Rufus Ludendion recalled the past with a wistful expression.
It was twenty years ago.
Back when he wasn’t even engaged yet.
At the ti, the world was in a passionate era of admiration for heroes, more than now.
And Rufus Ludendion also longed for the legends built by heroes of the past.
One of his most prized possessions was even a biography that vividly recorded the lives of those heroes.
Among those heroes, Rufus admired the Starlight Archer, Nellin.
Most people admired the human warriors.
The likes of Aldor yer, the Iron Wall Shield, or the magician Ventus Frail.
But Rufus Ludendion preferred the Starlight Archer.
He found the image of soone supporting their allies from afar and landing the finishing blow extrely charming.
Above all, she ca from the Blue Elven Forest, which bordered the territory he would one day govern!
There was also a youthful crush in his heart, stirred by the beauty that the elf hero was rumored to possess.
For soone like Rufus Ludendion, there couldn’t have been better news.
Nellin was going to visit the count’s territory to deepen the friendly ties between the land and the Blue Elven Forest.
The day before her visit, Rufus Ludendion was so excited he could hardly sleep.
And the next day.
Rufus Ludendion t Nellin for the first ti.
“Nice to et you, Lady Nellin. I am Rufus Ludendion. It is truly—truly an honor to et the fad Starlight Archer!”
“Oh? You’re a fan? Well, nice to et you.”
“Ah…”
Nellin’s smile lit up Rufus Ludendion’s heart like sunlight.
The smile of the hero he had long admired.
Especially with her elven beauty, its impact on the young Count Ludendion was overwhelming.
That mont, Rufus Ludendion’s innocent crush turned into his first love.
But unfortunately.
Gulp gulp gulp!
“Kyaha~! That’s what booze should taste like! Very nice, nice! Alright, then next I’ll tell you about the ti I shot an arrow right into the eyeball of that cyclops bastard!”
“Ye… yes, truly an honor…”
On the very day he fell in love, Rufus Ludendion’s first love shattered into pieces.
Even biographies, no matter how faithful, could be romanticized depending on the writer.
But the personality of Nellin that Rufus read about was far too idealized.
According to the biography, Nellin was known for her noble character and care for her comrades.
“That ti, Aldor, that punk, secretly ate my jerky, you know? I was saving that! So I shot an arrow into his butt! Huh? A wound? It’s fine! Just one heal from Presia and it’s all better!”
She was said to be elegant and refined, befitting an elf.
Nom nom! Khuu! “at is best eaten down to the bones! Ah, give one more!”
She was also described as possessing innocence that matched her beautiful appearance.
“Rufus, was it? Do you have a fiancée? If you’ve got any spicy stories about her, I’d love to hear! Huh? Our forest folk, they’re sweet and kind, but so boring, you know? Oh, and did you know? Everyone treats Presia like so holy saint, but she’s actually surprisingly—”
Rufus Ludendion wanted to grab the biography author by the collar and shake him.
This was not the Nellin he imagined!
Of course, because her personality differed so much from what the biography portrayed, Rufus’s illusion of a kind and elegant Nellin was completely shattered.
However, even so, his admiration for the Starlight Archer Nellin did not fade.
Her achievents were undeniably real.
And regardless of personality, her heroic deeds alone were enough to earn respect.
A hero who trusted her comrades and never backed down from adversity, willingly throwing herself in harm’s way for the weak.
Rufus Ludendion’s admiration for her still remained in his heart.
Years passed.
He got engaged, got married, and had a dignified son and a daughter as sweet as an angel.
His son grew up maturely and now studied at the royal academy.
His daughter always brightened the estate with her angelic smile.
But that angelic daughter resembled him too much.
She, too, had co to admire the Starlight Archer Nellin, just like he once did!
What if his daughter ever t Nellin like he had?
Her illusion would surely be shattered.
Seeing the true self of her idol, his delicate and tender-hearted daughter would surely cry from heartbreak.
‘I will never allow that!’
Rufus could overco it because he t her after years of worldly experience.
But his daughter, not yet even an adult, would not overco it as easily.
“I have no choice. I must allow her to keep that sli for now.”
“Yes, I agree.”
Count Ludendion accepted Nina’s suggestion.
A sli could be dealt with one way or another.
But stopping Jessie from wanting to et Nellin—that was difficult to handle.
You can’t stop a heart filled with admiration.
He knew that from experience.
That’s why he needed to redirect her attention elsewhere.
And if Jessie happened to learn that the count’s territory regularly traded with the Blue Elven Forest while trying to find a way to et Nellin...
If that happened...
Why didn’t you tell ?! I could’ve t Lady Nellin so many tis! I hate you, Father!
“Ugh…!”
“Count?! Why are you suddenly clutching your chest?! Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. I just imagined Jessie hating and… it hurt my heart.”
“Ah… I see.”
Having made up his mind, Count Ludendion returned to Jessie’s room.
“Jessie, about that sli—huh?”
The mont he entered, Count Ludendion was taken aback by the scene before him.
“Wow! It landed perfectly!”
“This sli really understands words well!”
“Finn? What are you doing?”
“Ah, Count.”
The sli was perched on top of Finn’s head.
And Jessie was clapping in awe at the sight.
“Father! Look at this! It’s a really obedient and smart sli!
I told it to go up on Finn’s head, and it did just that!”
“Yes, that really is a smart sli.”
‘A sli understands speech?’
Surprised by how intelligent the sli seed, Count Ludendion decided to first deliver his decision to Jessie.
“Jessie, I’ll allow you to keep the sli for now.
But if it ever seems dangerous, I’ll have it removed imdiately. Understood?”
Jessie’s face blood like a flower at what was practically permission.
“Yes! Father! I love you!”
‘Jessie truly is my angel!’
Count Ludendion’s doting nature grew even stronger today.
“Co here!”
When Jessie reached out her hand and called the sli, it jumped right off Finn’s head into her palm.
Boing!
Jessie hugged the sli as it landed in her hand and said, “Let’s get along from now on, Alexandros II!”
“Alex.”
“Sandros.”
“II?”
The sudden and random na left not only Count Ludendion but also Finn and Nina confused.
“My lady, what do you an by Alexandros II?”
“That’s this little guy’s na!”
“And why did you give it such a na?”
“Because it’s soft, cute, and super smart! So I nad it after a hero! You know Alexandros, right? He’s the hero who defeated tons of monsters hundreds of years ago!”
“I see. But… where did the ‘II’ co from?”
“Because it’s small! Just calling it Alexandros felt too much, so I made it cute by adding ‘II’!”
“Ah… because it’s small…”
No one dared argue with the na Jessie had chosen.
No matter the na, it was up to the owner—Jessie.
If anything, the chat was filled with lively reactions.
[Noblesse Fire] ▶ Alexand Sandros
▶ That’s a pretty cool na lol, nice job, squishy
[Noblesse Fire] ▶ Alexandros II
[Thread-Lady]▶ That na isn’t cute at all! I still prefer Squishy!
▶ Giving a monster the na of a monster-slaying hero? Love it. Cheers.
[Squish Queen]▶ Hmph, not bad for a human. Good naming sense.
[Noblesse Fire] ▶You like nas like that, Squishy? It doesn’t suit a weakling like Squishy at all.
[Squish Queen]▶ Silence! My kin will grow strong in ti!
anwhile, the sli still couldn’t fully grasp the aning of the na it was given.
▷What’s Alexandros?
[Free Spirit]▶ That’s your na.
▷? I’m Squishy!
[Noblesse Fire]▶ lol, that’s your nickna. But she says your real na is Alexandros II
▷???
The sli didn’t understand why it was being called Alexandros II.
But it could at least comprehend that the human holding it was calling it that.
***
Three days had passed since the sli arrived at the noble estate.
“Hm hm hmmm~”
“My lady... do you really have to keep it on your head?”
“Why not? My head’s soft, and it feels cool too!”
“If you say so.”
A rare scene unfolded at the Ludendion estate.
After seeing the sli sit atop Finn’s head, Jessie had instructed it to try sitting on her head too.
And the mont the sli perched on her head.
The soft squishiness and perfect cooling sensation captured Jessie’s heart.
From that mont on, she would carry the sli on her head whenever she had the chance, wandering around the mansion.
Though it wobbled slightly with every step, the sli never once fell from Jessie’s head.
It was using the strength control technique it had practiced after evolving.
“So well-behaved, this sli—…”
“Alexandros II!”
“Alexandros II, My lady. Can’t we at least shorten it a little? It looks squishy, so how about Squishy?”
“No! That’s not cool at all!”
The sli didn’t dislike being on Jessie’s head.
It liked looking down at the world from a high place, and more than anything, it liked living in this mansion.
What it loved most was, without question, the food.
Even if it was a monster, Jessie’s beloved pet couldn’t be fed leftovers.
Every al, the sli was served food made with great care by the mansion’s chef.
From gourt steaks loaded with spices, to stews, noodle dishes, and even fish.
Living a life of tasting “deliciousness” three tis a day was nothing short of heaven for the sli.
The food looked so good, even the viewers watching the stream were jealous.
▶Why does only it get to eat that? Why? Why?!
▶This just turned into a scheduled mukbang out of nowhere. I’m starving.
▶I can’t take it anymore! I’m going hunting!
[Just Slam First]▶F-Fresh at… blood-dripping raw at is the best! The bestttttt!
▶Are you telling humans eat sothing different every single al? Unreal.
If it had been a rude strear, they might’ve taunted the viewers while eating, but the pure sli simply said,
▷Delicious!
And shared its thoughts.
There was no way the sli could be unhappy living such a joyful life.
But if it had one complaint—
‘I wanna go outside…’
It hadn’t been outside even once in the past three days.
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