The Great Talagtirm Desert, Southern Continent
As I opened my eyes, I found myself lying inside a tent unfamiliar to me. A white tent with several drawers filled with medicines. The air inside carried the distinct scent of a medical room, much like the ones I used to have in my palace.
Where exactly am I now?
From outside, I could hear footsteps passing by the tent occasionally. I looked around the room, trying to gather clues about this place. More precisely, I was trying to find out who owned this medical tent.
Then, above the entrance on the right side, I spotted a symbol—a sword and a sun. That was the emblem of the Kingdom of Scathlan. But how did I suddenly end up here?
I tried to sit up. But... suddenly, my entire body was overcome with pain.
"Aaarrggghhh!"
Using all my strength, I propped myself up with my hands behind me.
What exactly happened?
The only thing I could vaguely remember was a strange woman suddenly approaching me. Then, everything turned black.
Yes... that's right! I had thought I was dead.
But somehow, I ended up in this unfamiliar tent.
"Miss Elf, for now, please lie down. Your body still needs some treatment."
A woman's voice suddenly came from the tent's entrance. When I turned to look, I saw the strange woman who had approached me earlier—a beautiful woman with silver hair.
"You… did you bring me here?"
"Yes..."
"Why?"
"Why? What do you mean, why? Your question is strange, Miss Elf. Do I look so evil that I would just 'abandon' a dying Elf girl in the desert?"
She stared at me for a while, looking rather perplexed, before letting out a long sigh and walking toward me.
"So, for now, just stay lying down, Miss Elf... Wait... why are you resisting? Why are you so stubborn? Hey... just lie down! Ugh... damn it… you're such a troublesome girl!"
"What are you doing, Human?! Let go… let go of me!"
The human in front of me tried to push me back down onto the bed. She pressed down and gripped my head tightly with her fingers. I struggled to break free, but my body was too weak. Besides...
Why is this woman so strong?
My head felt like it was going to crack under the pressure of her fingers. Is this woman a monster? How could someone so small, with such a gentle and cheerful face, be this strong?
"Hah... finally... why are you so stubborn, Miss Elf!"
I lost… and now my body was once again lying on the white bed.
"You… Human! Why are you acting so familiar with me? Don't you have any shame?!"
"What did you say?! Are you stupid? Think about it—why would I want to get close to a filthy, scruffy Elf like you? Besides… hey, you… how many days has it been since you last bathed?"
"What?!"
This human was making my blood boil!
"Forget it!"
I turned my back on the woman beside me. I was too exhausted to argue with her.
After a long silence, I suddenly felt a finger poking at my shoulder repeatedly.
"Hey... Miss Elf… are you really mad? I was just joking… please don't take my words too seriously. Besides… even though your body was filthy and scruffy, you're still very beautiful! So don't overthink it."
This woman… is she apologizing, or is she mocking me?
But she was the one who saved me, a complete stranger she found in the middle of the desert. She rescued me without hesitation. At the very least, I could tell she had no ill intentions.
Still… I have to admit, her personality is too childish and cheerful. It's the complete opposite of mine.
I let out a long sigh and turned to face her. Then, I finally spoke,
"Was my body really that filthy, Miss?"
Her face lit up with a cheerful smile at my question. Without hesitation, she quickly answered,
"Yes… Miss Elf, you were really filthy… hahahahaha… but that was before. Not anymore, since I asked the female attendants here to clean your body. Wait a moment…"
She stood up and walked toward a table where a large plate of bread was placed. She took one, then returned to sit beside me. Handing the bread to me, she said,
"Please eat, Miss Elf! You're exhausted from malnutrition. How long has it been since you last ate, Miss Elf?"
She helped me sit up and lean against the bed. Then, without hesitation, I took the bread she offered and began to eat.
"Thank you."
"Yeah, you're welcome. So, what actually happened? How did you end up here, in the Southern Continent? I was really surprised when I found out you were an Elf."
I stared at her for a while. Finally, with some hesitation, I decided to tell her my story.
She listened attentively. The cheerful, mischievous, and somewhat foolish woman had completely vanished. Right now, sitting beside me was a gentle and graceful woman, carefully listening to every word I spoke.
I could see sadness, anger, and sympathy in her expression.
"Then... what happened to your mother and younger sister, Miss Elf?"
"I don't know... because my father suddenly threw me to the borders without warning."
I lowered my head, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes. Suddenly, I felt fingers gently combing through my hair, tucking it neatly behind my left ear. When I looked up, the human woman was now sitting on the edge of my bed.
"I'm sorry. Because of me, you had to recall such painful memories, Miss Elf."
"No… this isn't your fault, Miss! Besides, this is the fate I must bear. I should be the one thanking you for saving me."
"Then... may I ask you something, Miss Elf? What exactly are you doing here? Walking alone in the Talagtirm Desert. More than that, it looks like you were heading toward the Tenebrarum Plains."
"I'm going to Avernum."
I answered her question with my head lowered. I didn't want this woman to see my face, which was burning with the anger and hatred consuming my heart.
"Avernum… You mean the Kingdom of Avernum? What business do you have there?"
"I'm going there... to behead the Demon King. To avenge my father's tears. My mother's and younger sister's cries. I will kill them… all of them… every single Demon in that land..."
My voice trembled as the fury within me boiled over. Without realizing it, my right hand clenched tightly around the remaining piece of bread in my grasp.
But then, suddenly—
Slap!
The human woman struck my left cheek with her right hand. I glared at her in fury. And then, I saw it—the anger and disappointment filling her face.
Why… why is she looking at me like that?
Then, she shouted at me with a voice filled with rage.
"Are you stupid? Are you insane? Why are you walking alone in the Southern Continent? Is it for revenge—for your family… your kingdom… your people? Don't use them as an excuse for your reckless actions! Do you think your father used his last spell just so his daughter could throw her life away like this? No! He wanted to save you! He wanted his daughter to live! And yet… you want to die. You want to waste the sacrifice he made for you. Are you a fool?"
"Then what am I supposed to do? Should I just sit here and do nothing? Should I just pretend I don't care?! Then… then what about this pain? What about this unbearable ache in my chest?! What… what exactly am I supposed to do? Why are you looking at me like that?! Answer me!"
I screamed in agony and sorrow. My tears fell alongside the rage, hatred, and vengeance that consumed my heart.
Suddenly, she embraced me and cried with me. She held me tightly.
"Please… I beg you… don't throw your life away. Don't waste your father's sacrifice. This… this isn't how you repay those who loved you. So… please… I beg you, don't waste your life!"
Through my tears and her embrace, I could hear her soft voice whispering into my ear. Her voice sounded so fragile, filled with grief and sorrow.
Why… why is she this sad?
I could feel the warmth and gentleness in her heart. And that warmth touched the deepest part of my soul.
At last, I allowed myself to sink into it—to drown in the warmth of this strange Human woman whom I had met by chance in the Southern Continent. A woman who was now crying for me, sharing in my sorrow.
I held her even tighter, crying as I buried myself in her embrace.
Letting go of my hatred, my vengeance, and…
…my desire to end my own life.
***
"Agh...
I unconsciously cried in the arms of this strange woman... This is so embarrassing!
By the way, the next episode is called 'The Magic Battalion'. Just look forward to it, and don't forget to read it, okay..."
Aella Mead