first meeting with Tessia Eralith

The journey through the dimensional rift evoked a very peculiar sensation. It felt as if I were trapped in a fast-forward movie. I was sitting on my rear, holding Arthur by one arm and the egg with the other.

Everything around me moved, turning the colors into indecipherable blurs, while my lost gaze looked into the distance, with no more tears left to shed.

<< Analysis. Spatial power detected, analyzing >>

<< Extra skill [Dimensional Portal] acquired >>

<< Reminder. As the prerequisites to use this skill are not met, it will be temporarily suspended >>

At this moment, I sincerely didn't have the spirit to listen to the great sage. I was in an overwhelming emotional state, difficult to express in words. Grief and guilt enveloped me, weighing on me with an overwhelming intensity.

What burdened me more than anything was the fact that I had had an opportunity to change things, but it carried considerable risks and no certainty of success. Despite understanding the reasons behind my decision, I was consumed by guilt.

Where I landed, there were a lot of leaves and vines that cushioned my fall. However, that didn't matter.

Looking around, I was surrounded by trees towering into the sky. There was a dense fog situated a couple of centimeters above the ground, filling the air with an almost palpable humidity. Trees and an oddly dense fog.

"We have arrived at the Elshire forest," I said, while looking at my brother who was still unconscious.

Although I quickly noticed that Arthur's expressions were starting to change, which made me understand that perhaps he was receiving the last message left by Sylvia.

"Great sage, analyze the horn given by Sylvia and see if anything can be obtained from it," I thought, while using the [Predator] skill to devour it. Likewise, I stored the feather she gave me in the system's storage.

<< Analysis complete. Dragon horn, which contains a large amount of mana in it. It also has the DNA of the horn's owner, as well as a strange energy that cannot be analyzed at the moment. >>

"So those horns store some of their mana," I thought, a bit surprised.

<< Do you wish to absorb the mana within that horn? >>

"Yes, also, store the genetic material for analysis," I ordered, so that, in the next moment, a rather pure amount of energy was steadily directed towards my mana core.

I looked at Arthur, who seemed to have also awakened from his unconscious state. His mood had completely calmed down, and it appeared that he had already received Sylvia's message. When he looked at me, the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

ꟷIt seems we still have a bit of time before we can go home ꟷI said, while taking the backpack off my back. ꟷ Judging by the surroundings, we should be in the Elshire forest. I have some provisions for the journey, but we should ration them.

Upon hearing my words, Art nodded and then looked around. After putting the egg in his backpack, Arthur signaled that he was ready to leave. Without hesitation, we reinforced our bodies and departed from that place.

After a few minutes of searching, we finally found human tracks, along with some screams that caught our attention.

ꟷNOOO! HELP! SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME! MOMMY! DADDY! NOOO! I'M SCARED!!!

ꟷSomeone shut her up! She's going to attract attention!

POOOM!

ꟷQuick. Put her in the back of the carriage. We're only a couple of days from the mountains. We'll be safe there. Don't relax and keep moving.

ꟷHey, Boss. How much do you think we'll get paid? Elf girls are worth a lot, right? Heh, heh, and she's a kid, so she's a virgin! I bet we'll get a ton of money, right?!

Hearing the voices, I immediately knew it was time to find the one who seemed to be my younger brother's future love interest, Tessia Eralith. She looked about six or seven years old, with silver hair and pointed ears, a racial trait that identified elves.

I noticed Arthur glancing at me, but I simply ignored him. Then I gave him a small signal to wait and follow them.

ꟷDo you want to help her? ꟷHe asked.

ꟷOf course, I do. Could you stay calm while a little girl is being kidnapped? ꟷI replied, not paying much attention to his reaction. ꟷBesides, she has features similar to mine, so I feel bad leaving her in that danger.

Art nodded, and we started following them from the shadows. This process lasted for hours, until nightfall. Despite their rough appearances, the slave traffickers were surprisingly cautious; they never made a fire and always kept two people on guard at all times.

Art carefully threw a stone, waking up the dogs. One of the guards on watch went to the other side of the carriage to calm them down. I immediately sprang into action.

I followed him carefully, while Arthur silently dropped onto a nearby branch, stalking the one who remained. He was sitting on a fallen log, fiddling with something in his hands while the other two slept inside the tent.

This man had a very lanky build. Although his thin muscles were visible, he didn't seem very strong and was only armed with a long knife.

Seeing that the guard was focusing on the dogs, I swiftly and silently appeared behind him, and with the knife in my hand imbued with mana, I stabbed him directly in the neck, preventing any noise that could alarm the others. I then caught him as he fell and left him to the dogs, who quickly devoured him.

When I returned, Arthur had silently taken care of the other guard as well. We then turned our attention to where the other slave traffickers were, and silently approached the outside of their tent.

I handed Arthur the small knife I had, so he wouldn't have to use mana and risk waking them up.

After counting to three, we both launched our attack at the same time. The move was quick and precise; each of us eliminated one of the traffickers before they could react. Their being asleep made things much easier.

Once it was all over, I asked Art to check on the little elf girl while I gathered the necessary materials to continue our journey. He nodded in agreement.

"How could I interrupt their first meeting?" I thought, a small smile on my face.

Regarding Tessia, I've always had a good impression of her. Despite the circumstances, she has proven to be a good companion for Art. I've never considered the idea of competing with my brother for her affection, especially since there have been other attractive girls around us. Why would I want to enter a romantic rivalry with my own brother?

Besides, I believe Tessia could be an excellent match for Art. She has shown that she accepts him as he is, even after discovering his true identity as King Grey. That is something truly valuable and shows her understanding and support for him.

When I returned to the carriage, I saw Arthur trying to calm the little Tessia with a hug, which I found quite amusing.

ꟷLittle brother, I simply asked you to check on the girl, but I didn't expect to find you hugging her and being so close. I must say, I still have things to learn from you, ꟷI said in a teasing voice from one of the branches of a nearby tree.

My voice seemed to interrupt the little moment and alarmed Tessia, who, upon seeing me, opened her eyes wide.

ꟷYou're an elf too! Are you here from my mom and dad? ꟷShe said with a bit of excitement.

ꟷSorry, sister-in-law, but I'm not here from your in-laws. I'm the older brother of the guy you were just hugging, ꟷI said teasingly.

Tessia, upon hearing me, looked a bit disappointed but then quickly reflected on what I had said. Her face turned a little red, just like Arthur's.

ꟷAlex, stop saying nonsense, ꟷArt exclaimed, then coughed and tried to maintain a more serious demeanor, though without much success. Turning his attention back to Tessia, he continued, ꟷThose people who tried to kidnap you won't be chasing you anymore. So, do you think you can make it back home on your own?

ꟷMen, saving a girl and then leaving her alone, what heartless guys, ꟷI commented, trying to exaggerate those words.

As I spoke, Tessia's eyes contracted in fear, and a look of panic formed on her face. Her eyes filled with tears, and with both hands, she clung to Arthur's shirt. Even a baby would know her answer from how she acted.

ꟷHow long does it take to get to your home from here? ꟷArt asked, to which she only responded with an 'I don't know.'

ꟷBrother, let's take her home, ꟷI suggested, drawing both of their attention. ꟷEven if we use those wolves to leave, we still don't know how to get out or what to do afterward. Maybe by taking her home, we can contact other elves who can give us more information and a safer way to leave the forest since we aren't sure if there are more slave traffickers outside.

Listening to me, Arthur thought for a while, then sighed and nodded after a few minutes.

After that, we started gathering various essentials for the journey: clothes from some of the bandits, food, weapons, and the tent for resting.

ꟷIt's time to go, ꟷI exclaimed with enthusiasm, trying to cheer them up.

My high spirits also came from the notification I received from the system.

[Ding, you have reached an area that meets the requirements for the registry function: Princess of the Elves – Tessia Eralith. Do you wish to register?]

"Yes, register," I said excitedly, expecting a great reward from the system.

[Ding, congratulations host for obtaining: Slime Suit]

[Slime Suit: A "growth" type outfit with a series of remarkable benefits. Among its features is the ability to transform its appearance according to the user's desires. Additionally, its extraordinary resistance and defensive capabilities increase proportionally with the strength of the wearer, almost completely nullifying attacks from enemies weaker than the user. This suit also provides notable resistance to both cold and heat, ensuring the wearer's comfort in various climatic conditions.]

"Although it's not a superpower or the card of some powerful character, I really got a great accessory," I thought after thoroughly analyzing the gift.

As we walked, Tessia started telling us various things about the elves, although she was very shy and reserved, making it a bit difficult. By nightfall, we settled in a safe spot, set up the small tent, and I gave both Arthur and Tessia some food.

When she went to sleep, I noticed Arthur had started meditating. I decided to focus on my small advancements during this period.

<< Name: Alex Leywin >>

<< Sex: Male >>

<< Core: Red (solid; mid-stage) >>

<< Unique Skills: [Great Sage], [Predator] >>

<< Extra Skills: [Language Comprehension], [Body Control], [Mana Rotation], [Magic Perception], [Restoration], [Regeneration], [Swordsmanship], [Fire Manipulation], [Air Manipulation], [Fortification], [Mana Control], [Dimensional Portal (suspended)] >>

<< Resistance: [Pain Resistance] >>

<< Inventory: Character Skill Card of Diablo (Noir), Dragon Feather, Slime Suit >>

Looking at the character card, an idea crossed my mind. Although I wasn't sure if it would work, if it did, I could gain a truly loyal subordinate. However, my thoughts were interrupted when I noticed Tessia had reappeared.

ꟷI wouldn't mind s-sharing the tent, if that's okay with you, ꟷshe said, blushing with embarrassment.

Seeing this, I simply gave Art a significant smile, and before he could say anything, I imbued mana into my legs and jumped to reach a branch of a nearby tree, moving a bit away from the spot, not forgetting to leave a message.

ꟷLittle brother, how could you be so heartless? Don't worry, I'll stay here and keep watch. Rest with our sister-in-law.

Reaching a nearby tree, I simply sat cross-legged and began absorbing the mana from the dragon horn given by Sylvia, while also contemplating how to carry out my next plan.

The night passed peacefully. When I got bored, I approached the camping tent to prepare some breakfast. While doing so, I glanced towards the tent and saw Arthur and Tessia sleeping quite close to each other. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy. Who wouldn't like to sleep next to a beautiful girl?

"Don't worry, when I grow up, I'll have the opportunity to sleep beside many beautiful girls," I encouraged myself in silence, continuing with my task until an idea suddenly popped into my head, bringing a smile to my face.

A few hours later, both Art and Tessia woke up. When they discovered how they had been sleeping, it was quite amusing, and I took the chance to tease them a bit.

…

A couple of days passed without any notable incidents. The only thing worth mentioning was when I noticed Arthur starting to feel chest pains, which were from the beast will he received from Sylvia. Seeing this, I quickly helped to alleviate his discomfort with healing magic.

As the days went by, Tessia gradually became more open and less reserved. I also returned to my usual teasing manner with them, making her blush and Art glare at me.

Our pace was not hindered by any tree golems or mana beasts looking for kids as snacks.

ꟷTessia, can you tell how far we are from Elenoir now?ꟷ Art asked, looking around.

She ran to a particularly twisted tree and ran her fingers over the trunk. A few minutes of silence passed before she returned, visibly excited.

ꟷThis is the tree I used to come to with my grandpa! I remember carving my name into the trunk when he wasn't looking. We're not far! I think if we hurry, we can reach it by tonight!ꟷ she said, pointing to the tree.

ꟷThat's pretty good, ꟷ Art said, though I noticed a small trace of nostalgia in his eyes.

ꟷArthur? I heard from Alex that your family and close friends call you Art. I think during this journey, I've gotten close enough to call you that too. ꟷ Tessia said, stopping suddenly and turning towards him, revealing a broad smile as we crossed a stream over a bridge of moss-covered logs. ꟷSo... Can I call you Art too?

ꟷYou can call him husband if you want. I'll talk to our parents so they don't oppose it, ꟷ I said teasingly.

ꟷShut up! ꟷthey both said in unison.

However, I noticed that Tessia's nervousness eased a bit, which made me smile.

ꟷSure, I don't mind, ꟷArt said, returning her smile.

ꟷAh, kids grow up so fast…. I remember just a few days ago, he was still drinking milk from Mom, and now look at him, with a girlfriend and everything.

My little jests made both of them blush, and realizing it wasn't wise to linger, I took off running, chased by the lovebirds. We continued for the rest of the day, making only a few quick stops to rest and fill our stomachs.

Our progress was quite swift since neither Art nor I got tired thanks to mana rotation. Tess, however, did tire, but in those instances, Art offered to carry her on his back. Meanwhile, I had to resign myself to carrying a backpack full of clothes and other supplies instead of a lovely lady, much to my dismay.

After our last quick break on soft, moss-covered ground, we continued straight towards the final stretch. It was getting dark, and the fog around us was becoming thicker. Our sense of direction was getting worse, so we just followed Tess obediently.

Suddenly, she turned towards us. Her face showed a mix of happiness and doubt before she murmured:

ꟷWe've arrived.

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