Chapter 27 Away

Wheels. Rolling again and again, on the mud of the ground, following the same path for a long time. And they never stopped. The wheels rolled and rolled again. Time and time again. They didn't do so much as take any second of rest. They only kept rolling, dragging me further away from the new home I had accepted, that of the kind ma'am, towards the home I initially longed for, the monsters' home.

On top of the wheels, there was a chariot. And it wasn't just any chariot. No, it was their chariot. The elves' chariot. Horses, chained onto it, were dragging it forward with their strong legs, without so much as a word of complaint. And anyhow, I was here, rolling down the road alongside the creaky and bumpy carriage, as it repeatedly shook from left to right. The road wasn't so smooth. That changed from any town's many paths. Why? Because we were so far away already. And going still on the messy road filled with holes, the carriage pulled through. Time and time again. Without stopping once. Neither deviating nor straying from its path.

Thus was I, in that carriage, going about my—or rather, the elves' path. However, I wasn't aware of any of that. I was sleeping soundly. The stored spell I was attacked with sent me to sleep really fast, and the effect of the scroll seemed to be lasting quite a long time. It wouldn't take so long before I finally woke up, however. But as long as the vast, green forest would continue to go on stretching to farther grounds, the chariot wouldn't stop.

Aside from the chirping birds and the creaking sounds emanating from the big old boxy chunk of wood, there were no sounds at all.

Aside from that sound, maybe: Ring! ❮ Character's Creation — Continue progressing within the Forest of Benelloan. 0/1 ❯ The zero was changed to a one. ❮ —of Benelloan. 1/1 ❯ And new instructions came up.

❮ Character's Creation — ❯ Without so much as elaborate and explained instructions, I was now tasked to head to a certain old man's house. It was in the woods. Surely, the System said, that old man would help me in my quest. ❮ — 0/1 ❯ Had I been woken up, I sure as hell would have complained about the evident lack of details, reasons, and mechanics of what the System called the Game—but I was still fast asleep, so who cares about that? I underestimated the elves, and so I had been knocked out.

Inside our chariot, the room was too broad or tight. It could fit the two of them on one of the two rusty benches just fine. And there would also be enough room for a third seat in between them if they tried to make someplace. The side they occupied on the carriage gave on the horses. A window was carved by the hideous elf's side. Or more like a hole, really. There wasn't any glass keeping the icy air out. From that squared hole, a cold breeze did hence find its way in, reaching all its way up to me.

Going on, in and out of the chariot, it brushed the elven princess' fragile pale skin here and there, also sometimes climbing down and poking at my nose. It wasn't especially freezing, but it still was quite cold to me. That wind was no good… and yet, it was good. That wind made me sneeze. "Achoo!" And doing so, I came back to the world of the living. Not before I sneezed again a couple of times and not before a thin blanket was laid on my cold body. At some point, finally waking up, I wrinkled my nose and rubbed it. "Achoo— Achoo! …Damn, it's cold in here."

It was at this moment I realized what place I was in, and with what people. The benches. The carriage. The horses. The freaking elves. The forest of Benelloan. In what mess did I get myself involved in, this time? Frowning, as the thin black fell off my shoulders, I got myself in a sitting position, sluggishly rubbing my eyes and yawning. If you guessed that I was pretty relaxed, you would be at least half right.

The kinder elf's eyes met mine. A hesitant smile was put on his bright lips. He did try to utter words, I think, but probably thought not to, ultimately. His lips had parted, but with my glare shot at him, he just dropped his gaze, sorrowful. At least his expression wasn't that of his fellow. Next to him on their minute bench, the hideous elf sat opposite him. He didn't bother to even spare me a glance and only snorted. Well, either way, his face always harbored the same hideous shades of bitterness and anger, so I didn't mind not seeing his turd-like face. Huh? Looking at his hand, the fingers looked perfectly fine, though. Did healers do that? They must have managed to get the wound healed really fast if that was the case.

The kinder elf's gaze was brought up and directed at me. He still didn't talk, though. "So?" I asked. "You don't intend on talking at all, do you? Or are you afraid? Speak up your mind, kinder elf."

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"K-Kinder elf!?"

"Don't yell."

"P-Princess…"

"It's true you must be as lost as I am. ...Aren't you?" He said he was. That's when I remembered something. Before we got into our little thugs' fight, that elf was the one who kept telling me we could talk it all through, and resolve whatever problem it was that I had. Looking longingly out by the window, my mind dwelled for some second on the kind ma'am who most likely waited for me to come to help her and work at her tavern, with the cooking, serving, or whatever was required from me.

It goes without saying that my new group of friends, that was me and the elves, wasn't in Sville anymore. We left the village. Which meant if I wanted to return, I'd have to go all the way back to it. What a pain. Then again, did I want to return? Where are we even supposed to be right anyway? I sighed inwardly. Regardless of where we were, I had more important matters to handle.

"Kinder elf. And you too, hideous elf."

"W-What'd you say, huuuh?!" "P-Princess…"

"Shut it. And you too, stop just calling 'Princess this, Princess that' ceaselessly. Giving me the creeps. Anyway, I have to talk to you guys."

The hideous elf didn't bother being angry for once. He turned to the kinder elf, and asked "What the fuck is that? She's changed, ain't she." "Don't speak to me, scum. I'm sure it's just the stress." As for what I just said to him, the kinder elf solemnly stated that the princess is right. He was sorry for it. He shall chase all the confusion that clouded his mind over away, and be the advisor his princess needs.

When they both listened to me, I nodded at them. Clearing my throat, I began my speech. "So, ahem, it's actually quite simple. …But yeah, then again, I'll admit it isn't that… simple…? Still though, it is quite simple." Nobody understood a word of what I just spat out. "To put it simply then, I'm not the person you take me for."

"—I never even once thought you were a weak, helpless princess, Princess!"

"That's not what I mean… And, huh, what the hell? That isn't cool for the princess."

"I shall apologize, Princess—"