"H-Hu—man…!" She whispered, her face draining of color.
And then, without warning, she fainted, collapsing back against the bench.
"..."
I was speechless for a mont.
"...Really?" I muttered, staring down at her unconscious form, unsure whether to laugh or groan at the situation.
Well, this was the Teraquin Kingdom, after all. It wasn't surprising to encounter soone like her who harbored a deep-seated dislike for humans. She probably assud I was an elf since I'd kept my face hidden until now. The question now was, should I just leave her here? What if those guys ca back?
I glanced at her unconscious form, then sighed and sat down a short distance away. "I really am too good of a guy."
[]
Shaddap.
…
…
Ten long minutes passed before her eyes finally fluttered open. Did I really look that terrible? Bad enough to make her pass out for a full ten minutes? She blinked a few tis, looking straight ahead. When she realized no one else was around, she sighed in relief.
"Had good dreams?" I asked lightly.
"...!" The girl froze. She turned her head slowly to the left, saw , and flinched in fear all over again.
"Don't pass out again!" I quickly spoke up.
"Hyaa!" But she cried out, covering her ears as if to shield herself from the very sound of my voice.
Seeing her genuine terror, I let out a long sigh. "My bad, but I did save you, you know?" I said, trying to soften my tone.
She peered at timidly from behind her hands, which still clutched her ears, before quickly looking away, her gaze fixed on the ground. Her fists trembled as she clenched them tightly in her lap.
"Do you have a safe place to go?" I asked, hoping to get so kind of response.
She remained silent, still trembling.
"At least tell if there's soone you trust, soone I can bring here or take you to," I continued, sighing again when she didn't respond.
No answer. Just more trembling.
I stood up, frustration creeping into my voice. "Fine. Ask an elf for help then," I scoffed, unable to hide my annoyance.
"W–Wait…" She whispered, her voice shaky as she reached out with a trembling hand.
I turned back to face her, and she imdiately averted her eyes from mine.
"I–I know, um…soone…" She finally managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Do you know where they are?" I asked.
She nodded ekly.
"Do you want to take you there, or would you rather find an elf to help you?" I pressed, aware of her apparent fear of humans.
She shook her head.
"What does that an? Do you need to help you or not?" I asked, pushing her for a clearer answer.
"Um…" She nodded again.
"Say it, then," I urged, managing a wry smile as I took a step closer. But then I paused. "Erm… I'll need to lift you again."
"…!"
Seeing her freeze, I quickly backtracked. "You know what? Forget about it. Just tell where this person is, and I'll go get them for you," I offered, realizing this was becoming more of a hassle than I anticipated. I needed to get back to Jas Raven before he started wondering where I had wandered off to.
If he already hadn't.
"N-No…" She stamred, her voice barely a whisper as she shook her head, reaching out with trembling arms. The vulnerability in her gesture struck a chord deep within . What is this feeling? She's too cute, almost unbearably so. Her innocence and fragility are stirring sothing within , sothing that tugs at my manly instincts.
To mask my growing emotions, I hastily adjusted the clothes around my face, hoping it would also provide her with so comfort. With a gentle touch, I lifted her into my arms, careful not to startle her. She imdiately wrapped her small arms around my neck, her grip tight yet delicate, and then, as if surrendering completely, she closed her eyes.
"Now, lead ," I said.
…
We must have made a strange pair. I was still cloaked in suspicion, but as we walked through the bustling streets, the girl in my arms cheerfully pointed the way, directing with a quiet confidence. Though people gave us curious glances, no one dared to voice their thoughts aloud. Each ti I caught her stealing a glance at , she quickly averted her eyes, as if caught in the act.
"Here?" I asked, my voice tinged with confusion as I stopped in my tracks. We had arrived back at the crowded marketplace, surrounded by vibrant stands and lively shows. The sheer number of people milling about made it seem impossible to find anyone here. How on earth am I supposed to find soone in this chaos?
I looked down at her, searching for any sign of direction. She rely pointed ahead, urging to continue. I followed her lead, weaving through the crowd until we finally ca to a stop.
"Where?" I asked again.
She glanced around, her eyes scanning the area. Was the person we were looking for still not here? What should I do now? Was I supposed to just wait?
As I pondered our next move, I noticed her gaze lingering on sothing nearby. Following her line of sight, I saw the archery stand we had passed earlier. But it wasn't the stand itself that held her attention—it was the bear plush hanging as a prize. Her longing was visible in her eyes. "..."
Those damn instincts!
"Oi. Old man," I called out, stepping in front of the elf man running the stand—the sa one I had ignored earlier.
"Hah?" He answered gruffly, his eyes narrowing as he glanced down at the girl in my arms.
I gently set her down on a nearby chair before turning back to the elf. "Give a bow," I ordered.
The elf scoffed, his disdain clear. "Hmpf. A re human thinks he can accomplish sothing?" Despite his words, he handed the bow and three arrows.
Three chances. That's all I had. I tossed twenty Eden Coins his way—far more than the ga was worth—and took my position. My eyes locked onto the target in front of the bear plush. It was one of the hardest to hit, but I trusted my abilities.
With a deep breath, I drew the bowstring back and released the arrow. It sliced through the air—only to thud against the wall behind the target.
"A sha, young man," the stand owner snickered, a mocking grin on his face.
"Oh…" The elf girl lowered her head.
What kind of trick was this? Was there sothing wrong with the bow or the arrows? I refused to believe I had simply missed. I nocked another arrow and, with a determined focus, aid directly at the stand owner.
"Oi?!" he yelped, his bravado crumbling as he found himself at the other end of my bow. The arrow flew from my grasp, embedding itself in the wall next to him.
"A–Ahaha, quite untalented in archery, aren't you?" He laughed nervously.
Ignoring his feigned bravado, I smirked and prepared my final shot. This ti, I aid for the bear plush but subtly adjusted my aim at the last second. The arrow shifted ever so slightly in flight and struck the target dead center.
"Huh?!" The stand owner was stunned, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
"Now, give that plush or…" I let my words trail off as I nocked another arrow, aiming it into the void, though the implication was clear.
"R–Right away! Congrats!" He stamred, quickly handing the white bear plush. "Aren't you a nice guy after all?" I laughed with a sly grin, passing the plush to the girl. Consider it paynt for the use of her chair.
"T–Thank you…" She whispered, hugging the plush tightly to her chest. Her cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink, adding to the sweetness of her expression.
Maybe Elves aren't really bad people after all?
[]
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