"I'm telling you I'm not a spirit, I'm just a regular elf, you don't have to sacrifice anyone to me"

Actually, they shouldn't sacrifice people to anyone, but to me even less.

"But we can clearly see your immense mana, no mortal being could be that powerful"

"Why won't you accept me as a sacrifice? Am I not good enough?"

"Of course you're good enough! I mean, no! You're not!, I mean... I don't take sacrifices in the first place!"

I should have tried to clear their misunderstanding sooner... this is why they say that lying only serves to create more problems in the future...

But even if I had insisted on me being an elf from the start, I don't know if I would have been able to convince them, if only there was some method to prove my race... wait, now that I think about it, there actually is one, isn't there.

"Please, take a look at this"

I take out my appraisal stone and show them my status, even though I don't want people to know about it, this time it seems like it will be the lesser of two evils.

"Level 508..."

"Rank 20 in dark magic..."

"How is this possible?"

They all seem surprised by what they're reading on the stone.

"Do you all understand now? I'm not a spirit"

"Yes, we can see..."

Well, that's good.

"We apologize for calling you a great spirit of darkness, we can see now that you are something far more fearsome"

What!? No!

"But I'm an elf, see?" I point to the race line of my status.

"But you are level 508, and your rank in dark magic is beyond what's supposed to be possible"

Wait... wasn't I level 507 the last time I checked? How did I level up again?

"If you're not a spirit, does that mean that you're not going to help us?"

Now the girl is worried about me not being a spirit, at this point, I'm starting to think that getting worried is just her default response to everything.

"You need my help?"

"The adults say that there's going to be a big war against the orcs"

"Well, we don't want to fight, but we have to protect our village and our children"

I see I've already heard of the trouble that the orcs have been causing, they really sound like a bunch of bad guys.

"I'm afraid that everyone is going to die... since you are so strong, maybe you could stop the orcs yourself!"

Did I hear that right?

Filled with excitement, I rush to the girl and grab both of her shoulders.

"So you are really in trouble then!? And you want ME to help you!!!?"

"Eeeeeeeek! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

"Nonono! I'll help you! I really want to help!"

Is this finally it? Saving a village of innocent people from the bad guys... that's exactly the sort of stuff that heroes do! Is this finally my chance to be a hero!?

"What is your name?"

"Heh? I... I'm Hama"

"Hama! You don't have to worry anymore! Leave everything to me!"

I turn around to look at the older ork.

"Sir! Where can I find those orcs?"

"Well... their village is to the east of here, you'll find it if you follow that path over there"

And just like that, I start running to the orc village...

"Hey! Don't just leave without me!"

With Arana chasing after me.

"Hah... Luna... you know... that I cannot... hah... run as fast as you..."

Even though I'm holding back my speed Arana still has trouble catching up.

"Oh that reminds me, I saw earlier that I have gone up a level, do you have any idea of how that could have been?"

You'd think that once you go past level 500, earning more levels should be extremely difficult, and I don't think I've done anything exceptional these past few days.

"Well, since you didn't get your levels by fighting, any combat you do should count extra since you had no experience on that field, on the other hand, all the fights you've been in have been rather easy and at your level, you should need a lot more than normal... if I'm honest, the way you've gained all your levels is so unusual that I have no idea of what to think"

Eh, it's not like I need a higher level, I think I'm already strong enough, so I'm not interested in methods for leveling up, learning to use the power I already have should be my priority, but until now, the only training method I've been able to think of is to practice on the random monsters I encounter.

"But let's get back on topic, what are you planning to do about the orcs?"

"Oh, I guess I'll just beat them up a little and tell them to stop causing trouble"

Arana stares at me with a look of pity.

"You really are naive to the core, aren't you... Why are you so enthusiastic about helping some people that you don't know at all?"

"Because it's a chance for me to be a hero! This is exactly what I've been hoping for"

If I can't make people understand that I'm a good person by showing them my research, then I'll just prove myself with my good deeds.

"Luna... the truth is that I have a bad feeling about this, I think you may get in trouble if you keep going with this, and I don't mean the fun kind of trouble, I'm talking about real trouble this time"

Now Arana is saying something that does not sound like anything she'd ever say.

"Real trouble? I did tell you that I got decapitated last time, didn't I?"

"That doesn't count as real trouble, for you, something like that is a mild inconvenience at worst"

Well, she's right, but still...

"If that doesn't count, then what would real trouble be?"

"For you? I guess it would be if it was someone else who was in danger..."

As she says that she sounds like she's genuinely worried about me, now I'm really starting to get worried myself, Arana never worries about me, or about herself, or about anything at all, is this feeling she's getting really that bad?

"Maybe we should just leave and forget about this"

"You don't get it... I never have people ask me for help, even when I offer it myself I've trouble getting them to accept, I cannot let a chance to play the role of hero pass, I might never get another one"

She keeps looking at me with even more pity than before, yeah, I'm pitiful, I know.

"Never mind then, it was just a feeling anyway, everything will probably be fine"

She says that, but now I won't be able to stop worrying...

"Hey, Luna! Look over there"

Suddenly we run into a situation that feels oddly familiar, a group of orks seems to be harassing an orc girl.

Huh? Are they trying to get revenge or something, but then they'll be no better than the orcs!
As soon as I approach them, they see me and start running in fear, including the orc girl...

This feels REALLY familiar.

We enter the village and immediately I get surrounded by orcs.

"Could you truly be... a great spirit of darkness?"

I show them my status without wasting any time, I don't want the same misunderstanding happening again.

"Level 508..."

Yeah, yeah, I know, my level is high.

I was about to bring up the topic of their attacks against the orks, but then I notice a familiar-looking pile of rocks that I think used to be a building.

"Excuse me... could you tell me what that is?"

"Oh, that used to be our temple, but it was destroyed by a group of orks that snuck into the village during the night"

Huh... isn't that the exact same thing that they did?

Maybe the orcs did this themselves in an attempt to deceive me? But they didn't even know I existed until just now...

"I heard from the orks that you have been harassing them and that you have been getting ready for a war against them..."

The orcs seem to get upset when I tell them that.

"That's because THEY have been harassing us and THEY have been getting ready for war, we don't want to fight, but we have to protect our village and our children!"

I don't understand, what is going on here? Neither side seems to be lying and I have seen proof of both of them harassing the other... I feel like my head is going to explode.

"Just as I thought, orks and orcs are known for always starting fights with each other, this conflict is likely to be equally the fault of both sides"

Arana does not seem to be as confused as I am.

But that's not how this is supposed to work! A hero is someone who protects the innocent from the bad guys...

And now you're telling me that both sides are the good guys and the bad guys at the same time? That doesn't make any sense!

I already made a promise to Hama... what am I supposed to do now?

forli

I only started writing this story for fun, but it has been growing much faster than I could have imagined, it's been at the top of trending twice already.

To tell the truth I'm starting to feel a bit of pressure... but I'm still happy that a lot of people seem to be interested in reading what I write.