As the glow embracing her body wholly dissipates, Harriet then hastily tries to survey her surroundings with her eyes but failed, she was welcomed by nothing but pitch black. In a heart of a cavern?

Being in her weakest status peaked her alert, a flick of brightness might attract any dangerous creature, so she scans her surroundings by her senses.

The silence was clogging her ears like water, the pumping of heart, and the stillness of the air, her feet were slightly sunk on the soil, turning her head around, some faint dot glows paints her sight.

This place is devoid of life, what kind of forsaken land is this? Releasing the heavy air in her lungs, she bends down for a sit, there, she rests her battered body. As time went on, when some of her strength was regained, placidity also hits in, making her unconsciously deepen her perception of the area.

I can't even utilize light to fasten my recovery, pathetic, clasping her shoulder, the other balled into a fist. Not used in a total lightlessness, she's really itching to cast a ball of light. As she is about to ignite a spark, a sound of footsteps enters her proximity.

Squish

Squish

The pitter-patter of tiny feet walking on a wet soil resonated in the quietness of her vicinity, good thing she paused midway or she might have welcomed this uninvited guest. As the sound drew near, it made her grip into the sword's pommel of hers. Just go away, will you?

As the sound intensifies, a sphere of light set foot in her sight, smoothly unsheathing her sword out, her heart tightens for the upcoming unknown. Seemingly aware of her presence, it stopped midway, then without a sign, a flash of white devoured her vision, prickling her eyes, she shuts it.

The light that she's most fond of, with the unanticipated development, brought a different feeling, droplets of water formed in her brows, her wounds were tingling, outrunning is outside the possibility, its something she has to face, so she blinked her eyes open.

A small child in a cloak? She thought in uncertainty.

Raising both hands, it unhooded, while her eyes squinting for a better view, a pale face reflected on her pupils, then her eyes widen, her mouth gaped. Huh? The child was like a fairy in this wasteland, a cruel place that had clip its wings, worn out its skin to pale, blacken its eyes like an abyss, and damaged its short hair to ashen grey, but with all the harshness it has taken, its glamour remains to shine inconceivably.

What a poor thing, lost in this eternal darkness undeserving of its beauty, she has met Elves which are considered one of the most attractive races, but they are still incomparable to this existence.

Was this all a deception? As they were locked into a gaze, away from its eyes, she opens her hand to flow out little mana, casting Real Reflection, her pupils glinted in golden light, then she awaits. It was just standing there, cutely tilting its head and watching her like a curious pup, and a lamp on its clasp. As a witness of these, she let out a huge breath. Seconds gone, her Real Reflection takes no effect. It was used to cancels any illusory abilities or informs the user if the illusion is uncancellable. It's a spell of no damage, cost little to no strain on the body, with a very low mana requirement, and just knowing if the caster is under illusion won't solve it.

This was all real? Even so, it could be a poisonous flower, preying with its prettiness as bait.

Straightening her back, she dual grip her sword. It may not emit a killing intent, but she will bluff as someone not to be trifled with. Still fixed on her, it casually moved its feet to shorten their distance. At a huge disadvantage due to her serious trauma, she dare not attack it without being antagonized yet, what if it's just a cute curious chick?

Clueless if it's aware of her wariness, just a step away, it innocently reached out, its hand was wide open, like a fascinated child inviting a stranger to play. When she stepped back, it looked at her up and down, recognizing her bedraggled appearance, a frown on its lovable brows formed. Repeating its gesture, but this time with a beam, and she can tell it's asking for her hand, similar to an angel bestowing compassion to a mortal.

Well, your adorableness will not work on me little fella, she thought stubbornly.

A moment of no response, it doesn't whine nor show a sulking demeanor as she expected, it just patiently stared at her pitifully like an abandoned kid who desperately tries detaining its tears in disappointment and still continuously expects for something, truly a picturesque of a heart-rending rejected beauty.

Not fair!

She puts her best effort to remain unenchanted. While maintaining a cold facade look, she was then struck with a thought of what might be the ending of Lamprotia's children, affected by this, she sighs in lament and finally gives in.

What more can I lose? I'd trust my intuition.

After sheathing her sword, she gently grabs its hand, beaming in response, she was softly pulled like a mother towed by a child, fortunately, she recovered some of her strength for the accompanying. With the brilliance of its lamp and its harmless appearance, it lessens her fear till it was replaced by the anxiety of what could happen next. Shooking her head, she bit her trembling lower lip, what could go worse?

Thanks to the light, she could see that the whole terrain was painted in inky black, all her eyes could see were thick withered trees and some glowing fungi in different hues which further accentuates the gloominess of this place.

Succeeding a short trip, she was led to an undecorated pointy shed made of fine wood. While humming charmingly, it placed the lamp in the holder at the door wall, it then pushes the door and pointed its finger up, illuminating the room. As she was dragged in, the little fellow's mouth blows away the mist, there she was greeted by a stack of old books alongside a used wooden mortar and pestle on a mini table, a wall shelf filled with small corked glass jars neatly aligned that contains an undefined substance, and a small wooden stash box at the edge of the room.

Noticing all of this, she snatched her hand away, and cast a scrunched face at her escort, "you little witch!" she blurted out before pulling her sword from the scabbard, surprisingly, she received was a baffled face as if looking at a madman acting crazy, with her disordered wounded warrior appearance, it matches suitably.

The witch as she says, pulled out a silver bell under its cloak, played in a gentle movement, seemingly afraid to escalate her wrong impression, it shakes it lightly to sound a ring, which invokes a thick cloud of vapors in the air. Gritting her teeth while brandishing her sword, her legs prepare for a runoff.

An artifact?

As her body trembles, the vapors engulfed her with incredible speed, painlessly drilling into her every pores till it disappears. Her chest bobs, for she has never felt this hopeless. Like a normal weak human frightened in front of a ghost, she's unable to decide what to do.

W-was I attacked? Should I hack this witch to pieces? She was screaming at herself internally.

Still, with its innocent gaze at her, the witch remains unmoving. Seconds later, contrary to her expectation, there's no pain that courses through her veins, only itching as her cuts gradually closing in, Regeneration? Realizing that she mistook the fairy as a witch, her lips parted then turn to a slow smile.

"Thank you," she said before her eyes shut, her weapon drops with a thud hitting the thick wood flooring followed by her body that steadily falls to the ground, letting her bone-weary body finally rest. Putting her last trust, she passed out.

The fairy in a cloak which she labeled so, happily skip walk towards the senseless woman. Afterward a final look, the latter was flipped over. Subsequently, grabbing a jar from the shelf and pulling the cork with a pop, it pours the contents into the woman's mouth. The event has folded with a mischievous grin on the fairy's flawless face.

---

'As expected of your acting skills' a melodious giggle rings on Aldeice mind.

As he is about to return to Verlassene from his scavenging of experiment materials, with his sharp perception due to soul sensitivity, he detected this unusual life form. A lone female human combatant?

Her silver plate armor was torn, dirtied by dust, and a huge tear on the shoulder that trickles blood, a dying survivor. Was there an undiscovered human camp or worse, a civilization not known? As a threat to their race, a thorough investigation is a must.

Acting as an innocuous guest with angelic features, he will slowly gain her confidence for answers. With the right amount of prudence, unequipping his dagger then childishly brightening his lamp, he slowly steps in for a bold approach, and even if she has a ruthless personality, she won't indiscriminately attack an unoffensive harmless creature, unless she's completely chaotic, at this worst, he has Spectral Flash. After a conflict-free encounter albeit having a language barrier, it can be concluded just based on her reactions that she never met someone of his race. Even though, would he just let a free specimen go to waste? So he lured her like shepherding a sheep.

Aldeice squats down to scrutinize her, a woman with a disheveled long blonde waterfall hair, slim tall nose, thin lips went pale due to her condition, and fierce eyebrows, her overall looks were akin to a tyrant queen. There is an obvious laceration on her left shoulder that was unhealed by the regeneration spell.

'She might have experienced a death battle, but the bell of Regenerative should at least heal her external wounds,' he said inwardly in bewilderment.

'Dear, she carries another life' a happy voice interrupted.

Being informed, Aldeice hovers his palm between the woman's hipline, there he felt a faint soul. Of course, what made Blanche cheerful is for it being a girl. Exposure to human soul experiments for years plus the body itself has proven its use.

'Don't be happy yet, there are still many things to consider,' he shook his head. Not only can the woman be a wanted criminal refugee, but what if her whole bloodline were under tracked for a complete purge, that'll be digging a grave for Blanche so as for their race. Primarily, he must know if other races were welcome on Verlassene.

While having these thoughts, Aldeice hurriedly goes back home for clean clothes and thick furs. When he returned, he placed down the fur at the side to serve as a futon, proceeds to drag the person on it with effort, there he took off her armor to nurse her laceration with an improvised bandage. Afterward, he finished the day by depositing his common loots on the stash box, slams the door shut then left confidently that his visitor will remain at sleep hereafter.

At home, during dinner time, sitting on an armchair, Aldeice braced himself to raise his question.

"Ma, Pa," he started.

Being called, Huethea and Morder both dropped their spoon to pay attention to Aldeice.

"Would it be fine to marry someone of a different race?" he continued, instead of wasting words with making friends, he goes straight to the point.

Getting off guard by unexpected inquiry, the couple's jaw dropped, is our son unsatisfied with the Forsadon beauty? Impossible! He might be just fascinated by this notion, they thought.

Mordor peeked at his wife, evidently asking for succor. Huethea, finding the query difficult, furrowed her brows, "There has been no interaction with other races besides the Azure Elves, but uhh! I guess it's fine if they're nonviolent?" she said.

She only comes up with the uncertainty that even Huethea doubted herself, and even if their ancestors did, it may be insignificant to be unwritten.

Hearing this, Aldeice's brows rose. No wonder it wasn't mentioned in any books, then where does the blondie come from? Were they being kept in the dark by a secret organization? But these dark dwellers roam unhindered, any case of abduction nor skirmish with foreigners have never happened, and how could the greedy humans persist in being untempted by these lovely flowers. The blondie popping out of nowhere is a great mystery for him, to solve the puzzle she must be kept mentally healthy.

'That's why she feels odd, her actions resemble someone who was abruptly thrown to unknown,' Blanche intercepted his rumination.

He agrees, she may have just stumbled upon this place during a desperate flee. Unfortunately, there's a communication issue, and even if there's none, a probability of dishonesty could also occur.