Meeting a Girl in a New World
Far away from where Ernesto was exploring, a girl wandered through a quiet, glowing forest—her steps weak, her body trembling.
She was an elf, though barely recognizable in her condition.
Her skin was scratched and bruised, her white hair tangled, her once-fine clothes torn and dirty. Around her neck clung a rusted, heavy collar—a remnant of the chains that bound her soul as much as her body.
Her name was Lumina, and everything she once loved had been taken from her.
She was born in the elven village of Florisha, a peaceful forest haven for her kind. It was meant to be their sanctuary—a home carved out of nature itself. But peace, in her world, was never permanent.
First came the monsters. Ogres, wild beasts driven by hatred, burned her village to the ground. Those who survived fled into the woods, but there was no mercy.
Then came the humans—noble families with silver tongues and black hearts. Slave traders, mercenaries. Anyone who wasn't human was property. Her family resisted… and were executed.
She ran.
She ran with nothing but fear in her chest and a fire in her soul. She stowed away on a boat, hiding below deck, crossing unknown waters to escape that cruel land. Alone. Cold. Hungry.
Now she staggered through this unfamiliar forest, starving and weak.
And that's when she saw it.
A floating metal creature.
A drone—sleek, blue-lit, whirring softly as it hovered in front of her.
She stared at it in wonder, raising a shaky hand to touch it.
"What… what creature are you?" she asked faintly.
The drone scanned her.
"Unrecognized lifeform. Scanning complete. Elf… female… condition: critical."
"You… talk…" she whispered, eyes wide.
And then everything went black.
Back at the cabin, Ernesto had been working in the workshop when the drone's voice chimed through his tablet.
"Alert. Unknown individual located. Condition: unconscious. Location marked."
"Wait, what?" Ernesto blinked, dropping his wrench. "A person?"
He rushed outside, following the drone's signal through the brush until he saw her—pale white hair, pointed ears, tattered clothes, and a steel collar.
"Whoa… is she even human?"
He rushed to her side and gently picked her up, shocked at how light and cold she felt. Carefully, he brought her back to the base.
Inside, he laid her on the bed and placed a damp cloth on her forehead.
Moments later, her eyes fluttered open. The first thing she saw was him—a human.
She gasped and shot upright in panic, heart pounding.
"Whoa, hey—easy!" Ernesto raised his hands. "I'm not gonna hurt you!"
She stumbled back, fell off the bed, and landed hard on her knee.
"Get back! Don't touch me!" she cried, reaching for the nearest object—his tablet.
"Whoa! Okay, okay!" he said, hands up. "Just—breathe. You're safe."
She held the tablet like a weapon, even as she winced from the pain in her leg. Ernesto stepped forward slowly.
"Let me see your knee. Come on, sit down. I'll clean it up, alright?"
Her stomach growled loudly.
Both of them froze.
Ernesto raised an eyebrow, trying not to laugh.
"…Umm. You hungry?"
She turned her head defiantly.
"Yes. But just because I'm hungry doesn't mean I'll obey you like a slave," she spat, trembling.
"Slave?" Ernesto repeated, genuinely confused. "Wait—what are you talking about?"
He blinked. He wasn't from this world. He didn't know slavery was even a thing here.
"Hold on. Let me show you something."
He walked over to a small cooking area and pulled out a plate with freshly cooked meat.
"Rabbits. Got lucky earlier," he said, holding the plate toward her. "Honestly, I didn't know how to cook it right, but my drone kinda… walked me through it."
She eyed it cautiously, as if it might explode. But the smell hit her nose and made her knees weak.
Slowly, she stepped forward. Took a piece.
One bite. Then another.
And then, her eyes welled up.
"Why… does this taste so good?" she whispered, tears falling. "Why are you being kind…?"
Ernesto scratched his head, unsure what to say.
"…I'm just a guy," he said. "Not from here. Name's Ernesto. But, uh… some people call me Nano."
She looked at him—eyes glassy, hands shaking—then clutched the plate tighter and sat down quietly.
For the first time in years… she felt safe enough to eat.