Elven Justice and Explanatory Errors

"Wait!" Jin-woo exclaimed, throwing his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "It's not what it looks like!"

The elves, however, were not in the mood for explanations. They advanced, their bows still trained on him and the now-stirring Ryuu. The dragon, awakened by the commotion, let out a sleepy growl, his eyes blinking open to take in the scene.

"What… is… happening?" he rumbled, his voice thick with confusion.

"Apparently," Jin-woo said, trying to maintain a calm he didn't feel, "we're about to be arrested."

Ryuu blinked slowly. "Arrested?"

"Yeah, you know," Jin-woo explained. "Taken prisoner. Thrown in jail. Forced to eat gruel and wear itchy uniforms."

Ryuu frowned. "Gruel?"

"Never mind," Jin-woo said. "The point is, we're in trouble."

He turned back to the elves, his mind racing. He needed to defuse the situation, and fast. "Look," he said, trying to sound reasonable. "I admit, I may have… embellished the truth a little. But I didn't mean any harm. I'm just trying to get to Eldoria."

The lead elf, the one with the silver hair, stepped forward. "You lied to us," she said, her voice cold. "You claimed to be part of some prophecy, and you used this… dragon… to deceive us."

"I… I just wanted your help," Jin-woo said, trying to sound apologetic. "I didn't mean to offend you."

The elf scoffed. "Offend us? You have trespassed on elven lands, you have lied to us, and you have mocked our traditions. You will face the consequences of your actions."

"But… but I'm not even from this world!" Jin-woo exclaimed, his frustration boiling over. "I don't understand your traditions! I'm just a… a… programmer!"

The elves exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of confusion and amusement. The lead elf raised an eyebrow. "A programmer?" she repeated. "What is that?"

Jin-woo sighed. This was hopeless. He was trying to explain himself to a group of elves who didn't even understand what a programmer was. He was starting to think that maybe, just maybe, he should have stayed in his apartment and wrestled with that segmentation fault.

"Look," he said, trying a different approach. "I'm not your enemy. I'm just… lost. And I need to get to Eldoria. Can you please just tell me how to get there?"

The elf shook her head. "You have proven yourself untrustworthy," she said. "We cannot help you."

"But… but…" Jin-woo stammered, his mind reeling. He was trapped. He had no idea what to do next.

Ryuu, who had been listening patiently, finally spoke. "Perhaps… I can… explain," he rumbled.

The elves turned to Ryuu, their expressions wary. Ryuu took a step forward, his massive form casting a long shadow over the clearing.

"This… human… is… my friend," he said, his voice deep and resonant. "He… means… no… harm."

The lead elf frowned. "Why should we believe you?" she asked. "He has already lied to us."

"He… is… not… from… this… world," Ryuu explained. "He… does… not… understand… our… ways."

The elves exchanged glances again, their expressions softening slightly. The lead elf looked at Jin-woo, her eyes searching his face.

"Is this true?" she asked.

Jin-woo nodded eagerly. "Yes," he said. "It's true. I'm from… another place. A place where… where magic doesn't exist."

The elf's eyes widened slightly. "A place… without magic?" she repeated. "Such a place… exists?"

Jin-woo nodded. "Yes," he said. "It does."

The elf seemed lost in thought for a moment. Then, she turned back to her companions. "Lower your weapons," she commanded.

The elves obeyed, their bows lowering slowly. Jin-woo let out a sigh of relief. He had been spared, at least for now.

The lead elf turned back to Jin-woo. "We will escort you to the border of the Silverwood," she said. "From there, you will be on your own."

Jin-woo nodded gratefully. "Thank you," he said. "I appreciate your help."

The elf nodded curtly. "Follow me," she said.

Jin-woo and Ryuu followed the elves through the forest, the tension slowly easing. Jin-woo was still worried about the Silverwood Forest, but he was also relieved to be out of immediate danger. He had a feeling that this was just the beginning of his adventures in this strange new world. And he was starting to realize that he might need more than just his programming skills to survive.