"Blink... Blink..."
Scarlet woke to warmth. A blanket lay across her shoulders, and the faint smell of bread drifted through the air. For a moment, she thought she was safe.
A woman's voice whispered nearby, "She's awake."
Scarlet blinked, her vision adjusting to the dim light of a small wooden hut. A group of villagers stood in the doorway, their smiles too wide, their eyes too sharp.
"You're lucky we found you, you must have been quite shocked," the man at the front said. His tone was kind, but his gaze lingered on her clothes, her hair, her hands — judging her from head to toe.
Scarlet tried to sit up. "Where… am I?"
The villagers exchanged glances. One muttered, "She doesn't know." Another whispered, "The omen."
Scarlet's stomach tightened. Something was wrong.
They gave her food, water, and a place to rest. But every kindness felt rehearsed, every smile forced. At night, she heard them whispering outside her door: words like "curse,""demon," and "blessed."
Scarlet muttered silently... "What are they whispering... hmmm... they must worried about me... they are such kind people. But who are they? I don't quite remember how I ended up here. Hmm... let's see, I went school this morning, met Angel then we had class... then we were having our lunch... (Scarlet's eyes widened as she immediately stood up on her feet, then she had the flashback of what had happened- the letter, the sound of bells, and the ground shaking). What is happening... I was with Angel and."
"ANGEL... ANGEL..."
"Angel where are you," as Scarlet ren out of her room screaming her name as loud as she could but she was nowhere to be found.
The villagers came running to the cottage as they heard her screaming voice.
"Child, what's wrong?" the elder asked, his voice trembling but his eyes sharp.
Scarlet's breath came fast. "Angel… she was with me! Where is she? Did you see her?"
The villagers exchanged uneasy glances. One woman muttered, "Angel?... Angel who, we found you all alone lying on the ground."
Scarlet's heart pounded. "No! She's my friend! She was with me, we were inside our classroom and then suddenly the ground was shaking..."
The elderly woman stepped closer, laying a hand on her shoulder. Her touch was heavy, yet comforting. "Calm down dear child, you must've had a tough journey. For now just have a little bit of rest and you can stay here as long as you want. We'll talk about your friend tomorrow morning maybe she is somewhere else but don't worry we'll search for her."
The woman guided her toward the small cottage at the edge of the village. Lanterns flickered as they passed, their Aether cores dimming slightly—as if reacting to Scarlet's presence.
Scarlet sank onto the bed, trembling and hugged the blanket as close as she could. "Angel… where are you…"
The old woman lingered in the doorway, watching her through the slight gap of the opened door with unreadable eyes.
"The next morning..."
Scarlet woke up early, earlier then the village people. But this time she calm and silent. She sat up slowly, the blanket slipping from her shoulders. Her eyes were dry now, her breathing steady. The panic from last night had drained away, leaving something colder, sharper. She slipped out of bed and moved toward the small window. Outside, the village looked like a normal village. Then she started to think.
"What might have happened? Did our school just collapsed, even if that's the case then we would have been in a hospital. But if we were in a village... I don't think we had this kind of village back in our home town. Plus there is a huge moon that is 4x the size of our Earth's moon which clearly visible even during the day time and where is Angel... " as Scarlet muttered in a crying manner.
Maybe we are summoned in a to a different world... you know like some of the anime where the protagonist gets summoned to save the kingdom in another world... Aaa... I must have gone crazy. Well whatever it is, there is no point in whining... like Angel once said 'when you get in trouble there is no point in complaining, sometimes you just have to go with the flow'
She stood up from her bed and stepped outside the small cottage. Dew clung to the grass, sparkling under the pale light of the enormous moon still hanging in the sky. It felt unreal—like she was walking inside someone else's dream.
But the cold breeze on her skin was real. The silence of the village was real. And Angel's absence was painfully real.
Scarlet clenched her fists.
"Go with the flow, huh…?" she whispered, trying to smile the way Angel always did. "Fine. I'll go with the flow. But I'm not leaving without you."
She took a step toward the village square.
That's when she noticed some villagers doing their daily routine. Some doing their regular chores, walking, watering plants, and talking. Then a woman in her mid twenties wearing a decent old era clothes, called out to her, " Hey you, young lady with the weird clothes."
"You must be the one who made a scene last night, you must've been quite shocked."
Scarlet managed a small, awkward smile. "Ah… yeah. Sorry about that. I was just… confused."
The woman waved a hand dismissively. "Confused? Dear, you were screaming about earthquakes and classrooms. Anyone would've panicked." She stepped closer, hands on her hips, giving Scarlet a once‑over. "Though I've never seen clothes like yours. Must be from a faraway place."
Scarlet laughed nervously. "You could say that."
"Well, don't worry," the woman said brightly. Since you were found without any belongings, I'll get you some normal clothes that will fit you perfectly." This village might be small, but we're friendly folk we'll help you in any way we can.
The woman leaned in a little. "If you're feeling better, why not come help me carry some water? It'll take your mind off things plus I'll get you some clothes from my home."
Scarlet blinked. "Help…? Uh, sure. I don't mind."
"Good! I'm Mira Wynn, by the way." She handed Scarlet a wooden bucket. "And you are?"
"Scarlet... Umm... Scarlet Thorne." (Huh... I can't use my real name, it is too strange.)
Mira grinned. "Pretty name. Come on then, Scarlet. The well's this way."
As they walked, Scarlet glanced around again. The village looked peaceful—sunlight warming the rooftops, children chasing each other, the smell of bread drifting from a nearby house. For a moment, she wondered if she had overreacted last night.
Maybe this place wasn't dangerous. Maybe she really had just been overwhelmed.
Is there anything you want to ask? Mira replied in a casual way.
"Umm... Yes there is. Since I've just come yesterday, I'm not sure where I am right now. So I'd like to know more about this place."
Mira slowed her pace a little, shifting the bucket to her other hand as she glanced at Scarlet with a friendly, almost sisterly smile.
"Ah, a newcomer wanting the grand tour, huh? Sure, I can tell you what I know." She nodded toward the village around them. "This place is called Elderwood Village. Small, quiet, and honestly a bit boring unless the harvest festival is happening."
Scarlet listened carefully, trying to absorb every detail.
Mira continued, "We're part of the Lunaris Territory, under the rule of the Fevialla Kingdom. Not that you'll see any knights or nobles wandering around here. We're too far from the capital for that."
Scarlet blinked. Fevialla Kingdom? Lunaris Territory? None of those names existed back home.
Mira didn't seem to notice her confusion. She pointed toward the distant treeline. "The forest over there is the Elderwood. Don't go in alone. It's peaceful most days, but magical beasts wander close sometimes."
Scarlet swallowed. "Magical… beasts?"
Mira laughed lightly. "Oh, don't worry. You won't see anything dangerous near the village. The hunters keep watch. And besides—" she leaned closer, lowering her voice playfully, "—you look like you could outrun a wolf if you had to."
Scarlet managed a small smile, though her mind was racing. Magical beasts? Fevialla Kingdom? This wasn't just a remote village. This was a different world entirely.
Mira straightened up again. "Anyway, Elderwood's a safe place. People here are kind, and we look out for each other. If you need food, clothes, or a place to stay, just ask. No one's going to turn you away."
Scarlet hesitated, then asked softly, "And… newcomers? Do people like me show up often?"
Mira chuckled.
"Not very often," she said. "But sometimes. Travelers, merchants, mage, traders and many more people come across our village for selling and buying and for many more purposes. But our village is not much prosperous and we often get attacked by demons and magical beast since our village far from the capital. But we do get help so you have to worry about it that much."
Scarlet's grip tightened on the bucket.
Wow that is so amazing. I'd like to travel new places and people too, and maybe I might find my friend too.
Mira's expression changed into fear for a moment but didn't comment. Instead, she pointed ahead. "There's the well. Let's fill these up before the morning rush."
Scarlet nodded, but her thoughts were spinning with excitement.
When they reached the stone well, Mira set her bucket down with a soft thud. "Alright, just hook it here and lower it gently. The rope's old, so don't yank it unless you want a bath."
Scarlet laughed a little and did she was told. The bucket descended smoothly, the sound of splashing water echoing up the well's walls.
Mira watched her with a small smile. "That was perfect."
Scarlet pulled the bucket back up, water sloshing inside. "Guess I'm lucky."
Mira said, taking the filled bucket from her. "You've got that look in your eyes. Like someone who's already planning her next step."
Scarlet blinked. "Is it that obvious?"
"Very," Mira teased. "You're not the type to sit still. I can tell."
Scarlet felt her cheeks warm. "Well… I can't. Not until I find Angel."
Mira's hands paused on the bucket's handle. Just a tiny pause—but Scarlet noticed.
Mira quickly recovered, forcing a cheerful tone. "Then you'll fit right in with the adventurers who pass through here. They're always chasing something—treasure, glory, lost friends, and you can also earn for yourself."
Scarlet's eyes brightened. "Adventurers come here?"
"Oh yes. Elderwood might be small, but it's on the road to the Lunaris frontier. Plenty of travelers stop by." Mira leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "If your friend is anywhere nearby, someone's bound to have seen her. But I'd liked you to stay here for a while until you get a hang of everything."
"Sure, if you don't mind me staying here for a while, I'd like to know more about other things, Mira." (They are such kind people)
"Look Scarlet over there is my house," as Mira pointed toward a decent looking two floored wooden house. "Hurry up, I'll get you some clothes."
Mira opened the door with a groan, the hinges protesting like they hadn't been oiled since the last solstice. Inside, her house was warm and dim, lit by the soft glow of enchanted lanterns that floated lazily near the rafters but it flickers as Scarlet walk pass through them. Dried herbs hung from the beams, their scents mingling in the air—sage, lavender, and something faintly metallic.
"Wait here," Mira said, disappearing behind a curtain of beads that chimed like wind through chimes.
Scarlet stood awkwardly, brushing off the road dust from her modern school uniform. She still hadn't gotten used to the way this world smelled—like earth and magic and something ancient just beneath the surface.
Mira returned with a bundle of clothes. "Found these in the old trunk. Belonged to my cousin—she used to hunt shadowbeasts near the marshlands."
Scarlet unfolded the garments: a fitted tunic of dark indigo cloth, reinforced with leather panels dyed a deep forest green. The sleeves were short, perfect for movement, and the collar high enough to keep out the chill. The trousers were rugged, with hidden pockets and stitched runes along the seams—subtle, but pulsing faintly with protective magic. A weathered cloak, clasped with a silver rose-shaped pin, completed the set.
Scarlet raised an eyebrow. "Is this what people wear around here?"
Mira grinned. "Only the ones who plan on surviving."
Scarlet smirked. "Good. That's exactly what I plan on doing from now on."
"While being unknown to what was coming for, Scarlet looked forward to her dangerous journey with full of excitement."