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My name is Elfsei. Mayumi Yumi .

I am fourteen years old.

I am half human and half elf .

My mother is an elf from World One, and my father is a human from World Two.

It is now 2009.

My mother... is very ill. A serious illness that threatens her life.

I have a younger sister named Filna . She is twelve years old, two years younger than me.

I think my little sister is so cute… I love pinching her cheeks.

But we both suffered prejudice.

Most elves look at us as if we were impure.

Even so, I don't give up.

One day… everyone will recognize me.

They will accept me.

And perhaps, they might even become my friends.

I felt someone touch my shoulders.

"So it's you, Filna ," I said.

"Big sister, what are you doing?" my little sister asked.

— Kakikomi . — I replied.

" Huh ? What does that mean?" she asked, confused.

"I'm speaking in Japanese. It means 'writing'," I explained.

"But... isn't it right that we only speak the Elvish language ?" Filna asked.

"You're wrong, little sister," I said.

She frowned and crossed her arms.

"Sorry for calling you little sister... but you really are small, hehehe !" I said sarcastically.

"But to get to this place called Japan, don't we need to go to World Two?" my little sister asked.

"Yes," I replied.

"I 'm going to make everyone respect me. And then, I'll break down the barrier that divides the two worlds. That way, everyone can live happily ever after!" I said with a smile on my face.

"Forget about it. It's an impossible dream. If World One could break through the barrier and cross over, World Two would be destroyed immediately. It's too weak. Any elf , demon, archangel, or beast could finish it off in the blink of an eye!" he said . FILNA .

" Haha , you're such a comedian. If that were the case, why does the barrier still exist?" I asked, laughing.

"Don't ask me unanswerable questions. But I doubt there's anyone in that world capable of instilling fear in ours," he said . Filna .

"Little sister, would you like to help me write my autobiography?" I asked.

"We have other things to do. I need to give Mom her medicine in a little while," Filna replied, annoyed.

— So go ahead... and do your best! — I said.

Filna gives me an annoyed look, grabs the paper from my desk, and tears it up.

"Seriously, I'm twelve and you're fourteen?!" Filna shouted.

She leaves, slamming the door.

I stand there, watching the pieces of my paper fall like snow.

Filna ... you really are impossible.

Shortly after, someone knocks on the door.

— Filna ?!!! — I said.

But it's my father who comes in.

"Dad?!" I said.

Lower your head.

"Daughter, don't be sad about your sister," he said.

She's only worried about Alara, just like us.

" Filna is right. She's more mature than I am. As the older sister, I should be the one giving her lessons... but it's the other way around," I replied.

"How old are you guys again?" my father asked.

"You know, right? I'm fourteen, she's twelve. What a silly question," I replied.

"So... at this age, you don't need to worry about that," he said.

Suddenly, Filna appears running, desperate.

— Filna ?! What happened?! — he asked.

— Mommy… to … to … mou the re …medicine… — she couldn't speak.

She tries to continue, but starts to cry.

"Don't tell me the medicine isn't working anymore?"

"Let's go see your mother, quick!" shouted Dad.

We ran to the room.

Mommy Alara is sitting on the sofa, pale, coughing incessantly.

When he sees us, he tries to smile.

A faint smile... but full of affection.

I feel my chest tighten.

Mom... please... just hold on a little longer.

The tears started falling before I even realized it.

Dad, Filna , and I were there... crying nonstop.

— N-no… cough *cough … cry… * *cough* " Cough ," Mom tried to say, between coughs that tore at the air.

— Mom … mom… — my voice barely came out.

— I want… cough *cough … to tell you something… cough * — she tried to speak.

"Let's... listen to her... last words." Dad, his voice trembling, tried to speak, but seemed to be forcing himself to accept what was coming.

My heart ached just hearing that.

Mom looked at Filna with a tender, weak, yet still loving gaze.

— Filna … come here… and touch my hand… cough *cough * — Mom said.

Filna approached slowly, holding her mother's cold hand.

— Filna … I don’t want you to be like this… I want to see you smile again… your smile is so beautiful… Mommy loves you very much. — Mommy said to Filna .

— I-I… — Filna tried to answer, but she cried uncontrollably.

— Yumi … cough *cough … come too… cough … please…* Mom called me.

"O-okay…" I replied.

I went over to her and held her other hand.

It was so light… so fragile.

" Yumi ... you have a joy that infects everyone around you... Don't let this loss destroy that light, okay?" Mom asked me.

I couldn't hold back the tears. They fell without me having the strength to stop them.

— Now… cough *cough * …it's your turn, my… *cough* *cough … beloved Uehara… come here.* — said Mom, smiling.

"Okay…" Dad replied, his voice breaking.

He knelt down, holding her hand tightly.

"Our story... was so beautiful... I still remember the day I crossed the barrier from World One to World Two... I was weak... almost fainting... and a human saved me. That human was beautiful... and everything we experienced together was wonderful... We had these two daughters... so beautiful... so full of light... Forgive me if you suffered prejudice for living here, by my side," said Mom, emotionally.

Dad started to cry.

"You don't need to apologize..." he replied, between sobs.

"It's not your fault that there are beings consumed by bad feelings," Dad said .

— Thank you… cough *cough … I… love you…* — Mom thanked him.

She smiled. A gentle smile.

And then… he closed his eyes.

For a moment, the world stopped.

Then… the silence was broken by a scream.

— NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! — Dad screamed, desperate.

Mom... had left.

"S-she...did she die?" Filna stammered, her gaze vacant.

"What the hell is going on?"

I felt the ground disappear from beneath my feet.

My vision went white.

And I fainted.

— Yu … Yumi ?! — Dad's voice was the last thing I heard.

The following dawn arrived cold and heavy.

The streets of the elven kingdom were shrouded in an eerie silence.

Elfsei 's wake .

Elves from all corners of the world were present.

In the center, an aura of blue flowers surrounded Mom's body, lying peacefully.

The air smelled of herbs and tears.

The ceremony would be conducted by the queen of the elves , Galadriel .

She stood up, imposing, and began to speak in the ancient Elvish language:

(Today we gather to mourn the death of Alara .)

Then he raised his staff.

The magical energy spread a silvery light throughout the hall.

Alara's soul rest in peace, free from disturbances.)

But then, Dad stood up, his face contorted with fury.

"This is your fault !!! " Dad yelled.

Their gazes turned to him, cold and full of contempt.

at me like that won't help ! If you think I'm to blame for my wife's death... you're wrong! The real culprits are you, you prejudiced elves !" he shouted incessantly.

— D-Dad! Stop! — I grabbed his arm, desperate.

"I won't stop!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the hall. "They need to hear the truth... especially this queen!"

One of the guards approached Galadriel , whispering something.

She raised a hand, asking for calm.

"Please, Uehara. Tell me what my fault is. I want to hear it with pleasure," she said , her voice calm.

"Are you... mocking me?!" he asked angrily.

"No, never. I want to understand... where I failed Alara . And you," he replied . Galadriel calmly.

For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Dad's eyes widened in surprise.

The tears began to flow again, silently.

He wiped them away with his arm, but the hatred on his face seemed... weaker.

Galadriel watched, motionless, as the silvery light of the hall reflected in his tears.

The funeral parlor was still heavy with emotion.

The silence... was broken only by sobs and the distant sound of wind passing between the crystal columns.

Dad stood up suddenly, his eyes brimming with tears, his voice filled with pain.

"In my view... it's your fault!" he shouted , pointing at Galadriel .

— You could have healed her! But you didn't because you thought she deserved to die for marrying a human from World Two!!!

A murmur spread among the elves .

The air became tense, as if each breath cut through the air.

Galadriel gazed at him serenely… and then lowered her eyes.

— You're right... and wrong at the same time. — he said . Galadriel .

"What?! What do you mean by that?!" Dad replied, confused, his voice trembling with anger.

"You're right to say I failed Alara . I, as queen of the elves , could have done more," said the queen, her voice now slightly trembling.

Dad let out a bitter laugh.

"See?! I was right!" said Dad.

But Galadriel interrupted him.

"But... you're wrong to say that I let her die because of prejudice against her... or against you," he said . Galadriel .

Her words silenced everyone.

And, to everyone's surprise, Galadriel began to cry.

"I couldn't save her... because I believed I had already done everything I could. I thought there was no hope left. But yes... I could have tried harder. After all... Alara, you, Yumi , and Filna ... are also part of the elven kingdom," he said . Galadriel .

I was breathless.

The entire room seemed suspended between two worlds, the world of anger and the world of regret.

Dad didn't say anything.

He just looked down, silent.

Then a young elf approached him, Celebrian , the queen's son.

"Don't judge... without knowing," he said . Celebrian .

Those words... seemed to pierce my father's chest like an arrow.

After that, he simply took my hand and Filna 's and left the room.

Night fell.

Even hours later, Dad still had that empty, lost look.

He wasn't eating, he wasn't talking, he wasn't sleeping.

The silence in the house was terrifying.

I sat next to him and touched his face.

"Dad... Everything's alright..." I murmured.

He simply sighed, without answering.

Suddenly, it hit touch .

Someone knocked on the door.

"Stay here. I'll see who it is," he said, standing up slowly.

I heard the wood creak when he opened the door.

Two figures stood there: a very beautiful human woman, and an elf of ancient and noble appearance.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Dad asked, in a suspicious tone.

The woman smiled gently.

She had long blond hair and green eyes that seemed to shine in the dim light.

"My name is Karina," she said softly.

— Karina…? — Dad repeated.

"Are you a human from World One?" Papi asked.

"No. Just like you, I'm a human from World Two. But, unlike you, I'm not Japanese," she replied .

"Wait a minute... what?!" Dad said , confused.

Dad took a step back, stunned.

"There are no native humans in World One," Karina continued.

"That's a lie! There are cities here with humans, so how can you say they don't exist?!" he shouted.

The woman looked at the elf beside her.

"Tell him, Elfherinsei ," Karina said .

The elf stepped forward. His presence was imposing, almost divine.

"I am responsible for what this human just said." When he spoke, his voice echoed as if it came from another plane.

"I was one of the ancient guardians of the gods of World One," he said.

My name is Elfsei. Elfherinsei . — the A mysterious elf introduced himself.

The name sounded familiar… and for a moment, a shiver ran through my body.

"What do you want with us?" Dad asked firmly.

Karina crossed her hands in front of her chest and smiled.

"Two years ago, you were elected one of the greatest scientists in World Two, weren't you?" Karina asked.

"How do you know that?!" Dad asked .

"I was at the awards ceremony," the woman replied .

— (Impossible… if I had seen that woman, I would remember. With that beauty, no one would forget her…) — Dad thought silently, without realizing I was watching him.

"But what does this have to do with you?" Dad asked.

"We need your help to fix some machines," Elfherinsei replied calmly.

"Why would I cooperate with you?" Dad asked.

— Because we can offer you something… that will interest you. — It was then that Karina took a small step forward and whispered.

"Something that interests me?" Dad said suspiciously.

She smiled mysteriously.

"We can resurrect Elfsei Alara," Karina said .

My heart almost stopped.

Dad's eyes widened, unable to answer.

"That's impossible!!!" he shouted, trembling.

Filna and I ran towards him.

Karina looked at us with a gentle, yet unsettling smile.

"So these two adorable little things were listening, huh? If their daddy helps us... we'll bring their mommy back," Karina said with a smile.

"This is crazy..." Dad whispered.

Elfherinsei tilted his head.

— Madness… or hope. The choice is yours, human. Will you accept… or not? — he asked . Elfherinsei .

Silence filled the room.

Dad stood there, staring at the ground… tears starting to stream down his face again.

"Resurrect... Mom? Is that... is that even possible?"

I didn't know what to think.

But something inside me told me that, from that moment on, our family's destiny would never be the same again.