A New World

“Why can’t you do this correctly?!”

“We shouldn’t have relied on you…”

“How do you still not get it?”

“…”

The amount of overwork from finalizing those documents is causing my head to pound in pain. Despite the intense headache, my back strangely feels incredibly soft and itchy, as though I'm lying on the grass with a pleasant, earthy smell. A gentle wind brushes over my body, sending shivers throughout. Did someone open a window in the office or something?

“Mm…”

I rub my eyes and take a deep breath, letting the scent of fresh air fill my lungs.

“…Huh?”

I quickly open my eyes to the sight of overgrown trees blocking out the sun, surrounded by an assortment of vegetation.

“You’re kidding me… right…?”

---

“How low do you have to be to just throw someone out into the middle of nowhere?!” I shout out, not expecting a reply.

I wander around the forest, still in my business suit, pushing through thick bushes and carefully watching my footing to avoid stumbling on tree branches. The long-sleeved suit provides some relief against the cold wind until my thoughts are abruptly interrupted by a strong gush of wind assaulting my body.

“…Cold…”

I hugged my upper body tightly to the best of my ability. Then, I realized,

“…Let’s try contacting someone.”

I scavenge through my pockets, only to notice that all of them are completely empty, even though I remember having my wallet tucked in my left pocket and my phone in my right.

“Dang it!” I kick out the ground, causing a cloud of dirt to fly off.

Am I really that useless that you have to throw me out in the middle of nowhere? The least he could do was fire me…

“…Hm?”

Somewhere in those thick bushes, I swear I just saw something pointy pass by. I wonder what it was.

I slowly pushed my way through the thick bushes until the sight of what appeared to be the back of a person came into view. They were dressed in travel clothes, carrying a makeshift sling bag of considerable size. They have long silver hair, tied in a ponytail, and the presence of not one but two pairs of pointy... ears...

“…! An Elf?!”

“…!” They quickly turned around, showing their palm to me, and a bunch of tiny rocks materialized, floating in front of their hand.

“Ah!” I instinctively raised both of my hands.

Shoot! Why did I have to shout that out?!

“Who are you?!” she asks, her hand still pointing towards me.

“S-Sorry! I saw you and reacted instinctively…”

“You shout out races when you see them?” She lowers her voice, looking perplexed.

“Nonono!” I sporadically shook both my hands, “I was just surprised to see an elf like you…”

“…? What are you talking about?” She asks, tilting her head.

“Ah…”

That look... It’s that judging look again. After avoiding those kinds of gazes for so long, I had completely forgotten how it felt, as if a hole opened up in my stomach, eating my innards out.

“…I’m sorry…” I broke my gaze off of her and stared at my foot, still keeping both of my hands up.

“Eh? W-Why do you look so dejected?” The girl stammered.

“Sorry… I was reminded of something…” I replied, my gaze still stuck on my feet.

“Eh? Uhh… S-Sorry…” The girl says in a low voice. She continues, “Wait, why am I apologizing? You still haven’t told me anything about yourself!”

“R-Right…” I slowly lift my head, in which the hand that she was holding up towards me is completely lowered.

“So, who are you? What are you doing here? Also, why are you wearing that kind of clothes in the middle of the forest?” She sporadically asks.

“I’m Yuuma. Shizue Yuuma. I suddenly woke up in the forest, and I don’t know how to get there… As for the clothes, this is just something I wear to work...” I explained.

“Work?” The girl tilts her head.

“Ahh, I work on the marketing team for a movie.”

“Marketing…? Movie…?” The girl tilts her head even more looking as if it’s ready to fall off due to the pressure.

“Y-You don’t know those?” I ask, completely taken aback.

“S-So what if I don’t know them?! Is it a big deal to not know them?!” The girl tenses her shoulders.

“An ordeal one.”

“T-That massive…” The girl slumps her shoulders.

“Uhh… Y-You haven’t told me anything about yourself…” I said, trying to change the topic to make things less awkward.

"Ahh, right… I’m Celicia, and I’m currently delivering som— AAA!" The girl starts flailing around in a frenzy.

“W-What?”

“I need to deliver these pots fast! Why did you show up and distract me?!”

Umm, you could’ve just said so and I would’ve left you alone…

“Anyway, I’ll be going now so bye!”

The girl ran off, but realizing something, I quickly grasped her arm before she could take another step.

“What are you doing?! A-Are you going to do something bad to me?!” The girl shouts out.

“Don’t say it like that!” I instinctively yelled out. I averted my gaze and continue, “A-Actually, I’m lost right now, so I was wondering if I can come along with you—”

“I’m really in a hurry, so get off me!” The girl cuts me off.

“Just bring me to a city or something pleaseeee~!”

---

“…”

“…Welcome to Artevir City.” Celicia motioned her hand towards the city.

The city is paved with bricks for a road, with architectures looking as if it came from the medieval age. Among the bustling streets, an array of beast-men catches my eye. Some returned from their expeditions, their armor looking battered while carrying some kind of creature in their wagon. The air is filled with the aroma of sizzling meats and the cheers of spectators watching spellbinding magic shows at lively stalls.

There are also humans roaming around the city. Others are adorned in the regalia of seasoned adventurers, giving them an air of mystery and wisdom. It seems that these people are experienced judging from their clothing and the kind of aura that they give off.

“A-Am I in another world?!” I shouted out ecstatically.

Some of the pedestrians looked at me bewildered after I made that proclamation, with some people that are my kind frowning at me.

“Why are you so excited about this city anyway?” Celicia asks, narrowing her eyes.

“Sorry…”

“And why are you so quick to be depressed about it?” Celicia scratches her head then continues, “You can be excited all you want, but don’t attract too much attraction, okay?”

“…Right.”

Here I thought I could suppress my excitement, but the moment I saw this city, all of those barriers were completely shattered. I mean, who wouldn't be ecstatic? Somehow, I got transported into a fantasy world filled with all the things I used to adore as a teenager. It's like a dream come true.

“I’m gonna go deliver these ceramics now, so good luck to you Yuuma,” Celicia said as she walks away from me.

“…Thank you for taking me here!” I yelled out to her back, followed by her raising her hand.

Why did she call me by my first name? Not that it really matters, but it feels a bit weird.

---

Not long after Celicia left, I roamed around the city, trying to find a job so I could survive the night. Unfortunately, due to my lack of background and experience, every single place rejected all of my applications.

“Haah… What am I going to do?” I mutter.

“I wonder who those Otherworlders look like… Maybe one of them could be a handsome prince?!”

“They’re here to slay the dragon that occasionally bothers us, and you’re excited on what they’ll look like?”

“Awh, come on Linda! Is there anything wrong with being a bit excited?”

It’s those Otherworlders talk again. For some reason, the town is ecstatic for these Otherworlders. It's all anyone talks about wherever I go—they can't stop raving about it.

“I wonder what Otherworlders even are…”

I walk to the town center to be greeted with a giant fountain resembling two intricately carved cups stacked upon each other. The fountain's waters danced gracefully, reflecting the warm glow of the setting sun. Its golden rays painted the surroundings in a symphony of orange hues, enveloping the entire town center.

I sat down on the cool, smooth concrete of the edges of the fountain. As I sank into the seat, a tinge of soreness surged through my legs from all the walking.

“…What are you doing here?”

“Ah…” A familiar voice came from my right.

What stands there is the same girl that I met in the forest. However, she’s standing in front of the setting sun, basking in the orange glow, which gives her an otherworldly appearance as if she just descended from a different plane of existence.

“Guessing things didn’t go to plan?” Celicia says with an apathetic expression, reminding me that this person is the furthest thing from being an angel.

“Yes—yes it did not,” I flail my hand around, “What are you doing here anyway? Aren’t you done with your errands?” I said, accidentally pressing the tone of my voice.

“I just have one more place to visit, and I coincidentally ran into you when I was heading there,” Celicia explained sarcastically.

“That so?” I avert my gaze from her towards the pool, a reflection of my disheveled appearance and bedridden hair comes into view.

“…Do you have any idea on where to go?” Celicia asks.

“No.” I bluntly replied.

“…Then, could you help me out with my last delivery?” Celicia peers into my eyes.

“Haven’t you been doing this yourself?” I tilt my head, my gaze stuck on Celicia.

“True, but I was wondering if you could help me out with this final client since Otherworlders are the only people he doesn’t have a problem with.” She explained.

“Hey, can you tell me what Otherworlders are? I heard that term thrown around the entire day and I still don’t get it…” I ask.

“…You’re not from this world, right?” Celicia asks with the same expression.

“…! How did you—”

"It’s normal here," Celicia cuts me off. Her gaze lingers in the distance as she continues, "You see that giant building in the distance?" She points towards the north, directing my attention to a castle-like structure standing tall against the horizon, its imposing presence looming over the city where we're standing.

“What about it?”

“There’s apparently some sort of ritual going on that allows them to summon other people from other worlds. They say that some people from other worlds have a massive amount of mana that can help us beat the demon lord.” Celicia explained.

When I was roaming around the place to look for inns and jobs, there were a lot of people that were excited about the new Otherworlders that would defeat the evil dragon. Still can’t help but think that that is one of the most generic end goal I have heard of in my life. It feels as if I’m in a fantasy story written by a third-rate author…

“However, some summons that failed will be disposed into some randomized location and have their memories of being summoned erased. It’s really bad taste on their end…” Celicia said, her words becoming sharper.

Ahh, so they treat the useless like trash huh... I get it though. If I were them, I wouldn’t have picked myself as well…

However, those thoughts are quickly suppressed with a question,

“Wait. Does that mean that you already know who I was when we first met?” I point at myself whilst looking at Celicia.

“Having some random stranger with messy clothes, uncombed hair, and bloodshot eyes yell out your race in the middle of the forest is enough to make someone stop thinking logically and start thinking on how to protect themselves…” Celicia crosses her arms.

“…My bad, okay?” I scratch my head, “Could you really blame me for reacting that way?”

“Well, not really, I guess…” Celicia closes her eyes and continues, “If I were you, I might have accidentally chased them off instead...”

“See? What I tell you.”

“Hehehe, I guess…” Celicia lets out a small chuckle, a small smile forms on her face, her eyes light up in glimmer.

“Cute…”

“What did you say?”

“N-Nothing…”

Shoot! Why did I blurt out something like that?!

“Ehh, it’s fine. Anyway, what are you gonna do?” Celicia fixes her shoulder bag, signaling that she’s ready to get going.

“…Sure,” I slowly stand up from the fountain, “Not like I have anywhere else to go anyway, seeing how I was thrown out…”

“…”

When you play an RPG, it’s normal to pick out characters that are strong to help you get through the game. I’m that unlucky character that has low base stats to even be used in the game…

“So, how can I help?”

However, I still want to be a bit useful no matter how small it is. If I can be anything more than a deadweight, I’d be more than happy.

---

“Here we are…” Celicia said as we stand in front of a chapel.

The building’s brick texture is worn out, discoloring some of the red texture. The sun has long since set, casting the area into a gentle obsidian embrace, leaving only the soft glow of streetlights to illuminate the surroundings. The chapel, nestled at the outskirts of the city, is located near the tranquil embrace of a meandering riverbank.

“…”

Before I had a chance to prepare myself, Celicia gave me a wrapped rectangular box, adorned with a delicate bow, and a small note attached to it. She then knocks on the door,

“Excuse meee~! Does Aki live heree~?”

“…”

No answer. Celicia knocks on the door again,

“I have a package from Morkam~!”

The door swings open, revealing a figure towering over us. A man with a buffed build stands before us, his entire body covered in a thick coat of gray fur followed by the face of a literal wolf.

“Tch… What do you want?” He asks as he looks at Celicia’s face which is facing downward.

I gulp, my lips feeling dry, and give a light cough.

“Who are you?” The beast pressed his tone of voice.

As our eyes meet, his intense stare feels as if it has the power to petrify me with a single glance. I clench my fist and steel my mind, summoning courage from within.

“…My friend here was given something by one of your acquaintances... He asked us if we could send this package to you if we walk past your home...” I said as I present the rectangular box, my hands drenching the box in sweat.

His eyes are glued on the box that I’m holding as if analyzing it, and then he forcibly grabbed it, making me lose my balance.

“…How much do I owe you?” The man asks, looking at me.

“N-No need! We just happened to walk by, that’s all! My friend also said that she has done business with you before, so we thought might as well…” I frantically explained.

“That so… Thanks for delivering this.” The man said as he raises the rectangular box.

As he was about to close the door, he glared at Celicia and muttered,

“Don’t think I would forgive you…”

“…”

The chapel door then closes, leaving both of us alone in the dark.

“…Was that what you meant?” I asked Celicia.

“…Yeah.” Celicia steps away from the chapel, distancing herself from me.

“…”

Before we went to deliver the product, Celicia had explained to me my role—to act as the spokesperson since this person has issues with the elves. We found a quiet spot on a nearby bench, the soft glow of a nearby lamppost being the only source of light along the tranquil river bank.

“…Can I ask you something?”

“Sure…” Celicia looks at the river that is barely illuminated by the street lights.

“Did… something happen between you and him?” I ask, my hands getting soaked in sweat.

“No… It has something to do with him and my kind…” Celicia looks up at the night sky, a single full moon looking down at us.

“What do you mean?” I look up towards the night sky, aligning my gaze with hers.

“Back then, there was a lot of rumors going on that humans would regularly disappear nearby an Elf territory, which made a lot of people suspicious of our existence…” Celicia said in a flat tone.

“…”

“Elves used to love doing this as an act of revenge to what humans did to their home… This led to a war between elves and humans that lasted for one-hundred years…”

“One hundred years…” I muttered.

“The war came to an end with the elves marking out which landmarks they want untouched, with humans vowing not to lay a single hand on those lands and elves to never harm humans ever again…” Celicia clasps her hands, fiddling her thumbs around.

“…”

“…Well, that was six-hundred years ago, and now elves and humans are able to live alongside one another in harmony.” Celicia unclasps her hands, crossing them instead.

“But… I’m assuming it’s not entirely true, right?” I break my gaze from the sky and face Celicia.

“…Right. I say humans, but there were other races as well that got involved in this war. I think Aki was one of them as well…” Celicia looks back towards the chapel.

“You sound like you know him personally. What kind of relationship do you share?”

“Not me… My mother used to be close with his parents. Then, Aki and his parents got involved in the war—”

“I see… No wonder he’s upset with the elves. Even if you’re family weren’t the ones to do it, the fact that you’re a part of it is enough to make him upset…” I said, cutting off Celicia’s words.

“Yeah…” Celicia replied.

“…I get how he feels though…”

“This is not good enough… Rewrite this by next week.”

“Why are you so slow at everything?!

“Are you even trying?”

“…By the way… do you have somewhere to go?” Celicia scratches her cheek with her finger, sealing off the flooding dam of my memories.

“Nope, but I’ll figure something out…” I stand up from the bench and do a stretch.

“Do you know that most of the inns here are full?” Celicia stands up as well.

“Yeah, I know…”

Now that I know who these Otherworlders are, it makes sense why everyone is gathering here as if it’s some sort of event. There are many inns in this city, so I’m surprised almost all of them are completely booked. Guess it’s that big of a deal huh…

“So… I was wondering if you want to come to my village to stay for the night…” Celicia asks, scratching her right cheek.

“…That would be amazing, but is it okay? I mean, I’m practically just a stranger to you…”

“Well, you did save me, so it’s the least I could do to repay you…” Celicia replied.

“Save you?” I tilt my head.

“If I met Aki by myself, there’s no doubt that something bad could’ve happened…” Celicia looks down on the concrete pavement, her face soaked in sweat.

“What do you mean by bad?” I stuttered.

“H-He’s a calm person… But if you make him m-mad, he’ll drag you into the chapel at night and he’ll—”

“Okay! You don’t need to continue!” I yelled out, suppressing my mind from imagining it any further.

“You’re the one that asked first!” Celicia yelled out.

“Okay—okay! We’re still standing in front of his chapel, so we should at least get out of here first!”

“R-Right… I completely forgot about that.” Celicia said, lowering her voice.

---

The city's nightlife comes alive with a myriad of streetlights and building lights that illuminate the surroundings, casting vibrant splashes of color across the streets. However, the moment we stepped beyond the village boundaries and ventured deep into the heart of the forest, the darkness enveloped us like a thick, impenetrable veil. The absence of any light rendered my vision completely useless, leaving me to rely on Celicia to guide me through.

“Don’t let go of my hand, okay?” Celicia said as she leads me forward.

“Y-Yeah…” I tighten my grip.

Now that I think about it, I’m heading into some place in the middle of the forest with a stranger leading me around. Is it really a good idea to do this? We’ve also been walking for a while now. How far is this village of hers anyway?

“Hey, how far do we need to go?” I ask.

“We’re close. Just bear with it for a bit…”

“…”

Even if I decide to head back now, I won’t be able to navigate through this darkness anyway. Weirdly enough, my gut feeling isn’t giving me warning about an imminent danger, so I don’t think I need to worry about it too much…

My thoughts were immediately interrupted as if my body had been forcefully pulled by an invisible magnet.

“…!”

I can still feel the warmth of Celicia’s hand, but my hand is completely gone, as if it became a part of the air.

“Wha—”

Before I could voice my concern, my body is quickly pulled into the air, submerging me.

…

…..

……

“…We’re here…” Celicia proclaims.

“…”

The forest is bathed in enchanting blue hues, as if it has become an extension of the night sky itself. Surprisingly, despite the absence of artificial lights, the entire place remains remarkably visible, thanks to the brilliant moonlight that cascades down like a celestial spotlight. A plethora of buildings crafted from wood and stone, with a quaint sod-house-like structure that blends seamlessly with nature. Some of the larger structures are ingeniously connected to the sturdy trees, harmoniously coexisting with the forest's rich ecosystem.

However, it's the towering presence of a magnificent tree beyond where I stand that truly captivates me. This majestic giant reaches such extraordinary heights that it dwarfs the surrounding trees, making the nearby forest appear almost comically small in comparison. Its vast canopy seems to touch the heavens, as if serving as a gateway to another world hidden above the treetops.

“Welcome to Saevil Forest…” Celicia motioned her hand towards the forest.

“Wow…”

“Hehe… pretty cool right?” Celicia smirks.

“Yeah…”

I never knew a day would come when I could witness such a beautiful sight… In my twenty-five years of living, this is the first time I’m truly glad that I’m alive right now…

“Let’s head to my house.” Celicia motioned to me with her head.

“…Wait, your house?”

“Yeah… What’s wrong?” Celicia tilts her head.

“I thought you were going to let me stay at some inn in this place.” I look around my surroundings, trying to locate a place that looks like an inn.

“Oh, we don’t have that here…” Celicia blurted out with a blank expression.

“Then, where will I be staying?” I ask, my stomach gradually forming a pit.

“Of course, it’ll be in my house…” Celicia furrowed her brows, “Do you have a problem with it?”

“I personally don’t, but aren’t you bothered with bringing in a stranger to your home?”

“Not really…” Celicia walks away from me and continues, “I don’t sense any kind of malice from you, and you did help me out with the whole Aki situation…”

“How are you sure of that?” I lightly jog to catch up to her, “Do you have proof that I won’t do anything bad to you?”

“Nope.” Celicia shrugs.

“Then—”

"It's just a gut feeling..." Celicia cuts me off, her voice filled with a hint of caution. She comes to a stop, turning to face me directly. With a firm resolve, she continues, "And in the off chance that you try to do something bad to me, I can assure you that my parents and I won't let you off lightly..." Her gaze intensifies, piercing into my soul with a resolute and unwavering expression on her face.

“…!”

"...Well, not like you'd have the courage to do so anyway." Celicia nonchalantly shrugs. With an air of confidence, she continues walking ahead, leaving me to ponder her words.

“…”

Noted. Never try to make her mad. I get the feeling that death would somehow be nicer than whatever she has in mind.

---

“I’m home!” Celicia yelled out into the house.

“You’re late! What took you so—”

I made eye contact with a man whose long silver hair cascaded down, rivaling the length of Celicia's own hair. He stood poised behind a counter, and the dimly lit lantern cast shadows across his face, making it challenging to discern his features clearly. Nonetheless, our gazes locked, and even in the semi-darkness, I could feel the intensity of our eye contact.

“…Who are you?” The man asks, staring daggers into me.

“…I-I’m—”

“He’s a friend of mine,” Celicia cuts me off, then she stands in front of me, “We were delivering a package to Aki, and he helped me reason with him…”

“Ah… that guy, huh…” The man scratches his hair. He continues, “I’m thankful that you helped out my daughter, but why are you following her?” The man furrowed his brows.

“Actually… I was the one that invited him here…” Celicia replied.

“…And why is that my daughter?” The man crosses his arms, his gaze switching to Celicia.

Celicia gazed downwards, her body fidgeting whilst playing around with her fingers.

“I… was thinking that maybe…”

“What? I can’t hear you.” The man leans closer to Celicia with his arms still crossed.

“I was thinking that maybe… it’ll be okay to let him stay—”

“Huh?!” The man roars, cutting off Celicia mid-sentence.

“What do you mean to let him stay?!” The man’s gaze quickly switches over to mine, “You! What did you do to my daughter, huh?!”

“I-I didn’t do anything! I had nowhere to go, so your daughter invited me over to let me stay for one night!” I frantically explained.

“It's true, dad! He’s an Otherworlder that got lost. He’s broke, unemployed, homeless, and lost, but he was able to help me reason with Aki before things got bad!” Celicia explained.

I’m still here you know? Even though it’s technically true, it still hurts Ms. Celicia…

“Ohh, so you’re one of those people, huh…” The man states, his initial anger dissipating like smoke evaporating into the air. He continues, “I’m guessing you’re one of the failed ones then…”

“Yuuma…”

“…”

“…Haah…” The man scratches his head, “You can sleep in my workshop for now. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

“I-Is it really okay?” I ask, meeting the man’s eyes.

“Only for tonight, okay?” The man step into the hallway and motion me to come over with his head, “Come help me set up your bed…”

“O-Okay! Thank you so much, sir!” I said, bowing my head down.

“Celicia! Make sure you tell your mom about this, okay?” The man yells out from the hallway.

“Geh…” Celicia drops her shoulders.

“Um… Thank you for letting me stay for the night, Celicia.” I bow my head slightly in front of her.

“You’re welcome~” Celicia shrugs. She then grimaces and continues, “Now I just have to figure out how to convince my mom…”

“…Right. Sorry for having to push all the talking to you…” I lower my head to avoid her gaze.

“It’s fine. I was the one that invited you anyway, so I’ll have to take responsibility…” Celicia sighs and heads to the right, leading the way toward a set of wooden stairs.

“Celicia!”

“What?” Celicia stops in the middle of the stairs, looking back towards me her tone slightly impatient.

“…Good night.”

“…Yeah, good night.” Celicia gave a tiny smile and headed upstairs.

---

I head to the workshop, and as I step inside, the air is filled with the earthy scent of clay. The workshop is organized with two tables, each adorned with cylindrical shapes on top, and there's a large, central table covered with various bowls. The shelves lining the walls are neatly arranged, displaying an array of different structures, ranging from cups and bowls to plates and more. The walls themselves bear the marks of dried clay and the lingering aroma of clay permeates the entire space.

“…Hey.”

“Waaah!” I jump backwards, a large figure looming above me.

“Calm down… Here’s a mattress.” As he said that, he handed me a white mattress that is around my height.

“T-Thanks…”

“Go set it up and clean yourself up. The bathroom is deep in the hall then take a right when you’re at the kitchen…” As he said that, he turned his back and headed towards the exit. He then stops and continues, “Tomorrow is going to be a long day, so you better get some nice rest…”

“…”

He closed the door, his footsteps indicating that he was no longer near my room.

“Right… Tomorrow will definitely be a long day…”