Time passed slowly. The pain in my head had begun to subside little by little. It was no longer as intense as before, and my consciousness slowly returned. Against the backdrop of a starlit night, the leaves moved swiftly, as if falling from a waterfall. The surface beneath me shifted violently at intervals.
I looked around. Dozens of wooden crates and baskets were neatly stacked. Only one crate near me was smashed open, spilling its contents across the floor.
There was no mistake. I was still in the cargo hold where I had fallen.
As I tried to sit up, the pain returned. Instinctively, my hand reached up to my head, and the pain gradually ebbed away. I sat up in one corner. The walls of this cargo hold were high, so even when standing, I couldn't see the driver. The open roof let in the cold night air, making me shiver with the cold. I pulled a cloth from atop a nearby basket and wrapped it around my body to keep warm.
I observed myself closely once more. Aside from confirming that all parts of my body were still intact, I found that my short bow had snapped—likely crushed under my body when I fell. A few arrows remained, but there were only a handful left, barely enough to count on one hand.
I lifted my head. I didn't know where I was headed. All I could do was wait for the cart to stop. I couldn't jump off while the cart was still moving fast, or I would likely be injured severely. I lowered my gaze to the wooden floor, sinking into a sea of memories. The last time I remembered, Dimas had been trying to chase after the cart. What was he doing now? Was he still pursuing me?
But that seemed impossible. Only a madman would attempt such a thing. It was hard to believe that he would go so far to trouble himself. He was the type of person who lived simply. I recalled a time not long ago when he tried to lure a forest tiger with the remains of his dinner, hoping that luck would bring the beast into his trap. I swore, that was the most foolish thing I had ever seen.
It was just like him. Always making things easy, never thinking things through. Most likely, by now, he had returned to the base, thinking I would make my way back on my own. Yet deep in my heart, for some reason, I hoped it was his overbearing worry that would arise now.
Truth be told, I was afraid.
I wanted to be saved by him now.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Time passed again as I drifted into a deep sleep. The cart had come to a complete stop. I rubbed my eyes and blinked repeatedly. Looking up, I saw the morning light had arrived. Sunlight gently touched my face, caressing it with warmth, as if bestowing strength upon me.
Soon after, I heard voices outside the cart.
"Hey! Don't fall, you fool!"
"Sorry, Boss!"
The noise of a bustling crowd grew louder, followed by the sound of footsteps, the clinking of metal, and the rustling of items from other crates, likely nearby. The atmosphere of the forest had turned busy.
"Hurry! Unload your cargo and load it onto the Long-Ear carts, or we won't be paid!"
The words from what seemed to be their leader made me shudder. Elvians? Wait, wait, wait! If I'm not mistaken, Dimas mentioned they were traders from Sigrotia Iuna in the North. Did they sneak into the Kingdom of Lurivia to trade with the Elvians?
While I pondered, the sound of approaching footsteps startled me. I immediately stood up, my instincts urging me to hide. Quickly, I shoved my broken bow into the corner of the cargo hold. I also returned the cloth I had used as a blanket to a wooden basket to cover it.
This cargo hold didn't have much space to hide a large body like mine. If someone came in, it would be over. My eyes darted around. There was a large wooden barrel that looked sturdy. Without thinking, I opened the lid of the barrel and climbed inside. Unfortunately, the barrel was filled with some kind of wet pickled vegetables. As a result, my entire body became soaked and covered in the sour smell of fermented liquid.
"Damn! Why am I so unlucky?" I cursed in my mind. If only the situation were better, I would have been furious.
As the footsteps reached the outside of the cart, I quickly closed the lid of the barrel. It was tightly sealed, and I couldn't see anything from inside. It was pitch dark, but I was grateful for the two small air holes that allowed me to breathe and hear.
"Oh my! Why is my cargo in such disarray?" yelled one of the traders. From the deep tone of his voice, he seemed to be a middle-aged man. His outburst attracted the attention of others.
"You really are unlucky, Old Man!"
"Something must have fallen. It's your fault for leaving the top of your cargo open, Old Man!"
"That's why you shouldn't fall behind during the convoy, Old Man!"
"Stop blaming me, you Chicken Lads! Don't you know any manners? Now, help me unload the cargo that's still intact!"
The men entered the cart and began moving the goods. I froze in place, panic rising as I feared they might discover me hiding in the barrel. I had no idea what they might do to me. Facing criminals like them, I had to be prepared for the worst.
Each second felt like it stretched on forever as the men hauled out wooden crates and baskets full of merchandise. The sound of footsteps from one of them grew louder. My heart raced, my chest tightened. I hoped he would ignore the barrel and leave me alone. But that seemed impossible. A moment later, he tried to lift the barrel where I was hiding. I nearly screamed when the barrel wobbled.
"By the gods! This is heavy. What's in this barrel, Old Man?"
"It's the best pickles from my farm. They're worth a lot. Be careful if you drop it!"
"Damn it! Hey! Help me out, you Lazy Pig!"
"Alright, alright! Wait a second!"
The cart seemed to almost break apart as the Lazy Pig entered. I had no idea how much this man weighed, but every step he took caused the whole cart to shake. I nearly screamed again when he lifted the barrel. If I hadn't clamped my mouth shut, my presence would have been exposed.
The Lazy Pig man carried the barrel, with me still inside, out of the cart. I waited anxiously as he set it down on the ground. After a moment, he walked away. I couldn't see what was happening outside, and I couldn't use my Super Sense recklessly.
But one thing was clear: now was not the time to leave.
The noise outside seemed to still be bustling with traders and Elvians. I could hear a few of the Long-Ear folk around me, speaking their language. Since arriving here, it felt as though I understood every language in this world, as if it had been natural from the start.
"It seems like this is everything," one of the Elvians said.
"Then hurry up and pay them, and let's return. I can't stand being around these lowly creatures any longer."
"Return quickly?" I wondered in my mind.
Before I could ponder further, I felt the barrel shift again. It wasn't because it was being moved or carried by someone, but the motion was gentle and steady. From what the traders had said earlier, it seemed I was now in an Elvian horse-drawn cart.
My face went pale. I cursed myself for getting caught in this wretched fate. Sweat poured from my brow as I realized the barrel was getting even more cramped. If this continued, I'd be taken straight into Elvian territory. Escaping would be much harder if that happened.
I don't know what possessed me, but I decided to use my Super Sense to survey the surroundings. I was able to see the entire interior of the Elvian cart. It was larger than the traders' cart. It could hold a lot of goods in one go. The barrel I was hiding in was placed in the center, piled beneath small wooden boxes that blocked my exit. It would take a lot of strength to move them.
Then I looked further out from the cart. There were a dozen Elvians guarding the group of five carts. The most unusual thing about these carts was that they didn't use reins to control the horses. They simply draped a rope around the horses' bodies, and the horses understood the command. They didn't need to be whipped to make them move.
I shifted my gaze to one of the Elvians. He appeared quite old by Elvian standards, perhaps over a thousand years. His eyes were sharp. I felt his gaze pierce my heart when he suddenly turned and looked directly at me.
I immediately stopped using my Super Sense.
"Stop!" he commanded.
The sound of his footsteps sent a shiver down my spine as he stepped down from the front of the cart.
My heart stopped as he opened the cart's door. I held my breath, pretending to be an inanimate object to deceive him. But it didn't work. The old man pushed his way inside. I desperately tried to suppress my presence and the aura of my existence. My chest was collapsing, and my face was turning blue.
But I had to hold on. Whatever the old man was doing, it seemed he was carefully inspecting the cargo. I knew he was inside because of the strong presence he exuded. Each second stretched into eternity. Every minute felt like a millennium. The longer I endured, the more I lost track of time.
"What is it, Captain?" one of the guards asked.
"Nothing. Perhaps it's just my intuition." The old man's voice faded as he walked away, followed by the sound of the cart door closing. "Speed up the cart! We must reach the city as quickly as possible."
The horse-drawn cart began to move again. I let out a sigh of relief. Still, I wasn't satisfied. I used my small dagger to enlarge the hole in the barrel to allow air to circulate. I needed the fresh air.
The ordeal earlier had nearly sent me into a panic, and sweat soaked my clothes. The pickled vegetables had made the barrel uncomfortably hot. I fanned my neck with my hands.
"It seems impossible to escape the Elvians," I muttered. "Better to wait for the right moment to flee."
I waited, and waited. The cart moved slowly, and I couldn't stand being inside the cursed barrel much longer.
About an hour later, the cart came to a stop. The sound of the door opening was loud. Through the small hole I'd made, I saw the shadows of Elvian soldiers pushing into the cart. They began moving the goods from the cart to another place. I resigned myself to being stuck in this barrel. I didn't care where they took me anymore. The last I knew, a few Elvians were carrying me in a cart.
I curled up inside the barrel. Lowered my head, and wished that the day would pass quickly. I just wanted to slip away from Elvian territory and back to my warm room. I figured it was better to be scolded and beaten by Grussel than to be trapped in this situation. At least the pain and fear would end quickly. Unlike now, where I had no idea when this suffering would cease.
I do not know how long I had been lying in that narrow wooden barrel, soaked in sour brine. Perhaps several hours had passed. My limbs were numb and cramping from being in the same position for so long. About thirty minutes later, I realized the barrel had stopped moving entirely. I had no idea where the others had left it. It seemed the Elvians had abandoned me here, alone.
I still dared not move. Five minutes passed. After ensuring no one had passed by, I finally summoned the courage to use my Super Sense in this confined space. The projection in my mind showed me that the barrel was now in a dark room. It appeared to be a warehouse, inferred from the towering stacks of goods I could sense around me.
Thankfully, the barrel I hid in wasn't buried under other items, so I was able to easily lift the lid. I scrambled out, relieved to finally escape the stench of the pickled vegetables. I leaned against the wall, stretching my trembling legs.
My body and clothes were drenched, reeking of brine. Even though I had wiped myself down with a cloth I found in the room, the smell clung to me, persistent and foul.
"Ugh! This smells awful! This definitely won't go away without a bath," I muttered irritably.
With such a pungent aroma, I would undoubtedly attract the attention of any Elvian with a sharp sense of smell. It seemed I had to get rid of this disgusting sour odor before slipping away from here.
The time had come—time to leave. I had rested enough. Staying here any longer was too risky. The Elvians might return to supply goods to the warehouse. To cover the sour scent on my body, I wrapped a cloth around myself. I also made sure to erase my tracks so the Elvians wouldn't suspect anyone had been here before. Then, I quietly slipped out through the back door.
What I saw next truly astonished me. The warehouse where I had been hiding was perched atop a tree hundreds of meters high. The Elvians had made use of towering forest trees, with massive trunks and heights that reached the clouds. They hollowed out these trees and built rooms inside them—homes, schools, restaurants, hospitals, markets, and inns. They also created walkways along the tree trunks, where walking felt like floating in the sky, reminiscent of a skywalk atop skyscrapers in my former world. Stairs led to rooms above or below the trunk, and suspension bridges connected the trees for swift travel. In my world, such a sight would have been found only in a fantasy film.
People walked along the pathways, all of them Elvians—there were no humans here. But the life here seemed familiar, much like the bustling city of Glafelden. Some Elvians were trading or running family-owned shops and restaurants, while children attended school in the uppermost rooms of the trees. Others wore fine uniforms as they went to work in the town hall. Everything here mirrored human life, but the place was far more magnificent.
Look! From here, you could see the vibrant city below. There was a large open area beneath us, likely a performance stage. A group of Elvians were singing and playing music, surrounded by an audience sitting in a circle around the stage. The sounds of clapping and cheering reached us even from up here. Their performance seemed extraordinary. If I were more at ease in this city, I would have gone down to watch their performance.
But I must not forget my purpose. As stunning as this city was, I could not afford to be distracted. This was Elvian territory. No other race was allowed here. If my true form were discovered, I would be captured. With the cloth I took from the warehouse, I wrapped my entire body and head, leaving only my face exposed. This cloth wasn't made for comfort, and I had to keep holding it to prevent it from slipping and revealing my mismatched skin and hair color.
My small feet moved along the walkway that encircled the giant tree. People around me glanced my way, wrinkling their noses and muttering.
"She reeks!"
"Has she never bathed?"
"Such a pity, she's pretty but smells awful!"
"Don't go near her!"
I couldn't stand their words. They reminded me of the dark days when I was bullied at school.
Their words, spoken in Elvian, made everything worse.
I quickened my pace, taking a quieter route to avoid the crowd. After several minutes, I arrived at the back of a restaurant. At first, it looked quite grand. But the longer I walked on this elevated path, the more it made me dizzy and nauseous, especially with my fear of heights. It reminded me of when I first arrived in this world, falling from the clouds.
My stomach churned. I wanted to throw up, but I swallowed it back. My head pulsed every time I looked down. I leaned against the trunk of the tree, cold sweat dripping down my back and soaking into the cloth around me. My legs trembled, and I could barely stand. It felt as if my strength had drained away.
But I had to be strong.
I had to keep moving.
I had to leave.
With the resolve I had planted in my mind, I forced my body to keep walking. I continued along the empty walkway, hundreds of meters above the ground. I kept descending the stairs, my goal being to get to solid ground. Five minutes later, my head began to spin. Despite my efforts to avoid looking down, I couldn't stop myself from glancing at the view below.
It took a great deal of time and effort, but I finally reached the middle of the tree trunk. There was still some distance left to the ground, but at least I wasn't so dizzy now.
I arrived at the back of a large room, much bigger than any other room I had encountered in the forest. What drew me here was the delicious aroma wafting from one of the windows embedded in the tree trunk. Just the smell made my stomach growl. I realized I hadn't eaten since last night. No wonder my stomach was growling.
Perhaps I could grab a little food from there. Knowing that warm food was so close gave me renewed energy. I suddenly felt strong enough to walk toward the window and peek inside. Sure enough, the delicious aroma was coming from food on the table. The room seemed to be a bedroom. It was enormous and furnished luxuriously, with a large canopy bed. It seemed like a room belonging to a wealthy person or perhaps a VVIP hotel suite.
But I didn't care about that. Since no one was inside, I would take a little food and leave quickly. I didn't need much, just enough to satisfy my hunger. After carefully checking to make sure no one was inside, I proceeded.
I opened the window with one hand, while the other hand still held the cloth wrapped around me, fearing that someone might see my true form. I didn't know what they would do to me if they found out. I knew that the punishment for being an intruder was harsher than for stealing food. Carefully, I climbed through the window, stepping lightly to make no noise. Then I hid near the bed.
I moved again toward the bathroom and peeked inside. Safe. No one was there. Afterward, I checked the door.
"Good! It's locked," I murmured.
So, I didn't need to worry about anyone barging in and catching me. Everything was safe. My doubts and fears vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of relief from within. With newfound confidence, I walked toward the table in the center of the room. I sat on the long sofa, tossing the cloth I was using to the side.
The delightful smell wafted into my nose. Honestly, I didn't know what kinds of dishes were served, but everything looked so delicious. I immediately grabbed a piece of wheat bread—one I recognized well. The bread was still warm, and the honey melted in my mouth. The texture was so soft and fragrant.
"Delicious! This is really good!" I exclaimed in delight.
This was truly the best bread I had ever eaten. There was no bread like this in my city. Just eating a piece of this bread brought tears to my eyes. I also grabbed a bowl of black wheat cereal, which contained various vegetables and nuts. It was savory and slightly salty, but still extraordinarily delicious.
Lost in the taste of each dish, I nearly devoured everything on the table. My initial plan of just taking a little food and running had turned into eating as much as I could until I was full and satisfied. It wasn't until I heard footsteps approaching that I realized what I had done. I only noticed when I heard the key being inserted into the door.
In a flash, I ran toward the closet and hid inside.
Moments later, the door opened, and I heard footsteps entering the room. I held my breath, my heart pounding uncontrollably. The closet wasn't fully closed. The door had holes in it.
From the gap, I could see who had entered from their silhouette. He was a tall man, unmistakably Elvian. He froze after seeing the table. He must have been upset that I had eaten his breakfast. He then approached the sofa and picked up the cloth I had used earlier.
"Damn it! How foolish of me!" I scolded myself.
He sniffed the cloth for a moment. Then, like a police dog, he followed the same scent—the one that belonged to me. His gaze turned toward me. He walked toward the closet, and I crawled backward until I hit the wall.
CRACK!
When the closet door swung wide open, I finally saw him clearly. The man had pale skin. His golden hair seemed to glow brightly as the morning sun bathed it. His hair was tied back in a short ponytail, giving him a trendy look. This Elvian appeared to be in his twenties, if calculated by human years. His face was quite handsome, the type of person who was easy to approach. His eyes seemed capable of melting the heart of any girl. He was tall and fit. Overall, this man seemed like the ideal prince—impressive and captivating.
"Who are you? A human!? How could a human be here??"
His words shattered my thoughts. Reflexively, I stood to avoid being cornered mentally.
"I... um, I..." I stammered.
"Wait... but your ears... It can't be!" The man was utterly shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief. He looked as though he recognized me for who I truly was. "Could it be—"
His words stopped abruptly when I threw the clothes from the closet at his face. I shoved him hard, and the young Elvian stumbled back. Then, I took off, running out of the room. Right in front of the door, I ran into two guards standing outside. They looked confused when they saw me. Ignoring them, I dashed away.
A moment later, the young Elvian rushed out of the room and shouted toward me.
"Capture that girl alive and bring her to me!!"