Chapter 22 - Love

Sara wandered around the market.

*One month ago, I set foot in the Human realm for the first time. Seeing the environment so different from my homeland.*

Sara came across an intriguing wristband.

*While in the horse-drawn carriage, I caught sight of a man through its window. My eyes were strangely drawn to him. I don't know why I found myself fixated on him, even though he appeared to be an ordinary person. There was nothing particularly captivating about him, yet my gaze remained fixed on him.*

Sara examined the wristband with interest.

*On that same day, a terrible event occurred. The Human realm was attacked by a Demon Lord. Everyone was in panic. I escaped the carriage to save myself. Amidst the chaos, I heard a child's scream. I looked towards the sound and saw a child in distress. There was also a man running quickly towards the child. It was the same man I had seen earlier through the carriage's window. Suddenly, a giant spider appeared from above, attacking them. In an instant, the man dodged the spider's attack.*

Sara inquired about the price of the wristband by writing in the air using her magic.

*I leaped from building to building, using my archery skills to attack the giants, helping the people flee. Then, my attention was drawn back to the same man. He was running towards the tallest tower in the city. My gaze and even my body followed him, invisibly trailing behind him. He stopped abruptly, looking back as if sensing my presence. He then entered the towering structure.*

Sara handed the money to the wristband seller.

*I scanned around for any approaching giants. Suddenly, a bright light emitted from the tower. I wondered what he was doing up there. The light disappeared. Guards approached the tower after seeing the brilliant light. I looked up at the tower again and saw the man had jumped from it. Before I realized it, my hand had already drawn the bowstring, aiming an arrow at him. The arrow was released swiftly, heading straight for the man. To my surprise, he managed to dodge my attack, even while airborne. He escaped. My desire to know more about this man only grew stronger. I wanted to understand what intrigued me so much about him.*

Sara put on the newly purchased wristband.

*I thought that would be the last time I'd see him. But he surprised me by appearing again at the Human palace. He was a man from another world. Could that be the reason I was drawn to him? We Elves have the option to choose a human as our training partner. My choice had remained unchanged since I first saw him at the palace. I informed Albert about my decision. Albert spoke with the man to arrange him as my training partner. I hid behind Albert, feeling shy and unfamiliar with speaking to strangers. After conversing, Albert successfully secured him as my training partner. The man's name is Raqnid.*

Sara smiled as she admired the beautiful wristband on her wrist.

*On our first day together, he was assigned to kill goblins. I didn't question his actions, even though I knew goblin hunting was an easy task. During the journey, he remained silent, and at the location, we simply killed the goblins and went home afterward. I began to doubt my interest because Raqnid appeared to be an ordinary person with nothing remarkable about him. The second day, I retracted my previous thoughts. As we were about to leave after killing the goblins, a Hobgoblin attempted to attack Raqnid. To my astonishment, Raqnid easily killed the Hobgoblin with just one strike. I asked him to spar with me to learn from him. He promised to train with me as long as I kept his secrets. The next day, something even more surprising happened. For the first time, I was defeated easily. The skills Raqnid displayed were unlike any archer I had encountered before. I understood why I was so drawn to him. This was the lesson my heart wanted to learn. That someone who seemed ordinary and unnoticed could be incredibly strong. It changed how I perceived people from then on.*

Sara continued to stroll around, observing her surroundings.

*Initially, I thought Raqnid was arrogant and dull to be around. But after a month of getting to know him, those impressions vanished. He wasn't arrogant; he simply didn't seek attention. I never grew tired of being with Raqnid because there was always something interesting happening when I was with him. Raqnid became my first friend who treated me like an equal. I enjoyed being with him. I wish I could continue this indefinitely.*

*Uhh!*

Sara suddenly spotted a man hiding and peeking around, his physical appearance somewhat familiar to her.

*Raqnid!*

*What's he up to? He looks like a criminal!*

"Tehee!" Sara giggled as she observed Raqnid's antics.

Sara approached Raqnid, who was so engrossed in his spying that he didn't notice her presence.

Raqnid was stealthily observing his friend Fat as he walked with an unfamiliar woman.

"Garggghh!!!" Raqnid exclaimed upon suddenly noticing Sara beside him.

Sara found Raqnid's startled expression amusing.

"Sara!"

'What are you doing?' Sara asked Raqnid by writing in the air.

"Spyin... No, walking around!" Raqnid stumbled over his words.

Sara then looked towards Fat, signaling that she knew what Raqnid was up to.

Raqnid turned his face to the side, denying his actions.

Sara leaped onto a building to find a clearer vantage point.

"Where are you going?"

Raqnid followed Sara onto the rooftop. They both could see Fat, but the woman's face wasn't visible yet.

'Let's move forward!' Sara wrote.

*Why is Sara suddenly so excited than me?* Raqnid wondered to himself.

They moved to a better position for observation.

Then Raqnid caught a glimpse of the woman's face with Fat.

"Gulp!" Raqnid swallowed nervously.

'Isn't that Alene!' Sara wrote.

Raqnid could only nod in response to Sara's question. He didn't expect this turn of events.

"We have to save Fat, he must be in danger!" Raqnid was reminded of how terrifying Alene could be when angry.

*Ehh! Why this sudden concern? They were having fun, why save Fat?* Sara was puzzled by Raqnid's words.

"Oh! That's because you're always busy! Alene is threatening you!" says Raqnid.

*Huh? Why would Alene threaten Fat? Raqnid is way off!* Sara thought and try to write telling Raqnid.

Raqnid then ran to get a closer look at Fat and Alene, too absorbed to see what Sara was saying.

"I need to be close to them. If Alene tries anything with Fat, I can intervene quickly!"

Sara tried to write in the air to tell Raqnid, but she got frustrated seeing him ignore her. She pinched Raqnid's thigh to get his attention.

"Ouchhh!!" Raqnid winced as he looked at Sara who had just pinched him.

'What are you trying to do, disrupting them when they're having fun!' Sara wrote.

Raqnid read what Sara wrote. "Fun? You've got it all wrong! I need to save Fat! You don't know how dangerous Alene is!"

'If Fat is in danger, why does he look so happy!' Sara wrote.

"Happy?" Raqnid looked back at Fat, observing his smiling and laughing expression while with Alene.

'Look at Fat's face! That's not the face of someone threatened!' Sara wrote.

Raqnid started to think deeply and observed them once again.

Suddenly, Alene glanced in their direction, her eyes locking onto Raqnid's. Quickly, Raqnid hid to avoid being seen by Alene.

"Did she see me?" Raqnid looked towards Alene once again to confirm.

Raqnid peeked his head out, and his eyes met Alene's directly. He hid again.

*Gulp! She definitely saw me!* Raqnid's body shivered, feeling a cold chill after that eye contact with Alene.

"Sara! I think you're right. We better not disturb them. Safety should come first!"

Sara tilted her head, not understanding what Raqnid meant by safety.

*I'm sorry, Fat! I don't know what connection you have with Alene. If you ever need my help in the future, but it involves Alene, I have to step back because Alene is incredibly dangerous. You know that yourself. So, good luck with everything!* Raqnid cheered inwardly.

Raqnid felt Alene's gaze still on him.

"Sara, let's go!" Raqnid quickly pulled himself away.

Raqnid and Sara returned to their usual training spot.

"I think this is far enough!"

*Far enough? We're way too far!* Sara exclaimed in her mind.

"Hurgh!" Raqnid breathed a sigh of relief.

'Why are we running?' Sara asked by writing in the air.

"It's better not to talk about what just happened," Raqnid didn't want to recall those terrifying moments.

'Um, okay!'

They sat beneath the tree in solitude.

"I never thought Fat could be in love with Alene."

*Love!* Sara's mind got stuck on the word, echoing until at her bed.

Imagining Fat and Alene being in love.

*Is that what love is like?* Sara thought.

The next day...

"You lose, Sara!" Raqnid exclaimed, targeting Sara's wide-open vulnerability.

'Um, I lost again!' Sara wrote.

"Don't worry, I can feel that you're getting stronger than before!"

They sat under the shady tree, enjoying the food Sara had brought.

"What's for today?" Raqnid was eager to see what Sara had prepared.

Previously, Sara brought various kinds of food and shared them with Raqnid after their training.

"Wow, is this like a burger?"

Sara then clapped her hands.

'That's right! This food is only popular in the Elf realm. How did you know?' Sara wrote.

"Seriously! This food exists in my world too!"

They both enjoyed the meal and engaged in cheerful conversation. The barrier between them had dissolved.

'Raqnid!'

"Um, what is it?" Raqnid looked at what Sara wrote.

'Have you ever been in love before?'

"Heh!" Raqnid just grinned when he saw Sara's question, then he shifted his gaze to avoid answering.

Sara grew annoyed by Raqnid's dismissal and wrote again.

'If you don't answer my question, I won't cook for you anymore!'

"Ehhh!"

Raqnid looked at the writing and quickly responded.

"Okay! Okay! I haven't! I haven't!"

Sara smiled after hearing that. Her smile, however, couldn't be seen by Raqnid due to the mask she wore.

'So you're not interested?'

"Uhmm, no! I think it brings too many complications."

'Oh! If you do want to, what kind of woman are you looking for?'

"You're asking a lot today!"

Sara was about to reclaim the food she brought.

"Ah, okay! Okay!"

"Um, I like ordinary women!"

'Ordinary?'

"Yes, ordinary women! Simple personalities, humble families, and not widely known."

Sara's smile which had blossomed earlier started to fade.

'Why? Isn't it common for men to like beautiful women from wealthy and popular families?' Sara wrote again.

"Um, that's true! But not for me, as it would bring a lot of trouble. I'm not someone great. I don't like attention and problems. If possible, I'd like to avoid all of it."

Sara clenched her fists, looking down after listening to Raqnid's words.

'I'm leaving now!' Sara left Raqnid alone.

"Hey! Why are you leaving early today?" Raqnid was surprised by Sara's reaction.

"Is her stomach hurting? I think this burger was fine!"

*Why am I suddenly feeling angry?* Sara held her chest, where her heart hurt.