Kyle watched the girl in front of him with resignation. He had just wanted to ask the girl some questions, but now it had become complicated.

'Why the hell is this woman praying to me on her knees? And what's this about Goddess and Earth Mother? Is she a crazy person or.....

The gears on Kyle's head started turning and he quickly put the pieces together.

'Could...could it be that she is praying to the Earth Elemental and not at me? That's most likely the case, but what should I do now? Should I play along with it or should I just deny it?'

Kyle was on a dilemma about what to do in this situation, but there was really no need worry.

'Hehehehe, why am I becoming so reserved, I'm a fucking dungeon core. If it doesn't go according to plan I don't don't have anything to loose.'

He quickly gathered his thoughts and formulated a script. He decided he was going to exploit the belief of this girl , but he didn't have a choice.

' Please forgive me.'

[Raise your head child.]

[Ah, am...am I dreaming? Is it really....

[No, you are not dreaming. Everything is true, so raise your head.]

The girl was shocked at first, and raised her her head slowly seeing the Earth Elemental, but she quickly lowered her head again, this time even lower than before.

[Praise the Goddess!

How can I dare raise my head on the presence of her messenger? I should be punished for even thinking of such a thing.]

'This girl...

The words of the girl brought a shiver through his non-existent spine. He began to question if he had made the correct choice.

'This is more complicated than I thought. I made the mistake of comparing her to someone from earth, and now I know how wrong I was. The Earth Mother she is talking about is clearly a god of this world, a real god. I don't know how strong she may be in comparison to the gods of my world, but a god is a god. Am I making a mistake impersonating a messenger of hers?

Fuck it!'

[Raise your head up child, I'll allow it.]

[Y..yes...

She raised her head for the second time and this time she didn't lower it again. Her eyes were still red and watery from her crying , but she had now a shine in them.

[What is your name and why are you here?]

[My...my name is Nissa, o great messenger. I am a resident of Jama village close to Kato city. I...was kidnapped by a hobgoblin while I was out of the village and that's all I can remember. When I woke up I was laying here.

I'm terribly sorry for not being more helpful.]

'So, she is from a village, maybe one which is close by? And also, she was kidnapped by a hobgoblin ?

Don't tell me....

[Nissa, by a hobgoblin do you mean the one over there behind me?]

[Behind you?]

She looked past the elemental and her eyes widened in shock. Ten meters away from them was the impaled dead body of the hobgoblin. He lay there will his eyes still open, while insect's had begun to gathered around the carcass.

[So, is he the hobgoblin that kidnapped you?]

[Ah...uh....

Yes, he is the one who kidnapped me. Thank you o great messenger for saving someone as unworthy as me.]

[No, you are not unworthy. You are a pure soul and that is why I saved you.]

[Really?]

[Yes,of course.]

Yes, of course what he just said was complete bullshit he had just pulled out of his ass. He hadn't intended to save her in the slightest, but he wouldn't tell her.

[Nissa, seeing as this forest is dangerous for you, I'm going to escort you to your village.]

[Yes, as the messenger wishes... but I don't know how to return to the village. I don't know where I am in the forest.]

'Hah...there always is a catch.

I guess I have no other choice. I thought that I would just have to follow her , but I guess I'll have to get involved.'

[Come, child, get on top of me.]

[Yes...

She answered yes, but you could clearly see the confusion on her face. She approached the Elemental that was almost two heads taller than her and stopped, fidgeting. She clearly didn't understand what to do and Kyle didn't really want to waste any more time explaining.

"Ah... what?"

He raised her up from the waist and put her on the Elementals shoulder, like you would put a little kid.

[Hold on tight.]

Kyle gave her a warning, but she didn't know what it was for, so she was still caught by surprise.

"Kyaaaaa.....

The Elemental started slowly rising up from the ground and meter by meter it rose higher until it passed the canopy of the trees and continued higher.

[Do you see your village from up here?]

Kyle asked her , but she didn't even register the question. She was busy beeing marveled by the view in front of her. Everything seemed so big , wide and eternal. She felt so alive that she wondered if she was dead until now .