After finishing talking with Elma, I finally felt my mind calm down a little.
Too many things had happened in such a short time, and my body was still tired, but I couldn't allow myself to rest too much.
I still had pending matters, and one of them was Dorothy. I needed to clear up what happened before, even if only to avoid problems later.
I prepared to move when, suddenly, upon turning my gaze, I noticed Elisabeth signaling me with her right hand.
Her movements were elegant, calm, as if she were in no hurry at all. She seemed to indicate quite naturally that I should approach where she was.
I sighed softly and changed direction.
I got close enough and, as soon as I was in front of her, she began to speak with a calm and refined voice, very characteristic of someone accustomed to always maintaining composure.
—You know… at this moment I am very grateful to you. You know, for helping me recover my ring. I certainly want to reward your efforts, but no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find anything suitable. So, if there is anything you desire from me, I will be delighted to help you.
Her words were sincere.
There was no arrogance or obligation in her tone, only a genuine desire to return the favor. Upon hearing them, many ideas crossed my mind almost at the same time.
I could ask her for direct help in combat, magical knowledge, souls to strengthen myself… I even thought of more selfish things.
But something inside me refused.
I didn't want her to see me as someone who only approaches others to take advantage. This world was already complicated enough for me to become that kind of person.
—No, there's no problem —I replied sincerely—. Really, you don't have to thank me.
Elisabeth observed me carefully. Her eyes seemed to shine with certain interest, as if my response had taken her by surprise. A soft smile slowly formed on her face.
—Oh… how altruistic you are, aren't you? —she said—. I don't dislike that. No, in fact… I like it quite a lot. Even so, not rewarding you would tarnish my honor. Hmm… let's see what I could do.
She looked around, thoughtful. She brought one hand to her face, gently resting a finger on her cheek, while with the other she continued to hold her umbrella firmly.
She remained silent for a few seconds, as if organizing her thoughts.
—Ah! Why didn't I think of it before? I know —she said suddenly, becoming animated—. I am quite confident in my mastery of sorcery. Allow me to help you in your battles. That way I can witness charming souls… and you will obtain support. A beneficial agreement for both of us, don't you think?
The proposal was reasonable. Not only did she not ask for anything in immediate return, but her help could also make the difference in complicated situations.
—Then it will be a pleasure to work with you, my lady Elisabeth —I replied, slightly inclining my head in a sign of respect.
—Fufufu… the pleasure will be all mine.
After reaching that agreement, I said goodbye to Elisabeth and resumed my path. I felt that, little by little, the pieces were beginning to fit together, although I still didn't fully understand the complete picture.
Back at the bonfire, the atmosphere once again felt more familiar.
The sound of the fire, the smell of burning wood, and the calm of the forest helped me relax a little.
It was then that I noticed the little fairy who had been playing with Victoria earlier approaching me while floating.
—Hello… how have you been? —she said with a smile—. Look, I fixed the wooden boat again. You can try crossing the river now if you want.
Upon hearing that, I nodded without thinking twice. I had been waiting for that moment.
—Thank you —I replied, immediately heading toward the boat.
Now I could cross the river without problems, since the monster that had previously blocked the way had been defeated by me.
I got on the boat and took the oars, beginning to advance slowly through the water.
While rowing, I passed through the same places I had gone through before.
However, this time the atmosphere felt different, heavier, as if something invisible was watching from a distance.
The sky gradually darkened and the wind began to blow harder.
After a good while, I reached an area where the rain fell nonstop, pounding the river surface with force. To the side, almost hidden among the trees, there was a wooden house.
I approached and got out of the boat.
The house looked old and worn, as if time had passed mercilessly over it.
Some boards were broken and the roof seemed about to collapse at any moment.
I walked to the entrance and pushed the door carefully.
Inside, the place was dirty and almost destroyed.
Dust covered the floor, and the air had a smell of humidity and abandonment. Everything gave the impression that no one had lived there for a long time.
Even so, I decided to explore. At the back I found some stone stairs leading to the second floor. I began to climb slowly, paying attention to every step to avoid making noise.
When I reached the top, I noticed a mirror hanging on the hallway wall. Its surface was blurry and cracked, reflecting my image in a distorted way.
Further ahead there were two rooms. One of them was completely empty, except for a pink bed, a blue floor, and a shelf full of ancient books. It looked like a child's room, but abandoned.
Upon entering the other room, I saw someone sleeping in the bed.
It was a woman with a red hood.
Her breathing was calm, and she seemed to be deeply asleep. I approached carefully; she didn't seem to have noticed my presence. I hesitated for a moment, but in the end I decided to wake her.
When I did, she slowly opened her eyes, still confused. However, upon seeing me, she showed neither surprise nor fear.
—Oh… right, I have to feed Poro —she murmured in a muffled voice.
She got up from the bed immediately and left the room without saying anything else, as if I weren't there.
I stood still for a few seconds, completely confused. I didn't know who she was or who—or what—that Poro was. With not many options, I decided to follow her.
As I went down the stairs, I heard noises coming from the kitchen. I approached cautiously, and what I saw made my body tense instantly.
The woman was feeding a gigantic wolf.
—There, there, Poro… you're a good boy, right? —she said in a surprisingly tender voice—. Oh, you know what? Someday let's go on a picnic. When it stops raining, we can go whenever we want. We'll always be together… it's a promise. Yes, we will live in this world.
The wolf lifted its head and saw me.
It immediately began to growl loudly, showing its fangs. Clearly it didn't like my presence, and I couldn't blame it. I was a complete stranger to them.
The woman slowly turned to look at me. Her face showed no emotion.
—Ah… you're still here —she said calmly—. As you can see, I'm busy. Please, could you come back later?
There was neither rejection nor hostility in her voice, only a clear lack of interest. I understood that it made no sense to insist.
So I turned around and headed toward the door.
When I went out, the rain was still falling hard, soaking everything around it. I thought about leaving in the boat, but upon observing the river I understood that this was the end of the road. There was no way to advance further from there; I could only return.
However, before doing so, I decided to explore the surroundings of the house. It was then that I noticed a barely visible path, hidden among the vegetation, that seemed to lead to another place.