Days off

Lidhana was alone in her room. She was doing her homework, but, from time to time, she seemed lost in though. It wasn't the natural behavior of an elf little girl.

Usually, at that time, she would be playing with her friends, but she was grounded. It was by no means the first time, but it was the first time that she felt tremendously guilty. Not only had she been near death, but because of her, the elf who had saved her had been poisoned.

She was comforted when her brother had assured her that the patient was going to be fine, although she wasn't fully convinced. He had also assured her long ago that her pet, a small rabbit with a horn on its forehead, had returned to the forest with its family. A couple of years later, she had found out that it had died in an accident.

She knew her brother had kept it from her for her sake, but even so, she hadn't spoken to him for almost a week. Not just because he had lied to her, but because he had treated her like a little girl. It bothered her when they did, and so she doubted they would tell her the truth if her savior weren't going to survive.

"I'm not a child anymore," she pouted, while looking through the window. Although her parents wouldn't agree with her. She was barely twelve years old.

"Knock, knock," she suddenly heard a knock on her door.

"Who's it?" asked the little elf.

"It's me, Lidha, can I come in?" asked a familiar voice.

Her heart sank. As much as she had told him, and been angry with him, his brother rarely remembered to knock. If he was acting weird, she feared he was going to give her bad news.

"Co… Come in," she said almost in a whisper.

But when the door opened, she was pleasantly surprised.

"You're fine!" the girl exclaimed, and threw herself into the arms of the woman who came with her brother.

"Thanks to you," Goldmi hugged her.

"No, it's my fault. If it weren't for me you…" the girl sobbed.

Her brother didn't know what to do, as he was extremely weak against her sister's tears. But the archer had experience with the nephews she had left behind in her home world, and whom she often missed.

"I'm fine. And those snakes won't attack anyone else. So, you don't have to worry anymore," she assured her in a soft voice, while stroking her head.

"Mmmm," the girl assented, while still crying on her chest.

Nadelhon sighed in relief as his sister was calming down. But his relief didn't last long. He had more than respect for the lynx that was waiting outside, but Lidhana hadn't. To his horror, she came to the door and hugged her.

The lynx stared at her for a few seconds, while the girl was hugging her. And then, she licked her face.

"Hahaha. It's very rough!", the little elf complained, while laughing, and while her brother didn't know what to do. "Can I go for a walk with her? It's amazing to ride on her!"

"You're still being grounded," her brother refused, while glancing at the feline.

Lidhana turned her back on her brother, angry and pouting, as he sighed in resignation. He was too soft on her, and would have wanted to lift her punishment, but couldn't do it without their parents' permission.

"I'll be here for a couple of days. Maybe we'll have time tomorrow," offered the elf, with a conciliatory attitude, and while holding back her laughter.

There was no problem the next day for the girl to ride on the lynx. In fact, despite complaining a little, the feline was quite kind to children. She looked comfortable with them, as far as they didn't disturb her sleep.

Of course, Lidhana wasn't the only kid in the village, and, in the end, the feline was forced to give all the children a ride during the afternoon, as well as a spirit that was hovering around. Seeing that, even Nadelhon lost his fear, and felt even ashamed that the younger children were less afraid than he.

For her part, Goldmi had trouble getting her money accepted for buying some potions. She had no choice but to agree to a considerable discount. She had saved a girl and eliminated a potential danger, so they were very grateful to her. Especially the girl's parents, who gave her several clothes, food and some jewelry.

She would have liked to prepare some meals as a thank you for their attention and kindness, and to even give them some of the objects that she had in the inventory. However, after being at the fort, she knew that she had to do everything possible to hide that she was a visitor.

However, she made sure they accepted the remains of the snakes, as she argued that they were of no use to her. And it was true. Without Eldi, there was little she could do with those remains, other than cook or sell them. But she wasn't short of money, nor of meats to cook.

When she left, fully recovered, she was carrying potions up to level 50, including antidotes, and a crown of flowers on her head that had been made by the children. In fact, even the lynx wore one. She complained a bit, but she couldn't fool her sister, who knew that the feline was unusually moved. No matter how much the feline sighed in resignation.

They left under the villager's gaze, who were saying goodbye to them, and watching their silhouettes disappear among the trees. They were convinced that their benefactresses were more than they knew. There weren't many who knew that she was a visitor, but it was evident to them that she wasn't an ordinary warrior. There was too much evidence to the contrary. Among them, a lynx and a spirit.

The two sisters walked away with an even stronger conviction to face the corrupted beings. It wasn't only the personal benefit of leveling up, but to protect the inhabitants of that forest, the Sapphire Tree people among them.

The damage which that evil had caused was enormous, and they couldn't allow it to continue, so they were willing to do whatever was in their power. They looked back once more, and gazed at the magnificent bluish-leaved tree that gave the village its name, and which was now marked on her virtual map. She had already decided to take advantage of it in the future to pay a visit.

Shortly after time, an arrow pierced something like a mosquito half a meter long, which had dared to approach them, as it believed itself safe in its camouflage. But, after being detected and knowing it was there, the camouflage wasn't enough.

"I hope there aren't many of these," the elf wished.