Volume 2, Chapter 32 ~Hungry Flame

This forest felt... unusual.

No, more accurately, Ruglian was deeply abnormal.

Even when we first entered, I’d sensed something strange—an ethereal, undetectable aura that eluded even Divine Appraisal. That faint presence explained why the sunlight had seemed dimmer the moment we crossed the boundary.

It wasn’t that Ruglian had a different sun than Kaleburn—it was that the region was suffused with an aura hostile to beings of light, to the point that even basic perception was skewed.

The campfire crackled. Wenfu sat by the flames, her tiny shoulders trembling slightly—whether from cold or nerves, it was hard to say. Her fluffy tail twitched restlessly behind her, like a kitten stranded in unknown territory, deeply unsettled and constantly on edge.

Felicia was sorting through her gear, and Astrid had perched herself in a tree nearby, attuned to every rustle, every breeze, every insect or beast moving through the forest. Nothing escaped her elven senses.

Perhaps it was a racial trait—Her Highness was really good at climbing trees.

While I could serve as the team’s radar, doing so might reveal too much. Two of our teammates still didn’t know my true identity.

It wasn’t that I deliberately kept it from them, but—well, if a supposedly extinct Gold Elf suddenly appeared before them, I wasn’t sure how they'd react.

“To lighten the mood, shall I tell you all a story?” I poked the fire with a stick, breaking the tense silence.

“Eh? A story?” Wenfu perked up, her eyes sparkling. Even Astrid glanced my way from the treetop.

“Yes. A rumor, uncertain if it’s true or fiction.” I rested my head on my hand, toying with a strand of hair.

“What kind of story?”

“Once upon a time, four companions ventured into a forest—just like us.” My voice was as calm as a songbird’s, but the cool breeze brushing our skin added an eerie undertone.

“They pitched tents and settled in. But when night fell, the leader did a headcount—and no matter how she counted, there were five people. Even though only four had entered.”

“Ugh?!” Wenfu tensed, goosebumps rising. Clearly, this wasn’t a cozy bedtime tale.

“Ehehe, so there was an extra person? Wouldn’t that just make things livelier?” Felicia joked as she set up her tent.

“Night passed. Exhausted, the four fell asleep across two tents. At dawn, a heavy mist blanketed the sky, and when the leader woke up, she found the number had changed again.”

“This time, they were back to four.”

Gulp... Wenfu clenched her tiny fists.

“But when night came... it became five again.”

“This went on for three days.” My voice softened to a whisper.

“Now then, can you guess what happened on the fourth day?”

“There’s a prize if you get it right~” I wiggled a finger with a playful smile.

“Maybe... they were five again?” Felicia guessed carelessly.

“Nope.”

“Then it's still four in the morning, five at night, but by the fifth morning... maybe there was no one left?” Astrid chimed in from the tree.

“Oh? Why do you say that?” I asked.

“There was a ghost among them. It appeared only at night, which is why the count became five. But by day, it vanished, returning the count to four.”

“Then why was there no one left on the fifth morning?”

“Eh? Maybe the ghost was just playing a prank, and they all escaped?” Wenfu laughed nervously.

“No.” Astrid shook her head. “Because the ghost killed them all.”

“Myaaa?!” Wenfu’s tail shot upright.

“Each night, the ghost killed one person and took their place, hiding the truth from the others.”

“It took three nights to kill everyone except the leader. On the fourth night, it was her turn.”

“By the fifth morning... no one was left.” Astrid pronounced the words one by one.

“Correct~” I clapped lightly. “As expected of you, Astrid—you’re sharp as ever.”

Astrid didn’t respond or ask for a prize. She simply leaned against the tree trunk in silence.

“Alright then, it’s late. Let’s eat and get some rest.”

“By the way, did any of you notice something odd?”

“Odd?” the others echoed.

“This forest is clearly a better habitat than the wasteland, yet there isn’t a single demon nearby. What does that tell you?” I asked, my smile fading.

“It means... There's something in this forest far more terrifying than those demons. So terrifying that even low-tier demons avoid it.”

Before anyone could respond, I finished the thought myself.

“Even while resting, we must stay alert.”

That ghost story wasn’t just for fun—it was a warning. A tale eerily similar to our own situation, designed to heighten my teammates’ subconscious vigilance.

Not that it worked on Astrid or Felicia. The former treated it as fiction, and the latter didn’t believe in ghosts. If they did exist, she’d love to try fighting one.

As for Wenfu... Well, she was definitely spooked. But seeing how calm her teammates were, she bit her lip and stayed quiet.

She couldn’t be the one causing trouble again, could she?

And being afraid of ghosts was... so childish.

“There are three tents. Astrid doesn’t need sleep, being an elf. So let’s sleep one to a tent,” Felicia suggested.

Wenfu flinched.

One tent per person...

She’d have to sleep alone tonight?!

Wenfu wobbled toward her tent—only to trip over something.

Looking down, the firelight revealed a bone—pale, eerie.

Not a beast’s bone, judging by the shape.

“A demon’s remains?” I picked it up and inspected it. Indeed, not a magical beast’s skeleton—most likely that of a low-tier demon native to the area.

Clearly, something had killed demons in this forest.

Wenfu’s eyes welled up. She turned to me, helpless.

“Teresa-nee...”

“Yes?”

“I... I...”

I already knew what she wanted. Her pitiful look made me drop the teasing. Stroking her soft cat fur, I smiled gently.

“Wanna sleep in my tent tonight?”

“Mhm!” Wenfu nodded eagerly, her fluffy ears twitching with hope.

“I guess I have no choice,” I chuckled, poking her little nose.

“Yay! I love Teresa-nee the most!” With that, the soft bundle that was Wenfu threw herself into my embrace.

Night fell, cloaking the already eerie Ruglian in darkness.

Astrid sat high in the treetop, eyes closed but senses sharp. Not even the rustle of leaves escaped her attention.

Elves didn’t need much sleep in forests—they could stay awake for days. I had once thought that, in my previous world, cultivators would envy this trait deeply.

Her hand rested on her curved blade. Though the moon was hidden, and the forest oppressive, it was still a forest. Elves were at home here, always.

Suddenly, Astrid opened her eyes. It wasn’t something she saw—but something she felt. A presence at her side.

Sure enough, golden strands of hair floated in the wind beside her.

“Shouldn’t you be with Wenfu?” she asked.

“She’s already asleep.” I plopped down next to her, legs swinging freely.

Kids were easy. Tell a scary story, give them some comfort—they’d feel safe and drift right off. I didn’t even have to do much. She had curled up in my arms, muttering “Mother...” before falling asleep.

“And you’re not resting?”

“I felt bad leaving you on watch alone,” I said, brushing a lock of hair behind my ear. Bathed in moonless night, the dark only served to highlight the gleam of my golden radiance.

“So I thought I’d join you.”

“I can handle it alone.”

“Didn’t I say earlier that guessing the story correctly came with a reward?” I cut her off. “Time to make good on that promise.”

“Unless... you don’t want to spend a lovely night together?” I teased, tossing her a flirtatious wink.

“...” Astrid looked away, letting the wind carry her silver hair.

The innuendo in my words was clear. If this were the first time, she might have thought it unintentional—but now?

Even she was surprised by her own reaction. After all the teasing, how had she still not gotten used to it?

Instead of brushing it off, she felt her cheeks heat up, her eyes unable to meet mine. It was strange—even to her.

And “spend a lovely night”...

That phrase triggered mental images she’d tried to suppress.

The brain was like a database—once triggered, it automatically recalled any vividly imprinted memories.

Astrid found herself spiraling. Just one glance, one teasing line, and her imagination went wild.

Truthfully, Astrid had... extensive knowledge of certain things. Far more than anyone might expect. Including...

Why am I like this? she thought. What’s wrong with me?

She shook her head, trying to refocus—but the more she tried, the more vivid her thoughts became. And darker.

Beside her, I clutched my stomach, frowning.

Why was I hungry again?

I’d eaten dinner just a while ago. With the forest’s natural harmony, I shouldn’t feel hungry at all. So why this sudden craving?

The stillness of the forest deepened my unease. I didn’t show it, of course—just kept toying with my hair as I sat there.

This place was a demon-repelling taboo zone. Something more terrifying than demons had to be keeping them away. But then why hadn’t it shown itself?

Not one demon—not even a weak one—since we entered. Why?

And the more I thought about it, the stronger the tightness in my belly became. As if a fire burned within, urging me to feed. If I didn’t, it felt like it would tear me apart.

Something was wrong. Very wrong.

As an Elf, I rarely felt hunger. Fatigue was uncommon too. This was highly unusual.

I looked at Astrid.

Why did I suddenly want to bite into her soft, black-stockinged thigh?

It must taste amazing.

No!

I forced the thought down, a cold sweat breaking across my brow.

How could I think something so horrifying?!

When I looked again, I saw Astrid staring back—eyes fixed on my fair wrist, with a gaze disturbingly similar to mine just now.

Uh-oh...

A terrible thought struck me.

This forest was not normal.

“Astrid?”

“...”

She blinked, as if waking from a dream, shaken by whatever had just gone through her mind.

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