I glance around ten seats, two are empty. Aelion sits beside another old elf, the one who agreed with me about the red dragon. They''re dressed in fine linen with patterns and silver lining. Some wear layered tunics, others long robes with ornate belts. The craftsmanship looks expensive.


    “We found her north of our forest, where our borders meet the sea,” Aelion states firmly before continuing. “She appears to be a normal human, but I doubt she is from our world.”


    As he finishes, silence falls over the room. Everyone just stares at me intensely, like we’re in a staring contest.


    One of the elves stands up and walks toward me. He says, “Extend your hand, young woman.”


    He extends his own hand as well, and before I realize it, we’re now shaking hands. No… I can feel his Mana seeping into my body. It’s like the first time Aelion investigated me, but this time, it feels softer, not as overwhelming as before.


    The elf releases my hand and returns to his seat, his expression unchanged and unreadable. It’s as if those heated arguments never happened before, and I wasn’t meant to witness it.


    Another elf stands up and walks toward me. She’s beautiful, her slim body firm and strong. Her blue eyes and long, light golden hair add to her beauty, her figure is highlighted by the curves of her chest. Looking at her mountains, I feel defeated even though we not fighting.


    I extend my right hand into a shaking position. She pauses for a moment looking at my face, her innocent look tells me she doesn''t understand why… She never will!


    "Are you alright?" she asks with a concerned voice. "Please, continue." I brush it off, pressing to continue. I take her hand and squeeze it lightly. Hm... soft.


    "As she begins to pour her Mana into me, it feels... polished, more refined, and smoother. After she finishes checking my Mana, she walks back to her seat.


    I glance around to see if anyone else wants to check my Mana. Surprisingly, they do the same, looking among themselves. After a moment of everyone silently scanning the room to see if anyone else wants to shake my hand, the female elf speaks up.


    “Tell us who you are. Be truthful, this affects our decision regarding your situation.” Her expression is natural and unreadable.


    “When I was six years old, a car hit me on the road in front of my house. Ever since, I couldn’t walk again……” I told them a summary of my life. This feels more like an interview than a council meeting now. It took a while to finish my story, the story was boring, honestly. What did I even do during that time? Study, play games, or watch something online?


    I wrap up everything. “My mom brought me to a resort party on a private island. Someone must have attacked the place. I escaped and a black cat helped me. Later, I woke up in this world on your beach.”


    After I finish my story, the female elf speaks. “You may go now. We will discuss your situation among ourselves.” She speaks with authority in her voice this time.


    Shocked by the response, I notice the patrol guy walking toward me. I raise my voice, speaking louder than usual. “Wait! At least let me know what you guys will do with me!”


    Everyone seems a bit shocked, like I’m going off their script.


    The female elf collects herself and begins speaking. "Taking your life serves us no benefit, young woman." She continues, "The most likely outcomes are either sending you to the human empire or letting you live here."


    I was taken aback by how reasonable that sounds. She continues, "But another key factor is that you are an outsider from another world..." She pauses, appearing to deeply consider the possibilities.


    I hesitate before asking, "Is that bad?"


    The female elf laughs a bit before replying, "Bad? Zara the Lost, our world is on the brink of a great war between four to five races, if my calculations are correct." She continues, no longer speaking to me, but calculating in her mind.


    "A female human has been thrown across realms and heavens from another world to here," she says, exhaling. "Oh... But I wonder what the human empire will do if we actually send you there."


    Wait... something feels off. They’re probably at war with humans. I’m a human talking to elves, and these elves look important too... Oh, wait...


    "Let me stay, Pretty please?" I plead, unsure of what would happen if the elves sent me to the human empire. What if they tell them they found me, a stranger from another world, say goodbye, and leave me there. God, who knows what will happen next?


    The female elf exhales again before standing up. "We shall grant you citizenship to live here in our forest. As a resident, you must follow our rules." Her voice shifts, now carrying authority and power.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    She orders, "Take her out now." The patrol guy grabs my arm and starts pushing me out. I yell, "Thank you!" Is she smiling? I''m not sure. The patrol guy is really serious about his job, I guess.


    After Zara leaves the room, the female elf speaks to the empty doorway. "That mark... Keep track of her, and report to us if anything unusual happens."


    A shadowy figure, resembling an elf, materializes. His presence is barely noticeable, as if he has merged with his surroundings. "Yes, Your Majesty," he replies before stepping back into the shadows.


    I’m standing outside with the patrol guy. He’s just taken me out, and now we’re standing in front of a large important building, right in the middle of the elf town.


    "So now I can live here?" I ask, also uncertain of the question.


    "The queen said so," he replies, showing no concern for my situation.


    My head hurts just trying to make sense of everything right now. "We should go back to the patrol post," I tell him, feeling shy from all the staring.


    Around us, many elves walk and go about their business along the walkway. Whenever someone notices the presence of a lone singular human, they all made pre agreement to stop and stare at me, as if the longest stare would win a million bucks or something.


    Attention is becoming increasingly embarrassing. Walking around barefoot in a dirty white dress, I’ve tried to hands wash it before but unsuccessful. The best feature of the dress is the square cutout around the thigh. Inside that perfectly cut hole is a cute cat paw tattoo…


    We walk for a while until I spot what looks like a clothing shop. I ask, "Could I go inside?" Pointing at the shop, the patrol guy turns back and nods.


    The doorbell rings as I enter, but I don’t see anyone inside. A female voice calls out from the back room, "One moment, please." I look around at the various clothes, some formal, some similar to what the elves in the town are wearing. Just simple shirts or extra-long shirts with pants. The lines and cuts are clean and well-made, each piece with its own style. Handmade, unlike \factory-made clothing back home.


    “Hello guys, do you need…” The shop owner steps to the counter and freezes, lose her word for a moment when she sees me. After a pause, she asks, "How may I help?" I explain that I want to exchange my dress for a shirt, pants, and sandals or shoes, I also mention that I don’t have any money.


    After inspecting my dress for a while, she tells me it’s made from high-quality fabric. She agrees to exchange it for two loose linen shirts, two pairs of leather pants, a belt, and a pair of wooden sandals. I take one set to change in the fitting room, then come out, handing her the dress. She ties the other shirt and pants with some vines to pack them for me.


    Now dressed in local clothing, I hope it will reduce the attention and help me blend in better. At least, that’s what I think. We reach the patrol post, and the patrol guy just leaves. I guess I’m no longer his responsibility?


    I lie down on my bed, thinking about my situation and what to do next. The most important thing is that I need to make some money if I’m going to do anything. Earlier today, while walking through the town, I saw an elf buy a grilled fish on a stick with a few brown coins. No one bothered to explain anything to me. Maybe I can try talking to Ellun tomorrow when she brings me something to eat…


    <hr>


    Morning comes as usual, but something feels strange. There’s usually always an elf checking on me, even at night. Last night, I woke up to use the bathroom and checked outside, but I saw no one. Even when I tried to use the ladder to the ground floor, no one came out to stop me. It was too dark, so I didn’t go down and just went back to sleep.


    I sit at the table outside, meditating and waiting for anyone. Ellun didn’t come to bring me food in the early morning either. It’s been a while now, and my stomach is starting to protest.


    Surprisingly, Aelion comes to visit me. He’s accompanied by two young elves, each carrying a bulky bundle wrapped in brown leaves.


    The young elves place the bundles in front of the house and begin to leave, while Aelion sits at the table outside, putting some fruit into a wooden bowl. I join him, curious about what he’s putting in the bowl.


    The purple fruit looks like grapes. It’s sweet and delicious, so I aim for it and pop one into my mouth. Aelion watches but doesn’t interrupt. After I finish some of the fruit and drink some water, he begins to speak.


    “First of all, you are free to stay or leave as you choose. We will not take that away from you,” Aelion says. I nod as he continues. “Second, those bundles are basic supplies for living, along with some dry food. We’re giving them to you for free this time, but if you require more, you’ll need to buy it yourself.”


    “Third, everyone will be held responsible for their actions…” Aelion continues, but I hear a construction noise, like someone hammering a nail into a wooden plank. I turn toward the sound to see the two elves who came with Aelion, hanging from ropes and working on something up in a tree nearby. They appear to be building something.


    “Zara, are you listening?” Aelion asks, bringing my attention back to him. He sighs before continuing, “Just don’t do anything stupid, alright? Young human.”


    He continues, “You can use this patrol post as your home, and when you’re free, go to the adventurer guild in town. I’ll get you an identification card there.”


    Once he finishes speaking, I ask, “How can I make a living here?”


    “That’s a tough question, Zara,” Aelion replies. “Our forest is blessed with fertility, and the area around town is relatively safe, thanks to the patrol units and hunters. It’s not hard to find food. If you want to live here, try learning to gather food in the forest or fish in the sea.” He pauses briefly before continuing, “But for a human to make money? You could try becoming a trader or an adventurer.”


    I pause for a moment, then ask, “How about learning magic? Would that help me make money?”


    Aelion smiles slightly before answering, “You could learn magic and become a mage adventurer. As an adventurer, you can complete tasks for money if you’re strong enough.”


    “Thanks, Aelion. I’ll meet you at the adventurer guild later,” I say, and he simply nods before leaving.


    Well, these guys are actually really reasonable people. Talking with them is a lot easier than talking to people back in my world…


    After Aelion leaves, I check the bundle they brought me. Inside, there are dry fruits, two bed sheets, a cooking pot, a water skin, a set of bamboo utensils, including a spoon, fork, and ladle, a hunting knife with a scabbard for safety, and a pouch of salt along with a few dried herbs for seasoning.


    I hook the knife and scabbard to my belt before putting everything inside my house. As I prepare to leave, I can’t help but feel excited about the adventurer guild!