----***----

Evangeline

A towering, bearded tough looking man approached me with measured steps, then knelt on one knee and greeted me in a warm voice. "Hello there, young lady. Don't worry, we're not here to harm anyone," he assured, taking charge of the situation.

He had laid down his weapons and gestured for his team to do the same, clearly trying to appear non-threatening.

Although I was relieved that a fight wasn't necessary, especially given my distinct disadvantage, his tone irked me for reasons I couldn't quite pinpoint.

"Where are your parents? We need a place to camp; we're stranded in this forest. There are dangerous monsters on the other side, blocking our way home. We're on an important mission," he explained, speaking to me as though I were a child. That's what was annoying me!

"I'm alone here, and I'm probably older than you, so talk to me like an adult," I responded with a hint of irritation.

He seemed taken aback, then quickly regained his composure after seemingly noticing something else by looking at me longer. "My apologies, lady elf. I meant no offense. Our expedition is stranded, unable to report back to our superiors. Could we camp nearby and possibly get some medical supplies ?" he asked, now with utmost respect.

"Who are you, though?" I inquired.

"Forgive my manners. We are the Leon barony's investigation team from the Verdantia Kingdom. I'm David, commander of the barony's first garrison. We're scouting the Forbidden Forest due to increased monster activity near the bordering villages. This mission is sanctioned by the baron. My team includes valiant mens and women whose specialty range from infantry to mages. May I ask whom we have the honor of speaking to?" His tone was grave and formal.

I hesitated. How should I introduce myself? It had only been a week since I found myself in this unknown world. Recalling what little I knew, I said, "I'm Evangeline, an elf. Errrr Funny thing is, I don't quite know why I'm here. I just woke up in these woods and have been living here since then." I chose honesty without revealing too much.

The humans looked utterly baffled, exchanging confused glances. Before they could bombard me with questions, one of the mages, her voice quivering slightly, interjected, "It's okay, Lady Evangeline. We won't pry further if you'd prefer to keep things private." The others nodded, seemingly wary of something.

David, more polite than ever, asked, "If it's alright with you, we'd like to set up camp here," pointing to a clear area away from my apple trees.

"Sure, why not?" I replied casually.

Without hesitation, they all moved to the designated spot as if fleeing some unseen danger. I couldn't help but wonder, `What's going through their heads? Did I unintentionally intimidate them?`

----***----

David

Upon closer examination of the supposed dwarf, most likely a child, her claim of being older than me caught me off guard. Then I noticed her long droopy ears, barely visible beneath her long unruly hair. This was a trait of High Elf ancestry. `She must be one of those reclusive High Elves on a self-discovery quest`, I realized. I quickly adjusted my approach, adopting a more formal and respectful tone to avoid offending potential elven nobility.

As we conversed further and inquired about her background, she said something very outlandish. She didn't even know where she came from or why she was there. I was almost about to have an outburst when something in my mind clicked.

Before I could say more, Alice, who seemed to have grasped the gravity of whom we might be inadvertently offending earlier than I did, adeptly steered the conversation away from a potentially perilous outcome.

It was apparent to me, and by the sudden change in everyone's demeanor, the rest of the team also came with the same conclusion 'A High Elf, childlike in appearance, alone in a vast forest, in an area untouched by monsters and near an Arachne and her forces? A ridiculous backstory?And she exudes a relaxed yet authoritative air? She must be a Fae from the Seelie Court in disguise.'

I hastily asked for an appropriate spot to set up camp, eager to strategize our next steps with the rest of the team. Faes were not to be taken lightly; their whims could easily spell our doom, as numerous historical accounts of disastrous encounters with them had demonstrated.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

***

As the platoon gathered around the newly established campfire to discuss their recent encounter, David opened the conversation with a note of concern. "Fellas, we're in a tight spot. Let's just hope we haven't pissed off a Fae," I said.

Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Alice, prompting me to ask for her perspective.

Alice shared her insight, "She isn’t a Fae. I sensed her mana; it wasn’t particularly strong, almost equal to the two Doebbits she was holding but that’s beside the point. My attempt to use [Identify] on her was immediately blocked by the system, just like when I attempted an [Identify] out of curiosity on the hero's party during the Victory day parade"

Paul, another mage in the group, chimed in, "But she doesn't match any of the known heroes, at least not according to the records in the capital."

Jeanne, who had been silent so far during the expedition, presented her theory. "She is an elf, they live much longer than us. The current heroes are aging, and tensions among them are escalating. I've heard that the dwarven heroes have even started challenging the elven ones to death duels. She might be a backup, as the Church teaches. We may have subdued most demons and slain their king, but some demon lords remain, and there's been no word of their god's demise."

Paul pondered aloud, "So, she might be a future hero? But why leave her here, isolated and in the midst of a possible Arachne flood?"

Jeanne responded with a devout believer's perspective, "The gods' ways are beyond our understanding. We shouldn't dwell on such minor details. I'm sure this must be a trial of sort"

As the conversation teetered on the brink of an animated debate around the elf's possible origins, a sudden silence fell over the group. Every member, including myself, was transfixed by the same sight: a system quest window.

You have received a divine quest.

Escape the Forbidden forest and report your findings before the end of this month.

Time left: 3 weeks

Failure will result in the destruction of the Leon barony by the spider flood.

Reward: Epic [Talisman of Endurance]

"Seems like we're left to fight alone for our loved ones' survival, huh? Where are the heroes when you actually need them, Jeanne?" Paul asked with a hint of sarcasm.

Jeanne, unfazed, replied confidently, "Prometheus believes we're up to the task." Her statement, however, failed to instill confidence in the rest of the platoon.

Sighing in disappointment at her comrades' lack of faith, Jeanne suggested, "Alright then, let's seek help from the elf. As a potential god-chosen, she might have some means to aid our escape."

Alice quickly objected, "No! She's still too young for this!"

Scout, speaking up tentatively, pointed out, "Jeanne has a point, Alice. We need all the help we can get. Remember, even a young elf is older than our grandparents."

The group seemed to lean towards Jeanne and Scout's reasoning, prompting a concerned Alice to turn to me. "David, they're wrong, right? Please tell them to reconsider," she implored.

But given the dire situation and the safety of my own family at stake, I couldn't dismiss the possibility of an ally, young or not. To ensure the group's consensus, I called for a vote. "Those in favor of asking the elf for assistance, say 'aye.'"

Everyone, except for Alice, voiced their agreement.

As Alice's eyes began to well up with tears, a gentle hand patted her head. It was the elf herself; she had quietly joined us amidst our heated debate, unnoticed until now.

"Aye, I'm in too, but you will need to train me, I'm not really good at fighting"

----***----

Evangeline

As the human group busied themselves with setting up their camp, I took the moment to return the two doebbits to my shelter. Once that task was complete, I gazed from a distance to see that they had already finished constructing their camp and were now gathered in a circle around a fire. The sight evoked a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of the camping trips I used to enjoy with my grandfather in the wilderness. The desire to join them was overwhelming, so I cautiously approached their circle, staying just within earshot.

Their conversation caught my attention immediately: they were talking about me. I couldn't help but laugh silently when I heard them speculate that I might be a Fae. But my amusement turned to surprise when the female mage, Alice, suggested I could be a reserve hero. `So the concept of heroes being reincarnators isn't a well-guarded secret or a taboo topic?` I pondered.

I was about to step forward to clarify their misconceptions, but then something unexpected caught my attention. I initially thought they had spotted me when they abruptly stopped talking, but to my surprise, a blue system window appeared at the corner of my eye. `Could it be...?` I wondered, my curiosity piqued by this sudden development.

You have received a divine quest

Save the Leon barony by helping the investigation expedition escape the spider army.

Note from moderator: Hello Evangeline, it's Prometheus. First off, sorry, it looks like you didn't get the usual reincarnation experience. The elf god decided to be difficult because of some of my past mistakes and still hold a grudge... I forced him to compensate you in accordance to system rules, so you should have gotten his blessing. Why did I not help you out recently ? It's complicated. You will get more information from the archives of my churches in the Leon barony if you're interested in that kind of stuff.

Anyway, my heroes were minmaxers pre-reincarnation, and when I gave them the quest to exterminate the Arachne, they brushed it off and deemed it beneath them.

Sadly, I can't kick them out yet. If I do, I will need another few years before the reserve candidates are ready, and there would be no heroes to protect Humanity during their absence. Good luck

There is no failure penalty

Rewards:

+ 5 base endurance and strength

Epic [Talisman of offuscation: Stigmatas]

As I quietly listened to the humans' discussion while quickly reading Prometheus's message, I thought of the idea of escaping an entire army of spiders with just eleven people. `Impossible.` For now, I shelved that concern and continued to eavesdrop. It became clear they had received a quest and wanted me to join them. I slowly approached the group, unnoticed amidst the shift in the atmosphere and how focused they were on the ongoing discussion.

Watching Alice defend me was heartwarming, even though I understood the others' desperation for any help they could get. She was on the verge of tears, and her companions were at a loss for words, unable to comfort her without contradicting their own decision.

In that moment, I was reminded of my grandfather's gentle consolation after my parents' passing. So, I did the most logical thing in such a situation; I gently patted Alice on the head. Then, turning to her teammates, I laid out my conditions for joining their escape effort.

"Aye, I'm in too, but you will need to train me, I'm not really good at fighting"