This is the story of a magician and an elf girl.

"Mr. Jack, are your feet sore? Do you want me to carry you..."

"No, no, I...ah, just hold my shoulder, I'm a little tired..."

"Yeah, okay, no problem."

"……stare……"

If a grown man has to be carried by a young girl across the desert, it would be better for Jack to just throw his self-esteem to the puppet to eat.

But he should know that he does have a way to accept Wendy's kindness instead of simply rejecting it - probably this is the point that the shadow wants Jack to realize.

The road ahead was gradually covered by strong winds, and the wind pressure blowing on the face gradually made the lips dry.

"The wind is a bit strong today..."

"Just get used to it. The cape of your windbreaker isn't just for decoration, just wear it."

“Ah… that’s right…”

Jack felt his vision narrow as he pulled on his cloak. He stared at the back of the black figure and continued to move forward. Wendy, on the other hand, used the curtain of her straw hat to protect her facial features from the wind and sand, and whispered to herself: "Sure enough... they look alike..."

"Huh? What..."

"Ah, no, nothing, nothing. By the way, Mr. Jack... have you ever stayed in a place like a base before?"

"Why are you asking that suddenly... Well... I've stayed in places like bases before... But I usually don't stay there for too long... I'm the type who usually follows my seniors..."

The shadow who interrupted the conversation after hearing what they said seemed to be a little concerned about the base: "Base... Human base? How big is it?"

"...Please don't ask me such questions with such a greedy look...It is indeed...a base of the human race...It is about the same size as yours...but they are all good guys, you know?"

"I'm not stupid enough to believe what humans say when they protect their own kind. If necessary, I will personally destroy you trash who don't contribute to the world."

"Just say don't be like that! You look like you really want to kill them, that's scary!"

"Forget it... I don't have the time to bother with you guys now... Where should I go now?"

"Uh...well..."

Jack, who hadn't mentioned this intentionally, immediately realized the location of the Desert Mouth Crack, which happened to pass by that stronghold... For example, if he didn't pass by that stronghold, Jack would be more worried that he would take the wrong road, but what if the black shadow attacked the human race in the stronghold...

"Why... do you hate humans so much?"

"...I was just asking you which way to go...Isn't it natural for elves to hate humans?"

"Even if that's the case..."

"The human race is nothing but liars, kidnappers, vile and despicable trash. At least I've experienced that before. If you can't provide credible evidence, don't think I'll take you lightly."

"..."

"Ms. Lin...Ms. Linnae...how about...just trust Mr. Jack a little..."

"Shut up Wendy - don't forget what the human race once treated you like."

Wendy, who wanted to speak for Jack, immediately lowered her head like a mute. Jack, who didn't know what happened between Wendy and the human race, just waited for the shadow to continue: "This guy is one of the victims. She has been violated by countless men in the past. Until I destroyed that place and killed all the people there, she lived in despair and pain every day. Can you explain? What reason do I have to believe you again?"

"Wen...Wendy...is that true...?"

“Uh… ah… yes… if it weren’t for Ms. Linna… I really might not have been saved until now…”

Regardless of whether he believed in this kind of thing or not, the fact was that humans harmed other races, and as a human being, he should understand this very well - but this did not mean that all humans were the same as that kind of person.

"But... did you believe it?"

"...Now that it has happened, there won't be a second time."

"But you believed it, didn't you? Why? If this reason ever existed, why did you betray it?"

The black shadow's eyes became sharp as he stared at Jack, looking extremely displeased, like a beast whose reverse scale had been touched.

The memories that flashed through her mind stimulated her inner feelings. She still remembered... the day when he was still alive. Just like an ordinary day, the girl looked up at him and asked with curious eyes: "Hey... Brother... That... hair..."

"Hmm? What's wrong with your hair..."

"Uh... it's just... I've always felt... that my brother wanted to keep his hair with bangs... is there a reason...?"

"...Yeah...it's true...my forehead is covered with acne scars...so it will look ugly if I cut it."

"Huh? Really? You're lying. I clearly touched it before..."

The elf girl, who was questioning the other party, still remembered that she always stroked his face when she slept. If there really was such a rough scar, it would definitely not escape her touch. He was just perfunctorily discussing his true thoughts.

"Then guess why... Not only does this bang block my vision, but sometimes it makes my face sweaty and even makes my skin itchy... Why would I leave it there on purpose when it's so annoying?"

"Ah...you're beating around the bush again...please tell me, I really don't know much about my brother...I want to know more about him...and I know that he doesn't beat around the bush for such a common reason..."

"This is to cultivate your insight... Before people understand each other, they can use more than just communication and thinking. You have to make the existing things your own, absorb the nutrients of the intelligence, and use it as the raw material for the answer."

"Hmm..."

The girl, not knowing why the other party was trying so hard to conceal the truth, stared at the shadow's profile with a frank look, while also using her immature insight to absorb the information in front of her.

It's not for appearance... it's not for self-esteem... then why do you keep it intentionally... it blocks your vision... stimulates your sense of touch... it makes you feel hot just looking at it... um... wait? Isn't it because you can't cut it, but because you can't cut it... No no...

Although my brother said last time that it was his first time cutting my hair... but others said that my brother's learning talent was extraordinary... he had grasped the trick after just one cut... there was no way he couldn't help trimming my bangs... if he really wanted to, he could definitely do it with a mirror... in other words, he kept it on purpose...

In that case, what is the purpose of covering up one's appearance...

"...If you can't figure it out, you can try another way of thinking..."

"I... I'm almost figuring it out... give me a few more minutes..."

"Oh... I'll wait and see then."

The man who continued to hang the clothes out to dry didn’t think the girl could guess it at all. He was really getting more and more concerned—uh… change his mindset… change his mindset… even if that’s the case…

Thoughts and stuff... after eliminating so many options... what's left is only the difference between advantages and disadvantages... Keeping it is so troublesome... but he insists on keeping it. What are the advantages... advantages... advantages...

Yes...Change your thinking...There must be some benefit...People will take actions for a certain purpose...My brother once said that...The answer must be close to his thinking pattern and the words he always says...

"Girl...your underwear is not clean..."

"Huh? Aa ...

"But you seem to be concentrating..."

"It's you, my brother, who always interferes with my thinking! And give me back that underwear!"

"...What a childish style... You won't grow up like this..."

"I'm still growing up! I'll grow up soon! It has nothing to do with the style of underwear!"

"Yes, yes... There's no reason to say that wearing a bra that's bigger than your cup size will make your breasts look bigger, right?"

"Wow... sooner or later I will be as plump as Sister Leah... just wait and see..."

The elf girl hung her clothes somewhere else. Although she had lived with the other person for a long time, she was not yet at the point where she could entrust her underwear to the other person to see everything. It was just like a sister would want to wash her own clothes and her family's clothes separately...

Hmm...wait...this isn't a matter of self-esteem...but...I can't really give my personal belongings to my brother from the bottom of my heart...is it because I don't trust him...No...I trust him...but I want to protect my personal belongings...No...to be more precise...I want to protect myself...ah...could it be...

"Brother...Brother..."

"...What? Have you figured it out?"

"Uh... although... I'm not sure... could it be... that it's the image...? It's not a matter of pride or trust, it's simply the image."

It's the same principle. If you let the other person's hand touch your underwear, the girl's image will suddenly become casual. In simple terms, the opposite sex will think that this girl is sloppy.

In other words, he was not protecting his self-esteem but his appalling image—but why?

"It's close...but why do you think so...?"

"Well... this is... because... I think my brother... has a tendency to not be too friendly with others... For example, when he talks to other people... he always cleverly uses a serious tone to distance himself from others... This is all because of my brother's image... So I think this is the closest answer to the truth..."

"You are too naive... Nothing is completely right... Nothing is completely wrong either. Your assumption can be destroyed by my negation, but it can also be established by my affirmation. Once the answer becomes ambiguous and unclear, all the truth will sink under my excuse. Think about it carefully..."

"…… oh……"

The girl who felt that the answer was not in line with the facts calmly used the time given by the other party to think for the second time and sort out the information she had at present - no... I know... Brother is not rejecting others... Brother just knows how to maintain a corresponding relationship with others... This is not justified to maintain an image... Brother is not that kind of person... The reason why he wants to maintain that terrifying image... is because... Hmm? Not that kind of person... But he wants to keep a distance... Image...

"Self-protection... is... to protect... yourself...?"

"To protect yourself? Does this have anything to do with your image..."

"Yes... yes... Brother, you should know this very well... A person's image can change others' views of that person... To put it more deeply... It can prevent others from interfering with you too much... On the contrary, it will also cause others to interfere with you too much. For example, your weak image is not only immature, but your thinking is always easily influenced by my words. A person's image depends on what he or she expects of himself or herself. In other words, image can also be said to be a reflection of the spirit. If you want to keep a distance from others, I won't be talking to you here now."

"..." John just looked at Linnaeus quietly without making any expression.

"Ugh... this isn't right... that isn't right... Brother, you just won't tell me straight away..."

"Silly girl... I didn't say you got the answer wrong..."

"Well……"

Even though it was so difficult to find the answer——the man in front of the girl never stopped her from doing so: "A long time ago...a long time ago...some people...once wanted to understand me...some people...once gave up trying to understand me...no matter how long it took...I never got the answer from others...so I kept...kept searching...failed once...again and again...I don't know when it started...I gave up...helplessly gave up..."

"..."

"It's a weird bad habit, isn't it? No matter how much I want to be understood by others, I will always try to understand the nature of others first. Once things become like that, I can only see the shortcomings and flaws of others. No matter how hard I try to hide them, I will only hurt others. I will never be understood by others."

"elder brother……"

You can tell from his tone that the man is afraid.

The elf girl did not give a wrong answer.

However, she believed his excuses and therefore could not understand the real meaning of his words.

In fact, I hope that the other party can understand that I cannot admit such a thing in person.

That tough appearance, that serious and heavy tone - all of it was just to cover up his weak side. He wanted to protect himself by using gloomy clothing, cold eyes, and building a barrier that would be blocked to the naked eye. In front of other people and his own interpersonal relationships, he was like a resident who had locked himself in a secluded world. He had long forgotten where he had lost the key to his heart.

How pathetic. The girl's compassion could not bring herself to say this.

The more he tries to understand others and trust them, the more he loses trust in them. It is so ironic.