The first few days included me hugging the wooden walls for support, forcing myself to walk around. My legs ached, but the best thing about it was that my leg muscles started to grow. Every day, they got stronger.


    The wooden house was small but functional. There was a bathroom, if it could be called that, a large wooden barrel filled with water sat in the corner, with a small wooden bowl floating inside.


    On my way back, I noticed a small wooden shelf nearby. On it was a blue crystal, about two inches in size, glowing faintly. A few candles were placed beside it.


    The bedroom was simple, a wooden bed with a clean sheet, an empty cabinet, and just enough space to move around. A bit cramped, but it felt comfortable.


    Every morning, a female elf would bring me some food. Fruits, fish, meat, or vegetables. She usually don''t cook the fruits and vegetables, I have to eat them as they are. But the fish and meat are cooked, grilled, fried, or in soup.


    Mostly, she just gives me a basket filled with various fruits and calls it a day. The food is delicious, although some fruits aren''t to my taste, still, I''m not picky. If the female elf feels generous, she might bring me some meat as well.


    I have talked a lot with the female elf. Apparently, her name is Ellun, and she owns a small restaurant in town. I tried to thank her for the food, but she told me it was the chief''s order and that he had paid for it. She insisted I shouldn’t worry about it.


    I noticed that every time Ellun came by, she would go into the bathroom to check if the barrel had enough water. If it wasn''t full, she would refill it using the blue crystal from the shelf. I tried to ask her how to use it, and she simply responded, “Just guide your Mana to the stone.” When I asked her to teach me, she said she was just a restaurant owner and didn''t feel confident teaching anyone about magic.


    As she visited me every day, I persistently asked her about Mana and magic crystals until she finally gave up. She explained that when she was young, her father had taught her about magic.


    She didn''t know anything fancy, just utility magic for everyday life. Things like Small Flame to start a fire or Generate Water to fill the barrel. The crystal is just a medium to make it easier to use magic, like the small blue crystal in my room… Well, this is where I live now, shouldn''t that make it my house? Anyway, that blue crystal has an affinity for water, which means it''s easier to use it to cast Generate Water.


    She said, “Try to feel your Mana inside. When you can feel it, hold the crystal and guide your Mana to it. Then, imagine water being created while saying ''Generate Water''" She told me that’s what she does, and it works... I thanked her anyway.


    Lately, my routine has consisted of walking around, eating whatever Ellun brings me, trying to train my Mana, and talking with some elves when possible. Apparently, this house used to be, and still is, a post for patrol units and elf hunters to meet or conduct their activities.


    I met some of them on the wooden platform in front of my house. It’s like a small front lawn, not spacious and higher up in the tree, but the view is nice and beautiful. The elves didn''t bother to lock me in the house, but there’s always an elf outside to check on me. It seems like the chief just added a shift to the patrol unit to take care of me.


    They brought another water barrel and a small table with chairs outside… Because I''m using the house. Sometimes, they also bring fish and animals to clean here. Some even collect fruits and place them in a bowl on the table outside for anyone passing by to have a bite.


    <hr>


    It''s been around a month since I''ve lived here, my legs are stronger now, more functional than ever!


    Currently, I am sitting cross-legged, trying to imitate a monk. I discovered that if I meditate and maintain focus while training to control Mana, the process becomes easier. Now, Ellun doesn’t have to refill my water barrel no more! I handle that myself, I even refill the barrel outside if someone forgets to do so.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    The more I practice, the better I become. At first, I could only produce 1 or 2 glasses of water, but with daily practice, I can now easily refill a barrel.


    ‘Knock, knock, knock.’ Someone is knocking at my door, breaking my concentration and focus.


    “Moment, please.” I open the door to find a male elf, one of the patrol unit members who keeps watch on me. Usually, this guy doesn''t talk much, maybe he needs something? “Yeah?” I ask.


    “You have been summoned by the council, and I am the one tasked with bringing you to the Great Tree,” he replies in a monotone voice, continuing, “Please follow me.” I answer, “W-wait! At least let me clean myself up first.” He pauses for a second to think. “That is alright; I will wait for you outside.”


    The council summoned me? What is the council, anyway? Normally I’m not allowed to leave this house''s premises. Once, when I tried to use the ladders on the platform outside leading down to the ground floor, an elf appeared out of nowhere and told me to stop or they would have to use force and might tie me up if necessary. Well, I do not wish to be tied up or beaten down by these guys, so I obliged.


    After taking a bath, I came out to see him sitting at the table outside, waiting for me. “How are we going to get there?” I asked, thinking about how I arrived here, being carried like luggage. Are we going to do that again?


    “We walk there?” The elf replies, looking at my legs. “Alright, that’s cool with me,” I reply back with a bit of confidence. The man leads me down the ladder to the ground floor and into the woods. I follow closely, trying to keep up with him.


    We walk for a while until I start to see some elves passing by. The forest gets thicker, and I can see some houses built along the trees. Many elves look at me with curiosity, while some regard me with shock or suspicion. I just smile back, trying to be friendly.


    My legs start to ache, but I want to push through. I''m sweating a lot from this long walk. The elf leading me notices but says nothing. Occasionally, he hands me his water pouch from his belt. More and more elves pass by us, and before I know it, we are already in the middle of the town.


    The dirt path we walk on still remains dirt, but it has transformed into a city. Many wooden structures can be seen, shops and restaurants line up on the side of the walkway, a tavern with a beer sign and a potion shop with an herb sign. A smell of soup hits my nose, there are many kinds of food stalls too! It feels like a market.


    At first, I try smiling back to all the elves looking at me, but the increase in their numbers hit me hard… If I were to be curse to look back at anyone staring at me right now, I would die instantly from that curse. Anyway, it seems like we arrive at a big building built around one huge tree on the ground floor.


    Its trunk is enormous, bigger than the trees around it. Along the trunk are many buildings and platforms connected to the surrounding trees, making this place feel like the heart of the city. I can''t see the top of the tree because there are too many elf houses and platforms built between the branches. Some platforms even connect multiple trees into a single floor. I wonder how many floors there are until the treetop.


    I''m sweating rivers right now, my legs shaking as if I just finished a marathon. The elf leading me hands me his water pouch again, but this time, with his other hand, he gives me a thumbs-up. “Thanks,” I tell him before I drink the water to quench my thirst. He has already opened the door and walks inside, so I just let myself in, instinctively following him.


    The room inside is heated with arguments. “We have to reduce the taxes on our outer city for the dwarves!” “No! We can''t let the dwarf economy grow stronger.” “But humans are waging their war soon! We need more metals for our weaponry!” “If we lower the taxes, the dwarves will sell us more materials, but the humans won’t remain still for sure!” I follow the elf to the back of someone''s seat. He is also arguing at the round table. Isn’t that Chief Aelion? He is sitting in one of the chairs, deep in thought. He hasn’t come back to check on me since we met, it looks like he’s busy with all the management stuff.


    The room contains ten seats facing a round table, resembling a meeting room with empty space at the entrance. “Have any scouts spotted that red dragon yet? Shouldn''t we send out more to locate it?”


    Wow… a red dragon! What would it look like? A huge dinosaur with wings? “It already flew away, we should send more scouts to our borders. The humans are closing in… Wait a minute.”


    I’m looking at the table with interest, filled with ideas about a dragon! I have high hopes for this! Before I know it, the whole table is looking this way. I turn my face to check the elf who brought me here, maybe he has something to add? He is also looking back in my direction? I glance at the elf sitting in front of us, he also twists his head back, looking at me too?


    “Um… Maybe that red dragon is just boring, flying around to check things out?” I reply, trying to contribute to the question. ‘Where is that red dragon?’ “Possible… It might come out to check the world’s situation,” one of the elders speaks. He continues, “Could you move to entrance area, Zara?”


    I nod and walk to the entrance area, everyone looking at me. Suddenly, something clicked inside my head!


    Jeez, I’m the topic now. I realized the situation and prepared myself for the worst!