The next morning, Nox woke to loud murmurs.
"Wow, he sleeps like a baby," Alma whispered.
"Shhh, let my Noxi sleep in peace!" Lina scolded, scaring her away.
"I slept surprisingly well, even on the stone floor," Nox muttered, letting out a deep yawn.
"I'm glad," Lina replied, his head still resting on her lap.
"O- Oh, that's why," he added sheepishly.
The faint echo of collapsing stone still lingered in Nox's ears.
"We should get Beatrice to a safe place," he said, shifting the conversation.
"I agree," Regea said, dropping his shelf to the ground.
In a plant pot to the left lay a small stone shovel. Beneath it was a picture showing a golem hand.
"The hand transformed into something else. I knew it had to do with the Belangilaris Mangat plant!" he shouted, earning some confused glances.
As he touched the item, it dissipated into thin air.
"Huh? It disappeared?" Lina wondered.
"Watch this." He closed his eyes intently, focusing on the ground before him.
"It's a stigma-anchored construct."
Five human-sized golems appeared; the shovel now firmly attached to their hands.
"Oh my god. Where can I buy that shelf?" Alma asked.
"That only works with the Stigma of Creation," Nox replied, pulling himself up from Lina's lap.
The golems immediately started digging toward the surface.
"What about the caravan?" Amon asked.
"They're fine. The leader said they would continue without us," Alma reassured him.
After thirty minutes, the first rays of the sun illuminated the eerie tunnel.
"Finally, light!" Regea shouted, bursting outside.
His relief was short-lived.
"G- Guys… where are we?"
Thousands of giant trees stretched in every direction, making orientation impossible. Their canopies fused into a living ceiling, allowing only scattered glimmers of light to reach the forest floor.
"And… we've ended up in the Elven Forest," Nox said.
Everyone stood helplessly, gazing around.
"Let's just start walking," he suggested, making his way through thick vines.
"You're not scared this time, huh?" Lina teased.
"Come on, I'm not a baby."
"You're as tall as a baby," she shot back. Her tone was soft, not necessarily teasing, which threw him off guard.
As they continued, the underbrush grew denser, making forward movement almost impossible.
"I think we're going in the wrong direction. We should t-"
"Help," a faint voice rang out, swallowed by the wind.
"I think someone just shouted," Lina said, stumbling through the forest.
Nox quickly followed, scanning the surroundings cautiously.
"Be careful…"
She stopped, staring at a small figure beneath a tree.
A short girl lay on the wet ground, her legs twitching helplessly. She looked human, but her ears were unusually long and sharp.
"Be careful, that's an elf," Nox whispered. "This is their territory."
"She obviously needs help. Don't be so rational!" Lina replied, tugging his ear.
The girl's face twitched with a mix of pain and fear.
"Hey, please don't be scared. We can help you," Lina said warmly, her voice gentle and soothing.
The elf's trembling ceased, her gaze meeting the humans before her.
"Can you help her?" Lina asked, pointing to the child's foot stuck in a tree root.
Nox stepped forward and summoned a small ice crystal in the shape of a knife.
It was a pity that every ice crystal, no matter if as tiny as a grain of sand or the biggest possible crystal who he could conjure with his current proficiency, cost him the same amount of mana.
"Ahh!" the girl screamed, her eyes wide with fright.
"It's okay, it's okay," Lina placed a hand on her shoulder.
Golden light seeped past her face and the elf relaxed immediately, her body easing into calm.
As Nox carefully cut the roots, the girl cried in pain, her leg bent unnaturally. He lightly froze her boot in place, forming a temporary brace.
"Looks like she broke her foot. I've stopped the pain for now, but she'll need rest," Lina said, lifting the elf onto her shoulder.
"Do you know where your parents are?" she asked.
"Mhm, there," the girl nodded toward the deeper forest.
"Alright."
Everyone followed silently, unsure what else to do.
With the girl on her shoulders and her confident stride, she looked like a real mother.
"Why did she calm down as soon as you touched her?" Nox asked.
"Oh, didn't I tell you? I have a skill that calms whoever I touch."
His eyes widened in surprise.
"That's why I'm always relaxed around you!"
"It only works with physical contact, though."
Nox gulped heavily, turning away in embarrassment.
"Y- Yeah, that's what I meant, of course. It's not like I'm always…"
"And I have a skill that makes a person fall asleep," she added casually.
"That explains everything," Nox said, shrugging his shoulders.
"It only works on tired subjects, so I hardly ever use it," she clarified.
"U- Uh, yeah… I thought so," he mumbled, even more flustered.
"Well, I could probably make you fall asleep at any time though. The light's rune helps with that."
"Guys, look! There's a path," Regea shouted, still carrying the sleeping Beatrice.
A narrow stone path appeared before them, illuminated by small torches. Leaves rustled, shadows twitching unnaturally in the corner of Nox's vision.
"Scary," he muttered.
"Should I carry you on my shoulder too?" Lina teased.
"…."
"Guys! Could we walk a bit faster, please?" Regea whined.
The path gradually widened, the torches giving way to large candles.
"Here are mommy and daddy," the elf said, pointing upward.
"Where?"
The girl snapped her fingers, and the surroundings transformed.
The air thickened with mana, pressing against their chests as reality seemed to peel away.
The six froze as a massive city appeared before them. It was almost as large as the Holy empire in size, but the population density was a lot lower.
"Such high-ranking illusion magic!" Alma gasped.
The capital of the elves, Vinar. A giant city gate loomed before them, guarded by two adult elves.
"Wait! A- Are you humans?" they shouted, staring at the group as though seeing ghosts.
The guards' hands hovered over their bows, eyes narrowed.
"Let the hostage go, or we'll shoot," they said, glancing at the girl on Lina's shoulder.
"Wait, that's a misun-"
"Let her go!"
With a calm expression, Lina slowly set the elf down.
"Her leg is injured, so make sure she's treated properly. And treat her too," she added, pointing at Beatrice.
"We'll see. You're coming with us!" the guards said, stepping closer.
"Put these on," they ordered, handing over plant-made handcuffs. They didn't look particularly sturdy, but they were probably enhanced by mana.
"No, we wo-"
"Just put them on. You'll be surprised," Lina whispered.
Nox placed the handcuffs on, expecting a special spell to bind them.
"I think they're broken," he muttered.
"No, they're perfectly fine! Now follow us!" a guard said, grabbing his hand.
"Don't touch him!" Lina muttered with a jealous expression.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Nox glanced at the others, seeking confirmation.
"Why are these handcuffs so…"
"…weak?" he whispered.
"The only thing elves excel at is archery. Their physical strength is closer to that of a child," Lina explained. "Just act like you can't break free."
As the group walked through the city, elves stared at them with disdain.
Their homes were built directly into thick trees, giving off a faint scent of wood.
"Why are they looking at us like that?"
"Two hundred years ago, after the Demon-God War, humans took almost all of their land, forcing the elves into this forest," Lina explained.
"But that was two hundred years ago!"
"Yes, but elves can live up to a thousand years. Most of them probably experienced it firsthand," she said, nodding at the glares following them. "That war took more than just land."
"Hey! Stop talking!" a guard shouted, leading them through an even larger gate.
It was decorated with golden symbols. Behind it lay a massive castle, built entirely from wood, radiating powerful mana.
"So clean!" Alma whispered, taking a deep breath.
"I hope Beatrice is okay," Regea murmured, glancing back at the entrance.
"Don't worry, the elves aren't that cruel."
As they entered the palace, the brightness nearly blinded them.
A tiny tree stood in the center, emanating powerful light.
"Humans? Don't see that every day," someone muttered.
An old elf sat upon a grand throne, holding a small tree branch. Fluid mana dripped from it, perfectly reflecting the carvings on the walls.
"Let's see what you have to say," he commanded.