"Your older sister? Y-You're... Almira's brother? I mean, Elywien?" I asked in a high-pitched voice, astonished.
"Elywien is my sister. She was once a member of the Western Elvian Kingdom's intelligence. But then she left her work and family after marrying a human. Are we talking about the same person?"
I quickly closed my mouth, unable to suppress my shock at such an unexpected coincidence. I stepped back a little, trying to gather my thoughts.
"Yes, you're right. Almira, my friend, is indeed the Elvian who eloped with her husband."
"How is she now? It's been years since I last saw her," Elzhar asked eagerly, his body still weak from his recovery, though his face showed little regard for his condition.
"She's doing well. She lives simply, but she's happy now. I haven't met her husband yet, but I think he's a kind man. Oh, and she has a five-year-old son, a cute little boy named Cedric."
Elzhar's lips curled into a faint smile, a look of relief spreading across his face. "I'm glad to hear that she's happy. It brings me comfort."
"Have you never met with your sister since then?"
Elzhar shook his head wearily. "Not just met... Since she decided to leave everything behind, I've never heard from her again."
"Don't you want to meet her?" I asked softly, trying to sympathize with him. Elzhar's story of being separated from Almira made my heart ache deeply.
"You should know how it is between humans and Elvians. It's impossible for us to freely visit each other," Elzhar paused for a moment, then sighed deeply. Perhaps feeling sorrow for the fact that he could never meet his sister again.
I could understand his situation a little. When an Elvian chooses to marry a human and leave their family behind, they can never return. It's as though that point marks the moment when you must let go of everything you had, never to reach it again—whether it be status, wealth, or family. That is the high price an Elvian pays when marrying a human.
It's impossible for humans to live in the Elvian city. So the only way is for the Elvian to leave their family behind and blend into the human world.
"My sister was the only family I had left," Elzhar continued in a quiet voice, his head lowered. "We come from the famous 'Kri' branch family in the capital of the Western Elvian Kingdom. When my sister first expressed her intention to marry a human, the entire main family strongly opposed it."
"It's because my sister was prepared to become the next head of the family. Just so you know, she was a military honor member," he said with a touch of pride. "She was skilled at fighting and mastering Esze. Because of her abilities, she was trusted with a high-ranking position in the military. The current head of the Kri family, named Kharzall, admired her achievements and intended to make her the successor of the Kri family."
Elzhar's expression hardened, a clear sorrow etched across his face. "But everything changed when my sister decided to leave everything behind. Kharzall was enraged by her actions. He then kicked both of us out of the main mansion." His face darkened further, and melancholy overtook him. "I tried to stop my sister from leaving, but she stuck to her decision. Since then, I've never heard from her again."
The young Elvian bowed his head deeply, his hands clenched tightly. The sorrow and longing weighed heavily on his heart.
Until now, I had never known Almira's past. She never spoke of it. Whenever I tried to bring it up, she would quickly change the subject.
Now, I understood it well. Her past was not a pleasant one—she was forced to leave her only sibling behind. Almira was such a gentle soul. She must have felt deeply torn to leave Elzhar behind. Perhaps she yearned for him just as much as Elzhar longed for her.
Without thinking, I gently took his hands in mine and looked into his eyes. "Elzhar, once all of this is over... I will try my best to reunite you with your sister."
The young Elvian was taken aback and stared at me in disbelief. "Really?"
"I promise that I will do whatever it takes for you two to meet again."
"Thank you," he replied, his relief palpable. "Though I don't know when it will happen, I will wait."
After that, we exchanged silent glances. I saw hope in his eyes, as though he was entrusting his dream to me. Elzhar's gaze was like that of a stray kitten yearning for food. Anyone with a conscience would find it impossible to turn away.
As the night wore on, the accumulation of sleepiness and fatigue weighed heavily on me. Coupled with the exhaustion from earlier, when we fought Elzhar, my body grew weak and drained.
I tried to rest, lying down and closing my eyes on the woven carpet in the living room. Since there were no other rooms, Dimas and Shella also slept beside me. Elzhar apologized for not being able to prepare a proper room, but for us, it was far better than sleeping under the open sky like we had in recent days.
The night passed quickly. When I opened my eyes, the room was bright and warm. Sunlight streamed in through the window above me, gently warming my skin.
I sat up and saw that Dimas and Shella were already awake, sitting on the edge of the room. They were eating some dry bread wrapped in leaves. I remembered that the dry bread we brought from Glafelden had already run out. Where did they get it from? Had they secretly saved some without me knowing?
Shella, who met my gaze, smiled faintly. "Anggi, you're awake? Here... have some!"
Before I could answer, Shella handed me a piece of bread still wrapped in leaves. I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my head fully.
"Sorry, this is all I could offer. It's the only dry bread left on my food shelf," Elzhar said, sitting cross-legged across from Dimas. He seemed to have recovered enough to move his body freely.
There was a brief pause in the silence before Dimas turned to me and slapped my arm. "What's he saying?"
"He's apologizing for only being able to offer this bread."
"Oh, I see," Dimas responded enthusiastically. Then, he glanced at Elzhar. "It's fine, this is more than enough. We should be the ones thanking you," he said confidently in Lurivia, though he knew Elzhar wouldn't understand.
Elzhar looked confused, glancing between me and Dimas, his expression as if asking me to translate what Dimas had said.
Understanding his confusion, I immediately helped. "Dimas is thanking you for the hospitality. This is more than enough."
"Oh, I see," Elzhar replied, slightly embarrassed. "Oh, by the way, Anggi!"
"Yes?"
"Yesterday, you mentioned wanting to find a rare plant, right?" Elzhar asked in a serious tone, his face now more focused. I nodded affirmatively. "I don't know for sure, but I can point you to a place."
*********************
With the information Elzhar provided, the three of us continued our journey deeper into the Hanarusa Forest. According to the young Elvian, about half a day's journey east of Arnest City, there was a Hanarusa tree much larger than the others. It was said to be revered by the city's people as a sacred place. Every major festival, they would hold ceremonies and religious rituals there.
Elzhar had visited this place once and saw some strange plants that were not found around the city. That's why the young Elvian suggested we go there.
Only an hour had passed since Dimas, Shella, and I left the city. The sun was beginning to rise high above, its rays piercing through the thick canopy. The water that had flooded the forest earlier had receded by morning, so our team could walk on solid ground. Strangely, despite the daily flooding, the forest floor was not soggy or soft, as if the water had never touched it. The surface was firm, as if it had never been touched by water at all.
I couldn't explain it. There were so many things in this world that I didn't understand. Nevertheless, witnessing such strange natural phenomena was a marvel.
"This cloak is so hot!" Shella exclaimed, glancing at the black cloak she was wearing.
Before leaving the house, Elzhar had given us cloaks and face coverings to conceal our appearance, worried that we might encounter other Elvians when we left the city. Indeed, the disguise made us look suspicious, but it was still more acceptable in the city than if we were seen as humans.
"Just take it off, but don't throw it away! This cloak might come in handy later," Dimas, who was walking ahead, said.
The three of us simultaneously removed our black cloaks and put them in our bags. After that, we continued on our way.
The sun's rays grew hotter, confirming that it was nearing midday. A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead. Throughout our journey, we were accompanied by the constant hum of insects and the flutter of bird wings flying from branch to branch.
Our formation remained the same as usual. Dimas led the way, with Shella and me following behind. We walked without stopping until we arrived at what seemed to be our destination.
A few hundred meters ahead, I could see a large clearing. Hanarusa trees were sparse around it, as if they avoided growing near open land. After walking a little further, I could clearly see what lay ahead.
In the center of the clearing stood a massive Hanarusa tree. Its size was far greater than the others. If a regular Hanarusa tree had a trunk diameter of about 50 meters, this one was three times that size. However, its height was about the same as a regular tree, which might have made it inconspicuous from a distance. The massive roots of this tree spread out in all directions, almost as if intimidating other trees to stay away.
I stared in awe at the giant Hanarusa tree, my eyelids barely blinking for several seconds. Not only I, but Dimas and Shella were equally stunned by its grandeur. I might have stayed frozen in place forever if Shella hadn't suddenly dashed forward.
"This place is amazing!" she exclaimed with joy, bending down to reach for an orange-hued plant growing near the roots of the Hanarusa. "There's even a rare Ember Bush here! Ah, look! There's also a Purple Tumult Flower!"
The girl with shoulder-length hair quickly moved toward another plant growing nearby and began collecting them into her small bag. It was like watching a child thrilled to visit an amusement park for the first time. For now, I decided to let her enjoy herself. This clearing seemed like a giant atrium, and as long as Shella didn't venture back into the forest, I could keep an eye on her.
Dimas and I approached the massive Hanarusa trunk. The size of the tree felt even more imposing as we closed the distance. We both climbed onto the roots and walked along them. Looking around, the overlapping roots formed a vast labyrinth. One would surely get lost if they didn't climb and scout for an exit.
"This is the place, right? Where is the Wind Soul Crystal?" Dimas asked, glancing around.
"How should I know? If it were that easy to find, someone else would have already gotten it."
Perhaps this was the sacred place revered by the people of Arnest City, but that didn't necessarily mean it was where the Wind Soul Crystal was hidden. Prince Keylan had told me that the Wind Soul Crystal was in Arnest City, but he never specified its exact location. It could be here, or perhaps somewhere else.
But... isn't this the perfect place to hide such a powerful artifact?
"We should split up and search for clues about the Soul Crystal," I suggested.
Dimas mumbled to himself for a moment before raising his head. "Why don't we just use your Super Sense?"
"You think I'm some kind of metal detector that can find treasures? If it were that easy, I wouldn't be living like a beggar!"
"Why not give it a try?" Dimas replied, irritated.
I glared at him, but he stared back as if ready to start a fight. After a few seconds of staring each other down, I relented, exhaling deeply and grumbling.
"Fine, I'll try."
Kneeling halfway, I placed my hand on the tree's root. In the next breath, I activated my Super Sense. The echo that emanated from my body spread in all directions, then bounced back after hitting something. That was how I was able to create a 360° projection around me.
Even though I stood still, I could see everything around me. I could clearly see the ends of the roots behind the tree, dozens of birds perched above me, insects crawling on the tree trunk, and Shella happily gathering herbal plants behind me.
There was nothing unusual about the sight—no clue regarding the Wind Soul Crystal. Everything seemed far too ordinary. But suddenly, I jolted when I received a projection from below the ground. I lifted my hand from the root and slowly stood up.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Dimas asked, noticing the change in my expression.
I composed myself and tried to stay calm. "There's a large room underground, with some kind of altar in the middle."
"Could it be—"
"Ahh!" We were both startled by Shella's sudden scream. Panicking, I couldn't see her anywhere. "Anggi! Dimas! Help me!"
Dimas and I quickly rushed to the source of the sound, which wasn't far from where Shella had been. A moment later, I found her stuck in the ground, her upper body still above the surface.
"What are you doing, Shella?" I asked in bewilderment, holding back a laugh.
"I was gathering plants, and I accidentally fell into this hole," she replied with a light laugh, raising her hands in the air, hoping one of us would help pull her out.
"Next time, be careful!" Dimas grabbed Shella's hands and helped her out. "You're starting to act like Anggi, careless! Is her stupidity contagious?"
"Just shut up!" I snapped.
When Shella finally got out of the hole, I realized it seemed like an entrance to the underground. Dimas joined me in examining the hole, and then we exchanged looks. After a few seconds, he grinned.
"You must know what I'm thinking."
"A quick way to get rich through black magic?"