Part 1
Evening fell over Mythara as a curious Rina approached a long-extinguished campfire, left behind by a group of elven adventurers.
Her bright golden eyes scanned every detail of the site with care, as if trying to unravel a mystery.
"Kunkun," she murmured, sniffing carefully around the fire pit, searching for any sign of danger. Her small nose twitched from side to side, making sure the area was safe.
"No one nearby… Rina safe," she whispered to herself, relaxing her shoulders.
She crouched down, picking up a couple of stones left scattered near the camp. With a mix of curiosity and determination, she began to mimic the movements she had seen the elves perform the night before.
"Elves hit rocks… red thing come out," she murmured, striking the stones enthusiastically. "How call red thing? Fire, yes. Fire make tasty food. Yum yum."
A flicker of excitement crossed her face as tiny sparks shot from the rocks. Rina gave a little hop, as if she had just uncovered a great secret.
"Rina make fire! Elves eat tasty food, Rina also want tasty food," she exclaimed with joy.
With clumsy but determined motions, she placed dry branches she had gathered beside the fire pit, striking the stones with renewed energy. The sparks were small and hesitant, but Rina didn't seem discouraged. Her tail swayed excitedly from side to side, as if she were certain she was on the right path.
"Fire come soon… Rina be patient," she murmured, staring at the twigs with bright eyes as she continued.
Despite her isolation, there was something deeply human in the way she tried to recreate what she had seen the elves do—like, in her clumsy and naïve way, she longed to be part of the world she always watched from the shadows.
"Rina… mama light fire easily…" she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek as she remembered her mother.
Her hands trembled slightly, dropping the stones she held. She brought a hand to her forehead, as if her thoughts were too heavy to carry.
"Rina… become stronger… return to mama…" she whispered, though her tone sounded more like a promise than a reflection.
A bird fluttered nearby, its wings slicing the air in a gentle flap. The movement snapped her from her thoughts.
"Little bird, fly high!" she giggled, her golden eyes lighting up once more with joy as she followed its flight.
Enchanted, she began to walk after the bird, letting her curiosity guide her. She didn't realize how far she'd run until suddenly, the landscape changed. There, in front of her, stood the first houses of the Aeris tribe.
Realizing how far she was from her safe zone, her whole body tensed. Her eyes darted back and forth rapidly, and her stance shifted into defense almost instantly.
"Rina… danger… go back fast…" she murmured, placing a hand over her chest. Her senses were on high alert, but in her human form, they weren't as sharp as when she let her animal instincts take over.
Instinctively, she stepped back at the sound of a voice, but tripped over a root protruding from the ground.
She hit the earth hard, her head striking against a tree trunk.
Darkness swallowed her instantly.
When she finally opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the starry sky—its light flickering through the canopy above. Warm flames danced around her, casting shadows on the forest floor.
"Where… am I?" she murmured, brushing off a blanket that covered her as she quickly went on alert.
"I see you're finally awake," said a calm voice from someone seated near the fire.
Rina turned toward the sound, every sense on edge. She tried to activate her abilities, but a sharp pain in her head broke her focus.
"Kunkun…" she sniffed lightly, searching for any hint of danger but detected none. Even so, her golden eyes remained locked on the stranger.
"Easy. I'm not going to hurt you," said the young man gently as he stirred a pot with a wooden ladle. "I found you unconscious in the forest."
Rina's stomach growled loudly, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"Dinner's ready. I figured you'd be hungry. Are you a lost adventurer by any chance?" he asked with a small smile as he served a steaming bowl of stew.
"Kunkun… food… smell yummy…" Rina murmured, eyes fixed on the pot.
"Forgive my manners," the young man said as he handed her the bowl along with a wooden spoon. "My name is Haruto Kibou. And you are…?"
Rina stared at him cautiously.
She didn't answer, but she didn't feel afraid either.
Her nose told her this young man had no ill intentions and that unsettled her.
She accepted the bowl with initial distrust, but the aroma of the stew was irresistible.
Without realizing it, a small string of drool began to slip from her mouth, which she quickly wiped away.
"It's beef stew with some vegetables," Haruto explained as he took a bite from his own bowl, showing her the food was safe.
Rina observed him carefully, copying the way he held the spoon. She took a small bite and her golden eyes lit up immediately.
"Food yummy!" she exclaimed excitedly, then devoured the stew without even using the spoon.
"Whoa, slow down! There's plenty of food, don't worry. How long have you been lost? Did you get separated from your adventuring party?" Haruto asked, genuinely curious—though no reply came.
"Rina want more!" she said, holding out the empty bowl with an anxious expression, as if scared the food would run out.
"All right, all right. Coming up," Haruto replied with a smile, serving another bowl of stew.
As he handed it over, he couldn't help but observe her more closely.
Her clothes were tattered and worn, like she'd survived countless days in the forest.
It wasn't hard to imagine she'd been living on her own for a long time.
After devouring ten bowls in a row, Rina finally stopped.
Her expression showed satisfaction—for the first time in a very long while.
"Food yummy. Rina like," she said, licking her lips.
"So your name is Rina, huh? Nice to meet you," Haruto replied kindly.
"Nice… what? You called Haruto, but don't look like elf. Look like Rina."
Haruto let out a soft laugh.
"No doubt that bump on your head was pretty hard. Tell me, were you separated from your party?"
"Party? Rina no have anyone. Live in forest… maybe."
Haruto, thinking the bump might've affected her memory, decided to play along.
"I see… must be tough being alone. Hey, Rina—
Would you like to be my friend?"
"Friend?" Rina tilted her head, trying to understand the word.
"You know… someone to spend time with, share words, moments… or in this case, food," he explained, pointing to the bowl she was holding.
"Haruto give food to Rina?"
"Well… yeah. If we're talking yummy food, I can always cook something good," he replied with a friendly smile.
In that moment, Rina jumped to her feet, clearly excited.
Haruto was surprised to realize just how tall she was, she towered over him by a lot.
"Yes! Then Rina be Haruto's friend!" she exclaimed, with a childlike enthusiasm.
For the first time in her life, Rina felt truly happy.
Someone wasn't treating her like a threat.
No one was trying to hurt her.
It was a new feeling—warm and comforting.
A hope she had never known before.
Gradually, sleep began to overtake her.
Rina let out a small yawn before curling up in the spot Haruto had prepared for her to rest.
She pulled the blanket over herself, closing her eyes with the peace of someone who, for once, could let her guard down.
"Can't believe she fell asleep that fast…" Haruto muttered, a playful smile on his lips as he watched her start to softly snore.
Her relaxed expression was a stark contrast to the wary, guarded look she'd worn earlier.
He sat near the fire, letting the flames light the night as he looked up at the starry sky.
"What a curious girl," he added with a sigh.
A soft smile crossed his face as he realized that more than a friend…
he'd probably just gained a little sister—
A much taller little sister.
Definitely perfect material for a slice-of-life manga.
Haruto turned his gaze to the moon, shining brightly through the treetops.
His thoughts wandered, reflecting on the mysteries and surprises this world kept throwing at him.
"No matter how much I think about it… this world never stops surprising me," he murmured to himself, letting the night carry his thoughts as the cool breeze brushed across his face.