If we see these in anime or movie, we may not pay attention to these things, but this is real life. After all how are there humans in a completely different world, and are those humans like us? I mean, according to the logic of our world, their facial features and structure would depend on how their evolution has taken place, which depends on many external factors. But the environment of this world is completely different, so I would not be surprised if they looked completely different from us.
Apart from this, fairies are fictional characters who are a figment of human's imagination, but here fairies actually exist. Is it possible that someone of our world knew about this place? or
There are many possibilities. Let's assume that there is something which is translating our language, but how does this little fairy know about kilometer and meter, this measuring unit has been made by the humans of our world.
I'd like to ask her about all these, but I don't think that I will get any benefit by knowing the reason, and there are many other things that I have to do. This world will not be as peaceful as our world, if I do not become strong quickly, then my game may be over soon. I have already died once, I do not want to die again.
"What are you thinking, Leon?" Sarah asked, her voice laced with a gentle curiosity that, frankly, made me more suspicious.
"Just... processing," I muttered, my gaze scanning the vibrant, improbable foliage.
"So your name is Leon? Nice to meet you, Leon," a tiny voice chimed. I turned to see the fairy, Sylph, regarding me with an unnerving level of focus.
"And what should we call you?" I asked, my tone deliberately neutral.
"You can call me Sylph."
Sylph. A name as ephemeral and potentially deceptive as the creature herself. I doubted it was her true name, or even a name she consistently used. It was a label, a convenient identifier, and I was wary of its simplicity.
"Thank you for your assistance, Sylph," I said, my voice carefully measured. "I have a couple more questions."
I wasn't keen on interrogating her endlessly, but information was paramount. I needed to understand the rules of this place, and fast.
"Of course," she said, tilting her head. "But first, I have a question for you."
"Go ahead."
"What race are you both?"
Race. A loaded question. I hesitated. Humans. It was the obvious answer, but also potentially the most dangerous. What if humans here were magically attuned, or possessed some inherent ability we lacked? We'd be exposed as impostors. And revealing our true origins—that we were from another world—was out of the question, at least until we understood the potential repercussions.
"We are humans," I said, my voice flat, devoid of inflection.
Sylph's brow furrowed. "Don't deceive me. Humans cannot survive in this environment." She paused, her eyes narrowing. "But... I detect no falsehood in your words. It means either you speak the truth, or... neither of you are composed of spirits. Or perhaps both?"
Spirits? What did that even mean? Were we supposed to be glowing, ethereal beings? I doubted it. This was getting increasingly complicated.
"We are... resilient humans," I said, choosing my words with extreme caution. "We have a knack for adapting."
Adapting to a reality where physics has taken a vacation and logic is a distant memory. I kept that part to myself.
"Resilient," Sylph repeated, her gaze unwavering. "An interesting term. What is it that makes you so resilient?"
A healthy dose of paranoia, for starters, I thought. "We are... resourceful," I said, "and we learn quickly."
My answers were vague, deliberately so. I wasn't about to reveal anything that could be used against us.
"What do you want to say exactly?" Sylph pressed, her tiny form radiating an intensity that belied her size.
Before I could formulate a suitably evasive response, Sarah blurted out, "We have come here from another world."
My eyes widened. "Sarah, you idiot!" I hissed, my voice barely a whisper.
"Why?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"It should've been a secret!" I retorted, my voice tight with suppressed panic. "If the inhabitants of this world don't like other-worlders, they'll kill us immediately."
I laid out the stark reality, the potential consequences of her impulsive honesty.
"It's not like that," Sylph said, her voice surprisingly calm.
"Really?" I asked, my skepticism palpable.
"I don't know about other races," she said, her gaze fixed on us, "but you other-worlders are very important for us fairies."
"Why so?" Sarah asked, her curiosity piqued.
"We fairies are followers of the god," Sylph explained, her voice taking on a reverent tone. "And only the god can bring a resident of another world to this one. So your arrival is considered the god's wish, and in such a situation, it is the duty of us fairies to help you."
A wave of relief washed over me, a sensation so foreign it almost startled me. Thank God, I thought, a silent prayer of gratitude escaping my lips. It wasn't a guarantee of safety, but it was a significant reprieve. We weren't immediately marked for execution, at least not by the fairies.
Still, a nagging sense of doubt lingered. Gods, divine wishes, and duties? It all sounded a little too convenient, a little too perfectly aligned with our predicament. But for now, I would take it. It was better than the alternative.
"This is good, isn't it, Leon?" Sarah chirped, her face radiating the kind of naive optimism that could either save the world or get us eaten by a sentient marshmallow.
"Yes," I replied, my voice as dry as a week-old bagel. "So, Miss Silph," I said, addressing the fairy, "can you tell us how we can become... you know... less likely to be squished like a bug?"
I phrased it diplomatically, but what I really meant was, "How do we become ridiculously overpowered so we can punch a dragon in the face?"
"Powerful?" Sylph blinked, her tiny wings fluttering. "For that, you have to learn a lot of things! Like mana breathing, which is basically yoga for your soul! And mana manipulation, which is like playing with invisible Play-Doh! And spell casting, which involves memorizing a bunch of gibberish and waving your hands around like you're conducting an orchestra of squirrels! And spirit manipulation, which is like having imaginary friends, but they can set things on fire! And swordmanship, which is basically hitting things with a pointy stick! And archery, which is hitting things with a pointy stick from far away! And hand-to-hand combat, which is hitting things with your hands! And increasing your mana power, which is like pumping iron for your inner glow! And remembering a lot of magic spells, which is basically cramming for a final exam you can't cheat on!"
She paused, taking a deep breath. "It's a lot!"
"Right," I said, my brain trying to process the sheer volume of magical buzzwords. "So, no leveling up by killing monsters? No stat screens? No 'Press X to become a god' cheat code?"
"What are you talking about?" Sylph asked, her eyes wide with genuine confusion. "Are those some kind of human mating rituals? Or maybe a new type of pastry?"
"Nothing," I sighed. "By the way, you said humans can't survive 'here', why is that?"
"Oh, right!" Sylph chirped. "I don't know about your world, but all the creatures here need mana to survive. It's like... the air we breathe, but sparkly. But the mana layer in this place is very thin, especially in our territory. It's like trying to breathe through a straw that's clogged with glitter. Only creatures with very strong mana reserves can survive here."
"Alright," I said, nodding slowly. "Do you know which direction I need to go to reach the human settlement?"
"Left," Sylph said, pointing with a tiny, shimmering finger. "Towards the east from here."
"Thank you, Sylph," I said, trying to ignore the geographical paradox. "If God wishes, we'll meet again."
I started walking, resolutely heading left, which, according to my internal compass, was decidedly west.
"Where are you going?" Sarah asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Don't you understand?" I replied, my voice slightly strained. "Nearest human settlement. To gather intel, supplies, and maybe a map that doesn't involve fairies pointing in contradictory directions."
"But what will we do after going there?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry.
Well, there are many things I could do, I thought, like finding a decent cup of coffee or figuring out if the local currency is seashells or dragon scales. But I decided to be more diplomatic.
"I don't think we'll be able to do anything even by staying here," I said. "Also, you're not going with me. I'm going there alone. Sylph, can you take care of my friend?"
"Of course!" Sylph chirped, her wings fluttering excitedly. "We can have a tea party and discuss the best way to bedazzle a butterfly!"
"But I want to stay with you!" Sarah protested, her voice laced with panic. "What if you get lost? Or eaten by a grumpy mushroom?"
"Don't worry I'll come back safely."
15 MINUTES LATER:~
15 MINUTES LATER:~
"Stop following me!" I hissed, my voice a strained whisper.
"Do you think I will do that?" Sarah replied, her tone a mix of defiance and utter obliviousness.
"Please listen to me," I pleaded, trying to maintain my composure. "I cannot protect both of us together. Also, that fairy is probably wondering where her tea party buddy went."
"You want to get away from me as soon as possible, right?" she said, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Sorry, but I don't think I'll let that happen in this life. Or the next, apparently."
"I'm not clear about you," I muttered, shaking my head. "Who knows, if I die again, you might jump into my next life too. Like a persistent, glitter-infused shadow."
"If I left my life as an actress and came after you," she said, her voice firm, "then I don't think I need to stop anywhere now. I'm in it for the long haul. Like a multi-season sitcom, but with more goblins."
"Shhhh!" I hissed, grabbing her arm. "What happened?" she whispered, her eyes wide.
"Look there," I said, pointing towards a clearing. "Goblins."
Five green, lanky figures were hunched over a carcass, their gnawing sounds echoing through the trees. They were definitely not having a picnic.
"How are you so sure?" Sarah whispered. "They could be something else too. Maybe they're just... green-skinned, club-wielding vegetarians?"
"Green-colored animals about half the height of a human, who walk on two legs and have clubs in their hands?" I retorted, my voice laced with exasperation. "What else would you call them instead of goblins? Discount orcs? Slightly confused trolls?"
"They are like goblins," she conceded, her voice barely audible.
"They are goblins!" I insisted, my patience wearing thin.
"Alright, fine," she said, throwing her hands up in mock surrender. "But goblins are much weaker than humans, so let's just kill them and get it over with."
"I know that," I said, my voice low. "But we can't take the risk. Anyway, you do know what they do if they catch a girl, right?"
"What?" she asked, her eyes widening with a mixture of curiosity and dread.
"I'm begging you," I said, my voice pleading. "Please go back to that fairy. Before they decide we're the main course."
"If I'll go," she said, her voice firm, "I'll take you with me. We're a package deal, like a two-for-one special at the apocalypse buffet."