I forced my mind to work hard, trying to understand the contents of the book once again. But it was the same. The book said that the Soul Crystal of Hope was a pin with an eight-pointed star engraving. There was no doubt about it. The glowing mysterious object I had picked up was the one that brought me to this world.
The Soul Crystal of Hope, Nadzieja. It could grant any wish, making it come true. This was strange. If the object I found was the actual Soul Crystal, what could have thrown me and my companions here? I never wished to be an adventurer in another world or to become a mixed human. Besides, wasn't this item the property of the Goddess of Hope? How could it be in my world?
My mind could not connect all the pieces of this puzzle. My body went weak. I slumped over, clutching the book tightly, and shut my eyes tightly. Suddenly, a fleeting thought crossed my mind. It appeared out of nowhere.
"Almira!" I exclaimed. "Yes. She's from the long-lived Elvian race. Maybe she knows one or two things about this."
Immediately, I rushed downstairs, holding the book tightly to make sure it wouldn't fall. I wanted to show it to her. When I arrived at the reception desk, the woman I had greeted earlier stood up from her seat and stopped me.
"Anggi! You should know that there's a procedure to borrowing books!"
"Sorry, I'm in a hurry! I'll return it when I'm done!"
"Hey!"
Ignoring her warning, I ran out of the building. The sky was beginning to turn a reddish orange as I blended with the crowd on the streets. I stepped onto the neat brick roads, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of fresh bread and wood from the household fireplaces. In the distance, the bells in the town plaza rang, signaling that evening had arrived.
I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, as the clothes I wore couldn't fend off the growing cold. My eyes were fixed on the bustling surroundings. Vendors were selling their goods at small stalls, while children ran joyfully through the crowd. The air was filled with the scent of spices and fresh fruits, making me feel hungry.
I paused in front of the city's most famous bakery, tempted by the aroma of freshly baked bread emerging from the oven. Hesitantly, I pulled a few coins from my pouch and tried to count them. I had one silver coin and two bronze coins left. If I forced myself to buy a loaf of bread costing twenty bronze, I would surely be broke by the end of the week. So I quickly discarded the temptation and set aside my hunger for now.
I resumed my walk, which had been briefly interrupted. Several times, I had to bump into others on the sidewalk. It was rush hour now. People had finished their business, whether it was work or school, making the streets crowded with those returning home. From here, I still had three blocks to Almira's house—about five kilometers.
I could have hired a horse-drawn carriage, but it was too expensive. Around ten to fifteen bronze coins for a single trip within the city. As a hunter, walking was already second nature to me, so I thought I didn't need to hire a carriage.
I kept running through the crowds, turning into smaller alleyways to cut the distance. Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at Almira's house. I knocked gently on the door and waited for a moment. However, the owner didn't appear. I knocked again, this time a little harder, and shouted her name.
The door creaked open slowly. But it wasn't Almira standing there. A seven-year-old human child was on the other side, his brown eyes studying me warily.
"Hey, Cedric! Is your mother home?" I asked, offering a smile.
The boy nodded and then ran inside, calling for his mother. Almira—now in her human form—came out from the kitchen a moment later. She was clearly in the middle of preparing dinner, as her white apron was stained with oil and flour, and she held a spatula in her hand, which seemed to have been forgotten before she came to greet me.
"What do you need here?" she asked curiously.
"Actually, I have something I'd like to talk about. Should I come back later?" I asked.
She sighed. "It's fine. Come join us for dinner. I happen to be making a lot."
In the end, I joined them for dinner. Almira had prepared fried potatoes, green mushroom vegetables, and grilled fish. The three of us ate, chatting lightly as we did. Almira asked about Cedric's school, and he told us all sorts of things. From his friends to his teachers, it seemed he really liked his school.
The boy was now in second grade at the primary school level. The education system here was somewhat similar to what I knew, though with different names. For example, primary school was referred to as "School Level One" in this land.
We also talked about the fire that destroyed part of the mayor's house last night. It was the hot topic in Glafelden. According to the gardener who worked there, the fire had started from a lamp that had accidentally fallen in one of the rooms. Unfortunately, the lamp had fallen onto a wooden bed, and the fire spread, burning down more than half of the house within minutes. The mayor and his family had to relocate to their second home on the outskirts of the city.
After dinner, our conversation became more engaging. We moved to the sofa, and Almira brought up the topic of a large restaurant near the town square. It had just opened and was offering many exciting discounts for new customers. Cedric was thrilled, hoping his mother would take him there. But I knew for sure. I'd be the one paying, as compensation for the Esze lessons with her.
We chatted for nearly an hour until Cedric yawned. His eyes were beginning to close, his head resting on his mother's body.
"Do you want to go to bed now?" Almira asked.
Cedric nodded. He was obviously very tired. Several times he yawned wide, his eyes nearly closed. Almira picked him up gently and carried him to his bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow, the boy fell fast asleep.
Almira gently stroked Cedric's head with love and affection, then kissed him. Perhaps she was casting a spell to keep any mosquitoes away from her beloved child. The love and care she gave her son were immense, and I rarely saw this side of her nurturing nature.
Once she made sure Cedric was sound asleep, she quietly exited the room, trying to make as little noise as possible, so as not to disturb his rest.
"Let's talk outside!" she said in a soft voice.
We went out of the house. A few meters from the front door, there was a small garden with a long bench beneath a tree. Though the area was populated, no one was out at this hour. The cold temperature made it unappealing for anyone to be outside. Most people probably preferred to stay indoors, wrapped in thick blankets to stay warm.
"Is it alright to leave Cedric alone?" I asked, following Almira.
"We won't be going far. Don't worry! If anything happens to Cedric, I'll run back inside immediately," she said with a small laugh.
"A truly loving mother."
"Of course. I carried him for months, and then gave birth to him into this world. No mother can not love her child after that."
After a brief silence, I dared to ask more. "How is your husband in the capital? Will he be home this month?"
"I don't know! From the last letter he sent, he said his work in the military had increased. So, he doesn't know if he can come home this month."
Almira looked annoyed, almost pouting because her husband's return had been delayed. I didn't ask more after that. I simply muttered an "Oh," and followed Almira's steps.
I shivered from the cold. My Haier-Elvian body didn't seem designed to withstand extreme temperatures. Though that ability would be useful. With it, maybe I could soak in a river at midnight without freezing. It seemed only Elvians could endure this cold. Just look at Almira! Even though she appeared human, she walked normally as if she didn't feel anything. I felt a little jealous of her, I mean... of that ability.
"We'll talk here," Almira said as she quickly sat on the bench beside the abandoned building, and I followed her. Then she turned and began the conversation. "So, what is it you want to talk about?"
"Do you know anything about this?"
I handed her the book I had brought from the library earlier that afternoon. Then I opened it and searched for the information I wanted. My finger stopped on one page. The page titled "Indemnius Soul Crystal." Almira's expression hardened. Her forehead furrowed. Then she turned to look at me. Her eyes seemed to ask, "Why do you want to know about this?"
From what I guessed, this information was highly restricted.
"I found this while casually spending time in the library. If you're wondering what it has to do with me, of course it's connected. Because one of the soul crystals brought me to this world."
"Brought you to this world? What do you mean? I still don't understand."
I took a deep breath. Lowering my voice slightly, I steeled myself. "What I'm about to tell you will sound crazy. I don't expect you to believe it. But at least, hear me out. I need your opinion."
Her serious face nodded firmly. I did the same. For the first time, I shared the story of how I came to be among the locals. All of it, including the fact that I had been a human before turning into a Haier-Elvian. A story I never told Grussel or any of my fellow hunters.
But with Almira, I told it all, without holding anything back. Because I trusted her completely, and considered her the best friend I had in this world.
Fifteen minutes passed. Though I had finished telling my story, Almira remained silent. It seemed she wanted to hear more of my strange tale. Or perhaps she needed me to repeat it?
I snapped my fingers in front of her nose to snap her back to reality.
"Wait, Anggi! There's so much I need to understand," Almira said, pulling away a little, trying to calm herself. She held her forehead, her face a little pale. "So, you're saying you come from another world? You were human before turning into a Haier-Elvian?!
"Besides, it doesn't make sense that the Soul Crystal of Hope was in your world. Forget all of that... I can't even believe there's life outside of this world! So what amazing thing are you going to say next? Are you friends with the gods? Or do you want to tell me about how beautiful your grandmother's house is on the surface of the sun?!!"
"Shhhhhh...!"
I quickly shushed Almira by pressing my index finger to her lips. The woman ended up raising her voice. It made an old lady uncover the curtains to see what was happening outside her house.
Almira, realizing people were watching, tried to calm down and seal her mouth. After a moment, the old lady closed her window again. I looked at Almira's flustered face. I understood. Her reaction was perfectly natural after hearing my tale.
"Listen, Almira! I was just like you before. Until I went through all of this, which made me believe in this madness. You also need to remember, I'm not asking you to believe it. I'm just asking you to listen."
Almira fell silent for a moment. She bit her lower lip. Her face grew more confused and pale. It seemed she still couldn't fully believe it—or maybe not at all.
She took a deep breath, then exhaled through her mouth. "Fine. Let's say I believe your ramblings. So, what do you want from me?"
"I want to know more about the Soul Crystals. You're an Elvian of long life. Perhaps you've heard something about this."
She shook her head. "Unfortunately, I don't know much about that. The stories of the gods happened tens of thousands of years ago. The stories passed down until now may not be the full original tale. Right now, no Elvian knows the truth about it."
"Really?" My voice faltered. It seemed I had set my hopes too high. Once again, I hit a dead end after finding a clue.
"Anggi... do you know why there are so few records about the Soul Crystals?"
I shook my head weakly.
"It's because the theory about the Soul Crystals is forbidden throughout the continent, including here and the Elvian Kingdom that worships the Goddess of Fertility Ullshiya. That theory makes the gods and goddesses seem weak, suggesting their sacred power comes from a relic. Of course, the religious leaders who are loyal to the gods consider this theory heresy. Books that explore it are burned, as are the supporters of this theory."
She took my hand firmly and gave me a warm smile. It was as if she was returning the favor I had done earlier. Now, I saw the tender side of her, full of care and affection. No longer just a friend who often asked me to treat her to a meal, but rather the image of a mother to her son.
I finally understood Cedric's feelings. Having a mother like Almira must be the greatest blessing.
"Sorry, I can't help you much."
"It's alright. I understand you've already done your best."
I sighed deeply. Looking down at the ground, the best place to gaze blankly when in deep thought. My heart had been so excited when I found the match between the eight-pointed star pin I picked up and the description in the book. But, alas, it seemed that my fate was sealed in this land. So, everything I did felt futile.
I closed my eyelids and cleared my mind for a moment.
"It seems there's still one way to know, Anggi! But I highly don't recommend it because it's extremely dangerous."
"What is it?" I quickly turned to her.
Almira looked troubled. Trying to steady her voice and display a serious expression. "You have to go to the library in Viar City, the capital of the Western Elvian Kingdom. Their collection of books is very complete. Maybe you'll find something you're looking for. The second option, you could directly ask the Elvian Elders. Maybe one of them knows something about this."
I swallowed hard. This was a difficult path. How could I enter the heart of the Elvian Kingdom when I was hunted just for stepping into their forest? And Viar City was far from Glafelden. It was impossible to infiltrate that far.
So, what about entering openly? That too wasn't a good option. The Elvians had a lot of pride, and they looked down on humans. It would be impossible for them to grant official permission for a lowly human to enter their territory, let alone their capital. Even Haier-Elvians—according to history—were cast aside by the Elvians, considered to have impure human blood. It didn't matter if their Esze abilities were stronger or not. What mattered was the purity of their bloodline.
A path was now open before me, but a massive wall blocked the way. What... should I do?