Chapter Four: Glitch In Station
After walking across the deserts for hours, Benign finally sighted a small village, and the figure of a lady stood gallantly in front of the entrance.
He nodded. "That is an elf, right?"
[Obviously. Or what do your eyes tell you? Mermaid?]
Benign looked sideways. Legal sounded a bit too informal. He returned his eyes to the elf that had now faced him, holding into her steel rod tightly. She didn't look like a warrior as her skin was too smooth for anyone who went to war.
She was tall for the average human girl, and her hair was a colourful mix of pink and yellow streaks. Her eyes were pointy and her blue eyes were really slanted, giving her an ethereal look.
Benign nodded. "I had no luck with human girls, but maybe, just maybe, I might have luck with elves."
[Didn't you say you didn't want to have to take all the women? Elf women typically marry two or three to a male.]
"Yes, and it might be my after-mission treat. I don't expect a robot to understand." Benign said as he raised his arms on getting closer. "I come in peace, young elf. I am but a wanderer, looking for a place to rest."
Her eyes narrowed at him. "Your clothes are funny. And no, this isn't place that can be given to wanderers. Leave or you'd be stabbed!" She pointed her spear at him.
Benign stepped back, processing all the things she just spouted. Elves weren't this unfriendly in those web novels, and even if he knew Noria was the least friendly, it shouldn't be right off the bat.
"These clothes are the proud uniform of the Jarshi Military Forces." Benign rubbed his dark blue uniform. "Have some respect, will you?"
Her expression didn't change as she scrutinized the visitor. He was tall enough for an elf but wasn't one. His colourful hair affected her judgement, but his ears weren't pointy.
There were instances of not pointy ears but she didn't think he was the case. He could understand her elven language so it made her hesitate.
She finally pointed away from the village after her judgement. "Leave already. You are not an elf. We do not host the people of Olien or Karnak here."
Benign felt offended even if he knew he was neither. This was a desert, and all would die here if they didn't get water and food soon.
Possibly the only reason he hadn't fainted was because his Regeneration skill replaced his dead cell, but it couldn't replace the food and rest he needed.
"Your type of elves are a heartless bunch." He reached for the sickle. "I guess I have to get in by force."
[What are you doing!]
"Relax, she probably can't even fight."
Benign assured, but he paused when the steel rod she was holding separated to two and the tips flashed red glowing lights. She was now in a defensive stance.
[I believe I said this in my first introduction but elves have magic! She might not look like a warrior but she is one!]
Benign slowly and discreetly returned the sickle to his waist. He had total forgotten that. "I only tested you to be sure you are truly an elf. Don't worry, you can put it down."
To his surprise, she actually dropped her stance and reconnected her weapon to form the steel rod. "Testing me? Who're you to test me? Where are you from?"
Benign wondered if he could use that to get somewhere. "I am... part of the protectors of the three realms." He said with hand demonstrations. "I know about the glitches and I genuinely want to help solve it."
Her eyes softened as he said that and she looked down. "Protectors of the realms. They had reunited again? I didn't think they'd ever grow a conscience."
So there was even a protector of realms? Benign hummed.
"Yes, but I'm new so I don't know what made them fall out in the first place." He had to say that so she wouldn't assume that he knew more about the organisation. "My point is, I need warriors to help me solve the cause of the glitches. It's been a long walk and I need rest."
The elf seemed like she was understanding him and Benign felt very relieved. She turned to the village and waved her hand. What Benign thought had been a village faded into an entrance with flowery vines around it.
"I'd take you to my father, the chief. We don't have much warriors to spare but we'd do what we can to help the protectors of the realm." She squinted her eyes. "If that's what you truly are."
Benign nodded reassuringly. Acting like someone else wasn't new to him. He'd been part of a spy unit even if it was for a short while.
"I mean no harm, that's the bottom line of everything."
He followed her past the entrance and inside vastly contrasted with the other hot scorching desert. The place was cool and birds danced about.
They were tree too and be understood that they might've grown a forest in the desert using magic and that's why they had to keep it in an enclosed space.
He became alert when the entrance closed behind him. Now, he was either in enemy's territory or ally's territory, depending on her father's view of him.
He thought hard on a backup in the case her father saw through him and realized he wasn't part of their world.
"Would I have to eliminate him since he's a threat to my life?" he asked Legal.
[Likely. In return you'd get skills and have free access to the soldiers at this station, Kiron of Noria. You can also contact the two other stations around the desert.]
Benign sighed. Hopefully it wouldn't get to that.
"Can I come in, father?" the elf girl stood in front of a cottage that had bright red roses around it.
Benign looked around at the other cottages. They were just wood and small leaves, this one looked more spectacular.
"Father?" she went inside, leaving Benign out. "No! NO!"
Benign rushed inside immediately. His eyes took in the place in seconds, before dropping on a figure who was convulsing on the ground.
His eyes widened in surprise as the figure morphed into something with bigger body mass and longer ears, before shifting to a dragon like creature, then back to an old elf with straight ears.
"He's... he's glitching!" Benign pulled the girl from him when her father stretched his hand to her. What was he supposed to do with a corrupted person?
The elf girl fell to the ground, sobbing. "I-It got to him... What will happen to Kiron now?"
[Glitches don't affect Legal Systemists. Have contact with him to stop the glitches before he'd be transported to another realm with his biology infected.]
As Legal gave the information, Benign rushed to the older elf and held his shoulders. "Breathe in, sir. Breathe in and try to relax. I got you, breathe in."
The older elf tried to do as instructed and slowly his reddened body and elongated neck slowly returned to their normal size and colour.
He still breathed heavily with fear struck eyes. He shifted those eyes to Benign. "You... you are one of them..."
Benign nodded, assuming he meant the protectors of the realm, but the old elf's eyes became sharp and hateful.
"You... You've returned with these cursed glitches! Your body is already stained with the wars of many realms!"
What? Benign let go of the elf and his daughter rushed to him, wrapping him in a hug. The soldier stared at the old elf. What did he mean 'stained by wars of many realms'?
This was his first time here... Wasn't it?