Eledva was indeed a woman—but not just any woman. A dark elf.
But the scene in front of me was so strange, I had to question if I was seeing it right.
The deadly assassin and feared spy from the Lion Crawl… was wearing an apron, calmly cooking food for a group of children.
I never imagined Eledva doing something like this—it made my stomach twist.
And yet, I had never heard anything about this place or these children before I regressed.
She turned to look at me, her expression soft—like she was putting on an act for the children.
"Who might you be?"
She asked, her voice calm and composed.
"...Hmm."
I was caught off guard by her behaviour.
Then she turned to the kids.
"The stew is ready."
"Yay! I'm so hungry!"
"I'll help set the table!"
"Me too!"
The children responded happily.
It reminded me of a day at the church… the atmosphere felt almost the same.
Then she turned to Noah.
"Mr. Noah, would you mind watching the kids? I'd like to have a word with this man in the back."
"Sure!" Noah replied without hesitation.
Eledva gave a gentle smile to Noah and the children before walking over to me.
Without a word, she gestured for me to follow her to the back of the room—toward what looked like a hidden passage leading above.
When we entered the room, my body went on alert.
I felt a hostile aura coming from Eledva—the same one I remembered from our fight in the future. It was cold, deadly and dangerous.
If I was the old me, I would've dropped to my knees, suffocating in fear.
She didn't turn around as she spoke.
Her soft voice and friendly demeanor were gone,
Replaced by a cold, vague tone that sent a chill down my spine.
It was the same voice I heard when I fought her in the future.
"Who sent you here?" she asked.
Before I could even open my mouth, she leapt at me in one swift motion.
A sharp dagger locked against my neck as she leaned in, her face just inches from my mask.
Her eyes were filled with fury; she looked at me like I was her prey.
However, at that moment, the only thing I was truly curious about…
was her kindness toward those children.
Who were they? Why was she caring for them?
I asked her directly.
"Who are those children?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she pressed the dagger harder against my throat—until the blade touched skin and blood began to drip.
"Who sent you here? The Twilight? The Lion Crawl? The Oracle?"
She kept asking—her tone sharper, more aggressive this time—as she listed powerful organizations.
****
It made sense that she thought I was from the Twilight.
I was wearing a dark robe and mask, similar to them.
Lily the Shadow had also mistaken me for one of her own when I saved Princess Clarice. But still… who would hire a Shadow to kill Eledva?
From my experience, she was stronger than any Shadow I've seen.
So sending one after her would be pointless.
Next was the Oracle—a secret organization working directly under the kingdom.
I met a few of them when I began traveling with the hero's party.
They often assisted us under royal command. So… it's possible the kingdom is investigating something. But if that's the case, why only target Eledva?
Why not go after the entire Lion Crawl?
But one thing didn't make sense at all, why would she mention the Lion Crawl?
She was already one of them… right?
****
"I'm not from any of them," I replied calmly.
"Liar. You must be from the Lion Crawl. Only they know this place!"
She pressed, her eyes narrowing as she pushed the dagger even deeper.
"Answer me now—who sent you, before I kill you!"
Swiftly, I grabbed her dagger and threw it aside.
In one motion, I disarmed her and locked her in place—
My right arm wrapped tightly around her body, pinning both of her arms.
"…What?!"
She was shocked to find herself trapped, held tightly by my grip.
"Calm down! I just want to talk!" I spoke.
"Let me go! I'll kill you!!"
She started to struggle, thrashing her body to break free, but it was pointless.
"Is the family crest seal of the Dacre family that you stole… keep in Duke Gyffard's vault?"
I asked while keeping her locked tightly in my right arm.
****
Before I regressed, when Duke Gyffard was exposed for his crimes.
In exactly five years from now, his vault would be confiscated by the kingdom. That's where I found the forged letter and the Dacre family seal, kept hidden inside.
But that was five years in the future.
Right now, I just needed to know if it was already there.
****
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
She shouted, still struggling in my grip.
"Please, I need to know!"
I tried to soften my tone, speaking more gently this time.
"I don't care."
Eledva was proving harder to deal with than I expected.
If she were a man, I might've already tortured her—slowly, painfully—until she gave in.
"Then… who are those children?"
"…"
The moment I asked about the kids in the basement, she froze.
Her body stopped struggling.
She went silent for a moment… before finally deciding to speak.
"Those kids have done nothing wrong," she said quietly.
"They were slaves—kidnapped and sold in Foolshope."
I was stunned.
Why would a deadly spy and assassin go out of her way to do something like that?
"…I secretly work with the Lion Crawl under the name Tia. The money I make… I use it to free those kids."
This was new to me.
Why didn't the Eledva I fought in the future ever say anything about this?
I felt heartless—for the way I fought her.
Knowing now that she dirtied her hands working with the Lion Crawl,
just to save money and buy those kids from slave merchants…
It hit me harder than I expected.
Without thinking, I slowly loosened my grip, then gently turned her body to face me—
and pulled her into a light hug.
"Eh?!"
She gasped, clearly surprised.
"I'm sorry,"
I said softly,
reflecting on the way I had fought her in the future.
She had been carrying such a heavy burden.
Yes, she had done bad things.
But it was all for something greater.
She quickly pushed me away and stepped back, putting some distance between us.
For a brief moment, I saw her long ears twitching—and they were red.
Her face looked confused, clearly thrown off by what I just did.
But only for a moment.
She quickly regained her composure, picked up her dagger, and stood in front of me in a deadly stance.
"If you dare hurt those kids, I will kill you."