To-may-to, To-mah-to

So, those magical beasts Ing mentioned briefly? Well, I nearly walked into one barely hours after leaving the elven territory.

'You could have warned me!'

[Nori does not have to worry. That is a troll. Specifically a nature spirit of earth. It is benign as long as you do not aggravate it.]

A troll. That pile of boulders I nearly hopped-skipped-and-jumped over looking like a golem made of rocks, moss, and dirt? A giant one twice my height (and it was hunched over) with glowing green spots for eyes.

Trolls I've read about are—

Any chance of contemplation fled as the mass of boulders shifted with the expected sounds of a mini-earthquake as it turned and faced the thing that nearly used it as a step-climber.

The sound it made was disorientating considering the contrast to its appearance; that it made a coo with the sound of a young child completely threw me off.

"Uh… hello? And sorry for stepping on you. I didn't realize you were sleeping there."

Another sound that gave the impression of "don't mind, don't mind." A temperament as steady and steadfast as the earth.

This was a gnome. This is a gnome, isn't it? An elemental?

What language was 37 speaking to me in? I just realized there was a definite downside to the auto-translate that I should have considered earlier. The eternal problem of translating from one language to another: adaptation and localization.

I really wanted to get to this library in Crown City now, if only so I can clear this up a bit, as the literacy aspect of the downloaded language was less colloquial than the speech. Sure, it was consequently more difficult to decipher but I was used to interacting with people from all over the world that had English as their second or maybe fourth language. I've also read MTLed novels before and this was way more readable than the machine-translated text I was used to.

At this point, I wanted accuracy rather than ease-of-use. Y'know, that whole wingardium leviosa debate.

[Please check your Terminal.]

"Ah, excuse me," I pardoned myself as I telegraphed my movements—just in case.

<Name: ???>

<Race: Elemental>

<Species: Jötunn>

<Element: Earth>

<Category: Being - Neutral>

<Description: ???>

Jötunn? As in the Norse versions of the Titans (from Greek mythology)? Well, sorta.

It was another localization but at least it brought more clarity than 'troll' did. I wonder if I've been calling the elves the wrong thing in my head the entire time now.

[Yes.]

Internally grimacing but dismissing it for later—nothing I can do about that for the moment—I awkwardly said my goodbye to the elemental being.

[Nori—]

Only for it to roar from behind me as I was several meters away. In contrast to the childlike, light voice, the noise was like a landslide. A primal sound that was more akin to nature's wrath than something menial like an angry predator's growl.

'Thirty-Seven!'

The already strung bow appeared in my hand while an arrow materialized in the other.

Inhale. Draw(Hold). Aim. Release.

A high-pitched yelp was followed by a tumbling crash.

Slowly lowering my bow, I glanced at the glowing eyes as they slowly dimmed to nothing.

[Level Up. Congratulations—]

The earth elemental cooed.

[You are now Level 3 after killing an Aurean wolf. Advanced internal manipulation of energy unlocked. I will now proceed to collect and disassemble your spoils from the fight.]

Oh, good lord, this was the answer 37 came up for loot drops.