Chapter 10: The Name of a Night Sprite

Considering this, it would undoubtedly be prudent to steer clear of that so-called church.

“So, which church do you belong to?”

Feigning an air of nonchalance, I cautiously ventured a pivotal question.

“Which church?”

Sally paused, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.

“Which other church could there possibly be? There’s only the Church of God across the entire continent.”

‘Huh? Is there a Church of God here too?’

A subtle frown creased my brow. The coincidence was almost jarring. However, I was utterly convinced that everything that had transpired, both before and in the present, was undeniably real, leaving me with only one possible interpretation.

Though the precise reasons remained shrouded in mystery, an analysis of the available intelligence suggested a strong probability that I had become an angel of this so-called Church of God. Given the deferential tone Sally had used when addressing me as ‘Lord Angel’ earlier, it appeared angels held a position superior to hers.

A sudden wave of profound gratitude washed over me, realizing I hadn’t appeared before them in my angelic guise last night. While Sally might not have dared to act against me, I was almost certain that if their church were to discover my true identity, I would swiftly be pressed into service.

I dared not linger on this topic; exposing any hints would undoubtedly lead to complications, particularly as she already harbored a noticeable degree of suspicion towards me.

“So, what are your plans for today?”

As I watched Tiffany conjure a pot from seemingly thin air and proceed to cook food, equally mysteriously produced, over the crackling campfire, I suddenly noticed the complete absence of luggage or backpacks around them. It appeared they were equipped with some form of spatial storage items.

Such legendary spatial applications seemed remarkably advanced, a feat my original world, Earth, could never hope to achieve.

“Of course, we’re going to check out the battlefield we mentioned yesterday. It shouldn’t be far from here; we’ll reach it today.”

Tiffany informed me of their plans while preparing breakfast.

“Our mission is to investigate, and we can’t do that without seeing the site firsthand.”

She offered me an apologetic smile.

“So, for now, you’ll have to stay with us. We can only take you out of this forest when we return.”

“It’s fine.”

I acknowledged my understanding.

At last, I finally learned our current location: a forest named Amara. My sole objective in accompanying them was to have them lead me out of this expanse of trees and onward to Navarley, the city where they had accepted their commission. Reputedly, it was the prosperous capital of a human nation.

Unable to depart the forest just yet, I resolved to use this interim period to cultivate a closer rapport with them. After all, once we ventured into more populated areas, there was no telling what unforeseen complications might emerge.

Following breakfast, we indulged in several more hours of rest. It was nearing noon before Amos and Brook were finally stirred awake. Despite the persistent dark circles beneath their eyes, their spirits seemed considerably revived.

The ambiance during our journey was immeasurably lighter than the preceding night. Perhaps, having finally ascertained my lack of threat, they had all relaxed their vigilance, leading to a noticeable increase in their interactions.

Red-haired Brook appeared remarkably animated, a stark departure from his previous sullen and taciturn demeanor. He regaled us with an unending stream of jokes; while I utterly failed to grasp their humor, this did not deter the two young women from dissolving into continuous, delicate laughter. Amos, by contrast, exuded a far more composed disposition. When he spoke, he predominantly recounted peculiar tales and marvels from various corners of this world, conveying an aura of profound erudition.

‘Based on my extensive experience, this team dynamic of two men and two women felt inherently problematic; there was a distinct possibility of some ‘sour stench of romance’ festering amongst them. I just couldn’t discern who harbored feelings for whom. Despite observing them for quite some time, I hadn’t gleaned a single clue. Evidently, I lacked the necessary expertise. If we were discussing true professionalism in such matters, Ren Yunkong would be the undisputed authority. I couldn’t help but wonder how he was faring at present.’

‘On a related note, I hadn’t actually perished on Earth, had I? If I truly had, people might well believe I simply drank myself to death. To die from a mere few drinks would be utterly humiliating. I wondered if anyone would grieve. Then, my thoughts abruptly turned to Xu Qianran.’

‘She already has a boyfriend… I suddenly felt a strange pang of sadness.’

“What’s wrong?”

Tiffany, observing my prolonged silence, inquired with a note of concerned bewilderment.

“Nothing at all. I simply felt your conversation was so intimate, I couldn’t find an opportune moment to interject.”

I casually offered a fabricated excuse. The truth was, I genuinely had no idea what to contribute, being almost entirely unacquainted with this world. I felt I could absorb a wealth of knowledge simply by listening to their exchanges.

“It’s understandable, given your amnesia and not even remembering your own name.”

Tiffany gently offered her reassurance. She appeared to genuinely believe my tale of amnesia. Then again, among her three companions, she had been the swiftest to accept me.

An undeniable pang of remorse stirred within me. While my actions were born of necessity, deceiving such a guileless young woman still inexplicably kindled a faint spark of guilt.

“It’s alright, I’m not really bothered by it anymore.”

I swiftly reassured her that I was perfectly alright, hoping she would cease fretting over the matter.

“But isn’t it terribly inconvenient not to possess a name?”

She mused for a moment, then, seeking my input, proposed: “What if I called you Flora? Flora signifies a night sprite, which aligns quite well with the circumstances of your appearance. I imagine you’d find it appealing, wouldn’t you?”

“Well…”

I had never anticipated her simply bestowing a name upon me. While it certainly sounded lovely, such a distinctly feminine appellation made me profoundly uncomfortable. Still, I found myself at a loss for how to politely decline.

“You don’t care for it? Then let’s try another. How about Michelia?”

She tilted her head slightly, instantly producing another name.

‘Ugh, a part of me desperately wished to ask if she could suggest a slightly more masculine name, yet I couldn’t quite find the words to articulate it.’

“Still not to your liking? Then how about Stephanie?”

“Patricia?”

“Vivian?”

“Delightice?”

…

“Stop!”

I cut off her relentless litany of names, my expression one of utter defeat.

“Let’s just stick with Flora.”

Indeed, lacking a name was profoundly inconvenient; I certainly couldn’t endure being addressed as ‘Hey!’ or ‘You there’ indefinitely.

Furthermore, what real difference would a masculine name make? I possessed no certainty whatsoever that I could ever revert to my original form. Judging by my past experiences, the probability of returning after transmigrating to another world was practically nonexistent. Unless I could somehow transmigrate back again, but even in that scenario, whatever name I bore in the present moment would become utterly inconsequential.

“Then we’ll all call you Flora!”

The others, having clearly overheard our discussion, unanimously voiced their approval.

“Flora, how old are you?”

Sally was the first to put the new name into practical use, evidently quite curious about my age.

“Uh, I don’t remember…”

To steadfastly maintain the amnesia narrative, I resolved to feign utter ignorance. Even if I were to reveal my true age, they would almost certainly dismiss it. I had, after all, secretly measured myself against them; among the five, I was conspicuously the shortest, significantly so even compared to Sally, who, despite being the second shortest, claimed to be only sixteen.

‘Sixteen? What did that even signify? At that age, I would have still been ensconced in school, likely just embarking on my first year of high school. Yet, here they were, venturing into desolate wilds to battle monstrous creatures. Indeed, children of other worlds seemed to mature remarkably swiftly.’

“I think Flora is, at most, the same age as you.”

Brook arrived at this conclusion after meticulously comparing Sally and me. Did I truly appear so youthful? A sudden, unprecedented desire to glimpse my current reflection welled within me.

Prior to this, the absence of a mirror and my solitary state meant I had never even entertained such a thought.

“Considering the significant honor of helping you choose a name…”

Tiffany, her voice suddenly tentative and cautious, posed a question.

“Could I give you a hug?”

“A hug?”

Upon hearing this, I found myself utterly dumbfounded. Was this, too, a pre-meditated scheme? I couldn’t possibly comprehend her sudden desire; it felt as though we had only just become acquainted.

Fearing I might misunderstand, Brook hastened to clarify: “It’s simply because Tiffany has an absolute fondness for cute things; she’s always utterly powerless against them.”

He was evidently quite accustomed to such antics, his face bearing the unmistakable expression of someone thoroughly enjoying a good show.

As expected, even Sally and Amos, standing nearby, displayed not a hint of surprise, appearing as though they had long foreseen this particular turn of events.

‘But was such an immediate embrace truly necessary? It seemed a tad inappropriate, didn’t it?’

My initial inclination was to refuse, yet as my gaze fell upon Tiffany’s chest, it became stubbornly fixed. It was undeniably prominent, and I found myself involuntarily swallowing.

‘So, such advantages came so swiftly with becoming a girl? While a blush undoubtedly crept onto my face, to claim I felt no stir of desire would be an outright falsehood.’

“So, you agree then?”

Noticing my lack of immediate refusal, Tiffany’s eyes lit up with eager anticipation, and she promptly strode towards me, sensing an opportunity.

“This…”

Watching those two prominent forms approach me with increasing proximity, a sudden sense of apprehension washed over me.

Completely caught off guard, she suddenly enveloped my head against her chest, her swift maneuver finally achieving its desired effect.

So soft! That was my immediate sensation. Never in my life had my face made contact with such a place, and my mind instantly went blank, quickly succumbing to the sensation.

However, after only a moment, I found it unbearable—I simply couldn’t breathe!

It was precisely because of their immense size that no space remained, leaving me utterly suffocated. The longer it lasted, the more agonizing it became, and Tiffany’s strength was surprisingly formidable, making it genuinely difficult to break free under normal circumstances.

“Wah!”

Just as I felt I was about to pass out, I finally mustered all my strength and forcefully pushed her embrace away.

It had been terrifying. I had just experienced the legendary ‘face-wash,’ an encounter that would forever be seared into my memory.

Yet, what left the most profound impression was the sensation of being unable to breathe, nearly suffocating to the point of unconsciousness.

“Your face is so red!”

Though Tiffany spoke these words, a clear smile played upon her lips.

Wasn’t that merely stating the obvious?

“Actually, I think Flora might be a little older than she appears.”

Amos suddenly offered his observation. Had he, indeed, noticed something? I felt I had finally found a kindred spirit; a well-traveled person truly saw things differently.

“Oh, really?”

Amos’s words did have some effect. Tiffany, disbelieving, scrutinized me intently once more. Yet, after observing me for a long while, she still couldn’t discern anything definitive.

“Never mind! As long as you look younger than me, that’s enough!”

Tiffany declared, moving to embrace me again.

“Just one more time, please?”

“Please, don’t be so childish!”

I couldn’t help but protest, my face flushed, as I quickly sidestepped to avoid her. Exciting as it was, I had no desire to repeat the experience.

“She’s shy.”

Sally chuckled, covering her mouth.

I felt a bit speechless; anyone would be shy in that situation.

Nevertheless, the journey remained quite cheerful, with everyone chatting happily.

Today, the forest remained devoid of any animal tracks. Apart from the five of us, scarcely another sound could be heard, just as when I had wandered alone through the woods.

I followed them blindly, having no idea which direction to take. I couldn’t even tell if I had been to our current location before. In this regard, they certainly seemed far more professional than I.

“According to our destination…”

Amos consulted a compass-like device, then compared it with the sun’s position in the sky to ascertain our direction.

“This way.”

He pointed towards the front-right.

“It should be very close now.”

No one voiced any objection. Unanimously, we quickened our pace, striding swiftly in the direction he indicated.

Perhaps it was the impending proximity to our objective, but a growing solemnity began to settle upon each person’s face, and the atmosphere seemed to grow somewhat heavy.

After continuing in the fixed direction for a considerable time, we finally arrived at a vast forest clearing as the sun began to set.