Chapter 6: The arifureta effect

Eylseia continued to pour over her notes as she thought about everything she had learned in class. With the lunch period coming to an end soon, she gathered up her belongings and stood to her feet. Exiting the classroom and making her way to the outdoors courtyard, there was gentle breeze in the air as she stepped. Some students were engaging in conversation about classes or sharing notes, others were busy studying in isolation. She continued on to her destination where here next class would be.

The large building that was separate from the main school and housed four different rooms for training. Each room was similar in appearance with hard wooden floors and fine trim wood walls that felt prestigious. Within the rooms were countless wooden weapons and real weapons used for sparing or practise. Looking around the room, Eylseia could see some students were gathered around in a circle. Though she was unable to see much, she could tell that two students were engaging in a sparing match or possibly a duel.

Taking a seat at a nearby bench, Eylseia watched the crowd of people and tried to get a sense of the fight that was taking place. She could hear the sounds of hard wood beating against another, the rubbing of wood – two swords in a death dance for power. Yet, even with what she could hear, it was impossible for her to tell who was winning. As she continued to note the sounds, out of the corner of her eye she saw Ariylia and Hyilia enter the room.

Once they had spotted her, they made their way over to her. Eylseia could see the two of them appeared calm and both felt as if they had a burden lifted off their chest. She was unsure what it was but they seemed to be more in-sync than before.

“You two seem happier after your trip into the market square.”

Hyilia could only avert her eyes at the statement as her cheeks flushed a shade of red.

“Y-Yeah…”

“I managed to get the last beef skewer that was on sell,” Ariylia lied with a smile on her face.

Before Eylseia could say anything, the sounds of cheering echoed throughout the room. Looking over at the circle, she could see that as the crowd dispersed one of the students was down on his knees. It was clear that he had been defeated and was completely out of breath. As the noise started to die down, Eylseia sudden heard the sound of the large doors fling open. For a moment, she was shocked and surprised by what she was seeing.

Standing in the doorway was not their instructor but a young maiden. The room fell silent as everyone stared at the girl in the doorway. Their gaze was glued to her with her long brown hair that flowed down to her breast and her deep hazel brown eyes. As she made her way through the bystanders making a straight line for Eylseia. The maiden was relatively short in comparison to others around her. She wore a white corset with a matching frilly skirt. Her white thigh-high stockings complimented her white high-heels that had blue accent ribbons on them.

“Isn’t that the hero of Eystial, Ryina?” one student whispered.

“I heard she slayed a dragon with her bare hands!” another girl whispered.

“Really? Because I heard she killed a dragon with her foot,” a guy pointed out.

There were various rumours, myths and legends that had managed to spread across the kingdom. Many of the rumours where based on hearsay that no one had actually confirmed. Others were in part true but quickly blew out of proportion. The maiden continued to make her way past the crowd until she was within a few feet of Eylseia.

“Hey sis,” Eylseia said in a causal tone.

“I leave for two months and all you can say is ‘hey sis’,” her sister said with a teasing smile as she hugged her with a warm embrace.

Eylseia gently wrapped her arms around her older sister. She was happy to see her. Even if she was from a different world, Eylseia had grown a bond with her older sister Ryina. After the night she found that torture room, she noticed her older would spend a bit more time with her. They never truly discussed what happened but they both knew. While their elven maid Fyerina continued to smile and put up with countless abuse, Eylseia tried to do everything she could to ease the suffering of everything.

During the night, Eylseia would allow Fyerina into her room. She would allow the tired elf to lay down on her bed while she relaxed. Eylseia ensured the elf was comfortable by removing her shoes and giving her a foot massage to help with all the pain. For Eylseia it was seen as something of a kind gesture but to Fyerina it was an intense rush of pleasure that she struggled to control.

She did everything she could to help Fyerina until she was finally old enough to head off to the Syalica Academy. After that, she could only hope that Fyerina was okay and would say strong until she was able to inherent her father’s position when he passed away.

“Look at you, growing up and being a woman,” Ryina joked.

“Glad you’re safe, Ryina,” Ariylia spoke as Ryina let go of her little sister.

“I should be thanking the two of you for being her friends. She is a handful but truly a wonderful little sister.”

“Lady Ryina, if you are here, does that mean the frontier is safe for the time being?” Hyilia asked.

Ryina was silent for a moment. The Western Frontier was a battle zone. There were many casualties on both sides. Each side was struggling for dominance with no one letting up. Battles raged on from dusk to dawn and never, if at any point, let up. Many soldiers grew tired from the lack of sleep and the little food rations. It was impossible for either side to quit as any slow down in the battle gave the demons the advantage.

While on the battlefield Ryina had found a sense of tranquillity in the chaos. Her twin blades cutting through swarms of demon flesh and rendering heads from their body. She had earned many nicknames on the battlefield but care little for titles. The only thing she wished to do was to end the war. In her eyes, the wars between humans, elves and demons were pointless and a waste. All she wanted to see was another city like Asytral where all the races could co-mingle together. There was that part of her that wished to see the magical city that advanced the world so much before falling into ruin.

She had seen the face of death and everything the abyss had to offer. Ryina had seen many soldiers die pain deaths on the battlefield. Some begging to be killed, others dying instantly without even knowing what happened. Watching demons set her comrade on fire and listening their screams haunted her dreams. Yet, she did not have permission to show fear or give up. There was a light at the end of all the red blood and she was that – the hero of Eystial.

As a hero, she bared the burden of ending the war and ensuring pace to the world. There was no one else in the war that could do what she had to do or make the sacrifices that she had to make. Everyone saw her as this beacon of hope but she was far from that. She was arifureta, a common person who held no gift or abilities. The only thing she could do was lie and provide something many could not – hope. While she was ordinary, she used her ability to lie, to inspire and help others in manners that provided them with their own tools to better themselves. Beyond that, she was not skilled, she only appeared skilled. No one could see through her lies and as she grew older she learned to control her lies carefully. Even though she was considered an elite noble, she still saw the world through the eyes of the commonplace person. This allowed her to rally vast armies and talent.

The arifureta effect, a phenomenon where the commonplace person where changes the world around themselves through simple actions. While Ryina appeared skilled she used her simple acts of kindness to mask her lack of skill and her lies to carry her through it. Her small actions had an effect on those she interacted with. Everyone admired her, many hung on the words she would speak, there was little ill-will to feel about her. This eventually allowed her to to become the hero everyone needed. A lie folded up in a neat package of hope.

Ryina had to stay strong both on and off the battlefield. Any fault in her hope and the people would become scared. She had to keep up the lie with everyone she met. Yet, she realised she could not keep up the lie forever. Slowly the cracks in her lies started to show to only a few people. The only people that could see through her pain was the few members in her party that held the burden with her. Staring at Hyilia and pondering her question for a moment, she finally spoke something as close to the truth as she could.

“It isn’t safe but we are trying. I have to go back out there in one weeks time.”

The reality was the Western Frontier was likely to fall. The one week time was simply a ploy to allow her to see her little sister one last time and to update the king about the status of the battlefield. For a moment, her mask had slipped but she looked around at the students that were engrossed by her. Realising what she had done, Ryina quickly smiled and continued to maintain the facade of being a cheerful hero who brought hope to the rest of the world.

“How about we give the others a show. You and me, Elyse,” Ryina said as she smiled and looked over to her little sister.

Eylseia had always failed to beat her older sister no matter how many times she would duel with her. Even when they were young she was always better everything. This time she wanted to win. She watched as her older sister headed over to the a crate that held wooden swords and grabbed three of them. Tossing one in her direction, she caught it with one hand as she made her way to the centre of the room.

Watching her sister closely, Eylseia always studied her sister’s movements, even the most simple ones. She noted that she still liked to use twin swords. In all her duels she could never come close to hitting her sister with any sort of attack. Standing and waiting as her sister got into position, Eylseia thought about how she would need to strike in order to land even a single blow.

As the two ready themselves, Eylseia noticed that Ryina was barely gripping her wooden swords. She had a stance that was calm and did not seem to care about proper battle stance. It was simply a commonplace demeanour that bared no ill-will or showed signs of aggression. Everything about Ryina’s stance was open – no lies. Just herself exposed and open to attack. It bugged Eylseia that she could not figure out how Ryina was able to fight using a stance that defied basic defensive measures.

After evaluating her course of attack, Eylseia readied herself to execute each strike. Rushing forward, she aimed to strike a blow at the head. Almost all creatures in the world died from a blow to the head – provided there was enough force. As Eylseia continued to close the distance, she readied her strike. While she was doing all of this, her brain was also noticing the lack of moment on Ryina’s part. Her body had not moved from its original position and still remained calm as if nothing important was going on.

With only a few inches from connecting her wooden sword down on Ryina’s head, she noticed that she was just now starting to move. Ryina’s movements were subtle but she had no way of stopping what was about to happen. Watching in slow-motion of how she was about to lose, Eylsia continued to watch as Ryina both dodged, parried with her off-hand and aimed her attacking hand for her throat.

For most, the chain of events happened within only a second. The room was silent for a moment as everyone tried to process what exactly had happened. Ryina smiled as she lowered the wooden swords.

“I’m so proud of you, little sister.”

“But I lost, again.”

“Training battles aren’t about winning or losing but about the experience you gain from the mock battle.”

“Right, I need to learn more so that I can be ready to fight alongside you,” Eylseia said.

“Try to get a bit taller next time I come back,” Ryina giggled as she struck a cute pose like a playful child.

“You are literally shorter than me!”

Ryina tossed the wooden swords into the weapon crate and headed for the exit with a cheerful expression.

“It’s not the size of warrior but what is in their heart that matters,” Ryina said as she exited the room.

The room was silent once again as everyone still felt the presence and energy of the duel that had transpired. After a few minutes, Ariylia broke the silence.

“Okay, I have to ask this but is your older sister even human?”

“She barely moves but each motion is calculated and works to benefit her in the least possible amount of moves. It’s almost like chess,” Hyilia said as she brain tried to recall what she seen.

“You two should get some practise in. Also, if the instructor asks, just tell him I was sick.”

Eylseia quickly headed for the exit in hopes of catching up with her sister. Upon entering the hall, she noticed her sister standing against the with her arms crossed – as if she was waiting for her to chase after her.

“Kind of figured you would try to talk with me afterwards. Don’t you have classes?” Ryina asked in a teasing tone.

“Surely you can spare a few minutes to catch up with your little sister.”

“Well, as the hero, I am quit busy,” Ryina joked as she took a second to stretch her arms.

“Of course, you are so busy with all the food stalls and bars you will be visiting during your time in the city.”

Eylseia had picked up on the fact that her older sister had developed the bad habit of drinking a lot when she had the chance. While she was not able to confirm it, she believed it was due to her time on the Western Frontier that drove her to down alcohol like it was water. She watched as Ryina pouted like a child before feeling a slightly punch to her side that made her bend over from the impact.

“That wasn’t very nice…”

“I know. Don’t worry, I’ll treat you to a meal,” Ryina said as she tossed a small pouch of coins up into the air and catching it repeatedly.

“Good you— Wait! That’s my money, Ryina!”

#

Ryina awoke to the sound of a knock at her door. Her mind snapped into a state of being alert and focused. Unlike others her age, she learned to observe the world around her from an early age. As she got out of the bed, a maid opened the door and smiled as she greeted her.

“Ah, glad to see you already awake, lady Ryina.”

“Six, I told you to drop the formalities. I don’t need the stuffy titles.”

The maid laughed as she made her way over to the window and opened the curtains. As she turned, she could see that Ryina was already starting to get dressed.

“You could at least allow me to do my job,” the maid joked.

“The sooner I put you out of a job, the sooner you are free, right,” Ryina said in a joking manner.

Ryina knew that her father was not one to set slaves free. He would use them until his dying breath. This was something Ryina understood clearly from her various interactions with her parents. She knew from the start that she would be unable to rely on either of them. Her mother was inalienably going down the path of an alcoholic while her father was an abusive greedy man with power. For her, she needed to be independent and autonomous in how she thought, acted and about how to support herself in the future.

Opening the book on her desk, she began her studies of various subjects from the noble aristocrat to the commoner. She wanted to learn how people lived, what they did to survive and where the best places were for living. Ultimately, her goal as to leave the city and travel. Even if the kingdom was at war with the demons and elves – or rather a temporary alliance – she wanted to see the demonic kingdom for herself and understand the demon lord known as Aystaria.

By all human accounts, the demon lord was a sadistic evil that threatened the kingdom. Ryina did not believe this in the slightest. Even if the demon lord was not the nicest person, she figured there was some good in her that wanted the mindless war to be over and everyone get along. She wanted a world that could evolve like the once great city of Asytral.

“Don’t forget you have a formal gathering to attend, my lady.”

“I can study for a bit and then you can pick out something for me to wear.”

“I didn’t mean later, my lady.”

Ryina sighed. She knew the maid was not the one to blame but hated that she was forced to go to a party that she wanted no part of. Getting up from her seat she made her way over to the maid.

“You want me to go? Fine, I will go if you tell me your real name,” Ryina said in stern voice.

“My lady—”

“Real name or I’m not going.”

The maid sighed. She knew Ryina was stubborn and would continued to pester her over this small detail.

“Fyerina Rikushyilae.”

“Fyerina Rikushyilae. You have a beautiful name, Fyerina.”

“Flattery will get you no where, lady Ryina. Now, time for you to get dressed.”

Fyerina picked out a formal dress, stockings and shoes for Ryina to wear. After picking out the outfit, Fyerina straightened out Ryina’s hair and tied her hairs up into pigtails. Once she had cleaned her up and made her presentable, Fyerina took a moment to admire her work.

“There. Now you look like an aristocrat daughter and not some commoner.”

“I like dressing like a commoner though. It is easier to move around and being dirty isn’t a poor since the clothes are cheap.”

“A noble has to maintain a proper appearance. Imagine if you a walking into a new city and some person dressed in a piteous outfit tries to sell you something you had never seen. Would you buy it?”

It was a trick question. Ryina knew the question, no matter the answer, supported Fyerina and her position.

“Would you judge a book by its cover?”

“Even then you can’t read every book to determine the value. Same for each person. Often, we have to judge based on our first appearance.”

Ryina understood what Fyerina meant but she still wanted to understand people before judge them if at all possible. For her, the idea of harmony was as dream she pursued for a better world.

“Let me ask you something, Fyerina. Who do you think has more power, a king or commoners?”

“A king has the power to create laws and cast judgement.”

“But commoners have the power to overthrow a king.”

Fyerina thought for a moment but realised there was nothing she could say.

“Very well, you have made your point. Now, please, we need to not be late.”

The formal gathering was for a noble family who had a young girl that was turning thirteen. Ryina could not recall the name of the family, nor the name of the girl. As she made her way out into the hall, Ryina tried to remember the girl but continued to draw a blank.

“Remind me, what is the name of the family and their daughter.”

“The Baskerville family and their daughter Joan d’ache Baskerville.”

Outside the manor was an ornate carriage that was pulled by immaculate white horses groomed and breed as prestigious for a single purpose: status. That was the sole existence of those horses and nothing more. Standing beside the carriage was her father and her pregnant mother. They should have cancelled their plans in favour of letting her mother rest but nobility did not get the option to decline invitations too often.

Aside from the ornate carriage, there was one other carriage that was plain in appearance and pulled by common brown horses. While many failed to see the beauty in these horses, Ryina could see how majestic they were when taken care of. Alongside the ordinary carriage was a small group of adventurers. They were to act as protection for the escort to the gathering and back. Though Ryina did not know much about adventurers, she did know about the basics of the guilds and the ranking system.

Once everyone was ready, Ryina entered the carriage with her family and one of the human maids. The ride to the gathering was held in a manor far outside the city on private land. This manor served as the place for all noble families to make appearances for special occasions and events – such as a noble’s birthday. Ryina always hated the long carriage ride and the stuffy formalities of the gatherings.

Ryina watched as the carriage departed and manoeuvred throughout the city streets. She saw houses pass by as people went about their morning routines. The carriage continued on until it was finally outside the city gates and hitting to main dirt road. With the rest of landscape being just rolling hills, grass and sky, Ryina decided to allow her body to rest until they reached their destination. Resting her eyes and drifting off into a peaceful sleep, Ryina dreamed about starting a life as an adventurer. She wanted the freedom to be herself, to see the world and interact with people beyond her home or the city.

The deep embrace of sleep was a warm feeling that Ryina took advantage of during the long ride. A sharp jolt to her head focused her eyes to open instantly. Her head was throbbing and she found herself on the floor of the carriage. What had happened? She felt as if her head was split open and her right shoulder was dislocated. After processing what she could sound started to returned to her ears, the faces of her worried parents could be seen in her eyes. Something was going on outside the carriage and she had no idea what.

Sounds of metal hitting metal and flesh rang out. Screams echoed through the wood as she stood to her feet. Ryina recalled there were a total of six adventurers and from the sounds, they were losing whatever battle was going on outside. Before Ryina could process anything else, a force against the carriage knocked her against the wooden door. Suddenly, she found herself spinning as the sky and land grew into a blend. She was falling. Her life was flashing before her eyes as she realised that she was plunging down from a cliff into a running river.

A sharp pain rushed throughout her body as she hit the water and her lungs were filling up up with water. It was hard for her to get a sense of what was going on as the rapids carried her body down the current. Unable to gather her head above the water to get air into her lungs, she could feel herself starting to choke and slip from consciousness. Before long her mind drifted into an unconscious state. Everything around her was black.

She could see a small light in the darkness and made her way to it. Her body felt light as if it as float on air yet still swimming in an ocean. As the light grew brighter she found herself blinded by the light. For a moment, she was unable to see until her vision finally returned to her. Ryina was in a new place. It was a twilight hazel room that expanded as far as the eye could see. There was no real objective horizon, only an arbitrary single point of convergence that bended to the reality she saw.

Sitting down a few feet in front of her was a young girl. Ryina had never seen clothes, nor a beautiful girl who appeared like a divine angel. The girl had her eyes closed as she sat on her knees. Looking over the the outfit and how the girl was sitting, Ryina remained silent as she decided to mimic the girl. Removing her shoes and sitting down across from the girl, Ryina waited silently until the girl as ready to speak.

“Ryina Iyaritel. You have yet to lose the last spark of your life that bounds you to your world. It is possible you will die soon by drowning to death. Before you, I will grant you a choice, do you wish to cling to your life that may be your end or be reborn into a new world?” the Watcher asked as she opened her eyes.

“What do you mean by a new world?”

With a snap of her fingers, the Watcher made two portals appear. Ryina could see on the left that a portal showcased her world. She could see her body flowing down the river, looking dead. The other portal was foreign to her. There were elements and contraptions that she failed to understand.

“A world far different from your own. This world holds no magic and the primordial being that watches over that world is a malicious being that is vindictive, pity and narcissistic.”

The new world was modern and had massive buildings of some sort of stone. They were structured in a manner that she had never seen before and transportation that moved without horses. It was an advancement far greater than what she had ever seen. Even the city of Asytral could not compare based on the texts she had read about it. For a moment, she was unable to speak or process thoughts, all she could do was stare in awe. After realising that she had been speechless for a few minutes, Ryina took a moment to think about everything she had seen. The thought of being reborn into a new world was exciting but also terrifying. She would be unaware of the customs, the culture and language of the new world.

After taking a moment to weigh the options before her, she smiled as she looked over to the Watcher.

“I would rather return to my old life but thank you for the offer.”

The Watcher snapped her fingers and before Ryina’s eyes the two portals disappeared. She stood to her feet and continued to stare at her with cold dead eyes. As a watcher of the realm, she bared no emotion, nor empathy towards Ryina but she was to keep her involvement to a minimum. Yet, there was something about Ryina that she found unique.

“If that is your wish. I do find you rather interesting. As such, I shall grant you one request.”

“Only one request? Can I ask for anything?”

“Anything within my power, yes.”

Ryina thought for a moment about her request.

“I don’t suppose you could end hostility between each of the races, could you?”

“That is beyond my abilities.”

“What isn’t beyond your abilities?” Ryina asked.

“I could allow you to be reborn back in Eystial as a different race. Other requests include granting you a royal status. If you were to request knowledge I could also supply you with a new ability or even magic. Strength is also an option.”

“So long as the request is within a reasonable parameter, you can grant it?”

“Within relatively realistic means, yes.”

Ryina took a moment to think. She had a big decision as to what her request should be. Money was of no true value to her and many of her requests would be rejected. As she continued to think of a practical request, she recalled a tale from a book. The tale of Aurora Aurea the S-rank adventurer. While Aurora was rarely documented throughout her time as an adventurer, there were a few stories that spread across the various kingdoms. Yet, it was hard to tell what stories were true or if they were embellished to a great degree.

Even still, Ryina always idolised Aurora from the first time she read the stories of her travels and adventures. She wanted to explore and travel the world like Aurora. With that, her request was clear. Ryina knew what she wanted.

“Okay, I figured out my request.”

“And what is it?” the Watcher asked.

“I want to be a hero,” Ryina said with a smile.

“As you request.”

Ryina watched as the Watcher snapped her fingers. In an instant, the world around Ryina went black for a moment before a flood of water snapped her awake. Her lungs were drowning as her brain tried to process what was happening. Without thinking she started swimming upwards as fast as she could. For a moment, she was able to get her head above water for a brief second before going under.

More water rushed into her lungs as she struggled to breathe. Her mind started to slip in and out of consciousness before finally succumbing to the abyss. Time passed before Ryina could hear the sound of a fire crackling. She could feel something warm against bare skin, a soft texture that felt like wolf fur lined with a silk thread. Opening her eyes, Ryina found herself staring up at a night sky. Processing everything that had happened, she sat up with haste.

A chilling breeze rushed over Ryina’s body as she realised she was naked. She could vaguely recalled the events that had happened. Covering up her body, she took a second to look around and process where she was at. Around her she could see nothing but darkness. Across from her was a hooded figure sitting on a nearby log.

“You’re finally awake,” the figure spoke.

Ryina was unable to make out the figure in the shadows but she could see that they had a petite frame. The voice was almost child-like but definitely of a feminine nature.

“Who are you?”

The figure reached into a pouch as Ryina struggled to get a look at the shadow before her. Ryina watched as she figure made her way over to her with an object in hand. Her eyes still had yet to adjust but Ryina could see a loaf of wheat bread in the person’s hand.

“Eat first, questions later.”

Ryina nodded and took the bread from the girl. Feeling her stomach growling, Ryina allowed herself to dig into the bread without manners. She was hungry and thirsty. The girl in the cloak provided Ryina with a water pouch to help quench her thirst. Once she had finished eating and drinking her fill, Ryina realised her eyes were starting to adjust to the shadows a bit. A few feet from her, she could see her clothes hanging on a small clothesline to dry.

“Would you mind if I get dressed?” Ryina asked.

“By all means.”

As she left the warmth of the sleeping bag, Ryina could feel the gentle cold breeze on her skin. She had a few abrasions on her legs, arms and a small cut on her foot but beyond that she had not been hurt too bad from the fall. Looking at her thighs, she noticed something. On her left inner thigh was a tattoo in black ink. The tattoo was in the shape of an eye with a watch inside of it. She knew that she had not had any sort of tattoo like that and came to the conclusion that it was a mark or gift from the girl she had met when she died.

“Thank you for the food,” Ryina said as she started to get changed.

“You were marked by her, were you not?”

“You mean this mark? What does it mean?”

“Did she not tell you? I guess she would forego the details.”

“Do you mean, you—”

Before Ryina could finish her sentence, the sound of bat wings flapped overhead. She had trouble making out the bat but could tell they were encircling the camp. Fear sank into the pit of Ryina’s stomach as she looked around. The figure did not move, nor seemed worried about the bats. They calmly stood to their feet as if it was normal. Just off in the distance, Ryina could see two crimson red eyes staring at her from the shadows. Another pair of eyes stared at her but unlike the other they had eight eyes. Various other red eyes stared at her. She could feel her heart beat even faster than before.

Her body was frozen in shock as she tried to rationalise what she was seeing. The bats continued to flap their wings to the point that they were interrupting Ryina’s ability to think and remain calm. She could feel herself actually start to have a panic attack.

“Tell me kid, what is your name?”

“Huh?”

Ryina gripped her arms as she tried to remain calm. She had told the girl in the hazel room that she wanted to be a hero. If she wanted to be a true hero then she needed to steel her resolve and be brave.

“R-Ryina, Ryina Iyaritel.”

“Well, Ryina Iyaritel, you are going to be of value in the years to come.”

“W-What do you mean?”

“You will be a hero.”

“What do you—”

Before Ryina could continue, she noticed that the figure had blended into the shadows and was gone. The red eyes she had seen were too gone and all the bats had seemed to disappear. She could feel her body shaking to the point that she felt like she was going to throw up. Taking a moment to compose herself, Ryina tried to logically process everything that had happened.

Once she had control over her emotions and understand the events that had transpired, Ryina took a breath to calm herself. In the distance shadows of the forest, she could see a small light. After a few seconds, Ryina could see two people from the light that illuminated from the touch. Ryina could make out a few features such as the elf ears and petite elf frame of both of the figures. One of the elves was dressed in a maid outfit while the other appeared like an aristocrat based on what Ryina could see in the dim darkness.

As the two figures stepped closer to the fire, Ryina could make out more details and features of the two people in front of her. The elven aristocrat was short in stature, a lilliputian that looked no more than thirteen years of age. Her crimson long hair flowed down her to her chest but still managed to appear a bit unkempt. She was dressed in an outfit that exuded power and confidence. A black top that exposed her shoulders and a white pleated skirt that contrasted well. Black fishnet stockings drew up to her thighs along with a pair of knee-high black socks worn over them accented her thighs and legs to extremes that would make a woman bark while the black combat boots that hid her feet saved the world from falling under her spell.

Beside her was the woman holding the touch. She was young but plain in appearance. The only striking feature was her elf ears and long blond hair that was tied off on the right side in a braid. Her outfit was just a simple black and white maid uniform that complimented her form well.

“Excuse me, little girl, are you lost?” the aristocratic elf asked.

“Who are you?”

“Pardon me, I am Soyphetia Verlameiques and this is my maid, Femiealyus. We saw something fall into into the river and decided to investigate. It is rather a grand stroke of luck that we did. Are you hurt, little one?”

“I’m… fine. Just tired.”

“Fem, please give the girl some food and water,” Soyphetia said as she grabbed the touch from her.

“As you wish, my lady.”

Femiealyus approached Ryina slowly as she placed her hands into her pockets and pulled out some rations that Ryina had never seen before along with a phial filled with water.

“These rations are from the elven lands. They are imbued with secret elven medicine that cures fatigue and other small aliments. This water is of pure value from the forest oasis found in the elven lands.”

Ryina took the food and water, downing it as fast as she could. She could feel her body become lighter as her stamina returned and her fatigue vanished. After she had finished the rations and water, Ryina realised she had forgotten to properly introduce herself.

“Sorry, I never introduced myself. I am Ryina Iyaritel. I was—”

For a moment, Ryina was unable to speak or finish her sentence. She had blocked it from her memory for a brief time but she had recalled the danger that her family was in. There was a chance her family was still alive.

“My parents are still out there!”

Searching for any way to return to where the carriage was, Ryina started to rush in the direction of what vaguely looked like a cliff side. Before she could move, however, there was a hand on her shoulder that was stopping her.

“Please try not to worry, Miss Iyaritel,” Femiealyus said in a calm and gentle voice.

“B-But…”

“Try not to worry, little one. I’m sure your parents are fine,” Soyphetia said with a smile.

The three of them made their way back to the top of the cliff and travelled along the roadside until they had finally reached the area where the carriage was attacked. There were clear signs of a battle with a few battles of the adventurers that were scattered around along with a few of the monsters that had died during the skirmish. Yet, there was no sign of her parents. Fear started to sink in as Ryina wondered if her parents were truly alive. While she did not true for her father, she did want her mother to survive and have the child that would become her younger sibling.

“They… are… dead…”

“No, just give me one moment and I can get a sense of what happened here,” Soyphetia said.

Ryina watched as Soyphetia walked around various spots on the battlefield and around the carriage. Once she was finished, she smiled as she placed her hand on Ryina’s shoulder.

“Based on their tracks, your parents should be at the closest village along this road.”

The fear and panic Ryina had felt was slowly started to subside. As she followed Soyphetia and her maid to the nearby village, she felt a sense of relief once she saw her parents and their maid. They had stayed at one of the inns as they await for the morning to figure out what to do. Ryina had learned about the attack on the carriage and how the monsters had killed many of the adventurers before being driven off by a group of knights in black armour. One of the adventurers had been captured by the monsters – an elf who had a beauty that rivalled royalty.

No one knew where the elf had been taken to or why but for now, they were safe and that was the best that could hope for. Ryina had introduced her parents to the two adventurers that had saved her but left out the fact she had an experience with what she could only see as a goddess and the cloaked figure of the shadows. Her parents thanked Soyphetia for everything and promised to reward her if she returned with them to their home.

After the events that had transpired, Ryina slipped her her shoes and laid down on the bed. The bed at the inn was different from her own bed but even still, she was able to fall asleep without much hassle. Her body was tired and she needed to focus on her path and goal ahead of her – becoming the hero of Eystial.