"What do you mean dead?! I am very much alive! Could a dead person do this?!" I stand up, grabbing the leg of the chair I snapped during the night, and snap the branch it was made from with all the effort of snapping a match.

They look at me, terrified

"N-n-n-no. I don't know what you are saying, but you are clearly alive. Alive and angry. P-p-please don't hurt us."

I sit down on the chair, still closer to my ideal size than there's. My anger subsides and realizing what I must've looked like, let out a huff and hold back tears.

"I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to hurt anyone. Yet here I am, wherever here is, knowing no one, completely lost, being hunted by the most stereotypical looking villains and mistaken for a kid. I am strong physically compared to average, but mentally, I feel bad pulling up dying tomato plant, and I just killed a guy, and you're saying I am as dead as him? The guy I put my hand through?"

Lena crouches down, stares at me sitting, and then joins me on the bed.

"I still don't know what you said, but you calmed down. You're distressed. Not from here based on your ears and chased by the national guard. You're scared and cannot even speak. My Is almost out so just lean on me. Everything will eventually work out "

I sob again. Man is she good with reading emotions, and calm under stress. Considering she thought I was looking for blood a few seconds ago.

I eventually fall asleep leaning on her. I wake up in the night, terrified of my dream but unable to remember it. She is still there beside me, sitting quietly and staring at me, quickly comforts me and I fall back to sleep.

The next morning, I wake up to the sound of sizzling. It's more peameal bacon. I eat it, carefully carving around the wires. This time I am not bugged for not eating them, so they must have communicated with Kidman's mom. Or realized I am not them, and cannot eat wires. Either way, not more trying to eat metal.

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Most of the way through eating, Mr teacher clears his throat, holds up the translator, and the places it in his hand and starts talking.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Thalion. Thalion Emberwind. I am the teacher here as you already know. We know that you are alive, and not from around these parts at the very least. We extend our hospitality to you for as long as you need to find where you are again. As for the mishap with the translator, I believe it is prudent to hypothesize that you are incapable of utilizing it due to biological differences. For example, you don't have a in your palm."

I look down at my palm, and sighing Mr teacher, Thalion sighs, lifts up the translator and shows a very tiny shiny point, no bigger than a needle tip just below the first joint in the middle finger.

Placing the translator back in his hand, he continues, "And you survived destroying that mage's Without any more damage than being curled up in a ball for 3 days, you probably don't have these organs."

He reaches down and pulls out a sheathed sword from under the table. I immediately step back.

"That is why our swords have such strong insulation on the grip, to prevent death by release."

Lena, while he is talking, pries the translator out of his hand.

"Honestly Thalion, that is one of the dumbest things you have done. He is already terrified, has seen too much, killed someone and now after having a real night's sleep, show him a sword like you plan to kill him with it?! I am surprised we are both alive after that stunt."

Hearing the tone from her and seeing her actions is quite jarring, after experiencing her motherly side. I point between the 2 of them, questioning their relationship.

"Now let me actually introduce ourselves. I am Lena Emberwind, herbalist and plant specialist, but have been this idiot's sister for far longer. I usually collect plants at dawn and dusk, make minor potions during the day, experiment in the evening, but since you've arrived, I've been thinking about getting you settled, as you are the newest kid here. Although you raised quite the stir in math class I heard, knowing something far above your age and then proving it in a way that transcends language, it is amazing. You should have heard him ramble on about that."

"Anyways, we're planning on going to the magic shop. We want to see if you have any at all, and verify that the tester still works and is calibrated correctly after...that. ready to come?"

I nod vigorously, grabbing my coat, boots and backpack before heading out. If anyone knows anything about my predicament and how to undo it, it's a magic shop owner!