Suddenly, Dila finally stepped out of the room, her blanket now left behind like a molted shell of emotional damage. She walked quietly into the hall of the healer's house, her eyes still a little red from earlier. Not crying, of course. Just… dramatic eye allergies.
She paused near the end of the hall and spotted Toi quietly cleaning the table and chairs, humming some oddly catchy old-man tune that sounded like "Ode to Dust Wiping, Volume IV."
Clearing her throat gently, Dila spoke up.
"Sir Toi… I'm really grateful for taking care of me here. Thank you—for everything."
Toi looked up with a calm smile, nodded once, and returned to his cleaning with a quiet "hmm." Typical Toi.
But then, as she turned to the side—bam.
Sarios.
He was standing there already, like some kind of knightly shadow summoned by courtesy. His eyes serious. His stance composed. And then—he bowed, deeply and respectfully.
"You take your time, my lady," he said, voice calm and noble.
Behind him, Stella peeked over his shoulder, her bright eyes flicking to Dila as she pouted with a slightly scolding look.
"It's been an hour in that recovery room, you know. I was getting worried!"
Then her expression softened. "Wait… did you cry?"
Dila blinked.
Her head tilted slightly.
She looked to the side, awkwardly.
"Not really…"
But in her mind:
"Damn it, why does she sound like a mom catching me after stealing cookies and emotionally combusting under a blanket?!"
She forced a chuckle, hoping they couldn't see the very obvious puffiness in her eyes. A total mystery. Maybe a buff from sleep. Definitely not feelings.
"I'm okay now," Dila finally said, straightening her back a little. Her voice was calm, a bit shy. "And… thank you for bringing me here, Sir Sarios. Sister Stella."
She gave them a small wave, still a bit awkward but sincere.
Stella smiled brightly. "No problem!"
Sarios placed a hand over his chest and bowed slightly. "It's an honor."
Dila blinked once, then twice. Weird, she thought, eyeing Sarios as he stood there like a noble knight on a courtesy overdose.
Why's he acting like that? It's not like he gets anything from treating me this way.
Then Nari's voice whispered gently in her mind, ☆ It appears Sarios has genuinely become attached to you. ☆
Dila mentally frowned.
Attached? We just fought monsters together once. That's hardly a binding contract.
Besides, weren't they talking about me like I was some kind of weapon before? Not a person?
☆ Yes… but this time, it feels real. The way they look at you—it's different now. ☆
Dila narrowed her eyes slightly in thought. I still don't get it. I came to this world with literally nothing. What could they possibly gain from sticking around me?
☆ I don't think having a mysterious skillset in magic counts as "nothing," Master, ☆ Nari giggled softly.
Dila's mental voice turned coldly sarcastic.
Yeah, right. Who wouldn't want a traumatized elf support mage with bandages, baggage, and a bonus inferiority complex? A total bargain package.
She sighed quietly as she kept walking.
Somewhere behind her, Stella was still watching with soft eyes. And Sarios remained politely standing, as if waiting for a reason to keep protecting someone who clearly didn't believe she needed protecting.
As Dila opened the door of the healer's building, the city outside greeted her in full color and sound. Bustling townsfolk passed by, their chatter filling the cobbled streets. Children ran laughing down the road's edge, dodging adults and chasing each other around piles of crates. To the left and right, rows of sturdy brick houses stood shoulder to shoulder like old friends in a cozy argument.
Dila blinked at the sudden shift in atmosphere. Where... am I?
Inside, it had been so quiet—like the world had been paused. Just a few people, calm and still. But out here, life buzzed.
☆ That's because of a soundproofing magic placed on the healer's house, ☆ Nari chimed in gently. ☆ It blocks all outside noise entirely. ☆
"Hm…" Dila nodded slowly. Well, that's nice, actually. She glanced back at the door once, then stepped forward into the street. Still... this world really is packed with magic I've never even heard of.
She gave an awkward little laugh. "Haha…"
Her pace slowed slightly.
Something felt... off.
There was the casual chatter of people, the clatter of carts, the scuffle of children's shoes. All normal.
But her long elven ears twitched, catching something else. Subtle steps behind her. A pattern too steady to be random. One on the left. One on the right.
...Am I being followed?
She didn't look back—yet. Instead, she moved calmly, pretending to glance at a fruit stand while her senses sharpened.
People walked past her, minding their own business.
But her body tensed.
Whoever it was, they weren't just pedestrians.
They were following her.
As Dila strolled deeper into the lively city, the noise around her rose like a festival.
From one side, a fishmonger shouted, "Buy some fish! Fresh from the ocean—still twitchin', I swear!"
Another voice chimed in from a nearby stall, "Get your spices and fresh harvest here! Straight from the western fields!"
Not to be outdone, a louder bark came from behind, "Meat! Best cuts in the district!"
And right beside it—"Chickens! Live and kicking!"
The chickens backed that claim with a chorus of loud clucks, one of them dramatically flapping on top of a cage like it was staging a prison break.
Dila passed through it all, her eyes pretending to be curious, but her ears were working overtime. That twitch—there it was again. Her passive skill Eavesdrop suddenly triggered, filtering out background noise and sharpening two familiar voices behind her.
The first was unmistakably Sarios, the knight's voice noble and absurdly dramatic:
"We must follow our Princess."
The second voice, softer but serious—clearly Stella:
"I feel like she doesn't want to be followed…"
Dila froze mid-step.
Her eye twitched.
Princess, my ass... she muttered in her mind.
She sighed heavily and stopped at the edge of a spice stall, arms crossed as she stared blankly at some innocent sacks of cumin.
Here we go again.
Then she exhaled, shoulders dropping with a weary kind of sarcasm.
"…Well, at least it doesn't break my immersion. This city's kinda fun to look at anyway."
With another quiet sigh, she turned to browse a pile of suspiciously shiny apples—half listening for clanking armor and priestess giggles creeping ever closer.
Tham Dila finally stopped at a fruit red apples, but her eyes locking onto this particularly single shiny red apple. It gleamed under the sun like it had been waxed by the gods.
"Oooh…" she whispered to herself, leaning in closer. "This looks delicious… Good for a snack… Juicy… Red…"
Her eyes shimmered like a hungry anime protagonist. Her mouth watered like a broken faucet.
Then reality dropkicked her.
She blinked and whispered in her mind:
[Spatial Storage: Open]
A soft glowing window appeared in her thoughts.
Contents:
• Arcane Magic Staff Wand
• 1x Potion version [1]
• …
• That's it.
She stared at the screen like it just insulted her.
"…Wow. Just that, huh?"
She sighed deeply, like a tired salaryman staring at an empty wallet on payday.
The fruit vendor raised a brow. "You want something, kid?"
Dila panicked, flinching like she'd been caught stealing thoughts. She quickly waved her hands with an awkward forced smile.
"N-n-nope! Just looking! Very nice apples you got! Totally not about to emotionally adopt one!"
The vendor squinted suspiciously.
☆ Haaa… "Nothing," she says. I know you were practically drooling over it. ☆ Nari chimed in with her usual mischievous sparkle.
"Sh-shut up…" Dila whispered in her mind, cheeks puffed, still smiling nervously at the vendor like she hadn't just been exposed by her own system assistant.
She stepped away slowly… with the same energy as someone pretending they weren't heartbroken over a snack they couldn't afford.