My Servant Is An Elf Knight From Another World

The Neplims seem to have taken a fondness for us.

And when I say 'us', I of course mean mostly Ruria; pestering her with the usually four-legged antics of treading up on her heels and slithering between her legs as we continue our journey forward.

"I think that one likes you," I remarked, watching the black one attempt to scale the craggy, mountainous climb of her pant leg.

"Weird that you're so clingy," Ruria spoke to it, lifting it up high in front of her. It meowed back at her in turn, wriggling its hind legs in the air. "Seriously, you're not losing interest at all, are you? You should be by now."

She says that like just anybody wouldn't bat an eye at her with how she looked and sounded right then.

The way her dark locks flowed amidst the swaying reeds of silver and gold, and the deep red of her skin basked under the purple twilight. And ever since she let her hair down literally and metaphorically, every move she made just oozed with this extra potency of demure and allure.

Only made sense that no being alive could possibly resist getting enthralled by the sight of her… mythical, divine beings not exempted.

The Neplim murmured out another soft squeak and Ruria finally succumbed to its subservient demands.

"Fine," she said, holding it snugly in her arms and cradling it close to her chest. "Stick around for as long as you want."

It purred loudly, tail swishing with utter satisfaction, eyes at rest in peaceful bliss as it rubbed itself all over her… and no, I'm not seething with envy at all so don't even start. Can't say the same for the other two, however; still circling her feet vying earnestly for her attention.

"I'm amazed you haven't broken down in tears yet," I said. "From what I heard, don't Neplims have the ability to make people emotional at a touch?"

"You say that, but you aren't crying either," she said, stuffing her coy smile into the soft furry nape of the Neplim in her arms. "Unless you're just too embarrassed to cry in front of me from some innate urge to look tough."

"I could say the same about you, y'know," I deflected back. Ruria was seriously a whole different ball game compared to Irene. Lost that seriousness, but also upped the snark to compensate for it. "So what's up? How come they aren't having any effect on us?"

"I think someone's gotten a little too immersed," she looked up, her eyes twinkling with such cheek in the loveliest shade of red. "Do you really believe we're actually being followed by Neplims?"

Something about the way she said that made me feel like a six-year-old again having come to the unfortunate discovery about Christmas and the ugly truth behind Santa's existence.

I gave myself another moment to absorb the scene, hearing every tiny mewl and the scamper of stubby paws, feeling the stroke of a tail graze my leg; each strand of fur… like it was really there.

"But they seem so real," I said, baffled all over again. "Even the powder you fed me, the way it tasted—"

"It wouldn't be much of an illusion if it couldn't trick you now would it?" She said while teasing her Neplim with quick playful boops on its nose and again, looking all too unnervingly real. "But there are limits; details that can't be perfectly replicated. It helps to know what they are whenever you think you might be trapped in one. Like what you just said—that's one way."

"What else?"

Ruria's smirk widened. "Another time, perhaps? See, I'm actually quite preoccupied now trying to celebrate the birthday of a handsome young man that I've happened to grow ridiculously fond of."

I was smiling too, only mine was more apologetic than joyful. "Right, sorry."

"It'd be nice if he could start enjoying it too," she continued, feigning grief behind an overtly impish tone. "Instead of questioning every little thing that doesn't have to be… you know what I mean?"

"To be fair, you've really upped the ante when it comes to presents," I said, pulling at the piece of string around my neck, the little vial attached to it draping loosely over my finger. "Compared to this, I'm surprised the poor guy's mind hasn't broken yet… knowing he has someone as amazing as you that would do this for him."

"You're very, very welcome," Ruria seemed flattered. It was honestly kinda hard to tell when every part of her was already as red as a bundle of cherries. "But just remember not to give me all the credit. Don't forget, this was a group effort. I'm only the one providing the memories—the heavy-lifting portion belongs to the one that has to fabricate the illusion."

Adalia, right.

It'd be a crime to forget her contribution to this. Obviously, I'm not much of a whizz with the specifics, but this definitely has to be heavy on the body based on all my time constantly having to exert a ton of magic. And this was Adalia we're talking about.

"She can see you, by the way, hear you too," Ruria said. "So if you would rather gush over her now instead of later, feel free. Just go ahead and offer your praises to the sky or something."

All my time being with Adalia, I know exactly how strong she is, but in the same vein, I'm also all too aware how frail she could be too. Pulling off a feat like this in the state she's in… something tells me it ain't something that can be easily recuperated with some bed and rest.

"I'll save it for later," I said, staring off into the vastness of the open plain, half-hoping I'd see her there somewhere standing amidst the lustrous strands of the field. And for all I knew, I could be staring right at her now and I just don't know it. "I'd rather thank her properly… and maybe apologize properly too."

Ruria sniggered.

"So serious…" she muttered, amused. "...maybe I shouldn't have mentioned her if you're going to mope about it after."

"I'm not moping, it's just—"

"You feel bad that your poor little vampire wifey is pushing herself so hard for your sake, I know, I know," she cut me off immediately. "But think about it. Do you honestly think she'd appreciate it if you went and squandered all her hard work here by feeling bad about it the whole way through?"

I gaze out again into the fields, trying to feel her presence, gauge her reaction. I could almost make it out, the expression on her face, the look in her eyes, and the slow lethargic shake of her head in response.

"Good point," I said.

Out of nowhere, I saw a blur of fur lunge right for me. I managed to hold my hands out in time to catch the striped Neplim in my arms. It meowed, pointing its starry-lit eyes at my own before curling up in a ball and nuzzling against me. It lay there purring, and it purred quite loudly.

"I think that one likes you," Ruria remarked.

I continued staring down at the resting Neplim, feeling an odd sense of familiarity. Not the first time I've been used as a pillow. Then I noticed its coat, soft, silky, and adorned in uniformed streaks of a misty gray.

"You want to make sure her efforts are appreciated, that's simple," Ruria said. "And I think you already know how, don't you?"

"Enjoy myself," I answered.

"Enjoy yourself with me," she amended it. "She wouldn't have agreed to this if she didn't want you to… if she didn't want us to."

"Fine, you win, you both win," I sighed. "I'll stop being considerate. I'll be greedy, damn greedy—reap all the benefits of your generosity without a care in the world.

"Music to my ears," Ruria grinned. "Finally you're starting to grasp the concept of what a birthday is all about."

"Being a selfish bastard?"

"Being a selfish bastard for everyone else's sake," she nodded. "No point spoiling someone who utterly refuses to be spoiled, is there? And you're so difficult to spoil, let me tell you."

The Neplim in my arms then let out a meow that sounded vaguely affirming in response. Something tells me Ruria wasn't the only one that shared that particular sentiment.

"Put yourself in my shoes," I said. "How would you react if I were to do something like this for you?"

That stumped her for quite some time. Walking silently and wearing a pensive smile, her gaze absorbed in thought.

"To be honest with you, that's a tough one," she finally replied. "I'm not really sure what I'd do, so… yeah, no, fair enough."

"Right?" I said, feeling slightly vindicated.

"But there is one thing I do definitely know, though."

I turned back to her, eyebrows raised. "And what's that?"

And what I found staring back at me was another wry smirk, that mischievous glint in her eyes as bright as ever.

"That I absolutely cannot wait to be in your shoes soon."