(Chapter 31) Atala
"Really an elf... I knew it."
After a round of mutual apologies and so awkward exchanges, Anna and the elf had beco sowhat familiar with each other.
"Well... I had so issues back ho, so I had to co and see what it's like among humans," the elf lady said, seeming quite reserved. She held a cup of frostberry juice that Anna had just bought, sipping through a straw like a small animal.
"So issues back ho... Ah, never mind... I was just curious, that's all." Anna's sharp intuition quickly reminded her to stop probing, and she quickly brushed it off with an excuse.
In previous simulations, this elf had been very wary of anyone prying into elven matters. Anna couldn't afford to make the sa mistake again.
"So... Miss Elf, how did you end up in this town?"
"It's just... the first stop on my journey."
"Is that so? Then this town must have sothing special to attract you," Anna couldn't help but smile.
"I wasn't born here, but I grew up in this town. My parents also passed away here... After graduating, I ca back to work here. It's nice to see an elf choosing my hotown as the first stop on her journey... That's really sothing."
Elves are beings who pursue beauty. It's said that a human once wrote a novel about an elf who sacrificed her life in pursuit of "beauty," and after reading it, the elves greatly identified with the protagonist's values.
The author was later regarded as "the human who understands elves the most."
However, a few years later, that sa author beca an imperial diplomat and went to negotiate with the Elven Forest.
Sohow, he managed to anger the elves, and he didn't return whole, only his head and skeleton ca back.
This caused a major diplomatic incident, nearly pushing the empire to declare full-scale war on the Elven Forest.
In the end, it was only due to so conflicting interests that war was avoided.
If this town was chosen as the first stop on an elf's journey, there must be sothing truly comndable about it.
"...Is that so?" The elf lady, however, didn't seem to think much of it.
Upon hearing Anna's words, she instead looked around the streets, seemingly flustered.
"I actually... um..."
Seeing the elf lady on the verge of tears, Anna beca even more convinced that this person wasn't soone who would try to kill her.
"Ah! It's already this late!" Noticing the angle of the sun, the elf lady let out a small gasp and quickly apologized to Anna.
"Sorry! I have to go!"
"It's fine, I'm just happy to have t an elf," Anna said with a smile. "So... Can I know your na?"
"My na?"
"Yes, isn't it natural for friends to know each other's nas?" Anna said, taking the opportunity to bow slightly. "Co to think of it, I haven't even introduced myself yet. How rude of ... Anna Garland, that's my na."
"Friends..." The elf lady murmured softly, savoring the word. "Atala."
"My na is Atala."
Pulling up the hood of her black cloak, Atala turned to look at Anna one last ti.
"You said... you want to be friends with ?"
"Yes?"
"...Thank you for wanting to be my friend."
Watching Atala disappear in a flash, Anna blinked a few tis and glanced around.
She found a small tavern and sat at the bar.
The tavern owner recognized Anna and, without asking any questions, served her a non-alcoholic drink.
Before eting Atala, Louise had given Anna a considerable amount of money, calling it "special funds" for a senior's personal involvent.
But the reason felt so flimsy that Anna couldn't help but feel Louise was trying to indirectly cover her living expenses, essentially, Louise was trying to "sponsor" her...
In the end, Anna didn't end up spending much of that money.
Looking at the 500 gold coins in her pocket, along with so silver and copper coins for smaller expenses, Anna took a small sip of her drink and then activated the simulation.
Although the simulations had shown that Atala could be a "friend," in reality, Anna's interactions with Atala in the simulations had never been very successful.
In fact, this real-life encounter was the first ti Anna had actually learned Atala's na... In the simulations, every interaction seed to touch on so sensitive topic, causing Atala to refuse to reveal her na, even though she claid to be friends with Anna.
After that, Anna hardly ever saw Atala again, and the next ti they t was during the chaotic beast horde in the forest, when Atala shot that arrow...
[Simulation begins]
[Day 0: After successfully making contact with Atala, you chose to return ho. Nothing happened.]
[Day 1: While on patrol, you encountered Atala, who seed to be looking around the streets. You approached her imdiately to ask what was wrong.]
[Atala explained that she had no money to stay at an inn and had been kicked out. She was now looking for a place to work.]
[To prevent Atala from being lured into the red-light district and forced into becoming a prostitute, you helped her find so shops that offered temporary work. Eventually, the royal-style restaurant where you and Louise had eaten before hired Atala as a waitress.]
[Considering Atala was completely broke, you gave her 30 gold coins.]
Giving away 30 gold coins just like that impressive, !
Though there's not much to boast about here.
[Day 2: You patrolled a few streets and checked in on Atala. Nothing happened.]
[Day 3: You patrolled a few streets and checked in on Atala. Nothing happened.]
[Day 4: Upon learning that you had been taking care of the elf recently, Louise seed displeased.]
[You brought Louise to et Atala, and thus Louise and Atala beca acquainted.]
[Afterward, you patrolled a few streets. Nothing happened.]
Wow, even Louise knows Atala now?
But Day 5 should be the ti when Helga arrives...
[Day 5: You were ordered to patrol the forest. After slaying a few magical beasts, you rescued Helga.]
Since this particular event had been repeated so many tis in the simulations, and it never changed, the simulator now summarized it directly to save ti.
That's fine, it avoids having to read through the sa chunk of simulation repeatedly, speeding things up.
So, what's next... Will sothing different happen this ti?
Reviews
All reviews (0)