Chapter 44 "Elzhar"

As the night got late, I found Elvian's words were the truth. The entire forest area was flooded due to springs suddenly appearing everywhere. The water discharge was swift enough to submerge this forest as deep as two meters in a short time.

Fortunately, I was already on top of the Hanarusa tree, which was quite high and far from stagnant water. The Elvians called this giant bonsai tree that way. I didn't know where the name came from. At least now I knew the right name for this tree. Then for this forest, they named it the Hanarusa Sacred Forest. It seemed the Elvians respected highly to this forest for some reason I didn't understand.

"After this, we head to that tree!" exclaimed the limp young Elvian while pointing to a Hanarusa tree near me." We have to make a detour to a deserted place."

"Okay," I answered briefly. Then I translated it into the Lurivian language so that it was easy for my friends who didn't speak Elvian to understand.

Dimas carried the Elvian carefully on his back. That Elvian had just regained consciousness after the operation, so it was impossible for him to walk on his own feet.

Our current destination was young Elvian's house which was located in a Hanarusa tree that grew on the city's outskirts. The young Elvian suggested we spend the night at his house.

At first, I was surprised to hear that because it was rare for Elvian to offer hospitality to humans. After he said he wanted to return the favor for saving his life, then I could understand his good intentions.

Looked like I had to change my perspective on Elvian a bit. Even though most were hostile towards humans, they were still creatures with gratitude and reciprocation. Not a vile heartless creature like a beast.

The four of us crossed the quiet Hanarusa branches. There were only a few small buildings, which seemed to be residents' houses.

Still carried by Dimas, the young Elvian showed us the way to his house through crossed branches. He and I both had keen senses, so we knew if someone was approaching. I also have to activate Super Senses to sharpen my five senses more than usual.

Not long after, the four of us arrived at a bigger wooden building than the others. Maybe the size was about 7x8 meters. After making sure no one else was around, we went inside.

The building has two rooms and one large living room. There was no bathroom, toilet, or kitchen. This place was no different from a boarding room with an outside bathroom, as was usually found in outskirt Jakarta. The living room wasn't equipped with a sofa for guests to sit on, only a large woven carpet to fill the room. The items were neatly placed in a small drawer at the edge of the room, making the living room feel very spacious.

"This is my first time entering Elvian's house. Is it really this simple the Elvian house?" I asked, taking off my shoes and putting them behind the front door.

"I don't know the standard of humans house. But this is what Elvian's house looks like for most people. If you want a house complete with a kitchen and bathroom, you should go to someone who was well off," replied the young Elvian. He had just been laid on a couch in the room. His moaning face proved that he still hadn't fully recovered.

"Then how do you eat and shower?"

"In this city, there are several large buildings called Vilos. The place provides a public bath and kitchen, open 24 hours a day. Lower-middle people like me usually go there to eat and bathe."

"Why not build your own kitchen and bathroom at home?"

"For your information, building a kitchen and bathroom in a city on a tree can't be reckless. It required permission and strict supervision from several bureaus," he answered slowly while wincing in pain.

"Anggi, don't talk to him!" Shella who was changing Elvian's bandage with a new one, scolded me.

It made me feel bad for him to have to talk that much. That was why I decided not to ask him again.

I get it. Unlike in Glafelden, building kitchens and bathrooms in Arnest City required supervision from many parties. Of course, it made the cost swell. For the less well-off, it might be better to go to Vilos instead of having to build it themselves.

Maybe that was what happened in Ruvia City too. As I recalled, there were indeed several buildings inside the tree trunks that looked large, but I didn't know what they were.

On second thought, it made sense too. That explained why the Elvian manor houses in Ruvia were located at ground level. Building kitchens and bathrooms on the ground were easier than on a tree.

"What are you guys talking about anyway? It looks fun," asked Dimas, who joined in after helping me put my luggage in the living room corner.

"It's nothing important, just something about this city," I replied, leaning back against the wooden wall.

"Isn't that an interesting thing?" Dimas replied with sparkling eyes.

"I also want to know," continued Shella in the same enthusiastic room.

I seemed to have forgotten that my two friends were interested in Elvian's life. So, I told them again what I had spoken to them in the Lurivian language. Dimas immediately looked out the nearby window and tried to find the building I mentioned.

"Don't stick your head out like that and get people's attention, you idiot! You want our whereabouts to be known by the other Elvians?" I shouted angrily.

"Shut your mouth, Dimwit! It's just for a second!" Dimas protested in a high-pitched voice.

I desperately held my mouth that wanted to say swear words. Because if I continued, there would definitely be a fight. If that happened, I committed the offense I mentioned earlier.

"Hey, you pointy-eared human!" A low voice came from inside the room. Elvian seemed to want to say something to me.

I got up and walked closer to the doorway. In the room, I found Shella, who had just finished changing the bandage and applying the herbs to the young Elvian and then walked out of the room.

"What is it?" I answered slowly. "Shouldn't you rest first?"

"There's one thing I want to ask. Earlier you said you were looking for something in this town. May I know what it is?"

I thought for a moment, trying to choose the words to say. This had to be done to prevent unimportant information from leaking out of my mouth.

After thinking for a while, I thought of a good reason. "My goal here is to find a rare plant that could cure any disease. I was informed that that plant only grows around this forest."

"What plant is that?" Elvian asked curiously.

"Orange Ring Reloka Flower," I said while smiling bitterly. Although I didn't really know if the plant existed or not.

"Who is sick?"

I was silent for a moment, then swallowed hard to moisten my dry throat. "Our adoptive father. At first, the three of us were abandoned orphans. Our father picked us up from the street and made us his adopted children.

"He is a good man. That's why we tried hard to get the medicine when he fell sick. The most excellent doctor in our town said my father had a rare disease. Therefore, the medicine could only be obtained from rare materials as well. That's why we ... are desperate to come here no matter the risk," I quietly explained while lowering my head.

In my mind, I tried to imagine the figure of 'Father' to be real. Where was it true that he seriously got a rare disease. I positioned myself in the mortal world as a child trying to find a cure for his father.

I did this to feel the sadness of a child seeing his parents sick. Tears began to flow from my eye, making an act perfecting my reason.

Dimas and Shella, who heard my sobs were confused, but I gave a hand signal so they wouldn't interfere and ruin my acting.

"Hey, are you all right?" the young Elvian asked worriedly.

I wiped the tears that fell down my cheeks. After my eyes were no longer wet, I lifted my head and looked at him. "It's okay. Sorry if I got too emotional."

"No, maybe I should be the one apologizing for attacking you without asking first."

"Not only you, but I'm also wrong too." I stepped closer to him and sat beside the couch. My hand tried to touch the wound I had made on his chest. "Sorry for almost making you die."

Young Elvian took a deep breath and smiled faintly. This was the first time I'd seen his smile. "But you guys saved me, right? I guess there's no need to apologize anymore."

After that, I didn't reply anymore. My eyes fell on the wound still attached with the bloodstain seeping through the bandage. I was silent for a moment. That was when I found Elvian was staring at me.

I gave him a questioning look by tilting my head slightly.

"And … what exactly are you? You looked like a human but have long ears and are fluent in Elvian."

"I am a human. My father said I was born special. Because I have ears and a tongue like Elvian." I explained, trying to cover up my actual race.

Elvian language was a language that wasn't easily mastered by humans. Because the Elvian language had complicated words and pronunciations that the human tongue couldn't pronounce. Maybe humans could learn the Elvian Language verbatim. But not with pronunciation fluency.

That was why anyone would be surprised that I could speak Elvian fluently. Well, it was also thanks to my abilities as Haier-Elvian. Otherwise, maybe I was just as slurred as any other human.

"Hey, human! I don't know your name before," exclaimed the young Elvian, snapping me out of my reverie.

"Oh, that's right! Let me introduce myself. My name is Anggi Nandatria, just call me Anggi!" I replied as I stretched out my hand, then he shook my hand back. "The girl who saved your life was Shella, then the only man from us was Dimas."

"Give my thanks to Shella and Dimas then."

"Fine, I'll tell them." I got it. His intention was to convey his gratitude to Shella in Lurivian Language. "Oh yeah, by the way, you haven't said your name!"

"You're right. I'm sorry! My name was Elzhar-Kri, just call me Elzhar."

For a moment, I was stunned. Somehow his name reminded me of something.

The Elvians have specific rules in their name system. Generally, their name consists of two words, the first word was their name and the second word was their family name. When Elzhar revealed his full name, I felt familiar with the surname.

But … where have I heard of it, huh?

If I remember again, Prince Keylan's surname was Zell. While his maid Lyle surnamed Yur. As for the other Elvians, I didn't know their full names. But for the name 'Kri', I was sure I'd heard of it. By the way, where have I known Elvian surnamed 'Kri'?

Oh, yes! How stupid am I to forget my own friends! Did I know a lot of Elvians in this world? I immediately slapped my forehead hard a few times.

"Anggi, what are you doing?" asked Elzhar in astonishment.

"Sorry, I suddenly remembered my Elvian friend who has the same surname as you. While living in a human city, she used Almira as her pseudonym. But if I remember correctly, her real name was Elywien-Kri."

As soon as I said the name, Elzhar suddenly gasped. His mouth was wide open, and his eyes bulged in disbelief. Now I was confused by his behavior.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"Y-You… know my sister?"