When Mika stepped into the village, the atmosphere changed immediately. From a once deadly jungle to a quaint little garden.

The ground was soft and bouncy like she was walking on mother nature’s pillow. The tall tree walls invited a sense of safety. Her nostrils greedily took in the earthy floral scent, loosening her muscles, which she didn’t even know were tight, as her shoulders relaxed.

‘This… This feels nice. I feel like I’m back in my mother’s embrace.’

With a relaxed smile, she walked on the stone pathways and followed Aerin around the village, if she could even call it that.

Mika walked around with her mouth and eyes wide open at the number of houses in the trees. They were like a jungle version of the skyscrapers she saw in Avalon, Elysium's Capital.

While the actual village is small, around 2 kilometers in diameter, houses were everywhere. In the trees, on the ground, everywhere.

While Mika’s eyes inspected her surroundings, Aerin began introducing her to the village.

“That over there is where those Uncles we just met live!” She pointed at a tall tree with a large building at the base and numerous houses up the tree.

‘So, that’s the guard house or the barracks.’ Mika nodded.

“That’s where we store the food,” Aerin pointed at a building made of wood and stone.

“That’s where Aunty Lia lives! She bosses around the people that make our clothes!”

“Over there is where Uncle Goren lives. He makes the guard uncle's weapons!”

Over there is….”

…

Aerin kept introducing all these different people, their occupations, and where they lived, but Mika quickly lost interest. None of that mattered to her.

‘I’m only here to learn how to leave this jungle, have a good night’s sleep, and maybe a warm home-cooked meal, if possible. I’m sick of drinking nutritional serums and eating tough, bland meat.’

At least, that was what Mika initially thought until she saw numerous Elves effortlessly performing magic.

One Elf hopped through the trees, using wind magic to increase his speed and agility.

Another Elf used earth magic to roll a few large boulders over to his house.

Meanwhile, a third Elf used water magic to water the plants on her windowsill, something Mika found redundant, as the Jungle rains more than enough, but it was magic nonetheless.

Seeing all this happen right before her eyes ignited the desire to learn and improve her Mana Cultivation!

‘Maybe I can finally find the necessary information and inspiration to complete my Mana Cultivation Technique!’ Her eyes shone at the thought of getting stronger.

However, they dimmed soon after as she remembered something crucial.

‘Nothing is free in this world.’

After working hard to create a cultivation technique for several years, Mika understood how precious they were. If she wanted to receive something of such significance, she’d need to offer something of equal value.

Still, even after knowing that, her smile remained, though it wasn’t nearly as bright.

‘Hehe~ I still have 90 kilograms of mana stones in my backpack. That should be worth something considering I’ve only come across mana stones once in the time I’ve lived here.’

Unfortunately, her happiness was short-lived when Aerin’s squeaky voice entered her ears.

“What are you smiling like a dummy for, Mika?” Her large round eyes gazed into Mika’s.

Mika’s lips twitched, and she almost lost her smile, but she quickly regained her composure.

Shaking her head, she said in a low voice, “A little girl like you wouldn’t understand.”

Aerin tilted her head and looked Mika up and down, “Little? How can you call me little when this Big Sister is taller than you?”

Mika’s lips stretched into a thin line, and just as she was about to respond,

“AERIN!!”

A woman in a long dress and an apron bolted at Aerin and tackled her to the ground!

“Ooof!” She lost her breath for a second, “M-Mother?”

“That’s right! It’s me, your mother! Where were you?! How could you come back so late?! Don’t you know it’s dangerous out in the jungle?!” The woman, Aerin’s mother, cried.

Aerin panicked, seeing her mother in this state, “Mother! I can explain!” Then, she pointed at Mika, “I was busy saving this baby from hopping into the abyss!”

Upon hearing her daughter’s words, her eyes followed where Aerin pointed, and she finally noticed a human child standing next to her daughter.

Then, she immediately covered her nose.

“Child, did you roll around in monkey poop? Why do you smell so bad?! Here, follow me! I’m going to bathe you right now!” She let go of her daughter, released a stream of wind mana around Mika’s body, and dragged her to the back of a nearby cottage.

Aerin pouted at how quickly her mother’s mood changed but didn’t complain as she understood.

Mika smelled that bad.

A few seconds later, Aerin’s mother brought Mika to the back of the cottage, lifted her in the air with wind mana, and tossed her into a small pool.

*Splash!*

“Gasp!” Mika lifted her head above water, gasping for air, then she turned to the woman, “Dammit, woman! Can’t you be a bit gentler!? Or at least warn me before doing that?!” She cursed but quickly covered her mouth, realizing her mistake.

Aerin’s mother froze, not expecting a child to curse at her.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Mika dropped her head, knowing what she said was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. She’s lived in this jungle alone for over a year. She’s not accustomed to being around people, much less talking to them.

The only thing she could talk to was the System, but…

It only answered when something needed to be said. It didn’t make idle conversation.

“I apologize, Ma’am, for my rude behavior. I’d be more than happy if you allowed me to bathe in your home,” Mika said with her head lowered. She wasn’t insecure enough that she couldn’t admit her mistakes.

Aerin’s mother woke up from her stupor and stared at Mika with a complicated gaze.

‘It seems she’s been through a lot.’ Her eyes softened, but then something occurred to her, ‘Now that I think about it, what is a human child doing this deep in the jungle?’

However, smelling the stench coming off of Mika, she shook her head, ‘What does it matter? Right now, she needs a bath! I can question her later!’

“Don’t worry, sweetie. It’s fine. I was just surprised a little kid like you knew such words. Right now, you should just focus on getting clean. We can talk after that.” Aerin’s mother said with a gentle smile while still holding her nose.

‘It seems Elves are sensitive to smells.’

Mika nodded and began rinsing the layers of dirt, muck, and grime off of herself and her kimono.

Meanwhile, Aerin’s mother turned to Aerin with a smile. However, her eyes weren’t smiling.

“Now, my dear daughter, care to explain to me what you were doing around the Abyss?”

“EEEeeek!”

Aerin yelped, turned tail, and ran like a scared little bunny, but her mother didn’t allow that to happen and caught her before she could move. She brought her inside the house to have a friendly little chat with her daughter.

***

After half an hour, Mika was finally clean! Now, she no longer looked like a homeless brat and more like a refined young lady…

Not!

She still looked like a wild child with her long wavy red hair and inky black eyes, but perhaps what stood out the most were the numerous scars and cuts she had on her body. Most were hidden underneath her kimono, but one could still see the rough calluses on her hands from hundreds of hours of training.

Although the Absolute Sword Body Technique stimulated her body’s growth and made her body much stronger and more durable, that didn’t make her immune to scars. Most of them will heal after she breaks through to the Middle-Stage, but until then, she’s stuck with scars.

Aerin’s mother’s gaze became even more pitiful when she looked at Mira after seeing the scars all over her body. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have felt like for a little girl to be all alone in this dangerous place.

So, she did the only thing a mother could do! She went up to Mika and wrapped her in a warm and protective hug!

“It’s okay, sweetie. You’re safe now.” She said in a gentle voice while rubbing Mika’s head.

Mika was so stunned by the sudden embrace that her brain seemed to stop working, and she just stood there blankly. She didn’t expect a stranger, from another race no less, to suddenly hug her like a mother would to her child.

‘Are all Elves like this? Why are they so nice?’ Mika wondered, as it wasn’t just Aerin’s mother but Aerin and the guards as well. Hell, even the Elves who saw her entering the village with Aerin only gave her a strange look before giving her a nod and going about their day.

Mika was sure if she were to try and enter a Human city looking like a homeless beggar and smelling like feces, she wouldn’t even be allowed in! Even if she were allowed in, they’d look at her with disdain and contempt, hardly recognizing her as a human being.

Still, no matter how nice they were, Mika felt a little uncomfortable hugging someone that wasn’t her family, so she just stood there like a statue.

It’s not like she needed the hug, either.

While she would love to leave the jungle, it wasn’t because she wanted to interact with other humans.

She couldn’t care less about that.

No, there just wasn’t much of a point in staying here any longer!

Though, the appearance of this village and that giant sinkhole she found earlier made her think otherwise.

‘There’s something off about that hole. The moment I saw it, I felt a deep, instinctual urge to descend into it. I don’t know if there’s something down there calling to me, but I should definitely check it out after I’m done here.’ Mika contemplated.

After a few minutes, Aerin’s mom released the hug but still stayed close to Mika.

“While you were bathing, the village chief told me to bring you to him after you finished. He’s inside the house right now. Are you ready to see him?” She asked.

Mika was surprised that she’d be able to meet the chief so soon, and a bright smile gradually formed on her face.

“Please lead the way, Mrs. Galadher.”

Mrs. Galadher smiled at Mika's politeness, grasped her hand, and led her inside the cottage.

Inside the cottage, three people immediately greeted Mika. One was, of course, Aerin. Then, behind Aerin stood a young handsome, tall, blonde Elf staring at Mika with a neutral gaze.

Lastly, off to the side, a middle-aged tall, blonde, and muscular Elf stood there gazing at Mika with eyes full of curiosity.

Seeing them, Mika was confused. She looked around to make sure she didn’t miss anyone, but sensing nobody else in the house, Mika became even more perplexed.

‘Where’s the village chief?’

Noticing her confusion, the three adults chuckled. So, Mrs. Galadher stepped forward and introduced them.

“Though the introduction is a bit late, my name is Luthien Galadher,” Then, she pointed at the young man, “That’s my husband, Othanar Galadher.”

Othanar, the young man, nodded slightly with the same neutral face, “It seems Aerin wasn’t lying when she said she picked up a human baby.”

Luthien scowled at him, making him flinch, but snorted and moved on to the final person in the room.

She pointed at the middle-aged Elf and was about to introduce him, but he stepped up and decided to introduce himself.

With his right fist over his heart, he announced in a deep, almost hypnotizing voice, “My name is Joralf Tawarenion, and I am Parf Edhellen Village’s chief. It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, young human girl.”

Mika just stood there, rooted in place, not knowing how to react.

She stared at Othanar, Aerin’s father, who didn’t look a day over 20, then glanced at the 10-year-old Aerin.

Then, her gaze shifted to Luthien, who also didn’t look at day over 20, then back at Aerin.

Finally, she turned to look at Joralf, who seemed to be around 35, and back at Aerin.

And then she concluded, ‘They all look the same to me!’

They all had similar features, something Mika hadn’t noticed until now, and Aerin didn’t just resemble her parents but the older Elf as well.

‘Now that I think about it, all these Elves look almost identical!’

She was baffled right now, but she couldn’t just keep rudely staring at them without introducing herself.

So, she cupped her hands and bowed slightly, “My name is Mika Zoller, youngest daughter of the Zoller Dukedom in Elysium. Thank you for allowing me into your village.” Her eyes couldn’t help but keep glancing between them despite greeting them.

Everyone smiled at her greeting, and Joralf, the village chief, was the first to speak up.

“Hohoho! No need to be so polite, young Mika,” He chortled, “This must be your first time seeing Elves.”

Mika nodded.

Joralf had an amused smile on his face, “You must have many questions right now.”

Mika nodded again. She didn’t want to be rude, but she’d be lying if she said her curiosity toward the Elves had increased.

“Worry not, young Mika. I will answer all of them to the best of my ability. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such a young and energetic youth, after all! Hohoho!” The village chief chortled again, and Mika couldn’t help but smile along with him. He seemed just like those old grandpas from her previous life.

Then he motioned toward the dining table, “Let’s move the conversation to a more comfortable place,” He said, then looked at Luthien, “Luthien, dear, can you make us some tea, please? I have a feeling we’ll be talking for a while.”

Luthien nodded with a smile, “With pleasure, Chief Joralf!” Then she left.

With that, Mika and Joralf sat down at the table as Aerin and Othanar left the room.

“Well, young Mika Zoller from Elysium, it seems you’ve had quite the adventure, seeing how you’re so far away from home.”