“You're not from here, are you? You're not an elf...” Nia says. Her voice is cute, low and comfortable to hear. She still leans on the stone, although she does not hide behind it.

  Her beauty reminds me of that of Morgana, as if her presence were part of a dream detached from the world and enchanted my senses. Part of me believes that this is the effect of faerie blood, and that this would happen even if she did not have such a beautiful face as she has.

  Unlike the fairy, however, she exudes a humble kind of nobility, as if, despite what little she has, she would still have the education to offer it. It is different from the grandiose aristocracy of Morgana, from its superiority, intimacy, threat, coldness... No. The natural beauty that seems to be shared by those touched by fairies is the only thing they have in common with that woman.

  “I'm human.”

  Or something like that.

  “My name is Sieghart.” Complete, then I lower myself to the edge of the lake, lean on one of the stones and cover myself again with the mantle.

  A few meters to my right, Nia moves and, alternating her gaze between me, also sits with her back to a stone. She joins her two knees to her chest and hugs them, then rests her head on her arms.

  “Sieghart... You didn't get lost in the woods, did you? Lost your way home?”

  “No. I came on purpose.”

  In a way.

  “Hm? That's weird... What would a human want coming to the fairy world? You're not a bum, are you?”

  I spit out a laugh. “No. Where did that come from?”

  “Sorry!” She clasps her hands together. “My brother says I have to be more suspicious.”

  I see why.

  I stifle another laugh. The fact that she doesn't really want to offend me makes it funnier for some reason.

  “The fairy world is the only way I can go if I want to get where I want to go, so I'm going through here.”

  “Ah... But she is dangerous and confusing for foreigners, you should not wander around alone.”

  Eye Manifestation allows me to perceive and interact with magic more accurately. Watching the girl, I can find out that she also has a manifestation, although I don't know which one, exactly.

  Like a normal sorceress, she can't get past my mana suppression. But if that's all it is, what are you doing here?

  “I'm not alone, I have two friends to help me. What about you? What are you doing here?”

  “Oh, yes, but not here. My brother and I are traveling together in search of Vanusia, our hometown. She needs us to defend herself from Hilda's monsters.”

  War? With that mana? Even if you have a Manifestation...

  “...I don't think that's a good idea.”

  “I am strong." She raises her arms as if to show muscles that don't exist. “I can help!”

  “You don't look good at intensification.”

  “Hmpf!” She smiles proudly. “Just know that I don't need it! I have two elements!”

  “...”

  Oh, yeah. This is impressive for normal people. I became desensitized over time. It should be enough to fight some weak monsters if you are careful, especially with company.

  “Great.” I say. “What are they?”

  “Wind and water! I'm an expert at conjuring and decent at intensification, too.”

  “Great. Where I come from, most can barely use a right element. Still, you should be careful. How did they end up here?”

  Nia looks away.

  “Well, we...”

  “Our group has been decimated." A disinterested voice comes from the woods behind the stones. The elf pushes the bushes carefully, his steps are slow and steady.

  He watches me as he approaches Nia, black dark circles contrasting with green eyes even brighter than his sister's. Illuminated by silver, I thought it was just pale, but an elf would not be so normal. Although short brown hair is common, his skin is gray, and his thinness makes him look sickly.

  He wears white-a cloak that looks more like a military uniform, still well preserved from the apparent days of fighting, with green accents. If I had to kick, I would be a healer, but something about him is strange to me.

  The elf speaks in a low but clear voice, then kneels at the edge of the lake to place himself at the same height as us.

  “Good evening, I apologize if I scared you. My Name Is Wander. Our group was really decimated. If you want to know more, I can tell you later, but for now, I need to take my granny sister back to camp and let you take your bath in peace.”

  “Hey!” Nia says.

  I laugh. “It's okay, she didn't bother me.”

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  “Of course not!” She says.

  “Precisely.” Wander says, then shut up for a moment. The elf stares at me with apparent morbid interest. “Are you traveling with your group?”

  “Yes, they are in that clearing back there.”

  He nods. “I get it. Our friend hunted something big, we will probably have leftovers. If you need something or want to end the conversation…” He points up, where the waterfall begins. “Me, my sister and another human set up camp there.”

  “Sure.”

  He smiles. “It's nothing.”

  Wander stands up and signals for Nia to follow him. She does, then turns to me and says goodbye with a nod. I give a single nod in response to her stop swinging her arm in the air and watch the two of them head off into the woods again, probably for some trail that climbs to the top.

  I squeeze my eyes.

  Her brother is no stranger to me. No, let me correct you: I find your strangeness familiar. Although his face is different, he reminds me of myself. Just like her sister, she doesn't have much mana, but she also has a manifestation and is probably more competent than her.

  Speaking of Nia, she's pretty cute-

  I frown. What am I thinking?

  I breathe in and throw myself in the lake. The water is annoyingly cold, but given everything I've been through, a few seconds of hellish adaptation isn't so bad. When I come back to the surface, I wash myself with a fat soap that Morgana gave me. My mind is distracted.

  Voices come up, saying I can't trust them. They whisper that a king does not trust peasants, that he is not distracted from his mission, or even is not carried away by a pretty face.

  You should let them go. There's no way they can trust me, or Hoffstein, much less Morgana. Are on a safe path, there is nothing to be done, and I do not need to approach anyone. I'm fine that way. I never minded being alone.

  And if I'm right and Wander is good at illusions, they might be planning a trap. Yep. It's clear. Even if our mana difference is absurd. Even if I have freed myself from Aldwyn's illusions. Even if it didn't really matter if I fell.

  “…”

  I do not understand. That's the truth. Why would the voices want me to fulfill my role and destroy them? Why would they want me to step away from people and take over my reign?

  “…”

  I know the reason, of course. They want to isolate me from others in order to consume me alone. But like almost everything, there is another reason that I will not say out loud or pay attention to. I will let it hang in the back of my mind along with all the other things I refuse to say and pretend it is part of my role to bear it, when it is simply my will.

  “…”

  You're terrible.

  I know.

  I inhale and get out of the lake, dry myself and put on the robe again.

  Having already had dinner, Hoffstein will not miss me if I disappear for a few minutes to talk. Even if I don't want to get close, I propel myself upwards with pyromancy and reach the other side of the small waterfall. Path until the stone is replaced by grass next to the river that inexplicably has the depth of a ravine. After some time, I find the camp.

  The green grass contrasts with the Orange torches and the cold wind threatens to put out the fire, but it is not enough. Three huts stretch out on the ground: Nia's, arranged and decorated with white stripes and bows; Wander's, with scissors and knives at his side; and a third and final hut, with a spear propped at the entrance.

  Fireflies, lesser spirits and fairies dance and sing around the camp to bother or enchant visitors. As soon as I approach, however, some of them hide, and others pretend not to care about my presence. Its flight becomes unregulated, and the flame, despite the natural enmity, flies into the wind.

  Nia uses a cut log as a bench and sits to the right, Wander to the north, there are two empty benches to the east and south. The girl watches me and nods, forcing me to do the same. Wander stares at me, using a dagger to carve a small wooden sculpture in the shape of a crow.

  At the center of the bonfire, they wait for the fire to warm the boar.

  “Hi!” Nia says.

  “Ah, there you are.” Wander says.

  I sit on the bench to the south and inhale. “This place is strange, but it's quite beautiful, isn't it?” I force some random phrase.

  “Wonderful!”

  “Yes, it is. You must have already talked to Nia, haven't you?”

  “Yes, you two are from Vanusia. Were they born military?”

  He cracks a small smile. “It would be easier if we had. No, we were born peasants, but we managed to evolve until we became soldiers. We didn't plan to stay for long, just so we wouldn't be in a situation like this.”

  “You said your group was decimated, didn't you?”

  Great, asshole. Remind him of that. Don't you want to talk about the state of the bodies, too? Haven't you learned anything?

  “Oh yes. I owe you a better explanation of this.”

  “… You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. These things are difficult.”

  Nia watched him, waiting for her brother's answer before her own.

  “… No problem. If we are going to keep in touch, we better get to know each other right.” Wander said. “Our group had the information that Hilda's influence was waning, so we ventured past the enemy defense line to regain the lost space. We've been able to do that for a while, along with other groups. But one day, monsters stronger than anything we've ever seen appeared. We didn't stand a chance. I… We ran. We need to get back to Vanusia, or we'll die without even helping.”

  “I get it. Sorry.”

  Wander seems to want to say something, almost apathetic, but restrains himself.

  “It must not be that far from here, is it?” I say.

  “A little.” Nia says, “We had to spend days running and hiding. We were met by a rude, foul-mouthed gnome. He showed us the way back. If not for him, Hilda's corruption would have captured us, so despite the rudeness, I am grateful.”

  “I get it. Aren't you afraid that this Hilda will capture you now? Is this path safe?”

  She spits out a laugh. “Of course not, silly, Hilda would not come here to deal with little people like us.” Nia says, then starts rubbing one hand on the other, probably out of anxiety and shyness.

  “And who Is this Hilda?”

  Wander raises an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

  “Yeah, I barely got here, actually. You're the first natives I've spoken to.”

  Wander scratches his chin. “Ah. Where did you say you were from?”

  “From a village in the middle of nowhere, I doubt you know. Men call her Dufae.”

  Nia straightens her back and Wander stares at me.

  “Dufae?” The girl says. “Just like that boy we found!”

  I widen my eyes. “What?”

  “Yes, the human who carries the spear!” She says. “He had said something about two fairies, but I think he was talking about the village, wasn't he?”

  Wander. “Dufae. The place where Aldwyn was defeated. He said he survived a tragedy and ended up getting lost in here. Maybe you know him?”

  Impossible.

  “… I was the only one to go back to the forest after what happened. Who else could have gotten here?” I say to myself and stand up, facing the tent.

  Is the veil still broken? Come again? I'm pretty sure it would stabilise after destroying Aldwyn. Does that have anything to do with Hilda? Is she attacking Dufae?

  No. Dufae was destroyed. Hoffstein said he moved the rest of the population to Fliori before meeting me. Does that mean Hilda attacked Fliori?

  Step by step, I walk to the hut. My heart beats stronger with every step. One, two, three.

  “Who…?”

  I frown and channel. Iron-solid black aura erupts from my skin and defends me from the sword trying to decapitate me. I retreat with intensification, but the figure does not stop.

  He picks up the spear and attacks, a volley of lunges is redirected by the shields just enough not to hit my vital organs. Cuts and punctures grow through my arms over the next few seconds, until I grit my teeth and explode to the opposite side.

  Fire spreads through the camp, the figure is forced to retreat so as not to be hit by the eruption. The ground shakes, flames roar, I fly through the air before landing and breathing.

  Wander puts Nia behind him and watches the two combatants, his eyes wide in fear.

  In front of me, black hair flies and glistens in the moonlight. He turns the spear and fixes his stance, staring at me blankly with brown eyes and a scruffy beard. I never paid attention to the details of ordinary people, but I remember him.

  “Cloud.”