Emperal couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. "Hahaha. What an amusing creature," he said, looking in the direction Grimblaze had waddled off to. The sight of the pudgy, overconfident hippo was just too much for him to hold in.
"Alright, forget about everything else. Now take me to your village," Emperal said, his tone turning more serious as he walked forward without looking back. The villagers, sensing the change in his demeanor, simply shook their heads and followed him with a resigned sigh.
"Hey, Santri," one of the villagers called out to the other. "What is it?" Santri asked, turning his head. "What's a blood elf doing here in this remote forest?" He whispered, eyeing Emperal's striking red hair with suspicion.
"How should I know? Now shut up and follow," came the low reply, a hint of irritation creeping into his voice.
"My Lord," Santri said cautiously, "What should we do about that?" He gestured toward the chubby hippo ahead, which was skipping steps and seemed "delighted" at the prospect of returning to his so-called "hotel."
Emperal glanced at Grimblaze with a bemused smile. "Ignore him," he said, his voice filled with amusement. The villagers, however, could barely conceal their displeasure at the thought of letting such a gluttonous beast into their village.
"My Lord, it's this way," one of the villagers spoke up, pointing to the east. "Finally, I'm out of this damned forest," Emperal thought, a trace of excitement and relief in his voice as he walked with a newfound sense of freedom.
"Oh, and tell me about this forest," Emperal asked, his tone casual as he glanced back over his shoulder.
"My Lord, you don't know about this forest?" The villagers were surprised by the question.
"Just answer the question," Emperal replied in his usual even tone. The villagers exchanged nervous glances before gulping. "But aren't the blood elves one of the strongest races on the planet?" they wondered silently, but no one dared speak it aloud.
"The Great Cithsin Forest, my Lord," one of them answered. Emperal nodded, gesturing for the villager to continue. "This forest covers three-quarters of our great planet, Neris Alestis."
Emperal's mind raced as he absorbed the information. "So I am on the planet Neris Alestis," he thought. "There's no such planet in our solar system, so I guess I'm somewhere far beyond it." He frowned, trying to make sense of it all.
Soon, they reached the edge of the forest. "My Lord, we have arrived at Nieurir, our village," Santri said, gesturing toward a large gate ahead. The guards, seeing Emperal's red hair, quickly stepped forward and greeted him.
"Greetings, Lord," they said, bowing deeply. It seemed that anyone with red hair was immediately recognized as part of a revered clan.
Emperal, though surprised by the recognition, nodded in acknowledgment. He still needed to uncover more about the history of this body he now inhabited. As the guards' eyes shifted to Grimblaze, they couldn't mask their distaste. Their nostrils flared, but they dared not challenge the creature while Emperal was still present.
"Are you already happy seeing me?" Grimblaze asked smugly, puffing out his chest. The guards looked like they might strangle the yellow menace, but they restrained themselves. Barely.
…
As they entered the village, the atmosphere changed, turning tense. The villagers froze mid-step, gazes darting between Emperal and the waddling yellow menace at his side. A child pointed dramatically, gasping in shock.
"That's the cabbage thief!" the child shouted, his voice high-pitched.
Grimblaze puffed out his chest, his face entirely unbothered. "Ah, recognition at last! You may address me as Grimblaze, Savior of Your Taste Buds and Harbinger of... well, chaos, apparently."
Before anyone could respond, a tomato flew through the air, splattering just shy of Grimblaze's stubby legs. He glanced at it, unamused. "Really? Tomatoes? This is how you honor a king? At least throw something ripe!"
A burly farmer, veins bulging on his forehead, stepped forward, fuming. "You ate my entire stockpile of pies, wrecked my stall, and stole my rooster!"
Grimblaze gasped dramatically, feigning deep offense. "Stole? Stole?! Sir, I was liberating that poor bird from mediocrity. He clucked with joy as he joined my entourage!"
The crowd erupted in shouts, some waving pitchforks, others brandishing brooms. Grimblaze simply turned to Emperal, grinning smugly.
"Quite the warm reception, don't you think? Clearly, my charisma leaves them speechless."
Emperal chuckled and responded, "Speechless? Grimblaze, they look ready to cook you."
Grimblaze winked at him. "And yet they wouldn't dare. This much brilliance is best served raw."
Emperal rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a chuckle. He then turned his attention back to the village. Despite the chaos, his gaze softened as he took in the beauty of the place. The houses, carved into towering trees, were unlike anything he had ever seen. Their wooden walls were etched with intricate designs that seemed to pulse with magic. Vines spiraled up the trunks, leading to balconies and platforms high above, connected by sturdy rope bridges that swayed gently in the breeze.
The air smelled faintly of pine and fresh bread, with an occasional hint of wildflowers carried by the wind. Lanterns, glowing with a soft amber light, hung from the tree branches, casting long shadows across the village in the evening light. The villagers moved with ease between the elevated homes, their feet barely touching the ground as they used the wooden pathways that circled the trees. It was an architectural marvel, blending seamlessly with the natural environment.
"Such a unique place," Emperal muttered under his breath, his eyes tracing the pathways and the glowing lanterns. As his gaze wandered further, he noticed villagers casually performing magic, making it seem as though magic was simply part of their everyday lives.
One villager was levitating a basket of apples to a high window with a single flick of their wrist, while another man used his bare hands to summon a steady flame, heating an outdoor oven. Emperal watched in awe, his thoughts racing. This was unlike anything he had encountered before. These people were in tune with the very essence of nature, commanding it as if it were second nature to them.
"An entire village built within trees, alive with magic," Emperal thought, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and curiosity. "They've truly made nature their ally."
Meanwhile, Grimblaze, whose attention had been focused solely on the vendor selling baked goods, had already wandered off. His stomach growled audibly. "Tell me, good sir," he asked with an exaggerated bow, "does this village specialize in desserts? Asking for a connoisseur."
The vendor glared at him, gripping a broom tightly. He didn't answer Grimblaze but instead stepped forward with deliberate, menacing slowness. The gluttonous hippo, clearly unaware of the rising tension, smiled blissfully.
Emperal sighed, turning away from the spectacle. It wasn't long before he saw the villagers staring at him, some whispering in awe at his appearance. "So, who is in charge here?" he asked Santri, who had been walking a few meters ahead.
"It's Lord Rahuel," Santri replied, a note of pride in his voice. "He's our village head, a cultivator in the second stage of the Mana-Cycle!"
"Mana-Cycle?" Emperal's brow furrowed. "What's that?"
"My Lord, I know you're an unfathomable existence because I can't sense your level," Santri said, his voice slightly trembling.
Emperal didn't correct him. Instead, he thought, Interesting... Mana-Cycle, huh? He could already sense there was much more to learn.
"Take me to your village head," Emperal said with quiet authority.
Santri nodded and led the way, his heart racing as he continued, "I have to ask all my questions to this village head, it seems. And this Mana-Cycle... I wonder what it truly means?"
Emperal couldn't help but feel the same—his curiosity about this new world had only deepened.