As we approach my old home, the large dryad tree comes into view, and surprisingly under it rests an adolescent stag. Is that Bambi? The baby deer has already grown up. Has it really been that long or do deer grow up quick? Most surprising is that it is resting under the tree that all beasts and animal avoid. Protected by that tree it is not surprising that Bambi survived all this time alone.

The young stag sees us and recognizes me. I know it recognizes me because it comes running to me as soon as it sees me. Even Kira, who is the only one to have met Bambi before is surprised. The elves mutter something in a foreign tongue. Probably something like weird human, but I don't actually know.

"So how did you befriend this deer human?" The male elf seem genuinely interested. "Well, I killed and ate his mum, then I used him as bait for other beasts and when he survived that I kept him around as reserve provisions." Amused Kira interject; "Bambi is a very forgiving deer." "Or just dumb." Nadi's comment reflects my own thoughts. The elf just looks stumped for words.

The female elf remains unfriendly throughout the journey, but she seems quite taken with Bambi so I introduce her. The older male elf seem to think that the younger female elf is just being childish, but he also confirms my suspicion that she is in fact very young for an elf. He explains that he is more than 200 years, and that the younger female was put in his charge for him to train and teach. A mentor of sorts. She is only about 20, which is about in line with the average age of my own group, but for an elf it seems to be a very young age.

Elves are apparently not considered responsible adults until they are 50. Before that they are adolescent. I wonder how they know the age of each other. The old elf seems to think it is easy, but I can barely tell that there is a difference between the two elves if I only use appearances. The male elf looks to be in the prime of his life, but something in his eyes tells me he has lived through a lot. The younger elf looks like any I have seen in the slave market, though the only elves that show up in Lago's slave market will likely be older ones.

The main difference in appearance is that this female looks a lot leaner and slimmer. While all elves at the slave market look more curvy, could that be an indicator of age. The male elf seem to think that the difference is partially due to lifestyle. Elves in the wild do not have the luxury of sitting still. They have to move to stay alive, which would make them more leaner and fitter. The elf also suggests that the biggest factor is that the female elves in captivity are all technically of mixed race.

The offspring of a human and an elf is always a female elf. It is one of the reasons, many humans consider elves impure demi-humans, as their own blood is contaminated by the elvish blood. The same applies for all the different beast races. Though humans and demi-humans can interbreed the offspring is always a female of the mother's race. This must be the origin of the demi-human category. It is effectively a racist category used by humans to designate all elves and beast races.

The old elf also informs me that referring to all the different animal races as beast races is equally a racist terminology as it refers to humans comparing them to the beasts of the wilderness. Animal races hates to be compared to beasts, as this is to make them equal to kobolds and goblins who technically are beasts.

Realizing that I actually care about not offending anyone, the elf assures me that he won't be offended if I refer to him as a demi-human nor will any animal kin be offended by being called a beastman or beastwoman. Though the origin is humans trying to categorize the world with themselves at the top, the categories themselves are too convenient to not use. Animal kin or animal races were terms too confusing to be used. A very pragmatist stance in my view. Still if I ever meet a free beastman I will definitely check first.

"So what is the main difference between a bipedal beast and a demi-human or human as far as you know." With a chance to get a non-human perspective for the first time, I want to get a better idea of how this world works. "All beasts, whether they look and act like dumb animals or are bipedal and intelligent, have a mana stone in their body. Humans and demi-humans do not. Nor do animal, but that does not make animals close to humans than beast, it as to do with the potential for doing magic."

So magic is at the core of the main designation of categories. "Did you know that demi-humans also have a soul storage like humans?" I admit I didn't. "Soul storage is not just a sub dimensional space the owner can store physical things in, but it is also where the owner stores mana absorbed by nature. Mana has to be stored to make it ones own to be able to use it for magic. Beasts do not have a soul storage. Not even dragons."

"I have heard that dragons can do magic, so how are they able if they don't have a soul storage?" "All beasts store their mana in a physical location in this physical world, their mana stone. The more mana is stored, the larger the mana stone becomes, and the capacity for magic grows." This makes a lot of sense as the mana stones are often used as mana batteries or to contain mana for a specific purpose like in potions.

"How is it that you know all of this?" I am quite in awe of the knowledge of the elf. To acquire it on your own would require a lot of experiences and experiments. "This is just common knowledge among older elves. It is not something I have found out myself."

"Elves in the wilderness try to pass on as much of the old knowledge as possible, but I fear a lot has been lost with time." I am curious what he means with old knowledge, and the elf seems to read my mind. "The old knowledge is what elves today refer to knowledge that stems back to the old elven kingdoms." I don't know much about the old elven kingdoms that fell many hundreds of years ago. Possibly more than a millennium ago based on patchy human records.

"The last elven kingdom on this continent fell some 1500 years ago. There were several scattered across what is today the middle kingdom." The middle kingdom could be that big one to the northeast of Lythia. The old elf confirms my suspicions, but also says that even the current borders could not contain the elven settlements of old. How does he know so much about humans when he has been living in the wilderness his whole life?

The old elf admits to having scouted human lands on several occasions in the past. As he says so, I hear the alien language of the elves next to me. Turns out the young female elf as been sitting and listening to our entire conversation. "Don't be rude speak the human's language." The old elf's reprimand reveals that even the young elf can speak the common human language. She is clearly still suspicious of us.

"Did you ever consider freeing elven slaves while you were travelling in human lands? I know I would if I was in your shoes." "Firstly elves don't wear shoes, but something we call mochies." Another elven trivia that I would otherwise find interesting, but I really want to know what the elf thinks of humans keeping elves as slaves.

"In answer to your question, yes I have stolen some elven slaves from humans in the past, but it is not common for elves to do so now. Elves in the wild do not view elves grown up in slavery with much respect. This has nothing to do with their mix with human blood, but more to do with their passive slave mentality. The magic slave contract is a truly terrifying thing. It strips the individual of their will and permanently cripples the ego of the person."

I am guessing elves don't think highly of slavery then. The elf seems lost in thought for a bit. "Sorry for going silent. The next bit I am a bit ashamed of. Elves who are freed from human slavery are in some cases treated worse by free elves than they would by a good human master. They were originally freed to replenish our numbers rather than out of some sense of duty to our blood kin. Because of their passive mentality they are often taken advantage of and blamed if something goes wrong. Most elves do not see much wrong with this, but personally I would rather not expose more elven slaves to the dangers of wilderness and the wrath of the first wife."

The old elf explains that it was for a time common for male elves to have one wife born in the wilderness and multiple former slave concubines to ensure many offspring, but the concubines were considered unsuited for motherhood and their children were taken from them and raised by the wife of another male elf. Though elven society is also a patriarchal society, it looks like the women hold a lot more sway in decision making than I have seen in human society. In this case it does not seem to be for the better.

I explain that I was going to suggest buying elven slaves for them if that was something they would consider, but it seems what they need the most is a safe place to settle down. I am reluctant to suggest anything as it could ruin the trust built up so far.

The elves set up a shelter in the shallow cave not far from my mud hut, which is surprisingly unscathed. I am reminded that it hasn't actually been that long since I left. Months not years. I still haven't been in this world a full year yet. It is hard to tell as there seem to be little difference between the seasons.

As I settle in to the mud hut with the girls, Nadi heads out without saying a word. Not long after my suspicions are confirmed as Elianiar comes storming into the mud hut. In the glow from the lamp hanging from the ceiling I can clearly see the shock in her face. "You humans are like animals, always breeding." Well I can't deny that I am naked under a cover with my right arm around Kira and my left arm around Rin. I feel the need to defend my actions to the young elf. "Well, Kira here is my wife, and Rin is...." I find my defense faltering as I can't find the words. "What are we Rin?" Rin just laugh it off without answering my question.

"I take it Nadi showed up at your shelter." The young elf nods. Kira starts to explain the condition that both Nadi and I have and somehow makes it sound like Elianiar should be ashamed for giving me and Nadi a hard time. I am not sure what to make of any of it. I kind of get where the young elf maiden is coming from. However, Kira's rough handling of her seems to have left an impression. She is intently listening to Kira's words. Don't corrupt the pure girl.

The elf finally calms down and apologizes for making a fuss. I guess she does not want to go back to the shelter. I guess I can manage one evening without an outlet for my lust. We all decide to actually go to sleep for once. I can't remember the last time I had a chance to fall asleep early. Every night this trip three women wanted my attention. When did it all become so burdensome?