"Time to go home." Just as she was about to climb down, she heard footsteps.
Her greatest fear had come true. Those pureblood elves who often bullied her were here!
These elves lived comfortable lives, almost worry-free. Because the forest resources were extremely abundant, they never had to worry about food or clothing. And all elves were beautiful; there was virtually no "mate competition."
Unlike human society, where appearance, wealth, and power determined status, here, beauty was common and equal, which led to an extreme emptiness in their spiritual world.
In this equality and boredom, some elves turned to bullying others for entertainment. Especially those of impure blood Emilia was one of them.
Because of her mixed heritage and that "flawed" beauty mark, the bullying she endured was particularly vicious.
They would steal her food, throw stones at her, verbally abuse her, and even mock her as if she were a lower creature.
The footsteps grew closer. Emilia trembled all over. "I have to leave quickly..." She clutched the apple tightly. If it were before, even if they stole her mushrooms or wild grass, she could bear it.
But this was an apple! If they stole it, they would definitely throw it into the acidic swamp and force her to jump in and get it. Then, this hard-won apple would be completely inedible.
"Great Nature Goddess, why now of all times..." She regretted her slow movements. Worst of all, her body was already extremely weak she hadn't eaten for three days. As she was climbing down, she suddenly felt dizzy, her foot slipped, and she fell from the tree.
Thud!
She fell heavily, luckily landing on a thick layer of decaying leaves that cushioned some of the impact. Though the fall knocked the wind out of her and made her see stars, Emilia gritted her teeth and tried to get up.
But when she tried to push herself up, she found she had no strength. She was injured. Blood trickled steadily from her ankle.
Elves rarely got injured. But when they did, their wounds were very difficult to heal. In a place so scarce of food, a wound like this might take over a year to mend.
And even if she regained the ability to walk, the scar would remain. What a scar meant... that went without saying. It would make her even more despised by the pureblood elves!
Emilia was terrified. Not because she was afraid the wound wouldn't heal she already considered herself a lost cause; no matter how much worse it got, she was still just trash.
She clutched the apple tightly in her hand. Even when she fell from the tree, she had protected it carefully, not wanting this single apple from the entire forest to get even a speck of dirt on it.
But... she couldn't move. If those elves came, they would definitely steal her most precious food.
Eventually, she was discovered. Emilia sensed two figures approaching, already aware of her presence. Dragging her injured leg, she knew she couldn't get far.
"I-I'm sorry! I... I was just too hungry, I couldn't help but look for food on the outskirts... If it's wrong, I'll never do it again..." Her voice trembled, laced with a sob. She held up the apple high.
"Th-This is what I just picked... Please, please don't hurt me." Although she was reluctant, she had no other choice.
If she hadn't been injured, she might have had a chance to protect her food, even if it meant enduring a beating.
But now, she was immobilized. If they decided to torture her, she had no way to resist.
"An apple... Speaking of which, this forest has practically nothing. Walked around for ages and couldn't find anything to eat. Since you're so considerate as to offer your food, I won't deny your goodwill!" It was a girl's voice.
Emilia quickly lowered her head. Because of her half-elf status, her appearance had an exotic charm, different from the uniform look of pureblood elves.
Other elven females were somewhat jealous of her and would torment her even more cruelly. So, Emilia didn't dare to look up.
"Shiraori, don't just take other people's things," a gentle male voice sounded. But to Emilia's ears, it was like the whisper of a demon.
"What's the big deal? She offered it to me! Elves are so warm and generous!"
Emilia didn't dare move. She felt the apple lighten in her hand as someone took it, followed by the sound of chewing.
Every bite felt like it was tearing at her own heart. But... if they only ate half and threw the rest away, she could still get the remaining part. Today would still be worth it.
"This apple doesn't taste good at all. No wonder she offered it to me."
Hearing this, Emilia became even more frightened, repeatedly begging for mercy. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please forgive me! I didn't know this apple wasn't tasty! I'm sorry, it's my fault..." Emilia pleaded again and again. She curled up into a ball, just hoping they wouldn't hurt her.
But the newcomers weren't elves. They were Elliot and Kumoko, who had been wandering through this part of the forest.
"Uhh..." Kumoko was a bit speechless. Are all elves this weird? That elf man from before too just a few scratches, barely any blood, and he acted like he was about to die.
"Let's just go," Kumoko said, completely losing her appetite after encountering such a strange elf.
"Wait." Elliot suddenly spoke, a faint green light flickering in his eyes. Seeing this, Kumoko knew Elliot was using Appraisal. So, she activated her own Appraisal as well.
Emilia, Half-Elf, Level 3.
Ugh... her stats are so weak... Ahem... though, much stronger than I was at her age. Kumoko initially didn't notice anything unusual. But when she saw the skill list, she froze.
Skill List:
[Divine Magic Affinity LV 1]
[Magic Supremacy LV 1]
[Ice Magic Mastery LV 1]
Title: [Witch of Envy]
"No way!" Kumoko was dumbfounded. A half-elf... possessing such powerful initial skills and a title like that?!
….
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