(401 - 600) Stay-at-home Dad's Restaurant In An Alternate World

Chapter 517 Anna... Don't Cry

However, all of that changed over 20 years ago. A bunch of hunting parties consisting of demons and orcs suddenly appeared on the Norland Continent, and the prey they targeted was none other than wandering elves like him. Many elves were captured and thrown into cramped cages before being forced into dark underground cellars. Darkness seemed to have descended once again, and all of the elves were petrified.

Some elves returned to the Wind Forest for protection, only to be held captive there and prohibited from leaving again.

Elves no longer had the right to leave the forest as they pleased, while the major families had taken ownership of the entire elven race.

More and more elves began to mysteriously disappear, following which more and more elven servants began to appear in the major families of the Wind Forest. They had been branded with magic seals, thereby preventing them from leaving their respective territory.

Joshua discovered this 20 years ago. At the time, he had gone to visit a friend, only to find that their home was in ruins. He discovered a string of text carved onto a rock, stating that the couple had been captured by demons and orcs.

After that, he encountered an elf who had only just escaped not long ago from the Wind Forest. He told Joshua that he had seen that couple in one of the major families, but the male elf was missing a leg, and had been reduced to the lowliest of servants.

That had dealt a massive blow to Joshua. Following the conclusion of the war among species, the biggest threat posed to the elven race wasn't from other races, but the newly ascended nobles in the Wind Forest instead.

The nobles of the elven race—what a laughable yet pitiful existence.

He couldn't understand how those elves could be so cruel, nor how they could do such things to the elves whom they had battled alongside and had given everything they had to protect the Wind Forest.

But what could he do? If he returned to the Wind Forest of his own accord, he would also lose his freedom.

Thus, the wandering elves continued to travel the continent like startled birds. They clung on stubbornly to their freedom, which could be stripped from them at any moment.

More and more elves began to disappear. At the same time, more and more demon and orc hunting parties appeared.

That situation lasted until six years ago. That year, Princess Irina left the Wind Forest and began to travel the continent, only for one of those hunting parties to set their sights on her.

The result was that the entire hunting party was demolished.

Furthermore, that was only the beginning.

One hunting party after another was vanquished by the elven princess. The roles of the hunter and the prey were reversed, and the arrogant hunting parties became the ones that had to run for their lives.

To the wandering elves, Princess Irina was their savior, just as their queen had been during the dark ages. She destroyed countless hunting parties, rescued hordes of imprisoned elves, and was revered fanatically by the wandering elves.

Around half of all of the hunting parties were destroyed by Princess Irina, and the remaining half disbanded. No one dared to capture elves anymore, and freedom was restored.

The first time Joshua saw Princess Irina was five years ago. At the time, he had been severely wounded in a battle while assisting an elven couple in their escape from a group of demons.

Right as he was plunged into the depths of despair, Princess Irina descended along with a man wielding a claymore, and they destroyed all of the demons with ease.

However, that couple had already been slain during their attempt to protect their daughter, leaving behind a little elf girl who was less than a year old.

Irina healed him before entrusting him with that child. She named the child Anna, and asked him to look after her.

Princess Irina returned to the Wind Forest three years ago, and no news about her had been heard since then. The disbanded hunting parties began to hunt down elves again, thus plunging all of the wandering elves into another nightmare.

Joshua had traveled to many places with Anna. He tried his best to teach her to become a free and kind-hearted elf, and she was his only hope. For her sake, he was willing to give up everything, including his life.

"Grandpa... Grandpa..." Joshua's soul was just about to dissipate when he heard a series of heart-wrenching sobs.

"An.. na..." Joshua forced his eyes open, and slowly placed his right hand on Anna's cheek as he said, "Don't cry."