Chapter 11: She Who Saved Me That Day

Sitting at the base of the tree, I was thinking.

'As Sebas suggested, Elves are another option besides humans for getting the child proper treatment, but…'

'...There's a big problem.'

'We have no idea where we are currently.'

I sighed.

'I don't see any giant tree or sense anyone nearby other than beasts.'

[ How about simply picking a direction and starting, Master? ]
[ Sooner or later, you'll run into someone—and then you can ask for the nearest city or the direction to the Elven nation. ]

'You're right, Sebas. I should at least start moving.' ,I thought.

I looked toward the child and noticed a lot of bread and jam still untouched.

'Did she have enough? Or is she full?' I pondered.

The child was eating at a steady pace now, clearly enjoying herself—and that left me a little confused.

[ The child seems to like it very much, Master. ]
[ She's already eaten an entire loaf of bread. ]
[ I've refilled her plate twice. ]

'Is that so.' ,I thought and smiled.

'That's good to hear.'

'Are there any other important notifications I missed?'

[ Mini-map is now unlocked. ]

'Oh!' I blinked in surprise, though the excitement didn't last long.

'But… what's the point now? I can already sense everything around me.' I thought, disappointed.

[ It's just a visual representation of what you already sense, Master. ]
[ However, I can display a detailed version of the nearby terrain as well, so you don't have to strain yourself until you're fully used to your perception. ]

'That would be great.'

'It does seem like I'm practically invincible right now—but that's only compared to normal people.'

'I can still starve to death. I can be poisoned. And let's not forget the heroes out there…'

'In anime, the heroes usually have broken abilities.'

'What if someone poured all their stats into speed? What if they had an ability so fast I couldn't even follow them with my senses?'

'Or a weapon that completely ignores defense or shields? The Reversal Field is gone, and I don't even know if my new skill counts as a shield or something else entirely.'

'I'm still far from being strong enough to live freely.'

[ You can buy poison immunity from the shop, Master. ]
[ For 10,000 points. ]

Seeing the price left me speechless.

'That really makes me wonder just how heavily discounted that mana trait package was to be only 1,000 points.' ,I thought.

The mention of skills reminded me of one I'd wanted to buy earlier.

'Sebas, get me the skill that lets me see information about others.'

[ It costs 1,000 points, Master. ]
[ Do you wish to purchase the skill Otherworlder's Vision? ]

'It's one of the most essential and overpowered skills in isekai stories.'
'They say knowing your enemy is the greatest advantage in a fight. And I've got enough food for now.'
'Buy it.'

[ Shop: 30 points remaining. ]
[ Otherworlder's Vision acquired. ]
[ Description: A special skill granted by gods to summoned heroes, allowing you to view detailed information on anyone and anything. ]

'This should make things a lot easier.' I thought, glancing around.

A soft, cold breeze brushed my face as I expanded my awareness.

I could feel the rough bark of trees, the tender flutter of fresh leaves, and clusters of strange isekai flora nestled in the undergrowth.

I focused on one plant emiting an unusually strong mana.

[ That plant is called Aureflora. It is a primary ingredient for healing potions. ]
[ This particular specimen is of high quality. ]

'Oh? Can it be used raw—like, by just eating it?' I asked, curious.

[ In its unprocessed form, its effects are minimal. It would soothe the mind and heal very slight fatigue. ]

'What about after processing?'

[ One herb can be used to create multiple low and mid-grade potions, or up to two high-grade potions. ]
[ Low-grade potions heal cuts and relieve minor fatigue. Mid-grade heals deeper wounds and moderate mental and physical fatigue. High-grade can seal deep flesh wounds, restore stamina and fatigue, and—if used quickly—can even reattach severed limbs. ]

'That's incredible… and it must be expensive. Guess people can't just hoard super potions and spam them in battle.'

'How does it compare to healing magic?'

[ Its effects correspond to low, mid and high-grade healing spells, Master. ]
[ However, the purer the divine power, the stronger the healing effect. ]

'That's good to know. Since Elves usually worship the World Tree from the bottom of their hearts, they must all be naturally gifted in healing.'

[ That is true, Master. ]

I glanced toward the child.

She had stopped eating. A few pieces of bread remained, but she was staring at me—wide-eyed, confused, and full of unspoken questions.

There were crumbs and streaks of red jam smeared along the sides of her mouth.

'I was lost in thought for too long.' ,I realized.

"Do you want something else to eat?" I asked gently.

The child shook her head.

Then she picked up her bottle and showed me. It was empty.

I took it from her, hid it behind my back, and swapped in a fresh one.

"Here you go. It's full again.", I said with a soft smile.

Her eyes widened in surprise and wonder again, and that look—those curious, sparkling eyes—made my heart feel light.

She gripped the bottle with both hands and looked up at me again.

She was searching for answers, but all I had were questions I wasn't ready to ask.

I gestured from the bottle to her lips to remind her to drink.

She blinked, looked at the bottle, and remembered—ah, yes. Thirsty.

She drank eagerly, then wiped her mouth with the back of her small hand—smearing water and jam across her cheek.

I stared at her and felt my chest fill with warmth.

But there were still questions that needed to be asked.
I hoped to move past the darker parts of my memories before filling her life with better ones.
I didn't know where to begin.

'Should I ask how she ended up here? Were her parents with her? What happened to her family?' I thought.

Those questions felt too cruel.

"Do you have a family to go to?" , i asked

The child's eyes and face darkened again.
She shook her head in response.
That was all the answer I needed.

I drew in a steadying breath.

"Do you want to stay with me from now on?"

The child looked up slowly, silent for a few heartbeats.
Her eyes glistened with tears—yet she didn't cry. She simply nodded.

I smiled and ruffled her damp hair.

"From now on, we're family. You won't have to worry about anything again. I'll protect you and take care of you."

Her sad expression melted into a tentative smile. Tears of joy gathered in her eyes.

"But what will you call me?"

'Our age difference is more than eighteen years… She seems to be three or four years old, after all,' I thought.

Before my mind could settle on "Mister," "Uncle," or "Big Brother," the child spoke her second word since we'd met.

"Papa."

I blinked in surprise and looked at her.

"Papa?"

She repeated the word, tilting her head in innocent confusion—perhaps waiting for my approval.

"Noo…?"

Her lower lip quivered.

Gently, I took hold of her arms and lifted her into my embrace.

"From now on, you're my daughter."

Warmth flooded me, as if my chest couldn't hold all the joy.
She smiled and hugged me back.
My mind went blank of overthinking—only a surge of protectiveness remained.

—after a while—

I hoisted her high overhead, swinging her gently in the air.

"Let's get you cleaned up first."

She stared at my jam‑stained clothes—riddled with crumbs.
I sighed.

"I guess we both need cleaning."

The wind began to swirl at her feet, lifting her a few inches off the ground.
Her initial delight gave way to alarm.
I caught her back in my arms.

"Don't worry—it's me. I promised I wouldn't let you get hurt." I whispered.

She nodded, still clutching me.

"Let's do this together."

I stood, holding her close, as the wind ramped up around us.
We drifted two meters above the forest floor.

Water condensed from the misty air at my feet.
It rose slowly, washing my clothes and skin in a shimmering cascade.
The water reached my abdomen…and then the child's legs, pausing just above her tiny feet.

She looked down at the water, then up at me, and buried her face against my chest—perhaps fearing its touch.

I stroked her hair and smiled.

"Trust me."

She peered out at me.
I took her silence as consent.

The water crept higher, cleansing us both up to our necks.
I taught her to breathe in deeply and hold it.
She mimicked me—eyes closed—while the water rinsed her hair and face.
We finally exhaled together, opening our eyes to meet each other's relieved smiles.

"See? It wasn't scary."

The wind returned, gently drying our drenched clothes and hair.
We floated down until my boots pressed into the soft earth once more.

I glanced at her tattered clothes.
'I need to find you something better to wear.' ,I thought.
Swiftly, I removed my own shirt and draped it over her small frame, rolling up the sleeves and bottom so they wouldn't fall past her feet.

"I'll find you a proper dress soon—wear this for now, okay?"

She beamed and nodded.

I stood shirtless, noticing my toned torso.
'Not too bulky, but fit—better than I even expected.' ,I mused.
'Maybe I should hunt a bear or a giant wolf monster for its hide or fur cloak. It would look menacing.'

[ It would suit you perfectly, Master. ]

I chuckled.

"…Now, which way do we go?"

'Let's head northeast. As a summoned hero, I should encounter a merchant getting attacked by bandits, or monsters soon—just like in the isekai animes.' ,I thought.

"Let's go."

The child giggled as I lifted her in my arms, and we set off through the forest.

to be continued.....

Author's Note:

Thank you for the support! I finally got my second comment (⁠╥⁠﹏⁠╥⁠) —well, a comment from a different person this time, and it genuinely made my day. If anything in the story feels off—like things moving too fast or certain parts feeling repetitive or annoying—please don’t hesitate to let me know. I really value your feedback.

Also, for those wondering why Zero seems a little... unhinged or psycho-type at times, don’t worry. More about his inner thoughts and past will be revealed soon. There’s a reason behind the madness. Stay tuned!

And yes, I play Pokémon games.
(If you got the refrence in this chapter)