The thick, white mist stretched across the entire area. Anyone standing within this thick mist would be deprived of their vision, if one stuck out their hand in front of them, it was as if the mist had swallowed their hand completely.

Once she finished counting down, Ida wandered through the fog, her destination aimless. The constant giggles from June haunting her mind.

"I'm to your right!"

"No, your left!"

"Straight ahead!"

"Hehe, behind!"

Ida glanced around her hastily, before letting out an exhausted sigh.

At this rate, instead of the entire village being brutally murdered by the monsters outside, they would be turned into stone by a merciless fae.

Ida truly regretted chasing away the mutated wolves, when she could have left them be. There was a chance nothing would have happened, even if the mutated wolves gathered around.

Ida did not have a spirit contract, and neither did she possess any physical prowess to burst through the fog. The only weapon she could rely on was her own wits.

The knowledge on the fae and pixies from the book sifted through her mind. She recalled the most important part about them, their illusions caused by their special colorful dust.

《 The dust of a fae or pixie enabled them to bring their wonderful boundless imagination to life.

If ingested, it gives one temporary power from these creatures. Their ostentatious yet fearful spells, one could use without restrain.

If sprinkled onto one's body, it gives one the temporary power of flight.

If placed over one's eyes, it allows one to see the imaginative world of the adorable faes and pixies.

Their dust, as such, was coveted by many.

Nonetheless, as powerful as their dust is, it is potent if one utilises it indirectly. Unless administered by the faes or pixies themselves, the dust would make one suffer excruciating pain upon direct contact.

The pain served as a great determent. 》

Ida knew relying on her sense of hearing was utterly useless now. Being mischievous was second nature to faes and pixies, as such, they were full of tricks.

Tricks that her senses wouldn't be able to get past.

She knew she only had a single choice left.

There were remnants of the dust on her clothes, June had sprinkled a generous amount on her. Since it was administered by June herself, Ida was betting on the chance that it would not hurt.

Ida inhaled deeply, rubbing her hands on her dress.

The pain she expected never came.

"Hm? Tall one! What are you tall ones doing?"

"I'm trying to find you."

"Hmph, as if you tall ones will be able to!" June stated arrogantly. "You tall ones have bad eyes!"

Ida smiled to herself. She placed her palm over her eyes before pulling it away.

At that moment, Ida heard June gasping in realisation within the fog.

"Wait a minute! Bad tall one! Bad Ida! You used my fae dust!" June exclaimed in annoyance. "You are cheating!"

Ida opened her eyes, and the world surrounding her completely changed. Her vision was filled with bright pastel colours, mixing together. The pastel colours seemed to form a thin, mist-like path in the fog, which started to clear up as she became accustomed to her newfound sight.

Ida followed the path without a word.

The path ahead of her led her straight to June, who was flitting about in a panic.

"Cheater! Cheater! Tall one is a cheater!" June hissed angrily. "I never said Ida could use my fae dust!"

"You told me to find you, and nothing else. This dust was what you gave me earlier."

"Yes, yes! But--but--!" June huffed in resignation, regaining her composure. "Ok-okay! Okay! Tall one wins!"

The fog was dispersed in an instant. The entire village trapped within the fog were freed, they were glancing around in bewilderment.

June flew her way to Ida, her arms across her chest with an obvious pout on her lively face. Her aqua orbs portrayed her annoyance at Ida.

"Give me back my dust."

June stretched her tiny hands out, and the colorful dust seemed to float around Ida before rushing its way back to its original owner.

"Hmph."

June spun around, giving Ida the cold shoulder. Ida was still expecting June to burst out about turning her into stone.

"Lady Wolfe, this is...how are we supposed to..." the guard approached Ida, glancing cautiously to the pouting June. "Are we...safe?"

"Leave it, I'll take care of this. Scour the area once more with the rest, just to be sure that strange fog didn't garner the attention of the wolves."

"Understood."

The guard nodded, looking at June once more and he mumbled to himself about how frightening faes and pixies were despite their small size.

Ida turned her attention back to the frustrated aqua-haired fae. Ida's expression did not seem good as well.

"How about we play another game? And this time, it will be fair and square. I promise." Ida suggested, her voice hesitant.

She did not want to incur the wrath of a fae.

"I don't want to play anymore! Hmph!" June hissed angrily. "If I wasn't so nice, I would have made you tall ones all into stone ones!"

"..."

Ida was waiting for that line to be said.

"I apologise, June. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?"

"Feel better? What is feel better? Hmm...you tall one wants me to forgive? Ida wants me to forgive and forget?"

"No, of course not," Ida hurriedly answered, treading her words carefully. "How about forgive and play another time?"

Even though I don't really want to play with you at all.

Ida thought reluctantly to herself.

June harrumphed, looking away and disregarded Ida's words. She was still unhappy.

Ida was starting to regret her decision to use the fae dust to find an easy way out. Alas, dire circumstances called for desperate measures.

"Alright, don't forgive and forget, or play another time. Let's just…" Ida added on, resigned. "Let's just do what you desire."

Ida felt as if she was coaxing a volatile child, and a highly dangerous one too.

It was exhausting.

She was never good with children, even in her past life.

"What I desire? What I want…" June mumbled to herself.

"...oh, I know I know!" she burst out abruptly, her eyes gleaming in excitement. "I can forgive and forget tall ones now!"

Ida grew a tiny bit hopeful.

“And what would you like me to do?”

June flew to Ida’s face, her aqua-coloured eyes wide in glee. “Make a soul-bound contract with me!”

Upon hearing those words, the tiny bud of hope that was growing within Ida’s heart crashed and burned.

“...”

She wanted to run away and never look back.

June noticed the reluctance apparent on Ida’s face. She placed her hands on her hips, harrumphing.

“Why give me that look!”

“Don’t you know it is the greatest...uhm...honour! Yes, honour!”

“It is greatest honour for you tall ones to make a soul-bound contract with a fae like me!”

Ida sighed, wanting to cover her ears and pretended June wasn’t there.

Maybe if I looked away, she would disappear.

However, June wasn’t done with her tirade.

“You don’t want the contract?! You don’t want to play and stay with me?! I’m angry! Angry angry!”

“You say you wanted me to forgive and forget! Hmph!”

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Bad Ida! Bad tall ones! Tall ones are liars!”

Ida shook her head.

She wouldn’t disappear, ever.

Ida felt her head throbbing as she weighed her choices if she were to decline or accept June’s suggestion.

Seeing no response from Ida, the aqua-haired fae fluttered her wings and headed towards a guard making its way back up the tower with the help of its contracted spirit. The guard felt a presence behind him and upon seeing the fae, he lost his concentration out of fear.

“Aaaugh!”

He began to fall and June threw her colorful, fae dust on him.

Ida snapped out of her daze, frowning deeply at June’s actions. She was apprehensive at how this entire situation was going to play out now.

Alas, June did not stop there.

She proceeded to fly her way over to the innocent bystanders or guards, throwing her dust on them yet again. All of them began to float in the air and frightful yelps escaped their mouths.

“June! What are you doing?” Ida questioned in alarm.

The fae flew her way over and dragged her clueless victims behind her, placing them on the ground.

“Since Ida doesn’t want to stay with me, or wants me to forgive or forget, I’ll make everyone here into stone ones!” June proclaimed with a hint of anger. “We will all stay here forever and ever! Until I’m not angry anymore! And not bored anymore!”

The colorful dust began to glow on their bodies, including Ida. All of them watched in horror as the dust was crystallising into a stone-like material, spreading and covering their skin.

However, since the concentration of dust wasn’t as much on Ida, she was being transformed at a slower rate.

“Hehehe!” June spun around happily. “Yes, forever and ever!”

“This isn’t how you convince someone to stay with you, June!”

“What is convince?” June tilted her head, beaming. “It’s okay, Ida will stay with me now!”

June widened her eyes, looking at the innocent villagers and the guards. She recognised them all, whether it was one of them offering her a freshly baked bread for free, keeping her company in her walks around the village.

“Lady Wolfe! It’s alright!”

“Don’t worry about us!”

“Please, run away! You cannot win against a fae!”

“They will never listen to anyone’s words except their own! You need to live on for your parents!”

June was still smiling happily, not an inch of remorse on her face.

Ida didn’t have to think twice now.

Her choice was obvious.

“Alright, June! I understand!” Ida exclaimed, her composure coming apart. “I’ll sign the soul-bound contract with you! You don’t need to turn us into stone ones now because we will stay with you!”

“Lady Wolfe! Please don’t!”

“Faes are very dangerous creatures!”

Ida looked at them, not saying a word.

She couldn’t let them die like this, could she? Not in such an inhumane way.

“Oh, did I hear it right?! Really? Really?” June dashed to Ida with her wings, the happiness obvious in her aqua-coloured eyes. “You tall one said yes! Ida said yes! No taking it back now!”

She hovered in the air and spread her arms out. The colorful fae dust was slowly removed from everyone’s bodies, the crystallisation process coming to halt. Their skin returned back to normal and all of them sighed in relief.

The fae dust made its way back to the fae, the myriad of colours creating a wondrous sight.

June wasted no time, forming the contract with Ida before she could change her mind. Albeit, even if Ida changed her mind, June would not care either way.

“I need to call Ida by another name for the contract!”

Ida furrowed her eyebrows.

The soul-bound contract was as its name stated. A contract that bounds the soul of two parties together. No matter where in the entire world, one party would be able to summon the other.

For such a contract to be made, it would require the help of a fae or a night elf. They were the only ones in the world who could make the contract possible.

That was all Ida knew about the contract from the book.

“Another name?”

“Yes! And I just thought of a name!”

“What is it?”

“My little one!” June pointed at Ida, nodding proudly. “I’m tired of calling tall ones as tall ones! Now, you are my little one!”

Ida sighed, resting her palm on her forehead. “As you wish, June.”

This entire situation was taking a huge toll on her sanity.

June nodded once more with no sense of guilt. She gathered her fae dust in her hands, blowing it towards Ida. The dust surrounded Ida like a pillar, circling around her rapidly.

All Ida could see was a flash of different colours and it made her head spin. She closed her eyes, allowing June to do whatever she wanted.

“Dia, rik’ka vel, my little one. Niyel gra mik’lara, June Honeymint. Dia, vli’kin.”

Ida could only guess she was speaking in the ancient language of the fae and elf.

The fae dust started to dissipate as June finished her words.

“My little one! Open your eyes now!”

Ida opened her eyes, glancing around her. “Is that it?”

She expected something more.

It didn’t occur to her that the process would be so simple.

“Yes! Yes! I am finished! We are bound now!” June giggled. “Now, whenever you are, I will always be with you! Oh, what a joy!”

Ida showed a dreadful expression.

Oh, what a nightmare...

She thought to herself.

June stretched her arms, yawning softly.

“Are you finally tired?” Ida asked in relief.

“Mhmm, yes yes.” June nodded drowsily. “I used a lot of my dust and magic today…”

Without any word from Ida, she flew her way to her shoulder and flipped Ida’s hair away. June proceeded to lay her tiny body on her shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing softly.

Ida exhaled heavily.

“What is a fae doing all the way out here?” Ida muttered to herself. “Shouldn’t you be returning home to rest instead?”

“I have no home...to return to...” June replied sleepily.

Ida blinked in shock.

“Don’t worry, my little one,” she continued on. “I will keep myself hidden if I need to...yes yes…”

June was completely asleep now.

“Lady Wolfe.”

Ida lifted her head up, looking at the villagers and the guards. They were the ones implicated in June’s spell from before.

“Thank you.”

“Thank you for saving our lives.”

“Lady Wolfe, the soul-bound contract with the fae…” one of the guards said in concern. “We’ll do whatever it takes to find a way to break it.”

“No need.” Ida shook her head.

“But, you’ll be in constant danger with a fae by your side!”

“Yes, they may be adorable but they have no sense of morality! They could kill you if they want to!”

“If we break the contract forcibly, we would incur the wrath of a fae,” Ida explained. “That would result in a situation worse than before.”

They immediately went silent.

Ida smiled. “Don’t worry, for now, I am sure this fae will not kill me.”

Moreover, it wasn’t so bad having a fae on her side for now. The village was still in danger.

“But…”

“I’ll be heading back to rest. Come to me immediately if anything else happens.”

“Lady Wolfe!”

She spun around, giving them a wave.

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

Ida wanted to take her words back.

Three days passed quietly, and she realised having a fae stuck on her side was the worst gift for anyone in Vriafenia. The words "play" and "bored" have never made her feel so exhausted.

She was seated on her table, eating the breakfast the villagers had prepared for her. Of course, there was a small share for the tiny fae bound to her soul. It was a common culture for the villagers to share a warm, hearty breakfast with everyone. A culture that amazed Ida when she first learnt about it.

"Ida! Ida! My little one!"

June danced around her, her wings fluttering rapidly.

Ida placed her spoon down in her half-eaten bowl of soup. The freshly baked bread was almost finished.

"What is it now?" she groaned out.

"Why do tall ones eat so many kinds of things? First, you eat some wet grains! Second, you eat the meat of those furry ones. Third, you eat these hard-looking grains with some strange...coloured water!"

This was another aspect of June that made Ida’s head spin.

She was extremely curious.

It seemed like this was June’s first time venturing out into the world of Vriafenia, away from her fae land.

Ida had lost the number of questions June has asked, in the span of these three days.

"Humans have a very selective palate. Hence, they find enjoyment in discovering different foods."

“Palate? What is palate?”

“Taste.”

"Oh! Tall ones are really interesting! They make so many delicious foods with just one ingredient! Faes like us only eats fruits and nothing else!"

June took a bite of her meal, holding her cheeks and her eyes widened in delight.

Ida observed June quietly.

She guessed June had to be a young fae, since there was nothing she knew about the outside world.

Ida rested her chin on her hand, smiling in resignation.

"Did you know? Humans use fruits to make sweet things called desserts and pastries."

"Desserts? Pastries?" June lit up, halting in her actions. "My little one! I want to see it! I want to taste it!"

Ida sighed, shaking her head. "Yes, yes. Alright. I'll bring it after we finish our meal--"

Someone rapped on the door and Ida stopped in her words. She stood up from her table and approached the door, opening it slowly.

"Lady Wolfe."

A guard greeted her.

"What is it?"

"..." The guard hesitated, furrowing his eyebrows. "Something is happening at the barrier once again."

"Mutated wolves?"

"No, not those ugly mutts," the guard shook his head, rubbing at his neck awkwardly. "This time, it's...it's people."

"People? Just like us?"

"Yes, and they are asking us to let them in."

Ida widened her eyes in recognition.

Finally.

They are here.

Ida grabbed at her robe hanging on the chair. The wind was rather harsh and cold today.

"Take me to them."

"Mhmm! Mmm!" June protested, waving her arms. "Mwai fwood!"

"...well, after we are done eating."

▪︎ ▪︎ ▪︎

Ida was escorted by the guards to the barrier. There were wary looks apparent on their faces and despite Ida’s insistence, they wanted to stay next to her.

“If anything happened to you, Lady Wolfe, we wouldn’t be able to answer to the Lord and Mistress once they returned.”

“I...alright,” Ida sighed in resignation. “Just give me some space to speak to them.”

The guard relented.

Ida shifted her attention to the barrier, and she caught sight of two distinct figures standing outside of it. One of them was standing in front of the barrier, while the other was leaning against the tree a distance away.

The person standing in front of the barrier was a svelte woman of tall stature. She wore an amiable expression on her face, her honey-blonde hair and crystal blue irises contrasting against the dark and forbidding Wastelands behind her.

A beauty.

Just like how the book had described her.

Upon meeting eyes with Ida, the woman’s almond-shaped blue eyes curved. She raised her hand, giving Ida an awkward wave.

“Hello there, you must be the leader of these people and the village,” she greeted in a soft and friendly voice. “Seeing as how they called you over…”

“You want to enter the village?” Ida questioned.

“Yes, please,” she nodded her head, a hint of desperation in her gentle voice. “We would just like to pass through, that’s all.”

Hearing those words from Auriana, all the guards began to grow wary.

There was no way anyone traversing through the Wastelands would simply “pass through” a village. Moreover, a village that served as a barrier between the Grenyth Empire and the Wastelands.

“What is your name?” Ida asked, even if she knew she didn’t need to.

“Auriana,” the woman introduced herself. “Auriana Lionheart.”

At that moment, Ida recalled the warning from the mysterious man that gave her the beastman’s blood.

"Now, remember. The blonde woman with blue eyes. Never let Auriana Lionheart pass through the barrier."

Ida smiled to herself on the inside.

“I’ll be a fool to listen to you.”

After all, this world revolved around this gorgeous woman before her. The main character of this world, Auriana Lionheart.