Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 347.5- A Fairy In The Woods

Clop! Clop!

Clop! Clop!

Clop! Clop!

Clop! Clop!

Riding on a donkey through the woods was a young elf with messy black hair.

‘I’m so…tired…water…food.’

Her donkey would continue to ride when the light of the moon hit her eye.

"M-mm?" She opens her pink eyes to see the surface of the water reflecting the moon’s light. "!!" She desperately gets off her donkey and jumps into the water.

Splash!!!

And began to drink it.

Glug!!

Glug!!

Glug!!

"Ah!!!" she pops up from the lake, feeling refreshed. "I feel alive again!"

She turns to see her ride, drinking some of the water as well.

"I bet that tastes great, right, Nick?" she said to her donkey. "Brr! I need to get out. I don’t want to get sick before I reach Orario!" As she gets out, she hears splashing a bit off in the distance.

‘Is it other people? Bandits maybe?’ She gets up, gets her club off of Nick, and slowly goes to investigate.

She slowly walks, listening to the splashing all the while, making sure not to make any noise.

When she gets close enough, she moves some bushes away to see—

"A fairy…" Her eyes widen as she looks at a boy with light, dark skin and hair as black as her own.

He turned to show his face, revealing a great beauty. Instantly, she was enamored by this fairytale she had walked into.

"So beauty—!!"

Suddenly, she was pulled back by her ragged clothes, and her mouth closed shut with porcelain hands.

"Shhhhh. Quiet now." Said the quiet yet smooth voice.

The elf looked up to see a woman wearing heavily tinted sunglasses and hair as black as ink that seemed to blend seamlessly with the darkness.

"Who are you?" she said with a muffled voice full of fear of what was going to happen to her.

"I am this boy's guardian, and you are a stranger. Tell me, why are you here?"

"I can’t talk with you covering my mouth!" she said, muffled.

"Tsk. Fine."

Before the elf could speak her muffled words, her eyes became a blur for a brief moment before blinking and finding herself by her donkey.

The woman released her, and the elf quickly turned to face the woman with ink-black hair with her club in hand.

"W-who are you—"

The woman quickly grabbed the girl's mouth again to stop her from shouting.

"Quiet. If you should yell, I will forcibly make you quiet. Understand? Nod if you understand."

The elf nods feverishly.

"Good, now what is your business here?" She lets go of her mouth.

"I-I’m just traveling to Orario. I want to be an adventurer."

"I see… your name?"

"Ortlinde Fasolt. I’m from the Solt Forests in the east, and I’m currently 10 years old."

"Hmm… I see, I see. Well, be done with what you were doing before you looked upon my master’s son and leave."

She turned, but as she was about to leave, Ortlinde spoke up a bit.

"W-wait! What is your name?"

She said this as she turned to face her.

"My name is Fafnir, and if you are looking to join a Familia, then here." She tosses her a small bag of Valis’. "Now goodbye. Try not to get scammed. This should last you a while." Fafnir then, with a single leap, jumps into the darkness of the woods, disappearing completely.

Ortlinde couldn’t say a word. Her speed was something her eyes couldn’t perceive. She looked at the bag and then back at the lake.

"…Maybe I’ll see you in Orario." She then gets back on her donkey and rides off.