A female voice shouts, “Die, you ugly bastard!” followed by the screech of goblins.

What?!

A woman in this forest?

More importantly, she’s being attacked by goblins.

I run toward the sound.

When I come out of the bushes, I freeze at the sight.

One… two… three… four… five.

Five goblins are lying dead on the ground, and a black haired girl is standing there with a stick....completely unharmed.

She did all that with a wooden stick? How is that possible?

Those goblins are at least level 12. You have to be at least a C rank swordsman to deal with five of them. And you’d still need a proper sword. Even then, you’d probably be injured.

There’s a proverb in the Niyara Guild: 

“Never underestimate goblins.”

They are cunning and annoying.

Anyway… she’s beautiful.

I’ve never seen such beauty in anyone or anything.

She looks like an angel standing on the ground. I feel like I could watch her forever.

Suddenly, she looks at me and throws her stick.

What?!

The stick flies toward me at lightning speed.

It hits my chest, knocking me backward. I fall to the ground.

In the next second, she’s standing beside me.

How did she move that fast?

She steps on my chest and says, “Are you the Demon King?”

- “What?!” I shout.

With a threatening voice, she says, “You were hiding behind a tree. Are you the Demon King? Are those ugly monsters your army? Did you send them to kill me?”

- “What are you talking about?! Look at me! Do I look like a demon to you? I rushed here to help when I heard the noise. I was just surprised by your strength and strange clothing. I wasn’t hiding.”

She pauses for a moment. Then she removes her foot from my chest. 

“I can sense you’re telling the truth,” she says. “Besides, you could’ve dodged the stick if you were the Demon King. And I don’t feel any hostility from you.”

I slowly stand up.

- “Are you alright?” she asks.

- “No. My chest hurts.”

- “I’m really sorry for the misunderstanding. The goblins suddenly attacked me. After defeating them, I saw you standing there. I panicked.”

- “It’s fine. Who are you? That outfit is weird. Where are you from? And what are you doing in the Forest of Death?”

“That’s a lot of questions,” she says. “Let me answer them one by one. I’m Maya Gupta. I....”

- “That’s a weird name!”

- “No, it’s not! It’s a beautiful name. And don’t you dare interrupt me,” she snaps.

- “S..Sorry. Please continue,” I say nervously.

She clears her throat and changes her tone. “I am Maya Gupta. I’m from Earth. I was summoned to this world as a hero by an angel.”

- “Should I clap for that performance?”

- “You little! I believed you earlier when you said you were just a human, and now you won’t believe me?”

- “You didn’t believe me without proof either. Why should I believe you without any?”

- “Ugh! Look at my clothes. This is Earth fashion. Do you believe me now?”

- "Alright. Maybe you’re telling the truth. Your hair is black, and you’re far too strong to be normal.”

- “Thank you! That wasn’t so hard, was it?”

- “So why is the hero wandering around the Forest of Death?”

- “I just arrived. The angel sent me here.”

- “An angel?”

- “Yes. After summoning me from my world, he told me I must defeat the Demon King and remove fear from every living being. Then he dropped me here. I was walking aimlessly when those goblins attacked me. I thought the Demon King had already sent his army. That's why when I saw you, I thought you the demon king and attacked you."

- "So you're not that different from those goblins, are you?"

- "What?"

- “Nothing. You said an angel summoned you. Do you know his name?”

- “Yes. Elarion Seraphis. Oh....and when I met him, I noticed a mark on the back of my right hand. He said it’s a divine symbol.”

She shows it to me.

The Crest of Seraphis.

I immediately kneel and bow.

“That’s it?” she says. “You believe me now?”

I raise my head. “Of course, Hero. This is the Crest of Seraphis. There’s no doubt you’re the chosen one. I apologize for my earlier rudeness.”

She smiles. “It’s fine. Can you guide me out of this forest? I don’t like it here.”

- “Of course, Hero.”

We start walking.

“By the way,” she says, “you never told me your name.”

- “I am Aric Fen, Hero Maya.”

- “Okay, Aric. Nice to meet you.”

- “…Thank you?”

- "Idiot! When someone says, Nice to meet you. You should say, nice to meet you too."

I say hesitantly, "Even though it wasn't nice to meet her? You know, getting hit by a flying stick and getting stepped on the chest." 

- "What did you just say? You’re saying it’s not nice to meet me?”

- “It’s an honor to meet you, Hero Maya!”

- “Hmph!”

She stays quiet for a while, then asks, “Why are you walking behind me?”

- “You’re the Hero. I can’t walk ahead of you.”

- "Then walk beside me."

- "But I am...."

- "As the hero, I am demanding you to walk beside me. What do you say?"

- "I have no choice but to walk beside the hero Then."

- "Yes! Come on."

I begin walking beside the hero as she smiles so beautifully.