Tree nymph's POV //

  An endless void surrounded me, pure, unbroken darkness. I tried to move my limbs, but they refused to respond.

  "Am I going to die?" The thought echoed in my fading consciousness.

  My entire body was parched, deprived of the water it so desperately needed.

  A tree nymph’s body functions much like a tree’s, requiring water and sunlight to sustain itself. Without these essential elements, their skin and hair begin to wither, their movements become sluggish until they cease altogether, and their senses, including hearing, gradually fade, just like a machine running out of power.

  Yet, she refused to give in to death. Instead of surrendering, she desperately sought any trace of moisture in her surroundings, drawing in even the tiniest droplets to extend her life. She endured, clinging to existence with unwavering determination.

  And her struggle was not in vain. She soon sensed the moisture around her growing denser. Without hesitation, she gathered every minuscule droplet drifting nearby. To her astonishment, she could feel water streaming against her body. Though all other functions had shut down, her ability to sense water and sunlight remained, an intrinsic trait of her kind. As long as she drew breath, that connection would never fade.

  Without hesitation, she consumed the water she had stumbled upon, and gradually, vitality returned to her form. Her once-withered body and hair regained their original luster, and her green skin, the same hue as fresh leaves, was restored. The tree nymph who had nearly perished had now returned to her former self.

  “My lord, as expected, her body has fully recovered,” a voice remarked.

  A voice? Was someone beside me?

  “Hmm… Watching her transformation unfold is quite something,” another voice mused.

  Two people? Were they responsible for my current situation?

  “Yeah… I agree, my lord.”

  “Since your deduction was correct, you are now my official servant. Be grateful, Faul.”

  “Eh…”

  “You don’t want to?”

  “I-It’s my honor, my lord.”

  “Good.”

  I couldn’t understand what they were talking about.

  As I continued to absorb the water, my senses gradually returned. The ability to move my limbs was restored, and I could finally control my body as I once had. With effort, I lifted myself from where I y, half-submerged in the water, and slowly opened my eyes. The first thing that greeted my vision was a tanned man standing before me.

  “Oh! Are you feeling better now? Can you hear me? Can you see me?” he asked, bombarding me with questions.

  “I can see and hear you clearly. Who are you?” I asked sternly.

  Clearing his throat, he replied, “Ahem… Please excuse my rudeness. My name is Faul, a forest elf residing in this great forest, which borders the barren nds.”

  “A forest elf, huh… I see. Were you the one who saved me and brought me here?” I questioned.

  Faul’s expression turned solemn. “Well… I did carry you here to the river, but I wasn’t the one who truly saved you.”

  “What do you mean?” I pressed.

  “I was also rescued, just like you.”

  That’s when I realized—there should have been two voices earlier.

  “Who saved us?” I asked, deep in thought.

  Faul hesitated for a moment before responding. “The one who rescued us is none other than Lor— ahem, my lord.”

  A majestic yet otherworldly voice suddenly interjected from behind me.

  “Indeed, I am the one who saved you, Miss Nymph.”

  I turned around, and the moment my eyes nded on the figure before me, fury surged through my entire being.

  “YOU!!!” I shouted in pure rage.

  Without a second thought, I channeled the mana I had replenished from the river’s water. Though the amount was small, it was enough to unch an attack. Roots sprang from the ground at my command, twisting toward the dragon that stood before me.

  But my attempt was futile. The roots meant to ensnare the dragon ignited the moment they touched it, crumbling into ash. I knew full well that even at full strength, I couldn’t defeat a dragon alone. Yet, my hostility burned so fiercely that I couldn’t control myself.

  In mere seconds, my magical energy was completely drained. A wave of dizziness washed over me, but even as my vision blurred, my hatred did not waver. I locked eyes with the dragon, who gazed at me with an expression of puzzlement.

  Then, exhaustion overtook me. My magic, my very life force, faded, and my consciousness slipped into darkness once more.

  ?

  ?

  ?

  ?

  I was momentarily stunned when the tree nymph suddenly shouted in fury and attacked without warning. She controlled the roots of a nearby tree, making them lunge toward me, attempting to strangle me. However, with a single breath of my fmes, I incinerated the roots, reducing them to ash.

  I turned my gaze toward the tree nymph, who had attacked with nothing but pure hostility, as if I were her mortal enemy. But before she could do anything more, her body wavered, and she colpsed to the ground, unconscious.

  “What was that all about?” I asked, bewildered.

  Faul, equally confused, turned to me. “I’m not sure, my lord… Did you do something to her that I wasn’t aware of?” he asked, curious.

  I firmly shook my head. “I did nothing to her, nor have I ever.”

  “I see… Maybe we can ask her when she wakes up?” Faul suggested.

  “That’s true… what if she attacks again when she regains consciousness?” I questioned.

  “…”

  Faul fell silent, unable to provide an answer.

  We both stood speechless at the unexpected turn of events. I knew I was telling the truth, I had not harmed her, nor had I ever id a hand on her. To me, she was merely a bargaining chip, a means to leave a favorable impression on the being who served as her protector.

  But judging by her reaction upon seeing me, my pn might have backfired. Instead of gaining goodwill, I might have unknowingly provoked the wrath of Mother Nature herself, an act that could very well lead to my destruction if I were to make a wrong move.

  After a moment of thought, I finally spoke. “For now, let’s return to my dwelling. Carry her and…” I gnced at the unconscious tree nymph lying on the ground.

  “And?” Faul urged me to continue.

  “Tie her up.” I stated before turning to walk away.

  “…”

  Faul stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded by my words.

  He recalled the ancient warnings passed down by his ancestors, never harm or provoke a tree nymph, lest one risk incurring the wrath of its protector. And now, his master had ordered him to tie one up.

  He realized that no matter which choice he made, disobeying his master or provoking Mother Nature, both would likely lead to his demise.

  “What should I do?” he pondered, caught between the fury of a dragon and the vengeance of the mother nature.

  In the end, he let out a resigned sigh and chose to follow his current master’s command. For now, that was the only path avaible to him.