Amidst the countless trees, in an unknown side of the great forest, there exists a space of land where one could see the skies clearly. At a single glance it would seem to be a gap in the thick forest. Short grasses grew from the soil, plants with edible fruits scattered all around.

The most noticeable of them all was a giant tree in the middle. It was twice as tall as the tallest tree among the forest. Its trunk was massive, its branches were long, shrouded in countless green leaves. Leaves so healthy and so green, no dry leaves were left hanging nor laying on the ground.

The strangest thing about this tree however, were the orbs glowing with blue atmospheric light. There were several of them, slowly revolving around the great tree. They appear so peaceful, so mesmerizing as they dazzle around.

Lastly, when one aimed their eyes on the tree or the orbs, they would instantly notice the one wrapped around the giant tree. It has enough length to circle its body around the giant tree while reaching its tail. Its body was green like the nature around. Along its body, it was wrapped in vines with leaves. They were like veils covering its entire body.

About in the middle of its body, there were folded a large pair of wings covering its back. Its green eyes were like a serpent’s. Upon its head, plant-like objects formed something that resembled a crown.

Its entire body was the color of green as though it was the personification of nature itself. However, at a short glance a normal person would not immediately regard it as such. Humans would cower before its presence. Many would regard it as something deadly and dangerous the moment their eyes laid upon its majesty.

This creature that many feared was a creature called a Dragon.

Sensing something was coming towards it, it lifted its head from the ground, facing the direction of where it felt it was from. That said, it was not alarmed but instead puzzled.

A short moment later, the thing approaching it was finally in sight. To be specific, there were numerous of them, tiny plants walking with their two legs. What caught its eyes the most was the one they were carrying.

With those little creatures' size, it would be natural that they won’t be able to carry something bigger than themselves. Thus, they were working together to carry their package above them.

The dragon’s eyes widened in surprise.

A human.

A little girl, wounded all over, she seemed to be unconscious.

“Who is this human?”

One of the tiny creatures moved first from the rest and told the dragon what they know. The tiny creatures however, could not talk like a normal person.

All it could do was gesture. But that said, as the dragon has a natural link with nature, it could understand what the creature was saying.

“A girl lost in the forest, and injured, I wonder what happened to her. But, I’m quite surprised you brought a human here.”

The tiny creature then explained that they couldn’t leave her alone. She required help, and so they decided to help the pitiful little girl.

“I understand. How pitiful indeed. Such a fragile body only to be in that state, she will not last long.”

The little creatures then laid the little girl on the ground before the dragon.

“However, do not fret, I will tend to her wounds.”

The little creatures stepped away from the human and gave space.

“Little one, you must have suffered pain which your age normally must not go through. But there is no need to be afraid, even if plenty of blood is lost, I can help the pain go away, and restore you.”

She spoke to the girl even though she was unconscious. Perhaps the dragon just wanted to assure the child, and maybe the child could hear and let her know that someone was going to help her.

Then a quick stream of green light came from the dragon to the child. For a second, the child glowed, then her wounds vanished, healing in an instant, her whole body restored.

With her wounds healed, so did her stamina. The sudden feeling of lightliness, she awoke, she blinked her eyes several times. The little girl, Rume, gazed up at the blue sky as she laid on the ground, trying to remember what happened.

Immediately she remembered. She was just walking, looking to find a way to get out of the forest and to get back to the village. However, it seemed that was all she could remember.

What happened?

As she contemplated, she felt somewhat different. She felt energized. In addition, she remembered all too well that she was wounded, but she felt no pain. She touched her face, the side where she recalled she was wounded. However, the sensation she felt was that there was no wound at all.

Confused, she got up to get her head straight. She looked to her side when she noticed something at the corner of her eye. Her eyes widened in surprise.

There were numerous tiny plants standing facing her. They were not scary at all, they were cute. That relieved her, she got to see something that doesn’t look threatening.

“... H-Hi…”

She smiled a bit, greeting the tiny creatures. But they did not react, they still stared at her as though curious. Rume averted her head and eyes forward as she stood up. She stopped halfway at the moment she beheld something she saw for the first time in her life.

A giant thing with what appeared like eyes were high above her, and it was looking down at her. She traced the thing’s body. She gasped in surprise as she saw how big it was and how it was able to wrap itself around the tree.

She realized another strange thing, the tree before her was gigantic. She never saw one that big before. She was bewildered and surprised. Her eyes then followed the alluring light hovering around the tree.

Pretty.

As the giant thing with eyes moved, her eyes returned to it.

She slightly moved her feet forward as she gazed upon the giant creature.

“...what are you?”

The thing tilted its head before speaking to Rume.

“Are you not afraid?”

A gentle voice reached Rume’s ears. It was like a voice of a loving and gentle female. It somewhat brought a wave of relief to Rume.

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“Afraid? Yes, a little. But you don’t look scary, so I am not very scared…” Rume said so in a childish manner.

The dragon slightly tilted its head, intrigued by how the little girl reacted.

“Is that so? Then I shall tell you what I am, but first, tell me your name, young one.”

“I’m Rume.”

She straightforwardly said with no hesitation. Was she not feeling threatened at all?

“Then Rume. Perhaps you have heard of my race. I am a dragon.”

Rume’s eyes widened in surprise, though it was not because of an unexpected revelation nor fear. But rather it was because she finally got to see one, a dragon.

“Wow,” her eyes seemed to shine. “a dragon! I only heard about you in stories my mama told me. Can you fly?”

The dragon was at a loss of words for a short moment. This was not how it expected for her to react. It expected the little girl to be a little bit shocked or scared. Well, it’s not like the dragons were despised, but still, a normal person would be shocked, and often frightened to be in the presence of one. Well, maybe that was just how it was for children.

“Of course I can fly. What did you even hear about us?” The dragon somewhat lost the elegant way of speaking after losing its guard unintentionally.

“I heard that dragons fly around with their giant wings. Soaring the skies.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

The dragon choked. Couldn’t it have been more magnificent? It should have been something like, powerful beings soaring the skies, looking down on the creatures walking on land. All obliterated when they tried to challenge them. No human could hope to defeat one. Dragons, one of the strongest and greatest entities to exist in this world.

But no. All this child ever heard was as underwhelming as flying in the sky, flapping their wings. What a let down.

“I see. It’s good that you heard about us.”

The dragon just lost its excitement.

“Do dragons have names? Do you have a name, maam?”

‘Maam’, the word that caught the dragon’s ears the most. Well, basically, it was female. Dragons have genders too. Perhaps the child determined it was a woman due to her voice. Well, dragons have similar voices to humans when it comes to gender.

“Yes I do,” the dragon said as she returned to her elegant speaking. “I am Galeila. The Green Dragon of Tranquility. Have you heard of me?”

“Not yet.”

Of course, what did Galeila even expect. She felt pathetic.

“Miss Galeila, are you the one who saved me?” Rume asked.

“Yes, I healed your wounds.”

“Really?! Thank you very much!”

The girl smiled bright as the sun. Her eyes glittering in happiness.

Cute.

Galeila’s eyes widened. The little girl was so cute. Were human children always this adorable, this captivating? So charming, she had forgotten how cute human children were. How innocent this little girl was, it made her want to protect this fragile one even more than she should. Still, Galeila resisted the charms of the little girl.

“But, I alone did not help you. You should also thank them,” Galeila pointed to the tiny green creatures with her head. “They carried you here. If not for them, I would not have been able to heal you.”

Rume turned to them. “Thank you very much to all of you!” Her bright smile flashing towards them.

A pair of them approached at Rume’s feet, doing playful motions. Rume giggled as she kneeled down and extended her hands towards them. One climbed onto her hand, somewhat playful as it stood up on her palm. It waved its arms around and swayed its head from side to side.

“Amazing! I never saw you before. This is wonderful! I wonder what you are.”

Shortly after a group of them approached her, surrounding her. Then dancing playfully around her, they seemed to be having fun.

“Hahaha!” As a young girl, Rume was entertained by it. Furthermore, this was a bizarre situation and her first time seeing them, thus, she was having a bit of fun.

Galeila looked down at Rume, amused at the sight. The creatures of nature apparently liked her. As she beheld the scene before her, she got a certain impression about the little girl. Rume was like a Princess of the Woods, adored by everything in the forest. The orbs above were also dazzling more intensely than before, hovering energetically above her and the human girl. In fact some of them hovered above the human girl multiple times.

Galeila’s interest grew. She couldn’t understand precisely why these special entities and creatures were acting strange after so many years. It was not as though this was the first time they were able to see a human. Interacting however was a different matter. Come to think of it, this might be the first they were able to interact with a human in a long time.

“They are called the Vilicus. They oversee the surrounding forest,” Galeila told Rume.

“Wow, these cute creatures watch the forest, amazing.”

More and more vilicus gathered at her, seemingly playing with her. These creatures — the vilicus — were not harmful beings, therefore there was no need to worry about the little girl’s well-being. The more Galeila observed the human, and as the creatures of nature played, her heart felt warmth.

A slight sweet smile formed on her face. But of course, a human could not easily tell if a dragon was smiling.

Just then, a few of the glowing orbs descended and hovered before the little girl. Rume, captivated by the orbs, stared at them with adoration.

“Even the spirits…” Galeila quietly said.

They were acting like they had never seen a human before. The dragon could not understand them at all. Were they just being kind? Or just missed interacting with humans, especially knowing that some of these orbs were spirits of the fallen.

Rume extended her hand towards the orb. At its round edge, her hand went through, there was nothing solid which stopped her hand. Confused, Rume extended her hand even further, closing into the orb’s center, nothing yet halted her hand’s movements, it seems like her hand can get through it entirely.

Just before her fingers reached its center, the orb circulated on Rume’s entire hand, leaving a trace of grandeur illumination. After that, in a swift moment, it returned back to the giant tree, followed by the other orbs.

“May I ask what they are, Miss Galeila?”

Rume asked the dragon, gazing up to her. Galeila returned her gaze, but she did not give a cold stare but rather a gentle one. Well, she did that although knowing humans could not tell the difference.

Generally, humans deem all the gazes of dragons as fierce. Cowards would cower, warriors shaken, and beasts sent running when dragons give them their stare.

“Ah, yes, they are spirits called Wisps.”

The dragon abandoned her elegant manner of speaking. After all, there was no need to be on guard, nor was it necessary to do it when talking to this girl.

“Amazing! I only heard about them from Mama! I never thought I would see many of them!”

“Rume, why did you come here in the forest? Is there no one that came with you?”

Galelia asked the important question she wanted to ask earlier. Rume shook her head.

“I am alone. I came to get some herbs.”

“Why would your parents let you come here all alone?” It was common sense to not let a little girl as Rume come inside the forest without someone watching. No, little children should not even be allowed to enter the forest.

True, there was nothing truly dangerous in the forest when it was protected by Galeila and some other. But still, there was a chance something dangerous might slip by. In contrast, humans do not even know that she was there to watch the forest, so it should be common knowledge that forests are dangerous.

“... Parents? I… I don’t have any parents…”

Rume’s smile vanished. She did not look down however but still looked up at the dragon.

Galeila could sense her mood already. If she doesn’t have any, there are two scenarios she could think on why. One was that they were dead, second was that they abandoned Rume. Realizing it, Galeila decided not to intrude on the human’s personal affairs.

Not that she didn’t care. It was that a dragon just had no business with it.

“I see. So what are those herbs for?”

“Oh! They’re for Mr. Esmon, they will be brewed to make medicine.”

Rume stood up in an instant upon remembering the urgency of the situation.

“Oh no! I need to go back now. Thank you very much for everything! Please excuse me.”

She rushed off immediately while carefully to not step into the Vilicus. But the dragon frowned.

“Do you even know where to go?”

The dragon asked, immediately, Rume stopped in her tracks. Of course she didn’t know, she only realized she was moving towards a random direction.

“... n-no.”

She lowered her head upon the upsetting realization. She was scared that she won’t be able to return to her village, and sad that she might not be able to return to the old man.

“In that case, the Vilicus will guide you to the human settlement. You need only to follow them, and they shall lead you through a safe path.”

Rume turned around with a broad bright smile.

“Really?! Thank you very much.”