The morning sun shone over Iveleth as adventurers set out for work and merchants shouted their wares. As usual, the summer heat was intense, and pedestrians walked close to the walls, seeking the shade to shield themselves from the sun's rays. In one of the town's alleys stood a tavern—just like any other—but the strange thing was that everyone passing by turned to look at it due to the commotion inside.
"You fucker! If you step in here again, I'll cut your dick off!" screamed a waitress with orange hair, gripping a club in her hand.
"I'm sorry, Fiona! I swear I won't do it again!" the man slurred, clearly drunk.
"Are you challenging me?" muttered the tavern owner with a terrifying expression.
"No, no, no!" the man screamed as he ran away.
Amidst the commotion, Maris watched from the tavern entrance. After Fiona chased off the troublemaker, a strange silence fell over the place, as if a monster had just walked in. Moving cautiously, She sat at the counter to resume her usual work after kicking out the drunkard. At that moment, a young man with black hair, a leather armor, and a white cloak draping down to his thighs descended the stairs, looking like he had just woken up.
"What happened, Maris? What's all this noise?" Laos asked as he approached her, noticing that she was still watching the drunken man run away.
"You see that lunatic screaming as he runs?" Maris whispered.
"Yeah."
"He was so drunk he grabbed Fiona's breasts," Maris muttered.
"Hilarious," Laos chuckled.
After that, they returned to the tavern and had breakfast. Their meal consisted of two glasses of strawberry juice, two slices of honey bread, and some acorns—apparently, a breakfast they both enjoyed. After a while, Maris, having finished chewing a piece of honey bread, said: "So, today we're going to the Moon Goddess' temple."
"Yeah… By the way, is it far?" Laos asked while chewing.
"Not too far. It's farther than the Alis guild, but not by much."
"Alright."
After finishing breakfast, they left the tavern, with Laos paying Fiona for the meal. The weather was hot, so, as usual, Laos covered his head with his hood and continued walking after summoning his Astral Sword and fastening it to his waist. Maris then took his hand, and they continued toward the temple.
So, here I am on my way to the temple. I feel a bit nervous. No, it's more like embarrassment. I've never joined a religion in my entire life. This will be a new experience in every sense—a new experience in another world! I just hope the priestess is an elf. I really want to see an elf. Not that tree I saw at the bank, but a real elf with fair skin, long blonde hair, round boobs, and pointy ears with pink edges… God, that's hot!
"Thalesa, what do elves look like in this world?"
"They're like humans but with pointed ears, and they live much longer," Thalesa answered.
"And do they have plants and flowers growing in their hair?"
"What? No… Oh! You mean the Dryads."
"The Dryads?"
"They're one of Staria's races. They have plants in their hair, and their skin has a slight greenish tint. It's said they were born from the branches of the World Tree, Yggdrasil."
"Like the receptionist at the bank?"
"Yes, yes. She's a Dryad."
"Then why don't I see any elves? All I see are dark elves," I asked curiously, feeling a bit hopeful. Oh God, there's still a chance for me to see beautiful elves!!
"You're so ignorant!"
"Fuck you! Why are you so toxic?!!"
"I'm going to sleep. Don't bother me with your dumb questions."
"Oh, and by the way, after one more battle, you'll gain two new abilities and a new form," Thalesa finished.
"I don't give a fuck, just shut up you toxic!"
"God, it's so hot today," Maris muttered as she walked, still holding my hand.
"Yeah… By the way, Maris, why aren't there any elves here?" I asked.
"Oh, elves can't live anywhere outside the forests," Maris replied.
"Why?" Fuck, fuck, so I won't get to see elves after all? No, don't lose hope. All I have to do is go to the nearest forest!
"Well, elves worship the creation god, Elohim, because he was the only god who thought of their race and created the Yggdrasil Trees. Yggdrasil Trees are massive, towering over mountains, and there are only three of them in the world. One of them is in the far east of the continent, deep within the forests of Alfheim, where the elves of Sevios live."
"Okay, now for the most important part. Elves are creatures that require the aura of nature to survive. This aura is emitted abundantly by trees, but unfortunately, the gods did not anticipate that the elves' numbers would grow so large that the world's trees wouldn't be enough for them. So, Elohim left them the three Yggdrasil trees, and all elves across the world migrated to the three forests where Yggdrasil exists," Maris continued.
"So it's possible that we might find a small elven family living in one of the forests, like the Yavan forests, for example," I speculated.
"No, unfortunately, there isn't a single elf in the Kingdom of Yarum," Maris whispered.
Those words felt like a rock shattering a window—my window of imagination, where I lay in bed with Maris and another girl who was an elf, an elf I had recruited as a new member of my harem... But everything was ruined. Fuck that Yggdrasil tree!
"Are humans allowed to enter their forests?" I asked.
"In the other two forests on the continent of Bardel, I don't know. But the Kingdom of Alfheim, the elven kingdom that rules over that forest, forbids humans from entering. Only humans. Any other race is allowed inside," Maris answered.
"What? Why?" I muttered, losing hope of ever seeing an elf.
"It's a long story. About three hundred years ago, Alfheim waged war against several human kingdoms after they attempted to take some branches from the Yggdrasil tree. So the elves there decided to cut ties with humans," Maris explained.
Fuck, fuck, fuck! Out of all the difficult things in isekai worlds, out of all the impossible feats I could accomplish, I couldn't even see an elf!!! I mean, I've spoken with a goddess, become a spirit user, and can speak every language in this world, but I can't see an elf?!... Why? Why, fate? What did I do to deserve this punishment? I always loved them! I adored this race! It was the one race I truly wanted to see if I ever got transported to another world... But... why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
◆ ◆ ◆
"Look, we've arrived," Maris suddenly said while I was lost in thoughts about elves.
Finally, we had arrived. The temple was magnificent. It looked like ruins, yet it was new and stunning, with its white color. Its windows were breathtaking, stained glass of various colors, creating a mesmerizing scene. Not to mention the plants surrounding it, the small shrubs adorned with pink flowers—what a beautiful temple. It was truly fantasy... Yes! Such beauty!
Inside, the place was quiet and cool. Sunlight streamed in through the stained glass windows, casting colorful lights across the interior. Many people sat on the benches, their hands clasped together, praying in silence with their eyes closed. Directly ahead stood a gypsum statue—a statue of a woman with long hair. It was Lunariss.
Beneath the statue of Lunariss was a fountain, a circular fountain with clear water flowing lightly. I'm not gonna lie, this is the most beautiful place I've seen in Staria so far. But how does this fountain work? Is it magic?
As Maris and I stood there in the midst of this serene atmosphere, admiring the beauty of the place, a priestess approached us. She was an elf—a dark elf—with dark skin and honey-colored eyes. Her black hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and she wore a crimson robe embroidered with gold. However, it didn't resemble the attire of a nun. As she got closer, she spoke in a soft voice: "Welcome to the Moon Goddess temple."
"Nice to meet you, we're here because my husband has decided to become a follower of the great Moon Goddess," Maris responded.
"Of course! I am the priestess in charge of this temple. My name is Mylenna. Please follow me," she said calmly, as if she were in a library, before turning to walk away.
I followed her while Maris remained seated, waiting. As we walked deeper into the temple, it became clear that it was quite large. After some time, we reached an open area without a roof—a beautiful space bathed in sunlight. There were a few trees, and directly ahead of us was something that resembled a gate. It had an arched design and was sealed by an ornate fence. It looked more like a grand window. Beneath this window lay a small grave, covered with some plants as well.
"This is the grave of the traitor hero, and your first step to becoming a follower of the Moon Goddess. You must stone it," the priestess declared.
"Understood," I murmured.
After that, she handed me a set of damp pebbles and waited for me to stone the grave. Amazing. The graves of this hero… I don't know, but they're always so beautiful and serene. Just looking at them fills you with a strange sense of peace. Peace so deep that it makes you question—was he really a traitor? Or was history rewritten? It doesn't matter. What matters now is that this grave brings comfort.
"Curse him as you stone," the dark elf said as I threw the pebbles.
"Curse you, traitor!" I shouted, continuing to pelt the grave.
After that, Mylenna called another priestess and instructed her to clean up the pebbles I had just thrown. Fuck, this reminds me of that fucking village… Ugh, what terrible memories. Damn it, my mood just soured all of a sudden. Why does this happen right after I found some peace in this temple?
"May the goddess bless your act. Now, let's move on to the next step," she said, walking away from the grave.
Suddenly, a priestess stepped forward. She was a demi-human with pointed yellow ears. Those are definitely cat ears! She was carrying a wooden bucket filled with water. She approached, handed it to me, and then silently withdrew. What? Is the next step taking a shower?! That would actually be great since I haven't had one in a while!
"The next step is to wash your face and hands with this water. It is natural rainwater that fell on a Lunar Night," Mylenna explained.
"Thalesa, what's a Lunar Night?"
"A night when the moon shines brightly, its light at its fullest. The followers of the Moon Goddess say that on this night, she blesses them. Any rain that falls during this time is considered sacred."
"Alright," I muttered as I washed my hands in the wooden bucket, then splashed water on my face and waited for it to dry.
"Excellent! Now, the final step—your first prayer," she said as she led me back to the prayer hall.
When Maris saw me, she gave me a small smile. I sat on one of the benches, and Mylenna instructed me to clasp my hands together like the others. After I did, she asked me to close my eyes and recite: "Oh, great Moon Goddess, Lunariss, grant us your blessings, bestow upon us your wisdom, and protect us with your power."
"Applaud the newest follower of our great goddess!" Mylenna declared.
Immediately, everyone in the temple started clapping, even the priests, as they chanted, "May the goddess bless your life!" Well, at this moment, I had officially become a follower of the same goddess who gave me the NPC class and exiled me to that beast princess' palace. Pathetic, isn't it? But who cares? Since childhood, I've always believed in one thing: do whatever it takes to achieve your desires. Good, evil, morality—it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is achieving your goal.
And my goal is to obtain healing spells—to protect my adventure life.
"Two Nova, please," Mylenna said as she approached me.
"Ahh—"
Isn't there anything free in this town?!!!!