constant companion. Just the thought of it leaving me for another group made me feel lonely, but there wasn’t much I could do. Whatever happened, I intended to let Ponta live as it pleased until the day we finally had to part ways.

  I reached up to stroke Ponta’s chin.

  Glenys offered to give me a tour of the town, so I followed her lead.

  As we moved through the streets, the elves we passed shot me odd glances, but I was already used to this from my time in human towns.

  The sprawling village of Lalatoya was surrounded by a massive wall. The wave of greenery I’d seen at the top upon entering the village stretched as far as the eye could see. Inside the wall lay vast pastures for grazing animals and a variety of crop fields irrigated with intricate waterways.

  My eyes were once again drawn to that strange layer of ivy that topped the walls. It was pockmarked with fruits that looked almost like loofah sponges.

  “Madam Glenys, what is that plant up there?”

  The loofah-like fruits were semitransparent and full of liquid. Through the center of each one ran a line of seeds that appeared to be growing in the water. They were plump and squishy to the touch, almost like a plastic shopping bag full of water.

  “Those are watermelons. The insides are filled with water, but we use them for their skins. After draining the water, we remove the pulp and mix it with herbs and spices before smoking it over a fire.”

  “Oh, was this used in the dried sausage I ate this morning?”

  “That’s right! Beast meat often has a rather strong flavor, so we like to make adjustments. Watermelons were another idea of the first elder. Long ago, they were only used to store water.”