I took a sip of the purple liquid. The taste was strange at first—sweet, cold, and oddly calming.
"It's whisper juice," the elf girl explained.
"Whisper?"
She nodded. "Elves and trolls don't eat normal food like humans do. Most of our food and medicine come from a special flower called Whisper."
I looked at the bottle again.
"It's mostly used as medicine," she added.
"Oh… I see."
For a moment, silence settled between us.
Then she smiled softly.
"Oh, by the way… I'm Marie."
I blinked.
"Oh, I'm—"
"Tom Fogo," she finished before I could answer.
I stared at her in surprise.
"Uh… yes."
She laughed quietly. "Your name is already spreading around the training center."
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.
As we walked across the field, Marie began telling me about herself.
Her parents had died years ago from a deadly illness. After that, she and her older brother dedicated themselves to studying elvish medicine, hoping to save others from suffering the same fate.
"We spent 3 years learning about herbs, healing and different types of Whisper flowers," she said softly.
For the first time since meeting her, I noticed sadness hidden behind her smile.
"But then…" Her voice lowered. "A demon killed my brother."
I didn't know what to say.
"After that, I joined the training center to learn shooting techniques." She looked toward the distant building at the end of the field. "Even if the Wing Corps is supposed to be a secret organization."
The way she said it made me realize something.
She wasn't here just to learn.
She was here for revenge,
Just like me.