chapter16
Floor 1 Sentimental Substitute
Enlil: Tell me where the baby is, and I might spare your life.
Elpis remained calm even though she was facing a death threat, as if she had already braced for the worst outcome. She declared herself in a young yet determined voice.
Elpis: My baby is the most precious for me and Enkidu. I won’t tell you even if you kill me!
What Elpis had said made Enlil giggle in disdain, who tilted Elpis’s head with her claw and touched her right eye that had the same pupil colour.
Enlil: How naive. Enkidu didn't love you but me. You’re just a replica who has my life sequence.
Without any response, Enlil believed that her words were shaking Elpis, so she kept persuading.
Enlil: Just give me your child. You don’t need to die for such a ruthless man.
Elpis: ...No.
Elpis responded finally, who raised her head and looked into Enlil’s eyes without a hint of doubt.
Elpis: I know that it was the reason for Enkidu to keep me at the first place, but it was just how it started. Enkidu loved me with his life and soul...So I’m definitely not your substitute.
Elpis: “I knew Enkidu better since then…”
Floor 2 Reason for the Love
Inside a luxurious room, two ladies, one with pointy ears, were sitting on the water bed in the center. The lady with pointy ears was listening with her ear pressed onto the abdomen of the short-haired girl. Very soon, the pointy-eared lady sat straight with a complicated look, while the girl grabbed her wrist and asked in a thrill.
Elpis: Valanthe, what was it?
Valanthe: ...I’m not sure if I should congratulate you...You’re pregnant.
Elpis: Of course this is something delightful!
Elpis: “This is the life Enkidu and I have together...I need to tell him as soon as possible.”
Leaving Valanthe in a rush, Elpis hurried all the way back to Enkidu’s room. Just when she was about to step in, she stopped for a male voice speaking inside.
Kingu: ...Enkidu, you’ve been keeping Elpis away from battles. Shamash was pissed about it. If this goes on, she might take actions.
Enkidu: Well Shamash...She’s pissed about pretty much everything. Everything I do is just an eyesore to her.
Kingu: I don’t take the opposition of your comment regarding Shamash’s personality, but you’re acting too obviously. After all, she’s just an earthling, and you only took her in because she has the life sequence of Enlil. Don’t make a scene out of it. I don’t wanna get myself into trouble.
Enkidu: ...I get it and I won’t.
When Enkidu was done dealing with Kingu, he headed back to his bedroom for sleep. At the doorstep, he heard a heartbroken weep sounding inside. Sensing something wrong, he went inside and saw Elpis hiding behind the door.
During the conversation, Elpis took an alternate route to the bedroom in order to avoid interruption, but she had never expected to hear such a cruel truth. At this moment, she raised her head, revealing a teary face as if she was hopeless like an orphan.
Elpis: So...I’m just...Enlil’s substitute...You never loved me…!
Enkidu: Elpis, wait! You’re wrong——
Elpis ran away before she let Enkidu finish his words, who had no choice but follow her footsteps. It was raining heavily, and Elpis ran all the way to the forest outside the base of Eldus...
Floor 3 My Heart Beats for You
Enkidu: Elpis, don’t go! Your body can’t handle it!
The sound of heavy rainfall covered the shout of Enkidu. Elpis couldn’t hear it, or maybe she didn’t want to. Occupied with sorrow and pain, Elpis didn’t notice the danger lurking on the hillslope up front.
BOOM! The heavy rainfall eventually caused a landslide, burying where Elpis was. When the petite figure disappeared in the haze, Enkidu could do nothing about it except witnessing that horrible scene. Every inch of his nerves was haunted by terror.
Enkidu: No...No...ELPIS!
Enkidu knelt onto the ground powerlessly with his arms falling aside, as if his soul was extracted from his body. At this moment, someone crawled out of the dent on the right——Elpis who should’ve been buried alive!
Elpis: Cough…
Enkidu: Elpis…
Elpis: “My baby saved me…”
A moment earlier, Elpis felt a sudden ache from her abdomen, and she slipped into the deep dent on her right. Because of it, she was saved from the landslide.
Enkidu: Great...You’re alright…
Enkidu ran over at once, pulling Elpis into his embrace. Elpis tried to break free, but then she got held even tighter by Enkidu, who acted like he would never let go.
Elpis: Is it because of Enlil?
Enkidu: You fool! You’re all I care about! What can I do to make you see my heart?
Elpis: “Heart…”
Elpis stopped struggling. When she was at ease, she heard the rapid heartbeat from Enkidu’s chest. She had never found such a rapid pace from him, and she didn’t know that Enkidu was trembling until now.
Elpis: “He’s scared...He was always calm...Does that mean Enkidu cares about me?”
Elpis: ...So you care about me...Enkidu, Elpis is stupid. If you don’t make yourself clear, I won’t understand!
Enkidu: Elpis, I love you. I had never fallen in love until I met you.
Enkidu pressed his lips hard against Elpis’s again and again, as if he was trying to fuse their bodies together until they suffocated. His sentiments were intense enough to clear all Elpis’s questions and doubts.
When the rain stopped, Enkidu regained his rationality too, who stepped back a little. The love in his purple eyes had Elpis’s mind locked away.
Enkidu: Elpis, I only do this to you, and you’re the only one who can make my heart race. It’s always been you. Isn’t that enough?
Elpis: But you and Enlil…
Enkidu: It’s not like that. I...just feel sorry for her…
Floor 4 Shameful to be Seen through
Elpis returned to reality of the hostage situation from the trip to the memory lane. She raised her voice fearlessly.
Elpis: Enkidu doesn’t love you. He cares about you only because you’re pathetic.
Enlil: Pathetic...me? Hahaha, that’s a bad lie.
Elpis: I ain’t lying. Enkidu knew that you had been faking and lying, even to yourself. The true you has always been hating and angry…
Enlil: I...Ha. Of course I’m hating. How dare you earthlings defy us——
Elpis: Stop lying.
Enlil: What are you talking about?
Elpis: I’ve been observing you ever since Enkidu’s words. It’s not us who you hate, but yourself.
What Elpis had said hit Enlil’s bottom line, who had her pretty face twisted with rage.
Enlil: No...It’s not the truth...I ain’t wrong...I ain’t the one who hurt Laplace...You...You damned earthling...I’ll make you shut up!
Occupied with bloodlust, Enlil forgot her purpose to interrogate the whereabouts of the baby. When she was about to kill Elpis with her claws——Floom! A strong wind blew the two up. In the meantime, a gigantic figure arrived and caught Elpis.
Elpis: This...Cang Bi!
Cang Bi: Phew. I made it!
