They continue their journey, passing through wheat fields and date palm orchards, until they approach a dense forest. From afar, they can see towering ancient trees, their shade covering the ground, creating a peaceful and quiet scene. Veritas stops and gazes at the forest, feeling like he wants to enter it to seek some peace amidst this chaotic world. However, as they get closer, they notice a figure standing in the path leading into the forest.
It is a girl, tall and slender, with long, flowing golden hair waving in the wind and eyes as green as young spring leaves, bright and full of life. She wears a golden laurel wreath on her head, exuding a serene beauty, as if she doesn't belong to this world. Her white clothing wraps her body modestly but comfortably enough for movement. She ties flat fabric around her waist and shoulders, paired with simple sandals. Her earrings are shaped like green laurel leaves, adding the perfect touch to her striking appearance.
But what stands out the most are the dark spots on her body, where black fabric strips are tightly tied in a cross pattern. Notably, her ears are long and pointed – a distinctive feature of the Elves.
Veritas, feeling a surge of excitement, is about to step forward to greet and converse with her. But just as he takes a few steps, the Elf girl suddenly draws a silver sword from her belt, pointing it straight at him, her green eyes sharp as blades. She looks at Veritas coldly, without hesitation, as though he is an intruder.
Veritas freezes, stopping immediately with a confused expression. He never expected such a fierce reaction just for stepping a little closer.
Zihao quickly whispers into Veritas's ear: "Don't get closer. She's an Elf, and we're near the border of El'mr, a kingdom of Elves. They despise anyone from Mikhland because of what Mikhland has done to non-human races, especially to them."
Veritas is stunned for a moment, then slowly begins to understand. Mikhland has committed genocide against non-human races, and encountering such hostility is not surprising.
Not wanting to anger the Elf girl further, Veritas and Zihao quickly turn and walk away, feeling the tension still hanging in the air. The Elf girl stands silently, watching them, showing no intention of approaching. Once they are a distance away, she gently retreats into the forest, her figure gradually fading into the lush greenery.
Veritas looks back at the forest with disappointment. "This is the second time you've seen an Elf since we were summoned to Terre more than six months ago. I thought there would be a chance to talk, but it ended like this."
Zihao sighs, gazing into the distance. "Mikhland has caused too much harm to non-human races. Those wounds are not easily forgotten, and they can't forgive so easily."
Veritas doesn't say anything, falling silent as he continues walking. His heart feels heavier and heavier. The suffering of the non-human races, the hostility between peoples, and the injustices of this world... All of these things make him unable to stop thinking about what they are facing, and whether they can change anything.
At the end of the day, under the dim moonlight, Veritas and Zihao sit on a hill, looking at the brightly lit city of Tarif from afar. The surroundings are peaceful, but each of them is filled with complex thoughts. Veritas looks at the twinkling lights of the city, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction and sorrow. He can't help but feel the obvious injustice in this world, and a sense of helplessness rises when he thinks about what he can do.
"This world is too unfair, Zihao. If we could do something..." Veritas exclaims, his voice full of sadness.
Zihao closes his eyes, listening to the soft breeze. He replies calmly but with a trace of reflection in his tone: "Not now. We still have a long road ahead."
Both fall into silence, amidst the quiet space that is still heavy with anxiety. Under the moonlight, they can only wonder if the path they walk will change these injustices, or if they will forever remain wanderers in a world full of instability.
The next day, Veritas and Zihao return to the bustling city of Tarif, where life continues on. Zihao, always enthusiastic about his products, begins to continue introducing the goods he's carried throughout the journey. He focuses on the peach tree sap candy he learned about during his research, skillfully describing its sweet taste and chewy texture, which intrigues many locals to try it. Additionally, Zihao promotes apple jam, coconut jam, and pineapple jam that he has made by hand, claiming the fresh, healthy flavors from natural ingredients. He also introduces other products like biodegradable detergent and natural soap, environmentally friendly and health-conscious, meeting the growing demands of the local people.
Meanwhile, Veritas remains in a pensive mood. He stands apart from the city, looking towards the El'mr border, where enormous ancient trees grow side by side, their shadows reaching high, as if guarding the land of non-human creatures. He can't help but remember the encounter with the Elf girl the day before, her cautious gaze, and her clear wariness when seeing anyone from Mikhland. In Veritas's heart, his anger towards Mikhland rises once again.
That evening, Veritas decides to go for a walk to clear his mind. He strides across the vast barley fields, feeling the peace enveloping the air. However, during this time, an uneasy feeling rises within him. He keeps walking, losing his way into a desolate land he has never seen before. It is a large empty plot, still marked with traces of an ancient era, as though this place had once been a home for a large community. The area seems to have been abandoned for a long time, with ruins and ashes scattered across the ground.
Veritas kneels, gently stirring through the ashes and fragments of materials he cannot immediately identify. Large, broken horns, worn and eroded by time, lie scattered on the ground, some still retaining their shape. A few pieces of dry skin, once showing signs of an ancient culture, are slowly disintegrating under the afternoon sun. He touches one piece, feeling its roughness, as if it holds within it an untold story.
The more he searches, the more strange items he finds. Poems in a completely foreign language are etched onto pieces of skin, traces of a civilization he has never heard of. These poems are vague, difficult to understand, yet convey a sense of sadness and despair. He stops, looking at the large chipped axes, the deep cracks in the blades, and feels a sense of brutality in the air. It seems as though these weapons were once used in a fierce battle. It feels like all of this is telling the story of destruction.
Suddenly, Veritas's gaze is drawn to a painting carved into a broken stone slab. It is a crude painting, yet it holds immense power. On it, large bull-headed creatures fight against human warriors. The painting depicts a fierce battle under a mound, seemingly the place where the Minotaurs once lived. These bull-headed creatures, with their muscular and powerful bodies, are up against the relentless strength of human warriors.
Veritas stands still, staring at the painting. A heavy feeling rises in his chest. He immediately realizes that this is no ordinary battle. This is a genocide. The Minotaurs, a species with their own intellect and culture, were mercilessly slaughtered by the Mikhland warriors. Despite their strength, these creatures could not withstand the brutality of the Mikhland army. They were wiped out, and their culture erased, leaving only these fragments as a testament to unforgivable crimes.
Veritas's hands tremble, but inside him, a wave of anger rises. He wonders why the Mikhland people did this. Why couldn't they live alongside other species? Why did their differences become a reason to wipe out an entire race? He looks at the broken horns, the strange poems, and feels a deep pain in his heart.
How can there be a world like this, where the life of a species is stolen just because they are different? How can one stand idly by and watch such actions without doing anything? But he knows that no matter how angry he is, he cannot change the past. What has happened is a part of history, and even if he wanted to, he cannot bring justice to those fallen beings.
Veritas wonders if there is anything he can do to change this injustice. He once thought that standing up could change everything, but the reality is not that simple. The crimes of Mikhland are not just the actions of a group of people, but the result of an ideology deeply embedded in their hearts, a belief that other species do not deserve to live.
He stands there for a long time, feeling the stillness of the space, yet unable to shake off the dark thoughts in his mind. He wants to do something, but does not know where to begin. He cannot simply stand there and acknowledge the injustice, but he also cannot simply overthrow a system that has existed for so long.
In his heart, one question keeps repeating: Why genocide beings like the Minotaur? Why are there such meaningless wars? And more importantly, how can he change this world?
The frustration and conflict in his heart still cannot subside. He looks toward the mound where the battle took place, then glances back at the painting, where the Minotaurs had to fall. Veritas feels an indescribable pain, an overwhelming sense of disappointment.
"How could it be like this?" he whispers, almost as if speaking to himself, questioning and answering at the same time. But there is no satisfactory answer. All he can do is remember, and know that his journey, along with his companions, may have to face even worse things ahead.