Bella

With Bella still eating, I took the initiative to make another bonfire. Fortunately, I didn't have to look for fuel again because I had piled up twigs beforehand. Around us, the shadows of tall, dark trees loomed like giants guarding the forest. The cold night wind whispered in our ears, as if reminding us of the dangers that might lurk.

I began to string the twigs together, stacking them carefully so that the fire could burn well. As had happened before, I emptied another small twig to make the fire, twirling the small bow with full concentration. Bella watched me with large, inquisitive eyes, seemingly fascinated by what I was doing.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she slowly ate the sweet potato, her mouth still full of food, her voice sounding slightly muffled.

Without looking at her, I answered straightforwardly, "Making fire."

She tilted her head, a puzzled look on her face, her eyebrows knitted together slightly. "Fire? Isn't it easier to use spirit magic than to do something like this?" she said, her voice full of incomprehension.

My hand movements stopped for a moment. "Haha~ I wish I could do that," I replied with a faint smile, though inwardly I felt a little jealous of the ease she was talking about. I continued my work, twirling the bow until finally white smoke began to come out from the wood chips I was rubbing.

Bella remained silent, watching me attentively as she ate her sweet potato. Her big eyes followed every movement of my hands, as if trying to understand a process that to her might seem strange and old-fashioned.

After a small flame appeared, I blew on it carefully so that the flame would grow quickly. Each exhale created sparks that grew larger and larger, like fireflies dancing in the darkness. When I felt the fire was big enough, I carefully moved it to the pile of twigs I had arranged earlier, creating a larger and more stable bonfire. The flames began to illuminate the dark night, their light casting dancing shadows on the trees around us.

Bella, who was watching the scene with sparkling eyes, looked so amazed. She had just witnessed the process of making fire without even using magic, something that might be considered impossible in this world. Her golden hair glistened under the firelight, giving the whole scene a magical feel.

I, ignoring her awe, continued to light the fuel until the bonfire was complete. The sound of burning branches filled the silence of the night, adding to the calm yet alert atmosphere. After some time, Bella had finished eating her sweet potato, and it was time to talk further.

We sat facing each other, the shadows of our faces dancing in the light of the blazing fire. I made sure my spear was beside me, always ready just in case. Although Bella seemed harmless, I was still wary of something I didn't quite understand. After all, this was a fantasy world where there was a possibility that this little elf girl in front of me was just a monster in disguise.

Bella rubbed her hands in front of the fire, trying to warm herself from the cold night. Her cute little face seemed to glow in the firelight, but her eyes still held the fear and exhaustion that haunted her. "You know," she said in a low voice, almost a whisper carried by the night wind, "I've never seen a fire made like that. Where I come from, we always use magic."

I listened to his words seriously, remembering how the world we came from was so different. My soul and mind were still the human named Eric, who faced a whole new reality after being reincarnated. Even Eryndor, my new form as an elf, had not been taught magic or rather could not use it properly.

As Bella expressed surprise at the way I made fire, I took a deep breath, trying to understand more about the two worlds we occupied. According to the memories I'd read, every being in this world had a magic core, including myself. It's just that I don't have the knowledge or ability to use it.

"Forget about it, just tell me what happened to you," I said, trying to turn the conversation around. "Depending on your story, I could have injured you here," I added, voice calm yet full of serious implications.

Bella's body jerked in shock by my words, as if she was perceived as a threat. Even so, she quickly understood and nodded slowly with nervousness emanating from her trembling eyes. "The reason I was able to get here is because I ran away from the humans," she said in a trembling voice, as if fear still clung to her.

I remained silent, letting her tell me what she wanted to say without interruption. Her small body looked fragile under the dim light of the fire.

"My sister and I were planning to visit the human kingdom in the west called Terra," she continued in a low voice. "Unbeknownst to us, the human kingdom attacked and took some of our brothers and sisters hostage. As representatives of Alferusia, my sister and I were ordered by mother to become diplomats and bring back our brothers and sisters who had been taken hostage. But along the way, we were ambushed by a group of humans...." The whisper of her voice was almost cut off as she hugged her own hands, shivering from the memories still burning in her mind. "Our guards were all dead and my sister was kidnapped, they wanted to force me to run."

I nodded, trying to absorb every word she said, feeling the emotional weight that continued to weigh on her. "Alright, that's enough," I said in a voice that was calm, yet full of decision. I stopped the flow of her story, not wanting to push her further into painful memories.

Although I had only heard part of the story, I could feel the outline of the situation. The elven kingdom of Alferusia and the human kingdom of Terra were originally partners, but that relationship eroded over time. The current generation of human kings may have forgotten the treaty, while the surviving elven kings of the previous generation think they will not forget the long-established agreement.

Of course, it's not that easy. Elves have mesmerizing beauty, even I was mesmerized when describing my previous life. Golden blonde hair, alluring green eyes, and a well-proportioned face. Of course, that made the elves a target for humans. Their beauty is sometimes a curse in a world full of political intrigue and vested interests.

In short, slave hunting occurred probably to satisfy the lust of the rulers in the human kingdom of Terra. This may have been an expression of overwhelming pride on the part of humans.

However, my mind drifted to the possibility that my mother and younger sister were still alive. But, ugh, I'd rather assume they were gone than have to face the painful reality. If they were really exploited by the humans, it would give me a strong reason to teach those humans a lesson not to misbehave with our race anymore.

Bella looked at me with her big eyes, filled with curiosity-inspired courage. Her voice trembled slightly as she asked me to share my story.

I felt jolted out of my reverie by the expectant expression of this little elven girl. After a long sigh, I felt that I could no longer hide this dark part of my past. I also felt that telling her my story might make her understand me better, or perhaps give her a little sympathy.

"My name is Eric," I said in a voice that sounded hoarse. "I was one of the few who managed to survive the slave-hunting carried out by those humans." I decided to tell this false story, covering up the truth that was more complicated than the actual reality.

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Author note:

The Elven Kingdom of Alferusia and the Kingdom of Terra are two kingdoms that have a long history of complicated relations. In the beginning, the relationship between the two kingdoms was harmonious, with trade and diplomacy exchanged smoothly.

However, as time passed, tensions began to arise between the two kingdoms. The Kingdom of Terra, led by humans, became increasingly ambitious and began to demand more from the Kingdom of Alferusia. They wanted to control the natural resources owned by the Elven Kingdom, and this ambition caused tension between the two sides.