When Lenus turned his head, he was so startled that he nearly stumbled into the water. He barely managed to steady himself and found himself staring into the warm gaze of the woman standing before him. Her blue eyes were as clear and sparkling as a pristine river. Her round, radiant face blended seamlessly with her wild green hair, and her arched eyebrows stood out above her lashes. Her simple yet elegant green dress, which ended in a pleated skirt, caught the eye. But most striking of all were the two spiraling horns atop her head.
Lenus stammered, "W-who are you...?"
The woman smiled and replied in a gentle tone, "Oh! Pardon me. My name is Malina. It's a pleasure to meet you! So, where's Aisa?" She then looked around.
Realizing that he had been staring at her for too long, Lenus quickly averted his gaze and pointed toward the cabin. "They're in the cabin." At that moment, the urgency of Aisa's situation came back to him, and as if jolted by electricity, he exclaimed, "We have to go there right now!" and hurried toward the cabin. Malina, slightly puzzled, followed him without hesitation. Despite her flowing skirt, she kept pace with Lenus as he ran.
On their way, Malina noticed an unconscious and bound man with some injuries but chose to follow Lenus , passing by without pause. Before long, they arrived at the cabin door.
Aisa and Adeline rose to their feet upon seeing Malina, and hope and vitality seemed to return to their expressions. As they entered, Aisa took Malina's hand and immediately led her to the back room where Lena and Melva were. Adeline, who hadn't even had the chance to greet Malina, sighed and ran a hand over his magical staff.
"She's right... This isn't the time for pleasantries. But so quickly...?"
Lenus , equally startled by the sudden turn of events and burdened with many questions, asked, "Who was that woman, Master Adeline?"
Adeline, with his usual nonchalance, sat down in his chair and replied, "Malina, the queen of this forest."
Lenus repeated in astonishment, "The queen of this forest?" It was clear he wasn't satisfied with Adeline's brief introduction of such a mysterious figure. Sensing this, Adeline began to elaborate.
"She's the guardian and, in a way, the ruler of this forest. However, Lady Malina isn't human; she's a druid."
Lenus tilted his head in curiosity and asked, "A druid?"
Adeline picked up his staff and, while twirling it, explained, "Forest beings born with the responsibility of protecting the woods. They are intrinsically tied to the forest and can be considered its children. They don't possess magic or martial arts but can connect deeply with the forest and, when necessary, harness its power. Essentially, they're about ten times better than me when it comes to manipulating greenery."
"That's incredible! I've read about them in books, but seeing a druid in person is so exciting! But honestly, they look a lot like humans," Lenus remarked.
Adeline looked directly at Lenus and replied, "Yeah, if it weren't for the horns, you'd think they were just regular humans. Didn't I tell you this forest holds countless wonders?"
Lenus murmured, "Yes..." and sat down on a wooden chair beside the table. Seeing Adeline's troubled demeanor, Lenus decided to save his unanswered questions for later and turned his gaze to the stone fireplace, where flames danced from within a crystal, warming and lighting the wooden room.
It had been about two hours since they arrived in the forest, and another hour passed before Aisa and Malina emerged from the back room. Malina no longer wore her cheerful expression; instead, her face was thoughtful. Both of them pulled out chairs and sat down at the table.
Adeline asked, "So, what's the verdict? Is there hope?"
Aisa remained silent, leaving Malina to answer. "For now, the growth of those monsters has been halted, but it's not permanent. We need to come up with a long-term solution."
Adeline let out a sigh of relief and said, "I'm glad to see you, Lady Malina. It's been a long time since our last meeting, hasn't it?"
Malina offered a small smile and replied, "Likewise, Adeline. I think it's been about five years." Then, with a sidelong glance at Lenus , she added, "It seems a lot has happened to you."
Aisa looked out the room's window and said in a calm tone, "A lot indeed. So much that I could talk with you about it for ages. But it was after Balerno that things got really strange." There was no joy or enthusiasm in her voice.
Sensing that their experiences hadn't been pleasant or memorable, Malina clapped her hands together and, with her earlier enthusiasm, said, "Alright, everyone! Let's wipe away those frowns. The past is the past. And besides, we have a new guest." She then looked at Lenus .
Aisa also glanced at Lenus and said, "As I mentioned, Lenus has amnesia and doesn't remember anything. On top of that, he has another condition that makes him extremely dangerous. That's why I brought him here for you to take care of, Malina."
Lenus said to Aisa, "I'm aware of my condition. And I'm very grateful to you, Lady Malina, for allowing me to stay here."
Malina flashed a radiant smile. Despite the horns protruding from her head, she was stunningly beautiful and captivating.
"I hope you enjoy your time here, Lenus , and that you manage to recover your memory. I'm sure our first meeting wasn't the best, but there are lots of fascinating things in this forest that I'll show you in due time."
Aisa, losing a bit of her patience, asked Malina, "There's plenty of time for that talk. So, Malina, is there a cure for my dear Lena and Melva?"
Along with Aisa, both Adeline and Lenus stared at Malina intently, eagerly awaiting news of the cure she might have for the incurable ailment.
After a brief pause, Malina stroked her chin and, with a cunning expression, asked, "Are you sure you can handle it?"