As I examined my character sheet, I decided to test its similarity to Questcraft by experimenting with different functions. Specifically focusing on my helmet, I concentrated and willed it to unequip. To my surprise, it vanished from my head. Intrigued, I shifted my attention to my inventory and peered inside, only to find my helmet among the various items from the game in one of the inventory slots. Suddenly, I heard a gasp, prompting me to turn my gaze towards Stella to see what had startled her. When she didn't immediately speak, I asked, "What's wrong? Did my helmet disappearing surprise you? It's not a big deal; I just put it in my inventory."
Stella, in a state of awe and confusion, exclaimed, "You're a High Elf! How is that possible? High Elves haven't existed for thousands of years since they were eradicated by humans when they first arrived here."
"I suppose technically I'm still a human; this is just a persona, I guess. However, I've been unable to revert back or select a different class. I've been trying various methods, but nothing seems to work. It looks like I'll have to come to terms with the fact that I'm probably stuck like this from now on," I explained to Stella, all the while continuing to tinker with my character sheet. Regardless of my attempts, I couldn't get the class dropdown to open up again, preventing me from choosing anything else. Opening my spellbook, I mentally flipped through its pages, realizing that every spell and ability I possessed in Questcraft was listed there. To my surprise, there was even one particular spell I had never encountered in any of the Isekai books or animes I had watched: Resurrection. Though it would require nearly my entire mana pool to cast, unless this world had some rule prohibiting its use, I might possess something they didn't have here.
"If you are going to remain a High Elf, that could pose a problem. Humans will likely want you dead out of fear of a High Elf resurgence, while the Elves may rally around you and attempt to start a revolution. Despite the relative peace we currently have, humans still consider non-humans to be inferior. High Elves were once the most powerful race on this planet, but they were eventually overwhelmed by humans in large numbers. For now, we need to be extremely cautious about who sees you. Keep your helmet on whenever you're in public to conceal your silver hair and ears," Stella warned, her concern evident.
"I need to know why you decided to follow me and who you are," I asked, eager to unravel the mystery.
Stella hesitated, carefully considering how much to reveal. Slowly, she began her tale. "When I was a young girl, I discovered that my magic affinity was shadow. This was highly unusual for elves, except for Dark Elves. As it turned out, my mother confessed that I am descended from a mix of Dark Elves and Sun Elves. It all started with one of my ancestors, a Dark Elf warrior who was captured after a raiding party from the underdark attacked a Sun Elf village. The party was defeated, leaving only a single surviving Dark Elf female as a prisoner." Stella continued, "Over time, she was given the option to return to the underdark or stay on the surface with the Sun Elves. She chose to stay, having fallen in love with one of the Sun Elf warriors. This secret remained within our family for generations, but when I exhibited my shadow magic, my mother had no choice but to reveal our hidden ancestry."
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"Throughout my life, I was treated like a monster by other elves just because of my 'unnatural' magic, and it made existence miserable. The only people who accepted me for who I was were my family and my best friend, Aerion. She never treated me any differently and saw me as her best friend and sister. But the bitterness and hatred towards other elves grew inside me, and I became determined to become stronger, no matter the cost. I sought every opportunity to increase my power, even if it meant taking risks."
"Ordinarily, gaining power in this world requires leveling up through rigorous training and fighting monsters. However, I stumbled upon an item that could dramatically increase my power without the need to level up. It was called the Shadowheart Gemstone, and it was one of the most powerful items I had ever come across. But, as I should have suspected, it came with a terrible curse. Driven by my emotions, I bound the gemstone to myself, and the curse took hold of me."
Stella paused, her voice filled with remorse. "I won't go into the details of what the curse made me do, but it was horrifying. It took Aerion's intervention to break me free from its grip, but in the process, she was nearly killed. The curse left me temporarily crippled, rendering my shadow magic almost completely useless. When I regained my senses and saw the devastation I had caused, I was overwhelmed with guilt and fear, and I ran away. I had no food, no water, and I was defenseless without my magic. It wasn't long before the bandits found me, weakened and desperate, wandering down the road. They easily subdued me, put a collar on me, and made me their prisoner."
"It has been a few weeks since then, and I have no idea how long I wandered aimlessly through the forest before finding a road," she concluded. "That is why I want to follow you. I have nowhere else to go, and you are powerful and come from another world. I hope that with you, I can find purpose and maybe even do some good."
"How is your magic now? I don't think bringing along a defenseless elf would be the best thing for your survival or my peace of mind," I asked, expressing my concern about having a potential liability.
"I checked, and all my spells are working again, but I won't know if they are at full strength until I fight something. Before we set out for wherever we go, I will test it and let you know where I stand," Stella replied, seeming to hold nothing back.
As I began to respond, there was a knock on my door. I got up to open it, revealing a young girl with a tray of food. "FOOD! Thanks, I am starving," I said, taking the food and handing her a handful of gold coins, which caused her eyes to widen in surprise. I closed the door and placed the food on the bed, suggesting to Stella that we eat and continue our conversation.
We ate in silence, with little conversation between us. When we finished, Stella seemed almost on the verge of falling asleep on her feet. I decided it was time for both of us to get some rest, so I ushered her out of the room, promising to continue our discussion in the morning. Feeling tired myself, I dropped all my gear into my inventory, admiring my well-built muscles for a moment before flopping onto the bed. It didn't take long before sleep overtook me, and I drifted off almost immediately.