Chapter 164 - 163: Monster Forest

Sylfia sat quietly as Crow flew through the calm night sky. The wind was cool, and the moon still followed them from above.

She didn’t ask where they were going. She simply waited, trusting that Axelius knew what he was doing.

After a while, she heard a soft sound behind her snoring. It wasn’t loud, just a small, steady sound that made her turn her head.

There, sitting with his arms crossed, was Axelius asleep. His head tilted slightly to the side, and above him, Owen the black snake was curled up like a strange hat resting on his head.

But then her eyes went to the snake again. It wasn’t just a pet. Its scales shimmered faintly under the moonlight, and its presence gave off a strange, powerful aura.

"These creatures... they’re monsters," she thought.

Curious, she placed her palm gently on Crow’s feathers. The great bird suddenly gave a loud

"Caw! Caw!" that echoed through the night.

Startled, Axelius’s eyes snapped open. "Ah— sorry," he said, rubbing his neck with a sleepy smile. "Guess I fell asleep."

"It’s fine," Sylfia replied softly, looking away.

Axelius smiled wider. "We’re here. Hold on tight."

Before Sylfia could ask, Crow suddenly dived downward. The air rushed fast around them. Axelius quickly reached out, holding Sylfia’s shoulder to keep her steady.

"Let go," Sylfia said, removing his hand gently.

Axelius blinked, a little amused, and muttered under his breath, "I’m clean, you know."

Sylfia didn’t answer. She only focused ahead, watching as the dark outline of land began to appear below them.

After landing, Crow stretched his wide wings before folding them neatly. Axelius jumped down first, his boots touching the soft grass beside the river. The sound of flowing water filled the quiet night.

He turned and reached his hand up to help Sylfia down, but she didn’t take it.

Instead, she stepped lightly off Crow’s back and landed beside him on her own. Her eyes moved around the area tall trees surrounded them, and the moonlight reflected off the gentle river nearby.

"Where are we?" Sylfia asked, her voice calm but curious.

Axelius lowered his still-outstretched hand, glanced at it, then smiled faintly.

"Welcome to my land, Princess Sylfia."

He placed one hand on his stomach and gave a graceful bow.

Sylfia frowned slightly. "Just Sylfia," she corrected.

Axelius straightened and chuckled softly. "If that makes you happy." He looked around proudly, his silver eyes glinting faintly in the moonlight.

"In my land, you are safe."

The river sparkled beside them, the air filled with the quiet hum of night creatures.

For the first time since the chaos at the castle, Sylfia felt a little peace though she wasn’t sure yet if she could trust it.

Sylfia looked around once more, her eyes narrowing as she studied the strange trees and the faint blue glow of mushrooms scattered along the ground.

The air was thick with mana, and the sound of distant growls echoed faintly. Her expression changed as she slowly realized where they were.

"This is... the Monster’s Forest," she said, her tone sharp.

Axelius, who was about to walk ahead, froze mid-step. "Ah, right... I forgot to mention I can only tame—"

"Monsters" Sylfia interrupted, crossing her arms.

Axelius blinked, caught off guard. "How did you know?"

Sylfia turned her gaze toward Crow, who was now pecking at the ground, and then to the black snake curled neatly on Axelius’s head like a living hat. "That bird is no normal creature," she said.

"And the snake above your head, he’s a Narga."

Axelius tilted his head, placing a hand thoughtfully under his chin, clearly impressed. "If you don’t mind me asking... how did you recognize that Owen is a Narga?"

Sylfia’s eyes softened, her tone calm but knowledgeable.

"Serpents have round pupils and smooth scales that shine under light. But Nargas... their eyes are slit like blades—sharp, almost like a predator’s and their scales don’t reflect light, they absorb it. They hide their presence that way."

Axelius looked up at Owen, who yawned lazily. "Absorb light, huh? That explains why he’s so good at sneaking around."

Sylfia nodded slightly. "A Narga’s eyes never lie. They always have that faint glint of blue inside the darkness."

Axelius grinned. "Impressive. You know a lot for someone who calls herself just Sylfia."

Sylfia looked away.

Axelius gave her a confident smile, brushing some dirt off his coat. "Don’t worry, Sylfia. This is my territory. Everything here listens to me so you’re safe."

Sylfia nodded lightly, though her eyes still moved cautiously around the forest. The strange whispers of creatures echoed between the trees, and faint pairs of glowing eyes flickered in the shadows.

"Come on," Axelius said, leading the way. Crow, now in his smaller form, perched comfortably on Axelius’s shoulder while Owen stayed coiled like a scarf around his neck. The group moved deeper into the forest, where the air grew thick and heavy.

Even though Sylfia had already put on her silk mask, the miasma—the toxic energy that seeped from monsters was becoming stronger.

At first, she tried to ignore it, her breathing steady but heavy. The further they went, the more it clung to her lungs like smoke.

Axelius walked ahead, speaking about the safe spot they’d reach soon, but his voice began to fade for her. Sylfia’s vision blurred slightly, her legs weakening with every step.

’I can’t... breathe properly...’ she thought, forcing herself to keep moving. But her body wouldn’t listen anymore.

Her knees finally gave out, hitting the soft ground with a dull thud. The world tilted sideways, her sight dimming.

The last thing she saw was Owen jumping from Axelius’s shoulder, hissing sharply in alarm.

"Sylfia!!" Axelius shouted, his voice filled with panic as he spun around and ran toward her.

Then everything went dark.

*********

Sylfia slowly opened her eyes, her head still feeling heavy. The soft sound of tiny voices filled the air gentle and high-pitched.

Her vision cleared, and she froze.

Tiny human-like creatures were all around her—one sitting on her shoulder, another resting lightly on her forehead, one more on her chest, and several fluttering above her like glowing dust.

They had small wings that shimmered faintly under the sunlight coming from the window.

Sylfia blinked, confused. ’What... are they’

The little beings were talking in a language she didn’t recognize.

The sound was strange, like bells and wind chimes mixed together.

When they noticed her eyes opening, they all gasped softly then darted away in panic, flying out through the window in a rush of light.

All except one.

The smallest one stayed behind, hiding in the corner, trembling but peeking at her. It said something again, the tone soft and pleading.

Sylfia slowly raised her hand in a calm gesture. "I won’t harm you," she said softly.

The little creature tilted its head, as if trying to understand.

Then, after a pause, it carefully flew toward her and landed on her shoulder again. It began to speak, pointing to her and then to the window, as if explaining something.

Sylfia frowned slightly. "I don’t understand..." she whispered.

Then a voice came from the door. "She said she’ll take care of you."