I lower my head. "Greetings, Ma'am."
Mina's expression stays rigid yet I can sense frustration.
"Drop the formality, we are both of the same age and origin," says Mina.
...
"I'm sorry," I reply. "I won't be comfortable towards a potential queen."
Mina gazes down, she sighs and nods. I feel that she experienced this many times.
"What are you doing here?" She asks.
"A short vacation, ma'am." I lie.
"I see. Alright."
...
The atmosphere becomes awkward and stale.
"If there is nothing else, I will be on my way," I say.
"Be careful, deathworms are roaming in the wild near Foresnagh," Mina warns.
"Thank you." I turn and leave.
To think Mina is here for the same reason as I; things may be a little troublesome...
I glance back and observe her outfit. With a fitting bodice under a loose blouse and short leather pants, all of her clothing is enhanced with protective scrolls and magic, confirming my aforementioned hypothesis.
My first objective leads me through the city of nature. Every step is integrated with the aroma of fresh wood and the sweetness of flowers. Occasionally, fluctuating savoury fragrance invades from their delicacies.
"Young human, try some of nature's magic! You can't find this in the human kingdom." a street vendor shoves a stick of various vegetation to my face. It's a dashing young elf wearing a simple tunic and pants.
Unlike humans, elves use magic as the seasoning and cook a vast variety of unprecedented flora. The majority of elves have a vegetation diet and forbid the consumption of meat.
I gulp at the food and reject him. "Sorry, I prefer meat more."
The vendor chuckles. "Then wipe that drool from your mouth."
!
I turn away and swipe my arm across my mouth.
Fuck. The thought of eating exquisite cuisine.
"Fine. This will be on the house, it seems to be your first visit." the vendor hands me the stick.
...
I take a deep breath and lower my head.
"Thank you for your consideration but I will be moving too much..."
"Hm?" The elf notices the sword on my waist. "Ah...You must be here for the deathworms. Head down the street to the alchemy store, they are loaning out risptap at low-interest rates."
Risptap is a substance harmless to humans but fatal to deathworms.
"Thank you. I will get going now."
Before I leave, the elf stops me. "Hey...um...come back alive. I will treat you to some food."
...
"You should be wary of humans, kindness tends to backfire," I say and leave.
The elf stares at my back. "What...?" He mumbles.
Further down the streets, many people gather in front of a building. A sign atop carved the name of the store "Nature's Chisel", the dominant alchemy association in the elf kingdom.
YOU ARE READING
A Background Character's Fate
Fantasy"In war, commoners are the victims in victory or defeat." Struck by poverty amidst a long and devastating war, an ordinary mercenary dies among the countless corpses on a snowy battlefield. Yet by a stroke of luck, he regressed to his younger self...
