Two weeks had passed since Lea began administering the miraculous remedy to Grandma Royse. Piece by piece, like a wilted flower reclaiming its color, the old woman's strength returned — not through a sudden miracle, but through a quiet, persistent bloom.
Where once she lay motionless, now she could shift her body with ease. Where once she struggled to hold a spoon, now she could feed herself again. Walking would take longer, yes — but hope had finally taken root in their small home.
In the garden behind the house, the Thanora Blooms Lea had planted grew with unexpected vigor, as if recognizing familiar soil. Perhaps the land surrounding their home still carried the breath of Shadowfen — dark, ancient, but rich with unseen life.
Lea was grateful. She no longer needed to step into that treacherous forest. No need to face Fog Ents ever again… or encounter the mysterious Dark Elf whose words still echoed at the back of her mind.
Life began to soften around her. With Grandma Royse's condition improving, the weight on Lea's chest finally loosened. Her days once again filled with the soothing rhythm of mixing herbs and preparing remedies, a world she understood and loved.
"Grandma, I'm going to deliver the medicines to the clinic, then stop by the market to buy groceries!" Lea called from the doorway. Cloak on her shoulders, a basket full of bottled remedies in hand, she looked almost radiant.
Grandma Royse glanced back from her seat near the window and smiled warmly. "Be careful on your way, dear!"
Permission granted, Lea stepped out into the world with her usual determination. She always asked for approval before going anywhere — except on the day she entered Shadowfen. She knew her grandmother would never have allowed it.
Their home stood far from the town center, so the journey to the main clinic in Fazalar took nearly two hours on foot. But Lea didn't mind. She was used to it. The morning air brushing her cheeks and the gravel beneath her boots felt almost comforting.
Several clinics had long been business partners with their family. Even after Grandma Royse fell ill, they continued to rely on Lea's skillful hands. Your medicines work better and cost less, the healers often said. And so they remained loyal customers.
"Here is your payment, Miss Lea," the older woman at the administrative desk said, handing her a pouch of silver coins. "When might we expect your next delivery?"
"I'll return soon, as long as nothing unexpected happens," Lea said with a bright smile. She counted the coins carefully — then frowned.
"There are ten silver coins extra, ma'am. I believe this is more than—"
The woman shook her head gently. "That is travel compensation. You must have walked far to come here."
"But this is too much…"
"It is the price of honesty, Miss Lea."
The woman was impossible to refuse. Lea bowed gratefully and pocketed the coins. At least I can cook something delicious tonight. A celebration for Grandma's recovery… and our little business going well, she thought.
Leaving the clinic, Lea wandered through the lively streets and made her way toward the market. The crowd was louder today, filled with merchants shouting, children laughing, and travelers passing through. Hunters rested at an open tavern, tankards in hand — already deep in some argument.
"I heard the leader of the Dragonmir Clan is actually human!"
"Don't talk nonsense! A human leading Dragons?! Impossible!"
"But I'm serious! They say it's true in the Capital!"
"Dragons have too much pride to obey a human!"
"He used to be a Great Magus!"
"That still doesn't make him stronger than a Dragon!"
"Wanna fight?!"
Lea chuckled softly. A market isn't a market without ridiculous rumors, she thought.
She purchased vegetables, meat, and herbs. Tonight she planned to cook creamy chicken soup — Grandma's favorite. Something warm and celebratory.
As she examined dried spices at one of the stalls, she heard footsteps approaching.
"Miss Lea, how have you been?"
Lea turned. "Oh, Hector! I'm well. Where have you been hiding?"
Hector, the young ginger-haired hunter often treated by her grandmother, rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I joined a hunting party in Oakenfeld Forest. We were gone for over a month."
"Oakenfeld? That's so far! Why not hunt locally?"
Hector sighed. "The western edge of Shadowfen caught fire. The animals relocated, so we had no choice."
Lea's breath hitched. "Has the fire been put out?"
"The rain helped these past two days. But the forest won't recover quickly." He looked up at the sky, expression heavy. "I hope the kingdom and the Magus Association will investigate."
Lea nodded. A forest fire — even in a dangerous place like Shadowfen — was a serious disaster.
Then Hector's gaze dropped to the pile of groceries in her arms. "Are you planning to carry all that by yourself?"
Lea grinned sheepishly. "Hehe… we ran out of everything at home. Better to buy a lot at once."
"You'll age early if you carry that much weight on foot," Hector grumbled, immediately taking half her bags without asking. "Let me help."
"H–Hector, I can—"
"Nope. Too late."
Lea could only sigh. Grandma always said it's rude to reject sincere kindness…
As they walked past the tavern again, the hunters were now immersed in a new rumor.
"I swear I saw a beautiful woman near Shadowfen! Her clothes were made of leaves! Her green eyes glowed!"
"No way! The forest just burned!"
"I'm telling you, she was crying over the charred trees. I think she was a Dryad!"
"You know Dryads, right? Forest guardians. Their blood can cure anything!"
Hector exhaled loudly. "They're spouting nonsense again."
But Lea fell silent for a moment.
Grandma Royse had once told her that somewhere deep within Shadowfen, Dryads truly lived. They appeared on nights when the moon was brightest, their bodies glowing faint green — breathing with the heartbeat of the forest.
Whether that was myth or truth… no one knew.
Lea lifted her gaze to the sky, a strange feeling stirring within her. Even far away, the memory of the forest still lingered — its breath, its darkness, its mysteries.
As if Shadowfen itself had not yet finished with her.
As Lea lifted her eyes to the sky, a strange tension tugged at her ribs — subtle but persistent, like a thread pulling her back toward a place she thought she had left behind.
Shadowfen.
Even amid the chatter of the marketplace, the scent of fresh herbs, and the warmth of the sun, something made her heartbeat falter. The world around her felt momentarily distant, blurred at the edges — until a sudden breeze brushed her cheek, cool and foreign, carrying the faint smell of damp leaves and dark fog.
Her fingers tightened around the handles of her basket. Why does it feel like the forest is calling me again…?
"Hm? Miss Lea, are you alright?" Hector's voice cut through her drifting thoughts.
Lea blinked, quickly masking her unease. "Ah—yes. Just the wind."
But it wasn't the wind.
Far beyond the town's bustling streets, on the ridge where the rolling hills met the treeline of Shadowfen, a silver silhouette stood unmoving — half-shrouded by drifting mist that did not belong to daylight.
The Dark Elf.
He watched the town from a distance no human eyes could ever hope to see. Perched atop a crooked branch, he looked like a sliver of moonlight carved into the shape of a man. His hair, white as frost, swayed in the breeze. His golden eyes, sharp as a predator's, followed Lea with unnerving clarity — even across the miles.
"She's leaving the market…" he murmured to himself, voice low, almost contemplative. "And she looks… troubled."
A soft flutter echoed beside him.
"Hoo—hoo…"
The owl, Houhu, had found him again and perched on the branch next to him. The bird tilted its head accusingly, amber eyes narrowing.
The Dark Elf clicked his tongue. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not stalking her."
The owl hooted again.
"I'm simply… observing," he insisted, though the words lacked conviction.
He leaned forward slightly, resting an elbow on his knee, chin against his hand — an oddly casual pose for someone radiating the aura of a born warrior.
"She went to the market, sold her medicines, bought food, talked to that ginger-haired hunter…" His eyes narrowed a fraction. "He seems far too eager to help her."
Houhu let out a doubting "hoo."
"Yes, yes," he sighed, eyes never leaving Lea's distant figure. "I know humans are social creatures. But she should be careful. Her aura… it still bothers me."
His expression darkened with an emotion he did not name.
"It's too quiet," he murmured. "For someone who is still alive."
The owl ruffled its feathers, uneasy.
Shadowfen's mist thickened around them as if responding to his thoughts.
"I'll watch a little longer," he decided, voice a soft rumble. "Just to make sure she gets home safely."
Houhu hooted an exasperated warning.
"Oh, hush. You don't understand. There's something wrong with that girl. Something strange." He paused. "Something… familiar."
His gaze sharpened with an intensity that could cut stone. "And until I find out what it is, I won't let Shadowfen—or anyone else—claim her."
The mist curled around him, swallowing his silhouette as though the forest itself answered his vow.
Below, unknowingly, Lea continued walking with Hector — oblivious to the watchful eyes that followed her, threading her fate quietly and inexorably back toward the forest she'd tried so hard to leave behind.