Philip stopped in the middle of the hallway, hands in his pockets, looking around like a man searching for the meaning of life and only finding identical doors.
"Right, okay… no one answers, the system's on strike, and I'm still the only idiot working without knowing for who." He sighed. "Perfect. That's what I get for running on autopilot."
He looked up at the ceiling as if expecting an epiphany, but all he saw were cobwebs and magical water damage.
"Alright then, since the system won't talk, I'll go for the next best thing."
He paused, crossed his arms, and said out loud with the solemnity of an employee about to file an internal complaint:"Invisible Elf, if you're around — and I know you are — it's time for a sync meeting."
A faint laugh echoed behind him.
"Do you always talk to yourself like that?"
Philip jumped, spinning around with an expression that was equal parts shock and annoyance.
"I have so many questions," he began, pointing at her. "Like—how do you even do that? Your magic's not supposed to work on me, remember? And yet somehow, you still manage to be the weirdest creature I've ever met—everywhere and nowhere at once!"
The elf's voice sounded amused."So, what does the human tech support want?"
"Information." He raised a finger. "Actually, a lot of it. Like—why does everyone live in the castle? Is that normal? Can I leave? Do I get paid? Is there a workday that ends? And most importantly—what's your name?"
The moment he said that, something shifted.
The smile in her voice—the teasing, playful tone she always carried—vanished.The air grew heavier, as if the corridor itself had swallowed the sound.
Philip blinked, confused, feeling the temperature drop a little.
She took a few seconds before answering."…My name?"
Philip, slightly thrown off, tried to sound casual."Uh, yeah. Name. I realized I never asked."
The silence that followed was uncomfortable—the kind that stretches seconds into minutes.
Then she spoke, her voice a mix of surprise and indignation."You've been here for… what, five days? Six?" She hesitated—enough for Philip to raise an eyebrow. "I don't know! And all this time you didn't know my name?!"
Philip blinked, processing the drama, and thought—with a flicker of cynical relief—that at least he wasn't the only one losing track of time around here. A universal curse of the working class.
He raised his hands in a conciliatory gesture."Calm down, tiny one, don't feel so special…" he said in a tone far too light for the situation. "I don't know a lot of things—like where the cafeteria is, whether I get days off, or if this castle even has a functioning bathroom. Your name just kind of fell to the bottom of the priority list, you see?"
The air seemed to vibrate, as if her irritation had physical weight."Tiny one?" she repeated, her voice sharper than usual.
Philip scratched his neck, realizing maybe he'd gone too far."It's, uh… a term of endearment?" he tried, without conviction. "I mean, you're kind of… small, invisible, annoyed, and a bit… floaty…"
"Keep going, human, and I'll float inside your head."
He raised both hands in immediate surrender."Got it. No nicknames."
Silence. Then a quiet, disguised sigh."You're impossible."
"I prefer the term interdimensionally maladjusted, but I'll take the compliment." He gave a half-smile. "So, you gonna tell me your name… and everything else?"
The elf crossed her arms, floating a few inches above the ground. The torchlight shimmered on her greenish hair, giving her an ethereal glow.
"'Everything else?'" she echoed, raising an eyebrow. "You can barely remember the way to your own room and you already want a full world manual?"
"Exactly. Preferably with an index, glossary, and color map," he replied seriously. "And since I'm the only one who can see you, I think I qualify for priority support, don't you?"
She rolled her eyes, though a small smile escaped."You really think that's an advantage?"
"Of course." Philip gestured dramatically. "I'm the only human privileged enough to be constantly observed, criticized, and confused by an invisible elf. A dream come true."
She shook her head, hiding another laugh."You're unbearable."
"And yet, irresistible," he said with a smug grin. "So, invisible elf only I can see—what's your name?"
She looked at him for a few seconds—a stare caught somewhere between irritation and genuine curiosity, like she couldn't decide whether to answer or cast a spell (which, of course, wouldn't work on him).
"Why do you want to know? You gonna put it in your report?"
"No," he shrugged. "It just feels weird to keep calling you 'Invisible Elf.'"
A brief silence. Then she landed softly on the floor and spoke in a quieter, almost reluctant tone:"Allegra."
Philip blinked, surprised."Allegra… pretty. Does it mean something, or did you guys just draw vowels out of a hat?"
She let out a long sigh, her gaze flickering between patience and threat."You're impossible."
"Heard that one already today." He grinned. "But alright, Allegra. Now that we're officially introduced, can we talk about this crazy castle? Like… why does everyone live here? Is it a fancy prison or is rent just that bad outside?"
She laughed softly, the sound echoing down the corridor."You ask too many questions, human. And still—none of the right ones."