We were still sitting at the table in the hall when, during a brief pause that had formed, a rumble, perhaps a little too loud, came from my stomach and broke the silence. I lowered my gaze, embarrassed, and heard the two men laughing. Bianca said something in a stern tone and got up from the table. With a few final words, David stood as well, following Bianca, and they both waved at me. I returned the gesture timidly.

  Preon opened his mouth as if to say something, then thought better of it and closed it again. He gestured for me to wait, and I found myself sitting alone once more, with nothing to do.

  Preon entered the room opposite the hall, and after a few moments, I heard various sounds from there, as if he had begun cooking. Curiosity got the better of me, and I rose to follow him. I paused at the doorway, silently watching him move around the room.

  It was smaller than the main hall, long and narrow. A huge window, almost spanning the entire wall, made the space bright. Shelves lined the sides of the room, filled with all sorts of things—pots, plates, various ingredients, utensils, and other items I had never seen before, likely for cooking. On the right, a cabinet emitted a faint presence of mana.

  Preon seemed to read my mind, because he opened it almost at the exact moment I looked at it, and to my surprise, a rush of cold air flowed out. I would ask him later what that was about. When he noticed me watching from the doorway, he smiled gently, making me blush again.

  A small metal pot sat on a red plate, probably heating whatever was inside. Another bowl contained various ingredients I couldn’t quite see, but soon the room was filled with the rich aroma of spices.

  I stood there, mesmerized, watching him move and cook.

  In front of me was a dish completely unfamiliar, but it smelled of delicious meat. Without worrying if it might be poisoned, I dove in, savoring every bite. There was meat, and I could taste tomato, but along with those, there was something else. I couldn’t define it; I had never eaten anything with that texture or flavor, but it was exquisite.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Preon’s satisfied look. I finished my plate so quickly that with the last bites, I nearly choked. I coughed a couple of times and reached for the glass of water beside me. Two long sips later, I let out a contented sigh and set the glass back.

  Preon, who had witnessed the whole scene, laughed. For a moment I felt offended, but then I couldn’t help it, I laughed along with him.

  That afternoon, we found ourselves sitting at the table in the hall with the fireplace, surrounded by sheets covered in drawings and writing. In our own way, we tried to communicate and learn each other’s languages. We took turns drawing a figure, then writing its name before saying it aloud.

  It all started as a game, but it took up the entire afternoon. We lost track of time, and the sunlight, already dim, began to fade behind the treetops. Preon lit the mana lamps, only then did I notice them hanging from the ceiling, and I realized how much the temperature had dropped when he briefly stood to light the fire in the hearth.

  I sat, captivated by the delicate flames slowly growing, while Preon returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner. I sank into the sofa, warmed by the fire, and found myself thinking that perhaps staying in this village wasn’t such a bad idea.

  In the following days, I remained mostly inside, unsure how to interact with the other humans, and perhaps still too afraid to be seen.

  During those days, I focused on learning their language as best I could.

  Too bad there wasn’t magic to instantly learn a language…

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Sometimes I got bored, struggling to pronounce words that were so difficult and so different from Elvish. But often, Preon stayed at the table with me, helping. Being around him was becoming pleasant, perhaps too pleasant, and without realizing it, I began to understand him when he spoke, slowly, in simple words. Most of the time, I could only respond with a nod or a gesture.

  After three weeks, I accepted Preon’s invitation for the first time to eat at the inn with some of the other villagers. I had gone out before, exploring the village and surrounding area, but always at night and never too far, to avoid being seen. Even though I now knew the village like the back of my hand, I had never seen it clearly in daylight. It looked completely different in the sun.

  Preon led me to the main building. They simply called it “the Inn,” but it felt more like a villa. It stood at the top of the village, overlooking a large stone-paved square. It was the first time I had entered such a building, and I found myself genuinely happy.

  The first room was laid out like a normal inn. Tables and wooden chairs, a counter at the back, and a door behind it, which I assumed led to the kitchen. Before we sat to eat, Preon gave me a brief tour.

  First, we entered a room to the right. Shelves lined the walls, neatly filled with numerous books. I was in a library! My excitement quickly faded: the books were all in human language, but I told myself I could someday start reading them. Who knew… perhaps there might even be spellbooks?

  The tour was short. He took me upstairs to see other rooms. One room looked much like the living room at Preon’s house, with a fireplace and armchairs, and a long wooden table along half the wall. On the opposite side was a small raised area, like a stage. That room seemed to be used for gatherings.

  There was another large, empty room, and two more rooms served as storage for food or supplies.

  The village had only nine inhabitants, not counting me. Whenever I tried to ask more about the village’s origin or why so few people lived there, I received only curt responses about a disease or vague explanations. The topic was always interrupted for one reason or another. Though I was curious, I gave up trying to know more. After all, they had welcomed me as one of their own without questioning my past.

  Preon explained that this village had long been cut off from other humans, they had adapted and become self-sufficient, from farming and clothing production to raising animals. I didn’t fully understand why, though it seemed linked to a war. Still, everyone there appeared happy with their life, so I didn’t worry much. I couldn’t feel completely safe, but being isolated from the other humans meant perhaps they didn’t even know about the “hunt for elves.”

  Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t notice my hunger until the aroma from the kitchen reached me. I was seated alone at a table while Preon prepared something. That morning, we would eat with Bianca, David, and another couple.

  I grew nervous at the thought of introducing myself. I fidgeted in my chair.

  What if they hated my kind? Maybe they’d want to drive me out of the village. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed… perhaps…

  A hand rested on my back. I spun around in panic. Preon was smiling gently.

  “Don’t be afraid.”

  His firm voice seemed to erase all my worries, as if he had sensed my anxiety. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself.

  When the others arrived, four new people introduced themselves: Edune, Tristan, Liz, and Cole.

  Liz looked very young, with red hair and a face full of freckles. She had a sweet smile, and her eyes shone with curiosity and enthusiasm. The man beside her, Cole, was also young, looking thoughtful, his thick eyebrows giving him a perpetually stern expression.

  Edune seemed the same age as Bianca. Looking at her made me uneasy, as if she could peer into my soul. Her compassionate gaze almost annoyed me, but I tried to ignore it.

  The last man physically resembled Preon, with light brown curly hair and eyes of the same color, and a similar curious look to Liz’s.

  Among them, I felt like a rare creature found in the woods, but surely, seeing an elf wasn’t common for humans.

  The only ones missing were a couple: Tao and Malù. I had not yet met either of them, but Preon briefly explained they were married and had lost their daughter. That’s why Malù stayed indoors and rarely appeared, while Tao stayed close to care for her.

  During the meal, I tried to follow the conversation, but often I couldn’t understand. Soon, I gave up, waiting for Preon to repeat things slowly, summarizing simply what was being said.

  My first surprise was learning that Bianca and David were not Preon’s parents, as I had assumed. They were actually Liz’s parents, and after realizing that, I noticed the family resemblance. Edune was Cole’s mother, though in his case, I saw little resemblance; the boy had clearly inherited traits from his father.

  The meal was more exhausting than expected, and I realized that trying to follow all the conversation had tired me. Even though it was only mid-afternoon, I told Preon I would go home to light the fireplace, and used that as an excuse to leave the group.

  Winter was drawing closer. The sun set early, and the cold became increasingly sharp.

  Once I was sure the fire wouldn’t die out, I collapsed onto the sofa. I was far more tired than I had expected. Nestled against the crackling warmth, I fell asleep in an instant.