Chapter 13: Into the Elf Forest

When I opened my eyes in the morning, as expected, the wild strawberry flowers were in full bloom.  

The sight of the vibrant flowers was nothing short of spectacular.  

Suddenly, I recalled Baski’s sparkling eyes as he gazed at the Floating Island.  

I sent him off with some convincing yesterday, so there shouldn’t be any problems… right?  

“Sweet honey. Delicious honey.” 

Elenia hummed a tune as she flitted from flower to flower.  

Meanwhile, I tended to the fields, waiting for the fruits to ripen.  

Pumpkins, eggplants, radishes, corn, chili peppers, and more. 

The seeds I’d planted before were growing steadily, making the fields even lusher.  

I planned to supply most of them to the inn and eat the rest myself.  

Gurgle.  

“Getting a bit hungry.”  

For breakfast today, I decided to make vegetable soup.  

Chop, chop, chop.

I washed carrots, onions, and Potatoes, roughly chopped them, and tossed them into a pot. 

Then I added milk, seasoned it with salt, and let it simmer. 

A sort of upgraded Potato soup, you could say.  

“Is it ready?”  

Elenia had already grabbed her bowl before I even called her.  

“You’re still hungry after all that honey?”  

“The stomach for honey and the stomach for meals are separate.”  

It was astonishing how much food could fit into that tiny frame.  

I ladled out the soup and handed portions to Elenia and Dorori.  

“Your cooking skills improve day by day.”  

“Squawk!”  

Dorori nodded enthusiastically in agreement.  

Seeing my family enjoy the meal so much sparked my enthusiasm for cooking even more.  

I should grow more crops for ingredients. 

Freshly harvested vegetables are so much fresher and tastier than what you buy at the market.  

“Well then, shall I try some too?”  

Slurp.  

With a variety of vegetables, the flavor was even richer. 

The creamy milk blended perfectly with the vegetables’ aroma, sliding smoothly down my throat.  

After a hearty breakfast, I quickly cleaned up. Today was an important day.  

“Finally, the big day.”  

The decisive day to head to the Elf Forest.  

I’d already confirmed the popularity of wild strawberries and, after thorough testing, perfected the vitality drink and jam.  

I carefully harvested and selected wild strawberries, placing them in a wide basket. 

Since wild strawberries bruise easily with even a little pressure, I handled them with care.  

I also packed some vitality drinks and jam.  

Soon after, with a basket full of goods, I prepared to head to the Elf Forest.  

“I’m a bit nervous, aren’t I?” 

Thump, thump.  

My heart was a mix of excitement and anxiety, refusing to settle.  

With the basket in one hand, I climbed onto Dorori’s soft back.  

“Ready? Let’s go.”  

“Wait! I have something to say before you leave.”

Elenia hurriedly stopped me.  

“Huh? What is it?”  

“When you meet the elves, don’t act recklessly. Tell them you’re here to see the elf chieftain.”  

“The elf chieftain?”  

“Yes. Her name is Sharin. While you’re there, pass along my regards.”  

“Wait, hold on. You know the elf chieftain? Why didn’t you mention this earlier?”  

“I was too busy back then. Anyway, now’s not the time to argue about it. Be careful and come back safely.”  

“Oh, right. Dorori, let’s go!”  

“Squawk!”  

Dorori let out a vigorous cry and took off.  

***

The Elf Forest was as lush and verdant as ever. 

Landing in the forest with Dorori, I stayed on guard.  

“Dorori, stay close to me, okay?”  

“Squawk!”  

I felt bad for Dorori, but I needed a shield. 

With Dorori by my side, the elves wouldn’t dare shoot arrows recklessly.  

Rustle.  

Flinch.  

“What was that?”  

On edge, I jumped at the sound of shaking trees, instantly alert.  

That incident from before had left me with some mental trauma. 

This wasn’t because I’m a coward, absolutely not.  

Anyone would feel fear in the face of death.  

“Ugh, it’s all because of that elf!”  

“That elf? Are you talking about me?” 

Flinch.  

A voice suddenly came from behind, startling me so much I nearly had a heart attack.  

“That scared me! I thought my heart was going to drop!”  

“I had my doubts, but it’s you again?”  

Regaining my composure, I saw it was the elf girl who had pointed an arrow at me last time.  

They say you meet your enemies on a narrow bridge, and this was exactly that moment.  

“What? Gonna point an arrow at me again?” 

I couldn’t back down, so I stood tall, though I subtly hid behind Dorori just in case.  

You never know what this fierce elf might do.  

She’s got a track record, after all. 

No room for letting my guard down.  

“Why are you back? I clearly warned you not to return.”  

She gripped an arrow tightly.  

But perhaps hesitant to aim at Dorori, she didn’t nock it on her bow.  

“Like I said last time, I’m not here to steal herbs. Can you listen to me fully before jumping to conclusions?”  

The elf girl furrowed her brow.  

Her sharp expression remained, but for some reason, she seemed willing to talk this time.  

“I’ll say it again, I’m not a thief. I’m just here to trade.” 

This time, she narrowed her eyes, looking skeptical.  

“Still don’t believe me? Last time you treated me like a thief, and now you’re treating me like a liar?”  

“Hmph!”  

The elf girl snorted, as if I’d hit a nerve.  

“If you don’t believe me, look at this!”  

I pointed to the basket Dorori was carrying.  

“I brought crops I grew myself!”  

“…Crops?”  

“Yes! I’m a farmer. I’m here to trade with the crops I grew, not to steal.”  

I emphasized my point, letting out some of my pent-up frustration.  

“Trade? Why?”  

“There’s something I need from the Elf Forest.” 

Her piercing gaze softened slightly. 

She seemed to stop treating me like a thief.  

But now she was treating me like an unwelcome guest.  

“We don’t need your crops, so just go back.”  

“Why do you get to decide that? Other elves might feel differently.”  

The elf girl snorted again.  

“Hmph. You think elves would bat an eye at crops grown by a mere human?”  

“Mere human?”

Tremble. 

My blood boiled with frustration.  

My lips twitched, itching to launch into a long explanation, but now wasn’t the time to waste on arguments.  

Besides, I remembered what Elenia had told me before I left.  

“Ahem. Anyway, I’m not here to bicker with you. I’m here to meet Chieftain Sharin.”  

“What?”  

The elf girl’s eyes widened in shock.  

“How do you know the chieftain’s name?”  

“Because the fairy who sent me here told me.”  

“A fairy?”

Her eyes grew even wider, almost comically so.  

Seizing the moment, I pressed on confidently.  

“That’s right. My friend Elenia told me.”  

“You! How do you know Elenia?”  

“Because I’m managing the Floating Island. Anyway, can you take me to Chieftain Sharin now?”  

“Are you ignoring me right now?”  

My head throbbed.  

Elves really are an uncivilized race, impossible to reason with.  

They don’t even bother listening to other races, so caught up in their own world.  

If she’s going to keep acting like this…  

In times like these, I had no choice but to emphasize my connection to the chieftain to make it clear I was an important guest.  

“Oh, by the way, Elenia told me to pass along her regards.”  

Her eyes wavered, lost and uncertain. She must be conflicted.  

“I’m an official guest of Chieftain Sharin! Is this how you treat a guest?”  

“Ugh.”  

The elf girl let out a groan, clearly flustered.  

Her wandering gaze finally settled, and her expression softened.  

“…You’re Elenia’s messenger. Follow me. I’ll take you to Chieftain Sharin.”  

Heh.  

That’s more like it. 

A smirk tugged at my lips. 

The frustration from all the mistreatment finally felt like it was easing.  

Feeling triumphant, I climbed onto Dorori’s back.  

“Dorori, make sure to follow that elf closely so we don’t get lost. Got it?”  

“HH!!”  

I gently patted Dorori’s neck.  

The elf girl’s gaze shifted between me and Dorori.  

“You… can talk to animals?”  

“Yeah. Don’t elves do that too?”

She raised an eyebrow again.  

At first, she seemed surprised, but now her expression turned oddly ambiguous.  

Is it really that surprising for a human to communicate with animals?  

Her gaze seemed to shift slightly, though I couldn’t quite pin down what it meant.  

Well, whatever.  

My heart was pounding with excitement at the thought of entering the Elf Forest.  

Hop, hop.  

She darted nimbly between tree branches.  

I clung to Dorori’s back, following her. 

The vast forest made it easy to get lost.  

“Is this the right way?”  

No response came from the elf girl. 

The deeper we went, the denser the trees became, blocking out the sun entirely.  

As a result, Dorori had to perform acrobatic maneuvers to navigate the tight spaces.  

The shadowy forest felt almost eerie.  

“Where exactly is the elf village?”  

Just as anxiety and doubt crept in—  

“Huh…?”

A ray of light suddenly filtered through the leaves. 

My brow furrowed at the dazzling brightness, like emerging from a long tunnel.  

As my eyes adjusted to the light, the elf village finally came into view.  

“This is… the elf village?”

The elf village was mystical.  

A colossal tree, likely hundreds or even thousands of years old, stood proudly at the center, its countless branches stretching out like a canopy over the village.  

The sunlight filtering through the branches cast a divine glow.  

Vines intertwined, forming stepping-stone bridges between trees, and mushrooms scattered here and there emitted a faint glow, adding to the otherworldly atmosphere.  

It felt like a fantastical world that shouldn’t exist.  

To think the elf village was hidden in a place like this. 

Thump, thump. 

My heart raced.  

“This way.”  

“Uh… huh? Oh.”  

Lost in awe, I snapped out of it at the elf girl’s call and followed her.  

Whiff.  

As we approached the village entrance, a fragrant floral scent wafted over. 

The air itself felt fresh and invigorating.  

“Stop right there!”  

A male elf guarding the entrance stepped forward to block us.  

“How did a human get into the village? Mary, did you bring him?”  

Mary—so that’s this elf’s name.  

The elf girl responded.  

“This person is Elenia’s messenger. He’s here to see the chieftain.”  

“A messenger? A human?”  

The male elf eyed me skeptically, scanning me up and down.  

“Squawk?”  

But when he saw Dorori’s adorable face, his expression softened.  

I’d heard elves were all animal lovers.  

“Chirp?”  

Dorori seemed to know it too, putting on an even cuter expression—or maybe that’s just my imagination?