Kazuki sat quietly under the pale moon, watching the injured elf lying beside him. Her silver hair shimmered faintly like threads of moonlight scattered across the grass. Despite her wounds, her expression remained proud, like someone born to walk above mortal fear. Yet now she breathed weakly, trembling from blood loss and exhaustion.
He tightened the makeshift bandages he'd fashioned from his tattered school uniform. I really ended up saving a fantasy elf… It still felt unreal. Just a few hours ago, he'd been in a classroom, forgotten and unwanted. Now he was in a world where monsters lurked in the shadows—and an injured elf lay beside him.
Finally, her eyelids fluttered. The elf slowly opened her emerald eyes, gazing at him with fear and confusion. Her body tensed, ready to run or fight despite her condition.
"D–Don't hurt me…" she whispered, voice fragile as cracked crystal.
Kazuki blinked. "Hurt you? I just saved your life."
Her eyes narrowed, searching his face for deceit. The bandaged shoulder, the slain beast nearby—evidence that he'd fought for her—softened her suspicion.
"You… fought that monster alone?" she asked, noticing the bloodied blade.
Kazuki nodded slightly. "I didn't have a choice."
The elf raised her hand weakly. A soft green glow enveloped her palm, spreading over the injured area. Leaves sprouted from the ground, pulsing faintly with magic as her wound slowly began to close beneath her bandages.
Healing magic—beautiful yet painful to watch. Sweat rolled down her forehead; her fingers shook with strain.
"You don't need to heal yourself right now," Kazuki said, concerned.
Her breathing grew shallow. "I… must stop the bleeding. I cannot… rely only on you."
Kazuki frowned. "I saved you. That means I'm already helping. Don't force yourself."
The elf looked startled, as if kindness itself was something foreign.
"…Why?" she whispered. "Humans kill elves. You should have left me to die."
Kazuki didn't answer at first. His mind flashed back to the cold throne room, the queen and king's voice calling him worthless, his friends abandoning him, their eyes filled with scorn, not pity.
"They abandoned me too," he murmured. "So I don't owe humans anything."
A long silence followed. Then the elf said softly, "You're strange… for a human."
Kazuki forced a small smile. "And you're rude… for someone who just got saved."
Her lips twitched—not quite a laugh, but close.
"My name…" she whispered, voice fading slightly, "is Lyria. I am—was—from the Elven Kingdom of Sylphria."
Kazuki leaned closer. "Lyria, huh? I'm Kazuki. Just… Kazuki."
Her eyes widened slightly, but pain returned to her expression. Still, she forced herself to speak.
"You came… from Altheon, right?"
The name struck him like a blade. That kingdom. The one that summoned him, judged him worthless, and threw him to die.
"How do you know about that?" Kazuki asked.
Lyria took a slow breath. "Altheon summons humans. Always humans. They tear people from other worlds to become their weapons. Heroes… slaves… sacrifices."
Her voice trembled—not from fear, but from bitterness older than her.
"Those like you who show no 'unique power' are discarded. Executed. Or used as bait. Abandoned to the forests…"
Kazuki's fists tightened. So I was just another failed 'weapon' to them…
Lyria continued, gaze distant. "Humans are dangerous. They grow strong too quickly. They develop spells, machines, armies… and then hunger for more land, more power. They conquered many races slowly at first, then impatiently."
"So they started summoning people like me—to speed it up," Kazuki muttered.
She nodded weakly. "They already summoned heroes before you. Dragon slayers, archmages… warlords. Some saved the world. Others nearly destroyed it."
Kazuki felt sick. Dragged into someone else's war…
"What about elves?" he asked. "Do you all hate humans?"
Lyria closed her eyes briefly. "No. Some elves want war. Others want peace. I… wished to stop both."
Kazuki frowned. "Meaning?"
"I spoke against the radicals and the peacekeepers. I refused to join either faction. To humans, that made me a spy. To elves, a traitor. I refused to choose a side… so both sides chose to hunt me."
Her voice cracked, years of loneliness inside every word.
"So I ran. And the beasts found me."
Kazuki stared at her for a long moment. Betrayed by both worlds. Hunted by everyone. The same bitterness burned in him, the same loneliness. For the first time since arriving here, Kazuki felt connected to someone.
"You're safe now," he said firmly.
Lyria opened her mouth to reply—but her magic flickered violently. The green glow shattered into sparks. Her entire body collapsed, drained completely.
"H–Hey! Lyria!" Kazuki caught her as her eyes rolled back. Fever scorched her skin.
She had used too much magic. She was burning from within.
Kazuki gritted his teeth. "You idiot… risking your life to explain the world to a stranger."
He gently laid her down and stood, gripping his sword. Monsters whispered in the darkness, their eyes glowing between the trees.
"I'll get you help," he whispered. "No matter how many monsters I have to kill."
His system window flickered to life.
New Objective: Save Lyria (Critical Condition)Reward: Unknown
Kazuki raised his blade. The night howled.
This time, he wasn't fighting to survive.He was fighting for someone who needed him.
END OF CHAPTER 5