To the Village of Elves

I walked slowly through the dim forest, careful to keep my feet from catching on the

web of roots snaking away from the massive trees. I caught small glimpses of the

eastern sky through breaks in the leaves. The day was already starting to brighten,

though only a few of the sun's rays pierced the dense foliage to reach the forest floor.

The jangle of three coin-filled bags on my back mingled with the gentle sounds of the

wind stirring the leaves. I was in the middle of the sprawling Canada province, home

of the elves in this parallel world I found myself in.

After falling asleep one night while in the middle of a game session, I'd woken up here

as my in-game character. I'd wandered around aimlessly for some time before I

somehow ended up helping the elves.

But I didn't have an ounce of regret. I knew any Japanese person would have done the

same if they'd witnessed an elf—or any other humanoid species—being eaten, even if

it meant offering up a human in their place. That's just who we are… or at least I hope

it is.

The tall woman leading the way through the forest was a dark elf, a member of a

relatively rare species. She had smooth, amethyst-colored skin and snow-white hair,

though her ears weren't as pointy as those of other elves. Her intricately designed robe

and leather corset covered up an attractive, curvy figure that drew men's gazes.

Her name was Ariane Glenys Maple, a soldier from the Maple borough in the main city

here in the Canada forest province. In addition to being deadly with the thin sword

that hung from her waist, she was also skilled in spirit magic, like all other elves.

Her bosom bounced and hips swayed with each step she took, drawing me forward

like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. She suddenly stopped and turned, glaring at me with

her golden eyes. Apparently, she'd noticed where my own eyes were focused. I averted

my gaze, pretending not to see.

I was in this mysterious world in the body of the character I'd been playing in the game

before falling asleep at my computer. I was covered from head to toe in a gleaming

silver suit of armor decorated with intricate carvings. It looked like the type of armor

that only the knights of legend might wear. Behind me billowed a cape as dark as the

night itself, and the inside of it glimmered like stars ripped from a moonlit sky. On my

back I wore a large, elaborately decorated round shield, and my massive sword

inspired wonder in all who caught sight of it.

Most noteworthy of all, however, was that inside these glamorous trappings, my body

was that of a skeleton. Within my helmet a fickle flame flickered—my soul, deep

within the skull cavity where my eyes should have been.

In spite of all that, Ariane had still been able to sense where my attention was focused.

Women's ability to detect men's creepy behavior truly was amazing.

My meandering train of thought was broken as the two women trailing behind me

called out.

"I've used up quite a bit of my magical power. My spirit magic is almost drained. Can

you lend me a weapon?"

"I'm tiiiiiired. Let's stop for a bit and take a break."

The two women were dressed in dark gray and black cloaks. Their characteristic

pointy ears peeked out from their green-tinged blond hair, though unlike the dark elf

Ariane, both were rather pale in appearance.

Sena was slender, with long hair and a piercing gaze. Next to her was Uhna, who had

shorter hair and seemed more absentminded than her companion.

Up until just hours ago, these two elven women had been held as slaves within the

Diento estate. Since the clothes they'd been wearing during our rescue operation were

a little on the skimpy side, Ariane and I had given them our cloaks.

While we were making our escape, we piled the mountains of coins we'd found in

Marquis du Diento's chambers into three large bags, which I was holding now. Since

my hands were full, the women were charged with protecting the party from any

monsters we encountered in the woods.

Ariane looked back over her shoulder. "We'll rest in a few minutes when we reach the

banks of the Lydel. After that, we'll follow the river upstream to our destination."

As she spoke, we came upon the path that would lead us to the water. The Lydel itself

was quite wide and, thanks to the lack of trees, the area was far brighter than where

we'd been.

By now, the sun was shining brightly in the sky, illuminating the trees around us and

allowing more light to peek through the dense foliage. I dropped the massive coinfilled sacks and sat down on a large rock. Carrying around such a huge sum of gold

had really begun to take its toll. The women wandered around for a bit before finding

similar places along the banks to sit and rest.

It was a pretty relaxing spot, actually. I listened to the burble of the river, intermingled

with the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves and the occasional bird call. From time

to time, I heard the cry of some wild beast or monster deep within the forest, but that

didn't detract from the relaxing atmosphere.

Ponta seemed to agree that this place was safe and bounded down from my head to

sip from the river before splashing around in the water.

Ponta was a sixty-centimeter-long creature with a face like a fox, though its fluffy,

almost dandelion-like tail took up over half its length. A thin membrane stretched

between its front and back legs, giving it the appearance of a large Japanese flying

squirrel. Except for its white stomach, its entire body was covered in light green fur.

According to the elves, Ponta was a cottontail fox, a rare type of animal known as a

spirit creature. They'd also said that spirit creatures generally weren't fond of humans,

though I had my doubts, considering how easily Ponta had warmed up to me once I'd

offered it some food.

A little farther up the river from where Ponta was playing, several huge dragonflies—

around a meter wide and two meters long—frolicked as well, their long tails drooping

into the water. These dragonflies would occasionally whip their tails out of the water

to toss a fish they'd caught into the air so they could eat it.

In the game, and in real life, these bugs were bigger than anything I'd ever seen.

Ariane took notice of where I was looking. "Outside of mating season, those dragonflies

generally won't attack… as long as you don't get too close."

The forest was full of mana energy, which explained the large variety of monsters we'd

encountered on our trip so far. My three companions had effortlessly taken care of

every threat, though this had used up a lot of Sena's magic.

"Here, Sena, use my sword. I still have a lot of magic power left." Ariane drew the sword

from her waist and handed it to Sena.

That reminded me of something, and I started digging through one of the large sacks

of coins. Inside, buried among the money, a sword hilt stuck out. I'd found the sword

in Marquis du Diento's castle when we'd snuck in to rescue Sena and Uhna. A lion's

head was carved into the hilt, its eyes a pair of red jewels. It was a famous blade known

as the Sword of the King of Lions. I'd completely forgotten that I'd stuffed it into my

bag.

"Miss Ariane, you can use this if you'd like."

Speaking in the best knight voice I could muster from my time role-playing, I offered

the Sword of the King of Lions to her. She accepted it, looking the sword over with her

golden eyes.

"Are you sure? This is a pretty amazing blade, you know…"

"It was only gathering dust in the Diento estate. Besides, I already have my own

sword." I motioned toward the meter-long, double-handed sword that hung from my

back. It was a mythical-class weapon known as the Holy Thunder Sword of Caladbolg.

A look of surprise flickered across her face for a moment, though she took the sword

from my hand without a word. After giving it a few swings, she nodded to herself and

returned the sword to its sheath.

"Thank you, Arc. This will be a great help." Her lips curved up into a smile as she hung

the sword from her waist.

"Well, we should probably start making our way upriver. Think you can take care of

that, Arc?"

"Of course. I've got the bags, so just grab onto me. I will use my teleportation magic to

travel upriver."

I picked up the three large sacks and hefted them over my shoulder. Ponta, noticing

that we were about to go, stopped playing at the water's edge and summoned up a

gust of wind using spirit magic, easily floating to its usual place atop my helmet.

After making sure that everyone had a hand on me, I looked up the winding river and

focused on a point where a rock jutted from the opposite shore.

"Dimensional Step!"

A supplemental skill of the Mage class, this spell allowed me to teleport short

distances. An instant later, our surroundings had changed, and we were now standing

atop the large rock that I'd been looking at moments ago. The riverbank where we'd

been sitting was pretty far downstream from where we stood now.

Uhna, the short-haired elf, glanced around and muttered to herself. "Now that's really

handy! Why couldn't we have traveled through the forest like this?"

"The spell is of limited use in crowded areas."

Though the spell was incredibly useful for teleporting around, it was limited by how

far you could see. In an overgrown forest where you didn't have a good view of the

ground, the risks outweighed its usefulness. You could easily teleport into a swamp,

or even off the side of a cliff.

"Huh, I guess that makes sense." Uhna nodded slowly. "Still, it's pretty useful!"

Sena, on the other hand, was concerned about all the magic I must have been

expending. "It must take a lot of power to use a spell like that."

Since the base class of Mage also provided supplemental magic, however, it wasn't

much of a burden to continuously use the spell. The black cape hanging from my back,

the Twilight Cloak, had the bonus effect of restoring magic at regular intervals while

equipped, so I never really ran out of power.

The elven women looked at me with great interest as I continued to teleport us

upstream.

Eventually, we arrived at a point where the river coming down from the Furyu

mountain range off to the north split into two. The Lydel's sister stream was called the

Librout. In addition to the sheer width of the river, it also appeared quite deep.

Considering the volume and speed of the water rushing past, it seemed like people

typically crossed farther upstream.

We'd come here because this location served as a guidepost to the elf village of

Lalatoya, and also because this was where we'd agreed to meet the others.

I heard a rustle from within the shadows along the banks of the Lydel. Moments later,

several people stepped from the trees.

An elven man draped in a tan-colored cloak kept his head on a constant pivot as he

walked toward us. Four elven girls came running out after him.

This was Danka, the elf who'd accompanied us on our mission into the Diento slave

houses, and the girls we'd saved.

The girls were running straight toward me, so I dropped down on one knee to meet

them. Ponta hopped from my head and sat back on its haunches in front of me,

instantly becoming the center of the elven girls' attention as they let out shrieks of joy.

"Kyiiiiiii!"

The girls passed Ponta around, hugging the animal in turn as Ponta cheerfully swung

its cotton-like tail back and forth.

Ponta always got all the attention.

"You were faster than I expected. Wait… you don't actually think you're bringing him

with us, do you?" Danka's voice dropped as he spoke to Ariane, glancing over to where

I knelt.

"He's done a lot for us. There are some… well, things… that I'd like him to discuss with

the Lalatoya elder."

Danka closed his eyes for a moment before replying. "Try to avoid causing any trouble

for the old man."

Ariane bowed her head slightly, her white hair rippling in the breeze. "I understand."

She turned her attention back to me, tapping my shoulder gently. "Well, we can't just

sit around here all day. Arc, can you take us across the river?"

I stood up slowly and nodded.

It wasn't much of a river crossing, considering I simply used Dimensional Step to

teleport us to the opposite shore. Even though I had to make three trips to ferry

everyone across, it didn't take long at all.

The four girls hung from my shoulders as I teleported them across, leading to a flurry

of excited cheers. If I wanted to beat Ponta's sheer cuteness, I'd need to play up my

wild side.

Once everyone was across safe and sound, we made our way into the forest on the

other side.

Even though I was still impeded by the large bags of loot, I had nothing to fear, since

all of the elves were able to use their spirit magic, at least to some degree.

Unlike our earlier route, where we simply followed the river, our path now took us on

a winding journey through the maze of trees.

Given my terrible sense of direction to begin with, I was quickly and completely turned

around, so I simply stayed quiet and followed the elves in front of me. If I lost sight of

them, I'd almost certainly never find my way back, but as a last resort, I could always

use my long-distance teleportation spell Transport Gate to return to town.

Ponta, however, didn't seem to share my concerns. The cottontail fox busied itself by

using its spirit magic to call up gusts of wind, flying high into the air to snack on the

fruits and nuts growing in the trees. I patted Ponta gently, causing it to cheerfully

flatten its ears against its head.

I was surprised that our party included such young children, but I supposed that was

how the elves did things. Even taking small breaks here and there, we were moving

through the forest at a rather quick pace.

We reached our destination just as the sky turned a dark shade of crimson, the

shadows growing long and bleak.

The forest opened out into a large clearing containing a settlement, though it looked

nothing like the human settlements I'd seen. A thirty-meter-tall barrier made out of

stacked pieces of lumber, almost like a wall, surrounded the settlement. The wall

curved gently around the clearing, wooden pillars standing at various points along the

curve. The top of the wall bowed outward in wooden waves, like rat guards on power

lines. Farther up the pillars, the greenery increased, giving way to a thorny moss likely

meant to catch anyone attempting to climb over. The massive wall gave off an

oppressive aura in its superb workmanship and flawless exterior, stretching on as far

as the eye could see in either direction.

The entrance consisted of a short, arched doorway, just wide enough for two people

to walk through side by side. The gate itself was made of a shiny black metal, held

firmly in place in front of the entrance.

Watchtowers stood above the gate, their gently sloping roofs giving them the

appearance of large mushrooms growing from the sides of massive trees.

The girls squealed with joy as soon as the gate came into view and began running

toward it. Sena and Uhna both let out sighs, looks of happiness—or maybe even

relief—showing on their faces.

"We're finally home!"

"Boy, am I exhausted!"

Two sentries stationed in one of the watchtowers noticed us and began speaking

among themselves as they gestured in our direction.

Ariane stood before the gate and called up to them. "Summon the elder at once! It is

Ariane Glenys Maple and Danka Niel Maple. We have returned with the captured

elves!"

After announcing her name and purpose, she waited silently for a response.

One of the sentries began slowly raising the hunk of metal in front of the entrance,

which squeaked as it moved, revealing another gate farther inside. Then this second

gate, too, began to rise.

"I'll get permission from the elder. Arc, wait here."

As the sentries stepped outside, Ariane slipped through the gate, followed by Danka,

Sena, Uhna, and the young girls.

I watched the elves disappear over the threshold, leaving me alone with the two

sentries. One glared at me while the other gawked at Ponta, who was perched on my

head.

I walked a short distance away from the gate and set the large sacks of gold on the

ground, then sat down next to them to await Ariane's return.

Ponta, however, suddenly had a serious look on its face as it tried to catch its own tail.

Round and round, the cottontail fox twisted faster and faster, hoping to claim its prize.

It reminded me of the cat I had back home. I wondered if there was something

instinctual about the behavior. My mind strayed from one thought to another as I

watched Ponta engage in this one-sided struggle.

The sky continued to darken as I waited. I figured about thirty minutes or so had

passed.

Above the gates, lanterns of some sort began to emit an orange glow from within the

watchtowers, chasing away the darkness. The light seemed almost artificial. It was

unlike anything I'd seen in the human towns so far.

Actually, I had seen something like this before, back in the Diento estate…

Ariane stepped out of the entrance, her back illuminated by the same glow. "Arc, the

village elder has given you permission to enter! Hurry up!"

I stood and hefted the large sacks over my shoulder, making my way toward the gate.

Ponta, not wanting to be left behind, bounded after me.

I followed Ariane into the settlement.

The wall was around five meters thick. Though it was undoubtedly an artificial

construction, it looked almost like a solid tree. Roots were even growing out from the

pillars and into the ground.

After passing through the second gate on the far side of the living wall, we stepped

into Lalatoya proper. The village had a rather arcane aura about it.

Inside the walls lay vast fields for farming crops and grazing livestock, the land marked

with the occasional wooden structure. In stark contrast to the homes I'd seen in

human towns, each of these had the same mushroom roof design. The eaves extended

beyond the wooden deck that surrounded each of the buildings. The outer pillars

supporting the roofs were carved with unique designs, providing an interesting

insight into their culture.

A trail of beautiful stones interrupted this tranquil scene, the path illuminated by

torches placed at even intervals along the way. This eliminated any concern I had

about getting tripped up while walking in the dark.

The lights seemed to float off into the distance, giving the path a rather mystical

appearance under the night sky.

From what I'd seen so far, it seemed like the elves had a much better standard of living

than the humans.

As I followed Ariane along the path into the village, we were immediately joined by

two soldiers who'd been waiting in side chambers. They kept silent the entire time,

likely keeping an eye on me.

After walking a short ways, we arrived at what I assumed was our destination. Directly

in front of me stood a massive tree… or rather, a building made out of a tree.

The tree, about as wide as a large house, towered over us. I had no idea how they'd

built it, but it looked like some sort of combined natural and artificial creation.

Lanterns flickered from within several windows carved into the massive trunk,

looking almost like Christmas lights. The dancing shadows they produced only added

to the tree's majestic and mysterious appearance. It looked like a fairy house, the kind

you'd read about in a children's book.

"This is the elder's house. Come on."

Ariane opened the large double doors and ushered me inside. Before I even had a

chance to enter, Ponta dove through the open door.

What was that delicious smell?

I followed Ponta into the massive tree. Once inside, we found ourselves standing in an

entry hall that seemed to run around the outer perimeter of the house. A massive pillar

standing in the center went straight up through the ceiling. Stairways marched off to

my left and right, and I could see straight up to the second and third floors, multiple

doors lining the walls along the way. Several crystals had been placed throughout the

interior of the building, casting a soft glow. These were nothing like the oil lamps I'd

seen in human towns.

Ariane stepped forward to join the two elves that stood at the center of the hall.

One was a twenty- to thirty-year-old elven man with long, green-tinted blond hair. He

had one eyebrow raised as he watched me closely. He wore what I assumed were the

robes of a priest, covered with various elven symbols.

The other was a woman—a dark elf like Ariane—with amethyst-colored skin and her

white hair tied back in braids. She wore a simple dress, like you might find on a

commoner.

The male elf put out his right hand. "I take it that you are the one they call Arc? You've

come quite a long way. My name is Dillan Tahg Lalatoya, the elder of this village. I hear

you've gone above and beyond to assist my daughter."

The man looked over to Ariane, who seemed to shrink a bit under his gaze.

She'd said that she was affiliated with Maple, but not that she was born here.

I took Ariane's father's hand and shook it, then turned my attention to the woman next

to him, who offered a gentle smile in return.

"I'm Ariane's mother, Glenys Alna Lalatoya. I'm one hundred years old."

I glanced back at Ariane. She shook her head ever so slightly, appearing somewhat

embarrassed at her mother's white lie about her age. In my opinion, once someone

lives past a hundred, I don't think a little fib in either direction matters much, even for

humans.

I managed to get over my surprise at their introductions and say a few words. "It's a

great honor to meet you, Your Greatness. I am the traveling mercenary, Arc."

"Well, we can't just stand around here all night blathering. Would you care to join us

for a meal upstairs while we continue this conversation?" Dillan motioned toward the

second floor. I nodded and followed him up the stairs.

He led us to a sprawling room that reminded me of a dining hall. It had large wooden

tables and chairs, and was filled with a delightful smell wafting over from a kitchen

area in the back.

Ponta rushed up onto the table, sitting patiently on its haunches while waiting for us

to make our way over. The village elder gestured toward a seat, so I sat, placing my

bags at my feet.

Ariane's mother, Glenys, said that she would heat up some stew for us and made her

way toward the kitchen. Ariane took a seat across from her father, giving him a slight

nod.

"My daughter has filled me in on most of the details of what happened. On behalf of

the elven people, I would like to offer you my thanks. Frankly speaking, I was surprised

to learn that there was a human out there who could use teleportation magic. I was

even more surprised that my daughter was able to make use of this unimaginable

power to pull off something as remarkable as toppling the marquis…" Dillan scratched

the back of his head and gave a rueful laugh.

Ariane seemed entirely unimpressed with her father's speech and averted her gaze. "I

mean, the Rhoden nobility were flagrantly ignoring our treaty. I can hardly imagine

they're in any position to complain about being killed!"

"Be that as it may, your actions were rash. The plan was for you to focus on the slave

traders, so why were you in the marquis' estate?"

Ariane looked unconvinced even as her father scolded her, but she kept her mouth

shut.

I decided to change the topic and brought up the ninja girl that I'd run into.

After quietly listening to my story, Dillan stroked his beard. "That sounds like one of

the mountain clans… I think the humans refer to them as beastmen? The humans hunt

them and use them as slaves."

Just as I feared, these beastmen were also being persecuted. That cat-eared ninja girl

had probably been looking for her comrades.

"This is just a guess, but she could very well be a rescuer, someone dedicated to setting

the enslaved mountain people free. I heard they're the descendants of spies who

served under the Revlon Empire nearly six hundred years ago. They have a vast

information network—unlike us elves, who just keep to ourselves in the forest."

Dillan crossed his arms, looking convinced by his own explanation. A moment later,

however, his shoulders slumped.

"If this were a normal operation, we'd send a whispering fowl to notify the central

powers of our success. However, considering what's happened, we'll have to explain

everything in person at a general meeting of the elders. Using the teleportation point

will consume a lot of rune stones…" The elder rubbed his forehead and let out a heavy

sigh.

I suddenly remembered something. "In that case, this might help…"

I yanked my personal bag from one of the large gold-filled sacks and pulled out a stone

the size of a child's fist, handing it to the village elder. Under the lantern light, the stone

gave off a slight purple glow, like an unpolished gemstone.

This was the rune stone from the giant basilisk I'd killed while harvesting herbs near

the village of Rata.

Dillan turned the rune stone over in his hand, a look of surprise on his face. "Are you

sure about this? A rune stone with this level of purity would provide a considerable

amount of power to your magic items."

Rune stones were apparently used as a fuel of sorts for various magical items in this

world. Considering I lacked any such items, rune stones were little more than pretty

baubles to me. It wasn't a great loss.

"I have no use for rune stones. Also, I found these purchase contracts at the slave trade

house."

I reached back into my bag and pulled out seven sheepskin scrolls, tied with twine. I

handed them to Dillan. Setting the rune stone aside, he undid the twine and looked

the contracts over.

"The same man, Drassos du Barysimon, is named in five of the seven contracts. I can't

say the name sounds familiar. The other two mention a Lundes du Lamburt and Fulish

du Houvan. 'Houvan'…I recall hearing of a town with that name, located on the route

between the Anetto and Telnassos mountain ranges."

Dillan's face hardened as he looked over the purchase contracts. When he finally lifted

his head, a strained smile had appeared on his face.

"Tomorrow, we will make our way to Maple to report on this incident and hand over

these contracts. Since we don't have any formal relationships with the Rhoden

Kingdom, we may need to send Ariane out again to gather information… and possibly

rescue other enslaved elves."

Ariane didn't seem surprised by this announcement. She appeared to have reached

the same conclusion on her own.

I decided this was a good opportunity to address another pertinent issue.

"Do you think you could bring this money with you while you're at it?"

Dillan looked at me in surprise. "But… isn't that yours?"

Not only did these sacks contain the proceeds from selling elves into slavery, but

carrying them around had gotten to be a huge hassle. I'd already taken my share of the

money. Besides, it wasn't like the people we'd taken it from could make any open

demands for its return, considering where it had come from. They probably didn't

even know who'd stolen it. I said as much to Dillan.

After listening to my argument with his brow furrowed, the village elder finally

relented. This was, quite literally, a huge weight off my shoulders.

Even though this world had no credit cards or checks, burdening my travels with

heavy sacks wouldn't do me any good, either. The excitement I'd felt while scooping

up all of the gold back at the marquis's estate had slowly turned to regret as I trudged

through the forests with these massive bags over my shoulder.

Dillan, however, didn't pick up on my ulterior motive and graciously bowed his head

with a bright smile on his face.

"Thank you. This money will probably be used to purchase wheat from the Grand

Duchy of Limbult, since we have difficulty growing our own in the forests of Canada.

Why don't you stay with us for a while? I have the authority to grant you permission

to come and go from Lalatoya as you please."

"I'd like that." I shook Dillan's hand.

"Are you all done talking shop? It's about time to eat. Today's special is white stew!"

Ariane's mother bustled in as if she had been waiting for this opening. She neatly

arranged steaming bowls on the table, then set down a wicker basket filled with a soft,

white bread, followed by plates of salad.

Even Ponta got its own bowl of stew. The fox dove straight in to slurp it up, but quickly

cried out from the heat, leaning back on its haunches to give the liquid a chance to

cool.

I wavered for a moment as I stared down at the bowl of delicious-looking stew.

Dillan called out to me from across the table. "My daughter already told me about your

body. You need not worry about your appearance in front of us." He gestured

encouragingly toward me.

I thought about it, then slowly took off my helmet and set it down next to me on the

table.

Dillan's and Glenys's eyes went wide. I had to imagine that hearing about it and seeing

my face in person were two entirely different things. However, they said nothing, and

encouraged me to eat.

It must have taken a lot of nerve to continue on like that while a skeleton with flames

burning in its skull sat across from you.

I dipped my spoon into the stew, scooped up a helping of boiled meats and vegetables,

and brought it to my mouth. I could feel the buttery texture of the cream and softened

meat break apart as they passed down my throat. The bread had a fruity taste to it,

nothing like the hard, acidic stuff I was used to eating in the human towns. It reminded

me a lot of what I used to eat back home. Ariane's mother was quite the talented cook.

It was all I could do to stop myself from shoving everything into my mouth at once.

"I can barely believe my eyes… A skeleton eating food!"

Dillan looked at me intently, stroking his chin as he muttered to himself. I completely

agreed with him. I couldn't help but wonder where this fourth-dimensional pocket

that was my stomach was located.

"Well, I'm glad you liked it. Don't be shy about having seconds."

"Kyiii!"

Ponta responded to Glenys's offer before I even had a chance. The fox's small portion

had cooled, and it had licked the bowl clean. It was time for more.

After emptying the rest of my stew into my fourth-dimensional stomach, I handed my

bowl to Glenys. Ariane did the same.

"More, please."

"May I ask for another helping?"

I still felt like a human, even though I was trapped in the body of a skeleton. But that

feeling became so much stronger when I could just sit and eat like a normal person.

And with that, I closed out my first night in the elven village of Lalatoya.

***

The next day, shortly after dawn, Ariane accompanied her father to a tree shrine at the

center of the village.

The sun hung low in the sky, and last night's chill lingered in the air. The forest was

obscured by a light morning mist, making it difficult to see anything but the branches

and leaves that spread out before them, lending the scene an otherworldly air.

A small stream ran east to west behind the shrine, splitting the village in half. The

forest was quiet, save for the burble of the stream and the soft calls of birds searching

for fish.

A waist-high wooden fence surrounded the tree, though it clearly wasn't made to keep

anyone out. It seemed to mark the shrine's boundaries.

Two guards stood at attention on either side of the shrine's entrance. One of them,

clad in leather armor and wearing a sword at his waist, nodded his head as soon as he

noticed Dillan approaching.

"We have been waiting, Elder Dillan. The transportation point to Maple is ready for

you."

Dillan thanked the guard and made some small talk before heading into the shrine.

Ariane hurried after him, eager to get this over with.

Several men followed Ariane, lugging the bags that Arc had given to the elder the

previous day.

Though the inside of the shrine was rather cramped, the entrance hall's vaulted

ceilings more than made up for the lack of space. Massive pillars ran along the

perimeter of the room to support the roof.

A circular platform jutted from the floor in the center of the tree, illuminated by

magically powered crystalline lamps. The base of the platform was covered in intricate

symbols that emitted an eerie glow.

This was the transportation shrine for the village of Lalatoya.

The first generation of elders who'd built the Great Canada Forest had placed

transportation points leading back to the central hub of Maple in each village. Since

then, all the elders over the last eight hundred years had looked over these points.

They served a very important function by connecting all of the villages to Maple.

As Dillan approached the transportation point, a small elven man—the caretaker—

stepped out of his chambers. He looked no older than forty, although unlike humans,

elves rarely aged much beyond that point, even with their four-hundred-year life

spans. The caretaker wore a strained expression on his face.

"I've finished making preparations, Elder Dillan. However, we don't have enough fio to

teleport. So I'd—"

Dillan pulled out the rune stone he had received from Arc and handed it to the

caretaker.

"Please use this for the requisite fio. I'm sorry for causing you such trouble at the last

minute."

The caretaker took the rune stone and bowed his head. Dillan stepped onto the

transportation point and beckoned to Ariane.

"We're about to go, Ariane."

The accompanying men dropped the gold-laden sacks onto the transportation point

before retreating to the corner of the room.

Ariane hurried to join her father on the platform. As soon as she stood next to him, the

symbols at her feet began to glow. The shrine filled with light, and for a moment,

Ariane felt as if she was floating. Then the light began to fade, and she found herself in

a room that looked almost exactly like the one she had been in moments earlier.

However, the platform she found herself on was much larger. This new shrine was

exquisitely decorated and had multiple guards patrolling a number of other large

platforms, each inscribed with their own symbols.

They were now in the transportation shrine in the forest capital of Maple.

After greeting the caretaker of the Maple shrine and telling him of their business,

Dillan and Ariane asked him to arrange for the sacks of gold to be taken to the central

council. They exited the shrine and stepped out into the massive city.

Unlike the occasional tree houses built around Lalatoya, here there were rows upon

rows of them, massive things with roads winding between. Glimpses of the blue

morning sky poked through the leaf cover above, though very little direct sunlight

made it through to the ground.

Everywhere Ariane looked, elves bustled about. The market was as active as ever, filled

with sellers energetically hawking their wares to customers as they walked past. The

sheer level of energy here would put any human town to shame. Though elves were

primarily a bartering culture, here in Maple, purchases were typically made with

money.

Ariane took a deep breath of the city air and stretched her arms. It had been a while

since she was last in the capital.

Maple was a massive city, home to over a hundred thousand elves. Humans would

hardly be able to fathom that such a sprawling hub could exist deep within the

monster-infested forests of Canada.

In the eight hundred years since Maple had been founded, not a single human had ever

been to the city. Even the traders from the Grand Duchy of Limbult, who carried out

extensive trading with the elves, had never set foot inside. Only trouble could come

from the humans learning of the capital. One of the reasons for this passed right in

front of Ariane as she reminisced.

The man crossing her path was covered in muscle, far more than anything you'd see

on a dark elf. He had a thick beard that extended past his chin and a slight point to his

ears. Though only about 130 centimeters tall, there was no way anyone would mistake

him for a child.

The man was a dwarf.

Dwarves had been hunted to extinction by humans due to their peerless skills in

metallurgy… or at least, that was what the humans thought. If you knew where to look,

you could find them living among the elves.

The great forest capital of Maple was a magical city, built using the elves' spirit magic

and the dwarves' crafting skills. The founding elder had created this great city thanks

to these abilities.

He then forbade humans from ever being brought into it.

So long as they'd been granted permission from their own elder, all other villagers

were allowed to come and go as they pleased. Even in the villages closest to human

settlements where trading took place, it was almost unheard of for humans to enter.

For those villages farther away, deeper in the forest, it was incredibly rare to even see

a human.

Arc being allowed to enter Lalatoya was a remarkable exception, made possible only

by Ariane's insistence on his behalf… and the fact that she happened to be the

daughter of the village elder.

Having finished soaking up Maple's atmosphere, Ariane hurried to catch up to her

beckoning father.

Dillan weaved his way between the tree houses, expertly dodging people as he went.

The two arrived in an open field, at the center of which was a massive tree house—

practically a tower—far larger than anything they had encountered on their way here.

They had to strain their necks just to see the top.

A small contingent of armed men stood guard at the entrance, constantly watching

over those who came and went. Beyond the entrance was a reception counter, where

Dillan reported the purpose of their visit. A moment later, an elven woman came out

to lead the way to their destination.

Ariane and her father followed the woman to one of the pillar-shaped rooms deep

within the building. At its center stood a pedestal with a crystal sphere half-embedded

in its surface. The woman touched the sphere, causing it to glow, and the entire room

began to silently rise into the air, higher and higher, the entrance falling away below

them.

Moments later, the room stopped its upward ascent at a hallway that ran around the

inside of the massive tower. The large windows lining the hall offered an excellent

view of the city below.

Off to the east, a long lake leading away from the entrance to Maple disappeared over

the horizon. The lake stretched both north and south, with no end in sight. The first

elder had named this expansive lake the Great Servant. It served as a vital source of

water for the city in addition to providing its residents with an abundance of fish.

Ariane and Dillan watched the sunrise reflect off the Great Servant as they made their

way down the hallway, eventually arriving at their destination—a pair of brightly

colored doors etched with a design resembling twisting ivy.

The attendant opened one of the massive doors and notified the occupants of Dillan

and Ariane's arrival before ushering them in. Dillan and Ariane gave a firm nod as they

stepped into the room.

It was sparsely decorated, coming off as quite subdued. Eleven people were seated

around a large round table at the center of the room, the majority of them elves, along

with the occasional dark elf or dwarf.

The men and women seated at the table were the ten high elders who made up the

central council that governed not only Maple, but all of the villages in Canada. The

chief elder was a third-generation descendant of the great elder, Evanjulin. His name

was Briahn Bond Evanjulin Maple, and he appeared to be around forty years old. He

wore his green-tinted blond hair long, tied back in an array of colorful ribbons.

"Elder Dillan of Lalatoya." The chief elder's voice carried across the room. "I take it you

are here to report on your operation to rescue the enslaved elves? It was hardly

necessary for you to come all the way here to speak directly."

Ariane was surprised to see how nervous her normally unflappable father looked as

he responded to this inquiry. However, as the conversation turned to what had

happened with the marquis, her face clouded over, and she averted her gaze to the

ground.

After Dillan finished with his report, the room fell into a deep silence, the sound of

someone shifting in their seat echoing noisily.

Finally, the chief elder spoke. "Well, you rescued the slaves, and even saved two others

who had recently gone missing."

Once the silence was broken, a flurry of voices poured forth, as if the floodgates had

been opened.

"The problem, however, is what happened with the marquis when you saved those

two. It seems rather careless, no?"

"They were the ones to break a four-hundred-year-old treaty. In light of that, I hardly

believe they're in a position to object."

"Hold up! The marquis' involvement in this slave trading is more than sufficient

grounds for war! Did they forget what happened six hundred years ago when they

challenged us on the field of battle and the country was ripped in two?"

"To us, six hundred years is our parents' generation. But to humans, it's nothing more

than a story. An amiable relationship with the humans is impossible."

"Hmph. Then I suppose they wouldn't mind if we restricted their rune stone supply."

The high elders began shouting in order to be heard over the angry din filling the

room.

Dillan and Chief Elder Briahn both sighed deeply as they watched the mayhem unfold.

One of the elders spoke up with a possible resolution. "Why don't we write a letter to

the Rhoden Kingdom explaining the situation?"

Another elder, a large dark elf, objected. "We have no need to explain ourselves! If we

send a letter, then we're telling them that we were the ones responsible for this attack.

We'd be better served by staying silent!" The purple-skinned elder was strong and fit,

with a fierce look on his scarred face. Ariane turned to face the man who was trying to

protect her. She knew him well.

Fangas Flan Maple was Glenys's father, making him Ariane's grandfather and Dillan's

father-in-law. On this council, he represented the dark elves.

One of the other high elders furrowed his brow and made a sarcastic remark.

"You're only saying that to protect your own flesh and blood, the perpetrators of this

act. Why, I—"

The man stopped himself mid-sentence as the muscular Fangas shot him a look that

could have slain a monster.

Briahn, who had been observing the proceedings as they grew ever more hostile,

cleared his throat. "Fangas, this is no place for intimidation, or other such disgraceful

behavior."

As if a steam valve had been opened, the slowly building pressure in the room released

in an instant. Fangas bowed his head in apology. Though Ariane appreciated her

grandfather's attempt to protect her, she once again lowered her gaze in shame at

having put him in that position in the first place.

After a moment of silence while Fangas quietly sulked in anger, one of the high elders

spoke up again. "What Elder Fangas says is true. We struck a winning blow against

those who had violated our treaty in order to kidnap our fellow elves."

The room erupted into boisterous arguments once again, repeating the same opinions

as before.

The discussions continued into the afternoon and through a lunch break until a

consensus was reached, though it was hardly a productive solution.

"So, for now we'll just… wait and see?" Dillan spoke aloud to himself as he and Ariane

descended through the pillar.

There had been precious little contact with the Rhoden Kingdom since the war six

hundred years ago.

Duke Ticient had opposed fighting with the elves and broken off from the Rhoden

Kingdom in order to create the Grand Duchy of Limbult, which was why the elves now

only traded with the people of Limbult.

During the war, the Royal Army and the armies of Rhoden's other nobles had lost over

half their forces. They'd been on the verge of total defeat when, luckily for them, the

Revlon Empire had broken out into a civil war over the line of succession, causing the

empire to split into two. The fierce, constant battles right on their doorstep had forced

the Rhoden Kingdom to put off their war with the elves.

Four hundred years ago, Rhoden had offered a formal apology and, as a sign of their

sincerity, entered into a treaty forbidding the enslavement of elves.

The prevailing opinion among the current council was that, although the assassination

of the marquis might have been excessive, Rhoden was also partly to blame and wasn't

in any position to complain. The elders ultimately resolved to prepare in case a formal

envoy arrived to inquire about the situation.

"I'm so sorry about what happened, Father." Ariane, who had been silent throughout

the entire proceedings, finally spoke up.

She hung her head, still averting her eyes, painfully aware that all of this was due to

her actions. Dillan, however, smiled ruefully and brushed back her hair. It was a

beautiful shade of white, just like her mother's.

"I understand, Ariane. You're still so young. Besides, this whole issue is far from over,

no?"

He pulled the purchase contracts from his coat pocket and offered them to her. During

the discussion, Dillan had been instructed to conduct an investigation into the people

mentioned on the contracts.

"You've properly apologized, so I'll be asking you to continue your investigation. I'd

also like to formally request that Arc join you. He's been such a great help so far."

Dillan's shoulders slumped slightly. He looked exhausted. "But enough about business.

That meeting took far longer than I anticipated. Unfortunately, we won't have much

time to meet with Eevin." Eevin was Dillan's other daughter, Ariane's older sister.

Ariane gave her father a puzzled look. "Is there something you need to talk with her

about?"

As she spoke, her sister's determined face came to mind. They hadn't seen each other

in some time.

"Ah, I guess she hasn't mentioned it to you. She's getting married next year. I haven't

met her fiance yet, so it still doesn't seem real to me."

Ariane's jaw dropped. "What? No way! My sister, the fierce warrior woman? The same

sister who swore she'd never get married?! Do I know the soldier she's getting

married to?"

"From what I hear… he's actually a farmer."

Disbelief washed over Ariane's face. Her sister—one of Maple's best soldiers, whose

abilities could put even Ariane to shame—was unmatched in her love for combat.

Eevin had only ever shown interest in other strong fighters, so the very thought of her

falling in love with someone so different left Ariane speechless.

By the time Ariane and Dillan left the central council tree, the bright blue morning sky

had been replaced with the darker hues of nightfall. Magically powered lights shone

from tree house windows, and the path beneath their feet was illuminated by lanterns

overhead.

"It's already rather late. We'll stay in Eevin's quarters for the night and then head home

in the morning. You and your sister haven't seen each other in some time, so I'm sure

you have a lot to discuss. I have my own questions about this wedding of hers, too…"

Dillan turned to face his daughter, who was still staring straight ahead in shock, and

gestured in the direction of Eevin's quarters. Her tree house was only a short distance

from the central council's chambers. The two turned a corner and ducked inside.

Unlike the special tree reserved solely for the council's use, most other houses were

split into different floors for each family or individual living there. Shared trees were

common living accommodations in Maple.

Ariane and Dillan stepped into the tube-shaped room located in the center of the tree

and touched their desired floor on the crystal sphere on the pedestal. Moments later,

the floor began to rise, the sound of air slipping through the gaps in the boards nearly

imperceptible.

After only a moment, they arrived at their destination. A bell rang as the tube opened

out into a hallway. They walked past numerous numbered doors until Dillan stopped

in front of one and knocked.

A loud crash resounded from within, then the door swung wide. Dillan slid out of the

way, but Ariane, who had been standing directly behind him, found herself on the

receiving end of a full-force tackle, knocking both her and her assailant to the ground.

"You're sooo late! I heard my darling little Arin was going to come see me, so I took the

whoooole day off to wait for you!"

The woman squeezing Ariane's head into her bosom was none other than Eevin

Glenys Maple, her older sister.

Eevin, a dark elf like Ariane, shared her same amethyst-colored skin and golden eyes.

She wore her shoulder-length white hair tied back in a ponytail.

Though only slightly taller than Ariane, she was also curvier than her younger sister,

a striking figure that would catch anyone's eye.

Eevin stroked her darling little Arin's cheek, almost like she would a beloved pet.

"It's been a while, Eevin."

Ariane offered a gentle smile, but Eevin puffed out her cheeks in response. "Arin, you

jerk! I told you to call me sis, didn't I?"

Confronted with the pleading, tear-filled, golden eyes of her older sister, Ariane

couldn't help but let out a quiet snicker as she hugged her back.

"Fine, fine. Hurry up and let's get inside… sis."

Eevin broke out in a wide smile, satisfied with her sister's response. "Wheeee!"

Ariane had been worried on the way over that her sister might have changed now that

she was engaged. Up until now, the only things Eevin had ever shown any interest in

were her darling little sister and fighting. But when Ariane saw that she was still the

same old Eevin, relief washed over her.

Dillan watched the interaction between his daughters, an amused smile on his face.

His shoulders relaxed as he turned to address Eevin. "You haven't changed a bit, have

you?"

Eevin looked up, as if just noticing her father's presence. "Oh, Father's here too?"

Dillan sighed deeply and shook his head.

While Eevin cheerfully prepared tea for her guests, Ariane inquired about her marriage

plans.

"So, Father says you're getting married. Is that true?" She looked around her sister's

room.

"Yup! Oh, little Arin isn't jealous that her big sis is gonna be taken away from her, is

she? Teehee!" Eevin smiled devilishly.

"What kind of person is he?"

A soft, gentle look appeared in Eevin's eyes. "Hmm… he's nice, honest to a fault, and a

little strange, I guess."

Ariane couldn't help but feeling a little sad to see this new side of her sister—a woman

she'd thought would never change. She wondered if she, too, might one day have these

same feelings for someone.

"So, you're a little curious, aren't yoooou?"

Ariane scowled at her sister's teasing. "N-not at all."

Eevin gave Ariane a mischievous grin. "Is there anyone you're interested in, Arin?"

For a moment, the face of a skeleton outfitted in majestic armor flashed through

Ariane's mind, though she quickly banished the thought with a cough. "No, there's no

one like that!"

A light blush rose on Ariane's cheeks, almost as if she were trying to hide the feelings

even from herself.

Eevin pulled her sister in close, picking up on the change in Ariane's demeanor. "No,

no, no! Big Sis won't allow any guy to take my little sister away from me unless he can

prove he's stronger and more trustworthy than I am!"

"W-wait a minute, sis! You plan on keeping me single forever?"

Eevin was one of Maple's soldiers, and ranked among some of the most gifted warriors

in all of Canada. If Ariane's possible dating pool was limited only to those who could

best her sister, she would never be married.

"It's only natural that someone who wants to take my precious little sister would have

to go through me, no?"

"Hey, aren't you the one who just decided to get married without telling anyone?"

"I'm the older sister, so that makes it okay!"

"Hey, that's not fair!"

Dillan sipped his tea and sighed as he watched his two daughters squabble. There was

nothing he could do about it, even if he tried.

Slowly but surely, night fell over Maple as the sisters continued to bicker.

***

The next morning, my ears and nose awoke first to the sounds of birds twittering and

the smell of breakfast wafting up from the floor below. I opened my eyes and glanced

around the room. Despite the fact that I didn't actually have any eyelids, it felt good to

wake up in the morning.

I lifted my head and inspected my surroundings. My gleaming armor, covered in

intricate white and azure engravings, sat neatly arranged on the floor next to my bed.

Last night had been the first time I'd taken off my armor and slept under a blanket

since arriving in this world. As a skeleton, I didn't think I actually needed a blanket at

all, but I felt better having one.

Today, Ariane and Elder Dillan planned to travel to Maple, the capital of Canada, which

left me to my own devices here in Lalatoya.

I was overwhelmed with wonder about this elf village—a place humans were rarely

ever allowed to set foot in.

I figured I should hurry up and get ready for the day.

As I tried to sit up, I noticed a strange feeling in my chest. Throwing off the blanket

and looking down, I found that Ponta had climbed into my bed in the middle of the

night and curled up inside my rib cage.

I let out a shrill scream.

"Waugh!"

After delicately removing my dreaming partner from my chest cavity, I set Ponta down

on the bed to resume its slumber. The whole notion of a creature being able to climb

inside me left me feeling vaguely sick.

I got up from the bed and gently stretched my creaky bones. I couldn't imagine this

did much good, considering I didn't have any muscles, but it was a matter of habit.

I put on my armor and helmet. Even though the elder and his family knew my secret,

I didn't feel like sharing it with the entire town of Lalatoya. Besides, Dillan had said it

would be better to keep the number of people who knew to a minimum.

Outside of Ariane's family, the only others who knew were Sena and Uhna—the two

elves we'd saved from Marquis du Diento's estate.

I'd heard that humans were rarely ever allowed into elven villages, so I figured word

of my presence had already spread throughout the town. I wanted to avoid any

additional trouble if at all possible.

Uhna had already returned the black cloak I'd lent her yesterday, though I couldn't

imagine that the impact of a massive knight walking through town would change

much, with or without the cloak. I put it back into my bag, ultimately deciding to wear

the absolute minimum while I was here in town.

My preparations complete, I was about to leave the room when I found the now-awake

Ponta sitting patiently in front of the door, gently wagging its cotton-like tail.

Apparently, the fox had also noticed the inviting smells coming from downstairs.

As soon as I cracked the door, Ponta squeezed its head through the gap and slithered

out, bounding down the stairs like a newly freed rabbit.

The elves said that spirit animals were able to survive for long periods of time without

food, so it was rare for them to eat in front of anyone, at least while they lived in the

forest. They only began eating more often when they lived among people. None of this

seemed like a problem for Ponta, though. It always had a voracious appetite.

I made my way downstairs to the dining room where we'd eaten dinner last night.

There I found Ponta, already lost in its breakfast, and Ariane's mother, Glenys, who

cheerfully watched over the creature.

Glenys wore a traditional elven dress, similar to the one she'd had on yesterday, and

an apron. She turned to face me.

"Good morning! I hope you slept well. You know, I never imagined that skeletons like

you would even sleep!" She broke out into a grin.

It was true that a bleached-white skeleton lying under a blanket probably looked more

like a long-forgotten body than anything else. However, saying this to me directly

without a second thought spoke volumes about Glenys' character. Her demeanor was

much more relaxed than Ariane's.

"You are quite the early riser, ma'am."

"Kyiiii!"

Ponta joined me in offering a greeting to Glenys, raising its face briefly from the bowl

to give a shrill cry. Then it promptly went back to eating.

"Please sit down. I'll have your breakfast ready in a moment." Glenys gave Ponta a

gentle pat on the head before returning to the kitchen.

"I appreciate your kindness." I glanced around the room, then directed a question

toward Glenys' back. "By the way, I haven't seen Master Dillan or Miss Ariane this

morning. Have they already left?"

"Yes, they teleported to Maple early this morning." Glenys responded as she walked

back out of the kitchen, a food-laden tray in her hands. She set it down on the table

and sat across from me.

I placed my helmet beside me, brought my hands together in a quick blessing, and

then surveyed the food.

Breakfast consisted of lightly toasted bread covered in cuts of dried sausage and

drenched in a white sauce, along with fried eggs and vegetable soup. The toast made

a delightful snapping noise as I bit into it, filling my nose with a pleasant scent. The

dried sausage had a unique taste, but the herbs and spices in it created a rather

delicious concoction. The thick, white sauce on top summoned up old memories.

When I realized what I was tasting, I gasped.

"Is this mayonnaise?"

Glenys cocked her head to the side. "You've heard of it? The very first elder invented

it. I didn't think it had spread beyond Limbult and the neighboring human settlements."

Not only was it the same food, but apparently the name was the same as well. I

shouldn't have been surprised. Mayonnaise was hardly difficult to make, as long as you

knew how. Perhaps the first elder, the one who founded Maple eight hundred years

ago, wasn't so different from me. Considering how long elves lived…

"Is the first elder still alive?" I spoke around the fried egg as I stuffed it into my mouth.

"Hahaha! Elves may live for a long time, but not that long. Our average lifespan is

around four hundred years."

Still, to live for four hundred years… That was quite impressive, especially since

humans in this world were lucky if they lived to be fifty. Though the nobility probably

lived longer, thanks to recovery magic and other means.

I wondered if the first elder had been brought to this world the same way I had, but if

he was dead, then there was no way for me to confirm this. Better not to waste much

time thinking about it.

After I finished breakfast, I planned to take a tour of Lalatoya.

With Elder Dillan's blessing, I'd spend the day wandering around with Glenys serving

as my guide… or chaperone, quite possibly. Given the relationship between elves and

humans, I wouldn't have been surprised if they wanted to keep an eye on me. It didn't

bother me much.

Dillan had said that he still had a few things he wanted to discuss with me, so I figured

I should stay within the village limits. Glenys' dinner and breakfast were a delicious

extra bonus.

The majority of the food the human peasants ate was only lightly flavored and

consisted largely of beans, porridge, and potatoes. Though there was an abundance of

meat from beasts and other animals in the meals, there was little in the way of spices.

Spices were probably too expensive for most peasants.

Eventually, I planned to start preparing my own meals. More than anything, I wanted

my own place, where I could eat good-tasting food; and my own bed, where I could lay

my head at night. In the meantime, I hoped to build a good relationship with the elves

and secure access to all these delicious spices.

Just as I was about to pop the final bite of dried sausage into my mouth, I caught sight

of Ponta out of the corner of my eye. Its head was tracking every movement of my fork,

as if connected to the piece of sausage by marionette strings. I offered my fork, and

Ponta pounced, gnawing happily on the meat.

From across the table, Glenys watched the scene with a soft smile on her face. A

skeleton's face, however, never changes, so I cleared my throat to change the subject.

"Thank you, ma'am. It was delicious."

After I put my helmet back on and stood up, Ponta summoned a magical wind to

resume its rightful place on top of my head. We descended to the first floor and left

the house.

It had already been quite dark by the time we'd arrived last night, and I only had a

vague sense of my surroundings. Now, under the morning sky, I was finally able to see

the mysterious mixture of nature and artifice that came together in elven architecture.

Human buildings often had an old European feel to them, while Dillan and Glenys'

home looked like something straight out of a storybook, a place where a fairy might

live. However, not all of the homes in Lalatoya were built like this. Off in the distance,

I could see several more of the same design, but most of the homes resembled wooden

mushrooms, unlike anything I'd ever seen the humans living in.

No sooner had I finished taking in the sight of the massive tree house than Glenys—

now without her apron—stepped outside. A smile graced her lips as she saw me

staring in wonder at the buildings.

"Are these houses much different from where the humans live?"

"Yes. I have absolutely no idea how you were able to construct these."

"We probably wouldn't have been able to do it without our spirit magic." Glenys turned

to look back at the tree house.

If each of these buildings had been constructed using spirit magic—at an exorbitant

cost, I had to imagine—then it made sense that there were so few.

"From time to time, we are visited by cottontail foxes, like little Ponta, nesting in the

hollows of our home. They typically live in groups, and travel along the wind."

Ponta tilted its head to the side curiously as Glenys spoke. Ever since I'd cured its

injuries and given it some food, Ponta had been my constant companion. Just the

thought of it leaving me for another group made me feel lonely, but there wasn't much

I could do. Whatever happened, I intended to let Ponta live as it pleased until the day

we finally had to part ways.

I reached up to stroke Ponta's chin.

Glenys offered to give me a tour of the town, so I followed her lead.

As we moved through the streets, the elves we passed shot me odd glances, but I was

already used to this from my time in human towns.

The sprawling village of Lalatoya was surrounded by a massive wall. The wave of

greenery I'd seen at the top upon entering the village stretched as far as the eye could

see. Inside the wall lay vast pastures for grazing animals and a variety of crop fields

irrigated with intricate waterways.

My eyes were once again drawn to that strange layer of ivy that topped the walls. It

was pockmarked with fruits that looked almost like loofah sponges.

"Madam Glenys, what is that plant up there?"

The loofah-like fruits were semitransparent and full of liquid. Through the center of

each one ran a line of seeds that appeared to be growing in the water. They were plump

and squishy to the touch, almost like a plastic shopping bag full of water.

"Those are watermelons. The insides are filled with water, but we use them for their

skins. After draining the water, we remove the pulp and mix it with herbs and spices

before smoking it over a fire."

"Oh, was this used in the dried sausage I ate this morning?"

"That's right! Beast meat often has a rather strong flavor, so we like to make adjustments.

Watermelons were another idea of the first elder. Long ago, they were only used to

store water."

It sounded like the first elder had been pretty passionate about food. I owed him a

debt of gratitude in that regard. If not for him, I wouldn't be able to eat so well here in

Lalatoya.

I bowed to an elven man harvesting a row of watermelons and then looked at my

surroundings. The majority of elves I could see were tending to the farms, not unlike

human villages. However, judging by the sheer number of elves I could see, it would

probably be more accurate to call this a town than a village.

"Is this one of the bigger villages? It seems like there are quite a few people living

here."

"Due to the… incidents… smaller villages were shut down and absorbed by larger ones

for safety purposes. There are about four thousand people living here, I think."

The idea that four thousand people lived this deep in the forest was impressive. While

my mind ran through the numbers, a familiar young girl came running up to me. She

was one of the girls we'd saved. Her gleaming, green-tinted hair continued to sway

adorably even after she stopped moving.

"Heya, Mister Armor, sir! Can I give this to Ponta?"

She showed me a red, apple-like fruit in the palm of her hand.

Ponta picked up the sweet scent and dove down into her hand to give the fruit a sniff.

"I don't mind at all."

The young girl cheerfully thanked me before handing the fruit to Ponta. Ponta spent a

moment looking it over, trying to figure out where to start eating.

A young couple who'd been watching from behind with great interest came over and

bowed deeply toward me. The man, who appeared to be the girl's father, looked

straight at me as he spoke.

"Thank you for saving our daughter. I truly appreciate what you've done for us."

The girl's mother couldn't properly get the words out through all her tears and simply

bowed her head several times.

"You need not thank me. I was simply hired by Miss Ariane. I did nothing special."

However, the couple simply shook their heads and once again offered their thanks.

The surrounding farmers began to take notice of the peculiar sight. Later, as we toured

the village, the parents of the other girls came out to find us and express their

gratitude.

I'd simply performed the job that Ariane had paid me for. Having people come thank

me for it gave me goosebumps. Or, I guess a tingle up my spine would be a better way

to put it.

After having some treats and playing around a bit, Ponta fell contentedly asleep atop

my head, which forced me to walk with perfect posture for the rest of the morning.

We arrived back at the elder's house shortly after noon. Ponta was now off of my head

and sleeping soundly in Glenys' arms. Glenys gently stroked the fox's fur as she spoke.

"Hey, Arc, could you do me a little favor?"

"What kind of favor?"

I hesitated at the request, unsure of what she might want from me. Glenys put Ponta

down atop a branch in the potted tree next to her before walking into a storage room

and returning with two wooden swords. She offered one to me.

I took the sword and looked back at her inquisitively. "What is it that you would like

me to help you with?"

Glenys took a defensive stance, then smiled at me and brandished her sword.

"Don't worry. You saw Ariane's swordsmanship, right? Well, I taught her everything

she knows. But I'd hate to lose my edge."

With that, she swung. The wooden sword made a sharp snapping sound as it sliced

through the air.

This was a far cry from my school days, when the boys would get together on school

trips and play around with practice swords. The swiftness and precision of her

movements made that evident.

Though I was far from defenseless, I wasn't sure how much I'd be able to help her. She

was the master, not me. With a fair bit of uncertainty, I lifted the wooden sword to face

her. Glenys offered me another gentle smile.

Before I had the chance to ask her any questions, Glenys launched herself at me.

Thrown off by her sudden movement, I withdrew without thinking, easily

sidestepping her opening strike. Without missing a beat, Glenys glided forward and

closed the distance between us, striking the inside of my leg and then my side, finally

drawing the tip of the wooden sword up to my throat.

"Wha?"

As I stood there, frozen in place, Glenys's golden eyes crinkled in a warm smile.

"You have a good eye, but you react too slowly. Pay attention, and at least try to dodge."

I felt a cold chill ripple up my spine. It was all I could do to nod.

She was pretty much spot-on. In spite of my impressive magic and equipment, at the

end of the day, I was still just a normal human who'd lived a normal life up until now.

When it came to combat, I didn't stand a chance against someone who'd spent their

already-long life dedicated to refining their swordsmanship.

"All right, ready yourself. I'm not going to let up, okay?"

Glenys drew away before once again holding her sword at the ready, the smile never

leaving her face.

"I'm ready!"

This was terrifying! Until just moments ago, I'd pegged Glenys as a gentle housewife.

Now she struck a fearsome figure as she faced off against me. It was the first time I'd

truly felt fear since assuming my skeleton form, though I knew the sweat I felt running

down my body was imaginary.

However, if I intended to survive in this world, I'd need to learn how to handle a blade.

Learning from a skilled swordswoman such as Glenys was an incredible opportunity.

I lifted my wooden sword and locked eyes with my sparring partner.

She immediately closed the distance, as if she had been waiting for me the whole time.

I kept my eyes locked on the tip of her sword, doing what I could to dodge her blows.

However, I fell for her feint and opened myself up to her.

I wanted to scream, but I needed to focus all of my attention on the task at hand.

By the time we were done with Glenys' so-called favor, the sky was already turning dark.

Though I felt fine physically, I hadn't realized just how mentally draining hours of

practice could be.

"By… by the way, ma'am. It's a bit late to be asking this now, but why did you want me

to practice with you?" After catching my breath, I finally asked the question that had

been bothering me all afternoon.

"Dark elves are known for their physical prowess. Any time I run across someone who

seems like they could be a challenge, I want to test their abilities."

Glenys laughed, her voice sounding like a bell. She was a lot more hands-on than she

appeared.

"Besides, as a mother, I want to make sure any man hanging around my darling

daughter is up to the challenge. Well! I think it's about time to make dinner."

Glenys returned the wooden swords to the storage room and made her way indoors.

As I watched her disappear into the building, I wondered if she'd been speaking to me

as a mercenary, or as someone potentially interested in her daughter. I dragged my

exhausted body over to the tree where Ponta was sleeping, picked it up, and headed

inside.

After dinner, I returned to the room I'd slept in the night before and took off my armor

before getting into bed.

Unlike the oil lamps used by the humans, the light from the magical crystals the elves

used illuminated the entire room, bathing it in a relaxing glow.

I could already hear Ponta snoring lightly, curled up next to the bed with its large,

cottony tail draped up over its face to block the light. It looked content, stuffed from

the dinner we'd just eaten.

I waved my hand over the crystal lamp, silently extinguishing the light and bathing the

room in darkness.

Once my eyes adjusted, I could still make out shapes around the room, thanks to the

light of the moon shining through the window.

I sat on the bed, careful not to wake Ponta, and looked out over the village. The

immediate vicinity was pitch black due to all the branches and leaves from the tree

house, but this only made the moonlight more comforting.

I looked down at the bones of my arm, stark white under the faint light of the moon.

Was I cursed? Was that what had turned me into this?

If so, I should at least try to remove it, right?

I recalled using Uncurse, a spell belonging to the mid-tier Bishop class that I'd used to

remove the mana-eater collars the bandits had put on the captured elves to prevent

them from using their magic. Maybe it could also lift the curse on my body.

Holy Purify, a spell belonging to the top-tier Priest class, was also able to remove

curses. However, it caused damage to the undead. I wasn't sure if I qualified as undead,

but given how I looked, I wasn't eager to take any chances.

It's never an easy decision to use magic on yourself, especially when you don't know

the limits of your power. On the other hand, I'd been using teleportation magic all this

time without any problems. Even those spells could have had disastrous effects on my

flesh… err, bones… if I'd made a mistake. What if I'd teleported myself into the middle

of a rock?

Still, might as well give it a try.

I brought my right hand over my left and focused on my left index finger.

"Uncurse."

As I quietly invoked the spell, complex magical symbols appeared in the air, forming a

glowing, magical pillar that enveloped my fingertip.

Flesh began to appear around the first bony knuckle.

"Wh-whoa! Oh?"

I gasped in surprise. I'd never anticipated it would work this well. But a moment later,

my elation was replaced with doubt as the flesh faded from my fingertip, my bleachedwhite bone once again reflecting the light of the moon. Just like that, it was all over,

like it had been a dream.

I decided to expand my area of focus. I invoked Uncurse again, enveloping my entire

left forearm in a magical pillar and turning to flesh. My new skin looked almost

sunburned in contrast with the white bones of the rest of my arm. I was also far more

muscular than I had been before, though that was probably related to my in-game

level.

"Huh?"

A strange tingle ran up my arm before the flesh disappeared again, replaced once more

with bone.

I rubbed and squeezed my left arm, opening and closing my hand to make sure

everything was as it had been.

I tried Uncurse on my left arm several more times, but it always ended the same way.

The strange tingle I felt in my flesh eventually faded as I repeated the test, turning my

arm from bone to flesh and back.

At the very least, I now knew that there was, without a doubt, a curse placed on my

body. However, even though I could temporarily lift it, the curse returned immediately.

I slumped back on my bed.

My head feel empty… literally. I decided it would be better to get some sleep than let

my mind run itself to exhaustion.

I wrapped my body in a blanket to keep Ponta from climbing into my rib cage again

and rolled over. I probably looked like some kind of strange mummy.

My mind wandered for a long time before I finally drifted off to sleep.

Elder Dillan and Ariane arrived back from Maple late the following evening.

Ariane wasn't dressed in the leather armor and cloak that she'd worn out into the

forest, instead favoring more traditional elven attire consisting of a blouse and cape

that exposed her shoulders. Her soft, amethyst skin was on full display.

She shot me a glare, even though I hadn't said anything yet.

Though I would have liked to bask in the excitement of her new attire, I had other

things on my mind.

Dillan told me that we had something to discuss and brought me and Ariane up to the

second-floor dining room. Glenys disappeared into the kitchen, humming to herself as

she began preparing the evening meal.

Dillan gestured to a chair before sitting across from me, Ariane silently taking a seat

next to him.

Ponta hopped up onto my lap, resting its front paws and chin on the edge of the table.

"I've already told Ariane, but we've been ordered by the council of elders to gather

information on the names written on these purchase contracts and track down or

rescue the other elves who have been sold. However, not only do we have no one to

spare for such a mission, but we know almost nothing about the world outside our

village. Therefore, I would like to ask you to continue assisting Ariane."

Dillan held my gaze, a grim look on his face.

I was just as much in the dark as they were when it came to the goings-on of humans

in this world, but it would also be far easier for me to infiltrate human towns.

Ariane shared her father's serious look. Of course, I was more than willing to help her

out.

Sensing my hesitation, Dillan turned the conversation toward compensation.

"We don't have a lot to offer you in return, and the money we do have is mostly what

you had brought to us in the first place, so…" Dillan trailed off, smiling ruefully. "What

about exchanging information instead? I've heard talk of a spring that can lift curses.

It's possible this spring could lift the curse from your body, though I can't make any

promises."

"I've never heard of such a spring." Ariane interrupted her father, looking at him

inquisitively.

Dillan shrugged his shoulders. "I have it from reliable sources that there's a magical

spring near the Lord Crown. However, getting there is a dangerous feat in its own

right. There's no assurance you'd even make it there alive."

"The Lord Crown is located farther in, so… No, it's probably not possible." Ariane

looked as if she'd been about to say something but then changed her mind

I had to imagine it would be rather problematic for them to bring a human even

further into elf territory. I was only here in this village thanks to the elder sitting across

from me.

"What is this 'Lord Crown'?" I'd never heard the name before.

Dillan cleared his throat before launching into an explanation.

The Lord Crown was a tree that grew near the home of a powerful dragon known as

the Dragon Lord. Having spent so many years in the presence of the Dragon Lord's

immensely powerful magic, the tree had been altered. It was now possessed by spirits.

"The spirits lurking within the Lord Crown's bark and leaves have a variety of abilities.

The tree's deep roots even have an effect on the surrounding area. I've heard that

branches from the Lord Crown sell for a significant amount of money."

Ariane interjected. "However, the effects of the Lord Crown vary due to the numerous

spirits that reside within it. What's more, with the Dragon Lord living nearby, no one

knows what would happen if you were to anger the spirits."

So, not only was the route quite perilous, but it was no safer once you arrived. Even

with all my abilities, I wasn't interested in facing a powerful dragon alone.

Besides, there were still so many things I didn't understand about this body.

I had explained to Ariane and the others before coming to this village that I was a man

who'd been turned into a skeleton by a curse. However, that was backstory I'd invented

for my character. In reality, this was simply an avatar I'd chosen through the in-game

editor.

However, after my little experiment last night, it seemed like my backstory was true

in this world. In which case, continuing to help the elves might not be so bad if it led

to finding a cure for my curse.

If there was a chance I could turn my body back into flesh and blood, then it was

definitely worth a try.

But there was one pressing issue I needed to address first.

"Is it possible to enter the Dragon Lord's domain and come out alive?"

It'd do me no good to venture deep into the forest to lift my curse only to face an

opponent I had no hope of beating… and possibly be gobbled up in the process.

Though I wasn't sure if a dragon would want to eat a pile of bones like me.

"Oh, don't worry about that. The Dragon Lord probably wouldn't like a human just

showing up, but if an elf were to talk with him first, I'm sure he'd give you permission

to enter."

Apparently, the Dragon Lord was able to communicate with people. He served as the

guardian of all the great forests of Canada. I imagined his abilities were nothing short

of impressive.

But when it came to fighting ability, the elves were certainly a force to be reckoned

with as well, in spite of their relatively small numbers.

"You have nothing to worry about if I go with you to the spring, Arc," Ariane said.

Dillan, the elder of Lalatoya, regarded me—a human—solemnly. "So, what do you

think? Will you continue to lend your incredible strength to the elf cause?"

Ariane leaned forward. "Please, Arc, I'd also like your help."

"I will help your cause."

It wasn't like I had anything else to do. Traveling the world and helping people out

wouldn't be too bad. My decision had nothing to do with Ariane…

I couldn't keep lying to myself.

Agreeing to any request a woman made of me would be a bad habit to get into, but I

was honestly excited about continuing my travels with Ariane. I might appear to be

made of bones, but I was still a man, deep inside.

Though turning back into a human was a daunting prospect.

"I shall join you, Miss Ariane, and lend my assistance."

Dillan bowed his head once and offered me his right hand. "This will be a great help.

Elves stick out in human towns. Please, take care of my daughter."

No sooner had we finished shaking hands than Glenys' voice drifted out from the

kitchen. "So, are we done with all the formalities? Dinner is ready!" She appeared

carrying dishes of food with her, which she set on the table.

Ponta stood on its hind legs and began sniffing around, picking up the scent of the

food.

The evening's menu consisted of bread, salad, bean soup, and a main dish that looked

suspiciously like a hamburger patty. Glenys had also prepared a plate of cooled meat

just for Ponta. Unable to wait, the fox dove straight in, its tail wagging from side to side.

"All right, we'll discuss the details after dinner then." Dillan turned his attention to the

food as soon as he finished speaking.

I put my hands together in a quick blessing before removing my helmet.

There was no sauce on the patty, but the meat was so juicy—and slathered in salt and

spices—that it hardly needed it. I thought I tasted a hint of nutmeg, which reminded

me of the food I'd eaten back in my own world. I hadn't come across any meat spiced

with nutmeg in the human towns. I supposed it was another of the many spices

available only to elves.

After what ended up being a very nostalgic dinner, Dillan and Ariane shared the details

of their plan.

Tomorrow, Ariane and I would embark on a journey to find the missing elves.