Departure from Oster Village.

The sunrise once more.

Mei Model MFSC010 the robot who exists to serve—or rather Mei Rokuhara the girl who fights for humanity, woke up for the first time in an era so backward in time that she used to study it at her boring history class back in school.

“…Huh, so that really wasn’t a dream. I’m back in the 9th Century. Or since it’s my first time here, should I say I arrived into the 9th Century?”

Her eyes fixed on that unfamiliar ceiling, she remembers what happened yesterday.

“…Time to wake up– Aw aw aw…”

She feels the sharp pain in her left arm. Bandaged all over up to her shoulders, she notices only now that it was the lumberjack who treated the wounds she got from the desperate battle she waged in the future.

He really is kind despite being a demon.

Putting on a smile—that she quickly erases—she stands up and starts her morning stretches—a habit she kept since childhood. 
Touching her toes with her hands, working on her leg flexibility by doing the splits, warming up her joints, and breathing deeply some three dozen times. 

She chases the drowsiness away, and looks at the beaming sun.
Ready to start her new day in that brand old era, she gets her clothes.

“Oh, that’s right. Completely wasted.”

The equipment in her hands is burned all over, with molten metallic parts distorted by the heat of the gate, and torn belts all over from her fall into the forest. 
Seeing her favorite Frame Suit in such a state weighs on her heart, but she doesn’t linger much on it. The remainder of her clothes amount to a tight suit she wears under her battle gear. 

I don’t really want to go out like this… But beggars can’t be choosers I guess.

She lets out a heavy sigh, staring into space. 
I feel like I lost control of everything. My Metal Frame is trashed, my suit wasted, the only thing I can use to defend myself are my blades. In this era 1200 years late in technological advancements, that would look like advanced magic to the common man, but… Hmm?

She notices something at the chair near the closet.
A set of clothes, exactly her size.

“…Dumb, stupid goodie two shoes.”

She puts on the white robe and the brown camisole.

“No one asked.”

And steps out of the house.

◊・◊・◊

“LIOS!!! YOU CAN’T LEAVE US LIKE THIS!!!”

Fifty steps out of the house, and the girl finds herself in a small village of barely 25 houses. At the square about a dozen people are assembled around a man about half a head taller than them. 

He wears a black linen kerchief stylishly wrapped over his head, hiding his long ears that would reveal his nature of demon—even though his locks of long red hair that stick out, as well as his deep red eyes are enough to clue anyone in.

A band of five children are grabbing the legs of the lumberjack, one climbing on his back and pressing on his cheeks. Around them, villagers of various ages are gathering around, ready to send him off on his next journey.

“Lios Lios! You promised you would teach me how to swing an axe, are you really going to break your promise?” A snotty blond kid yells at him. “And who’s going to cut the wood now?”

“Hey hey calm down, I just said I’ll be going away for a while, not that I’m gone for good. I’m not leaving the village before teaching you all about being a lumberjack, but until I’m back…” He turns his gaze over an old man that looks from afar. Still tall and strong for his age, he only nods at the man about to depart. “Grampa Neiler will take care of the woods. And you, Louise.” He picks up the one on his back. “I know you’re feeling anxious because of the future, but there is nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do. It took me twice your age to figure that out, so take your time, alright?”

“…Fine.”

Crouching down to let her down safely, he pats her on the head, comforting the child on the brink of tears.

Ho oh, he’s good with children that one. Really impressive.
So that’s how ancient demons garnered the trust of humans…

For a moment, the thought of revealing his true identity came to mind, but she decided against.
Further left, on the road leading out of the village she sees a wagon. Loaded with enough provisions to last the next town, and one horse attached to pull them through the journey, everything seemed ready.

“…He really wasn’t kidding. He wants to go to the capital with me after all.”

“Fu fu, interesting isn’t it?”

“Bhwahh!”

Out of nowhere an old lady appeared right next to the time-traveler, whispering into her ear.

“Oh my apologies, an old habit that won’t stop.” She bows to her. “I am the village chief, you can call me Boss, this is what everyone calls me these days.”

“Alright, nice to meet you… Boss.” Mei shakes her hand. “I’m Mei. I guess I’m his travel companion now.”

“Fu fu, even more interesting.” She retorts. “One day years ago he appears out of nowhere announcing that he decided to move here after a night in the bar, another day we catch him with the longest ears we’ve ever seen and he reveals that he was a demon-kind the whole time. The next days he racks up every title of our many contests, from sausage eating to the vocabulary and try-to-not-laugh contest. And today? He departs with a stranger that came out of nowhere to guide her to the capital. My word, Lios will never stop surprising us.”

“You tell me, and he’s way too kind for his own good– Wait you know?”

Mei stares at Boss in shock, turning her head over him and her in turn, searching for confirmation.

“Everyone knows.” She answers. “But we don’t fear him at all, and you shouldn’t young woman. What they say about demon-kind are hoaxes, if it wasn’t for him, I myself would have still believed them.”

“…”

Stunned by this show of trust, by the openness of the village toward him despite being a demon, she looks at the assembly again with a new perspective.

How is it, that knowing he’s a demon, they treat him like he is one of them?
Or because he is one of them, they don’t mind him being a demon?

But our sources about the ancient demons must be right, I mean, Mom always told me to fear them since I was a kid! 
Then, in what kind of era did I end up falling into?

Noticing that Mei already woke up, Lios walks to her bearing a radiant smile.

“Miss Robot, you’re awake.”

“Oh no.”

She quickly turns away her head.

“Looks like you’re ready.” He continues. “The only thing left is to depart, or is there something you want to do before?”

“Nothing! Nothing, really.” She answers a little flustered. “We just might make a detour by the forest to salvage a few things from the Frame, then we’re good.”

“I’m glad then. So… When you want?”

“Sure, let’s go.”

Racing to the wagon, she doesn’t even face him for a moment.
That was close, his smile is way too bright. How am I gonna survive the whole way to the capital like that?
Looks like keeping my distances won’t be possible—should have figured!

“…Is something wrong with her?” wonders the lumberjack. “Maybe she got a fever? Good thing I also packed some medicine.”

Not giving it much thought, he follows her into the carriage.
In a farewell too swift and sudden for the village, Lios drives the wagon, and they start the long journey they have ahead of them.

“See you Lios!”

“Come back big bro!”

“Fare thee well, lumberjack!”

“Good travels!!”

Everyone, young and old, give their wishes and blessings to the departing traveler.
Regardless of race, or past grievances.
Humans and demons treating each other like kin.
The perfect example of coexistence between different species.

And that humans are capable of accepting demons among them, especially in this era…

To Mei, only one conclusion remains in her mind, one that she had made long ago.

“Yeah… I love humanity after all.” She says, waving her hand at them.

“Me too Miss Robot.” Lios adds. “They really are a great bunch.”

“Ohh? So you love how they taste, demon?”

“That again? I’m not going to stew them in a pot, it’s not like they would taste good.”

“So you thought about it?”

“Did not!”

“Obviously you did with such a precise example. And…”

She stops herself, wondering if she should say her next words.
I should keep my distances from him, but I don’t want this journey to be cold and boring.
At the end, she lets go of her hesitation, even if that would make them closer in the end.

“It’s Miss Mei with you.”

“…Understood, Miss Mei MFSC010.”

“Miss Mei Rokuhara.”

“Where did that come from?”

“Urgh! It’s, euh… My creator's name, yeah! I don’t want everyone to know I’m a robot after all, that would make things too complicated to explain.”

“Ohh, I see. Rokuhara eh? That’s not from around here.”

“Knowing history, it’s not from this area for sure.”

“Speaking of history, could you tell me if…”

And thus, an adventure of the most fascinating kind between two deceivers slowly falling in love with the other begins. On their journey to obtain the legendary Elixir of All Woes, they’ll meet people they can call comrades, and others that will treat them like enemies.

However, what they mustn't do is fall for the other, because a forest-elf should not fall for a robot, and a human cannot fall for a demon.
 
So it becomes a battle. A battle against the emotion that knows no law nor reason.
The emotion called, love.