"You..."

Elvynna stood stunned for a moment, taken aback by her own sarcastic remark. Upon reflection, it became clear that the Master Alchemist didn’t seem to have any romantic feelings for Eirik—she was simply captivated by his skills. Had she misunderstood her own intentions?

"Even so, matters like this should be left to me!" Elvynna declared, striding confidently forward. She was wearing a tattered swimsuit, her fair skin gleaming in the sunlight, which made Eirik blink in surprise.

Wait—Elvynna, are you about to give me mouth-to-mouth?

Eirik, still half-conscious, suddenly realized he could afford to indulge in the moment a bit longer. He quickly closed his eyes again, feigning unconsciousness.

"Well, I could," Violanda commented, with a sly grin, "but he seems to be awake already."

With a swift motion, Violanda tossed Eirik to the ground, causing him to wince as his arm throbbed in pain.

Master Alchemist Violanda, really?! Couldn’t you have waited just a moment before revealing my state?

Eirik awkwardly opened his eyes. "Ahem, lovely ladies, how should I address you?"

"Violetta."

"Elvie."

Ah, so these are your names in this world. They’re quite charming, actually. With that, the introductions were made. But before they could continue, Violanda’s stomach growled loudly.

"..."

Violanda’s cheeks turned red in embarrassment.

"A trivial thing like food shall not deter this priest..." she began, trying to maintain her composure.

"This priest?" Eirik raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise.

"...I—I just like to refer to myself as a priest. Is that a crime?" Violanda’s face flushed deeper.

Eirik couldn't help but laugh. For someone who was supposed to be a Master Alchemist, Violanda seemed to blush more in this moment than she had in all her centuries—or perhaps even millennia—of life. Now, stripped of her powers, she was as helpless as an ordinary person. It was oddly delightful.

"I see a grove not far from the beach," Violanda continued nonchalantly. "I can hear the wild chickens calling. This priest shall go catch a couple for us to feast on!"

Determined to salvage her dignity, Violanda took it upon herself to hunt. However...

She raised her foot, ready to take a step toward the grove, but stumbled after just a few steps, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.

Her legs flailed in the air in a most undignified manner.

Eirik quickly noticed that Violanda’s glasses, which had been shattered during the crash, left her struggling to see. It seemed that the Master Alchemist, once so poised and precise, was now completely nearsighted.

"This... I swear this was an accident. Do you believe me?" Violanda huffed, adjusting her broken glasses, frustration written all over her face. "Just a simple mortal creature, this priest..."

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

In her world, Violanda came from a prestigious lineage, raised on potions from infancy, and born a mage of considerable skill. But now, bereft of her magic, she was utterly out of her element. The clumsy, awkward steps she took as a commoner were a stark contrast to the dignified figure she had once been. She felt humiliated.

She resembled a clumsy teenager, completely out of place.

"Violetta, stop making it worse. Sit tight and let me handle this!" Elvynna stifled a laugh as she stood and strode toward the grove, an amused glint in her eye.

Elvynna had figured out that Violanda’s eagerness to catch food was more about impressing Eirik than any real need. But the outcome? Ridiculous.

Not long after, Elvynna returned, clearly disheveled and panting heavily, having caught nothing.

"This body is far too weak..." she muttered, rubbing her sore arms.

Elvynna had hoped to show off her strength, but the reality of her new body was far from what she had imagined. Weighed down by hunger, injuries, and fatigue, she could barely make it a few steps without feeling dizzy and exhausted.

She had endured much, even managing to avoid some of the dangers of the wild, like snakes and insects. But now? Even something as simple as asthma was proving a challenge!

This couldn’t continue. If she hadn't taken her medicine and kept herself steady, she might have collapsed by now.

Meanwhile, the world channel opened up, revealing the despair of others.

"Why are ordinary people so fragile? A giant rat almost bit me!"

"Oh, Holy Light, this dungeon is a wasteland devoid of elemental power. In the Dawnstar Dynasty, it would be considered the worst prison."

"Didn’t anyone notice? The world’s title suggests it was once a place of mundane folk, but mages emerged later. Elemental power will return, we just need to wait!"

"Wait for how long? Can we even survive this?!"

Many players were stranded on this island, and the situation was dire. With no magic, the female players were practically powerless, barely better than regular humans. The island was full of unknown creatures and plants, and the elemental power they once relied on was completely absent.

"Food isn't even our biggest problem. I saw that vine creature from the plane! It's rooted in the center of the grove, devouring the forest to grow stronger. If we don’t escape or grow stronger soon, we’re doomed!"

Finally, someone provided crucial information. The vine was still growing stronger!

Fear rippled through the players. They had to get stronger, and fast! But without magical stones or any means of regaining their powers, how could they possibly do that?

"What do we do? As a Master Alchemist, surely I can’t starve to death?" Violanda’s brows furrowed as she stared into the distance, her broken glasses reflecting her frustration.

While the others fretted over how to grow stronger, she was still struggling to find food—something that felt utterly humiliating for someone of her status.

"..."

Elvynna shared her frustration, but then, suddenly, a warm energy washed over her. With it, her asthma and sprained ankle began to heal almost instantly.

"This is elemental power, and it's...!"

Elvynna's eyes widened, her gaze snapping to Eirik, who was fiddling with something nearby.

"Wait a second... Eirik is the key to our breakthrough. He must have activated his Elemental Absorption talent!" she exclaimed.

Violanda's eyes lit up in realization. Eirik’s Elemental Absorption talent—could it be that in a world without elemental power, he could actually absorb it?

"Truly, he is a top-tier card! Just having him on our side guarantees victory!" Violanda, quick as lightning, wrapped her arms around Eirik.

The surge of elemental energy flooded her body, and the sensation was euphoric. Her blurred vision cleared, and for a moment, she let out a sharp gasp.

??

Eirik was completely taken aback. Surely, the Master Alchemist couldn’t be serious; the way she was clinging to him made it seem as though he had done something to her.

"Violanda!"

Elvynna wasn’t about to be outdone. Her cheeks flushed as she stepped over, wrapping her arms around Eirik from the other side.

"Hey, lovely ladies, if you both cling to me like this, how am I supposed to get anything done? Don't you want to find food anymore?!"

"Darling... can you find food?" Elvynna’s eyes gleamed slightly.

"Of course."

Eirik smiled, completely unfazed. These two delicate ladies who had never lifted a finger—he had grown up on a farm, after all. Hunting and fishing? Those were his specialties.

"Without elemental power, catching food is too difficult; it would be unwise. This priest opposes this!" Violanda shook her head, unwilling to give up on her quest for elemental power.

She was used to using magic, and nothing was more important to her than that. Even hunger could be ignored with the right amount of magic.