Gardenia’s Heart

Even though she had given an excuse for being alone, Lily hadn’t expected them to agree so easily.

Still leaning against the tree, she watched the pair slowly approach, their expressions completely different from one another. The silver-haired girl had always been good at judging a person's character, a skill that had helped her escape trouble many times. Because of that, she could tell what these two thought of her.

Kelios, the green-haired elf, looked at her with disdain, most likely because, technically, she was an intruder. There was nothing she could do about that.

On the other hand, Zaylin, the elf with soft pink hair, seemed willing to talk, and it was obvious she was the reason Kelios had agreed to help. However, something about her demeanor made Lily suspicious. She didn’t know why yet, but since her intuition had never failed her before, she made a mental note to keep a close eye on the girl.

"We will take you to the city, but we have your word that you won’t harm us, right?" Zaylin spoke up, supporting Kelios on her shoulder.

"Yes, I have no intention of harming you or your people. Besides, since I’m responsible for your current condition, I’ll protect you until we reach your village." Stepping away from the tree, Lily nodded in agreement.

"Protect? Who do you think you are to claim you understand our forest, human—!?"

Kelios couldn’t finish his words, as his cheeks were suddenly pinched by the girl beside him. Turning his aching face to the side, he found Zaylin smiling with closed eyes—an ominous, threatening smile. Only after he lowered his head in defeat did she release him. Rubbing his face multiple times to soothe the pain, he furrowed his brows once more.

Seeing this, the elf girl let out another sigh, her expression making it clear that if the situation were different, she would have already punched her reckless companion.

"...So, which way do we go?" After watching their exchange, Lily hesitated for a moment before asking.

Because of the nature of the sensory barrier, she wondered how the elves managed to navigate so easily through the various biomes. Even if they had a map, without even the sun’s position as a reliable guide, it wouldn’t be very useful.

"In order to move through the forest, we need a guide. Without one, it’s impossible to find the path to the city," Zaylin explained in a gentle tone, stepping away from Kelios after giving him another glare to ensure his silence.

Walking a few steps ahead of Lily and her companion, Zaylin knelt down, clasped her hands over her chest, and closed her eyes, her expression relaxing.

"Oh, guardian of the forest, please hear your servant’s call and extend your protection to us," she murmured softly.

Mana began to swirl around her, and a gentle breeze made her pink hair sway.

Not understanding what she was doing, Lily felt the tentacles beneath her clothes tighten. Nia was already preparing for any possible danger, assuming a stance ready to react.

Pink pulses of light filled the air, and suddenly, a small rosy sphere appeared near Zaylin’s hands.

"Good morning, Maple," Zaylin greeted with a timid smile, gently running her fingers over the energetic little orb.

Maple seemed delighted to have been summoned again, eagerly rubbing against the elf’s hand, radiating warmth.

However, the moment the pink sphere appeared, Lily’s eyes widened more than ever. Spinning around quickly, she covered her mouth with both hands.

"Nia, that’s the light I told you about yesterday! The one I saw between the bushes!" she whispered excitedly, her eyes darting subtly toward the glowing sphere floating around the elf.

The girl didn’t understand what the elf had done, but the realization that what she saw last night wasn’t her imagination thrilled her so much that telling Nia became her top priority.

(I'm sorry for doubting you last night, Lily. I’ll never make that mistake again!) Realizing she had misjudged the situation, Nia spoke with a determined tone, her tentacles tightening as she berated herself for doubting her beloved.

Slipping both hands under her clothes discreetly, Lily gently stroked the purple tentacles to soothe the metamorph. She wished she could speak to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault, but with people around, she did her best to comfort her through touch alone.

After a few seconds of quick, precise movements of her hands, Lily turned back around before the elves could notice anything unusual, her face returning to an expressionless state to conceal her hidden excitement.

"...So, what is this?" Lily asked, tilting her head slightly.

Standing up from the ground, Zaylin held out her palms, giving Lily a perfect view of the glowing pink sphere.

"This is Maple, a fairy. She will be our guide through the forest."

As Zaylin spoke, the pink sphere glowed even more intensely, as if finally noticing the human’s presence.

With a sudden movement that even stirred the wind, the pink fairy darted toward Lily, circling her multiple times.

"W-What!?" Lily yelped in surprise, watching the pink light swirl around her with overwhelming energy.

Like a mosquito buzzing around her ears, the tiny fairy flitted around her face and body, making incomprehensible noises.

"This is unexpected—Maple is extremely shy around new people."

Taking a few steps closer, Zaylin observed the interaction with a curious expression, tilting her body slightly for a better view.

"The first time she saw Kelios, she immediately ran away. It took me almost a month to convince her to get within a meter of him."

Resting her hand on her chin, the elf watched as her tiny friend 'played' with the silver-haired human.

"Do something about her! I can’t walk like this!" Lily protested with increasing frustration.

She was now trying to wave the fairy away with one hand while simultaneously holding Nia back, who was ready to attack under the assumption that Lily was being threatened.

"Maple, come back here," Zaylin spoke softly, yet the effect was immediate.

Upon hearing the elf’s call, the overexcited fairy promptly returned to her side, though she seemed reluctant to leave her newfound source of amusement.

Letting out a small sigh of relief, Lily adjusted the hood of her black cloak before stepping a bit closer to the two elves. For some reason, Kelios, who had been grumpier than anyone until now, had both hands covering his mouth as if stifling laughter at her expense.

Deciding to simply ignore him, Lily hesitated before pointing at the glowing sphere. "So... she will show us the way?"

The way the elf treated the sphere made it clear it wasn’t a monster. Lily knew that some races weren’t conventionally classified as such, so she considered this might be one of those cases.

"Fairies are the guides of the forest. They are the only ones unaffected by the great barrier and can move freely through any biome."

Hearing Zaylin’s explanation, Lily nodded. Just as her wife had mentioned before, it seemed there were indeed exceptions to the barrier’s restrictions.

Stepping a little closer, Lily noticed how the incomprehensible sounds from Maple didn’t seem to bother the elf, who exchanged short phrases with the sphere, a small smile on her lips.

"You can understand her?" Lily asked, a hint of curiosity slipping into her expression.

"Oh... Right! I hadn’t explained that. Elves have the innate ability to hear the voices of fairies. I can understand everything Maple says, though her sentences are short and not very complex. She’s almost like a small child, delighted by everything around her."

As Zaylin explained, Lily couldn't help but chuckle quietly. With discreet movements, she traced the tentacles of a certain girl who was extremely curious about everything around her, receiving soft, timid moans in response within her mind.

"Since fairies love exploring the forest to the point of getting easily distracted, Maple isn’t always with me. But because we have a contract, whenever I call her, she’ll find me no matter where I am."

Playfully toying with the glowing sphere, Zaylin turned to Lily, noticing the small face full of questions beneath the hood.

"Contract?"

The word Lily hadn’t expected to hear made her tilt her head, prompting the elf to explain.

"A contract is—"

That is, if she hadn’t been immediately interrupted.

"Shut up. Stop saying things she doesn’t need to know and let’s just go already."

With an irritated grunt, Kelios, who had been silently observing, suddenly butted into the conversation.

Zaylin frowned for a moment at the abrupt interruption. She considered arguing but ultimately agreed that getting a move on was the better choice.

"Maple, could you guide us home, please?"

Calling out to the small glowing sphere that floated nearby, Zaylin spoke in a gentle tone, making the fairy shine even brighter.

"Wait, just following her wouldn’t work—we’d still get lost in the forest."

Noticing the floating sphere beginning to move away, Lily quickly voiced her concern.

Seeing the silver-haired girl panic slightly, Zaylin covered her mouth to stifle a soft laugh.

"It’s fine. Since I’m her contractor, as long as I acknowledge everyone here as non-threatening, Maple will ensure the barrier doesn’t affect us while we stay close to her."

Nodding for Kelios to follow, Zaylin prepared to walk through the trees—until she suddenly felt something wrap tightly around her waist.

"W-What!?"

"What the hell!?"

Both elves shouted in unison as their sense of up and down was abruptly thrown into chaos. With firm control, a thick purple tentacle lifted them several meters into the air.

Zaylin, realizing she could still move her limbs somewhat, frantically turned her head in all directions to assess the situation. Her companion, however, wasn’t as lucky—trapped upside down, his joints completely immobilized by what she initially mistook for strange purple threads.

"Lady Lily!?"

Confused, the elf looked down to see the silver-haired woman.

"As I mentioned earlier, your well-being is my responsibility, so I won’t make you walk."

Stretching her arms casually, Lily gave a small smile as two black wings emerged from her back.

"We just need to follow the fairy, right? This way will be much more efficient."

Without even needing to gain momentum, Lily lifted a few centimeters off the ground before shooting forward at high speed, weaving between the trees.

The moment she took off, both elves—firmly restrained by the tentacles extending from the girl’s back—screamed in terror as their vision blurred into streaks of green.

Their stomachs froze, and their noses and ears were blocked by the strong wind. Clenching their teeth as best they could, both elves felt their bodies swaying from side to side, narrowly avoiding hitting each branch by mere centimeters.

(The fairy is indeed heading toward the 'distortion,') Nia observed with curiosity, adjusting her tentacles to ensure the elves didn’t crash into a tree and die.

"What luck that we found—or rather, were found by—these elves. This will save us a lot of time on the journey."

Lily smiled faintly as she adjusted her body to slip between two trees.

As the pink sphere accelerated even more upon noticing Lily’s speed, the girl realized she wouldn’t need to hold back. However, perhaps thinking they were playing, the fairy began making sharper, more intricate movements as she guided them—forcing Lily to execute even more complex maneuvers than she had learned so far.

(There really are more of them around here... I can’t sense them with mana-location, but I can see them.)

Hearing her wife’s remark, Lily scanned the surroundings while still keeping her focus on Maple.

Beneath the bushes, inside tree trunks, and even under the rivers, several colorful spheres swayed cheerfully as they noticed the group moving. They seemed to be in every biome they passed through, to the point that Lily wondered what had made them reveal themselves now when they had previously tried so hard to stay hidden.

“P-Please, let’s take a break! Please!” With a desperate cry, Zaylin used the last of her strength to try to get the girl’s attention.

Noticing the elf’s distress, both Lily and Maple slowed their pace and headed toward a grassy area nearby. Nia carefully placed the elf on the ground before indifferently letting go of the male elf who had laughed at her beloved.

“K-Kelios, are you okay!?” Still feeling dizzy, Zaylin rushed to her companion, who was now struggling just to crawl on the ground.

“S-She’s a monster!? What the hell are those wings!? How can she carry both of us like that without breaking a sweat!?” As his face had turned blue from nausea, Kelios shouted as loudly as he could.

In moments like this, Zaylin really wished she could resort to violence.

“And are you a masochist? Stop saying things that might put us in danger!” She wanted to argue more, but not even a second later, Kelios had to bend over and vomit.

Sighing a few more times, the pink-haired elf ran her fingers over her friend’s back to offer some comfort. After several minutes of struggle, the elf who had been carried upside down the entire way finally managed to sit up.

“I didn’t bring any medicine for nausea, so eat this—it’ll at least help get rid of the taste of your vomit.” With an expression that was both considerate and reluctant, Zaylin pulled a small, rectangular brown bar from the backpack slung over her shoulders and handed it to him.

“Wait, you still had this saved?” Exclaiming in surprise, the elf quickly popped it into his mouth.

“Of course I didn’t eat it all on the first night, idiot.”

Deciding there was no point in arguing with Kelios in his current state, Zaylin stood up. Now that her dizziness had faded, she approached Lily, who was once again being playfully circled by Maple.

“Would you... like to try some? It’s the last one I have. I swear on the name of my savior that it’s not poisoned!” Holding out another bar with both hands, Zaylin lowered her head in what almost looked like a bow.

Despite the strange and overly dramatic phrasing, Lily was intrigued by the food. The sweet aroma wafting from the treat was so strong that she couldn’t help but salivate.

“I... I’ll accept if it’s not a problem.” Choosing to ignore the fairy that seemed to find joy in circling her, Lily took the small confection between her fingers.

The texture felt firm but was already yielding to the warmth of her hand. The moment she brought it to her mouth, it melted almost instantly on her tongue, an intense flavor bursting forth—a mix of sweetness and bitterness unlike anything she had tasted before.

(Lily, this is incredible!)

With their senses linked, it didn’t take long for Nia to cry out in delight, overwhelmed by the incomparable taste.

Eyes closed and her beloved’s ecstatic voice echoing in her head, Lily didn’t even notice when she had started licking her fingers, trying to savor every last trace of the treat.

“This... what is this?” Completely stunned, Lily murmured, staring at the elf with wide eyes.

“It’s called chocolate.” Zaylin began explaining, laughing softly at the human girl’s reaction. “A few years ago, some elves found the seeds of a fruit called cacao in a tropical biome, and we’ve been experimenting with ways to eat it ever since. At first, it was just a bitter food, but when we started mixing it with honey, sugar, and cinnamon, it became something so delicious!”

The elf spoke in an animated tone, but Lily couldn’t focus on all her words, her dazed mind still struggling to process the lingering sweetness on her tongue.

“Nia, remind me to get some of those plant seeds later,” Lily murmured, receiving a quick response in the form of a gentle squeeze from the tentacles beneath her dress.

She had tasted many sweets before whenever she had some money, but she hadn’t expected that, by coming into contact with a new culture, she would find such incredible things.

“Maple, what part of the forest are we in?” Calling the fairy to come closer with a wave of her hand, Zaylin leaned in to listen to the glowing sphere—just a second before her eyes widened completely.

“Area 2!?”

Jumping in place, the elf frantically scanned her surroundings. Her mind refused to believe what the fairy had just said, but her eyes confirmed it.

“Is there a problem?” Lily asked, the elf’s agitated attitude pulling her out of her distraction from the chocolate’s taste.

“We're in Area 2! We were in Area 12 less than an hour ago!” The elf shouted.

“Is that a very large distance?” Lily tilted her head.

“To make exploring the forest easier, we divided it into areas and directions. We were in the western part, Area 12, which means we were at the edge of the forest! Now we're in Area 2, which means we were almost at the city!” Looking at the vegetation of the biomes around her several times, the elf couldn't believe she recognized the trees she saw so perfectly. “It wouldn't be possible to cover this distance even if we ran day and night without stopping!”

While Zaylin cried out in astonishment, Lily observed the black wings on her back, gently swaying.

Though they were undeniably slower than portals, she could still reach incredible speeds even while moving between the trees—to the point where she hadn’t even noticed she had covered such a distance.

With a small smile on her face, Lily stretched her body once more. If they were already so close, then there was no point in resting too much now.

“Shall we go, then?” Extending her hand toward the two elves so that Nia could lift them with her tentacles again, Lily noticed how both of their faces contorted in panic.

“Please, let’s walk! We're really close, it won’t take more than five minutes!” Stopping her examination of the trees and running toward the human girl, Zaylin explained urgently, her body trembling in fear of the tentacle that was about to grab her.

“...Oh, alright then. Maple, could you show us the way?” Nodding, Lily turned to the pink sphere beside her, her black wings dissolving as she spoke.

With a soft pink pulse, the fairy resumed floating toward the dense vegetation, and this time, Lily followed at a leisurely pace.

Sighing in relief at being spared another rough trip, Zaylin fixed her messy pink hair and ran over to help Kelios up, supporting him on her shoulder.

“Come on, weren’t you going to propose to your girlfriend? Don’t let a little nausea take you down.” Zaylin encouraged her companion, doing her best to help him walk.

“Hey...” Though he had many things to say about the situation, the young man ignored them all, his eyes focusing on the human girl and the pink sphere floating beside her several meters ahead. “Since when does a contracted fairy obey an order from someone who isn't its contractor?”

Kelios’ words made Zaylin stop moving for a moment, a confused grunt catching in her throat as she realized that she hadn’t been the one to tell Maple what to do.

“...Let’s go. If we don’t move, we’ll fall behind.” Running a hand through the green hair that covered his eyes, Kelios was the one who helped his frozen companion move.

Feeling her partner encouraging her to think about it later, the elf duo resumed walking.

Just as Zaylin had said, in just a few minutes, when Lily passed through a row of trees, a shiver ran down her entire body.

Her steps faltered for an instant. All at once, the entire environment around her dissolved like a watercolor painting being washed away. From the scent of flowers to the chirping of birds, everything had changed.

“The inner barrier in Area 1 prevents the city from being seen from the outside.” Reaching Lily’s side, Zaylin spoke in a soft, almost solemn tone, watching as the girl stared ahead in shock.

Colossal cliffs, covered in moss and dense vegetation, rose like natural walls. Bioluminescent flowers glowed gently, illuminating the ground beneath towering trees over one hundred and fifty meters tall.

The humidity in the air and the fresh scent of damp earth reminded her of a pleasant rainy day. It was as if she had crossed a threshold into a place where nature thrived more intensely than anywhere else in the world.

“This is the entrance to the elf city, Lampides!”