Luca was finally walking down the quiet forest pathway, the moonlight filtering through the canopy above, painting streaks of silver across the moss and roots beneath.
After the chaos of the day it was finally peaceful and he wanted nothing more than to find that sa old tree he had slept under the previous night.
"Maybe I should try a different tree tonight." He thought aloud, amused. "Sample them all. See if they feel different, so comfier, so with better views..."
But just as he reached the clearing, a voice suddenly called out behind him.
"Hero! Hero, where are you going?"
He turned around, blinking in surprise, and saw two elves running toward him—one with chestnut-brown hair that swayed like silk, the other with bright reddish locks tied loosely behind her back.
The one with brown hair—Alia reached him first, slightly out of breath.
"It’s so late—where are you headed all by yourself?"
"Just looking for a spot to sleep." Luca shrugged casually. "Thought I’d go back to the tree I used last night. Though...maybe I should test out a few others. See if they all feel different."
"Tree shopping, you know?"
He grinned playfully. But they didn’t laugh as he expected and instead the red-haired elf—Selma shook her head vigorously.
"No, Hero—no! There’s no way we can let you do that!.You’re not just so guest anymore. You’re one of us."
"Yeah! Exactly!" Selma chid in excitedly. "And that’s why we’ve prepared a proper ho for you—a real tree-house. The nicest one we have. It’s got everything!"
Luca blinked, surprised.
"Really? That’s...incredibly kind, but not necessary. I’m totally fine sleeping outside. Nature’s my bed half the ti anyway."
But they weren’t listening as both elves grabbed one of his arms each and began tugging him in the opposite direction.
"No way!" Selma insisted. "We’re not letting the Hero sleep under a tree like so wanderer!"
"And it’s not like we kicked anyone out out of there ho to accommodate you." Alia added quickly. "We have a guest house ready for visitors—it’s the best one in the village."
"Amazing view over everything. Fully furnished, all the anities. We even cleaned it top to bottom and stocked it with supplies."
"Luna told us you really like certain fruits—so we made sure to add plenty of those!" Alia bounced on her toes.
Luca laughed, trying to resist.
"You guys are too much. I really don’t mind—"
But they weren’t listening.
They pulled him toward the heart of the village and went up a wide spiral staircase that wound around one of the largest central trees.
Higher and higher they climbed, until they reached a broad platform high above the forest floor.
There, nestled against the massive trunk, stood a beautiful wooden house.
It wasn’t huge, but it was elegant—smooth timber, carved details along the eaves, wide windows looking out over the moonlit village.
The platform itself offered a breathtaking panoramic view: twinkling lanterns below, the canopy spreading like a dark sea, distant mountains silvered by moonlight.
It was clearly the finest ho in the village.
Luca whistled softly.
"Wow...you really gave the best spot."
He then turned to thank them—but paused when he saw sothing that he wasn’t expecting to see.
Right in front of the main wooden door, on the platform, lay a woven mat.
Simple, but carefully made.
And across it, in neat, embroidered script.
"WELCO HO""
Luca blinked in surprise. His lips parted in disbelief, and then he laughed softly.
"No way..."
He knelt down, touching the mat lightly.
"You even have doormats like this here? With ’welco ho’ written on them?"
He chuckled. "It’s actually quite funny. I was just talking about this with Luna earlier today. She asked what hos were like in my world, and I ntioned these mats..."
He looked at them curiously before saying,
"But I thought she said you didn’t have them here."
The two elves glanced at each other, blushing.
Then Selma scratched her cheek nervously.
"Well...she wasn’t wrong. We don’t usually have things like this."
Alia fidgeted, twisting the hem of her skirt shyly before finally saying,
"Actually...we, um...might have been eavesdropping a little on your conversation with Luna earlier."
Luca blinked, then chuckled. "You what?"
She nodded quickly, her face pink.
"We were just curious! We heard you ntion your world and we wanted to know what it was like. And when we were assigned to prepare your ho, we decided to make a doormat that you talked about for you ourselves."
"That way, even though you’re in our village...it’ll still feel like you’re ho."
Her voice trembled at the end, as if she was nervous he’d hate it.
"We didn’t really know what it was supposed to look like, so we just made it based on what we imagined."
Selma elf added timidly.
"But...we really hope you like it, Hero."
Luca stood there for a mont, genuinely speechless. Then he smiled—a warm, bright smile.
"Like it?" He said softly. "What are you talking about? I don’t just like it—I love it."
Before they could react, he stepped forward and pulled both of them into a spontaneous hug.
The two girls squeaked in surprise, their faces burning bright red as he laughed gently.
"Thank you." He said sincerely, pulling back just enough to look them in the eyes. "You didn’t have to do sothing like this. But you still did. And now..." He smiled softly. "Now I truly do feel at ho."
The two elves exchanged shy, flustered smiles, their hearts pounding in their chests.
Luca looked toward the door, then back at them.
"Anyway, do you want to co inside?" He asked. "There’s probably not much—just so fruit you brought—but I can cut so up for us to share."
Selma’s eyes lit up imdiately.
"R-Really? You’d let us in?" She asked, her excitent impossible to hide.
But before she could take a step forward, Alia quickly grabbed her arm, her face burning for so reason even though he only invited her in.
"N-No, Hero!" She said hastily. "It’s already late! We should head ho now. Our mothers will be waiting!"
Selma blinked, confused. "Wait, what? But—"
"Good night, Hero!" Alia interrupted quickly, bowing deeply before dragging her flustered friend away. "Rest well!"
And just like that, they disappeared down the stairs, leaving Luca standing on the porch, blinking.
He chuckled quietly, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe they’re scared of ." He muttered to himself, smiling faintly before stepping inside.
anwhile, down below, the two elves were rushing down the stairway, their faces flushed and their steps quick.
"What were you doing, Alia?!" Selma hissed, glaring at her friend. "We had the perfect opportunity! The Hero himself invited us inside!"
"Be quiet, Selma!" Alia snapped, her face still red as she rubbed her cheeks.
"We could’ve—ugh—you know! Bonded with him!"
Selma groaned in frustration."
"Got closer! Maybe even...done sothing naughty!"
She whispered, her eyes gleaming mischievously before glaring at Alia.
"And you just ran off like a scared rabbit!"
"Even if everything went perfectly, it’s still embarrassing!" Alia covered her face, mortified. "We just t him! We barely even spoke to him, and you already want to do that?!"
Selma pouted dramatically.
"If you keep acting like that, the other girls in the village will steal him away! Everyone’s eyeing him, Alia! We young ones will get left behind if we keep letting chances like this slip!"
Alia groaned. "Ugh...you’re shaless, Selma."
"Mark my words!" Selma grumbled as they reached the forest floor. "If soone else wins him over, I’ll never forgive you!"
"Let’s just go ho, Selma." Alia just sighed, shaking her head. "We’ll...try again another ti. He’s tired anyway."
"Fine." Selma muttered, crossing her arms with a huff. "But next ti, I’m not leaving till he falls for ."
—
After checking out the house and being extrely satisfied with it—cozy cushioned chairs by the window, a spacious room with a proper bed piled high with soft pillows, a sturdy study table, a small but functional kitchen corner, even a private bathroom with buckets of spring water—Luca stepped back out onto the wide platform.
The village below was mostly asleep now, deep into the night.
A few lanterns still glowed faintly, the only sounds were the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze...and, sowhere below, the unmistakable rumble of soone snoring loudly enough to echo through the trees.
Luca couldn’t help but chuckle.
"Soone had a good night."
He was about to turn himself in for the night—when he heard light footsteps climbing the spiral stairs.
They were slow, yet graceful. A faint rustle of fabric followed.
Without even looking, Luca smiled to himself.
"What are you doing here, Nyx?" He said casually. "It’s already late. You should be in bed."
A soft, amused voice answered from behind him.
"How did you get so easily, Hero?"
Nyx stepped gracefully onto the platform, her long dark hair catching the moonlight, her blue eyes glinting with mischief.
"You didn’t even look once, and you knew it was ." She said, crossing her arms with mock suspicion. "Don’t tell humans from your world have eyes on the back of their heads as well?"
"Because if that’s the case, I’m not sure if I should be impressed or terrified. Quite frankly, it sounds a little creepy."
Luca chuckled and turned fully toward her, leaning lazily against the railing.
"No extra eyes, I promise. Just the usual two, sa as you."
She raised a brow. "Then how did you know?"
"It’s the way you walk." He said simply. "I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s...recognisable. The way you place your feet, it’s almost too perfect."
"Graceful, asured. Like you’re dancing even when you’re just walking. It’s...hard not to notice."
Nyx blinked, montarily surprised by the unusual complint before giving a sly smile.
"Well, I’ll take that as praise, even if it’s a strange one."
She moved closer, her tone playful as she leaned slightly toward him.
"But you know, I can say the sa about you, Hero."
"Oh?" He asked, intrigued.
She tilted her head slightly, eting his gaze with that playful look of hers.
"Even without seeing you, I know when you’re nearby."
"And how’s that? Don’t tell I stink or sothing."
Nyx laughed softly.
"Not at all. You have a very pleasant sll, actually."
"And it’s actually much more...simpler." She said as she eyed him up before saying, "Whenever I’m walking around and suddenly see the elves blushing, stuttering, and looking like lost maidens—then I know you’re sowhere nearby."
Luca blinked, surprised, before bursting out laughing. "Wait, what?"
"It’s true." She smirked, clearly enjoying herself. "You have this...effect on people. Especially the won here. The mont you start talking to them, they turn into shy little girls—twirling their hair, biting their lips, fidgeting like nervous teenagers."
"Even the elders—won who’ve seen two hundred years co and go—suddenly start acting like innocent virgins again."
He laughed quietly, shaking his head. "You’re exaggerating."
"Oh, am I?" She smiled knowingly, stepping closer again. "Because I just saw two young elves run down the stairs a few seconds ago—faces red, hearts pounding, like they’d just escaped sothing scandalous."
"I assu you had sothing to do with that."
"Ah...maybe." Luca gave a guilty grin. "But not in the way you think."
"Oh?" She asked, clearly amused. "Then tell , Hero. Answer this question that I’ve had in my mind for a while now."
"Are you actually...so kind of womanizer back in your world?"
"A playboy? Or perhaps a Casanova?"
Her tone was teasing but her gaze sharp, glimring with curiosity.
"Because the way you talk, the nice things you say, the way every girl here seems to lt in your presence—it almost feels intentional. Like you enjoy making their hearts race."
She folded her arms. "So tell . Is that part of your mission too? To not only save this world, but to make every woman in it fall for you?"
Luca gave her a long, thoughtful look, his expression unreadable. For a mont, he said nothing.
Then he exhaled softly, resting his elbows on the railing.
"...No." He said quietly.
Nyx blinked in surprise. "No?"
He shook his head, his tone calm and sincere.
"It’s not like that at all. I’m not trying to make anyone swoon over or fall in love."
"I just...like making people happy."
"...Happy?"
"Yeah." Luca said with a small smile. "When I talk to people, I want them to smile. To feel lighter. To feel like they matter. That’s all. So the way I speak, the things I say—they’re ant to make them laugh, or relax, or feel good about themselves."
"I guess that’s just my way of talking."
He looked out toward the glowing forest below.
"It’s not flirting. It’s empathy. If I were surrounded by n instead, I’d probably talk to them the sa way. Make them laugh, make them comfortable. But..." He chuckled softly. "...unfortunately, every guy here either hates or avoids like the plague."
"So, I guess all you ever see is talking to the won."
Nyx blinked again, then laughed softly, clearly taken off guard by his honesty.
"So that’s all it is? No secret plan to seduce every elf in the village?"
Luca smiled. "Nope. Sorry to disappoint."
She looked at him for a long mont, her smile softening into sothing more genuine.
"Wow." She murmured. "So all that empathy, all that warmth you show—it’s not an act. Then I can only imagine how dangerous you’d be if you actually tried."
He raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous?"
"Oh yes." She smirked, leaning a little closer, her tone dropping to a teasing whisper. "If this is how you are without trying, then if you did put in the effort—you’d probably make won fall for you left and right."
"One smile, one word, and they’d be gone."
She reached out and lightly tapped his chest.
"You’re a dangerous man, Hero."
Her voice dropped, velvet and teasing.
"Not just because you could wipe out armies if you wanted...but because you could steal a woman’s heart without even aning to."
She held his gaze, smile slow and knowing.
"And that...is far more dangerous."
—
More illustrations in the comnt section!
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