Clearing my throat, I spoke again. “Dear, uh… Mr. Voice, may I humbly ask for the directions to your location?”

The Voice let out another soft chuckle before replying. ‘Don’t you think it’s a little rude to call a lady “Mister”? But yes, I’ll show you the way.’

So it was a lady.

Suddenly, my vision shifted into a bird’s-eye view. As if zooming out, a location came into sight—roughly a day’s trip to the east—and lit up, before my vision shifted back to normal.

‘I recommend departing immediately. It will be a lot safer traveling during the day than when it gets dark,’ the Voice chided gently.

“Yes, ma’am.” I picked up my knapsack and set off at a slow trot toward my destination.

My movements became less painful with each step and, by mid-morning, I was left with only a few aches here and there. Whatever that lady had done involved some powerful magic. I’d never heard of anyone casting a spell over such a distance. Or had she cast the spell right before I landed, and then left? But how could she have known we were falling, and why had she saved only me? The harder I tried to solve the mystery, the more questions I seemed to end up with.

After several more hours, my throat burning from thirst, I heard a faint gurgling sound. I headed toward it and spotted a narrow stream.

“Yes!” I exclaimed.

I was absolutely filthy. My face and neck still stank of vomit, and my clothes were torn and caked with grime. I sprinted to the stream and cannonballed into it, then vigorously scrubbed my face and body clean. After taking off my clothes and giving them a rough wash, I laid them on a nearby rock to dry. I had finished this refreshing bath and was walking toward my still-damp clothes when a soft chuckle sounded in my head.

‘How pleasantly carefree.’

Reflexively, both my hands shot down to cover my privates as I hunched my back, trying to make my body as small as possible.

‘Don’t worry, there wasn’t much to see.’ I could practically feel the Voice wink at me, and I shuddered.

How rude! My pride…

I wanted to argue that my body wasn’t developed yet, but I chose to ignore the Voice and put on my clothes.

‘Aww. Don’t pout. I apologize.’ The Voice stifled a laugh.

Calm your mind, Arthur. A king must be calm...

The Voice remained silent after I put on my clothes, so I rummaged through my bag and dug out the last of my rations. Water wasn’t going to be a problem for a while since I had just refilled my water skin, but I would need food soon; hopefully the Voice would provide me with something.

I looked around, beginning to wonder where I was. Since I had fallen off the mountain toward the east, I knew I must be near the elves’ domain. I didn’t think I was in the Forest of Elshire, because I wasn’t surrounded by fog. Could I be in the Beast Glades? No. There weren’t any mana beasts. I’d spotted a few rabbits and birds, but I had yet to see anything else. But there was a strange abundance of mana in this place. It must have been due to this richness of mana that I had been able to recover from my initial injuries so quickly, though that still didn’t explain how I had survived in the first place.

Maybe the Voice will explain it to me. I should hurry.

It was a peaceful, uneventful trip. There was no road, but there were only minimal obstacles in the terrain. The nearer I drew to my destination—the source of the Voice—the richer and denser the mana became. Ignoring the temptation to stop and absorb the surrounding mana, I pressed on. Training wasn’t important right now. I needed to get home.

Everyone probably assumed I was dead, so I couldn’t help but worry about Mother and Father—not so much for their physical well-being, but their mental health. I was concerned they would blame themselves for my ‘death.’ The only thought that comforted me was the fact that my mother was pregnant. I knew that, at least for the sake of my unborn brother or sister, they’d stay strong.

I finally reached the area the Voice had guided me to, but I was unable to see anything other than a cluster of rocks shaded by a small stand of trees.

‘I’m glad you made it here safely,’ the Voice echoed confidently, as if it had always known I would.

“Nice to meet you, uhh… ma’am? Miss Rocks?”

‘I’m not a rock—nor a cluster of them. The two large rocks leaning against each other on the other side form a crevice. That’s where you’ll find me,’ the Voice chuckled in my head.

Looking around, I managed to spot the small gap between the two larger rocks, just large enough for an adult to squeeze through. The slight breeze coming from the crevice told me I had found what I was looking for. If the Voice hadn’t directed me to this exact location, I would never even have noticed the small fissure.

‘Enter through the crevice, child, but strengthen yourself with mana before you do.’

Soon I can get back to Mother and Father!

Without a second’s hesitation, I easily slipped in through the gap, while willing mana to strengthen my body.

I had expected to step onto a platform, but instead, I immediately plummeted down into the dark hole. The Voice had failed to mention that I’d be taking a vertical fall.

I guess that’s why she told me to use mana. The thought flashed through my head as I descended, screaming at the top of my four-year-old lungs.

The fall seemed to last several minutes. Finally I began to see a faint light below me.

I landed harshly on my feet, the impact traveled up my legs and back, jarring my entire body before I collapsed on my bottom. Groaning, I slowly levered myself up.

“So, child. We finally meet.”

I felt the blood drain from my face as my mouth gaped open and eyes bulged. I was suddenly lightheaded, and my legs gave out from under me once more. I fell back onto my already-aching butt, staring at the one who had been helping me this whole time.