Chapter 3

Five days had passed since my arrival, and while I had managed to improve my physical capabilities somewhat, it would take far more than a week to achieve any dramatic transformation. When I woke that morning, a backpack was already waiting for me—prepared by Aina with meticulous care. Hina was already awake and ready to depart. I ate breakfast quickly and made my own preparations, and when the time came to leave, the entire household gathered to see us off. Even Quindle came to say goodbye, which surprised me; I hadn't imagined him as someone who would put much stock in such farewells.

As we prepared to leave, Aedric pulled me aside, his expression grave and serious.

"Remember, Navnlos," he said, his tone carrying the weight of his words. "If you do not earn the insignia, you will not be permitted to remain on this side, and you will be unable to do anything. You must earn your right to stay here."

“I’ll do what I can.” The pressure overwhelmed me a little, but I figured that if I failed, I’d just go back to my normal life with only the memories of this place. After all, I wouldn’t really lose much—it's only been a week here, and most of what I’ve done is physical training anyway.

"If you're ready, let's go," Hina called from behind me.

"Yes, let's go," I replied.

We set out from the house together, first heading toward the forest where Aedric had brought me when I first arrived. As we walked, that familiar sensation of being watched crept over me again, though I could see nothing.

"Fairies," Hina said suddenly, as if reading my thoughts. "Not everyone can perceive them. You need to have a keen instinct."

"I only feel observed, but I can't see them," I admitted.

"In time, you will be able to," she assured me. "Once you earn their trust. They are deeply suspicious of humans."

"But Aina seems to have earned enough trust to live with them. Are the fairies of this forest more wary?"

"All fairies are wary. Outside of the cities where most magic concentrates in this era, it's rare to see them interacting with humans at all. Aina's case is different—I don't know the whole story, but from what I understand, she and Aedric have been traveling together for a long time. In fact, when they first met, Aina even tried to kill him."

I couldn't imagine Aina attempting such a thing. She seemed so gentle, so kind.

"Fairies are dangerous if you don't know how to handle them properly," Hina continued. "It's best to be cautious if you lack experience."

"I'll be careful," I promised.

The forest path itself was relatively smooth, with no major obstacles blocking our way, so we made good progress through it. The real challenge came later, when we had to begin climbing the elevated terrain. Although my endurance had improved somewhat over the past week, my baseline fitness was still poor, and I found myself needing to stop frequently to catch my breath. I felt embarrassed by Hina having to constantly pause with me, though she didn't seem to mind. Still, I didn't want to appear so helpless.

We walked throughout the entire day, and as twilight began to fall, we set up our tent. It was spacious enough for two people, yet large enough that we were able to create small separate "rooms" within it for privacy. Outside, we built a fire and began preparing our meal while the sky above us displayed an infinite tapestry of stars. Being at this elevation, the temperature was bitterly cold, so both of us were bundled heavily in our layers.

"Have you ever camped before?" Hina asked as we tended to the fire.

"I couldn't say with certainty, but I have a feeling I haven't," I replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry for asking about something you can't know," she said apologetically.

"Don't worry about it."

"Camping became one of my favorite hobbies when I came to this town," Hina continued, gazing out at the darkened landscape. "Although the cold keeps most people away, I think the views are well worth the discomfort."

I looked around at the vast expanse surrounding us, and I had to admit—the sight was truly breathtaking. The mountains, rendered in shades of shadow, were illuminated by the brilliant canopy of stars stretching endlessly across the night sky.

"Aren't they magnificent?" Hina asked, turning to look at me.

"I don't think I've ever seen views this beautiful," I said honestly.

“And this world is nowhere,” Hina murmured softly.

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused by her sudden comment.

"On the 'magical' side, people tend to differentiate everything into the 'normal' and 'magical' categories. When I left the city, I found that distinction absurd. After all, we both live on the same planet."

I paused, considering her words. "I have a feeling I never took the time to really look at views like these. I suspect most people don't stop to observe their surroundings."

"It seems to be the same on both sides," Hina said, a note of melancholy entering her voice.

“After all, we're human on both sides,” I murmured.

"We should go to sleep soon. We'll need to wake up early tomorrow," she said, her voice still carrying that wistful quality.