Hiroshi's sleep was deep and dreamless, born from the overwhelming confusion and exhaustion of the previous day. The cold air of the cave chilled his skin, but it wasn't enough to wake him. Only when the first light of dawn began to seep through the cracks in the stone did he begin to stir, the grip of sleep slowly loosening its hold on him.
His eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the dim light. For a moment, he lay still, the events of the day before rushing back in a disjointed blur. The classroom, the sleep, and then… this strange world. His heart pounded as he sat up quickly, his muscles aching from the cold, hard ground.
It took him a few seconds to remember where he was. A cave… yes, he had taken shelter in a cave. But as his eyes adjusted, Hiroshi froze.
Just a few feet in front of him, crouched low with tension in her posture, was a girl. No, not just a girl—an elf. She was dressed in armor, the kind that looked both functional and battle-worn. Her silver hair, tied back into a long braid, contrasted sharply with the hard look in her green eyes, which were fixed on him with suspicion.
Hiroshi's breath caught in his throat. He had seen elves in stories before, but this was no delicate, ethereal being. There was something fierce, something almost dangerous about her.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, before Hiroshi could stop himself, he stammered, "W-who are you?"
The girl's eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn't expected him to speak. Her reaction was immediate—she tensed even further, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of a sword strapped to her side. For a moment, Hiroshi thought she might actually draw it.
But then, just as suddenly, she seemed to catch herself. Her hand fell away from the weapon, and she straightened up, trying to mask her earlier reaction with a forced air of calmness. When she spoke, her voice was firm but slightly strained. "You… dare to ask my name? Hmph. You're lucky I don't strike you down where you stand."
Hiroshi blinked, taken aback by the sharpness in her voice. The tension between them was palpable, but there was something else, too—something that didn't quite fit the image of the fierce warrior she was projecting.
The girl's eyes narrowed as she studied him, as if trying to gauge his intentions. "I am Elysia, a warrior of the forest," she declared, her tone now more controlled, almost haughty. "You should consider yourself fortunate that I'm in a merciful mood today."
Hiroshi's mind raced as he tried to process the situation. This girl—Elysia—was clearly not someone to be trifled with. But there was something about her bravado that felt… off. Like she was trying too hard to convince herself as much as him.
"I… I'm Hiroshi," he managed, his voice shaking slightly. "Hiroshi Tanaka."
"Hiroshi," Elysia repeated, as if testing the name on her tongue. She eyed him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity, still keeping her distance. "What are you doing in a place like this? Don't you know it's dangerous to wander around alone?"
Hiroshi swallowed, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't make him seem more vulnerable than he already was. "I… I didn't have much choice," he admitted. "I… got lost."
"Lost?" Elysia raised an eyebrow, her tone skeptical. "And you just happened to find this cave by chance?"
Hiroshi nodded, hoping his story was believable enough. "Yeah. I just needed a place to rest… and then I woke up and saw you here."
Elysia's eyes softened, just for a moment, before her guarded expression returned. "Well, you're lucky you weren't found by something less friendly," she said, almost as if she was scolding him. "This forest isn't a place for weaklings."
Hiroshi nodded again, unsure of what to say. He could sense the tension in her words, the way she seemed to be keeping him at arm's length. But there was something else there too, something that didn't quite match her fierce exterior.
He studied her for a moment, his analytical mind kicking in. The way she had been crouched when he first woke up… the way she had reacted with surprise and almost panic when he spoke… it didn't fit the image of a hardened warrior who was used to danger. She was projecting strength, but there was a vulnerability underneath it, one she was trying desperately to hide.
Hiroshi's gaze shifted to the sword at her side. The blade was well-worn, but well-maintained—a sign that she was indeed a seasoned fighter. But there was something else… the way she had been holding herself, the way she had watched him without attacking…
She was alone.
The realization hit him suddenly. Elysia was a warrior, yes, but she was also lonely. It was in the way she had been staring at him when she thought he was asleep, the way she had overreacted when he spoke, as if startled by the sound of another voice.
She had been alone for a long time.
Hiroshi felt a pang of sympathy for the elf. She was trying so hard to seem strong and intimidating, but he could see through the cracks in her armor. And now, for some reason, she was talking to him.
"Elysia," he said softly, testing the waters. "Thank you for not… hurting me."
Elysia glanced at him, her expression softening slightly as she seemed to wrestle with her emotions. "Hmph. Don't think too much of it," she muttered, turning her gaze to the cave entrance where the rain had started to lighten. "It's not like I go around attacking random strangers… unless they give me a reason to."
Her words were sharp, but Hiroshi could tell that her initial wariness was starting to fade. He could see it in the way she had lowered her hand from her sword, the way she was starting to relax just a little.
"Well, I'm glad," Hiroshi replied with a small, tentative smile. "I really didn't want to start the day with a fight."
Elysia snorted, a sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. "You wouldn't have lasted long if you did," she said, but there was no real malice in her words now. She almost seemed amused by his attempt at humor.
For a moment, the cave was silent except for the gentle patter of rain outside. Hiroshi's mind raced with questions, but he didn't want to push too hard too soon. Instead, he let the quiet linger, hoping Elysia might open up on her own.
After a while, she spoke again, her voice softer this time. "Why are you really here, Hiroshi? This forest… it's not the kind of place someone just 'gets lost' in."
Hiroshi hesitated. He knew he couldn't tell her the whole truth—not yet, anyway. But he also didn't want to lie to her, not when she was finally starting to trust him, even if just a little.
"I'm… not from around here," he said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I got… lost in more ways than one."
Elysia's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was trying to read between the lines. "Not from around here? You mean… another village? Another kingdom?"
Hiroshi shook his head. "No… farther than that."
Elysia seemed to ponder his words for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "You're strange, Hiroshi," she said finally, her tone neither accusatory nor entirely friendly. "But… you don't seem dangerous."
"Thanks… I think," Hiroshi replied, unsure whether to take it as a compliment.
Elysia smirked slightly, a small sign of her walls lowering. "Don't get too comfortable. You're still an outsider to me. But… maybe you're not as bad as I thought."
Hiroshi took her words as a small victory, feeling a tiny bit of relief. Despite the tension and uncertainty, he was beginning to think that perhaps he had found an ally in this strange world—someone who might help him, even if she wouldn't admit it openly.
As they sat in the quiet of the cave, Hiroshi couldn't shake the feeling that Elysia was lonelier than she let on. He didn't know what had driven her to this life, wandering alone in the forest, but he could see the hints of pain and isolation in her eyes.
And though she didn't say it, Hiroshi could tell that the presence of another person—someone to talk to, even a stranger—was something she had been missing for a long time.
The silence in the cave grew, a quiet tension lingering between Hiroshi and Elysia. The rain outside had lessened to a gentle drizzle, the occasional drop echoing softly in the enclosed space. Hiroshi's mind was still trying to process everything—being in this strange world, meeting an elf who was clearly a warrior, and now trying to navigate a conversation with her.
But just as he was about to speak again, something flickered in the corner of his vision. The familiar, translucent screen of the system interface appeared before him, the text glowing softly.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE ACTIVATED
Side Quest: Be the Lonely Elf's First Friend!
Objective: Earn Elysia's trust and become her friend.
Reward: ???
Failure: None (But she might not tolerate your presence for long…)]
Hiroshi's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly schooled his expression, trying not to let any surprise show on his face. He had seen the interface before, back when he first woke up in this world, but that didn't make it any less surreal. The last thing he wanted was for Elysia to notice something was off.
Elysia was already wary of him—if she saw him react to something invisible, it could raise even more suspicion.
He cleared his throat, trying to focus on the conversation. "So… uh, Elysia, do you usually travel alone?"
Elysia's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression still guarded. "Why do you ask? You trying to pry into my business now?"
Hiroshi shook his head quickly. "No, no, nothing like that. I was just… wondering. It must be hard, being out here by yourself."
Elysia's gaze softened, just a fraction, but her tone remained firm. "I've managed just fine on my own," she replied, her voice carrying a hint of defensiveness. "I don't need anyone's help."
Hiroshi nodded, not wanting to push her too hard. "I get it. You're strong, obviously. I mean, anyone could see that."
Elysia seemed to relax slightly at the compliment, though she tried to hide it by turning her gaze to the cave entrance. "Hmph. Flattery won't get you anywhere."
Hiroshi suppressed a small smile, relieved that she hadn't noticed his earlier distraction. The system's quest was clear: he needed to earn her trust. But how? Elysia was clearly someone who valued strength and independence, and trying to get close to her too quickly might backfire.
As the rain continued to patter outside, Hiroshi tried to think of a way to connect with her, something that might break down the walls she had so carefully built around herself. The system's message echoed in his mind: *"Be the Lonely Elf's First Friend."*
"Well," Hiroshi began, carefully choosing his words, "I guess I'm kind of alone here too. It's… a little scary, to be honest. Being in a place you don't know, with no one you can trust."
Elysia didn't respond immediately. Her expression was unreadable, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon beyond the cave. Hiroshi wondered if he had said too much, but then she spoke, her voice quieter than before.
"This forest… it's all I've ever known," she said, her tone carrying a hint of melancholy. "But even here, you can't trust anyone. It's safer that way."
Hiroshi's heart ached at the sadness in her words, though she tried to mask it with her usual toughness. He didn't need the system to tell him that Elysia was lonely. It was clear in the way she held herself, the way she spoke about trust as if it were a dangerous thing.
He wanted to help her, but he knew it wouldn't be easy. Still, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing.
"I can understand that," Hiroshi replied softly. "But… maybe not everyone's out to get you. Sometimes… you might find someone worth trusting."
Elysia glanced at him, her eyes searching his face as if trying to gauge his sincerity. For a moment, Hiroshi thought she might lash out again, but instead, she just sighed, her expression softening.
"Maybe," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "But it's not something you can rely on."
Hiroshi nodded, sensing that he was treading on delicate ground. He decided not to press further, letting the conversation lull. But in his heart, he made a silent promise: he would find a way to reach Elysia, to show her that she didn't have to be alone.
As the rain began to slow to a light drizzle, Hiroshi glanced back at the system screen. The quest was still there, a silent reminder of his task. But it wasn't just about completing a quest—it was about helping someone who, despite her strength, was struggling with the same feelings of isolation that he was.
He wasn't sure how he would do it, but he knew one thing for certain: he wasn't going to give up.