Saevil Forest

It’s nine in the morning, and the opened kitchen window allows the warm sun to permeate the room. There are four people sitting at the dining table besides me. Celicia is seated to my left, her mother is in front of me, and her father is to her mother's right. Additionally, a grandpa sits at the edge of the table, nibbling on his porridge without a care in the world.

“…”

“…”

The mother possesses a slender, graceful figure, accentuated by her fair skin complexion. Her hair, an elegant silver hue reaches only up to her shoulders, creating a chic and modern bob that sets her apart from Celicia and her dad, who both boast longer locks.

“…So, may I ask who you might be?” The mother asks, breaking the deafening silence.

“…I’m Shizue Yuuma. I am an Otherworlder that got summoned to this world to beat the evil dragon, but I was disposed due to my lack of magical powers…” I answered whilst I keep my gaze stuck onto her, my stomach squeezing at the words I spouted.

The mother widens her eyes, though only for a brief second before it goes back to her usual stern expression.

“…What is your relationship with my daughter?” She crosses her arms.

“…Your daughter helped me a lot when I was lost in the city... She also gave me a place to stay for a night, so I’m extremely thankful of her.”

“…”

“…Do you have any plans on where to go?” The mother leans back on her chair, still keeping her arms crossed.

“No… But I’ll figure something out.” I press down the tone of my voice, praying that she doesn’t realize my uncertainty.

I peer to my left to see Celicia completely frozen stiff as if she got petrified, followed with her dad crossing his arms and closing his eyes, his right feet continuously stomps the floor slowly ramping up its speed.

Even if Celicia is the one that invited me, I was still the one that accepted it, so most of this is on me, but help me out here!

“…Do you have any skills in pottery?” The mother asks.

“Eh? Uhh… no, not really…” I replied. My words trailing off.

“Do you have anything that you’re good at?”

“…Huh?”

Why does this feel like a job interview all of the sudden?

“Your answer?”

“N-No… I’m sorry…” I broke my gaze from her and looked at my feet.

Considering the fact that Celicia doesn’t know what marketing is, I highly doubt her mother would know more than her. Not that I was good at it to begin with…

Now that I think about it, is there anything that I have done that I can take pride in?

I’m nothing but a burden in people’s eyes. I can never be sure on what it is that I want to believe in. I have to constantly rely on people to the point that it becomes a pain for them.

Can a day come where I could be useful to someone? To be able to take pride in my own abilities?

I look to my left, where Celicia has her head down, her brows furrowed, and her fists clenched. After a moment, she raises her head, looking at her mother,

“…Mom—”

“I see…” She cuts Celicia off without looking at her, “Then, can you learn to make yourself useful in this household?” She uncrossed her arms, a smile appeared on her face.

“““…What?””” Everyone except the mother and grandpa blurted out.

“What?” The mother looks at everyone, “Do you think I’d just throw someone away?”

“But Clairene, you were so mad about it yesterday—”

“That’s because I haven’t seen him before,” The mother cuts the father off. She continues, “I had to see him first to see what kind of person he is.” The mother said whilst looking at me.

“W-Why though? Even though I haven’t done anything…”

Are you guys really okay in letting someone like me be a part of your lives?

“Looking at you makes me pity you than wary to be honest…” The mother crosses her arms.

“…”

Pity huh…

“…No bad person would look that depressed over some words, you know?”

“…Do I really look that bad?”

“You looked terrible.” The mother blurted out.

“M-Mom! You don’t need to say it that way…” Celicia interjects.

“Yeah… Even I’m starting to feel bad for the kid…” The father adds.

“That’s why I’m going to make you work here!” The mother abruptly stands up, “That lifeless look of yours makes me annoyed, so I’ll make you stay here until you regain that spark. Got it?!”

“Y-Yes ma’am!” I quickly stand up straight as if I’m in scout class.

“Good!” The mother points towards Celicia, “Daughter! You’re going to introduce him to our village!”

“Can you please not act like that in front of Yuuma? You’re embarrassing me…” Celicia said with her face slightly flushed. Celicia continues, “Well, I was planning on doing that…”

“Good!” The mother then points to the father, “Dear! You’re going to teach him about pottery!”

“Huh?!” The father jumped out of his chair, “Why would I teach him?! You’re the one that want to make him work, so you do it!” The father exclaims.

The mother then comes close to the father, gently grasp his right hand, and bring in his left hand to clasp them together. She then lowers her body to meet the father’s eyes from below.

“Dear… Your skills are a lot better than mine, and these hands have crafted some of the best designs I have ever seen…” She said in a seductive tone, “Your hands are so skilled at so many things, I’m sure it could also be used to create a wonderful apprentice…” She said with her face flushed.

“A-Apprentice…”

“That’s right dear,” The mother caresses the father’s hand in a slow motion, “If you have an apprentice then we can—”

“…!” The father’s face flushes furiously at the whispers of the mother.

“Mom! We’re still in front of a guest!” Celicia yells out with her face red all the way to her ears.

“Hohoho… this is quite a lively morning isn’t it…” The grandpa interject, only for him to continue to eat his porridge at a slow pace. However, no seem to realize except me, which helps me cool off my imagination.

Then the father looks at me with his face painted in red with a smirk on his face and says,

“Alright uh…”

“Shizue.”

“Shizue! You’re going to be my apprentice from now on! Make sure you prepare yourself alright!” The father yells out.

“…”

“L-Let’s head outside for now…” Celicia said whilst avoiding my gaze, her pointy ears shining bright red.

“Y-Yeah…”

Both of us head to the hallway while we hear Celicia’s parents flirting in the background.

If they’re willing to give me a chance, then maybe this time…

---

“I’m really sorry for my parents’ behavior!” Celicia said while bowing down.

“Y-Yeah… Your parents were um… Something else…”

“…Let’s just forget about that,” Celicia took a few steps forward. She then spins around and looks at me, “Come on, let me show you around.” Celicia said with a smile.

I quietly nod and followed her.

…

…..

……

As Celicia introduced me to her home village, I noticed the diversity of elves inhabiting it. Each elf had a unique skin color, ranging from the palest ivory to rich, deep hues.

The village sprawled across the landscape, nestled amidst lush farmlands that extended as far as the eye could see. The scent of freshly tilled earth mingled with the sweet aroma of a nearby winery, where elves carefully tended to rows of ripe grapes, destined to become the finest wines. As we strolled through the village, the rhythmic clanging of a blacksmith's hammer resonated through the air, crafting intricate metalwork that adorned the homes and shops. The textured fabrics displayed at the bustling textile shop were like a painter's palette, showcasing an array of colors and patterns that reflected the elves' creativity.

A serene riverbank meandered through the heart of the village, its gentle waters providing a tranquil oasis for residents and visitors alike. Following the river's course, our path led us to a majestic sight—the massive tree in the center of the village. Its towering branches reached high into the sky, seemingly embracing the heavens.

Though not vast in size, the village emanated a sense of tranquility and harmony. The residents having honest faces revealing the pride they took in their daily labors. There was a genuine sense of community, where everyone worked together to ensure the village thrived, each elf contributing their unique skills to the tapestry of life.

“Most of these workers would send their materials to the people in Artevir City in exchange for our land taxes to be paid off. Most of us here are content with staying, so we don’t need a lot of money to travel.” Celicia explained.

“Hmm… It’s kind of like my home then…” I added as we walk along the paved road, “There’s a lot of people that wants to travel of course, but most of us don’t really need to go since Japan is a comfortable enough place to make a living.”

“Japan huh…” Celicia mutters, putting her right hand on her chin.

“…What about it?”

“Oh nothing… I was just wondering what kind of influence does Japan have in this world…”

“Influence…?”

“There’s a lot of countries in this world that has been influenced by the Otherworlders’ culture, but there’s also a few that wants to preserve what makes that country special.” Celicia then stares backwards, to which I follow her gaze which leads to the place where we first entered this forest.

“I see…”

"Well, it's not like it's a big deal or anything…" Celicia nonchalantly shrugs, a playful glimmer in her eyes. She walks a few steps ahead of me. She then looks back with a carefree smile and continues, "And that's everything that the Earth Clan has to offer. There's technically still more, but they're not that interesting, so I decided to skip out on them…"

“Is that so… Well, thank you so much for the introduction, Ms. Celicia.” I said while slightly bowing my head down.

“I would also like to thank you Mr. Yuuma for being a part of this tour.” Celicia said while bowing slightly.

“Pfft…”

“Hehe…”

Both of us started giggling uncontrollably at the things that we’re doing, suppressing our voice as much as we can to prevent grabbing attention.

“Hahaha… What the heck are we doing…” I wipe away my tears.

“Really… hahaha…” Celicia is holding onto her stomach.

“But really, it must be nice to live here…”

As I direct my gaze towards the village, a lively scene unfolds before my eyes. Elves of all ages go back-and-forth with a sense of purpose, carrying various supplies to and fro. Some bear baskets filled with freshly harvested crops from the bountiful farmlands, while others transport intricately crafted goods from the blacksmith's shop or the textile store, adding to the bustling atmosphere.

Amongst the working adults, groups of joyful children dart through the alleys, their laughter and playful shrieks echoing through the quaint surroundings. Some chase each other in gleeful games of tag, while others engage in friendly competitions.

“…Yeah. I’m happy that I was born in this village…” Celicia stands besides me, looking at the village with a peaceful expression.

“Yeah… I’d be glad too…” I soften my cheeks.

“Ah!” Celicia shouts out.

“W-What? Is there something on me?” I touch all over my face.

“You just smiled!”

“Huh?” I tilt my head.

Why is this girl so shocked to see me smile? It’s not like it’s a rare expression or something…

“Ohh, it’s just that this is the first time I saw you properly smile…” Celicia explained.

“What does that even mean?” I cross my arms.

“Uhh… I’m not sure what the word is…” Celicia furrowed her brows whilst massaging her forehead, “It’s just that there’s something different about your smile just now…”

“Genuine?”

“Yes, that’s the word!” Celicia snaps her fingers.

“…”

Before I could say anything, Celicia interjects,

“By the way Yuuma, do you still have some energy left?” Celicia asks while leaning forward.

“I’m still good, but why the question?” I ask.

“There’s one more place that we need to visit…” As Celicia said that, she looks at the giant tree towering the entire forest in the distance.

“…”

“…Let’s go.” Celicia motioned me forward with her head.

“Yeah…”

A genuine smile…

When was the last time I smiled like that?