As we walked out of the dense foliage of the forest, I glanced over at the two of them. "So, what are you both going to do now?"
"What do you mean?" Verixa asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"My Queen, perhaps he means where we will live from now on," Valkira gently explained.
"What do you mean by that? Aren't we just going back to the Demon City?" Verixa asked, still entirely unaware of the grim reality of the situation.
Valkira shook her head, her expression softening with pity. "Maybe you don't fully understand, My Queen. The humans now know the exact location of the Demon City. If we return there, they will undoubtedly ambush and capture us."
"So you mean... we have to find shelter and hide, just like the other demons?" Verixa muttered, her voice dropping as the reality began to sink in.
"Yes, at least for the time being. But before that…" Valkira stopped walking and turned her full attention toward me. "Zacken, what will you do now?"
"What do you mean?" Verixa interjected again, but Valkira kept her eyes locked on me.
"It would be incredibly advantageous for us if you joined our journey. Still, we cannot force you. If you choose to stay with us, it will only continue to put your life in grave danger."
"Valkira is right. We can't be selfish and force you to come along, Zacken," Verixa agreed, her small shoulders slumping as she looked down, thoroughly dejected.
Together, the young queen and her general bowed to me with deep respect.
"Thank you for all of your help so far. We truly hope that we will—" Verixa began, but I cut her off with a loud groan.
"Wait! Hold on a second. I never said I was leaving you two. Besides, those human soldiers already know exactly what my face looks like. If I go wandering off into human territory all by myself, they'll just capture me and execute me as a traitor anyway. I have to come with you."
"Really?!" Verixa's downcast expression instantly brightened, her crimson eyes sparkling.
"Let's just say I don't exactly have a lot of options here," I replied dryly, rubbing the back of my neck.
"Very well. It will be an absolute honor to travel by your side," Valkira said, a sincere, relieved smile gracing her face.
"Well, I'll be in your care then. Oh, and Valkira—could you please just call me by my name? Being addressed as 'Sir' makes me feel way too old and formal."
"Of course. I will call you Zacken. But in return, you should also drop the formalities and just call me Valkira," she said with a gentle laugh.
"Me too! Me too!" Verixa added excitedly, bouncing on her heels. "Zacken, from this day forward, I shall grant you the immense honor of calling me—"
"'Kid' is perfectly fine," I interrupted flatly.
"Hey!" She pouted heavily, crossing her arms in mock outrage.
"So, where exactly are we heading next?" I asked, quickly changing the subject before she could kick my other knee.
"It would be best to head toward the nearest hidden demon village," Valkira explained, pointing toward a mountain range in the distance. "We can take temporary shelter there until we can formulate a long-term plan."
"But won't that specific route pass directly through the elf village?" Verixa interrupted, her brow furrowing.
"Yes, and that is going to be a major problem," Valkira admitted, her smile vanishing into a frown. "The elves didn't officially join the war on the humans' side, but they still absolutely despise both humans and demons alike. Many of their people died and their ancestral homes were destroyed in the crossfire of the chaos."
"Hmm… Then we're going to need a way to slip through their borders safely. If only we still had that stealth cloak you gave me earlier..." I muttered, kicking a stray pebble.
"Actually, I have a suggestion," Valkira said, a thoughtful look entering her eyes. "Zacken, what if you went ahead of us as a messenger of peace?"
"Yes! That could absolutely work!" Verixa agreed eagerly. "After all, a high elf was part of the human hero's party. The ordinary elves in the village might not know what the actual hero looks like. If you pretend to be him, they would at least be forced to sit down and listen to you!"
"That is a very bold plan… but it's way too risky," I said, a cold sweat breaking out. "What happens if they immediately figure out that I'm just a total imposter?"
"Oh, nothing much. They'll probably just tie you up and toss you in front of a giant, hungry forest crocodile, that's all," Verixa said casually, as if she were talking about the weather.
"Geez! That is exactly why I'm worried about this!" I groaned, gripping my head.
"But if we don't cross through this forest, the main human army will eventually track us down. We must choose, Zacken," Valkira said. Both her and Verixa's eyes fixed on me, filled with silent pleading.
I let out a massive, defeated sigh. "Alright, alright! Fine! I'll do it."
A short while later, we reached the thick, shimmering borders of the elven territory.
"So, this is the perimeter of the great Elf Village. We cannot accompany you any further without triggering their defenses, so we wish you the best of luck, Zacken," Valkira said softly.
"Good luck, Zacken!" Verixa waved cheerfully as I reluctantly took my first steps into the strange forest alone.
Geez… Why is this isekai world so incredibly unfair? I grumbled to myself, keeping my eyes peeled for danger. First I get summoned by demons, then I'm immediately thrown into a dungeon, then I get hunted by humans, almost get impaled by a dying commander, and now I have to face a village of angry, isolationist elves... I just hope they don't figure out who I really am.
Thwack!
An arrow suddenly hissed through the air, embedding itself deeply into the dirt right between my feet.
My eyes snapped upward, my heart leaping into my throat. Crouched gracefully on a thick tree branch above me was an elf.
She possessed striking, emerald-green eyes that shimmered like gems, and long, golden-blond hair that flowed all the way down to her waist. Her sharp, pointed ears twitched slightly as she looked down at me. Clad in a sleek, form-fitting black bodysuit with tortoise-shell patterned armor plating, she held a massive bow pulled back, aiming a second arrow steadily at my forehead.
"What business do you have in our woods, human?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the quiet forest.
"Well…" I let out a nervous, high-pitched laugh, raising my hands high in the air. "I'm... actually the hero, and I wish to speak with your village chief."
"Liar!" she snapped, drawing the bowstring even tighter until it groaned. "I have already met the actual hero face-to-face. You are absolutely not him."
I froze solid, my mind racing. I knew this stupid plan wouldn't work! I thought frantically. Maybe if I just turn around and sprint as fast as I can, she'll just let me escape...
But before I could even twitch a muscle, the elf narrowed her emerald eyes, leaning slightly forward as she inspected me. "Wait... are you an individual summoned from another world? An earthling, perhaps?"
"What? You can actually tell?!" I gasped, completely blown away.
"Even a complete fool could see it—the strange, poorly made clothes you are wearing simply do not exist anywhere in this world," she replied smoothly, gesturing with her bow toward my classic Earth tracksuit.
"Ah… I see. So… what happens now?" I asked, still utterly baffled by the sudden, bizarre shift in her demeanor.
With effortless, weightless grace, she leapt down from the high branch, landing silently on the grass directly in front of me. She lowered her weapon, looking at me with an intense, burning seriousness.
"Perhaps you can help me with a certain matter. If you do this for me, I will personally grant you safe passage to meet with our village chief."
"Help? What kind of help are we talking about?" I asked, stepping back cautiously.
"I have heard old legends that people summoned directly from Earth possess unique, miraculous abilities. Cheat skills that defy the very laws of magic," she said, her voice dropping to a fierce whisper. "I want that power."
Before I could even open my mouth to clarify, she continued, a faint trace of respect softening her sharp features. "You didn't even attempt to attack or threaten me when I shot that warning arrow at your feet. That proves you are kind-hearted enough to assist me with my problem."
The problem was… I didn't have a single drop of magic, let alone a miraculous cheat skill.
"Alright then… what exactly do I need to do?" I asked anyway, realizing that agreeing was the only way to keep from being fed to a crocodile.
"Follow me. It will be much easier for you to understand the problem once you see it with your own eyes," she said, turning on her heel and gliding into the brush.
With a heavy sigh, I reluctantly followed behind her, wondering how on earth I was going to fake a miracle.