"—Because of you!" Yzen, a pixie, was in utter disbelief and distress over the abrupt end to their soiree, which had been ongoing for quite some time.

Their land, a peaceful, tranquil space of nature and beauty, had been rudely disrupted by the appearance of the pathetic and pitiful figure.

I'm getting tired of this! Why is she smiling like a fool?

The pixie had been accumulating pent-up and suppressed rage during the past three days that they had had to witness and deal with the ridiculous figure waking up and roaming about the forest.

She's not even bothered by my words! She still has that stupid grin on her face!

The girl's constant smile, no matter what was happening, even in the face of a pixie's rage, looked more and more dumb with each passing second.

Yzen, the blue and much older pixie, was determined to express her increasing rage, but in that moment, she was stunned when the figure suddenly opened her mouth and began speaking.

What... What language is that? What is she saying?

She could not decipher or translate the words, and something unknown and unfamiliar was being communicated to her, which added to her frustration and confusion.

After living for such a long time and having interacted with humans all over the world, the pixie was accustomed to the language and behaviours of the species and had developed a high level of familiarity with them.

But why can't I understand her?

"Are you okay?" Noticing the stunned look on the pixie's face, the girl tilted her head curiously and asked. The girl took a moment to examine the stunned-looking pixie, who seemed to be a little confused and possibly in disbelief.

Did I say something wrong?

A wave of concern and genuine empathy washed over the girl's heart and mind. She felt genuinely worried about misinterpreting the spirit's gestures.

The pixie gave a small huff to show its frustration and annoyance over the girl's lack of understanding. It then pointed towards the withering area where the girl had stayed, then motioned to create a large 'X' with its small arms to indicate that it wanted the girl to leave that area.

The girl's expression became dejected as she finally understood the pixie's words and the purpose of their motion. She nodded her head, and in a disappointed and frustrated voice, she asked, "Oh, you want me to leave?"

The pixie showed its irritation, but at the same time, there was a noticeable expression of guilt on its face, as if it knew that its actions were hurtful, especially when it saw the girl's dejection. It took a moment to scratch its head, likely trying to figure out a solution to the situation.

The pixie then quickly beckoned the girl to come over.

"Huh? You want me to follow you?"

But its actions were halted when a group of other pixies rushed over and dragged the blue sprite back behind the trees, leaving the girl with a sense of confusion and uncertainty about what exactly was going on.

The girl stood there, feeling a sense of confusion yet hopeful of the possibility of the pixie returning. As she considered the possibility, she caught a few side glances coming her way from the other sprites, adding to her sense of unease about the situation.

Is it okay for me to leave? Do I want to?

There was a rapid ringing of bells as the blue spirit returned, their hair slightly dishevelled and messy, as if they had just come back from a scuffle. The girl could not help but resist the urge to stifle her giggles at the sight, finding something endearing about the pixie's appearance.

The others also came closer but remained at a distance, except for the blue pixie. This time, the pixie beckoned the girl clearly with a look and movements that expressed their frustration and impatience.

Oh, she looks very angry this time. I should just follow her.

The girl swallowed her fears and hesitation as she took her step to approach the barrier and cross the growth of mushrooms. She noticed as she did so that the darkness had grew towards the mushrooms.

The girl was caught off guard by the seemingly soft and gentle nature of the grass beneath her feet, which soon withered into a pure black colour, causing her to stumble back in surprise. "Ah! N-no!" She exclaimed out loud as she tried to avoid stepping on any green grass and to keep away from any life as much as possible.

It withered in mere seconds! And I... I was the cause of it.

"I'm sorry.. but I don't think I can follow you." She said it in a shaken voice, her hands starting to tremble slightly from the panic and anxiety gripping her heart. The girl looked at the pixies with a look of fear and despair in her eyes; some appeared to be starting to show signs of fear too.

One of the pixies, who appeared to have pink hair, suddenly decided to smack the blue pixie in the head, leaving the poor creature stunned for a few moments. The pink-haired pixie then spoke something that the girl could only hear as bells in that unknown language. But it was evident that they were talking to each other and discussing something important and serious, which caused the girl to feel nervous and anxious about the conversation and what was being said.

What is happening? Are they resenting me?

The blue spirit then turned towards the girl, pointing towards her seemingly with a plea or request to stay, before suddenly flying away with the rest of the group.

"Wait! Where are you going?" The girl felt a wave of confusion and uncertainty wash over her as she was left behind alone again, unsure of why they had suddenly flown off or what had prompted this sudden departure.

Am I cursed?

Did 'that' person curse me?

Will I forever be stuck here until that person arrives?

The girl felt a deep sense of anxiety and dread wash over her body, the thought of being bound to this forest and its mysterious and unknown confines filled her with a growing sense of fear and unease. With the sudden departure of the pixies, she felt the harsh reality of being left alone and isolated from everyone, the thought of being trapped in the forest was a growing and terrifying one.

A few hours had passed, and after many emotions and feelings of fear, terror, and confusion, the feeling finally started to fade away.

Has it been hours? I can't even tell how time works here. The sun is still shining ever so brightly.

The pixies returned after some time, accompanied by an unfamiliar spirit who was bigger than all of them and even taller than the girl.

Hm? Who might this be?

The spirits seemed to be conversing and discussing their situation before the larger spirit approached the girl. The girl felt a growing sense of fear and anxiety as the larger spirit approached, not knowing what to expect or what they wanted to communicate to her.

The spirit initially expressed itself in a language unknown to the girl, perhaps a tongue of antiquity. Sensing the girl's confusion, the spirit halted and fixed its gaze upon the girl for a good minute, as if assessing her state of mind and processing what it wished to convey.

I really can't understand what he's saying...

"Please... I don't—" The girl began to speak in a quiet and hesitant manner, however, her words were cut short by the male spirit's reaction. He seemed to comprehend her words, expressing a look of surprise and understanding as he leaned forward and suddenly posing a question towards the girl, "You speak this language?"

The girl's entire demeanour and atmosphere changed in an instant, as if all the fear and anxiety had melted away. For the first time, she finally felt a sense of relief, joy, and optimism, knowing that there was someone she could actually communicate with.

The girl immediately nodded in excitement and fear at the same time, relieved and grateful for the chance to communicate with someone after being left alone for so long.

"Ah, I see now why the pixies couldn't understand you." The spirit spoke with an empathetic tone, showing genuine concern and understanding. Yet its response was followed by a brief pause and moment of thought and reflection, "What is your purpose in corrupting my forest?"

The girl felt a sudden loss of all hope as the spirit posed the question in such an antagonistic manner, making the girl feel as if she was being accused and blamed for something she did not do or intend.

The last thing she wanted was to cause destruction or receive the anger of the magical creatures.