Johan's head throbbed with a persistent ache as if a steel band wrapped tightly around his temples. He fluttered his eyes open to the sting of blinding light, sending a lance of pain through his skull. The sun had risen, and morning had dawned upon him.

Groaning, he raised a hand to shield his eyes, squinting against the harsh brightness.

"The sun...? We've got to stop meeting like this..."

As his vision slowly adjusted, he realized he was lying flat on a bed of leaves, laid out neatly on the forest floor, cushioning his body.

"Where... where am I?" he mumbled, his voice still hoarse from the lack of hydration.

He looked around at his surroundings, and his eyes fell on a figure moving near the crackling flames of a fire.

"...It's her."

The woman from the stream stood over the fire as she tended to the flames. The only difference now was that she was fully clothed.

Upon closer inspection, her tunic skirt was short and woven from silk-spun spiderwebs. Intricate patterns of entangled vines decorated the fabric with an earthy tone that fit well with the rich hues of her brown skin.

Beneath the skirt, she wore skin-tight sheer mesh black leggings that complemented the deep mahogany color of her hair.

Beneath the skirt, she wore sheer mesh black leggings that complemented the deep mahogany color of her hair. Embroidered along the seams were elaborate designs of swirling ivy, their detailed loops and curves adding a touch of whimsy to the otherwise practical garment.

Her boots were black and elegantly crafted, designed to withstand the rigors of the forest while providing comfort and flexibility. A series of long laces secured them snugly around her calves, ensuring a perfect fit and easy adjustment. The laces highlighted the slender lines of her legs.

Lately, completing her ensemble was a hooded cloak that provided warmth and protection against the chill of the night air.

"So, you're finally awake?" the woman said, her tone much different than the night before as she poked at the logs in the blaze with a branch.

A few skewers of meat sizzled and crackled above the fire, filling the air with the tantalizing aroma of roasting meat.

Johan struggled to sit up, his body aching with pain. "What happened?" he asked, running a hand through his hair.

The woman remained silent before turning to him, her eyes irritation-filled. "You're still in the forest. You passed out."

"Passed out? Are you sure? Cause the last thing I remember is you trying to kill me!" Johan shot back.

"You're lucky I didn't! Like I said, you passed out before I could!" she yelled.

"Well, you could have, but you didn't. Why?" Johan asked, but she didn't respond, focusing instead on the roasting meat.

She's so hard to read, Johan thought before a faint chime cut through the stillness as the HUD materialized before him.

[System Notification]

[Critical Levels Detected!]

[Hunger: 15%] [Hydration: 12%]

[Attention, Lightbearer. Your hunger and hydration levels have dropped to critical levels. Failure to address this will decrease performance and may lead to loss of consciousness.]

[Prioritize keeping your Hunger and Hydration levels above critical to avoid penalties.]

Did I seriously pass out from the system? Johan thought, and what the hell was a Lightbearer?

Was all this because of the system's mechanics, as he suspected? But it didn't make sense.

Why would the system include something seemingly nonsensical as punishment for lack of nourishment? It went against the very purpose of the system as he understood it. The whole point of the Sanity System was supposed to be to aid him, not hinder him, or so he thought.

Pushing away his swirling thoughts, Johan sighed. Unfortunately, it was not the time to dwell on such uncertainties. Focusing on survival came first, but there was also the case of the mysterious woman who saved him.

"Hey, did you keep an eye on me all night?" Johan asked, turning to the woman, but again, she remained silent, her gaze fixed on the skewers of meat sizzling above the fire. "Thank you. Who knows what could have happened if you didn't."

Memories flooded back to Johan in fragments, the image of the woman washing herself in the stream burning brightly in his mind.

"Look, we might've started on the wrong foot here," he said, rising to his feet. "I'm Johan. Nice to meet you. I didn't mean to stare last night, but can you blame me? You put on quite the show."

"...Quite the show...?" Her eyes flashed with indignation, her jaw tightening with barely contained anger. "You pervert!" she spat, her words laced with venom. "Spying on me while I bathed like some common voyeur!"

"Hey, relax. That was a joke, and voyeur? I'm not into that sort of stuff."

Johan sat across from the woman and the crackling fire as he pondered. How would she react to his revelation? Taking a deep breath, he began his recoil at the accusation.

"But you got it all wrong. I got lost in the forest. When I stumbled upon the stream, you just happened to be there. It's tough navigating a world you're not from."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise. "...A world you're not from?" she repeated.

Johan nodded slowly. "Yeah, it's complicated..."

She leaned in closer toward the fire, her curiosity piqued. "Why should I believe you when you speak and understand Eosian so fluently?"

"Eosian..." Johan uttered. "Not this again..."

"This could all be a part of your perverted scheme. Fill my head with lies, then when my guard has lowered, you have your way with me."

This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

"Like hell! I wouldn't do that!" Johan shouted.

"Sure you wouldn't, pervert," the woman replied, tending to the logs burning in the flame.

"Honestly, I don't even know why I'm here. I guess I was summoned yesterday with my friends," Johan explained, but his stomach churned with hunger.

His mouth watered at the sight of the cooked meat, the aroma wafting through the air like a siren's call.

"It's fine. Go ahead. It's been ready for a while now," the woman said, and slowly, Johan reached for a skewer.

"Thanks," he replied as he took a bite. Surprisingly, the meat was tender and flavorful, filling his mouth with rich juices. "What is this? Chicken?"

"Rabbit."

"Rabbit?" Johan uttered with his mouth full. "I've never had rabbit before."

Although there was no seasoning, the flavor was immaculate, but his hunger made it taste like a five-star meal.

"If you were summoned here with your friends, that must mean that you're one of the Heroes of Prophecy, right?" she asked, her voice swirling with anticipation.

"That must explain your odd clothing attire," she continued, and Johan chuckled nervously, looking over his clothes.

"...Odd? I thought this was a good fit when I picked it out," he replied but hesitated, his mind racing through flashbacks of King Audemars and his words. "But, according to some people I've met here..."

Johan paused before continuing. "...My friends are the Heroes of Prophecy, but as for me... I'm not so sure."

"How could you not be sure?" she asked him. "The ones summoned here to Esodadalon are the heroes. It's what the prophecy states."

"You would think, right? But now I'm unsure if that means I walk the same path as them."

Seemingly lost in thought, she murmured, "I see."

Her gaze met Johan's with fascination and sympathy, an expression he had yet to see from her. It was as if she was searching for answers in his eyes.

"Well, whatever the case may be, I'm sure you have a path to follow here in Eosdadalon."

"Those are some nice words. I appreciate it, but it's fine. I've never been one to be big on destiny or anything," Johan mumbled, his mouth full as he chewed. "This is good! Mind if I have another?"

"...Go ahead..." the woman said, watching Johan go to town on another skewer of cooked meat. "Who are you...?" she uttered softly, causing him to slow down his eating.

"Weren't you listening before? I told you. My name is Johan, Johan Heylel," he stated as he extended his hand outward.

"...F-Fayina... Fayina Erebseth..." she stuttered, hesitantly reaching out to shake his hand. Her fingers trembled as they advanced to meet his.

"Fayina, huh? Well, no need to be shy," Johan told her as she grabbed her hand, shaking it. "I've never met anyone with that name before. It's a pleasure to meet you."

But curiosity took over as Fayina's hair shifted, revealing the pointed tips of shorter, elven-like ears.

"Your ears... So this world has elves?" he asked softly, his voice full of wonder at this new information.

Her eyes glancing away shyly, a blush crept across Fayina's cheeks as she quickly withdrew her hand.

"...Yeah, and what about it?" Fayina asked defensively, hiding her ears with her hair.

"Nothing, I've just never met one. Honestly, in my world, elves are people of fiction."

He had never met an elf, let alone one like Fayina. The closest he had come to encountering one was through video games and people who cosplayed as them back home.

"But to be fair, I'm half... half-dark elf..." she admitted.

Johan nodded. "Half-dark elf?" he repeated, his mind whirling with questions.

He wanted to know so much more, like what made her half? And if she was a dark elf, were there elves who weren't considered 'dark'?

But as he fixed his lips to ask, Fayina cut him off with a nervous laugh before he could voice his inquiries.

"I-I don't like talking about it," she confessed, brushing her hair over her ears. "It's... complicated..."

Johan sensed her discomfort and quickly backtracked, eager not to pry into her personal affairs. "It's okay," he reassured her gently, offering a warm smile. "I shouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

After that, the air between Johan and Fayina was heavy with unspoken words. The silence felt like a lifetime but lasted no longer than five minutes.

Eventually, Fayina rose to her feet.

"I should get going," she announced. "Just so you know, the deeper you venture into the forest, the more dangerous it becomes. Stronger creatures and monsters dwell in hiding. And they don't play nice like the ones you've seen around these parts."

Before Johan could respond, Fayina handed him a small leather canteen.

"Here, take this. You shouldn't drink from bodies of water where people bathe themselves."

"Yeah, I know," Johan replied, accepting the canteen with a nod of gratitude and wrapping his fingers around the worn leather.

Fayina took one last look at Johan. "Well, be careful out there," she said softly before turning to leave.

Johan watched as Fayina began walking down the dirt road, vanishing into the brush, leaving him alone with the crackling of the fire and the whisper of the wind.

Despite their rocky start, like Princess Elara, she had shown him kindness.

"She was hot," Johan spoke aloud before realizing he had dropped the ball. "Damn it! I should've asked her for help or directions! Well, whatever. I better get going, too."

Gripping the canteen tightly in his palm, Johan set off again, a renewed determination fueling his steps. He had a tavern to find and a journey to continue into the unknown.