I'm Playing as a Nun.

It was only a single sentence from the elder.

But the cold, twisted voice was enough to turn all the suspicions rising in me into uncontrollable convictions.

At that moment, my brow furrowed deeply on instinct, and my heart began to beat wildly. 

He wanted to use me.

Even though elves have an appearance similar to humans, how can they casually spout nonsense worse than beasts?

This is not the image of elves I had imagined. 

"W-were you that dissatisfied...?"

As soon as he saw my distorted expression, the elder began to stutter severely with an even more perplexed look.

"......"

But I gave no answer to the elder. 

No, I was disgusted and revolted to even mix words with him in the first place.

"No, Elder. Levinia likes me."

Meanwhile, Rune's innocent voice was heard quietly right next to me. 

"She just held me preciously─."

"I-I see! I should have acted more calmly, but I was so unexpectedly flustered...!"

The elder's voice suddenly rose. 

It was as if he was trying to cover up his mistake.

However, the awkwardness clearly shown in his expression only made him look more like a sycophant.  

"O-oh my... I dared to be rude. Please forgive me...."

"......"

"Anyway, I'm really glad that you seem to like our gift. It's a joyous day."

I don't really care how I appear in their eyes. 

Even if I have a human heart, the fact that my race is a vampire never changes. 

But using a young child who knows nothing about the ways of the world as a means for something is very wrong. 

"By the way, Elder... I tried to handle it on my own, but the conversation didn't go well. I'm sorry..."

"Huh? What are you suddenly talking about?"

"Levinia still doesn't trust us."

"She doesn't trust us? Then why is she even here...?"

"That's why I invited Levinia to the village. I thought maybe she would trust us a little if I did this─."

The elder's face stiffened, and he frowned at Rune's innocent words. 

It seemed he thought I had accepted their proposal, so he couldn't regain his composure.  

"...E-Elder?"

However, apart from that, just by looking at this fragmentary scene, I could roughly guess what kind of treatment Rune received from the elder and the village. 

So I couldn't help but burst into an even more absurd hollow laughter.

"That means... you brought this person here when nothing was decided yet..."

"Are you troubled by me? Did I come too suddenly?"

As I slowly opened my tightly closed mouth and spoke in a low voice, the elder immediately flinched greatly and showed his flustered state with his whole body.

"Ah, no...!!"

"Then I'd like to enter the village soon."

"Of course. I'll take you right now...."

"No. I'll continue to receive guidance from Rune. And I need a place to rest."

"Pardon?"

At my resolute words, the elder lost his words for a moment and just blinked his eyelids stupidly. 

Even in the midst of that, the sight of him still trying to show an awkward smile was quite repulsive. 

But since the day was about to break, and the children also seemed to be reaching their limit, the top priority now was to enter the village and get some rest.

"I'll kindly answer your request tonight. Until then, please refrain from seeking me out as much as possible." 

.

.

.

That's how we entered the elf village of Roen, guided by them. 

But without even having a chance to look around the village, we went straight into the lodging prepared by the elder and laid our tired bodies down.

"Snore..."

"Zzz..."

"......"

The children who fell asleep properly. 

Until we set out, they were full of anticipation and excitement, bouncing around.

But as soon as we arrived, it was late at night, and they were so tired that they went straight to dreamland as soon as they lay on the bed. 

They must have had quite a lot of expectations...

I don't think the children will barely open their eyes until after lunch.

"......"

"Rune?"

Unlike the children who were wandering in dreamland, 

For some reason, Rune was not lying on the bed but sitting on a wooden chair in the corner of the room, blankly blinking her eyelids. 

Her shoulders drooped down, and she looked very depressed.

"...I think I made a mistake."

"Pardon?"

"The elder glared at me with such a disappointed look..." 

It seemed she was still concerned about the elder's behavior earlier.

"Are you worried?"

"Yes... I didn't know he would get so angry...."

Rune's dejected voice echoed quietly in the spacious room. 

I felt sorry for Rune, who couldn't even lie comfortably on the bed and was constantly worrying about what happened earlier.

"Do you really like this village, Rune?"

Rune silently nodded her head slightly at my question.

"Why?"

"Because it's where I live."

"Besides that?"

"......"

Rune suddenly shut her mouth. 

A strange silence lingered between me and Rune for a moment, making the already heavy atmosphere even more awkward.

Nevertheless, I calmly waited for Rune's answer, blinking my eyelids silently. 

Then─.

"Even so, everyone is kind to see."

In the heavy atmosphere where only stillness flowed, Rune's quiet words were heard. 

However, that single sentence from Rune was something I could not understand at all.

Because the elder's behavior I saw was very far from kindness.

"Pardon?"

Seeing me tilting my head with a puzzled expression, Rune hesitated for a moment and then carefully continued.

"I don't have any talent. Other children my age have already learned archery and go hunting, but I can't properly pull a bowstring."

As the story progressed, Rune lowered her head even more. 

A sullen appearance with no confidence at all. 

Her shoulders shrank as much as possible, curled up as if she was going to be scolded by someone.

"No one pays attention to me now, but I think if I work hard, they will acknowledge me someday."

Those words were definitely sincere. 

But within that sincerity was also the sadness of trying to hide her own shortcomings.

"......"

I swallowed a sigh. 

I had no idea how deep the loneliness and self-blame behind each of Rune's words was. 

It seemed that unnecessary comfort would only be more poisonous.

"...Does Rune perhaps want to be recognized in this village?"

"Yes."

There was still a mountain of things I wanted to ask besides this. 

But seeing Rune curling up more and more, I couldn't continue asking.

"So I always gather medicinal herbs in the forest."

"......"

"I'm insignificant now, but surely later, as an elf, I will become an indispensable existence in this village."

"......"

"That will probably happen."

A solemn and quiet time that felt like a confession. 

Rune seemed to be trying to prove her worth not by hunting but by gathering medicinal herbs.

But unfortunately, the elves of this village did not acknowledge Rune at all for that. 

Rather, they tried to hand her over to me as a living sacrifice and tried to use Rune that way.

Why is that? 

Rune only wanted recognition and praise. 

Why did the pointy-eared fellows in this village try to use Rune as a living sacrifice?

"Is that what you truly want to do?"

"...?"

"I'm not asking for any particular reason. I'm just curious."

Honestly, if it's not something that happened in the land where I live, I don't really want to care about the affairs across the river. 

That's because my actions could be seen as hypocrisy.

And taking care of the children by my side is already overwhelming enough. 

I don't have the leisure to pay attention elsewhere.

But nevertheless, the reason I came all the way here myself is none other than─

"What's the point of being acknowledged by those who judge and impose justice as they please?"

It was so absurd that they looked at not only Rune but also the children I take care of in that way.

"In my eyes, this place seems to be nothing more than a barren land for Rune."

Anyone can see that I am a demon, so misunderstandings are understandable. 

But not stopping there and blatantly sending a living sacrifice, the elder's first words asking if I didn't like her. 

That was nothing short of indirectly showing how rotten this village was.

"W-what do you suddenly mean by that...?"

"That's all I can say to Rune right now. I hope you think about the rest on your own."

"...Pardon?"

Hypocritical insincerity given to Rune who still knows nothing, for the first and last time. 

But from now on, the situation will greatly differ depending on Rune's choice.

"Rune, you are doing well enough. You don't need to be so discouraged. Even if the elves don't acknowledge you, at least I will acknowledge you."

Of course, that choice applies not only to Rune but also to the elder. 

It was the elder of this village who arbitrarily provoked me when I was living well. 

He especially needs to make the right choice.

"You are a true elf."