Vaingard led the three of us through a dense forest. However… the path we took was different from the one I'd used to enter or leave the Cathedral. What baffled me was the complete absence of guards. Normally, the area near the Cathedral was heavily patrolled. Now, all I saw was a thick, clinging fog.
"Hey, Lys, where is Vaingard taking us?"
"Why not be upfront about it?"
"You'll see. The place we're going is amazing!"
Lys's voice was brimming with excitement; she'd already seen and knew exactly where we were headed.
At the same time, Angga also questioned Vaingard, especially considering he'd only been in this world for a day and was suddenly being taken to an unknown location.
"Sir Vaingard, why did you bring me? Considering humans and elves don't exactly get along in this world…?"
"Is… there a specific reason?"
Vaingard, hearing the words from the human who was still reeling from his sudden arrival in this unfamiliar world, replied:
"There isn't."
"I have no specific reason to bring you."
"And I don't care whether you're human or not."
Angga, after hearing this explanation, simply nodded and followed Vaingard's lead.
Their journey continued, enveloped by the thick fog, through an unnerving forest that felt as if it possessed a mind of its own.
Their journey through the fog-drenched forest felt endless, each step swallowed by silence and shadow. As they walked,Without warning, Angga staggered mid-step, clutching his chest, as if his heart were being shattered.
"AHHH—!"
His scream tore through the silence like a blade. He collapsed, writhing in pain, his breaths short, sharp—broken.
"Hey!! Angga, what's wrong!"
"Angga! What happened!"
Úlrey knelt beside him, panic flashing in his eyes. "What's happening to him? Vaingard, DO SOMETHING!"
The situation became chaotic. Angga lay groaning, his moans growing fainter. Úlrey and Lys, shocked, did their best to support him.
"Sir Vaingard! Help him, what's happening to him?"
Vaingard remained remarkably calm as he watched Angga writhe. "Ah, yes. He's still not used to it, though most summoned individuals are stronger and can withstand the effects of this path."
"You dragged us into this—knowing it could kill him?!"
"Help him! His eyes… they look like they're dying!" Úlrey's anger flared at Vaingard's composure in this critical situation.
"Sir Vaingard, please, help him,"
Lys, deeply worried about Angga, pleaded with Vaingard.
"Calm down, I will help him last longer." Vaingard approached Angga's prostrate form and cast a protective spell. The sound of the incantation resembled the gentle chime of breaking glass, creating a musical rhythm.
"NATURE THAT CONNECTS ALL LIFE,"
"STARS THAT FAITHFULLY REMAIN IN THEIR ORBITS,"
"SPECIAL SHIELD."
A silvery-white light emanated from his hands, slowly encircling Angga.
Angga visibly calmed; his groans subsided, and his ragged breathing eased.
Angga's condition improved slightly. He coughed and gasped for breath, still clearly unwell.
"Ohok…Ohok…"
"Huh…Huh…Huh…"
Seeing Angga regain his breath, Úlrey supported him, still visibly exhausted from the ordeal.
"Hey, old man! Why didn't you say humans can't withstand this forest's effects?!"
Úlrey's voice cracked with fury, unable to mask the panic beneath his anger.
"Úlrey! You shouldn't speak to Sir Vaingard like that!"
"Hah!! Can't you see what he did to this man?!"
"Bringing us to this weird place."
"What do you mean?!"
"It doesn't give you the right to be rude to him!"
"BOOM!!!!"
A loud explosion silenced their argument. Vaingard raised a hand, halting Úlrey and Lys's quarrel.
"Both of you. Stop fighting."
"Lys, he's right. I am at fault for what happened to the human."
"Angga, I apologize for what happened to you. I should have… cast that spell first."
Vaingard's apology, despite his impassive expression, felt genuine. He seemed truly remorseful.
"I'm sorry for testing you without your knowledge."
Still unsteady in Úlrey's lap, Angga said, "It's alright, Sir Vaingard."
"It seems I should be able to survive in this world."
Seeing Angga's apparent acceptance of his fate, Vaingard smiled at the three of them, their newfound camaraderie evident despite having known each other for only a day.
"Alright, perhaps it's time for a rest."
After instructing them to rest, Vaingard cast another spell.
"STARS THAT MOVE IN THEIR ORBITS,"
"HOLY WATER, SOURCE OF LIFE,"
"PROTECTIVE BOX."
As the spell was cast, magic appeared around them, slowly forming a dome-like box, and the surrounding fog retreated.
"Eat the supplies we brought; we'll probably camp here."
"I'll go ahead. Don't leave the box before I return."
After giving his instructions, Vaingard left again, probably to gather firewood, as dusk was approaching.
Once Vaingard was gone, Úlrey, curious, asked Lys,
"Lys, did Vaingard teach you magic?"
"Yes, he taught me magic. Though, I should say again, don't call him by his name casually. It's disrespectful."
"Heh… He's not as impressive as he seems. Why?"
"I have to call him 'Sir.' It's a bother."
Lys's face flushed slightly with annoyance at Úlrey's bluntness.
While watching their childish bickering, Angga's thoughts drifted again—was there truly a way home, or was this forested world now his prison? He thought to himself.
"This world is too dangerous; I almost died."
"Mom, Dad… Will I—survive?"
Angga glanced at Úlrey and Lys, still bickering. He smiled slightly, feeling he might survive after all, seeing people he could trust, even though their ages weren't vastly different. He was still the oldest of the three.
Angga finally stood, approaching Úlrey and Lys.
"Hey, stop Quarrel."
"What do you mean, Angga? He's being disrespectful to his elder," Lys pointed at Úlrey.
"What's disrespectful? He's old, isn't he?"
"It's not wrong to call him 'Old Man.'"
Lys narrowed her eyes, her tone sharpening. "Respect matters. Even if you don't care, I do."
Angga tried to lighten the mood with a joke.
"Come on, you two—act your age. This isn't a playground."
"Hey! I'm not a kid anymore, I'm eighteen."
"He's the kid," Lys's finger pointed at Úlrey again.
"Huh? Me? Even though I'm fifteen…"
"My mind's more mature than both of yours!"
Not only Lys, but Angga, who had initially tried to diffuse the situation, became annoyed by Úlrey's words.
"(Why am I getting dragged into this?!)"
Vaingard, watching from afar, smiled at their growing closeness.
He approached them, leading a deer carrying firewood.
"Hey, you three, stop fighting. We'll be having dinner soon."
"Ah, Sir Vaingard, welcome back." Lys stood and bowed slightly to Vaingard.
"You don't have to do that, Lys."
"No, this is proper."
Vaingard unloaded the wood from the deer's back, assisted by Úlrey, Angga, and Lys.
Once the wood was stacked, Vaingard instructed Lys to approach him and ordered Úlrey and Angga to butcher the deer for cooking.
Angga, slightly confused, said to Vaingard, "Sir, how do we butcher it? Two people aren't enough; the deer might get angry."
"Relax, I've calmed the deer, it won't fight back."
At the same time, Vaingard instructed Lys to start a fire.
"Lys, start a fire with these twigs, using a silent spell."
"Consider this a make-up for your delayed training."
"Yes, Sir Vaingard."
As Lys attempted to conjure fire, a red light emanated from her body, visible to Úlrey and Angga, who were skinning the deer.
Úlrey was captivated by Lys's magic.
Angga, equally mesmerized, noticed Úlrey quietly muttering something as he watched the red light swirl around Lys.
"Úlrey, do you want to use magic too?"
Úlrey immediately responded to Angga's question.
"No, I don't want to use magic. But… her face is quite pretty."
Realizing her slip, Úlrey quickly retracted her words. "Ah, no! That's not what I meant! You misunderstood!"
Angga, seeing Úlrey's innocent demeanor, laughed at her blushing embarrassment.
"Ahahahaha, it's okay, I admit Lys is very pretty. You weren't wrong, Úlrey."
"Hey, that doesn't mean I like her, Angga!"
"Ahahaha, yes, yes, let's finish this first; the fire seems to be starting."
Meanwhile, Lys continued her silent spellcasting. "Control your Arkana energy, don't overdo it," Vaingard instructed Lys, who was still struggling.
"Crack…crack…"
"Hiss…"
"Sir, I did it."
"Yes, keep practicing silent spells, Lys. You're showing progress."
"THANK YOU, SIR." She bowed slightly to Vaingard as she spoke.
"Sir Vaingard!"
"The deer's butchered, what about the rest of the meat?!" Angga shouted to Vaingard, who was near the fire.
"Put it there, save it for supplies on the journey."